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Today is launch day for The Great Catsby – book 8 in my Whales and Tails Island Mystery Series. After its debut in January of 2015 it quickly became one of my best selling series. In this eighth installment of the series, set on a fictional island among the San Juan Island off the Washington Coast, we are revisited by Ebenezer the cat and Alex the heir, from book 6 in the series: The Cat of Christmas Past.
In The Great Catsby Alex returns to Madrona Island after college lets out for the summer with two friends: Nick and Daisy. Cait and the others immediately notice that the sweet and fun loving guy who played Santa for the kids over Christmas, has turned into a bit of a snob since they’d last seen him. Instead of hanging out with old friends Alex seems intent on hanging out with new friends, which in pretty much everyone’s opinion, are bound to get him into trouble. When Daisy shows up dead and Alex is arrested for her murder, Cait and the gang realize they need to put their differences aside and help Alex prove that he is innocent in a case where he is the only suspect.
Meanwhile Cait has other problems to deal with namely Reginald Pendergrass, the man her mother brought home as her fiancé after meeting him on a cruise. Cait and her siblings have divided up the chores associated with helping their mother to prepare for her wedding to this man, and the book opens with Cait helping her mom shop for her trousseau.
This could just not get any worse. If the gates of hell opened and swallowed me whole it wouldn’t be worse.
“So what do you think?” My mother beamed at me.
What did I think? My fifty eight year old mother was standing in front of me in a tiny negligee that even I wouldn’t wear. Don’t get me wrong, my mother is in excellent shape for her age, but not only has she had five children, she’s had five Catholic Children. It just doesn’t seem right that my very conservative mother is parading around in the “naughty” store wearing the skimpy outfit she plans to wear on her wedding night to a man who may very well turn out to be Satan himself.
“Caitlin Hart. Are you listening to me?”
“I’m listening.” I looked at the tiny piece of fabric my mother was holding. “Aren’t you afraid you will be cold?”
“It’s June.”
“But still chilly at night. Maybe something in a nice floor length gown. Flannel is always nice at this time of year.”
My mom looked directly at me and put her hands on her hips. “Would you wear floor length flannel on your wedding night?”
“I might.” I defended even though I knew that was a lie. “It’s just that you are …”
“Old?”
“Maternal. You’ve been married before do you really need to go all out this time around?”
My mom twirled around showing off way too much of her derriere. “I most certainly do need to go all out.” She looked at me with a softer expression. “Your dad has been gone for a long time.”
I knew she was right, and I wasn’t even against the notion of her moving on, but the man she was engaged to, was definitely not the man I wanted my mother tied to for the rest of her life. For one thing he was arrogant and opinionated. He made it clear that he thought the Hart’s to be country hicks who wouldn’t know a 1996 Borel and Kroff Brute, from a 2016 Korbel Brute. Okay maybe he had a point with that one, but life was about more than expensive champagne and even more expensive cars. It was about friends and family and planting roots that endured from one generation to the next.
“Cait?”
“It’s nice mom.” I hated the look of uncertainty on her face but even more I hated the fact that she was leaving Madrona Island, and more importantly leaving us, after living here her entire life. “I’ll just wait for you out front.”
“Okay. When we are done here we can go and look at flowers.”
“Siobhan has flowers. I have cake.”
“Does it matter?”
“No,” I sighed. “I guess not.”
If you want to find out how the story turns out it is available on Amazon.
To be entered to win one of five copies (Kindle or Paperback – non US Kindle only) comment below. The winner will be chosen on July 2.
Random Thoughts and Meaningless Musings 
Just got it. Can’t wait to start reading. Thanks Kathi
I love the snipet! Can’t wait to start reading it!
I need to catch up on this series
Can’t wait to read it!
Look forward to reading.
Thereadmaster@me.com
This book sounds really interesting. Thank you so much for the chance to win.
Kindle makes it so easy to have a favorite series waiting for you.Poor Cait , poor mom but hope all turns out well.Love this series..
Have mine and can’t wait to start!
I laughed out loud reading that excerpt—-what fun! All the wedding prep should be a hoot! Thanks for the contest.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I Love all of your books & I can’t wait to read this one. I’m amazed at how fast you write your books. Thanks for this generous giveaway, I do appreciate it. Linda May lindamay4852@yahoo.com
I know this one will be another opportunity for me to fall in love again with Madrona Island. I am looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the giveaway!
Sounds like another great book. Thanks for the chance to win.
Sounds like a wonderful and fun book! Would love to win!
I love this series; it is my favorite!
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win it. I hope you and your family have a safe and fun-filled holiday weekend.
I would love to win
Would love to read this book❤️ It looks great😊 Thank you for the giveaway 😊
Sounds like something I would really enjoy!
I love this series, its always been my fav!!
I have all of the books but haven’t started them yet. Thanks for the chance to win this newest one.
Super series…I enjoy Cait and hope their will be more adventures to come. Eight Is NOT enough for me.
Sounds like a great add to my favorite series of Kathi’s! Looking forward to reading it.
Just finished reading it and it was awesome. I really love this series and all the characters 2 legged as well as 4 legged.
This had me laughing, there are some things in life that you don’t need to see and your mother in a negligee is one of them, LOL. Love this series, congrats on your release!
I’d love to win a paperback book! I enjoy your books!!
Love all your books! Can’t wait to read this! Congratulations on your newest releases!
Congratulations on the new book. I love all the books you write but the Whales and Tails Island Mystery series is my favorite. Thank you for this chance!
I cat wait to read it. I have it on my the list.
I’ll be starting it this weekend and I can’t wait. I love how the books are so whimsical and magical.
I love my paperback copies of books!
I love this series and all the characters, the furry ones too!
Oh wow, Cait really cracks me up sometimes!! I loved the excerpt and I laughed out loud too! I love Madrona Island, Cait, Tarah, the fur babies and everything about your Whales and Tails series. Cait really has her hands full this time, with her Mom’s fiance, upcoming marriage, and Alex being suspected of murder. Sound like another great read. Congratulations on the release of #8 The Great Catsby!! Can’t wait to read this new one in my favorite series!!
oh_bother88@hotmail.com
Whales and Tails is my favorite series! Thanks for the chance to win!
I haven’t started this series yet. I look forward to reading it. Thanks for a great giveaway. Happy 4th.
I am in need of a kitty mystery like this one!!!!!
This books looks great. I loved that snippet. I can’t wait to read it all.
Ooh, I can’t wait to read this. It’s sounds great! Congratulations on your launch of The Great Catsby!
Love the excerpt! Congrats on the release.
Thank you all for stopping by and commenting. I used a random number generator to pick my 5 winners and they are: Ruth Nixon, MaryAnn Forbes, Jeanie Dannheim, BMary8222, and Candace Knight. Congrats. Please email me at kathidaley@kathidaley.com to collect your prize.
Can’t wait to read
This sounds so fun!