Saturday, July 14, 2018



Happy Saturday from the cat and dog cozy mystery series authors, and thank you, Lisa K, for inviting us to join you today! Today we're answering the question "Why do you think cats (if you write cat mysteries) or dogs (if you write dog mysteries) make such great mystery-solving sidekicks?"


Dogs are wonderful because they don't judge and the character is free to express his thoughts to the dog. They make a great sounding board for ideas involving the case. Dogs provide loyal companionship and a bit of humor. They are always up for an adventure, permanently happy, and naturally instinctual. Dogs make the perfect partner—supportive, silent, and loyal.


Cats are cunning and clever. They don't put up with bologna, and can sense if something is off about someone. When a suspect thinks he's alone to behave as their true selves, a cat can be in the shadows, observing, calculating.



I write cat mysteries and I think cats make great sidekicks because they're intelligent and very stealthy—they can get into all kinds of spaces we can't and are masters at hiding and spying. They're also great hunters! In my books, the cats are always gathering clues and providing their owner, Beatrice, with intelligence. Bee even goes so far as to hook them up with hidden cameras! Cats can also be very loyal and Bee's 4 cats are constantly trying to get her out of scrapes and ward off danger!



Dogs are loyal and smart creatures. They also have a way of naturally surveying the environment around them (mostly by sniffing everything in sight). That lends itself well to uncovering clues.




 Because they are their own characters who don't listen to anyone or anything except their own intuition. As such, they aren't constrained in any way and can alert their humans to clues the human would never have thought of. They can also go places a human can't and can pick up on danger using their highly trained senses.



My dogs always look at me like I've just said the smartest and most amazing thing every time I talk to them. So, it makes sense that they would think everything our characters do to solve a mystery is a good idea! They are a constant source of admiration and support!



Cats have their own mind, and they aren't afraid to share their thoughts. Plus, their senses are far more honed than ours, which helps with picking up scents and other crime scene clues that might otherwise go undetected by us humans. They can also be quite persistent. When their human is being dense or overlooking the obvious, a cat will often hound and complain until they get their point across. This trait is most noticeable when there's an empty food dish nearby, but it can also help to draw attention to evidence that might just solve a murder.



Dogs are so loyal that they just want to help in their own way, which doesn't always look like help but is their intention. Cats have their own personality and independence, mostly centering on the "I don't care at all what you think or do" and that independence is a great quality for a sleuth. They can't be slowed down by pretense—they have to be daring enough to solve the mystery at hand.



Dogs make great sidekicks because they are loyal and protective, accompanying their owners everywhere. Canines can sniff out clues and dig them up, often to hilarious results. And nothing beats a dog for protecting his owner when she confronts the killer. Plus, they work for biscuits.



Dogs, and cats for that matter, are very intuitive. They see and sense things that their humans often miss. The animals I use as sidekicks in my series are very good at helping their human see what has been there right in front of them all along.


Readers, now it's your turn to tell us why you think cats and dogs make great mystery-solving sidekicks!

!!!GIVEAWAY!!! 

Each author is giving away one ebook during the blog tour, and every blog you comment on earns you another chance to win (only one comment per person per blog will be counted for giveaway purposes). Ten eBooks = ten different winners! Please include your email address with your comment so we can reach you if you win.


Learn more about us, our books, and our characters by visiting all of our blog tour stops. And remember, each tour post you comment on by July 27, 2018 earns you another chance to win one of our ebooks.


July 5, 2018: Bibliophile Reviews
July 6, 2018: Chicks on the Case
July 9, 2018: Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries, and Meows
July 12, 2018: Dru's Book Musings
July 14, 2018: Lisa Ks Book Reviews
July 16, 2018: Brooke Blogs
July 18, 2018: A Cup of Tea and a Cozy Mystery
July 20, 2018: MJB Reviewers
July 23, 2018: Thoughts in Progress
July 25, 2018: Escape With Dollycas


About the Authors


is the award-winning author of the Cooper Harrington Detective Novels and the Hometown Harbor Series. Join Tammy's exclusive reader group, and she'll send you a fun interview with the dogs from her books as a FREE thank-you gift.


is a connoisseur of classic fashion statements, craves a good rootbeer float, and always chews with her mouth closed. Of course, she also has a weak spot for murder mysteries.


