THE CAT SITTER AND THE CANARY

A cop-turned-catsitter can’t help but investigate when she finds a body at her newest client’s place.

A former police officer, Dixie Hemingway has found her happiness and true calling as a petsitter in her home in Siesta Key. Ensconced in this wealthy community, Dixie’s found plenty of clients in neighbors like Caroline Greaver, who’s hired her (The Cat Sitter’s Cradle, 2014, etc.) to watch her cat and very spoiled bunny so she can go on a cruise. On her way to check in at Caroline’s, Dixie is stopped by a man she’s never met before—a rare occurrence in the little resort town. Rupert Wolff flirts with Dixie in a thick Scottish brogue. Though he seems nice enough, something makes her distrust him. She’s still trying to sort out the root of her discomfort when real trouble hits: next time she checks in on Caroline’s pets, she sees the body of what appears to be a mustachioed corpse. While the police investigate, Dixie’s mind races, and she wonders if she could have been the intended victim, especially once a note found with the body hints just that. In spite of the investigation, Dixie is determined to keep her appointment with her most recent potential client, Caroline’s neighbor Elba Kramer, better known as the Scarlet Woman of Siesta Key. Elba’s indiscretion with a politician means the town can’t stop talking about her. But Dixie tries her best not to judge Elba, maybe because her own feelings about former boyfriend Detective Jean Pierre Guidry can’t be quieted even though his wedding is fast approaching.

The Clements’ blending of accessible procedural facts with their heroine’s love of animals and the cozy small-town setting makes their latest a fun and breezy read.