KAT OUT OF THE BAG by Wendy Kendall
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, (344 pages)
4****
Blurb: When celebrated international purse designer, Katherine Watson, hosts a gala for her Purse-onality Museum, she never expected the next day’s headline to read: ‘Murder at the Gala Premiere.’ But after a dead body is found during the event, that’s exactly what happened. Working to solve the murder, Katherine matches wits with local cop Jason Holmes and his K-9 partner, Hobbs. Although Holmes and Watson disagree often, they discover an undeniable attraction building between them. But they’ll have to put their feelings on hold and focus on solving the murder, before Katherine becomes the killer’s next knock off.
Thoughts: Wow, talk about high fashion when it comes to purses. I had no idea there was so much to know about purses and their history. In this story, Katherine (Kat) Watson has opened a purse museum in the small town of Bayside, Washington. She usually splits her time between LA and NY, running her high fashion purse company. At the gala to celebrate the opening of the museum, her friend (who is the mayor of the town) is murdered. Katherine is pulled into the investigation—and a possible romantic interest with the K-9 officer, Jason Holmes.
The characters in the story are fascinating. Not only Katherine and Jason, but Jason’s partner Hobbs (who only responds to German commands when working), and Katherine’s sleek cat Purrada. There is also MJ (MoonJava), Katherine’s mother who harkens back to a 60s hippie vibe. And a cast of other interesting characters back them up.
But it is the descriptions of purses and the reasons for carrying particular ones that was fascinating. I am in no way a fashionista. My idea of a good purse is usually a cheap tote bag of some sort that will hold all my “stuff.” I learned a lot about the history of them in this story. And not in a bad way. The descriptions were interesting and added a lot to the story.
Recommendation: This is a decent cozy mystery with a satisfying ending and a fascinating study in purses. Recommended.
Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
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