writes the Beatrice Young Cozy Cat Mysteries. The heroine of her stories is Beatrice Young, a 64-year-old amateur sleuth and Cozy Cat Cafe owner who lives in the small town of Ashbrook, New Hampshire with her 4 cats: Hamish, Lucky, Petunia, and Simon. The first book in her series is only 99 cents, and fans can stay connected through her Readers Group.

writes the Daley Buzz Cozy Mystery series. She loves corgis, cozies, and cupcakes. Sign up for her mailing list and be the first to know about her new books.

is a writer, blogger and mother of two. To get a free copy of Death at the Café, the prequel to the Reverend Annabelle Dixon cozy mystery series featuring Biscuit, the church cat, plus two more books, updates about new releases, exclusive promotions, and other insider information, please sign up for the Cozy Mysteries Insider mailing list.

writes the New Orleans Go Cup Chronicles humorous mysteries and loves to travel. An avid animal lover, she also directs and manages a New Orleans Schnauzer rescue.

writes the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series. She plots murder during the day and fights for mattress space with her two rescue cats at night. When not attending to her cats' demands, she writes.

spent a lifetime reading cozy mysteries before finding the courage to write them. She writes about the women she wants to be and the pets she wants to meet! To get the first book in both of her series free, join the readers' group Sandi's Sleuths.

loves writing mysteries with furry detective crime-solvers. Her first Dog Detective short story, The Mystery of the Blue Dolphins, featuring Paw and Clarissa, is always free to download.

is the USA Today bestselling author of eight mystery series, including the Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery series and the Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery series. She writes cozy mysteries that warm your heart and feed your soul.

📚📚📚📚📚

Wow!
What an amazing group of authors! Did you find a new to you author?

Remember to leave a comment including your email address for a chance to win a book from one of the wonderful writers in today's feature!

For more chances to win, visit my fellow bloggers using the links above! ~ Lisa


As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Follow my blog by 
clicking on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page.

53 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for featuring us today, Lisa! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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    1. I'm very happy to have you all visiting my blog today!

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  2. Thank you for hosting us today, Lisa! It's a pleasure to visit with your readers.

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  3. Gus and I appreciate you hosting us today, Lisa! We enjoy chatting with your readers.

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  4. I think cats and dogs are great side kicks because they add a touch of humor or light heartedness to a book. ckmbeg@gmail.com

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  5. These are awesome authors. Love reading their books
    judytucker1947@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you, Judy! We love to share with our readers.

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    2. Thank you so much, Judy! We appreciate you stopping by! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  6. Thanks for introducing me to a few new-to-me authors.

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    1. Thank you, Kathleen! Enjoy the books.

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    2. Thank you for following along on our tour, Kathleen! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  7. Cats & dogs make great sidekicks not only in mysteries, but in real life.

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    1. I agree, Jana! Where would we be without our furry friends?

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    2. I agree 100%! I don't know what I'd do without my two cats. They brighten my days. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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    3. Forgot my email address. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. Thanks for being a part of this fun event Lisa, and yes I have happily met some new to me authors!! I agree with the authors about the cats and dogs as sidekicks in their cozy mysteries as well. I would think it's like having a very close friend with you while you solve the mystery. Dogs would never leave your side and cats wouldn't either if they are like my Mr. Spot!! Both would be privy to clues that humans would miss since they can sniff out smells and readily notice "things" out of place. If a dog or cat seems leery of a person, you can also bet money and win every time, that something is definitely amiss!!

    oh_bother88@hotmail.com

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    1. We are delighted Lisa hosted us today and love meeting you, Sharon! Our animal friends and characters are a huge benefit to our lives. I think Mr. Spot would be a great detective too.

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    2. I think you nailed it, Sharon! Dogs and cats definitely have that sixth sense, and they seem to be much better judges of character than people. Thanks so much for stopping by! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  9. A good author makes a good sidekick even better!

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    1. Aww, thank you! We try to express what our animals are thinking and feeling.

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    2. We're lucky we can make our fictional animals do what we want! That's not always the case with our real animals. Thanks so much for joining us today! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  10. I think that dogs and cats make good sidekicks because their owners feel close to them and they're a huge part of their lives. It's also a way for the sleuth to talk out loud to help solve the crime. Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com

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    1. You are right, Kara! My sleuth loves to talk with her St. Bernard since he listens with patience and understanding.

