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Words With Fiends (A Black Cat Bookshop Mystery Book 3) Kindle Edition

by Ali Brandon (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 256 ratings
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Brooklyn bookstore owner Darla Pettistone and her oversized black cat, Hamlet, have solved a few complicated capers. But after a recent brush with danger, Darla needs to get Hamlet out of a feline funk…
 
Lately, Hamlet hasn’t been chasing customers or being his obnoxious self—something Darla surprisingly misses. Concerned, she hires a cat whisperer to probe Hamlet’s feline psyche and then decides to get out of her own funk by taking up karate to learn how to defend herself in case the need arises again.
 
But when Darla finds her sensei dead at the dojo, it seems that even a master can be felled by foul play. Darla decides to investigate the matter herself, and the promise of a mystery snaps Hamlet out of his bad mood. After all, Darla may be the sleuth, but Hamlet’s got a black belt in detection…
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  1. Book 3 of 6
    Black Cat Bookshop Mysteries
  2. Print length
    306 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Berkley
  6. Publication date
    November 5, 2013
  7. Reading age
    18 years and up
  8. File size
    2315 KB
  9. Page Flip
    Enabled
  10. Word Wise
    Enabled
  11. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for the Black Cat Bookshop Mysteries:
 
“A fun mystery that kept me guessing to the end!”—Rebecca M. Hale, New York Times bestselling author of How to Tail a Cat
 
“Make sure the new Black Cat Bookshop series is on your bookshelf.”—Elaine Viets, national bestselling author of Final Sail

“This series really does have it all: bookstore, cats, likable, relatable characters, and a strong mystery.”—Cozy Mystery Book Review

About the Author

Ali Brandon is the national bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series. Under her own name, Diane A.S. Stuckart, she is also the author of the Leonardo da Vinci Mysteries, as well as several acclaimed historical romances and numerous works of short fiction under the names Alexa Smart and Anna Gerard. Born in the West Texas town of Lubbock, she earned her degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. She now lives in South Florida with her husband, Gerry, and a menagerie that includes their two orange tabby boys, Butch and Sundance.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BC24NP8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (November 5, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 5, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2315 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0425252361
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 256 ratings

About the author

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Ali Brandon

Ali Brandon

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ALI BRANDON is the NYT bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. Writing as DIANE A.S. STUCKART, she’s also the author of the popular Leonardo da Vinci mysteries, which have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, as well as a Florida Book Award Silver medal. As Diane, she is also the author of FOOL'S MOON, first in the Tarot Cats Mystery series from Midnight Ink.

As ANNA GERARD, she is the author of the upcoming Georgia B&B Mystery series from Crooked Lane Books. PEACH CLOBBERED, first in the series, will be on the shelves July 2019. Under the names Alexa Smart and Anna Gerard, she published several critically-acclaimed historical romances from Pinnacle Books. A native Texan with a degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma, Diane now lives in South Florida. Visit her at www.dianestuckart.com or see her other Amazon author page at https://www.amazon.com/author/dianestuckart

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
256 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

RaksGato
5.0 out of 5 stars Words with Fiends
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2013
Verified Purchase
I love Ali Brandon's Black Cat Bookshop mysteries! This is just the third in the series, and I'm hoping to see many more.

The main character, and the character through whose viewpoint the story is told, is Darla Pettistone. Darla is a Texas native who inherits a Brooklyn bookshop, Pettistone's Fine Books, and brownstone from her Great-aunt Dee, along with Lucille, a vintage Cadillac, and Hamlet, the ever so mercurial bookshop cat. Add to her world her renter, Jake, who she also inherited when she inherited the brownstone where Jake's apartment is located, James, the Bookshop professor, Robert, the teenage employee who lives in Darla's neighboring brownstone, and the ever hot Reese, Jake's former police detective partner.

In this episode of the Bookshop mysteries, Hamlet and Darla are still recovering from their brush with near death from "A Novel Way to Die." Darla's taking martial arts for self-defense and Hamlet is just brooding (like his namesake Dane). Darla calls in a quirky 'feline behavioral empath' for Hamlet. He tells her Hamlet feels he let Darla down and needs to redeem himself. His chance comes when Darla and Robert stumble across the body of their martial arts sensai, Master Tomlinson and find themselves smack dab in the middle of a murder investigation.

Although Jake and Reese both warn her to stay out of the investigation, Darla and Hamlet can't resist doing some snooping on their own. When the unsuspected killer lures Darla into a life-threatening situation, it's touch and go as to whether Hamlet can have his redemption in this new chance to save his inherited mistress!

Great editing and proofreading, making this not only a fun and exciting read, but a pleasant one, too. Kudos to Ali Brandon for another bang-up job. I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment in this delightful series.

(This review first published on Goodreads.com)
One person found this helpful
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Drebbles
5.0 out of 5 stars Fiendishly good
Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2014
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After a recent brush with danger, bookstore owner Darla Pettistone is worried about both herself and her cat Hamlet. In order to protect herself if needed in the future, she is taking karate lessons; to help Hamlet she's hired a cat whisperer (or feline behavioral empath as Brody Raywinkle prefers to be called). It is going to take a while before hamlet shows any sign of improvement but Darla soon has other things to worry about when she and coworker Robert find the body of their sensei. Tom Tomlinson's death isn't as it appears and soon Darla (and Hamlet) are in the middle of a murder investigation. Will Darla’s snooping put them in danger?

