Spotlight & Giveaway: Crime and Cat-astrophes by DeAnna Drake

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author DeAnna Drake to HJ!

Hi DeAnna and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Crime and Cat-astrophes!

To start off, can you please tell us a little bit about this book?:

During a scorching heat wave in Citrus Grove, Rebecca Cuthbert and her talking cat,
Aneksi, investigate the suspicious death of an unpopular science professor linked to a
cursed artifact. As secrets unravel and danger closes in, Rebecca must outwit a cunning
killer before she becomes the next victim. While murder isn’t funny, the attack of the root
beer float and the sweet friendship between Rebecca and Aneksi are sure to bring a smile
to your face.
 

Please share your favorite lines or quote(s) from this book:

I especially enjoyed the exchange between Rebecca and her beau, Detective Nick Devon,
when he questions her at the scene of a professor’s death. After all, who wouldn’t start to
get suspicious of someone who always seems to be nearby when trouble strikes?
Here’s the snippet:
“What is it with you and dead bodies?”
Nick was looking at me, but he wasn’t trying to be funny. Sarcastic? Maybe.
Concerned? Probably. I couldn’t blame him, considering how often I’d found myself
around deceased people. Once or twice could be chalked up to chance, but this
was—geez. Was it really seven?
Even though I had a good excuse—and a good alibi—for every one of them, Nick
wouldn’t be Citrus Grove’s finest detective if it didn’t make him wonder.

What inspired this book?

Like all the books in the Purr-fect Relic series, my love for ancient Egypt, intriguing
puzzles, and lovable, quirky characters guided every word. I’d also say wishing my pets
could talk back played a part as well.

How did you ‘get to know’ your main characters? Did they ever surprise you?

REBECCA CUTHBERT is a millennial bookworm and jilted bride-to-be who
needed a fresh start and is making a new life for herself in the charming
small town of Citrus Grove.

 ANEKSI is an immortal, talking cat who was once Cleopatra’s pet.

 STIRLING CUTHBERT is Rebecca’s long-lost grandfather who holds the secret to
a century-old family mystery and is her closest ally.

 NICK DEVON is an attractive but exasperating detective. Their adversarial
relationship has evolved into a romance.

 All the oddball neighbors Rebecca meets in Citrus Grove—a Southern
California town known for antique shops and its old-fashioned
charm—who slowly reveal hidden motives and surprising connections to
one another.

Rebecca has grown a lot over the course of these four books, but I’m still
impressed by her drive to help herself and not wait around to be rescued.
The way I got to know her, which has been true for all the characters, was
to drop them into a scene and see what they do. They usually come up
with things I never would have considered, which makes the process so
much fun.

What was your favorite scene to write?

My favorite scene to write in Crime and Cat-astrophes was the scene where Rebecca
returns to the antique shop after dealing with some fallout from the professor’s death to
find Aneksi and her recently rediscovered sister, Khepeset, have broken a large Anubis
statue, and poor, little Aneksi tries to explain what happened.

Here’s a snippet of that scene:

The five-foot-tall Anubis that usually stood beside the cash register—or, I should say,
the Anubis statue Stirling cherished above every other item in the shop—was not only
lying across the aisle, but his man-like body was missing its canine head. I found it lying
several feet away.
“Aneksi!” My voice quaked with anger at that little minx and dread at what Stirling
would do when he discovered what had happened. “I know you’re here, Aneksi.”
A disorienting sense of déjà vu swept through me. How many times had my mother
yelled at me that way? They say daughters turn into their mothers when they have
children of their own. Did it happen when they became cat moms, too?
Whiskers peeked around the corner, then a full furry cheek before Aneksi’s small
kitten face appeared. Her bright blue eyes shimmered with remorse. “I am here,” she
said in a voice that was trying to be strong.
The sight of that sweet little thing melted my anger, but I tried to remain firm. “What
happened to Anubis?”

What was the most difficult scene to write?

