Whiskers and Ciphers

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 6

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781967678901

Tule Publishing

260 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

September 10, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A corpse in the town's fountain spells trouble for Rebecca Cuthbert, who, along with her talking cat, Aneksi, must uncover the killer and dangerous truths behind the cursed artifacts plaguing Citrus Grove.

The normally quiet community is buzzing with excitement as the local university prepares to host an academic conference on Egyptian antiquities that's attracting scholars, collectors -- and a few hidden agendas.  Did a newcomer carry out this crime, or is the culprit closer to home? 

With Detective Nick Devon at her side and her knack for connecting the dots, Rebecca finds herself once again in the thick of the investigation.  With help from her resourceful grandfather and her clever feline friend, she is determined to unlock the secrets of a mysterious antique journal.  But each new clue reveals a longer list of suspects, deeper suspicions, old enemies, and more threats.

Solving this puzzle may come at a deadly cost.  Can she crack the case before the murderer strikes again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert lives in a small California town with her grandfather, Stirling, whom she never knew she had until the death of her parents.  Together, they own and run Cuthbert Antiques, which specializes in Egyptian artifacts, both real and manufactured.

Recently, Stirling's cousin Phineas has come to visit, and he states that he wants part of the antiques, as they should have come to him originally.  (Read the book to find out why!).  But now there's a woman in the store, and she's been spending her time looking around at the antiques, eventually making it known that she's waiting for Phineas.  But when he arrives, he's not alone -- he has with him an esteemed scholar, which causes a pang of jealousy.

The next morning, the woman in the store is found in the town's fountain, dead.  It's eventually discovered that she was murdered, and naturally Rebecca wants to know if it's one of the cursed artifacts they are looking for that may have caused it.  But her kitten Aneksi, who was originally a pet of Queen Cleopatra, cannot smell a 'hex' as she calls them.

Rebecca believes Phineas is involved in the murder, and now he's nowhere to be found.  But while searching for clues, she's finding out that it's more than just a hex that's concerning, but that the murder has taken herself and Stirling to a whole new level.  And this time, if they can't stay ahead of a killer, they may be the next victims...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all.  I am also absolutely obsessed with the story line and the characters.  I find it absolutely enchanting.  This book does take us to a new level of mystery.  There is a lot going on here, and Rebecca is in the thick of it all.

Is Phineas really the killer, or is he just being framed as one?  Could the ancient artifacts have anything to do with it?  What is going on with Detective Nick Devon, Rebecca's boyfriend?  Not to mention Rebecca's best friend Luna is having problems, and she's trying to help her as well.

I don't really want to give anything else away here, but I can say that this book was probably the best in the series in my humble opinion.  I enjoy each of these on their own, but this one left me with more mystery to solve, as did the last in the series (which answered some questions in this one).  I cannot wait to visit with the Cuthberts and Aneksi once again.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Whiskers-Ciphers-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery/dp/1967678901/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8263603593

More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Blackmail and Kitty Tails

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 5

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966593812

Tule Publishing

262 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

May 21, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A glamorous gala, a cursed dagger, and a killer on the loose -- Rebecca Cuthbert and her talking cat, Aneksi, face their most dangerous mystery yet.

When Rebecca Cuthbert volunteered to help with the Citrus Grove Women's Club gala, she envisioned a night filled with elegant silk drapes, Egyptian-themed decorations, and tasty hors d'oeuvres -- certainly not murder.  But then the lights flicker out during the party setup, and club president Deborah Ralston is found dead, stabbed with an ancient dagger.

With Aneksi purring by her side and a murder weapon steeped in legend, Rebecca must unravel a twisted web of secrets, blackmail, and bitter rivalries behind this sinister murder.  Everyone from suspicious club members to scorned lovers is a suspect, and time is running out as Rebecca's own antique shop becomes linked to the deadly artifact.

