Customer Reviews

The Cat Sitter's Pajamas: A Dixie Hemingway Mystery (Dixie Hemingway Mysteries)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The author Blaize Clement died in July of 2011. I read the article in the Sarasota paper. She , with her sons help, completed 2 more books in the Dixie Hemingway series prior to her death from cancer. They will be published. It also said that her son, John, has signed with St. Martin's Minotaur to do at least two more books in the series.

I first discovered Blaize Clement's Dixie Hemingway series when the cover of the first book in the series, Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter (Dixie Hemingway Mysteries, No. 1), caught my eye. Dixie Hemingway is a pet sitter who lives on one of the Florida keys - just based on those two pieces of information, I had a feeling I was going to thoroughly enjoy the series. I've since read the entire series, and I was eagerly awaiting The Cat Sitter's Pajamas.

I wasn't disappointed. My favorite part about reading series mysteries is always the development of the main character, and Blaize Clement does this well. When we left Dixie in the last book, her love interest had moved away, and we now find her struggling with whether she made the right decision by not following him. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say I was rooting for Dixie to stay in the Florida keys beachfront slice of paradise she lives in. I really love that these books always seem to come out in the middle of winter, when reading anything set in a warm climate makes a book an even better reading experience. You'll have to read the book to find out more about Dixie's love life.

This book will delight mystery and cat lovers alike. It was hard to put down and I would recommend not starting it until you have a good chunk of time available for uninterrupted reading.

You'll enjoy the book without having read any of the previous ones in the series, but I encourage you to put the entire series on your reading list.

This is a good series. I stumbled upon the first one and can hardly wait until she writes another one. This last in the series is riveting. I like her characters and the book keeps one reading until it is done.

One of her better Cat Sitter books. Dixie enters a house to be greeted by a tall redhead with very few clothes on - she calls the police, the rehead is gone and there is a dead woman on the floor. Very intriguing.

On Siesta Key off Sarasota, Dixie Hemingway cat sits the two felines (Elvis and Lucy) belonging to Tampa bay Buccaneer inside linebacker Cupcake Trillin and his wife Jancey while they spend two weeks in Palma, Italy. When Dixie enters the Trillin's home in an exclusive gated Hidden Shores, she is not met by the cats, but by an almost naked woman; Briana the fashion model who insists she is Cupcake's wife.

Taken aback Dixie calls Cupcake and the police. The cops arrive, but Briana is gone and a female corpse lies on the floor. Dixie leaves with the cats, but Briana accosts her; begging for her help as she swears she never killed anyone. Briana explains she was Cupcake's childhood friend when they lived in poverty in Louisiana. A former Sheriff's deputy, Dixie agrees to look into the case that twists dangerously when she is assaulted, her apartment savaged and an Interpol agent working for the FBI interrogates her.

The latest "other" Dixie Hemingway pet sitting mystery (see Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons and Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter) is a fabulous spinning Gulf Coast whodunit. As always the cast especially the pets are top rate and the locale inviting while the heroine knows she needs to "just say no", but cannot. The Cat Sitter's Pajamas is an enjoyable investigative thriller in one of the better series in recent years that pays homage to Blaize Clement who died last summer.

Harriet Klausner

This novel is a living testimony to the fine writing of Ms. Clement, who shall be greatly missed. I heard a rumor that her Son, continued on to finish this manuscript, if so, he is so in-touch with his Mother that the book was seamless. I pray he continues the series.

Our sleuth, Dixie Hemingway is a small animal sitter. She has her regular clients and does special jobs like watching over cats for a famous football player, Cupcake Trillin. Upon entering his house, Dixie is shocked to find a super fashion model standing in the house. Dixie demands 'Briana' to leave the house and runs outside to phone Cupcake, just in case it is a friend he didn't tell her about. Cupcake and his wife deny knowing 'Briana' and Dixie phones the police. When the police arrive there is no model but there is a dead body.

Although Dixie tries to stay out of this murder case, outside persons, such as Briana and thugs keep her involved. It seems to revolve around counterfeit Niki's and more. We are shown what a pair of Niki's mean to the disadvantaged, whether it be in New Orleans or in Eastern Serbia.

This was a murder mystery with a message.

I was sort of disappointed in this latest book. It had the feeling of being rushed through to satisfy people who were waiting for a new Dixie Hemingway mystery. Seemed too much like she was following a formula for this series. I still enjoyed it but it didn't leave me with the same feeling of "can't wait for the next book" as her books usually do.

This is a fun series and I have enjoyed reading all of her books with Dixie as the petsitter/ex-cop. I hope she write many more with this story line.