The Case of the Bullfighting Builder - A Guest Post & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Cathy Carter Jefferson to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find Cathy on the pages of the Buttercup Bend Mystery series by Debbie de Louise. The Case of the Bullfighting Builder is the sixth book in the series and was released earlier this year.

Hi, there. My name is Cathy Carter Jefferson. I’m thirty years old and live in the small town of Buttercup Bend in the Catskill mountains of New York. I’m a detective, but I didn’t start out that way. Ten years ago, I lost my parents in a tragic car crash in which I still carry a scar on my cheek. They were driving me home from college for the winter break. I woke up in the hospital with my grandmother and brother by my side. I have carried guilt about the accident all this time until I discovered recently that someone tampered with the breaks on my parents’ car.

But before I get to that, let me tell you more about myself. After my parents died, my brother and I moved in with my grandmother, Florence Wilson. Doug fell in love with the girl next door, Becky, and married her shortly afterwards. He and I opened a pet rescue center and animal cemetery. Having survived the crash that killed my parents, I found caring for animals a comfort.

A few years after I moved to Buttercup Bend, a woman named Maggie Broom who was known as a crazy cat lady because she kept numerous felines in her house and also cared for strays, was found murdered by the newspaper publisher for whom I take photos. I wouldn’t have gotten involved in this case because the sheriff was handling it. However, I soon learned that Ms. Broom had left my brother and I a sizeable share of her estate to use for our pet business. Because of this and prompting from my good friend, Nancy Myers, I decided to investigate Ms. Broom’s murder.

While that was my first case, I’ve had five others following it. I investigated the murder of my professor who had a parrot and was a member of a parrot club. I also went undercover to a llama farm with the local librarian to discover the cause of her friend’s mysterious death. After choosing one of my boyfriends as the man I wanted to marry, I traveled back to my old home on Long Island where I stayed with my great aunt while discovering that a wedding planner was killed on a whale watching cruise. Next, I even investigated the death of a receptionist at my honeymoon resort where my husband adopted her lizard.

My latest case involved the murder of the builder who was building a home for me and my husband in Buttercup Bend. It was during this case that I discovered the truth about my parents’ accident. I also was surprised to find that I was joining my sister-in-law and best friend in maternity. Knowing that I couldn’t enjoy my pregnancy without closure about my parents, I decided to investigate their murder along with that of my builder. Of course, I had help. Nancy insisted I was too close to my parents’ case so offered to take it on with our boss, Howard.

To investigate my builder’s murder, Nancy, her husband, the assistant deputy, and me and my husband attended a memorial for him at the ranch that his fiancée hosted. At the ranch, we also met Boris, a prize bull. My builder, Jose, had been a bullfighter in Spain before moving to Buttercup Bend and opening his construction business. He’d met his fiancée back in Spain when she was on vacation with her girlfriend.

While there were a few suspects in Jose’s murder, the sheriff was convinced his brother and fellow builder, Ferdinand, was guilty because the bullet that killed Jose was a match for a gun Ferdinand claimed was stolen from him. I believed Ferdinand and vowed to find the real killer.

During the memorial, another person is killed, and further evidence is found that points to Ferdinand’s guilt. When a young ranch hand reveals that he knows the killer but has been threatened by them, Nancy and I go back to the ranch to gather evidence to bring to the sheriff so that Ferdinand will be released from custody. We have no luck, and the ranch hand goes missing. Without a witness or any other proof, we’re stuck, but I can’t give up. Risking it all, I end up with a showdown with my builder’s killer after another showdown with the person who murdered my parents.

I’m relieved that both cases were solved and that I was able to enjoy my pregnancy and share the news with my husband and friends. But before I end this adventure, another murder occurs that may follow me into the next book.

If you haven’t read any of my books, please check them out. Although they can all be read as standalones, the characters evolve as the series continues. The first in the series, The Case of the Cat Crazy Lady is perma free in eBook form. The following books, The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor, The Case of the Llama Raising Librarian, The Case of the Whale Watching Wedding Planner, and The Case of the Reptile Rescuing Receptionist are available in eBook and print formats. There are also two volume collections of the first 3 books and the current 3 books. Buttercup Bend Mysteries Books 3-4 and Buttercup Bend Mysteries Books 4-6.