Can Rebecca and her cat corner the killer before tragedy slashes her world again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert lives in a small town with her grandfather Stirling, who owns an antiquities shop that specializes in Egyptian artifacts.  She grew up in Montana with her parents, who passed in a car accident, which led her to the grandfather she never knew she had.

Nor did she know that she now had a kitten named Aneksi, who is immortal and has powers of her own.  She also discovered that in the basement of their shop lies a vault full of cursed artifacts that Stirling's grandfather brought home from Egypt.  Some of the artifacts were stolen, and they have been searching for them whenever they can.  I give you this backstory for the following...

When Rebecca accepts an invitation to join the Citrus Grove Women's Club, she didn't think it would be so stressful or take so much of her time.  But here she is, anyway.  While working with the other ladies on the annual club gala, there is a sudden blackout, and when the lights go on, president Deborah Ralston is lying with a knife in her back.  A very distinctive knife, and Rebecca believes that it may be one of the items in the collection that was stolen.  But during the chaos, the knife disappears, and now everyone who was attending is a suspect.

There is also the issue of the man who was trying to break into Deborah's apartment, which is near Rebecca's.  Accidentally (of course) Rebecca confronts him and discovers he is a private investigator who has been hired by Deborah's soon-to-be ex-husband, in order to find if she has hidden assets.  But Rebecca herself finds evidence that Deborah was blackmailing people in town, and this may have led to her death.

Trying to keep her detective boyfriend Nick Devon in the dark may not be an option this time.  But will telling him the truth only cause more problems?  And is one of her friends a murderer?  With Stirling and Aneksi by her side, Rebecca knows she needs to find out more about the dagger.  But will it lead to danger for her?

This is the fifth book in the series and I am absolutely addicted to it.  I love the characters, who are quite believable, and I love little Aneksi as well.  The tale is written beautifully, and it draws you in from the very beginning.  Learning more about the artifacts, and encountering them in each story, is a tale all its own.  The author is quite talented, and she draws situations well.

Each story brings us closer to Rebecca's new life and that which she left behind, with questions that are sometimes answered.  (I don't mind waiting for more answers in later books).  Although Stirling's cousin from England, Phineas, seems a bit of a slime, I believe he is meant to be so.  We will see in the next book what awaits him.

The mystery is worth waiting for, the ending giving us satisfaction.  The murderer was a bit of a surprise; but not too much for me, although it doesn't matter because I enjoyed the book so much.  This was a new author for me, and I am glad that I took a chance and read all the previous books.  

The ending comes together nicely, giving us a hint of what is to come; and the murder conclusion is all that it should be.  I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.  Highly recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Blackmail-Kitty-Tails-Purr-fect-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DW7X65W1/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8280334687

More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Hisses, Hexes and Homicide

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 2

Author:    DeAnna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book (Audiobook Available)

ISBN #:    9781964418537

Tule Publishing

254 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

July 8, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rebecca Cuthbert, no stranger to false accusations, rushes to defend her baker best friend when she's accused of murdering Citrus Grove's Elvis-loving mayor with a deadly petit four.

But Rebecca recognizes the real clue: this death is the work of the Emerald Scarab, one of the cursed artifacts she vowed to track down after it was stolen from her grandfather's quirky antique shop.

Now she must navigate a peculiar maze of clues and enchantments, aided by her grandfather's wise counsel and the scattered recollections of an immortal talking cat, Aneksi, who once encountered the scandalous scarab in Cleopatra's court.  With each revelation, her search becomes a frantic race to find the killer and the amulet before they can hurt anyone else. 

But her meddling puts her in the killer's path, and Rebecca must rely on her fledgling investigative skills to save her friend from jail and herself from becoming the sleepy Southern California town's latest murder victim.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

After Rebecca Cuthbert's parents died in a car accident, and her fiance left her practically at the altar, she thought she had lost everything in her Montana home.  But when she received word that she had a grandfather in California who wanted her to live with him, she moved to small-town Citrus Grove to help him run his antique store.

