Nominated for a Lefty Award!Mimi Lee is in over her head. There’s her new Los Angeles pet grooming shop to run, her matchmaking mother to thwart, her talking cat Marshmallow to tend to—oh, and the murder of a local breeder to solve…now if only Mimi hadn’t landed herself on top of the suspect list. Mimi Lee hoped to give Los Angeles animal lovers something to talk about with her pet grooming … with her pet grooming shop, Hollywoof. She never imagined that the first cat she said hello to would talk back or be quite so, well, catty—especially about those disastrous dates Mimi’s mother keeps setting up.
When Marshmallow exposes local breeder Russ Nolan for mistreating Chihuahuas, Mimi steals some of her cat’s attitude to tell Russ off. The next day the police show up at Hollywoof. Russ has been found dead, and Mimi’s shouting match with him has secured her top billing as the main suspect.
Hoping to clear her name and save the pups Russ left behind, Mimi enlists help from her dreamy lawyer neighbor Josh. But even with Josh on board, it’ll take Mimi and Marshmallow a lot of sleuthing and more than a little sass to get back to the pet-grooming life—and off the murder scene.
“This fast-paced, light and fun read features Malaysian-Chinese food, a fun loving family, lots of
animals and a solid mystery that will be a challenge to figure out – my kind of mystery!” -Esme Addison, author of A Spell for Trouble
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Super cute and fun cosy mystery. I love the talking cat Marshmallow. So sassy reminding me of Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Mimi is so likeable. Her relationship with her family at games night and with her cat is adorable. The scene where she makes egg tarts with her family, it suddenly gave me the craving for it.
I also enjoyed the side plot romance with Josh and her mother’s interfering ways.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Los Angeles has a new place to take your pets for grooming. Hollywoof is operated by Mimi Lee and she just hopes she gets enough customers to keep her business afloat.
The first day her sister drops by with a surprise, a fluffy white Persian cat with big blue eyes. Mimi does prefer dogs but she can’t say no. The cat is soon named Marshmallow, a name he clearly doesn’t like and let’s er know in a surprising way.
Mimi is single but her mother has a plan for that. Mimi plays along for the most part because she has other concerns. Several customers are bringing in Chihuahuas from various services and she notices they all have health issues. When she learns that all came from the same local breeder she decides to investigate. She gets into a war of words with the man, witnessed by one of his neighbors. Mimi then reports the breeder to the proper authorities for violations. When a Police Detective Brown shows up a Hollywoof he is not there to talk about the mistreatment of animals. He is there to question her about the breeder’s murder. What!
In efforts to clear her name, Mimi starts rubbing elbows with her client’s well-to-do owners and she hires a lawyer, Josh, an easy on the eyes neighbor, she met while doing laundry. Marshmallow also becomes a key member of the investigation team.
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I love Marshmallow! Haven’t you always wanted to know what your pet is thinking? The author created this fun character and explains how he learned everything he knows. So lighthearted and funny.
We get to know Mimi Lee pretty well in this first book of the series. She is petite, smart, mid-twenties, but you can tell she has led a bit of a sheltered life due to her upbringing. Her mother is Asian American and her father is caucasian. He’s pretty laid back. She is all in both her daughter’s business or forces one daughter, Mimi, the eldest to interfere in the younger sister’s business. Sometimes this goes unbelievably too far. Mimi has opened a new business without much of a plan and is running it with a seat of the pant’s attitude. Thankfully, she grows over the course of this book and so does her business. Her mother’s efforts to find Mimi find a man are pretty comical though. The family dynamics are interesting.
I really enjoyed this fresh take for an amateur sleuth team, not your typical Sherlock and Watson. The mystery was very well done and exceeded my expectations for the first book in a series. The actual detective on the case seemed to be glued to his initial thought even when Mimi tried to give me details she had uncovered. Breeders like the one in this story are a hot topic these days and Ms. Chow gives it a fantastic fictional spin. She plots a twisted up mystery to find who killed the awful man responsible for the poor puppies. Mimi got her clue well before I did. I was very entertained following along with her to clear her name and get justice for the lovable pooches and find them fur-ever homes.
Mimi Lee Gets A Clue gives readers an intriguing mystery with plenty of suspects and twists. I am curious to see how all the characters develop more. Mimi is more Nancy Drew than Jessica Fletcher, meaning she doesn’t have the sage experience needed the help solve complex mysteries, but her youth brings a real freshness to the cozy mystery genre. The rest of the characters need to be more fleshed out to support her and get readers engaged and invested in their lives. For me, Sassy Cat Marshmallow stole the show!
I laughed out loud more than once reading Mimi Lee Gets a Clue, the first book in the new Sassy Cat mystery series, Mimi Lee is feisty, determined, and lots of fun — and I love Ma, her match-making mother. The story features an intriguing mystery and Marshmallow, a talking cat that only Mimi, as his owner, can hear. Sharp writing, a main character I’d happily be friends with, and a talking cat. What more could a reader want?
What a fun start to a new-to-me series. I love the dynamics between Mimi, her family, and her cat, Marshmallow, who becomes her sleuthing sidekick. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I’m a dog lover. I like cats, too. So imagine my delight at finding a cozy that features a talking cat, who belongs to a dog groomer, both of whom are concerned for a litter of puppies bred by the murder victim. Wonderful! A great start to a new series!
