Shaken, Not Purred

This charming book is a light entertainment that deftly weaves together romance, mystery, and espionage into a really fun mix. I greatly enjoyed the characters, the writing, and the plot.

One of the highlights for me is that this wasn't just a predictable romance novel, even of the girl meets spy type. The characters had more depth and their internal conflicts were more real. I'm looking forward to future titles in this series.

What an awesome little book this one turned out to be!

Bree is a scientist. And a spy. She's sent on a job to infiltrate a company that may be also running a meth lab. Because she's plain and generic looking, she's perfect for the undercover work.

But I gotta tell you, Bree is anything but plain and generic. She's fun, and entertaining, and I gotta say if she was around in real life? I'd love to be friends with her! She was just such a down to earth character. I honestly felt like she was a real person, not a work of fiction. I love when a book makes me feel like I've found a new friend.

The plot is pretty crazy and outlandish, but it just works. It's entertaining. It's un-put-down-able.

And the absolutely best thing? I picked up this, the second book in a series, and it was easy to keep up. It wasn't like I'd missed vital plot points from book 1, because all pertinent information was filled in.

Absolutely loved it, and am keen to now check out the first book in the series.

The additional of the recipes at the back was a nice touch. I'm off to google converting them into Australian quantities, I want margarita cupcakes!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Curtis Brown Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I have not read the first book in this series, and it was just a little confusing. I didn't have any context on Bree/Cat. So an intro or something would have been helpful. Once you get past that, it reads well as a stand alone. It is self contained. I found it interesting, with fun clues. The characters are well developed and different. A fun read. I would read more by this author.

Shaken, Not Purred is the second installment of the Undercover Cat Mystery series. Bree Watson, AKA Cat, works as a chemist and a spy in this fun mystery. While investigating a possible illegal drug operation, a woman turns up dead and Bree sets about finding the murderer. The plot builds steadily and there are several twists to keep the reader’s interest. This isn’t a conventional cozy mystery. It is a cozy mystery with a twist. Bree is a professional spy, not an amateur sleuth trying to clear her own or a friend's name. The setting is not a typical idyllic town, but rather a chemistry lab. There’s suspense, humor and romance all wrapped into one witty book. Although this is a follow up to the debut novel, "The Cupcake Caper," this book easily stands alone. Although I received a copy of this book from Net Galley, this did not affect my rating. I have provided an unbiased and honest review.

Although I haven't read the first book in this series, the story is narrated clearly with just a few explanations of how did they get there. Easy to follow with a feel good vibe and situations that spark interest in the murder mystery and love triangle involving the main character.
There is some action, adventure and funny moments that reflects the camaraderie between characters.

a scienetist as a spy, a murder, drugs, 2 man and one woman, an exciting story

Shaken, not Purred is a mystery story with a heroine who is a chemist and a great baker. Dr. Bree Watson works for a company called Sci-PHi, or Science Professionals for Hire. This is a temporary science staffing business. She is undercover though. Her real work is spying for Sci-Spy. She really works for Matthew Tugood’s Special Projects Division. He is training her to be a spy. Her cover identity is Dr. Catharine “Cat” Holmes. Holmes and Watson, get it? I thought that was pretty neat.

At Sci-PHi, her boss is an annoying guy named Troy, who was promoted over her only because she was needed for the spy end of the operation. He hasn’t got a clue about that part of the business. All the other workers hate the guy and barely tolerate him. He comes across as a real jerk. One of her co-workers, Norah, specializes in annoying him as much as possible. It’s pretty comical to read their interactions.

Bree’s newest assignment is to infiltrate a lab that is suspected of making drugs. She poses as college student Cat Holmes. After a night out with her new colleagues, one of them shows up very sick at the office the next day. Shortly, she is found dead at her desk. Now, Bree is investigating a murder in addition to the possible side activities of the lab.

