Colbie Summers is a busy single mom. She has her own business making gourmet handmade cat food for finicky eaters like her cat Trouble. Her 12-year-old son Elliott is getting ready for a big audition for a summer theater camp. And her father is still recovering from pneumonia, which is why she moved herself and her son to the small town of Sunnyside, to help keep an eye on him and his health.

But the small town does have a farmer’s market where Colbie can sell her Meow-io Batali Gournet Cat Food, and a local group of entrepreneurial women, the Power Moms, also have a trade show where they invite customers to come by their booths and learn more about their individual businesses. There is a closet organizer and a puzzle creator, a woman selling beeswax candles, and another who hosts in-home parties where she shares her intimate products.

But when one of the Power Moms ends up with one of Colbie’s promotional Meow-io Batali knives sticking out of her chest, eyes turn to Colbie as a potential suspect. That’s when she decides it’s up to her to clear her name before her business goes down the drain. Colbie and her cat Trouble have never known trouble like what’s bewing in Sunnyside, but can they solve the mystery in time to save the business, and themselves?

Kathy Krevat has created an intriguing new series with lots of great characters in this first book in the Gourmet Cat Mystery. The Trouble with Murder is a charming cozy and a lot of fun to read. Aside from a killer and a victim or two, these are characters I really enjoy spending time with. I will definitely be reading more of this series!

Galleys for The Trouble with Murder were provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Enjoyable cozy mystery with likable characters. New (to me) author Kathy Krevat has written a lovely story

Princess Fuzzypants here:
There is a new entrant in the charming kitty category: Trouble. She has a lot on her paws as she tries to control her humans. Collie and her son and her father live together after her father takes ill. Luckily, she runs an organic cat food business where Trouble is her secret weapon. If Trouble gives it a paw up, it will sell. If not, she scraps the recipe.
Collie and her father have been testy with each other since she became pregnant and moved out of the house. Needless to say, all three have some serious issues to resolve. But when a business associate is murdered with a knife from Colbie’s cat collection and someone tries very hard to frame Colbie, the stress levels skyrocket.
Thankfully, despite the best efforts of a belligerent and aggressive cop, Colbie is able to clear her name but not before she puts her family in deep danger from the real perps. There are so many things going on in her life, it is no wonder she feels somewhat overwhelmed but then she has Trouble who comes to the rescue.
The characters all have lots of flaws which makes them interesting and endearing. But Trouble is a real treat. Her “comments” as translated by Colbie are a hoot and she is a very brave kitty who saves the day. I really enjoyed the book.
I give it five purrs and two paws up.

Well achieved and without waste.
This story had me with just the first line, and kept me hooked till the very end with all the possible suspects.
Love how the main character has her insecurities, but takes charge to keep afloat. The family dynamic that isn't perfect but shows the love every parent have for their Children. Sometimes, things are not what they seem.

[Preface to Interview]
Kathy Krevat’s first Gourmet Cat Mystery, The Trouble With Murder, features Colbie Summers who makes people-grade gourmet cat food. The question of whether Colbie can read the mind of her cat, Trouble, or Colbie personifies her own thoughts into her cat’s expressions will keep the reader guessing. Trouble tests Colbie’s recipes for her small business and has Colbie’s back when bad guys come to call. Secondary characters, Colbie’s son, Elliott, her stubborn father, and her best friend, Lani, are memorable as is the next-door neighbor’s doorbell-ringing rooster.

This is Kathy’s second series. Under the name Kathy Aarons, she writes the Chocolate Covered mystery series for Berkley Crime. Look for my previous interview with Kathy here. Lyrical Underground, an imprint of Kensington, publishes the Gourmet Cat series.