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 The Case of the Bullfighting Builder (Buttercup Bend Mysteries) by Debbie De Louise

About The Case of the Bullfighting Builder

The Case of the Bullfighting Builder (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 6th in Series
Setting - Buttercup Bend, New York (fictional town in the Catskills)
Publisher: ‎ Independently published
Publication Date: ‎ May 14, 2026
Print Length: ‎ 268 pages

When Cathy Jefferson’s builder is found dead at the construction site of her new home, she’s pulled into a murder investigation that will test her detective skills like never before.

While sorting through her grandmother’s attic, Cathy uncovers a secret about her parents, who died in a car crash years earlier. Now juggling two cases and determined to learn the truth about her parents’ death and catch her builder’s killer, Cathy teams up with her fellow detectives Nancy and Howard.

Their investigation leads them to a ranch where a prize bull is kept, and to Cathy’s estranged uncle and her college roommate. As secrets unravel and danger closes in from every direction, Cathy discovers that the biggest surprise of all may still be waiting for her.

Will Cathy catch her builder’s killer so that her new home can be finished, and will she receive closure about the death of her parents? Find out in THE CASE OF THE BULLFIGHTING BUILDER, the sixth book in the Buttercup Bend Mysteries series by Debbie De Louise.

About Debbie De Louise

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the South Carolina Writers Association. She’s written over twenty books including three cozy mystery series: the Cobble Cove Mysteries, Buttercup Bend Mysteries, and her new series, Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in more than a dozen anthologies. Originally from Long Island, she moved to South Carolina where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com.

Author Links: 

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/  

X: https://x.com/Deblibrarian  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise  

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ  

Purchase Links - Amazon Universal Link

Rock a Bye Bye Baby - A Guest Post, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome KittyKai to Cozy Up With Kathy today. You can find KittyKai on the pages of Rock a Bye Bye Baby by Debbie de Louise. This book is the sixth book in the series.

Meow and Purrs. This is KittyKai, the calico cat from Rock a Bye Bye Baby who lives at the Cobble Inn. I’m actually a series regular on the Cobble Cove Mysteries. My first appearance was in Love on the Rocks when I was brought back from Hawaii after the sheriff and my lady eloped. Since then, I’ve teamed up with Sneaky the Library Cat to help the humans in the books solve crimes. The main humans we help are Alicia, the director of the Cobble Cove Library, and Sheriff Ron Ramsay. Of course, my human, Abigail Ramsay, who her friends call “Gilly,” also gets involved in our cases. She is a bad influence for Alicia, according to Alicia’s husband, John, the co-author of a mystery series and editor on the Cobble Cove Courier. The humans don’t realize that we’re helping them, but the other pets in the book and the readers can see our conversations in italics and follow along.

Now that I’ve brought you all up to speed, I’ll discuss our current book. Rock a Bye Bye Baby features two mysteries. The first is that of an abandoned infant who is left on Alicia and John’s doorstep. The second is the murder of elderly poker playing men, one of whom is John’s father, Mac. The first man murdered, Bert, was writing a novel that seemed to be about his life and those of his four friends who, besides playing poker every week, served with him in Vietnam. Sneaky and I figured out early on, along with the sheriff, that this book had something to do with Bert’s murder. Below is an excerpt featuring me and KittyKai planning our investigation of the mysteries.

Gilly let Sneaky in this time. “I heard you were here last night, Mr. Sneaky. I guess you want to see KittyKai again. Let me fetch her.” In a few minutes, the patio door opened and KittyKai came out.

“Sneaky. You’re back.”

“I came as quick I could, but I fell asleep in a bush. I had a tough time last night. There’s been a murder, KittyKai. A guy named Bert. I don’t know much about him or what happened, but Ramsay is on the case. He was at a house a few blocks away with Gilly and Alicia. There were two young women with them.” As he filled her in, his tail whipped back and forth in excitement.

“Hold your whiskers, Sneaky. I know all about it and more. Gilly was talking with Ramsay before he went to the station. Bert was a poker player with Mac and two other men. He was shot in his house, and Ramsay thinks it had something to do with a book he was writing that’s missing. Money might be missing, too. The girls you mentioned are Bert’s granddaughter and Billy’s girlfriend, Cindy.”

“Good work, Kit. What’s our next move now that we have two mysteries to solve?”

KittyKai found a spot in the sun and rolled on her back.

“This isn’t a time for sunning.”

