Sydney McCall lives in Deer Park, NC with her adopted rescue cat, Toby. She's helping her sister Kat with preparations for a fund raiser to benefit the animal shelter they run together. Unfortunately their guest of honor, a comedian born in Deer Park, is injured in a car accident. They turn to another famous former resident, Ulla Townsend. Immediately they get mixed reactions from some shelter staff and residents who went to school with Ulla. Apparently, Ulla was difficult and promised to come back someday when she was famous to rub it all in their faces. She does come back.....and she is famous....but before she can exact any revenge for past slights, she is murdered. Ulla was a rude and difficult person so there is no shortage of suspects. But.....who hated Ulla enough to kill her??

Death By a Whisker is the second book in the Cat Rescue Cozy Mystery series. This is the first book by T.C. LoTiempo that I've read. The mystery was a little slow to start at first, but I enjoyed the character and story development. It picked up pace as soon as the victim was offed. There were several suspects and some interesting twists along the way. All in all, a nice, enjoyable cozy mystery! I have LoTiempo's Nick and Nora Mysteries series (the main character and her cat are named after Nick and Nora from The Thin Man movies -- some of my favorite classic movies!) on my TBR shelf.....I will definitely be reading those next!! I like her writing style, and the characters she created for the Cat Rescue series are engaging and likable.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Crooked Lane via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

This is a fun little escapist read. Syd helps her sister run an animal shelter. They are hosting an event to help raise money for the shelter. The celebrity at the event is killed and Syd is worried for her friend. The mystery moved along and I enjoyed the story and the writing style. There were a few typos or editing errors, but nothing distracting. I especially loved Toby the cat. I was so wrapped up in the characters and what was going on in their lives that the murderer took me by surprise. This is not the first book in the series, but I had no problem figuring out the characters and their place in the town. I would read another book in the series.

Death by a Whisker: A Cat Rescue Mystery
By T.C. LoTempio
Crooked Lane Books
February 23, 2018

Review by Cynthia Chow

Now the proud publicity director of Deer Park, North Carolina’s Friendly Paws Animal Shelter, Sydney McCall never regrets having left her boyfriend or the prestigious job in New York City. Wanting to make the most of the open-to-all-animals shelter run by her sister Kat, Sydney hopes that the planned “Caterday” adoption event at the Crowden’s Bookstore will find happy homes for needy kitties. After the planned bestselling author bows out due to a car accident, what seems to be an even better replacement soon turns sour. Ulla Townsend may have been a former Deer Park native made famous through her television shopping show, but her bestselling autobiography is naming names and not lessening the bad reputation she left behind.

Sydney is on hand at the bookstore to see more than one combative interaction between Ulla, her television crew, and Deer Park locals, so it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise when the shopping host is found dead in the bookstore bathroom. Initially declared to be the result of an allergic reaction, Sydney can’t help but suspect that Ulla’s illicit affairs, jealous rivals, or mean girl reputation may have instigated a far more nefarious act. Sydney’s boyfriend – well, they still haven’t kissed yet– Homicide Detective Will Worthington warns her against investigating, especially as this case has become something of a job interview between him and the mayor’s nephew. When a shelter volunteer who still resents Ulla after twenty years goes missing though, Sydney can’t sit idly by and watch the police come to their own hasty conclusions.

Sydney adores her twenty-two-pound wandering rescue cat Toby, and there’s nothing more than she’d like than to see the shelter’s success. Her compassion and loyalty to her friends runs just as high, which explains how she becomes so involved in the mystery of Ulla and her complicated past. A handsome newcomer to Deer Park emphasizes Will’s many absences as he’s called away to duty, but old high school crushes are hard to ignore. The relationships between Kat, Sydney, and her bestie roommate are warm and relatable, making this a heartwarming tale depicting the bond between women as well as their pets. Animal lovers will of course relish this series that highlights the charm and love of our non-human companions, and they won’t be surprised if they happen to lend a hand – or paw –in order to solve the crime.

I enjoyed this book. This is the first I have read in the series. It is well-written thought out and has humor. The author provides a sea of suspects all with a solid motive. It’s fun trying to weed through them to see who actually killed Ulla Townsend, local girl who isn’t the nicest person.
I like that the sleuth, Syd, listens and connects the dots, doesn’t try to take over the case from the police, and isn’t placing herself in harm’s way. The cats are cats with attitude and smarts and do not have some super power.
This book is great as a stand-alone but I will reread it after I read the initial book in the series to get to know the characters better.
A plus for this book is Toby is reminiscent of my cat who adopted us and quickly became an indoor cat. I liked the fact that the book acknowledges that pets have personalities all their own.

