Synopses & Reviews
With pooper-scooper in hand, smart and sassy Dixie Hemingway--Sarasota, Florida's top amateur sleuth and professional pet-sitter--fearlessly faces schnauzers, greyhounds, tabbies. . . and murder.
CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT SITTER
Dixie Hemingway knows first-hand that many things in life are worse than a dirty litter box. Once happy as a Florida sheriff's deputy, she lost everything when senseless tragedy shattered her world. Now Dixie laces up her sneakers, grabs some kitty treats, and copes with one day at a time as a pet-sitter. Her investigations deal strictly with "crimes" such as who peed on the bed . . . until she finds a dead man face down in an Abyssinian's water bowl. With the local cops stymied--including a handsome detective who catches her eye--she decides to clip a leash on a lead or two and go sleuthing herself. Dixie soon finds out that the Abyssinian's pretty owner has vanished and left behind a shocking past, a lonely cat, and a chilling reason for Dixie to start running when she's out walking the dogs.
"Clement's assured cozy debut introduces an appealing heroine."
--Publishers Weekly
"Impressive...a sure keeper, with well-developed characters, seamless prose, and a winning plot...[a] commendable new series."
--Mystery Lovers.com
Review
"A knock-out read. Clement offers vivid characters, a super plot, and a sense of place so real you can almost feel the sand between your toes. For anyone who loves mysteries, animals, or just plain great writing, this is a book to savor."- Laurien Berenson, author of
Hot Dog "At once a cozy mystery for animal lovers and a jarringly earthy hard-boiled whodunit about human corruption. Clement's sleuth, Florida pet-sitter Dixie Hemingway, is an engaging combination of vulnerability and toughness, but the real heroine of the story is a gritty Abyssinian cat. A good read!"- Susan Conant, author of
Bride and Groom and the Holly Winter Dog Lover's Mysteries "Kick off your flip-flops, find a hammock, and settle in for a fun read. Clement's Floridian heroine, Dixie Hemingway, spouts laugh-out-loud one-liners and words of wisdom in this intriguing whodunit filled with twists, turns, and some pretty captivating critters!"- Cynthia Baxter, author of
Lead a Horse to Murder "Funny, engaging, and true to life."- Lee Charles Kelley, author of
To Collar a Killer "
Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter has it all: a feisty heroine, lovable animals, and a solid whodunit. What more could you ask for?"- Barbara Seranella, creator of the Munch Mancini crime novels "This first in a new mystery series is a keeper, with its plucky protagonist, cats galore, and a nice sense of place.... Look forward to the next in this smart series." -
Library Journal "An entertaining debut. Dixie is a complex, well-conceived character and the plot fast-moving and believable."-
Kirkus Reviews "An appealing heroine....The difficulties and humor inherent to the pet-sitting business, a local law-enforcement hunk with romantic potential and crisp writing all bode well for future entries in the series."-
Publishers Weekly "First-rate...a nice mix of light and dark."-
Booklist "A new star in the 'mysteries with animals' firmament...this book stands out in the genre for its plotting, pacing, and well formed characters, in addition to an enticing tropical locale. May there be many more installments."-
The Kingston Observer "Clement uses rich descriptions of her home turf to provide a concrete sense of place for her gripping mystery. Her characterizations are convincing, and the animals Dixie cares for are an integral part of the story."
- The Tennessean "Impressive...a sure keeper, with well-developed characters, seamless prose and a winning plot.... Anticipate additional installments in this commendable new series."
- MysteryLovers.com
Review
"A knock-out read. Clement offers vivid characters, a super plot, and a sense of place so real you can almost feel the sand between your toes. For anyone who loves mysteries, animals, or just plain great writing, this is a book to savor."- Laurien Berenson, author of
Hot Dog "At once a cozy mystery for animal lovers and a jarringly earthy hard-boiled whodunit about human corruption. Clement's sleuth, Florida pet-sitter Dixie Hemingway, is an engaging combination of vulnerability and toughness, but the real heroine of the story is a gritty Abyssinian cat. A good read!"- Susan Conant, author of
Bride and Groom and the Holly Winter Dog Lover's Mysteries "Kick off your flip-flops, find a hammock, and settle in for a fun read. Clement's Floridian heroine, Dixie Hemingway, spouts laugh-out-loud one-liners and words of wisdom in this intriguing whodunit filled with twists, turns, and some pretty captivating critters!"- Cynthia Baxter, author of
Lead a Horse to Murder "Funny, engaging, and true to life."- Lee Charles Kelley, author of
To Collar a Killer "
Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter has it all: a feisty heroine, lovable animals, and a solid whodunit. What more could you ask for?"- Barbara Seranella, creator of the Munch Mancini crime novels "This first in a new mystery series is a keeper, with its plucky protagonist, cats galore, and a nice sense of place.... Look forward to the next in this smart series." -
Library Journal "An entertaining debut. Dixie is a complex, well-conceived character and the plot fast-moving and believable."-
Kirkus Reviews "An appealing heroine....The difficulties and humor inherent to the pet-sitting business, a local law-enforcement hunk with romantic potential and crisp writing all bode well for future entries in the series."-
Publishers Weekly "First-rate...a nice mix of light and dark."-
Booklist "A new star in the 'mysteries with animals' firmament...this book stands out in the genre for its plotting, pacing, and well formed characters, in addition to an enticing tropical locale. May there be many more installments."-
The Kingston Observer "Clement uses rich descriptions of her home turf to provide a concrete sense of place for her gripping mystery. Her characterizations are convincing, and the animals Dixie cares for are an integral part of the story."
