I found this to be an enjoyable read with interesting characters. I thought the mystery itself was a bit formulaic, but the cats as side characters was a lovely addition. I would recommend this to readers of cozy mysteries.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

A cozy mystery set around a pet shop, sign me up! I loved this book! The setting was exactly what the cat lover in me wanted it to be, and the mystery was fresh and didn't feel like it had been "done before." I will certainly be looking out for more of these author's books.

A Side Dish of Death is the 5th book in.T.C. LoTempio's Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series. It is a fun, light hearted cozy mystery with likable characters, clue finding cats, and a cozy mystery that kept me guessing. Shell McMillan was a former TV star but she now runs a pet shop along with her friend Gary. Shell's mother Clarissa lives in Fox Hollow now too. The animal shelter is having a Murder Mystery Night fundraiser with the focus on cat adoptions. Famous Chef Reynaldo Venery is planning a special menu until he is found dead. On top of that, Shell's ex fiance shows up with an agenda. There is a hurricane but all the people still show up for the event. Shell's boyfriend Detective Josh Bloodgood is on the case. They hardly spend any time together and their conversations are about the case. It is a locked room style mystery because the storm keeps all the suspects there at the fundraiser. There are a few suspects but there are secrets to sort through and some other things going on to keep it interesting. The book started off a bit slow but got better. The characters' relationships aren't warm or friendly. I enjoyed the mystery for the most part but the book didn't resonate with me. #ASideDishOfDeath #UrbanTailsPetShopMystery #NetGalley #BeyondThePage

This is one of those dark and stormy night murder mystery within a murder mystery stories. Those are some of the best kind.

Shell McMillan's mother is hosting a fundraiser for the animal shelter by hosting a dinner theater murder mystery at a local inn. It's being catered by a much sought after famous chef, who has a reputation for belligerence and rudeness both in and out of the kitchen. This is coupled by multiple patrons of said dinner with secrets to hide. When a storm causes the power to go out, the perfect time to commit a murder, and the group is literally stranded at the hotel, Shell has to figure out whodunit before everyone can leave. Especially since someone near and dear to her is a suspect.

The cats are the star of the show, including the aptly named all black Dahlia, who is quite the escape artist. I did figure out whodunit, which is usually a disappointment to me unless the author can create some spectacular ruse as to the motive. LoTempio delivers on all counts.

I look forward to more of her cat sleuth mysteries.

Thank you to Beyond the Page Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

Another enjoyable read in this book. Shell is helping to run a charity murder mystery dinner with her mom when a celebrity chef and her ex finance are causing problems for her. I liked the mystery, I did figure out the who fairly quickly but not the why. But when it call came together this mystery was really solid, made sense, and was wrapped up in a very interesting way. My main tribe with this addition is we didn’t get enough Gary or Josh. I really like Gary as her friend and Josh is a solid boyfriend but there wasn’t enough personal stuff in this series. I would say she started investigating even before the murder occurred which potential took away from that. It was a really easy read and I never pass up one this authors books. I think I have read all but two so I should get on that. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

"A Side Dish of Death (An Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery #5)" by T. C. LoTempio is the classic stuck in a mansion/hotel during a storm at a party when a murder happens. This time there's also a bunch of cats, Shell's ex-fiancé is visiting and there's a famous chief annoying everyone. I do have to say that I find it interesting to see how this story set up changes as technology changes. There's a lot of internet searching to dig up dirt on the victim and the possible suspects. The culprit really didn't hit my radar as a possible suspect until I start thinking, "Why does is character even here? Is there some sub-story that's going on for them?"

A Side Dish of Death is the 5th book in the Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series. As always, author T. C. LoTempio puts together a cast of regulars and new suspects to create a fun, easy cozy mystery. Thankfully A Side Dish of Death provides a welcome distraction to the news of the moment. It was nice to revisit Shell, Josh, Gary and their neighbors and friends in this small Connecticut village. And as always, it is the cats, who are the stars.

I never used to think of myself as a cat person. I have had dogs my whole life, but the cats in LoTempio's novels are so terrific. They add fun and action to these mysteries. Readers of this series, know it will be the cats who save the day. In A Side Dish of Death, Shell's mother plans a murder mystery dinner fundraiser to raise money for cat rescue. It is a dark and gloomy night, with a severe storm that isolates all the guests at this murder mystery dinner. Naturally a real murder occurs. There are a lot of good suspects, but readers know the cats are on the case.

The Urban Tails Pet Shop Mystery series works well as cozy mysteries, with fun added with the cats. LoTempio always includes great felines in every one of her mystery series. Thank you to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries and awesome cats will love these books. I enjoy them and I don't even have any cats. Unfortunately, our terriers are not cat people.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of A SIDE DISH OF DEATH (Book 5 of the Urban Tails Pet Shop mystery series) by T.C. Lotempio in exchange for an honest review. In mystery novels, a murder mystery dinner theater is rarely a good time for the cast of characters. That holds true in the instant novel. Shell McMillan’s mother has planned a murder mystery dinner theater event featuring a celebrity chef as a charity benefit for the local cat shelter. They didn’t plan on a hurricane or on real murder, though. When the lights go out during the performance and the outage is accompanied by an eerie yooowwwl, Shell excuses herself and follows a talkative feline ambassador to a grisly revelation. The lights turn back on, but the dead body is still there. Police, please! Since everyone is stranded due to rising water and gale force winds, the show must go on. Can Shell keep her investigation on the down low long enough to identify the killer without causing a panic amongst the benefit goers?