Death By A Whisker is the second installment in the Cat Rescue Mystery Series by T.C. LoTempio.
I highly recommend the first in series as well as this second in series.
The author has a winning combination of great writing, a cat rescue theme and well crafted interesting mystery.
In this next in series our protagonist Sydney McCall and her smart tabby cat Toby are enjoying helping her sister run the local shelter and planning a fund raiser for the shelter. They considered the local home shopping queen attending as a sure attendance grabber for the locals.
When the woman is found dead Sydney and her sister have their own suspicions as the woman was disagreeable and did not get along with anyone at the event.
I found this a great addition to the series. They mystery is well crafted and enjoyable to read to the end. I was surprised by the ending and loved the twist and turns. Each character adds to the story and the shelter is a animal lovers delight. I look forward to the next in series.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review. I highly recommend this wonderful series for all animal lovers and those readers who enjoy a great mystery.

eath by a Whisker (A Cat Rescue Mysterie)
T.C. LoTempio

I just love a cozy that covers all my requirments for a great story. This one does. It has action, murder, suspence,twists and turns, and it advocates animal rescue and adoptions. Well written characters and believable plot. Cat lovers will love this story.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So glad I did.

Death by a Whisker is the second book in the Cat Rescue Mystery series! It's about Sydney McCall, a woman who helps her sister run a local animal shelter in their hometown of Deer Park, North Carolina. This time around the sisters are planning a shelter fundraiser at a bookstore where shopping channel queen Ulla Townsend will appear and do a book-signing. In the middle of the event, Ulla winds up dead, and it's up to Sydney and her cat Toby to find the killer.

I really enjoyed the first book in this awesome cozy series, and the second was just as good! Sydney, the main character, is still warm and compassionate. I love how likable she is. She's definitely someone who I could be friends with. The same for the other characters. Everyone in Deer Park is just delightful and funny and realistic and just a whole lotta fun!

The mystery itself was very intriguing! It starts off so simply, but then turns into something so twisty and turvy that I became hooked! I literally couldn't put the book down. Every chapter had something new and interesting or a new suspect appeared. It was just amazing and very thrilling. I had a blast at how unpredictable it was.

Overall, I love cozy mysteries, and this series is one of my favorites. It's fun, exciting, the characters are funny and delightful, and the mysteries are always thrilling and unpredictable. I highly recommend :)

Death By A Whisker by T.C. LoTempio is the 2nd book in A Cat Rescue Mystery series, and another enjoyable book. Sydney McCall is helping her sister Kat with a fundraiser for her animal shelter. Attending will be Ulla Townsend, a celebrity of the home shopping channel, but when she is murdered, Sydney must get to the truth. Once I started this book, I could not stop reading it until I was done. I love Toby the cat!! Not only is this book an exciting mystery but also very refreshing and a quick read. If you love fun cozy mysteries, which are my favorite, you will love this book.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Death By A Whisker is the second book for T. C. LoTempio’s Cat Rescue Mystery series. This book is well written and the characters are well developed. This fun and fast paced book has an interesting mystery, great characters, and lots of twists and turns. I noticed a few discrepancies in the book, but since the copy I reviewed is an advanced reader copy, I’m sure they will be corrected before publication. I was kept guessing until the final reveal. I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in this series.