“Anytime is a time for sunning, Sneaky. It also helps me think.” She sat back up. “The only thing I can think of right now is that both of us need to keep our eyes and ears open to what’s going on. Ramsay is sure to tell Gilly everything that he finds, or she’ll get it out of him another way. You have to see what Alicia turns up. Knowing her, she’ll be consulting with Gilly to find the killer and the baby’s parents.”

Sneaky suddenly remembered the ring he’d taken from the dead man’s house. He’d spat it out when he’d fallen asleep, but he still had it. He’d carried it to the inn and dropped it at the cat door. “KittyKai, there’s something I need to show you. It’s outside. Follow me.”

“How pretty,” KittyKai, like Gilly, was attracted to pretty things. She was known to walk off with items guests left at the inn; hair ties, ribbons, bracelets, and other trinkets. She always brought them to Gilly to return, but it was fun finding and carrying them around.

“I found this in the dead guy’s house. I don’t think it was his.”

“It isn’t. It’s a lady’s ring. You should show it to Gilly, or I will.”

Sneaky passed it to her. “Alright. It could be a clue. Gilly will share it with Ramsay.”

“Maybe not, Sneaky. You know how she and Alicia do their own investigating.”

“True. They often find the killer before the sheriff. Anyway, besides showing Gilly the ring, what’s our next move?”

“I know you’re going back to the library tomorrow, Sneaky. I can drop by your house tonight, and I can let you know what Gilly makes of the ring.”

“I like that plan, Kit, but will you be able to get out?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll find a way. I’ll follow a guest or try to get one of Gilly’s boys to let me on the patio, so I can use my cat door.”

“Sounds good.” Sneaky rubbed whiskers with the calico. She purred and gave him that sultry look through her green eyes.
 

There you have it. Me and Sneaky working together again to help solve crimes. Our photos are even on the cover of the book. However, there’s more to these mysteries than we expected with quite a few suspects and several twists. I hope you’ll pick up a copy soon to see for yourself. 

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 Rock A Bye Bye Baby: A Cobble Cove Mystery by Debbie De Louise

About Rock A Bye Bye Baby

 

Rock A Bye Bye Baby: A Cobble Cove Mystery
Cozy Mystery 6th in Series
Setting - Upstate New York
Publisher: Solstice Publishing (September 25, 2025)
Print Length: ‎ 250 pages

When a newborn baby is left on Alicia and John’s doorstep, Sheriff Ramsay sets out to find the parents, but his investigation is put on hold when Mac’s elderly buddy, Bert, is found murdered in his home. The top suspects are Bert’s poker pals who served with him in Vietnam, his ex-wife, and a woman who cleans his house.

Alicia and Gilly team up again to locate the baby’s parents and Bert’s killer while Sneaky conducts a private investigation with Gilly’s cat, Kittykai. Who will find answers to these double mysteries, and are they connected in some way?

About Debbie De Louise

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and retired reference librarian. She's a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the South Carolina Writers Association. She’s published over twenty books including three cozy mystery series, a romance, standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in over a dozen anthologies. Originally from Long Island, she moved to South Carolina where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com

Author Links:  

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/  

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise  

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ  

All Author: https://allauthor.com/author/debbiedelouise/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbie_writer/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiedelouise/  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debbie-de-louise 

 Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/\  

Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog: https://Sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com  

Purchase Links - Amazon

Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse - A Guest Post, Excerpt, & Giveaway

I'm pleased to welcome Soup to Cozy Up With Kathy. You can find Soup on the pages of the Soup the Paranormal Kitten Mystery series. Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse is the first book in the series and was released last month.

 

Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse Character Guest Post

By Soup the Supernatural Kitten

Meow! I’m Soup, the supernatural kitten from Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse. It’s a pleasure to be here to share an excerpt of my witty dialogue from the book. Before I do, I’d like to explain what a supernatural kitten is and how I became one. I was brought back from the dead by Rose Fairchild’s deceased husband and cat. They didn’t actually bring me back, but they instructed me on my mission which was to become Rose’s guide in her new life after she moved to a community in South Carolina called Meadows Lake.

After I was given my second chance (and don’t mistake this for one of my nine lives), I received special powers to help me help Rose. These included a human brain (although I still have cat instincts), the ability to talk and teleport, and a sixth-sense (that isn’t as strong as Rose’s who experiences visions). I’ll also remain a six-month-old kitten even though I was saved when I was six-weeks old.