- The Tennessean "Impressive...a sure keeper, with well-developed characters, seamless prose and a winning plot.... Anticipate additional installments in this commendable new series."
- MysteryLovers.com
Synopsis
In the first in a new series for animal lovers, Dixie Hemingway, a professional pet-sitter in Sarasota, Florida, discovers a client's cat hiding from a very dead intruder, which launches her investigation into the whereabouts of her now suspicious-looking--and vanished--client.
Synopsis
Until three years ago, Dixie Hemingway was a deputy with the Sarasota County Sherriff's Department in southwest Florida. Then came a tragic accident. Now Dixie's a pet-sitter on Siesta Key, a lush, exotic barrier island where the people tend to be rich, suntanned, and tolerant of one another's quirks. As Dixie tried to get her life back in order, pet-sitting is the perfect job. She goes into people's homes while they're gone and takes care of their pets; she likes the animals, they like her, and she doesn't have to deal with people very much. She especially does not have to be afraid that she'll run into a situation that will cause her to lose her hard-won composure. But when Dixie finds a man bizarrely drowned in a cat's water bowl, she is drawn into a tangled web of danger and secrets. Unbeknownst to Lieutenant Guidry, the homicide detective handling the murder, Dixie begins her own investigation into the whereabouts of the cat's owner, who has now vanished. Fans of The Cat Who... book series by Lilian Jackson Braun will adore this riveting new pet-oriented sleuth and will eagerly await Dixie's next case: Will duplicity dog the dachshund?
Synopsis
Praise for Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter "At once a cozy mystery for animal lovers and a jarringly earthy hard-boiled whodunit about human corruption. Clement's sleuth, Florida pet-sitter Dixie Hemingway, is an engaging combination of vulnerability and toughness, but the real heroine of the story is a gritty Abyssinian cat. A good read!"- Susan Conant, author of Bride and Groom and the Holly Winter Dog Lover's Mysteries "Kick off your flip-flops, find a hammock, and settle in for a fun read. Clement's Floridian heroine, Dixie Hemingway, spouts laugh-out-loud one-liners and words of wisdom in this intriguing whodunit filled with twists, turns, and some pretty captivating critters!"- Cynthia Baxter, author of Lead a Horse to Murder "Funny, engaging, and true to life."- Lee Charles Kelley, author of To Collar a Killer "Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter has it all: a feisty heroine, lovable animals, and a solid whodunit. What more could you ask for?"- Barbara Seranella, creator of the Munch Mancini crime novels
Synopsis
Dixie Hemingway knows first-hand that many things in life are worse than a dirty litter box. Once happy as a Florida sheriff's deputy, she lost everything when senseless tragedy shattered her world. Now Dixie laces up her sneakers, grabs some kitty treats, and copes with one day at a time as a pet-sitter. Her investigations deal strictly with "crimes" such as who peed on the bed . . . until she finds a dead man face down in an Abyssinian's water bowl. With the local cops stymied--including a handsome detective who catches her eye--she decides to clip a leash on a lead or two and go sleuthing herself. Dixie soon finds out that the Abyssinian's pretty owner has vanished and left behind a shocking past, a lonely cat, and a chilling reason for Dixie to start running when she's out walking the dogs.
About the Author
Blaize Clement is the author of the Dixie Hemingway mysteries: Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund, Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues, Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof, Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs, and Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime. Clement has been a stay at home mom, dressmaker, caterer, and worked as a psychologist for 25 years. She has never been a pet sitter, but has shared her home with dogs, cats, birds, fish, and neurotic gerbils. She lives in Sarasota, Florida.