CATastrophic Connections

Psycho Cat and the Landlady Mysteries, Book 1

By: Joyce Brown

Narrated by: Diane Marty

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

When Psycho Cat alerts Beth to her step-niece Adrianna's disappearance, the klutzy landlady careens into action. She and her no-nonsense sister question Adrianna's associates. They discover that the police suspect the young woman of embezzling a huge sum of money from the Kansas City construction company where she works.

Believing Adrianna has been framed, Beth finds clues which lead her to the US Virgin Islands. After a series of bizarre detours, she finds her niece at a spectacular island hideaway.

Once home, the niece is not cleared of the theft charge. Instead, someone murders the company bookkeeper, and Adrianna is the primary suspect. Beth must try to prove her step-niece innocent by unraveling connections among unknown construction company villains in Kansas City and in the Virgin Islands. Shadowy characters follow and intimidate Beth and her family at every turn. Someone else could end up dead.

It's one thing for Beth to skirt danger on her own, but when her loved ones are threatened - Beth and Psycho Cat will fight to the end.

©2014 Joyce Ann Brown (P)2016 Joyce Ann Brown

Easy, Fun Read

I've read Lillian Braun's "cat" books and enjoyed them. I put Ms. Brown's CATastrophic Connections right up there with Lillian's. The cat gets them started on a quest that ends up involving embezzlement and murder. And he helps along the way. The action moves from Kansas City to the Virgin Islands. And the protagonist, Beth, is an enjoyable character, working hard to save her niece Adrianna (the one accused of the crimes). Good story.

The narrator did a good job. I had just one complaint. Somehow, the quotes at the beginning of each chapter (which I liked) could have been handled better in the audio. I'm not sure what I would suggest, but they needed to be "set off" somehow, to let the listener know that this was not part of the story, but a quote that somehow commented on this book. Okay, I'm being a little picky. Otherwise, the narrator did a good job.

Good easy read, flows smoothly. I'll recommend it.

Cats and mysteries

I got a chance to listen to the audiobook of this book. It’s the first book in a series. This was a nice non graphic murder mystery. Great main characters. There’s embezzlement and murder. And it’s hard to tell who exactly was involved. It could have been almost anyone. Psycho Cat has a starring role as he alerts everyone in the very beginning that something is wrong. This was a full mystery in a cozy mystery style!

Entertaining cozy mystery

Both the author Joyce Ann Brown and narrator Diane Marty are new to me. This was a cozy mystery book that I found entertaining. I was intrigued as I followed the clues with Beth as she investigates her step niece Adrianna’s disappearance.

The narrator really brought this book to life for me and did a good job keeping me entertained. This was a a book filled with a intrigue and suspense which kept me riveted as I listened to this story.

Twists and turns and a Happy ending-you will enjoy

I read this as an e-book way back in Jan of 2019! I loved the book back then and enjoyed it even more listening to it. This narrator was able to take a really good cozy mystery and make it come to life! And yes--cats can be protectors also!!