Maybe I explain this better in this excerpt from the book when I introduce myself to Rose after she’s moved into her house and her neighbor brought over a tuna casserole for her. It’s not the first time she’s seen me because I’d also appeared on the community’s website and gave her a glimpse when she toured the place before making her decision to move. It’s also after she had a dream about her dead husband, Harvey, who told her he was sending a guide to her:

Digging into the tuna casserole, Rose took a bite. It was tasty. She was about to have another forkful when a young girl’s voice interrupted her. “Can I have some of that?”

She hadn’t locked the door, but she didn’t expect someone to come barging in. It wasn’t Lucy. The voice sounded younger, like a child’s. She turned in the direction of the speaker, but no one was there. Then she saw the orange flash again. But this time, the kitten didn’t run. It jumped up onto the table and faced her.

“Excuse my manners. I know I shouldn’t be up here, but I wanted to get your attention. May I have a bite?”

Rose nearly fainted. The ginger cat was talking. How could that be? Maybe the move had been too much for her, and she was hallucinating.

“Cat got your tongue? Sorry. I should introduce myself so we can meet officially.” The cat held out her paw. “I’m Soup, your guide to Meadows Lake.”

“Guide?” Rose recalled that Harvey said a guide would be helping her, but she never imagined a talking kitten.

The cat drew back its paw. “I see you’re not prepared for me. Let me explain. Your husband, Harvey, and your cat, Moxie, gave me a second chance. Cats are supposed to have nine lives, but I didn’t even have one. I died when I was drowned as a wee kitten shortly after I’d finished nursing my mom. My brothers and sisters were drowned with me. I’m not sure about my mother, but I’m afraid she suffered the same fate.”

Rose was so much in shock that she hardly listened to the kitten calling herself Soup’s story.

“I know this sounds weird to you but trust me. I’m here for you. I was already special, as red tabbies—or ginger cats—are generally male. Only twenty percent are female. But after I died, I was brought back with special powers, a human brain, and the ability to talk. I’ll also stay a kitten forever, but luckily, I returned at six months old instead of six weeks. I can still be hurt and die because I’m not a ghost.”


I hope you enjoyed that excerpt. You might also like to read the interview I did on Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog. Check it out here: https://wp.me/p7XcB0-1ss. 

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 Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse (Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries) by Debbie De Louise

About Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse

Murder at Meadows Lake Clubhouse (Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery 1st in Series
Setting - South Carolina
Publisher: ‎ Independently Published (March 25, 2025)
Paperback: ‎ 254 pages

Widow and retired realtor, Rose Fairchild, is gifted with a sixth sense. Moving from Long Island to a community in South Carolina, Rose is reluctant to leave the house she shared with her husband Harvey and her cat Moxie before they died, but a strange vision of a disappearing kitten on the community’s website intrigues her.

When Rose arrives in the Meadows Lake community, she meets two singles her age: Grant, a real estate agent and widower, and Blake, the divorced Fallsview sheriff. She also meets the orange cat of her vision who introduces herself as Soup and claims to be sent by Rose’s husband as a guide for her new life.

Soon after, a murder takes place at the clubhouse. The victim is the restaurant cook who wasn’t well liked, and Rose becomes involved in the sheriff’s investigation, only to receive a written threat to stop snooping around. Will her visions help her solve the case... or will she need help from her supernatural kitten?

About Debbie De Louise

Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Cat Writers’ Association. She writes two cozy mystery series, the Cobble Cove Mysteries and Buttercup Bend Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, three standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in over a dozen anthologies. Debbie also writes articles for cat magazines. She recently moved from Long Island to South Carolina, where she lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com

Author Links: 

Website/Blog/Newsletter Sign-Up: https://debbiedelouise.com  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debbie.delouise.author/  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Deblibrarian  

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2750133.Debbie_De_Louise  

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2bIHdaQ  

All Author: https://allauthor.com/author/debbiedelouise/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbie_writer/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiedelouise/  

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/debbie-de-louise  

Debbie’s Character’s Chat Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748912598599469/\  

Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog: https://Sneakylibrarycat.wordpress.com  

Purchase Links - Amazon UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK APPLE BOOKS BARNES & NOBLE GOOGLE BOOKS RAKUTEN KOBO 

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