“Words with Fiends” is the third book in Ali Brandon's Black Cat Bookshop a cozy mystery series. Although I have not read the first two books in the series I quickly fell in love with the characters and setting and fully intend to buy the first two books. While I enjoyed all the human characters (Darla, James, Robert, and Jake), as someone who is owned by two cats Hamlet was easily my favorite character. While Hamlet reminded me a bit of Koko from the Cat Who series, this book is not nearly as fluffy as that series with deeper written characters and situations. The bookstore setting is a good one and the events at the dojo are nicely done. The mystery itself is well plotted with plenty of suspects and readers no doubt will be surprised at a few things that happen in the book. Finally, there is a wonderfully funny event towards the end of the book that made wish it reallyy happened and really was a YouTube video. That’s one video I could watch over and over again :-)

“Words with Fiends” is a nicely done cozy mystery and I look forward to reading more books in the series.
4 people found this helpful
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Robin
4.0 out of 5 stars Best So Far
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2013
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I really liked this book -- and feel it is the best one so far in the series. More involvement this time with Robert, the Goth kid that works in the bookshop. We are also now introduced to a new animal character, a sweet little Italian greyhound that I assume will become a regular part of the series. Additionally, another aspect that was interesting was Darla's use of a cat whisperer for Hamlet -- or rather a feline empath! As cozy mysteries go, this is an enjoyable series, and I'm looking forward to the next one.
6 people found this helpful
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J.H.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great.
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2024
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A fun series to read.
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Cozyreaders
5.0 out of 5 stars Murder Watches Who You Play With
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2016
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Who would think that a mixture of Karate, a missing woman, Private eyes, Italian Greyhounds, and a luscious black cat, named Hamlet (or Hammy for short,) a book shop and more, likely to end up in murder? Well, since I didn't mention the online word game...you can be forgiven for being confused. However, murder it is and more on it's way.

Darla Pettistone, owner of Pettistone Fine Books, is also taking a form of Karate with her shop assistant, Robert, the Goth. Hamlet is feeling below par, but, I will assure you he will tower over all when this crime is solved.

There is a murder of the Sensei. Who? Why? What? is going on? These are the questions posed when Darla and Robert discover the body of their Sensei. And, finding the small dog outside in panic, Robert attempts to 'Foster' it.

So, o.k. this book has it all. Murder is only the beginning. All, I'm going to tell you is the last 20% of this tale had me sitting up straight and actually getting nervous. I was wanting to shout out to Hamlet, but...he didn't need my help!

When I get a physical reaction to what I'm reading, nerves..tears..or laughter, I know I'm reading a quality novel. This book lived up to it's title and it was a heck of an ending. Yea! Off to the next volume.
One person found this helpful
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Kitty
3.0 out of 5 stars Beyond belief
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2016
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I enjoy the series, but the plot was far-fetched. I enjoy Hamlet, but this was just beyond fantasy. Still, overall, I'll keep reading.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Bev Perkull
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2016
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Just love this series especially since it stars Hamlet, a cat with an attitude.
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Adrienne Ward
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 14, 2014
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I just love these books and look forward to each new one, this was great, very enjoyable.
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すてら
5.0 out of 5 stars 強さを取り戻す試練が感動的
Reviewed in Japan on October 29, 2015
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黒猫ハムレットのミステリー第３作。
第２作の事件をきっかけに護身術を身につけようと、ダーラは店員のロバートと共に空手道場に通いはじめます。
今回はその道場での出来事が中心。

良いセンセイ（先生）に恵まれたダーラとロバートは順調に力をつけていくのですが、思わぬ事件が発生し、渦中に巻き込まれていきます。
まだ少年さの抜けないロバートが道場にいた犬をめぐって傷つくのは読んでいるだけで辛いほど。
一方ハムレットも、前作での事件が影響しておとなしくなってしまい、本来のハムレットらしさを取り戻すには何か突破口が必要な状態。

ダーラはセンセイの教えを守り、苦境でも諦めず立ち向かう強さを見せます。
その点、受け身だった前作と対照的で、前作が「静」なら今回は「動」。
積極的に悪と対決し、協力してやり遂げたことで、ダーラもハムレットもようやく本来の自分に戻り、一回り強くなったよう。
そういう意味で、さわやかさと感動を感じられる話で、心温まる終わり方でした。

今まで猫のハムレットは、謎めいた存在でツンケンしているように見えましたが、今回は何だかとっても可愛くて、彼の姿を見たくなりました（特に空手をしているハムレット！）。
前回お世話になったリース刑事とのからみも増え、ダーラも以前より気さくに対応しているようですが、二人の関係はまだどうなるかわかりません。

英単語が少々難しかったのですが、油断していると次々に予想外のことが起きるので退屈する暇がなく、最後まで面白く読めました。
このシリーズはとても楽しめるので、邦訳もどんどん出るといいなぁと思います。
4 people found this helpful
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Marian
5.0 out of 5 stars Books and cat.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 27, 2015
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Very enjoyable.
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