by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

You’d think Sarah and her BFF, Michelle, could go on a house tour without finding a dead body. You’d be wrong. Behind the red velvet rope designed to keep visitors out of private areas on the upper floor, was the body of a man, very dead.

Luckily, Michelle is a detective for the North Harbor Police Department in Maine. And unluckily for Sarah, this has happened often enough, she knows the drill. Call the police department, find out who’s in charge of the tour, and keep the news to yourself.

Sarah owns a repurpose store where she strips, repaints, stains, and gives new life to neglected furniture and accessories. The back room of the shop is rented to the Angels, a group of older women and one older gent who are private detectives and a source of concern for everyone who knows them. They do tend to be involved in situations most people would avoid.

Also in the store, and her house of course, is Elvis the Cat. He’s opinionated, stubborn, loveable, and has been known to help solve a murder or two himself.

This time the victim is a man who wanted to debunk the idea of the house being haunted. He met with resistance from the homeowner, but she’s partially disabled and unable to climb the stairs so can’t be the killer. The problem is, it doesn’t look like anyone could be the killer but there the man is, dead on the floor.

This is book ten in the delightful series. Sarah and Mac are finding their way into a relationship rather than only a friendship. Rose, Mr. P, and the rest of the Angels are someone you could count on if you find yourself with a dead body and no alibi. Elvis the Cat steals all the attention, just as he deserves. I’d love to sit in the shop, Elvis on my lap, a cup of coffee beside me, and just watch them as they go through their day.

Start anywhere in the series but budget to buy all ten books—plus the fifteen books she writes as Sofie Kelly (the Magical Cats Mysteries), featuring felines Owen and Hercules. An equally good mystery series and fun read.

This series is a favorite of mine, a chance to catch up with friends rather than characters, learn the best way to refinish a table, laugh when Sarah tries to corral the Angels, and enjoy snacks and music when Sarah, Michelle, Nick, and Mac get together.

To enter to win a copy of Scaredy Cat, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “scaredy” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 19, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.