What she found out later what that he had a treasure trove of Egyptian artifacts, collected by his own grandfather.  And she also discovered one of them, an immortal kitten named Aneksi, who's also been much help in finding those stolen by an ex-employee.  

When Rebecca attends an event given by the mayor, he is soon struck down -- apparently by eating one of Luna's, her baker friend, petit fours.  Now Luna is the top suspect, and has asked for Rebecca's help in finding out who killed the mayor.  When Aneksi smells one of the artifacts close to Luna, both Rebecca and her grandfather are afraid that this was the cause of the death.  But who would believe them?  Now the three are on the hunt for the ancient artifact -- an emerald and diamond Scarab -- but who in this town has it?  And are they a true killer?  Or did the scarab drive them to do something horrific?...

This is the second book in the series, and I have to admit that I read numbers one and 3 first, but it doesn't really matter.  This can be read as a stand-alone, although there are references to the first book, so you really should read the enjoyable first one ahead of this.  Saying that, I also have to say that this was just as intriguing as the aforementioned two above.

Rebecca is settling into her new life and has an almost-maybe-or-not relationship with Detective Nick Devon, but their first date ended abruptly, so she's not sure.  Even though he seems glad to see her, he's not happy she's around another investigation (of course, why would he be?).  But Rebecca is determined to help Luna, and to do that, she must find the missing scarab.  That means finding who had a motive to killer Mayor Bill.  Could it be his wife?  His daughter?  One of his many flings?  Or his business rival?

The only way to know is by asking questions.  Trying to step on as few toes as possible, she still needs to get answers.  Even if there are those who aren't happy to see her, she knows this is imperative.  The scarab must be found.  And she's sure the killer has it.

What follows is a most interesting story featuring an immortal cat that just purrs her way into your heart, and a protagonist determined to get to the truth, even if it brings personal danger.  I hesitate to say more as to not ruin the book for others.

In the end, I was a bit surprised at the murderer, as it should be, and the red herrings had me running in another direction.  The climax was all it should be, and the ending gives you something to look forward to in the next book.  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Hisses-Hexes-Homicide-Purr-fect-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D42SRLWY/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6944754784

More on DeAnna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Furballs and Felonies (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 3)

Author:    DeAnna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781964703336

Tule Publishing

224 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

August 12, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What's worse than finding a murder victim on your doorstep?

For Rebecca Cuthbert, it's finding a cursed Egyptian charm tucked into the dead woman's pocket.  The ominous discovery propels the fearless shopkeeper and her immortal, chatty cat on a perilous hunt for the killer and another piece of the missing magical collection.

Unfortunately, Citrus Grove's annual summer festival is tying up police department resources -- including Rebecca's new beau, Detective Nick Devon -- which leaves Rebecca, her grandfather's wisdom, and Aneksi's mystical powers to crack the case.

As her investigation delves into the amulet's eerie peculiarities and the deceased's shocking connections with a menacing foe, as well as an unwelcome old flame from Rebecca's past.  Rebecca doesn't know who to trust.  Can she rely on her newfound friends in her adopted hometown, or will deadly revelations turn her into the killer's next target?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

After the unexpected death of her parents in a car accident, Rebecca Cuthbert learned she had a grandfather she never knew about.  She moved from Montana to Citrus Grove to meet him, and decided to stay and help him with his antiquities shop.  But since then, she's learned why her father left and never contacted him again: in a vault her grandfather, Stirling Cuthbert, has been keeping ancient Egyptian artifacts that his grandfather brought back to the states -- without knowing they were cursed.  Unfortunately, someone stole some of them, and now both of them are trying to retrieve the items, one at a time.

What they did find among the missing items was a burial urn for a cat.  When broken, the urn left them with an immortal kitten named Aneksi -- and they've been fond of her and love her, even knowing she can speak to them and has powers they may not know yet.  Or ever.

But when Rebecca is taking trash to a dumpster one night, she sees someone on the shop's doorstep, and when she approaches finds the woman dead.  Aneksi leads her to an artifact stolen from them -- the dark ankh -- and that will be the cause of all the trouble that lies ahead.