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    2. That's an excellent point, Kara. I know I talk to my real-life cats all the time. They've never helped me solve a crime, but they have helped me solve some other problems! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  11. I like dogs and cats featured in the storylines of books. They add a relatable side to the characters and you see the bond between them and their animal sleuth and how they sniff out clues for their humans. They also add a bit of humor to the story. Life wouldn't be the same without our furbabies.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. So true, Dianne! I can't image my life without my two cats or my dog detective.

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    2. I completely agree, Dianne! Life and books wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable without our pets. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  12. I love books that feature talking animal side kicks, especially cats! I read lots of books to my grandson at bedtime and always use different vkjces for the animals so I can literally bear the animals talking when I read a cozy mystery with animals.
    A great bunch of authors you invited! Thanks for a chance to win

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    1. That is lovely, Patricia, and a wonderful way to bond with your grandson. I just published the audiobook to my second novel and my narrator's vocalizing of the pets really brought it to life. Good luck in the giveaway

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    2. I love that, Patricia! Animals are as different as people, and it seems only fair they each have their own voice as well as their own personality. Thanks so much for joining us today and good luck in the giveaway! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  13. I forgot to leave email address:
    pa_foran63@yahoo.com

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  14. Cats and dogs make good sidekicks. They are not only family but also our best freinds. They also have a sixth sense about people and places.
    jenbates1967 (at)gmail (dot)com

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    1. That is so true, Jen! We are fortunate that they use those sixth senses to help us.

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    2. I completely agree! Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  15. When I am looking for a book and I see an animal on the cover then i have to stop and check it out. They are my first preference. All my life i related more and better with animals than with people. In high school it was my dog that I talked to and I know she understood every word just from her actions. As I got older stuck in apts that wouldn't allow pets I couldn't wait to get somewhere to live so i could have animals again. And I always helped in rescues until I wasn't able anymore. I have had some unique and special animals throughout my life. So many that it has broken my heart to part with each taking a piece of my heart and soul with them. Even now I have an 18yr old shih tzu who appears to be preparing to reunite with the parents and siblings who have passed on. And all her feline brothers and sisters. So i love nothing more than to read any stories real and fiction where animals are involved. Sometimes those animal personalities remind me of one that I shared life with for awhile. I have read a couple of the above books and they are excellent books. And I wish I had the money and could buy them all especially one author I have been dying to try. But at this time it's just not possible and what little money i have is used for the furbabies I still have. They come first. Always have. Always will. And thanks for the authors above that let me have a book for free. I bet you are all fantastic writers and people. And thank you for including dogs and cats as characters.

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    1. Thank you for reading the authors who you have been able to read. Real-life furbabies come first, as you said. I applaud all you have done to help rescues. Our lives are always enriched by our furry friends.

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    2. Animals are definitely easier to relate to than people. They don't judge and are completely happy to accept anyone who is kind to them. I always have to stop and look twice at a book featuring a beloved animal too. Thank you so much for stopping by and good luck in the giveaway! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  16. There are several new-to-me authors here. This is great. Thank you. catwoman-1@comcast.net

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    1. It's great having you visit with us, Sharon!

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    2. Thank you for following along on the tour, Sharon! Good luck in the giveaway. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  17. Thank you for featuring us. My email is colleen@colleenmooney.com. I had a Sisters in Crime:New Orleans chapter meeting all day and am just catching up!

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    1. Hope your SinC meeting went well! I have never been to one, but they look like a great organization. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  18. Great covers! I love mysteries and animals! A winning combination.
    ssrichey@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you for visiting with us and thank you for the compliment on the covers! I love my fellow authors' book covers too.

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    2. You can't go wrong with mysteries or animals! Thank you for joining us today. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  19. They're great sidekicks cause they never tell the sleuth they're crazy.

    acm05atjuno.com

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    1. So true, even if they are thinking it! Thank you for stopping by! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  20. I love mysteries with animals! And I love learning about new-to-me authors although I believe there is only one here that I’ve never read. Thank you for the chance. mjhopper101(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. We're happy you've joined us even if you're already familiar with our books. Good luck in the giveaway! --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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  21. The ten ebook winners are Michelle F, Cathi, Sharon G, Dianne C, Christy M, Jen B, Sharon B, Patricia T, Jana Leah B, and email starscroll***gmail.com. Congratulations, all! I've sent each of you an email, so please check your inbox (or spam folder). Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to read and comment on our posts and to Lisa for hosting us. I loved chatting with you all and hope you enjoyed learning more about us and our books, and possibly discovered some exciting new reads. --Marla (aka Paige Sleuth)

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