When country music hits small town, well, you have a story worthy of a song. I love Hitchcock, Sabrina, Aunt Rowe and all the good folks of Lavender. I guess it must be true about authors being nosy or maybe inquisitive would be a better word. Loved the story line and the characters. I can’t wait to travel to Lavender to be with them again. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror is the 5th book in the "Bad Luck Cat" cozy series by Kay Finch. Released 21st July 2020, it's 243 pages and is available in paperback 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 appealing and well written cozy mystery (and series). For some reason, my reading list has been too heavily slanted toward very serious 'deep' and angry books lately. This was the perfect antidote to too much current events, philosophy, and politics. It's lighthearted and although it's a murder mystery, it's a fun read and not too demanding.

There's a lot to like here. The book is well written technically, the plotting and characterizations are fine and the dialogue is fairly well done and not clunky or awkward. The story arc moves along at a good clip and the clues follow the rules of engagement. Like many other 'cozy mysteries with food and cats', this one does actually include some recipes at the end of the book. The icebox layer cake is one of my go-to cakes for social occasions and the others look good too.

The language is clean (a couple of 'damn's, nothing worse) and there's no racy content, nothing to make anyone blush. This was my daily bus commute read and it was a good one.

Four stars. I'll be sticking with Hitchcock and Sabrina for the next books in the series.

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

The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror by Kay Finch is book five in this cozy mystery series. I love this series. It' has everything a great Cozy needs, a great setting, likeable characters, friends and family, plenty of plot twists, humor, romance, and a loveable cat! It can be read as a stand alone.
Sabrina's brother and nephews are in town for a visit and looking forward to a concert by country artist, Colt Jamison. Unbeknownst to everyone, Colt has actually been in town and staying in one of the cabins right by Sabrina. Just days before the concert, Colt's former PR manager is found murdered unfortunately one of Sabrina's nephews find him. Then it's revealed he actually grew up in Lavender and left a string of secrets. 
Sabrina really doesn't want to get involved in another murder, but what choice does she have. So with her sidekick, Hitchcock she starts asking questions. f
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

Princess Fuzzypants here:  Hitchcock is back in another adventure and I swear his nickname should be Houdini.  He can sneak into cars quicker than anyone can see.  It is a good think because Sabrina has a bad habit of getting herself into some very tight corners and only Hitchcock can save the day.

After all the rescues he has made, it is hard to believe some still think he is a bad luck cat.  But he does have his fans including a little boy named Noah who turns out to be pivotal to a murder in town.  The town is aflutter with a big concert starring a popular Country Star.  The murdered man may have been working for the star’s team but there are also a number of locals who might have grudges with him too.  In fact, he is attacked when he first arrives and then that night, he is murdered.

Sabrina is asked to help solve the mystery by two unexpected directions but at the same time, she is asked to keep secrets about things on the periphery.  She is going to have a tough time doing both.  She is determined to get to the bottom of it, if not for the victim, for her brother and nephews who are visiting and have been drawn into the drama.  If she did not have a helping paw from Hitchcock, things might have turned out far worse for all.

I love this series and if you haven’t noticed, I love Hitchcock.  Five purrs and two paws up.

4.5 stars

This is the fifth book in the Bad Luck Cat mystery series by Kay Finch.

Sabrina is a published author living in Lavender, Texas working on her polishing her second novel when the public relations manager of a popular country singer is murdered. Sabrina had invited her brother Bruce and his two boys to come and see the singer. But there is a lot going on in Bruce’s life that he is keeping from his sister. She is pulled between family and uncovering the mystery in this classic whodunit by Finch.

This book really keeps you entertained and engaged all the way through. I loved the whole cat angle of this book but didn’t really see where the cat was “bad luck” per say.

Definitely a series I want to continue to follow. What a fun read!