And no one can even decipher what lies ahead, including the appearance of Rebecca's ex-fiancé, Mason Moretti; the last person she ever wants to see again.  He says he's bringing her a message, but she knows there's more.

Still, a murderer is out there, and could be anyone in town.  Will Rebecca find the killer?  Or will someone land in prison for a crime they didn't commit?

This is the third book in the series, and I have to say that I am hooked on this.  This being a big deal because I don't normally read fantasy books.  But I'm a sucker for Egyptian history and cats, so I should have known beforehand, ha!

I loved the storyline, and I am becoming fond of the characters as well.  They are given more depth in each book, and who cannot like Aneksi?  Rebecca is finding her way in her new town, and you can see that she and Stirling are growing closer to each other, which is a wonderful thing.  Neither interferes with the other's life, but they cling to each other as only newfound family can.  

Finding the killer is proving to be a bit more difficult though, as Rebecca thinks everyone could be the murderer.  She uses her friend Luna as a sounding board, but she still has doubts and goes about trying to find the truth.  Will it make her enemies?  That I don't know, but I do know that when she ferrets out the killer, it's an interesting climax to the book.  And speaking of teasers -- there's a whopper that makes me want to read the next in the series right away.  Get cracking, Ms. Drake!  We're waiting!  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Furballs-Felonies-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D54RLHZ6/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6759289507

More on DeAnna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Paws, Claws, and Curses (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal/Fantasy

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781964418339

Tule Publishing

204 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

June 5, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

What are cursed artifacts, a talking cat, and a dead body doing in the sweet little town of Citrus Grove?  That's what spirited shopkeeper Rebecca Cuthbert wants to find out and she had better do it ast because she's the prime suspect in the murder of the town's shadiest antiquities dealer.

It's a troubling start to her reunion with her long-lost grandfather and a far cry from the Southern California vacation she was expecting.  So far, nothing in Citrus Grove is quite what it seems.  Not her grandfather, who suspiciously disappears at the strangest times, not his curious antique shop, which has more secrets than customers, and certainly not the oddball neighbors, with their hidden motives and questionable connections.

As Rebecca races against time with her new feline friend to uncover the truth behind a mysterious murder, she finds herself tangled in a web of danger and deceit as captivating as Queen Cleopatra herself.  With help from unexpected allies and an often-exasperating, yet undeniably handsome detective, Rebecca must outwit the cunning killer before she becomes the next victim.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert has just discovered she has grandfather.  Unfortunately, it was because of sad circumstances she's recently experienced that allowed her to do so.  She packed up her life from Montana to California for a visit, but since she's arrived, strange things have happened.

Her grandfather's manager stole from him, and one of the artifacts has turned up at a shady dealer's home.  He's offered to give it to her, but when she arrives the man is dead.  The police think she killed him.  She also has a surprise in the form of a tiny, ragged kitten that needs her help...about that kitten...is it her help, or will the kitten help her?  Anyway -- she has to find out who the killer is to save herself from a permanent vacation in jail...

This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it very much.  Which is saying a lot, since I normally don't read fantasy.  Guess I'm just too rooted in reality.  Oh, well...but I loved it.  I loved all the characters, especially the fact there's no 'evil nemesis' (a real bane for me).  The characters are well-drawn and most of them have depth, but when the book centers on a main character, it takes time to flesh everyone out.

The mystery was done wonderfully, with enough questions that deserved -- and found -- answers throughout the book.  And I loved, just loved, little Aneksi and her arrogance.  Being a lover and owner of cats, I know what arrogance they can, and do, have.  Discovering more about her throughout the book was indeed fun.

When the murderer was revealed, I discovered it right around the same time as Rebecca, which is very good, since I usually guess the killers early on in the book.  The ending came together nicely, and gave us a hint of what to expect in the next book.  Recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Claws-Curses-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D2M32C3G/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6562866077

 More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/DeAnna-Drake/author/B0CJ9X4KSC?ref