Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines: A Sassy Cat MysteryBy Jennifer ChowBerkley2020 Review by Cynthia Chow Mimi Lee has never been happier.  The success of her pet grooming business Hollywoofcontinues to grow, with there being no shortage of Los Angelinos willing toindulge and pamper their companions.  Pedicures,bling, dyed periwinkle hairdos – Mimi has seen it all and is more than willingto do her best to ethically and safely match their whims.  Even her sister Alice is finding joy teachingat Roosevelt Elementary, as her new Principal is more welcoming than herprevious boss and always willing to hand out hugs.  The one worm in Alice’s apple is Valentine’sDay, when the usually single siblings spend the day together commiserating.  For the first in a very long time twenty-fiveyear-old Mimi finally has the perfect boyfriend in attorney Josh Akana, so sheis sympathetically distracting a less-than-ebullient Alice with a pre-Valentine’snight of celebration. Unfortunately, their plans on quickly halted when theydiscover the body of new teacher Helen, dead in her car in the teacher’sparking lot.  Alice hadgood-intentionally given Helen a ginger chew to help with her upset stomach,and being the last person to have seen the victim places Alice high onDetective Brown’s suspect list.  A straykitten who had drawn them to Helen’s car is taken in by Alice but ultimatelycared for by Mimi, who discovers that Nimbus has a talent very similar to herown cat companion.  For while Marshmallowhas the ability to understand Mimi and telepathically speak to her, Nimbus hasa mysterious microchip unreadable to veterinarian equipment but Marshmallowrecognizes immediately.  So not only willMimi be doing her all to protect her sister from the police and prove herinnocence, the dog groomer will be tracking down leads to those responsible forher sarcastic but amazingly gifted cat. Readers looking to escape into a fun, animal-celebratory novelwill revel in this second of the appropriately titled Sassy Cat Mystery series.  Marshmallow is indeed an opinionated feline,never hesitating to share his views on Mimi’s dating life, family, offriends.  That she’s the only one – so far– who can hear him may be a sign of their companionable bond, but it could alsobe something much more.  How this plays outin the future will be fascinating to behold, as it opens up a world builtaround science-fiction as much as fantasy. Those drawn in by Mimi’s irresistible multi-cultural family will morethan appreciate the mouth-watering Malaysian dinners and enthusiastic parentaldiscussions.  The meeting between Mimiand Josh’s Hawaiian-Japanese family is yet another vicarious delight of blendedethnicities and traditions.  Still, Mimiand her clients are the stars of this unique and very entertaining series,which blends telepathic cats, criminal puzzles, family miscommunications, andromantic intrigue.

This is book 2 in the Sassy Cat mystery series and can be read as a stand alone story.  Mimi Lee's life is good.  She has a great boy friend, a thriving pet shop and a cat who can talk to her.  When Mimi and her sister Alice,  find a teacher dead in her car at in the parking lot of their school, Alice becomes a prime suspect.  Mimi and her cat Marshmallow get busy investigating.  A cute mystery and fans of animal cozies will enjoy the interaction between Mimi and her talking cat.  I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines is the second book in the Sassy Cat cozy mystery series by Jennifer J. Chow. Released 10th Nov 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 320 pages and available in paperback, library large print, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an entertainingly fluffy cozy murder mystery with a strong romance subplot. The writing is light and engaging and the character driven plot is breezy and whimsical. For readers who enjoy anthropomorphic cats (is there a proper subgenre for that?) this series has them in spades. Pet groomer, Mimi Lee, owner of Hollywoof, spends part of her days grooming pets and a fair bit of time solving unpleasant murders with her genetically enhanced telepathic cat Marshmallow riding shotgun. He's got a sarcastic, wisecracking, old-guy schtick going on which some readers will enjoy (and some will not). He speaks to Mimi telepathically, but she speaks to him audibly, which leads to some inevitable "who are you talking to" scenes in the book. The significant plot threads concerning Marshmallow and the mad scientist/shady project responsible for her augmented cat (and his kitten sidekick) take up roughly half the book. Since it's a series, the unfolding information about how her psychic cat (and kitten Nimbus) came to be, provide continuity from book to book. Although it's a series, it works well enough as a standalone read. The author is adept at providing the necessary backstory without info dumping to an annoying degree.