Please welcome Kathy back to WWK. E. B. Davis

This is a great cozy murder mystery and a fantastic start to the Gourmet Cat Mystery series. Trouble is a cat that is the official food taster for Colby Summer's organic gourmet cat food business. She's making a good living selling her products at local farmer's markets and a few stores. When she and her son move back to her hometown to help her dad recover from an illness she becomes the prime murder suspect of a fellow Sunnyside Power Mom at a trade show. This first book introduces a lot of fun characters and lays the groundwork for many more stories. I loved Colby's 12 year old son, Elliot who is really into musical theater and of course Trouble the cat.

The Trouble with Murder by Kathy Krevat is the first book in the delightful Gourmet Cat Mystery series. Colbie is a single mom who has moved back home to keep a closer eye on her sick father to Sunnyside California . Colbie had hoped never to move home again. She brings with her a adorable cat and her 12 year old son. As she settles into a group of friends and starts a new gourmet pet food business a murder occurs. She is soon suspect number one and must work to clear her own name. Colbie is running her business, taking care of her sick Father and her son and trying to solve the murder while balancing it all on her own shoulders.
This is a great cozy debut with all the right elements for a hit cozy series. The characters all are likable and fit the story, the protagonist Colbie is smart, independent and a great sleuth. The addition of the cat is purrfection for all cat lovers. This is a very promising series and I look forward to the next in series. Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

Adorable Trouble the cat joins Colbie's family when he's left behind at a rental unit she managed. His tummy troubles lead to her cooking for him which resulted in her starting a gourmet cat food company. Now Colbie, her son Elliott and Trouble are staying with Colbie's dad while he recovers from a serious bout with pneumonia. Life is quite stressful for Colbie as she deals with single motherhood and an ailing parent, but it's about to get even worse when a member of the group of entrepreneurial moms she belongs to is found dead - murdered with one of Colbie's knives! Since it's obvious she's being framed she has no choice but to join in the hunt for the real killer.

I enjoyed this cast of characters and their relationships so much. Things are somewhat strained between Colbie and her father but that doesn't stop her from making his recovery a priority. The possibility of romance is in the air with the farmer next door and his wayward chicken Charlie provides lots of comic relief, and Elliott's passion for the theater is an interesting secondary story. What's next for Meow-io Batali is super exciting and I look forward to seeing it play out!

So cute! This is the first book in a new series. Colbie summers is a wonderful amateur sleuth who is working on building her organic cat food line. Her cat Trouble is quite a character. Solving this mystery is going to be a challenge with so many suspects. After reading this, I'm intrigued enough to want to read the next book. It took me a bit to warm up to Colbie and the setting, but I think this will be a nice addition to the cozy mystery genre.

The Trouble with Murder by Kathy Krevat is the first book in the Gourmet Cat Mystery series. Colbie is a single mom who has moved back home to keep a closer eye on her ailing father. Her gourmet cat food business is taking off thanks in part to participating in the Sunnyside Power Moms group. Unfortunately Colbie discovers one of the Power Moms murdered and herself being framed. She has to juggle raising her son, caring for her father, and solving a murder. I loved the characters especially the neighbor with the chickens. Trouble the cat is the star however. I look forward to reading more from this charming series!

The Trouble With Murder
Gourmet Cat Mystery, Book #1
Kathy Krevat
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Colbie Summers has moved back in with her father, a place she left with no intention of ever returning. When her father grows ill, Colbie knows she has no choice but to pack up her 12-year-old son, their cat, Trouble, and her gourmet cat food business and go back to the tiny town of Sunnyside, CA.

While Colbie expected that things might be complicated, she certainly never expected the complications to lead to murder. When police suspect her of murdering one of the other women in the Sunnyside Power Moms trade show, Colbie realizes that in order to save her name, her business, and her son, she needs to find out who the real killer is and that might include getting into a little trouble! (Goodreads)


Review:

This was a great debut book for this author and I really enjoyed it. It has everything that I look for when reading a cozy: great characters, a homey setting, family love, friendship, a great mystery and a curious cat.