Sydney (Syd) McCall recently quit her job in New York and returned to her hometown of Deer Park, North Carolina. She’s working with her sister, Katherine (Kat) as the publicity director for Friendly Paws, her sister’s animal shelter and has adopted a tabby tomcat named Toby. Syd organized a book signing and adopt-a-cat fundraising event for Friendly Paws Animal Rescue. When the scheduled author, Dudley Simmons, is injured in an automobile accident, Tara Pitsenberger, the manager of Crowden’s Bookstore, steps in and is able to recruit a Deer Park native, Ulla Townsend, an author and television shopping channel celebrity, to take Dudley’s place. Ulla was a bully in high school and her pranks, some of which were malicious, left bad memories for many of the locals, including the shelter’s administrator, Maggie Shayne. When Maggie learns Ulla will be at the fundraiser, she refuses to attend the event. Ulla becomes ill during the signing and is rushed to the hospital, where she dies from an allergic reaction. The death is ruled as suspicious and Maggie becomes a suspect. Syd knows she should leave the investigating to the professionals, but she has a knack for discovering facts and wants to help her boyfriend, Homicide Detective Will Worthington, solve the case and prove her friend is innocent. Newspaper reporter, Leila Addams, who is Syd’s roommate and best friend, and even Toby help her. Since the victim wasn’t well liked and had a tendency to be overbearing, condescending, and belittling, Syd uncovers a long list of suspects. Despite receiving written warnings to quit snooping, she is determined to find the truth and places herself in harm’s way.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Sydney McCall along with her rescued tabby, Toby, are helping her sister Kat run the local animal shelter. It’s a whole new life for her in her hometown of Deer Park, North Carolina. Syd and Kat are excited about the prospect of the shelter’s newest fundraiser: shopping channel queen Ulla Townsend will be signing books and donating a percentage to the shelter. Maggie Shayne, Kat’s right-hand helper vehemently refuses to have anything to do with the woman or the fundraiser. However, everything goes well until Ulla turns up dead in the middle of the event.

They believe that Ulla died from an allergic reaction, but to what? Syd and Toby sniff out something fishy. When Syd met Ulla, it was clear she was distasteful and rude and had enemies. And right before the event, Syd spotted some behind-the-scenes drama between Ulla and her manager. As she begins to investigate, she realizes there is no shortage of suspects, and Maggie is at the top of the list.
--

Series: A Cat Rescue Mystery – Book 2
Author: T. C. LoTempio https://www.tclotempio.net/
Genre: Pet/Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Publishing Date, February 13, 2018, Buy Now!

Death by a Whisker is a delightful pet-based cozy with lots of animals who are literally characters in and of themselves. Along with a few humans who at times remind us why we love animals. This book is pleasurable without being long or overly detailed. It compels the reader to turn the page time after time.

Syd McCall is a warm, caring individual who just happens to love animals and has no life outside of the animal shelter, and her toy killing cat, Toby now that her boyfriend is so busy he doesn’t have time to call. Her sister Kat is much like her but with a little more going on in her life outside of the animals. Syd seems happy with her life, and yet the reader gets the sense that this may not be completely true. Life in a small town isn’t the same as life in New York City, especially not alone.

Maggie and Leila are great characters. Even though they play a smaller role, it will be interesting to see them grow and blossom alongside Syd. Boyfriend, Will is in and out of the story, but he adds a romantic interest that has future possibilities. It doesn’t hurt that he is a cop and sometimes gives Syd info she needs to help solve a case, even after he tells her to stay out of it.

The location used for the story is a small town that on occasion has big city problems. It is a surprise to those who live and work there that murder comes knocking, and not for the first time. However, a bit more detail about the layout of the town and the residents would be a welcome side story that would serve to enhance the reader's enjoyment.

Revealing the killer is no easy task and will keep readers guessing for a long time. The motive becomes clear faster than the identity of the murderer. With a plethora of suspects all with a solid motive, it doesn’t take long for Syd to narrow it down. When she finally figures it out the reader will be surprised and delighted all at the same time.

Overall Death by a Whisker is a fast-paced, enjoyable read that will have the audience yelling for more. It is highly recommended to anyone who loves animals, town gossip and stories that keep them guessing.

A charming page turner. Book signing to benefit cat rescues turns deadly. Engaging tale.

Death By A Whisker is the 2nd book in the enjoyable cozy mystery series.
The story is well told and the plot kept me guessing.

Life long secrets, bullying, and revenge are just the tip of the iceberg in this story.
Getting revenge always sounds like a good idea, until the revenge ends with murder!
Join Sydney and the gang as they try to unravel the secrets surrounding the murder in their hometown.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this title. The characters are people I'd love to hang out with and every time I thought I figured out who did it, the story took another turn. A page turning read for mystery lovers.