The mystery itself is outlandish and unnecessarily convoluted, but readers who enjoy talking cats (including me) won't find it impossible to read and enjoy. The denouement was maybe a bit telegraphed and oddly resolved, but all in all, satisfying. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy the subgenre. The language is clean and there's no scandalous or disturbing content. My only annoyance came from a minor plot element which could've been resolved a *lot* more easily and cleanly by the simple expedient of a direct question to the main character's father. (My eyes were rolling). 

Four stars, will probably delight talking-cat-cozy-mystery fans. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I was really intrigued by the premise of a protagonist who solves crimes with the help of her cat, who speaks to her via telepathy. This book is very much a Hallmark movie but on the page, with a splash of mystery. But the mystery isn't too heavy or dark. Chow really leans in to the cat puns and over the top cat behavior. Marshmallow gets tucked in at night. As a person who is a cat caretaker and gets bossed daily by said cat, all of this really made me laugh. The subtitle on this book is "Sassy Cat Mystery" and it lived up to that. There is a bit of a romantic arc, but it is very light. And that was fine. 
I think any one who likes cats, likes Hallmark movies, likes a smidge of silliness, and isn't looking for anything too hard/heavy would enjoy this book.

I will be looking forward to seeing what capers Mimi and Marshmallow get in to next.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I enjoyed this lighthearted cozy mystery, second in the Sassy Cat Mystery series. The fascinating mystery had me stymied, the characters are well-defined, and I appreciated how close-knit Mimi and her family is. The cats are not the typical pets one would find on the street or at the local shelter. There is sufficient backstory on Mimi’s family and her cat, Marshmallow, to allow for reading this as a standalone. Be prepared, though, as you might want to read the first one!

Mimi and her cat, Marshmallow, live in an apartment in the Los Angeles area near her parents’ home. She is very close to her younger sister, Alice, a kindergarten teacher. Mimi owns Hollywoof, a pet grooming salon where we see clients who want anything from a conditioner-only bath to a blueberry facial to non-toxic dye changing the color of a pet. She loves what she does, even if some of the requests are unusual.

As is her cat, Marshmallow, who came from a rescue shelter. She had the kitty only a short time before she realized he seemed to understand what she said – and the cat communicated back with her! Marshmallow could be a great secret agent as who would guess a cat could communicate with a human?

One day Mimi met Alice at her school so the sisters could get together. Mimi met Principal Lewis, an older man who liked to greet everyone with a hug, while awaiting Alice. When the sisters walked through the parking lot minutes later, Mimi thought she saw gray fluff go by a car. She didn’t locate the source of the fluff but noticed that someone was inside the car with their head hanging at an odd angle. Helen, one of the teachers who Alice had tried to befriend, was dead inside her car, and the EMT’s could not bring her back.

The next morning, Detective Brown was at Alice’s door with questions. Mimi got there as quickly as she could, since he had caused her much grief a few months ago when she was a murder suspect. He wouldn’t commit to whether the police considered Helen’s death suspicious, only that he has to ask questions should the autopsy show anything unusual. Unfortunately for Alice, the results did show something unusual, and from the questions he asked around the school, she had motive and access to the means.

Before Principal Lewis sent Alice home on leave, she sent an emergency pet request to Mimi. She hurried to the school to find that Alice had an adorable, but matted and bedraggled gray kitten who needed a home. It had been a stray around the schoolyard that Helen had been feeding. Mimi took the kitten home, cleaned her up, and named her Nimbus, after the clouds she resembled. Nimbus has quite a surprise for Mimi and Marshmallow.

