Cat in a Diamond Dazzle (A Midnight Louie Mystery)

From Publishers Weekly
It's amore for Midnight Louie, coolest cat in Las Vegas, as he continues to court the Divine Yvette, a beautiful Siamese, and ends up solving a murder at the G.R.O.W.L.?Great Readers of Wonderful Literature?convention of romance writers. Louie's human companion, freelance publicist Temple Barr, is hardly in the mood for romance. Mystifying Max, her erstwhile boyfriend, has reappeared and complicated her budding relationship with Matt Devine, an indecisive former priest. The attentions of super-hunk Fabrizio, who enjoys literally picking up the diminutive Temple, annoy her further. But she's determined to win the contest to find the pair of high-heeled shoes decorated with crystal cats?Midnight Louie shoes, she calls them?hidden somewhere in one of the hotels. When one of the male models assembled for the convention's Incredible Hunks pageant is murdered during a dress rehearsal, Temple's instinct for snooping goes into high gear, putting her own life in jeopardy. But Louie saves the day again, drawing on his linguistic skills?in this case, pigeon-English?to prove whodunit. While her prose and plotting are sometimes overwrought, Douglas (Cat in a Crimson Haze) tells her tale with such good humor that readers are likely to forgive her the occasional excess. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Red-headed Temple Barr and Midnight Louie, her cat, get involved in another murder investigation, this time at a romance writers' convention. Barr and cat search for the murderer of a male model who entered the convention's Incredible Hunk contest. For cat mystery aficionados.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
This romance and mystery veteran adds a fifth to her series in the cute-cat category (Cat in a Crimson Haze, 1995, etc.) starring Las Vegas p.r.-expert Temple Barr and her pet Midnight Louie. This time out, Temple is torn between two lovers--a martial-arts instructor ex-priest and a suddenly reappearing magician with an Interpol record--so a neighbor invites her to forget her troubles at a romance writers' convention at the Crystal Phoenix Hotel. There, authors of all stripes tout their wares and flaunt their tulle, and Temple discovers a hip, long-lost aunt with a pseudonym. Subplots involve: Midnight Louie's reunion with his inamorata, the Divine Yvette, during a cat food commercial; Temple's search for a prize pair of pumps coated with Austrian crystals; an unknown amateur contributing chapters of a steamy pastiche; the murder of two cover hunks who are traced, thanks to Midnight Louie, to a money-laundering scam. Finally, the adequate mystery is adequately resolved with the help of macha Lt. Carmen Molina, who moonlights- -we're not surprised--as a torch singer. Douglas's grandmotherly-like grip on her material is weakened by an intensely coy style that is to true wit as Austrian crystals are to diamonds. The convention send-up has a ``been there'' authenticity and works well, but cat, romance, and shoe fanciers are most likely to enjoy this silly celebration of conventional enthusiasms. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Midwest Book Review
This fifth volume in the Midnight Louie series presents Louie's owner's flight from crime and complications - to a romance writer's convention, where Temple becomes involved with a handsome hunk and a deadly treasure hunt. Cat crime at its best under Douglas' touch; even for newcomers to the Louie series.


Review
"Carole Nelson Douglas's style is a delight/"--Amanda Quick, New York Times bestseling author

"All ailurophiles addicted to Lillian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who...mysteries...can latch onto a new purrivate eye: Midnight Louie--slinking and sleuthing on hiw own al la Mike Hammer."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram



Review
"Carole Nelson Douglas's style is a delight/"--Amanda Quick, New York Times bestseling author

"All ailurophiles addicted to Lillian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who...mysteries...can latch onto a new purrivate eye: Midnight Louie--slinking and sleuthing on hiw own al la Mike Hammer."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram



Review
"Carole Nelson Douglas's style is a delight/"--Amanda Quick, New York Times bestseling author

"All ailurophiles addicted to Lillian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who...mysteries...can latch onto a new purrivate eye: Midnight Louie--slinking and sleuthing on hiw own al la Mike Hammer."--Fort Worth Star-Telegram



Book Description
Midnight Louie is back!...along with the human black tomcat condescends to spend his days with: Temple Barr, a redheaded publicist whose love for expensive shoes is matched only be her affinity for trouble.

This time trouble shows up on her doorstep, in the form of a boyfriend previously gone missing...during a murder investigation. No fool she, Temple decides it's time for a break. A romance writers' convention--complete with a male-model Incredible Hunk pageant-sounds like just what the doctor ordered.

Unfortunately, a pair of dazzling Cinderella shoes goes missing, one of the would-be Fabios ends up dead, and Temple's investigations into the matters get more complicated--and more dangerous--than she planned.

Luckily, there's a smart and smart-mouthed cat prowling around.



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