The most difficult scene to write in Crime and Cat-astrophes was one where Rebecca witnesses some of the early signs of dementia in her friend Hank Malone’s father and how the father-son roles have reversed. I found it hard emotionally because that disease has touched my family, as it has for so many. I wanted to include this scene because I wanted to show not only the strain it can put on families, but also the tender, loving moments.

Here’s a snippet of that scene:

Hank touched his dad’s shoulder. “How are you doing, Dad? Are you feeling all
right?”
The man stared like he didn’t recognize his son. It took a second for that familiar
smile to return. “What was that? Did you ask me something?”
“I think we should get home. Are you ready?” Hank asked brightly, trying to hide his
concern behind a toothy grin.
His father looked confused as he looked around Stirling’s living room, then back up
at his son. “Where are we?”
“I’ll get Kheppy,” Luna said and leaned down to grab Khepeset’s carrier.
I bent to her ear and whispered, “Is he all right? Do you need help?”
She shook her head. “His memory gets worse at night, but he’ll be all right once we
get him home. The medication helps.” She put the carrier on the table and as soon as she
opened the door, Khepeset darted under Stirling’s couch.

Would you say this book showcases your writing style or is it a departure for you?

The writing style in Crime and Cat-astrophes is lighthearted and heartfelt, just like all the
books in the Purr-fect Relic series. It’s the style that feels most natural to me, so it’s
definitely not a change of pace.

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

A message I’d like readers to take away from Crime and Cat-astrophes is that
sometimes, life’s most unexpected twists—whether they involve new beginnings, talking
cats, or mysterious artifacts—lead to the discovery of hidden strengths, the power of
friendship, and the magic of embracing the unknown. No matter how puzzling or cursed
things may seem, with a little courage and a lot of heart, there’s always a way to unravel
life’s mysteries.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

I’m currently writing the sixth book in the Purr-fect Relic series, while the fifth one is
with my editors at Tule Publishing. Both will be published later this year.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: An ebook copy of CRIME AND CAT-ASTROPHES + one additional Tule ebook of the winner’s choice

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Here’s a question for you:
Aneksi, the talking cat featured in the Purr-fect Relic series, learned to speak English by listening to old episodes of the Miss Marple television show, so she has a prim British accent like the television character. If your pet could speak, who do you think he or she would sound like?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from Crime and Cat-astrophes:

CHAPTER ONE

Family Matters

Aneksi paced anxious circles on the counter beside me. My feline friend had spent the morning sitting in Cuthbert Exotic Antiques’ display window. But instead of napping, as she usually did, she’d been on high alert, nervously awaiting our guest.

When she spotted Luna Sage’s powder-blue hatchback parking out front, Aneksi scurried out of the window, knocking over a miniature King Tut funeral mask in the process, to announce their arrival.

“They’re here!” She brushed against my elbow and gazed up at me, trying to get my attention as I scrolled through a list of Richland University community courses on my phone. “Khepeset is here! My sister is here!”

“I heard you.” I put down my device and turned my attention to my favorite little bundle of fluff. “Remember, no talking when Luna comes in. Okay?”

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t feel compelled to remind Aneksi to stay mum in front of my best friend. We’d settled into a comfortable routine since Aneski had moved in with me a few months ago. She accompanied me to the shop each day and kept me company, which usually involved her sleeping in the display window or on one of the top shelves. She knew she should only speak around my grandfather and me—for her safety and ours—and to keep quiet about her other remarkable qualities as well.

When Stirling was in the store to work on one of his online auctions, as he was doing today, she often slept on his lap, which seemed to suit him, as well. Today, however, Aneksi wouldn’t budge from her spot at the front, even for Stirling’s kind attentions, because she was waiting for Khepeset.

I knew how much this reunion meant to Aneksi, and that was what worried me.

As much as we all adored Luna, who had become an even more frequent visitor since opening the Sweet Spot bakery next door, she didn’t know Aneksi was an immortal creature with the power to speak—which she still tended to do in the distinctly British accent she’d picked up on our first night together after watching a television mystery series starring my favorite spinster sleuth—or Aneksi’s ability to transform into a tiger when she or I faced danger.