Detective Brown strongly suggested that Mimi stay out of the investigation, but when it comes to her younger sister, she will do whatever is necessary to protect Alice. Where Mimi goes, Marshmallow has to go unless it interrupts his napping or mealtime, and the pair make a good, if interesting, team.

The characters are well defined; it was interesting to learn about Mimi’s mother’s background and how her parents had met, as well as some of the different customs and foods of Malaysia. Detective Brown shows a side of himself that few people see, or at least few suspects would see, and I was happy with a decision he made by the end of the story. Josh, Mimi’s boyfriend and an attorney, is originally from Hawaii. He, and other characters are defined as needed for their roles.

Overall, this was a fun and surprising read. I enjoyed the pets and the pet grooming escapades. I’m not sure that I connected with any of the characters other than Mimi, Alice, and Marshmallow. While the premise of communicating with cats is not uncommon in cozy mysteries, this time there is a twist for Marshmallow’s talent. It will be interesting to see how Mimi might one day tell her family or Josh about it!  The means of murder and the mystery held my attention throughout, especially as Mimi tries to track down the source of the cause of death. I was surprised to find out the motive and the identity of the killer and appreciate how Mimi put it all together. I highly recommend this cozy mystery!

A cozy mystery upstaged by two charismatic cats. Family drama seemed a little misplaced in the story line, but Mimi's feline detectives more than made up for the distraction.

This is the second book in the series and I definitely recommend reading the books in order so that you aren't lost in the beginning. This one jumps right into the story where the first book left off. I really enjoyed the mystery in this one and I had no idea where it was going, which was nice. I didn't really like Josh, the boyfriend, though. He's a little boring. I did love the cats though and I enjoyed getting to see more of Mimi's family. Overall it was a really fun read.

Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines by Jennifer J. Chow is the 2nd book in A Sassy Cat Mystery series.  I recommend reading Mimi Lee Gets a Clue before embarking on the newest addition.  I did not and I was lost in the beginning.  Mimi Lee owns Hollywoof, a pampered pooch palace in Los Angeles, California.  She owns a cat that communicates with her telepathically named Marshmallow.  Mimi is close to her teacher sister, Alice.  Her father always seems to be busy with golf while her mother spends her time trying to marry off her daughters.  When Helen Reed, a teacher at Alice’s elementary school, is murdered, Detective Brown puts Alice at the top of his suspect list.  Mimi is not about to let her sister linger on the suspect list when she can do a little snooping with the aid of Marshmallow.  The whodunit had several suspects, a red herring, and subtle clues. I like how Mimi and Marshmallow work together to solve crimes.  That Marshmallow is one smart cookie.  The mystery can be solved before the reveal if you pay careful attention to the clues.  When not at her pet salon, she spends time with her boyfriend, Josh.  They get to enjoy Valentine’s Day together.  Mimi and Alice are worried about her parent’s marriage.  They decide to plan a little something to help them.  Alice finds a small kitten outside her classroom that Mimi takes into her home.  She calls the little ball of fluff Nimbus who has something in common with Marshmallow.  Mimi will need to come up with a plan to keep Nimbus safe.  As you can see, Mimi is one busy woman.  She certainly gets some unusual requests at Hollywoof.  They provided humor in the story.  We also get to learn about the Lee family mixed culture and the food they enjoy (lots of yummy food descriptions).  I enjoyed the Harry Potter references and loved the nook under the stairs in Helen’s home.  Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines is a lighthearted cozy mystery with a cute kitten, a matchmaking mama, fun foreign fare, parent problems, a setup sister, one panicky principal, and a cheeky cat.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Sassy cat Marshmallow and Mimi Lee are back and investigating another murder. A visit to see her sister and the elementary school where she teaches takes a deadly turn when they find another teacher dead in her car. The police believe Mimi’s sister Alice was the last to see the deceased alive and place her at the top of their suspect list. Mimi knows her sister is innocent and quickly sees several other suspects. With a little help from her feline friend, she is going to put her sleuthing to the test and catch the real killer.