I like this book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book and the series to fans of cozy murder mysteries featuring cats, retired actors, small towns, pet shops, and local events.

#ASideDishofDeath #NetGalley

Lovely visit with old friends. I enjoyed the mystery and it kept me guessing. I like the characters and the small town. Loved the cats.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Shell has returned to her hometown after a stint in Hollywood on a popular TV show. After the show is cancelled and she finds her boyfriend is cheating on her, she’s ready for a new chapter in her life and is now running a pet store and helping the local pet shelter. She now has three adorable cats who are great help in solving mysteries!
Her mother is putting on a murder mystery dinner as a fundraiser for the animal shelter and a famous chef has agreed to be the celebrity guest, but he’s a terrible person and has history with some staff members. Soon a real murder occurs and Shell and her friends (and cats) are busy investigating. Complicating matters is the hurricane that has moved in and keeping them trapped at the hotel.
This was a fun cozy mystery with lots of red herrings. Thanks to Beyond the Page Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

After pet shop owner Shell McMillan's mother Clarrisa’s first foray into fundraising for the Fox Hollow local animal shelter was very successful she has chosen a murder mystery dinner for her next extravaganza! With celebrity chef, Reynaldo Venery hired to cater the event, tickets have been extremely popular and have become the main topic of conversation in town.

A dangerous storm is brewing which threatens the whole event at the Fox Hollow Inn, but after a body is discovered it becomes a very good reason for Shell's boyfriend, and local detective, Josh Bloodgood, to forbid anyone from leaving without mentioning the word murder! As Shell looks into the victim’s life, while trying to stay under the radar, she discovers a history which is linked to many of those trapped in the hotel all of whom had good reason to become a killer.

Book 5 of TC LoTempio's Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries series is another great read. Bad weather, an unpleasant victim, and secrets going back decades, all come together to provide clues, red herrings, and some very plausible potential killers. My only grumble is that there were very few Shell and Josh scenes. This is a fun read which I completed in two sittings.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Beyond the Page, but the opinions expressed are my own. This is a good read with no spoilers so you can jump right in! I

fundraiser, celebrity-chef, murder-investigation, animal-shelter, relatives, unpleasant-victims, family, family-dynamics, amateur-sleuth, Connecticut, local-law-enforcement, local-gossip, cat, cozy-mystery, situational-humor, small-business, small-town, relationships, relationship-issues, verbal-humor, ex-boyfriend, bullying, cop-boyfriend, closed-circle-mystery, dinner-theater, former actress*****
It was, indeed, a dark and stormy night when her former boyfriend came to visit, the hurricane blew in, the electricity snuffed out, the corpse was uncovered, the suspects multiplied, and Shell's mother got even more obnoxious. Almost as obnoxious as the celebrity chef. Shell and her three cats are on job to find out who murdered that chef with his own signature knife even as her boyfriend/local police detective and what officers he could pull off road detail are also doing their best under the circumstances. Lots of suspects, a dinner theater fundraiser, and rising flooding add to the surprises that seem to never stop.
I requested and received an uncorrected digital proof copy from Beyond the Page Publishing via NetGalley.
#ASideDishofDeath by T. C. LoTempio #UrbanTailsPetShopMysteriesBk5 #NetGalley #BeyondThePagePublishing #cozymystery #murdermystery @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #kobo #Waterstones #mysterydinnertheater #smalltown #smallbusiness

#ASideDishofDeath #NetGalley is a fantastic addition to this cozy mystery series.
Shell is looking forward to the murder mystery fundraiser to help the local cat shelter, but the threat of a hurricane dampens her enthusiasm.
Just as the murder mystery skit is starting, a thunderous crash causes a power outage. In the quick moment before the generator kicks in, someone decides to take the life of the pompous chef, but who did it and why?
This story is well written and the mystery kept me guessing throughout the book.
I loved the cats in the story, the author captured their personalities in such a comical way, that I could picture them in my mind.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

I might be a bit biased as Princess Fuzzypants, feline heroine and girlfriend to Purrday in the books, was my baby. She was every bit as wonderful and clever and beautiful as Toni portrays her in the stories. And she looked just like the pictures on the covers. She sadly went to the Bridge last September but lives on in Urban Tails.

This time Princess Fuzzypants and Purrday, with Kahlua and Serendipity are ambassadors for a dinner theatre murder mystery in aid of the shelter. They are as fine as representatives as they are as sleuths. They have a habit of knowing when Shell is in danger and leap to the rescue more than once in the story. The story itself is fun. A world famous chef is preparing the meal for the attendees and he makes Gordon Ramsey look like a choirboy. Not only does he bully the people with whom he works but he is rude and inconsiderate to everyone he meets. But he is rude once too often to the wrong person and ends up being the corpse.

With a hurricane swirling around the inn and lights flickering on and off, the atmosphere is ripe for murder. The audience is trapped in the inn due to flooded roads but so is the killer. Shell and Gary get deeply involved because Shell’s former fiance is one of the prime suspects. When they do figure it out, it tells a sad tale of betrayal and cruelty. I did figure it out early but I suspect Princess Fuzzypants might have helped. Still, it was a fun read and I love her adventures with Purrday. I know you will too. Five purrs and two paws up.