The characters are well-developed. Each has a unique personality and way of acting that sets them apart in the reader’s mind. Their motivations are believable too. Dialog is witty and fast-paced. The scenes are made even more interesting when Bree wears a wire and has Matthew Tugood talking in one ear while she is interacting with the other characters. The author has a good sense of humor as well. There is a subplot involving Bree and her relationships as well. Bree has a cat named Sherlock, which seems thematically appropriate, and goes along with the names Holmes and Watson quite well.

Bree’s character is a chemist but she also experiments in the kitchen. She makes several interesting dishes that you can try. The recipes for all are given at the end of the book.

Overall, this book is a good read and a very interesting story. The plot is complicated enough that you won’t figure out the whodunit before the end of the book. It’s written in an engaging, witty style that was appealing as a reader. I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. This is the second book in a series.

Sehr unterhaltsame und vergnügliche Geschichte in leichtem, lockerem Erzählstil. Macht Lust auf mehr.

This mystery humor novel will have you laughing and learning along with Cat Holmes/Dr. Watson as she navigates the new world of being a spy. Suspense and intrigue mix with the attention of 2 men to drive her family life into brew catastrophes.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. Book 2 in the Undercover Cat series, as a whole is a fun read. As a chemist, Bree never thought she would have to be spy. With her new assignment, she is able to blend in and nose out anomalies, and sometimes murder is an unfortunate and unexpected problem. As Bree gets deeper into the case, she has concerns about losing herself in the process. Is she Bree the scientist first and Cat the spy second, or is it the other way around? One thing is certain, not every scientific experiment leads to an obvious conclusion, and Bree (or Cat) will have utilize her skills to catch a murderer. Not your typical cozy mystery, but the characters are interesting and engaging. This series is a must read.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Didn't realize at first there was a previous one- now need to go back and read that to! Looking forward to a new one.

Funny, full of humour, plost twists and, surprises ti was a really enjoyable book.
Recommended
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher

Shaken, Not Purred by Kelle Z. Riley is the 2nd book in the Undercover Cat series, and my 2nd book by this author. Not only is this book funny, it has a great mystery, and a unique protagonist. There are twists and turns around every corner. Just when I thought I figured out the who the murderer was, more clues come to light. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love humorous cozy mysteries, you will really enjoy this book.

I was given a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

Bree Watson is a trained chemist working undercover as a student and investigating potential illegal drug manufacturing. How Bree was recruited must have happened in the first book and I found the beginning 20-30 pages a little conf, but once the action gets going, it was quite an enjoyable read. I especially enjoyed the science and the fresh twist it gave the story. The plot and mystery were well constructed.

I am a great fan of the cozy mystery and this fits the bill. There are even some excellent recipes in the end! Yum!
Bree is a chemist who has been tasked with a few undercover operations. This time she plays the part of a college girl. On the lookout for drugs she uncovers a murder. (Since it is a murder mystery that was a given, right?)
After quite a few twists and turns, along with some romantic will-they-won’t-they interludes we come to a surprising climax.
Excellent story with some great characters!

P. S. I’m voting for the hot spy instead of the hot cop as her love interest. Yum! 😊

Shaken, Not Purred is a great "Whodunnit" book. I liked it very much and it was a fairly easy read. There is lots of mystery, suspicions, undercover-covert operations and some romantic tension involved. The story is built up nicely with clues (not too many at one time) as to who might be involved in a murder mystery that lead up to a climactic showdown. Bree is a very likable character and I enjoyed the "new" profession as an undercover spy that she is learning. Throw in a chunky kitty named Sherlock and a side story of a rescue beagle named Rookie and it was enough to make me enjoy the book very much. OH, and all the yummy recipes in the back of the book are an added bonus! Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read this book.

I haven't read this series yet, but after this mystery I will.. It was well written with a plot that a reader can sink their teeth into. I would even read this book again. I highly recommend that readers who enjoy a delightful and fun sleuth read this book!