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CAT GOT YOUR DIAMONDS by Julie Chase

CAT GOT YOUR DIAMONDS

by Julie Chase

Pub Date: Nov. 15th, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62953-842-6
Publisher: Crooked Lane

Returning to New Orleans signally fails to make life easier for the owner of a pet boutique accused of killing a man she’s never met.

Lacy Crocker’s dad is old money, and her mom is new money. But she’s pretty much no money and so must restart her life in her hometown after a failed engagement. Apart from emergencies, Lacy’s too proud to let her parents help with her business venture, Furry Godmother, a store that carries the pet clothing and special treats she’s designed. She’s stuck instead depending on Mr. Tater, a middle-aged local businessman, as her patron and investor, though he’s more interested in her bottom line than the unique vision she’s trying to bring the area’s wealthy pet owners. While Lacy’s checking the shop one night after a string of local burglaries, she comes upon an intruder and defends the shop with the weapon of her trade: a glitter gun. Though she’s certain she’s more afraid of the attacker than he is of her, the next thing she knows, he’s dead, and his body is being carted away, leaving her as the prime suspect. Getting grilled by Detective Jack Oliver is totally unfair, since Lacy is the wronged party, but Jack, as her parents insist on calling the detective, isn’t quite sure Lacy is innocent. Now Mr. Tater is threatening to pull his funding unless Lacy’s name is cleared, and she’s stuck working with Jack to find out who the real killer is before she and her glitter gun are carted off to jail.

Even though the privileged status of her leads may be hard to take, Chase, who’s already published as Julie Anne Lindsey (A Geek Girl's Guide to Justice, 2016, etc.), puts her experience to good use in this well-crafted series kickoff.