Mimi Lee has a lot on her plate. She has just opened her pet grooming shop, HollyWoof, and has a lack of clients. Her meddling, but well-intentioned mother is determined to find her a boyfriend. And, oh yes, her new cat Marshmallow can talk to her. What she doesn’t need is to be mixed up in a murder. But that’s exactly what happens when she looks into a suspicious puppy breeder.
Mimi and her family are fun and engaging characters and Marshmallow is a hoot. The mystery was full of twists and turns and kept me guessing. My only gripe was the clichéd policeman who was intent on pinning the crime on Mimi despite tenuous evidence and plenty of other suspects. Still, I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one.
I was surprised to find that I really liked this book. It was easy cozy mystery read. The characters are a lively bunch and easy to like. A whole lot of humor and sass all the way are it was just a lovely book. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that wants to have a good laugh listen to a sassy cat and a mystery. I never really found myself drawn to the cozy mysteries. The ones that seem to all have a type of food in the title. I don’t know why. I just never had the desire but I loved this book. I look forward to reading more by Jennifer J. Chow. Happy reading everyone!
Mimi Lee Gets A Clue by Jennifer J. Chow was a cute and fun read. I was looking for a book that would be a change of pace from the books I’ve been reading. Some were serious and some were thrillers and this one was a cozy mystery. I have to admit that I haven’t read any cozy mysteries until now. I loved it!
Jennifer did a great job with her characters. Mimi was fun and a bit of a sleuth with a talking cat named Marshmallow. There were her rich or wanna be rich customers of her pet grooming shop. A mother trying to set her up on blind dates and a lawyer boyfriend named Josh. There were several more quirky characters but, I was able to keep them all straight. That was a plus because I could read and enjoy!
This book is number one in the Sassy Cat Mystery Series. There is a book two called Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines. When I need a new cozy mystery to lighten up my life, I’ll be reading book two. If you need to lighten up your life, check out the Sassy Cat Mystery Series. You’ll be glad you did.
I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review. Thank you!
This is the first of two (so far) cozy-type mysteries introducing Mimi Lee as an amateur sleuth and pet groomer extraordinaire. But she doesn’t do this by herself. Oh no. The sarcastic, moody, smart-mouthed Marshmallow, the fluffy white cat who seems to have adopted her, is her sidekick. He has quite an attitude. But even though they occasionally drive each other crazy, they make a good team. Mimi didn’t mean to get into this line of work. When she found herself the prime suspect in a murder, she had to clear her name, right? This is a fun jaunt through the streets of Hollywood where you meet people with all kinds of quirks and oddities. And then there’s Josh, the handsome, hunky young attorney who seems to (maybe?) like Mimi a little bit. I enjoyed this respite from real life, and want to thank author Jennifer J. Chow for my copy. It kept me guessing, and I may have laughed out loud a time or two. And speaking of “two,’ the second of the series, Mimi Lee Reads Between the Lines, just released in November 2020. So be sure to pick that one up too.
Mimi’s just fulfilled a longtime dream by opening Hollywoof, her new pet grooming business. Despite being an animal lover, Mimi has no pets of her own. Despite being a self-proclaimed dog person, when Mimi’s sister Alice rescues a cat she convinces Mimi to take him. Mimi quickly learns that Marshmallow is actually able to “speak” telepathically to her.
As customers begin trickling into Hollywoof, Mimi notices that several Chihuahuas with medical problems all came from the same dog breeder. Mimi tracks him down and, with Marshmallows help, confirms the dogs in his care are in danger. Mimi yells at the breeder and files an official complaint. When the breeder is murdered suspicion falls on Mimi and, with the detective refusing to seriously consider other investigative avenues, Mimi takes it upon herself to investigate.
This is the first book in the series so you can dive in right here! Mimi Lee is a great character, and Marshmallow was fantastic. He helps with the crime solving, and is smart, sarcastic, and just a lot of fun. We also get to know Mimi’s wonderful family, who I hope to see more of in future books. There is a substantial romance subplot as well, so I particularly recommend this book for cozy readers who enjoy romance with their mystery.
What a fun book! I love these characters.
I had no idea this cozy mystery had a talking cat. lol When the cat appeared I almost stopped reading – I’ve never read a book with a talking cat before. But because I loved everything else about the story: the writing, the characters, the LA setting, the dog grooming business, the family, the food… I kept on reading.
And I’m SO glad I did. That sassy cat is now one of my favorite parts of the story. His lines are funny – I listened to the audiobook – and the narrator did a wonderful job.
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Mix an intrepid dog groomer with a sarcastic cat, add a generous dose of Southern California, sprinkle with murder, and you get a cozy mystery that’s bound to please.
MIMI LEE GETS A CLUE is a delightful book. Full of humor, memorable characters, and lovable animals, this fast-paced story kept me entertained from beginning to end. Add in a mystery that keeps you wondering, and Chow’s new series becomes the perfect pick for cozy fans.
Disclosure: I received a free, uncorrected proof of this book.
This book was a good solid read. I’d totally try another future book by this author!
You can check out my booktube video review at https://youtu.be/Cb4Hm7ZKAkA
or read my review on my blog at https://lisasiefert.com/book-review-mimi-lee-gets-a-clue-by-jennifer-j-chow-a-sassy-cat-mystery-book-1/
A fun, charming, and totally unique mystery featuring lots of adorable pets (and one particularly snarky cat). Mimi Lee is a winning heroine with a hilarious family, especially her meddling, marriage-obsessed mother.