Killers of a Feather - An Interview, Review, & Giveaway

I'm happy to welcome T. C. LoTiempo back to Cozy Up With Kathy today. T. C. writes the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series. KILLERS OF A FEATHER is the second book in the series and was released last month.

Kathy: In KILLERS OF A FEATHER Johnny Draco, a former investment guru/swindler returns after bilking most of Fox Hollow. Have you ever had to deal with the unwelcome return of someone?

TCM:Only my ex-husband.  He left for Virginia shortly after we divorced, then returned briefly a few years later.  He wanted to take up with me as if nothing ever happened, but I wasn't having any of it.

 

Kathy: To celebrate the re-opening of her Urban Tails Pet Shop, Shell McMillan has all sorts of entertainment planned, including a fortune-telling parrot. Have you ever been to a psychic?

TCM: Funny you should ask that. One of my dear friends in New Jersey was a psychic, Sally Ann Morris. She was a good one too. Lots of what she predicted came to pass, and it's still coming true to this day!  (and yes, I do believe in them)

 

Kathy: If you were to plan an event for a pet shop or rescue organization what activities would you include?

TCM: I would try to include some games of chance, spin the wheel, games that might include the animals (especially if it's an adoption event).

 

Kathy: I have had all manner of species as pets, but never a bird. Have you ever had avian family members?

TCM: Oh yes. My very first pet was a blue parakeet named Happy. Happy was a very talented bird. I used to put on records and he'd just dance away in the bottom of his cage, very happy. (Hence the name)

 

Kathy: Was there a specific inspiration for this story?

TCM: I'd read a lot about Ponzi schemes which prompted Johnny Draco's connection to the citizens of Fox Hollow.  As for the pet shop grand opening, I remembered a street fair in New York when I was young that featured a fortune telling parrot, just like Honey Belle in KILLERS OF A FEATHER!

 

Kathy: Will you share any other upcoming books?

TCM: 2023 Will see Nick and Nora #6, A PURR BEFORE DYING, released February 21, 2023.  Nick and Nora solve a murder on a soap opera set where Chantal's brother, Remy, is the main suspect.

2023 will also see the third pet shop mystery debut sometime in late June.  Tentatively titled DEATH TAKES A BOW.  Shell and company find themselves in the middle of the murder of the director of the local amateur theatre company's production, and Josh Bloodgood's cousin is the prime suspect.  We also introduce a companion for Purrday - a feisty Maine Coon named Princess Fuzzypants!  

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Review

KILLERS OF A FEATHER by T. C. LoTempio
The Second Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery

Shell McMillan is gearing up for the opening of her pet shop. She's going all out, hiring a parrot who tells fortunes, as well as a singer and arranging other acts. When the singer cancels at the last moment Shell almost hires a stranger. It's a good thing she didn't as the stranger turns out to be Johnny Draco, who apparently swindled a good number of the townsfolk, taking their savings and leaving town. Although Johnny claims he was also a victim, he's still persona non grata. With so many people furious and amazed he's back in town, it's not too surprising when Johnny is found murdered. But when Shell's boyfriend, Detective Josh Bloodgood, zeroes in on her friend Rita, Shell starts her own investigation. Will she exonerate Rita? Or find herself in a killer's sights?

I really like the Urban Pet Shop Mystery series. Shell is a wonderful protagonist. She's bright, charming, and inquisitive. She also has a great group of friends, particularly Gary, who continues to serve as a great foil. Shell's relationship with her mother-and everyone's reactions to the grande dame-is great comedic fodder and certainly made me laugh. I thank heavens my mom is nothing like Clarissa McMillan!

KILLERS OF A FEATHER proves to be an intricately plotted mystery with a large cast of suspects. The motive at once seems obvious, then becomes more complicated. I enjoyed Shell's pursuit of the truth along with her belief that Draco could be innocent.

 

I had one problem with the story, and irritatingly enough, the author did the same thing in the previous book. The killer had an "insane gleam" in their eyes. Please, stop. People who kill are not automatically insane! Especially as they plan out their murder with precision and great detail as this person did.

 

With sweet cats and a fortune telling parrot to draw you in KILLERS OF A FEATHER provides a complex conundrum in a charming setting that is sure to delight.

 

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 Killers of a Feather (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries) by T. C. LoTempio

About Killers of a Feather

Killers of a Feather (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 2nd in Series
Setting - Connecticut
Beyond the Page (June 21, 2022)
Print length: ‎ 299 pages

Shell McMillan and her feline friends must unravel a mystery where everyone’s a suspect and no one’s to blame . . .

With the grand re-opening of her Urban Tails Pet Shop just days away, Shell McMillan has her hands full planning entertainment for the festive event, including a fortune-telling parrot. But her jubilant mood is soon threatened by ominous rumors of the return of Johnny Draco, a former investment guru who swindled money from most of the residents of Fox Hollow and then vanished without a trace. And when the parrot predicts a dire future for Draco and his dead body is found just hours later, no one can say they’re surprised—but no one will say who did it.

With virtually everyone in town a suspect, the police turn their focus on a good friend of Shell’s who was seen arguing with the victim shortly before his death. Determined to clear her friend’s name, Shell begins investigating Draco’s past, his former employer, and everyone who lost money to him. And when the trail of clues suggests there may have been a completely different motive for the murder, Shell suddenly realizes she’s uncovered a secret someone would kill to keep hidden—and that if she’s not careful, the parrot may be predicting she has no future at all . . .

About T.C. LoTempio

 

T. C. LoTempio is the award-winning, nationally bestselling author of the Nick and Nora Mysteries, the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries, and the Cat Rescue Mysteries. For more information, check out her and her cat Rocco’s blog at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com and visit her website at www.tclotempio.net. 

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