As far as I could tell, Luna didn’t even know her grandmother’s cat, Khepeset, possessed similar abilities. When the two animals had crossed paths a few weeks ago, after having not seen each other since their days in Cleopatra’s ancient court, it had surprised them both.

I would have never guessed there could be others who shared my unusual circumstances if Luna’s Aunt Delphine, who had brought Khepeset to the shop that day, hadn’t followed me into the shop’s office when the cats chased each other there.

When I overheard their feline conversation, I feared how Delphine would react—until I saw her face. The way she looked at me, I knew instantly she knew the truth.

Delphine and I had no chance to speak of it then, and she and Khepeset had left soon after. I didn’t know how to proceed, but Aneksi had spent the next several days begging me to arrange another meeting with her sister.

Finally, I’d come up with what I thought was the perfect plan, and today was its result.

“Hi, Rebecca! We’re finally here!” Luna announced as she spotted me beside the cash register. “I can’t believe how hot it is out there. The forecast said we’d hit triple-digits this afternoon, but it must be ninety out there already. Thank goodness for air-conditioning.”

I had to agree. While the shop’s unit was keeping things cool, the one in my apartment had decided this late-summer heat wave was more than it could handle. Stirling was trying to get a technician out to fix it, but so far, everyone was already booked for at least a week. He felt terrible about the inconvenience and even offered to let me and Aneksi sleep in his guest room until it could be fixed, but so far we were managing with a fan and open windows.

As Luna lugged in the slate blue carrying case, Khepeset pressed her furry gray face against the mesh opening, probably searching for Aneksi.

Aneksi pranced and yowled, greeting her sister in the most catlike way she could manage.

When the larger cat’s tawny-colored gaze landed on the enthusiastic gray tabby kitten, I thought I saw her lips spread into a smile.

“Kheppy slipped away when I was trying to get her into the carrier.” Luna pushed back a corkscrew curl that had come loose from her lavender-print headband, which perfectly matched her bohemian sundress. “Then she refused to come down from the tree. I had to bribe her with cat treats to get her into the car. Gran said she’s been gaining too much weight, so she’s been limiting her to two treats a day. It took ten to get her out of the tree, so she’s on a strict diet for the rest of the day. I’ll feed her when I pick her up later.”

The smile on Khepeset’s face vanished. She apparently wasn’t a fan of diets.

I didn’t blame her.

Luna unzipped the carrier to release Khepeset as Aneksi jumped down from the counter and ran to the back of the shop. Khepeset slipped through the opening and chased her sister, evading Luna’s efforts to stop her.

“They’ll be fine,” I said when it was clear Luna didn’t stand a chance of catching the cat. “Stirling is in the office. He’ll keep an eye on them. Besides, it’s why Khepeset is here, right?”

Luna watched the kitty tails turn the corner. “I guess. I’m not sure why you think Aneksi needs the help, though. She seems fine.”

“You’re probably right. I’m just worried about her being separated from her mother so young. I looked into it, and the research shows abandoned kittens can really benefit from spending time with older female cats.”

If she asked for the source of that research, I’d be in trouble because it didn’t exist. I’d made it up so I could ask for what was basically a kitty playdate. It must have sounded reasonable enough because Luna hadn’t hesitated to ask her grandmother for the favor.

Since Luna’s Aunt Delphine hadn’t seemed as surprised as she should have been to overhear two cats talking, I suspected Luna’s grandmother knew about Khepeset’s ability as well. Maybe the cat had even told her about Aneksi.

Like Aneksi, however, I had to be careful about what I said to Luna.

As I went to prop up the King Tut mask Aneksi had knocked over, I tried to change the subject. “I made the appointment with Richland University’s admissions office to see if I can still get into that course. I’m going tonight, after work.”

Luna’s face brightened. “You’re doing it? Good for you! Their small-business program is fantastic. I plan to go back to finish once things slow down with the bakery.”

When the mask was back in the window, I brushed a layer of dust from the tops of the Moroccan lamps standing in the corner. “I wish you were still in the program. It would be a lot easier to do this with a friend.”