Another well plotted, well crafted Cat Rescue Mystery. It continues to strike a nice balance between cats and the people who love them. Syd and her cat buddy, Toby, a former shelter resident, are trying to get their life back to normal. Syd, with help from her sister, Kat, have successfully solved a murder and now they are trying to get ready for a shelter fund raiser. Due to an accident, the author slated to be the star attraction can't make it and a substitute is found. It looks like all is well until the author/shopping channel diva is bumped off just as the event is winding down. Of course Syd plays her parts well, both as a shelter official and as a friend of one of the prime suspects.
The nice things about this series are: Syd doesn't try to take over from the police, just investigating in tandem with her everyday activities. She just listens and snoops and connects the dots. She tries to avoid danger, taking no wild chances and, lastly, the cats are cats. Even Toby is mostly a cat with a lot of smarts and attitude. A very satisfying and relaxing cozy.

Fans of this series will be pleased with this latest offering.

They are having a big event at the bookstore to raise money for the cat rescue facility. It's not good news when the author that was coming to sign has an accident and can't make it. However, they find another one that is willing to come and donate part of the profits on the sales of the books. The bad news is that the woman who is coming, while she's a big star, is hated by several people in town. Then she dies at the book signing...

Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you). It will be published February 23rd.

I've had my share of rescue animals and I love cats, so this book was written for me. Having a mystery in it just made it better.

It seems the woman author was a bully and mean during her school years. She's made trouble for almost everyone in town. Some got hurt more than others. So trying to find a killer is no easy task. Syd is trying to puzzle it out because she knows her friend is not the killer. The problem is that she was one of the victims and she showed up at the event when she said she wouldn't come.

Syd's boyfriend is a local cop and he's working with another detective who is trying to get the job of top cop. Syd doesn't like the other guy. He even threatens her with jail time for interfering in the investigation. He should have behaved better, she's the one who solves the case.

This was a good cozy with lots of animals helping the case along the way. The characters all seem real and have good depth to them. The ending is bit like Karma. What goes around, comes around.

If you love a good mystery with feline elements, this story is for you! The second installment in the Cat Rescue Mystery series is a well written, can't stop until the last page mystery. It has it all, well developed characters, a great story line, well developed relationships between characters. The author does a great job setting the stage for the mystery and conflict while giving you a surprise whodunit at the end. This is a great series that is really starting to hit its stride.

Syd McCall enjoys being the publicity person for Friendly Paws Animal Shelter, and works closely with her sister, Kat, who is the FPAS director. The town is excited when Ulla Townsend, a former local who’s now a popular shopping channel host, agrees to attend a local fundraiser for the shelter and; hopefully, donate a percentage of her bestselling book sales to the floundering shelter. Ulla loves cats! However, it appears that someone doesn’t like Ulla when she goes into anaphylactic shock and expires.

I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag by giving more details on the murder, but will happily report that several felines find their furrever homes in this light and entertaining cozy mystery. The author provides plenty of suspects for you to dish about their suspicious behaviors and activities, and the finale is a whopper of a reveal!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a digital ARC provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books.

Author T.C. LoTempio takes you on an adventure with fun-loving cats, great characters, fantastic story settings, and an edge of your seat mystery that will stick with you for years to come.

I enjoyed the characters and the depth of the mystery, I even love how one of their own is tossed right in the middle of the mystery, it just made this story all much better of an edge of your seat story.

I would recommend this to anyone that loves cozy cat mysteries. I can’t wait to see what trouble Syd and Toby are going to get into next.

As the novel opens, Sydney is startled to find the sixth dead body in the middle of the kitchen floor – a headless Melvin the Marvelous Mouse that had been mauled by her tomcat Toby. Tired of finding mangled Melvins, Sydney threatened Toby with no more toy mice if she found just one more body. This interaction was observed by Sydney’s roommate, newspaper reporter Leila, before they started discussing the upcoming book signing fundraiser and adopt-a-cat preview for the Friendly Paws Animal Shelter in Deer Park, NC, where Sydney adopted Toby. Sydney and her sister Kat manage the shelter.

Naturally, since this is a cozy mystery, there is a murder to be solved. A shelter volunteer is suspected. Sydney gets deeply involved in pursuing clues to the dismay of police detective and boyfriend Will. Leila aids and abets her friend’s investigation, acting as sidekick and providing backup. Of course, Toby and felines point Sydney in the right direction with little nudges.

T. C. LoTempio is very skilled at incorporating feline characters into the fabric of her story, much to the delight of this reader. The mystery is well thought out and kept me guessing as well as reading through the night. Her ability to balance dialogue and narrative keeps the pace lively and contributes to development of realistic characters and relationships. Obviously, I enjoyed Death by a Whisker - it's an engaging cozy to be enjoyed by all.