Mimi Lee continues to grow in this second Sassy Cat Mystery. She has a boyfriend, Josh, her pet grooming shop, Hollywoof is gaining new clients, some with some unusual requests, and her investigating has gone up a notch too. I love the relationship she has with her sister, Alice. I enjoyed getting to know Alice better. There is something going on with their parents that has them both worried. They take a page out of their mother’s handbook and do a little meddling of their own. The author has done a great job with character development, human and feline. Marshmallow again stole my heart.

The mystery was a fun one with Marshmallow and Mimi ferreting through the clues. Their telepathic relationship is unique. It would be such a treat to actually know what our cats are thinking, heck this cat can even read text messages. They worked through school politics and a clique of teachers as they pared-down the suspects. Frankly, setting the murder aside, it was nice to escape the reality of COVID and read about a school that was actually in session, teaching students.

The regular life subplots blended nicely and added so much to the book. A wonderful twist had me smiling ear to ear.

Mimi Lee Reads Between The Lines is a delightful lighthearted mystery with a sassy, smart kitty and his amateur sleuth person. All in all, a very enjoyable escape.

Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines is the second book in the Sassy Cat Mystery series and what a delightful sleuthing adventure it was! Although Mimi had no true desire to take part in any investigative ventures, she could not just sit by while it was implied that her sister was capable of orchestrating a murder. As her big sister, Mimi felt it was her duty to clear her sister of any supposed murderous wrong doing on her part. What followed were humorous escapades as Mimi followed the clues that came to light while she investigated the motives of those closest to the deceased. All while running a successful business and keeping her love life going strong.

I liked Mimi very much in this story because she was realistically portrayed and had the right amount of sass, spunk, and heart to keep me entertained without her being over the top or obnoxious with her investigating endeavors. Though, what continues to be my favorite part of this series is Marshmallow and Mimi’s interactions with him. I love that he is very much a part of the story but that his presence does not feel unrealistic or outlandish. He is funny, sarcastic, and sweet in his own style and I love it. Another kitty was also introduced and although Nimbus was not the star of the story, she was adorable in her own way.

I will say that my complaint with the previous book, Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, was that Mimi’s relationship with Josh felt very juvenile but I am happy to say that I no longer feel that way after reading this story. Mimi and Josh have a quirky relationship that is sweet and not overly so. It was nicely done and the main focus of this story is definitely on Mimi trying to protect her sister. Which I loved! I also enjoyed the additional characters in this book as well as the subplot that involved Mimi’s parents. Overall, Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines was a very enjoyable story and is a cozy mystery that makes you want to sink down into your most comfortable spot and dive right on in!

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

It was pure delight following alongside Mimi, Marshmallow, and new kitten friend Nimbus on this wild goose chase! I didn't have a clue who the culprit was, and it was wonderful getting to know Mimi's family a bit better and become privy to some of their family history along the way. My only concern is that I keep feeling that Mimi's boyfriend, Josh, is a bit of a bland character, although a truly sweet and kind addition to the line up. If you enjoyed Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, you're going to love this latest installment in the series. I can't wait to see where the author takes us next! (Also, I can't be the only one who seems to think the detective might make a perfect love interest down the road?)

As a lover of cozy mysteries, this book shouted at me to be picked up! I think it was the cat called Marshmallow that swung it for me. Mimi Lee has a pet grooming business, Hollywoof, a veritable hounds haven based in Los Angeles, California.

Although I have not yet read Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, the first in the Sassy Cat Mystery series, I was not lost off with characters and events in this one, Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines and it was a good individual read. Mimi has a sister, Alice, who teaches at an elementary school and they arrange to meet up together for a night out. When Helen Reed, a teacher at the same school where Alice works is found dead, Alice finds herself at the top of the suspect list...