When I’d first met Luna, she was managing the memorabilia shop that used to occupy the next-door space during the day and attending the small-business program at night. She’d dropped out when she’d started the bakery, but it was her high praise of the program that inspired me to check it out.

She crinkled her nose. “If I was taking night classes on top of running the bakery, I’d never have time to see Hank. I’ve also been helping him with his dad, since it’s just the two of them. It’s been a challenging time.” She glanced away, but before I could ask what was troubling her, she shook it off and beamed a smile. “If things keep going well with the bakery, that could change. I might even be able to hire some help soon.”

No one worked harder than Luna, and her bakery was already popular with locals.

“If the line I saw in front of your place yesterday is any indication, I think it’s safe to say your customers aren’t going anywhere. By the time I got in, the blueberry supreme cupcakes were already sold out. I ended up with a lemon chiffon cookie, which was still delicious, but those blueberry supremes are my current favorite.”

“I’ll put them on the menu tomorrow and set one aside for you.”

“Promise?”

My phone vibrated on the counter. When I reached for it, the name on the screen made me smile.

Luna saw the name, too, and motioned for me to take it.

I tapped the button to accept the call and turned away for a little privacy. “Hi, Nick.”

Nick Devon and I had been getting together a few times a week for the past couple of months for dinner or to go to the movies, but it still felt strange to call him by his first name. My first instinct was to call him detective or Detective Devon. I kept waiting for that to change.

The other thing that hadn’t yet changed was the fluttering in my stomach every time he called.

“Kevin’s T-ball practice was canceled,” he said. “Half the team is down with a stomach bug.”

Kevin was Nick’s five-year-old son, which he shared with his ex-wife. I had little experience with children that age—or any age, for that matter—but I could imagine how unpleasant a stomach bug could be for one. Especially one as excited about his summer sports league as Kevin was. “That’s awful. Is he all right?”

“His mom stayed home with him today, so he’s in good hands. The worst of it seems to be over. The coach thinks it was the celebration pizza after yesterday’s game. Hard to say for sure, though. So, in a roundabout way, I’m asking if you’re free for dinner tonight.”

“Oh! Uh … I would, but I promised Stirling I’d hang out with him tonight.” Was I really lying to a police detective? Wasn’t he trained to catch that kind of thing?

“So, I’m losing out to another man?”

He sounded like he was joking, so I forced a laugh. “We’re still on for Friday night, though, right?”

“Of course. I grabbed the early shift, so I should be able to get away at a reasonable hour. I’ll swing by and pick you up about six thirty, if that works.”

“That definitely works.”

After I hung up, I took a deep breath. It wasn’t the smoothest recovery, but it could have been worse.

When I turned around, Luna was staring at me.

“You’re ditching Nick to stay at home with Stirling? What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m not ditching him.” When she kept staring and kept grimacing, I added, “I didn’t want to tell him why I’m not available.”

The shop phone rang, and I thought it might be my out. I wasn’t that lucky.

“I’ll get it,” Stirling yelled from the office.

Luna was still staring at me.

“I plan to tell him,” I said. “I just haven’t done it yet.”

“Why not?”

She crossed her arms, waiting for an answer.

I wish I had one. Nick and I had gone out twice since I’d made the decision, but both times I’d talked myself out of mentioning it. I told myself I was waiting to see if the admissions office accepted my transcripts and cleared me for registration. If they didn’t, then there was no point in mentioning it.

Still, I knew that wasn’t the real reason. I was afraid Nick might try to talk me out of it.

It was a silly fear and totally irrational. Nick Devon was not my ex-fiancé, Mason Morretti. Nick had done nothing to make me think he would dismiss or belittle my educational goals as Mason had, but I couldn’t bring myself to test that theory. It had been easier to avoid the conversation. It worked for me, but Luna’s disappointment made it clear she didn’t agree.

“Fine,” I said. “When I see him Friday, I’ll tell him.”

Her hard gaze softened. “Don’t keep secrets from him. Trust me. Honesty is always the best policy.”

