Cat Got Your Crown: A Kitty Couture Mystery by Julie Chase

Lacy's pet boutique has been in business for a year now and soon she's going to need some help.  It's grown so much she can barely keep up.  And when she has to help her mother with a convention in town it's getting overwhelming...

Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published March 13th.

The first big opening day for the pet contest, she goes to have lunch with her mom and her friends.  Imagine her horror as the master of ceremonies topples off the balcony and falls on the food table right in front of her!

She knows the suspect that Jack took to the police station didn't do it.  But she can't figure out who did.  It bothers her.  She's going to save her friend.  But is she willing to trade her life to do it?

In the meantime she has her male friend from childhood, Chase, hanging about with her.  He'd like the relationship to go further but she doesn't think that's how she feels about him.  She loves him and they're great friends but she wants a different kind of love in a marriage.  Then there's Jack, the cop.  Sparks fly between them but they both try to resist it.

As time goes on, she gets written threats and she knows the killer is someone close.  She's trying to judge the performances the pets put on (another mom favor) and when she goes out at break for a breath of fresh air, someone shoves her off the bridge she's standing on.  It's a fight to the finish for Lacy.

The killer surprised me.  They weren't on my list of suspects.  I enjoyed watching Lacy trying to make up her mind about her love interest, too.  This is a fun series to read and I look forward to the next book in the series.