4.5 out of 5 stars actually.

Cat Got Your Diamonds is the first book in the Kitty Couture mystery series by Julie Chase and it's delightful! I've been meaning to read it ever since it came out last spring and I finally was able to do so after finishing my latest round of blog tours. It did not disappoint!

I love Lacy. She's kind of quirky, sometimes absent-minded, and just totally lovable. I love her spunky spirit, her go-get-em attitude, and her stubbornness. Her interactions with Detective Oliver are pretty great as well. I like the two of them together. :) The other characters are fun as well. They're mostly well-rounded and developed. I'm sure the author deliberately left some things out in order to expand on them in later books in the series.

The plot line moves along at a decent pace. I never felt like the pace was dragging, but nor did I feel like the story was so fast-paced that I couldn't keep up. I enjoyed the plot twists along the way. I didn't have an inkling of the villain until he was revealed. Even then, I was completely surprised. I can't wait to read the second one in another week or so for a blog tour to find out how all of it is going to affect Lacy and her business!
I love the New Orleans setting. I also love that it's set in the Garden District and not just the Quarter which is where so many TV shows and books are set when they talk about New Orleans. The descriptions of the settings are lovely.

All in all it's a delightful read and a fun first book to the series! The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that it didn't have an emotional "hook" for me - that little bit of extra pizzazz that will push it up to a 5 in my book. But it's still a wonderful and fun book! ( )

Great start for new series. ( )

**SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD**

Lacy Crocker was born to wealth but wants to make it on her own in New Orleans by opening a pet fashion store. Yes, that's right - a pet fashion store. She makes clothing for animals; but also sells homemade treats on the side. I say 'on the side' because her main business is selling clothing.

She is conducting business one afternoon when a shady-looking character enters her store and she can't wait to get rid of him. What happens, though, is she returns to the store after hours and realizes someone else is there. She is surprised by the same man, runs through the back door, and before he can catch her she sprays him with her glitter gun, effectively blinding him, and leaves.

When she calls the police and is asked to return to the store she is surprised to find the man dead, and the police detective thinks she did it. Her investor, Mr. Tater, tells her he will have to pull funding from her store because he can't be associated with it right now, and she's desperate to find a way to keep the store open, even if it means taking on extra work.

With her store on the line, and Detective Oliver seemingly not looking for any other suspects, Lacy decides to do a little investigating on her own, trying to find out the identity of the dead man and who might want him dead. But she soon realizes that there's more at stake then losing her shop; if she's not careful, she could also lose her life...

I felt that the story started out S-L-O-W. So slow I had to stop a couple of times and start again. Probably because the first part dealt with dressing up dogs. I have to say this is something I don't agree with. Dressing up dogs like people is, in my opinion, odd to say the least. They're not toys or even children. Putting them on display for your pleasure isn't right. They want to run and play and get dirty, not perform like a seal. Secondly, I thought - because it's listed as a Kitty Couture Mystery - that it would be about cats, or at least one cat. Not so. I also didn't like the idea that Jack Oliver called her 'kitten,' it wasn't professional; it was condescending.

But once I got a little deeper into the story the plot seemed to pick up, and that was a good thing. We began to learn a little more about Lacy's life and the people in it, and more about the dead man - Miguel - and who wanted it that way. There were plenty of red herrings and just enough of a mystery to keep me reading through the night.

When all is said and done, the ending was satisfactory and it all came together nicely. Since this is the first in the series, I feel that the author is still learning her way around all the characters, and I will read the next in the series. All in all, and enjoyable read for a quiet evening. ( )

A fun cozy mystery about Lacy Crocker, a fashion designer, who sells her hand-made pet couture and pet treats in her shop, Furry Godmother. When a dead jewel thief is found behind her shop, Lacy keeps investigating, despite warnings of obstruction charges from the hunky detective – and stronger warnings from the murderer.

I love Cat Got Your Diamonds, and can't wait to find out what happens next, in book #2, to Lacy and Jack!
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I really liked setting for this story and the author does a good job of describing the town. I instantly fell in love with the characters and couldn't put the book down. The mystery is really good and I must say I was a bit surprised at who the killer was. The story is funny at times and really moves along at a nice pace.

Lacy has come home and opened her dream shop called Furry Godmother. I loved the name of her boutique and it added charm to the story. She is really good at making decadent treats for animals. I think her fame to glory has to be her beautiful clothes she designs and makes for the furry critters. She has some snotty customers that demand perfection for their precious pets. Lacy really does some exceptional costumes for animals . I loved how Lacy worked hard and didn't want to depend on her parents for any help. Everything is going well for the boutique until one evening an intruder disrupts Lacy's life. Who has come into her store unannounced? Why does Lacy feel threatened ?

Jack is a very strong and handsome detective. He gets the call to investigate a body at the Furry Godmother. From the first introduction, Lacy and Jack have a dislike for each other. I thought the author really did an amazing job of putting these two characters together. Lacy sure does have her defenses up when it comes to Jack. Why does he think Lacy has something to do with the murder? There are many laughs as these two cross paths. It is like a love hate relationship.

The story has several other characters that make the story interesting. It does have several sub plots going that I found to be intriguing. Overall a very written story and yes a surprise ending. The twists and turns in the story kept me on my toes. I am looking forward to more in this charming series which I found to be very fun to read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Great Escapes Book Tour. The review is my own opinion and I was not compensated for it. ( )