Ordinarily, I would agree. But since arriving in Citrus Grove and learning about the cursed Egyptian artifacts my grandfather had stashed in a secret vault beneath the store—an unknown number of which he and I were still trying to locate after his previous shop manager stole them—not to mention the talking cat that now lived with me—my thoughts about complete and total honesty had changed to put it mildly.

Although these secrets could sometimes be a burden, I’d willingly accepted the responsibility that came with them, and part of that responsibility was protecting the people I cared about by not putting that burden on them. For that reason, I’d become more comfortable keeping secrets than I ever had before.

Keeping the night classes a secret, though? That was different. The only thing stopping me from telling Nick was my fear of how he might react.

“You’re right,” I said to Luna. “I shouldn’t have lied.”

She glanced up at the shop clock. “I should head next door to get the place ready for the lunch crowd.”

We heard a feline yowl in the back, then another in a slightly lower pitch.

“Are you sure you’re going to be all right with them?” she asked.

“I’m sure.” It was only for the day. What could go wrong? Besides, I trusted Aneksi.

When I closed the door behind Luna, I headed back to remind Aneksi that I’d cut the visit short if they didn’t follow the rules.

I could hear them in the washroom, which I hoped meant Aneksi was introducing her sister to the litter box.

On my way to check, I noticed my grandfather standing by the empty electric kettle. His palms were on the counter, and he wasn’t moving.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

For a man in his seventies, Stirling was in exceptionally good health. But something was troubling him. His shoulders slumped. “That call.” His voice cut off.

My heart sank. “Was it bad news?”

He glanced up, his eyes wide and dazed. “It was my cousin. He’s invited me to breakfast.”

“Is that bad?” I was failing to see the problem.

“I haven’t seen him in…” He rubbed his bald spot. “My goodness. It must be fifty years now.”

“You have family you haven’t seen in fifty years?” As someone who recently lost both parents, who had been the only family I’d ever known until I discovered Stirling after their death, that seemed unfathomable.

“He lives in England, and neither of us travel. At least I didn’t think he did.”

“But he’s coming to visit you? Aren’t you happy about that?”

The deepening lines around his mouth told me he was not.

“Can I meet him?” I asked.

His attention had drifted, but it snapped back. He nodded, slowly at first. “Yes, of course you can. He’ll want to meet you, too. You are a Cuthbert, after all.”

So, the cousin was a Cuthbert. The prospect of meeting another member of the family my father had kept hidden sent a shiver of excitement through me. “Great. Is he coming soon?”

“No.” Stirling frowned, and my heart sank a little. “He’s already here. He’s waiting for us at Malone’s.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Did the professor get what he deserved, or is murder on the prowl in small-town California?

As a late-summer heat wave scorches the sleepy town of Citrus Grove, the suspicious death of a notoriously unpopular professor puts Rebecca and her talking cat, Aneksi, hot on the trail of another cursed artifact and a killer.

Police Detective Nick Devon, her dashing new flame, is following the rulebook in his investigation, but the Cuthbert Exotic Antiques manager is trusting her instincts as she follows the clues. With her grandfather distracted by an unexpected visitor—who may not be what he seems—and Aneksi rekindling a bond with a long-lost sibling, Rebecca knows she’s on her own to search for the ancient scepter that may hold the key to the dead professor’s medical miracle…and the reason behind his demise.

In this twisty tale of hidden motives, intensifying danger, and a dash of magic, Rebecca must rely on her wits—and, hopefully, Aneksi’s sharp claws—to solve the case before she becomes the cunning murderer’s next victim.

Book Links: Amazon |
 
 

Meet the Author:

DeAnna Drake is an award-winning author who writes witty and whimsical cozy mysteries filled with magical animals and feisty heroines who are always striving to balance the scales of justice in an offbeat world.

Under different names, DeAnna writes young-adult fantasy fiction, contemporary romances, and historical novels set in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

When she isn’t plotting new adventures for her characters, she’s a craft addict, drinks too much tea, binge watches crime dramas, and escapes to Disneyland whenever she can.

She lives in Southern California with her family, which includes her two favorite people and one ridiculously pampered border collie.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | GoodReads |