The characters are well rounded and well developed. Colbie is a strong woman who has a lot on her plate. She has her business to run, her son to raise and her dad to nurse back to health. I thought that Colbie was a good protagonist and I enjoyed getting to know her. Her and her father did not always get along when she was younger, but know she is learning how much family means. It was nice to meet her friends and get to spend some time with them.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all of the action taking place. The mystery was well plotted and well paced throughout the book. There were enough suspects to consider and clues to sift through to make this mystery difficult to solve.

One thing that I really liked about this book was the fact that Colbie has a son and she had to consider him when she is snooping. She has to be a little more careful when she is gathering her clues so that she does not put him in any danger. That made the book seem more real to me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. It is hard to believe this is the author’s first book, it felt like she was a seasoned author. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read and review this great book.

This was a cute story. Colbie makes and sells home-made pet food. She has joined a group of other entrepreneur Moms. One of the Mom's turns up dead and it looks like someone is trying to frame Colbie. She sets out to find out who is the true murderer. They story moved along and kept my attention. They characters are easy to like and discovering the criminal and why is not easy. I would read another book by this author.

The Trouble with Murder by Kathy Krevat is the 1st book in the Gourmet Cat Mystery series, and a great start. Colbie, her 12 year old son, and their cat, Trouble, return to California to care for her sick father. Colbie is not thrilled to be back in the town she grew up in, Colbie makes gourmet cat food and has joined the Sunnyside Power Moms trade show to sell it. When one of the moms is murdered, and Colbie become a suspect, she is determined to solve the mystery. The book is full of twists and turns, that kept me reading until the end. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Well written with developed characters, I recommend this book for cozy book lovers.


I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5 stars! Great characters and a great mystery! I loved Trouble the cat. The main character's family dynamics were really interesting and I'm looking forward to more books in the series to dig into that a little more.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Colbie Summers has come home with her son and their cat Trouble to take care of her ailing father. Her gourmet cat food business can be handled from there but she still needs to commute back to the kitchen she uses to produce her products. Her customers can order the food online and find her selling it at local farmer’s markets, but she is hoping to land a major store to carry them too. She is also spreading the word locally at the Sunnyside Power Mom’s trade show.

The trade show crowd was larger than she expected. Then she is called away and leaves her friend and fellow supermom to close down her booth. When she returns she makes a terrible discovery. Her friend, Twila, is dead with one of Colbie’s signature knives in her chest. Of course, she is the prime suspect, so she has to investigate. New to the group she doesn’t know these supermoms very well. She quickly finds out most of them are hiding something. She just needs to uncover the right secret to Cat-ch the killer.

This series is off to a fine start.

The author introduces a great group of characters. Colbie and her dad had a falling out years ago but she uproots her life to come home to take care of him. It is a complicated relationship that evolves quite a bit already in this first story. Her son Elliott, is twelve and a theater buff and loves to perform. His dad has never been in the picture and Colbie has this single mother act nailed down. It was nice to see his relationship with his grandpa materialize. We also meet the diverse group of “supermoms” and other friends and neighbors too, including a very handsome next door neighbor.

The theme of Colbie’s owning an organic cat food company was pretty unique. Her cat Trouble is her taste-tester. If he doesn’t like it she throws the recipe out. I am worried about the name of her company in light of the news out this week about Mario Batali. Meow-io Batali Gourmet Cat Food may need to go through a name change for book #2.

The story has a nice pace and blends the mystery with real family life. There is plenty of humor and just the beginning spark of romance. The ending was action packed and had me on the edge of my seat. The situation had my heart racing.

I am excited about this series and am anxiously awaiting the next installment.

