Mimi Lee Gets a Clue

January 6, 2020
Mimi Lee, the 25-year-old heroine of this sparkling series launch from Chow (the Winston Wong mysteries), has just opened Hollywoof, a pet grooming salon in a beach town near L.A. As an opening-day present, her sister gives her a Persian cat, whom Mimi names Marshmallow. No ordinary cat, Marshmallow can hear, understand, and communicate thoughts to humans, dogs, and other cats. Meanwhile, when friends bring their Chihuahuas to Hollywoof, Mimi notices the dogs all have health issues, and further investigation reveals they all came from the same breeder, Russ Nolan. Incensed, Mimi goes to Nolan’s house in the San Fernando Valley and threatens to turn him in for operating a puppy mill. When Nolan is discovered dead the next day, Mimi becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Marshmallow’s unique talents come in handy as he one-by-one chats up the Chihuahuas to reveal secrets and gossip that help point to the culprit. Chow smoothly mixes intrigue, romance, and humor. Cozy fans will have fun. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary.

January 15, 2020
The death of a questionable dog breeder implicates a pet groomer who's forced to depend on her telepathic cat for help. To celebrate the opening of Mimi Lee's LA pet grooming business, Hollywoof, her sister, Alice, gives her a ball of white fluff, a cat Mimi promptly dubs Marshmallow. While her personal and business interests focus mainly on dogs, Mimi can't help but be charmed by Marshmallow, who objects to his name and his characterization as anything other than sleek and elegant. And Mimi is all too aware of Marshmallow's reluctance to take on the cuddly pet role because he's somehow able to telegraph his thoughts into her head. Before Mimi can think too much about whether her conversations with her cat mean that she's losing her mind, she has to rely on her connection to Marshmallow to solve a crime. After store benefactor Pixie St. James has sent several high-end clients to Hollywoof, Mimi realizes that their expensive Chihuahuas are the victims of health issues traceable to cut-rate breeder Russ Nolan's shady practices. After confronting Russ, Mimi learns that he's been killed and that the lead detective on the case is sure Mimi is to blame. As if this weren't trouble enough, Alice's new principal is determined to cut her position as a kindergarten teacher, and Mimi and Alice's Ma, a fiercely opinionated Malaysian woman, calls on Mimi to save Alice's job. The stress of Russ' death and Alice's predicament makes Mimi unable to concentrate on her romantic interest, neighbor Josh Akana, until she realizes that maybe his new job as an attorney can help keep her on the right side of the law. But Mimi's number one hope is Marshmallow, who can communicate with the pups Russ was raising and possibly figure out the real killer before Mimi is arrested. A frothy, fun series debut with little reliance on mystery to keep things interesting; insert your own cat pun here.

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