If you want to read a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror is the fifth book in this charming cozy series set in the Texas Hill country in a town named Lavender. Sabrina and her sidekick, a delightful black cat named Hitchcock, are adept at solving crimes of murder. This time out her brother and two nephews are out in the countryside and stumble across a body. He used to live in Lavender and was back in town doing PR for the Colt Jamison concert. When he lived in town he made enough enemies to give the police a pretty sizable list of suspects. Those are the basics and Kay Finch has developed them into a very enjoyable puzzle. It was complex with enough red herrings to keep me guessing wrong and a satisfying conclusion. As always Hitchcock adds his special magic to their investigating and the rest of the regular cast of characters were stellar. It was a welcome distraction from these trying times.
If you are new to this series, dive right in as this entry works fine as a stand alone.
My thanks to the publisher Beyond the Page and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the fifth in the Black Cat Steps on a Crack series. This is a standalone book. 
Sabrina’s brother, Nick, and nephews, Matthew and Adam are in Lavender, TX (Texas Hill Country) to attend Colt Jamison’s concert.  

One of her nephews, Matt, stumbles upon a body belonging to Colt’s PR guy, Marty Dixon. Unfortunately, Marty has burned many bridges in Lavender when he lived there.

The characters are engaging, the setting great, and the writing a nice escape from our current national situation. The story is well-developed with many red herrings and suspects.  I recommend you pick this up and give it a try.  It’ll transport you to a cozy little town in Texas.

There are a few recipes included that I plan to try out..

I was given an advanced reader’s copy. I am not required to leave a positive review.

The only character I actually liked was the aunt.  The sheriff was easily led and so many people had a motive that the ending came out of nowhere. The town, cottages, people and circumstances never had much of a personality to your give the story depth and atmosphere.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Mystery writer Sabrina Tate finds herself involved in a real life murder when her nephew discovers a dead body in the woods. She soon finds herself collaborating with a very unlikely person in an effort to solve the case before the wrong person is accused. 

This is the fifth book in the A Bad Luck Cat series and since I hadn't read the others it took me a bit to catch up but then I was totally absorbed in the story. The characters were relatable and Hitchcock, the bad luck cat, brought a touch of fun to the story.

Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

Cats, especially my favourite black cats, and a cosy murder mystery,  what's not to like? The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror is the fifth in Kay Finch's cosy murder series featuring Sabrina Tate and her black cat Hitchcock,  I haven't read any of the other titles but I enjoyed this one, excellent for holiday reading in my opinion.

This particular novel is set in Lavender, a town in Texas where Sabrina lives in one of the holiday cottages owned by her aunt. An up and coming Country Music star is booked to play a concert in the town, which is full of summer visitors at the time. His PR man, a former local boy is murdered a few days before the concert, but why and of course whodunnit?

This is not a terribly complicated story and the clues are not hard to follow, although I admit that I failed to identify the murderer. But nonetheless an enjoyable read, particularly if, like me, you love cats.

The Black Cat Breaks A Mirror is book 5 in the Bad Luck Cat cozy mystery series and it is another great addition to the series! Sabrina's brother and nephews are visiting and they all have tickets for the Colt Jamison concert in town. The concert is attracting a lot of people. Someone associated with the concert ends up dead. Sabrina and her cat Hitchcock are investigating to narrow down the suspects. The characters are very likable and the cozy mystery kept me guessing until the end! Very enjoyable!  #NetGalley #TheBlackCatBreaksaMirror

i so enjoy this series. How can one not love Hitchcock?  I like the characters, especially Aunt Rowe. The mystery always keeps me engaged. I would love to visit the town of Lavender.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review. - I'm so happy to have Hitchcock back!

The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror by Kay Finch  3.5 stars  (A Bad Luck Cat Mystery #5)

I have seen books from this series and wanted to try it out.  The description of this book involving a rising country music star and a dead body found in the woods peaked my interest.  With some mystery series you have to read from the beginning to get the most out of it.  I found the previous book "The Black Cat Steps on a Crack" and thought it was OK, but it is not necessary to read the prior book as each book can stand on its own.  The series centers on Sabrina Tate, a mystery writer who has just published her first mystery and is in the middle of writing her second one.  In addition, she has a kind of partner in her black cat, Hitchcock.  The cat itself seems to influence Sabrina in finding clues.  There is a standing set of characters, like Luke, her game warden boyfriend; Aunt Rowe, the owner of Around the World Cottages; Deputy Patricia Rosales, the Sheriff, etc.  Sabrina's persistent curiosity and her habit of talking to Hitchcock was the fun part of this book. 

