Today I’m pleased to be part of the blog tour for book 2 in the Nick and Nora cosy mystery series by T C LoTempio, organised by Inspired Kathy at I Am A Reader.  Enjoy my review and enter the giveaway!

Claws for Alarm by T.C. LoTempio

Since inheriting her mother’s sandwich shop, Nora Charles is more about hot grilled paninis than cold-blooded murder—until her sister Lacey is arrested. The victim, an esteemed art collector and Lacey’s bullying professor, was stabbed in the heart. Apparently, all over a lousy grade.

Off campus, things were just as dicey. The prof had an ex with secrets, a trophy wife set to inherit a fortune in masterworks, and a scorned student mistress. Going undercover, Nora realizes that investigating this crime is the biggest test of her sleuthing career. Because if she fails, even Nick’s animal instinct won’t be enough to rescue Lacey from a perfectly executed framing.

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My Review

This is the second in the Nick and Nora cosy mystery series, which puts me at a disadvantage, since the cast of characters is huge, and I wasn’t familiar with some who are obviously regulars.  I suppose there are always a lot of suspects in a cosy mystery, but there are also a lot of partners (business and pleasure), ex-partners (mainly pleasure) and family to contend with.  Having said that, it is a delight to find a cat who constantly pulls out clues for his keeper to check out – and they are always relevant, unlike some of Nora’s half-baked theories.  Nick, the cat in question, appears to have been abandoned by a disappeared PI called Nick, which I constantly found confusing, as it sometimes took a paragraph to work out whether they were talking about the cat or the person.  As you know, I don’t like cosies where the heroine wades in and interferes with the cops, and Nora is as exasperating in this to me as she is to said cops – which means the author has done a fine job of creating a well-rounded character!

There are plenty of twists and turns in this mystery, and plenty to set Nora off on another wild theory before putting her foot in it and giving away way too much information the cops would rather the perps didn’t know they had.

I found it irritating that there were so many beautiful people in this story, but it is set in LA, so I suppose you have to have a perfect body to do life modelling at art school, whereas all the life models I’ve ever drawn in London have been, lumpy, wrinkled or generally well-lived in.  Much more interesting to draw!

Exasperating, but perfectly well-rounded in clues, tension, hot cops, anticipation and enjoyment.  Read it for fun, you won’t be disappointed!

Praise for the Nick and Nora

“Nick and Nora are a winning team.”—Rebecca Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Paint a Cat

“Nick and Nora are the purrfect sleuthy duo!”—*Victoria Laurie, New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mystery series

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Author T.C. LoTempio

Born in New York City, T. C. LoTempio is the national bestselling author of Meow If It’s Murder, the first in the Nick and Nora Mystery series. She has been a staff reporter at the young adult magazine Susabella Passengers and Friends for more than a decade. When she isn’t reporting or writing novels, she and her cat Rocco fundraise for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

$25 Blog Tour giveaway

 

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 12/4/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Book Review and Tour | Claws for Alarm by T C LoTempio
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