Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter

Dixie Hemingway Mysteries, Book 1

By: Blaize Clement

Narrated by: Julia Gibson

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Dixie Hemingway is a pet sitter for some of Florida's most pampered pets. But when she happens upon a man drowned in a cat's water bowl, Dixie's sleuthing powers from her time as a deputy sheriff return full-force. And as more bodies keep turning up, she'd better find out whodunit.

©2006 Blaize Clement (P)2007 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Dixie is a complex, well-conceived character and the plot fast-moving and believable." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Refreshing Read

What did you love best about Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter?

The book is very interesting, with a refreshing cast of characters and a modern leading character who has real-life concerns, foibles, and family. Left me wanting more of the same!

What other book might you compare Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter to and why?

Except for the 90-year difference in settings, the book reminded me very much of the Maisie Dobbs series.

Any additional comments?

I hope more books by this author are recorded!

Fast paced read

This was a fun and quick read. I liked the cat sitter aspect and I also like the heroine's attitude and at times salty language! There were a couple of parts where I actually laughed out loud. It was a good start to a series, but I'm not sure whether or not I will continue with the entire series. This is probably one that I would pick up if was in the mood for a light read. The characters are fun and I can see that there is plenty of room for character development as the series progresses.

I listened to this through Audible and the narration was fine. However, the editing drove me nuts. There were long pauses at times, sometimes between chapters and sometimes for no apparent reason. At other times, the chapter was announced so quickly, it sounded like a continuation of the previous sentence. Also, the book was broken up into two parts for easy downloading; normally, there is a sensical reason for the stopping point. Not here - it abruptly stops and then starts again, seemingly in the middle of a paragraph - they could have done a better job with that.

A light read that was well read

I can't tolerate poor narration, formula romance or bad writing so it is hard to find a murder mystery with minimum foreboding, gore and disgusting details that isn't insipid and/or boring. This book had interesting characters, their back stories were revealed nicely, the narration was good, there was a plot (and murder) but it wasn't "heavy". It's also hard to find a good book with a pink cover.

Delightful departure from heavy literature

A fun entrance into a geographical area and career far different from my own, Clement creates a protagonist and cast of characters who are quirky, smart, and full of unforeseen layers. When one needs a digression from "real life" (at least for most of us), this could be it. I will add that the final solution is quite dark, and readers with delicate sensibilities may not enjoy what they find here. For myself, I've just downloaded the sequel!

An OK book... with a few irritations

I actually found Dixie Hemingway and her friends likable characters and the plot basis for this little "put the brain in neutral" book was decent if not perfectly done. Mystery was solved, but leaves room for characters to grow with an ongoing story. I got a little tired of her showers, eating and making dumb choices while knowing it was a dumb choice. Despite two murders, a beating, an attempted suicide and sexual extortion it's remarkably upbeat. There is very little swearing and I'd probably purchase the next in the series except for the frequent stupid similes with sexual innuendos... like... her pickle being the size of a man's penis.

Great heroine! I want more of the series!

What does Julia Gibson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I enjoyed her voice and she did an excellent job of portraying the heroine. I have listened to each of the books multiple times.

Cute but not outstanding

I'll try another of this series. The main character has a lot of potential to become more interesting.

Good Mystery but....

This was a good mystery. I wasn't able to figure out who the killer was. It's also a good read for those who love animals.

Only problem is getting used to the narrator. Julia did a fine job, she sounds monotone to me. Not much excitement in her voice. Almost made me sleepy.

It might be worth a credit, but I would listen to the voice sample all the way through first.

Light and perhaps fluffy but totally enjoyable!

This book flows well and kept me coming back for more. I can't wait to read the second book in the series. It is action packed, humorous at times, and an easy listen. It's not hard to like and empathize with the protagonist and to enjoy the other characters. The narrator has a pleasant voice that fits the persona of the main character. My only complaint is that whoever did the sound editing left huge silences between some chapter introductions and then jammed the introductions onto the last sentence of the previous chapter at other times.

Enjoyable except for a few glitches

What did you love best about Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter?

I agree with Jan that some of the similes were not needed. But the glitches were what bothered me the most. Sometimes, several seconds would pass before the next chapter would be announced (the first time it made me think that my book had ‘turned off’), other times there was no pause at all! One word would be started before that last word ended. And several of the chapters ended in strange places. It made me feel that the editing department had fallen asleep.
Otherwise, this was an enjoyable, cozy mystery. With a likable heroine, in spite of her odd temper.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter?

I like close family relationships, so the relationship between Dixie and her brother and his partner made me like this book even more.

Any additional comments?

Definitely getting the next book.