This book involves the murder of a man who was generally disliked, so there were plenty of suspects for Sabrina to look at.  There were many leads that dead ended and the end was a bit abrupt.  The book did not keep my attention on a steady basis, but I did finish it.  It was OK.

Thank you Netgalley and Beyond the Page Publishing for this ARC.

Sabrina is a mystery writer in Lavender, Texas, and her brother and nephews are visiting for a country music concert which is coming up. Then there is a murder, and of course Sabrina wants to help solve the case with her black cat, Hitchcock, much to the dismay of the police chief. Hitchcock is a clever cat, and will prove once again that he has Sabrina’s back. There were a few loose ends at the end of the novel, but they were not problematic enough to keep me from recommending this book to fans of cat cozy mysteries. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

Entertaining cozy mystery! Protagonist, Sabrina, is a published author living in quaint Lavender, Texas. She has a special cat named Hitchcock who is with her almost constantly. The townspeople are excited about an upcoming concert by Colt Jamison, a country singer from Austin. When one of Colt’s public relations employees is murdered, Sabrina uses her sleuthing skills to help the local law enforcement solve the murder mystery.

Author Kay Finch deftly keeps the plot moving swiftly with plenty of red herrings and questionable suspects. The killer reveal was a surprise to me. Hitchcock is, as always, a hero. Delicious recipes shared at the end.

I honestly reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Beyond the Page Publishing. Thank you.

Sabrina invites brother Nick and his two sons, Matthew, and Adam, to visit her to see country singer Colt Jamison’s concert in Lavender. The first night in town, nephew Matthew stumbles over a dead body outside the Wild Pony, and Sabrina and Hitchcock find themselves chasing another killer.

Several reports of arguments between the deceased, Marty Dixon, and two women on separate occasions make each a person of interest: Deputy Rosales and Tracey. Plenty of red herrings emerge since it comes out that Dixon is a visiting Lavender native. The narrative flows as characters come to life. Sabrina and Hitchcock, her mischievous black cat, either on a leash or tucked into a handy tote, track down clues and interview suspects. The frequent conversations between Sabrina and Hitchcock add a touch of humor throughout. Kay Finch’s fifth Bad Luck Cat Mystery is a delightful read.

#The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror#
Sabrina Tate and her cat, Hitchcock, live in Lavender, Texas, a small town in the throes of excitement awaiting a concert by a country music superstar. When Marty Dixon, the star's PR man turns up murdered, Sabrina and Hitchcock begin to investigate much to the chagrin of local law enforcement. The mystery is a delight to read with its unexpected twists and turns, The narrative flow is not rushed. Reader spends time with Sabrina's Aunt and friends. The small town ambience is well represented. This is the first book in this series I have read, the mystery was well plotted. It worked well as a stand-alone. I received this book from #Netgalley# in exchange for an honest review, Thank you, #Netgalley#
Review by: I Love To Read

Sabrina is a mystery writer
Setting small town in Texas during summer.
Country star comes to town with his band and Roadies.
Sabrina and her cat Hitchcock are great. 
Victim is not well liked.
Can read as a stand alone, but enjoyed previous book too.

This book is so good! This is a new-to-me author and I'm so glad I found this series. I loved it. The book is well written, will make you laugh out loud and will keep you guessing until the end. Now I want to read the beginning of this series. Thank you Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was another good book in the black cat series.  There is a popular country singer in town for a concert and all sorts of mysterious things are happening around that.  There are plenty of twists to keep you wondering how everything is connected or if it is just a coincidence.   Sabrina is a likeable character and many of the other supporting characters are well rounded.  My favorite is Hitchcock because he is a bit naughty but does it with flair like only cats do.  My only disappointment is that despite there being a lot of build up; the ending seemed a bit abrupt and to not quite tie up all of the strings.