Busy Mimi sets out to clear Alice's name working alongside the rather uptight Detective Brown, though she still manages to spend some time with her boyfriend, Josh. With several suspects and a few clues and red herrings, the mystery itself was very good as I tried to figure out the perpetrator and motive. However, for me, it was Marshallow, Mimi's telepathic cat, that stole the show. Jennifer J. Chow's writing style really appealed to me and especially liked the funnies relating to Mimi's unusual requests at Hollywoof. I found Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines to be a cracking, fun and lighthearted cozy mystery and I will be looking out for book three, as well as catching up with the first in the Sassy Cat Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Great Escapes Book Tours, via Berkley and NetGalley, at my request and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the ARC for this book! I really enjoyed the first book in this series so I was very excited to catch up with Mimi and Marshmallow again in this one. I loved getting to know more about some return characters (like Alice), and I enjoyed watching Mimi and Josh's relationship progress. I love a cute mystery, but I really love that this has substantial characters even without that. I really do enjoy these books. Marshmallow once again stole the show for me. My only complaint was I didn't really get into the parent's marital issues part. I didn't think Mimi brought up much about their marriage at all in the first book (at least not that I can remember), so for that to be something that took up so much of Mimi's time, it felt out of place for me. Regardless, i still recommend this series if you are into a cute cozy mystery (and the best talking cat).

Mimi Lee is once again forced to investigate a murder in Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines. Luckily, she has her sassy, and talking (at least in Mimi’s head), cat Marshmallow to help.

Detective Brown has Mimi’s sister, Alice, in his sights as his number one suspect in Helen’s murder. Helen and Alice work as teachers in the same elementary school. But there are at least five more likely suspects at the school plus the people in Helen’s private life.

Meanwhile, Mimi is worried about her parents’ marriage. Plus she is trying to find an adoptive home for a poor little gray kitten found by the victim’s murder scene. And there is her pet grooming shop to run and her boyfriend Josh to snuggle with. Mimi is busy!

I love Marshmallow! He is once again my favorite character in this series. To be honest, I think he might be the Sherlock in the relationship. Not only is he telepathic, but he can read texts too. And he really saves the day in this book. Overall, Mimi Reads Between the Lines is another great entry in this cozy cat mystery series. 4 stars!

Thanks to Berkley, Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Mimi and Marshmallow are back, this time with an adorable kitten companion named Nimbus. And double the cats means double the trouble—and fun!

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery. I especially loved seeing Mimi and Josh’s relationship progress and getting more insight into Mimi’s family. The food descriptions made my mouth water and the setting of LA was unique and visceral.

The mystery itself was engrossing, delving into the world of elementary school politics with Mimi’s sister being the primary suspect. And I DID NOT see that whodunit coming!

Can’t wait to read more Mimi!

I love following Mimi and her cat marshmallow as they sleuth and find crimes! This one was just as cute as the first but I actually enjoyed it a little more. A fun cozy mystery with some adorable pets and swoon worthy Josh

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC of Jennifer Chow’s second installment in her #SassyCatMystery series—#MimiLeeReadsBetweenTheLines. After spending so much time with hardcore psychopaths and gruesome murders, this cozy cat mystery was a nice break. 

Mimi happens to be on the scene at her sister’s school when a fellow teacher is found dead in her car along with a scared kitten. The kitten and her own cat can somehow speak to Mimi. And because she can understand what her cat Marshmallow is saying, she brings him along with her everywhere she goes. This really bugged me. More than her being able to understand his meows. Nobody is going to let you bring your unleashed cat into their store or in their house when they’ve never met you before and you are there to grill them about a murder. I don’t know, at least the understanding cat-speak was semi-explained with some weird cat experiments. But it’s just too unrealistic for cats to suddenly start acting like dogs and being accepted like dogs. They’re not dogs, they’re cats. And I know because I’m a cat lady! I guess I should stick with psychopaths. Other than that it was an OK murder mystery. A little slow and uneventful though. 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5 / Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines (Sassy Cat Mystery #2) by Jennifer Chow / Pages: 320 / Genre: Murder Mystery/ Release Date: Nov. 10, 2020