The Trouble with Murder by Kathy Krevat is the first book in A Gourmet Cat Mystery series. Colbie Summers, along with her son and cat, have moved back home to Sunnyside to assist her father, Hank. Her father has been ill with pneumonia and needs her assistance. Colbie owns Meowio Batali Gourmet Cat Food which was inspired by her cat, Trouble and his digestive issues. She makes organic, human grade food for cats. Colbie is at a trade show of the Sunnyside Power Moms (SPMs) when she gets a call from her son, Elliott regarding her dad. Colbie must rush home and Twila agrees to clean up her booth for her. Later that night, Colbie and her father return to the event space and find Twila Jenkins dead with one of Colbie’s knives in her chest. The police have Colbie at the top of the suspect list. Someone is trying to frame Colbie for murder. Lani, Colbie’s best friend, suggests that Colbie find the killer to clear her name. Colbie questions the Sunnyside Power Moms while dealing with her son who wishes to reach out to his biological father, writing a business proposal, her ill father, her cat who is aptly named Trouble, a bald guy stalking Elliott, a romantic prospect and a doorbell ringing chicken. What happens, though, when Colbie uncovers the culprit who has no intention of going to jail?

The Trouble with Murder is easy to read and has a nice pace. I wish, though, that the author had provided more background on Colbie. We are given some details, but her character is not well established. The author never provides the last name of Lani, Colbie’s best friend. Not many details are provided on the town either. The author needed to devote time to establishing the foundation (main character, town, secondary characters, etc.). There is, of course, a love interest for Colbie. The next-door neighbor is nearby and happens to be “hunky” (this seems to be a trend in cozy mysteries that I have read recently). The mystery is interesting and there are several suspects. Those who love to solve mysteries will have no trouble identifying the guilty party (along with the reason the crime was committed). I did not appreciate the aggressive Detective Little (I found him cliché). Most of the book deals with Colbie’s business (she has a good idea and has done her research), her son and his musical prowess, her father’s illness, Elliott’s desire to connect with his biological father, the doorbell ringing chicken who has to be returned to the handsome neighbor, Trouble (the cat) being troublesome yet helpful (if his owner would just pay attention), and Colbie talking to Lani. The only action is towards the end of the story. The investigation consists of Colbie talking (i.e. questioning) the SPMs and then repeating everything for her friend, Lani. I am giving The Trouble with Murder 3 out of 5 stars. I wish the book had been more compelling. The Trouble with Murder failed to capture and hold my attention. The series has potential and I will be interested to see what happens next.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

THE TROUBLE WITH MURDER by Kathy Krevat is the first book in the brand new Gourmet Cat Mystery series and a terrific start! The protagonist, Colbie Summers, is very likeable. Unlike the majority of cozy mystery heroines who are young, and footloose, Colbie is single, but also a mother to a pre-teen son. This brings a depth of reality and seriousness to the story along with a greater sense of danger when a child is threatened. It also adds to the depth of Colbie’s character with the interaction between her child and her father, whom they live with. The author also explores the difficult relationship that can often occur between a grown woman and her parents. She captures the essence of Colbie’s relationship with her father in this one sentence, “Why did every serious conversation with him have to be fraught with so many emotional landmines?”

I loved Colbie’s line of business, gourmet cat food, selling under the name Meow-io Batali Gourmet Cat Food – a great pun along with so many clever names for the pet food! Her cat, Trouble, is a character all to his own, and between him and the doorbell ringing chicken, they bring lots of smiles to the story! Ms. Krevat writes with a great sense of humor and lots of puns bringing laugh out loud moments. Yet when Colbie’s friend is killed with Colbie’s Meowi Chef Knife, the seriousness of the situation comes to light and the author creates a tight plot with lots of viable suspects. All in all this is a terrific start to a series that I can’t wait to continue reading!

Loved it! I laughed. I cried. A charming cozy mystery. I am eager to read the next one in this new series.

A quick cozy murder mystery, this book was an enjoyable read for a Sunday afternoon. Colbie, also NFL with her son & cat, moved back to her hometown in order to take care of her ill father. While trying to promote & sell her gourmet cat food, Colbie stumbles across the murder of a fellow independent vendor. After finding herself a suspect in the murder, she realizes she needs to investigate to clear herself.

I enjoyed this book. The plot seemed to move at the proper pace & had sufficient twists, turns & surprises to keep a reader involved. The characters were complex & all added to the story, even the cat! This was a pleasant escape for a few hours.