4-STAR REVIEW: THE CASE OF THE PARROT LOVING PROFESSOR by Debbie De Louise

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About The Book

Buttercup Bend Mysteries: Book 2
Publication Date: November 21, 2022

Cathy Carter knew that returning to college would be tough, but she never expected it would involve finding her anthropology professor’s dead body.

There are no shortages of suspects in Dr. Bodkin’s murder. Besides his three ex-wives and estranged son and daughter, there are also the members of the Talking Parrots Club, a group of four parrot enthusiasts, of which he was the president and founder.

As Cathy delves into Bodkin’s murder, she discovers a relationship between her teacher and the Mennonite family from whom she purchased the farmland for her new pet rescue center. She and her friend Nancy, now employed at a detective agency, work together to help Detective Hunt and Sheriff Miller solve the crime.

The Review

The Case of the Parrot Loving Professor is the second book in the Buttercup Bend Mysteries series by Debbie De Louise but the first one I’ve read by this new-to-me author.

The book started a little slowly as I had to sort through several characters who were previously introduced. Cat/Cathy/Catherine is an amateur sleuth, but her best friend is a partner with Cathy’s grandmother’s boyfriend in a detective agency, and they both want Cat to be part of their firm. She’s unsure of the path she wants to take but assists them in solving a murder or two. And throughout, clues are piling up around them.

There are a lot of small-town activities, along with murders and other crimes. There are businesses, the police, romantic interests, family and friends, celebrations, warnings, parrots and their club, animals, past history, anger, frustration, sadness, and tears. It was interesting to see how the police, Cat, her friends in the detective agency, her colleagues in the college newspaper, and the town newspaper all approach the cases differently. Still, Cat always seemed to have the edge. She’s good at solving puzzles and taking photographs too.

I enjoyed Cat’s relationship with her grandmother and brother. It was interesting to see that Cat has two boyfriends that she’s simultaneously dating while she tries to figure out who’s “The One.”

The boyfriends are also friends and part of their small community, so it was one-upmanship, especially for Cat’s birthday. The story has twists and turns and numerous threads woven throughout to tie the story together. No detail is unimportant.

There is closure when the crimes are solved, and we figure out whodunnit, along with some closure given to unexpected events in the past. The story is wrapped up nicely with the epilogue that takes place a year later. I hope to see Cathy and her friends back in action again with more crimes to solve.

If you’re a fan of cozy mysteries set in a small town with an amateur sleuth or two, as clues are scattered throughout to figure out whodunnit, give the Buttercup Bend Mysteries a try. I want to read the first book and any others written in this series.

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About The Author Debbie De Louise is a reference librarian at a public library. She’s the author of 14 novels including the six books of the Cobble Cove cozy mystery series featuring Alicia the librarian and Sneaky, the library cat, and the new Buttercup Bend cozy mysteries featuring Cathy Carter, the owner of a pet cemetery and rescue center. Debbie’s other books include standalone mysteries, a paranormal romance, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. She also writes articles for Catster.com and has published dozens of short stories and poems in anthologies. She’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association, Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Long Island Authors Group. She lives on Long Island with her husband, daughter, and two cats.