Meow, there. I’m very excited to welcome another cozy cat to my blog today. Hello, Mr. Cat. What is your name and your author’s name?
I’m Earl Grey, and my author is Victoria Tait. Victoria chose my name from suggestions her readers sent to her.
Welcome, Earl. I love your name. Reminds me of the tea served at the Cobble Inn.
What book(s) have you appeared in? Please list them and their genre.
Fake Death is my first book, and it’s a Cozy Mystery.
I was happily lying by the fire in Windrush Hall, lamenting the loss of my old companion, The Duke if Ditchford, when this kind, timid lady squatted down to stroke me. She was called Dotty and I knew immediately she would make an excellent companion. But she had her own problems, and it was only when Norman, who preparing my food and cleaned and lit the fire, was arrested that Dotty agreed to take me home.
Concats! Sounds like a great book, and I love cozy mysteries because I’m in one, too. I’m a library cat in the Cobble Cove mysteries.
Are you in a series? If so, please give information about it.
The Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series and this is book 1, where Dotty and I meet.
I’ve had more adventures but you’ll have to read the next books, Valued for Murder and Bidding for Revenge, to read about them.
Sounds pawsome.
Are you based on a real cat such as your author’s? If so, please give further details.
I am based on my author’s nieces’ British Blue cat, Teddy Bear, although he is a lot greedier and lazier than me. (Author note – Really?)
My author is very sad and misses her cats, Izzy and Leah. They were rescue cats which she and her family had in Kenya and brought all the way back to the UK with them. But when my author and her family had to move to Southern Europe, during Covid, they couldn’t take the cats with them.
Izzy and Leah are enjoying life on the Island of Arran, Scotland, and although it’s chilly in winter, they have their own chairs by the log burning fire.
Awww. I hope your author can be with her cats again one day. I’m based on my author’s Siamese cat, Oliver, who has since passed to Rainbow Bridge, but I carry on his memory. My author now has three cats who also appear in her other books, My co-cat co-star who joined the series in the 4th book and has appeared in some of the stories is a calico who is based on Debbie’s cat, Hermione.
Can you share an excerpt from one of your books that features you in an important scene? If so, please include it.
This scene seems funny now, but at the time I was really annoyed with that Welsh Inspector Evans, when he locking me and Norman up in a room in Cirencester Police Station.
“I’ve come to collect Norman’s cat.”
“That’s a shame,” giggled Constable Varma. “It’s done a far better job of winding up the inspector up than any of the rest of us can do.” The constable entered a key code on a panel beside a second door and they stepped into a brown vinyl floored corridor.
Dotty heard loud meowing.
“See what I mean,” grinned Constable Varma.
Dotty stopped and laid a hand on her companion’s arm. She lowered her voice and asked, “Why did you arrest Norman?”
Constable Varma leaned forward and whispered back. “He has no alibi after he left Aunt Beanie and his poppy brooch was found in the vicinity of the crime scene. The one with the dead cat on it.”
“Sphinx,” corrected Dotty.
Constable Varma straightened up. “So you did recognise it. And where is my photo?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to take it.” Dotty crossed her fingers. She didn’t like lying. “But David was in a rush to leave. And I only recognised Norman’s poppy when we were travelling back to Akemans.” She squeezed her fingers tighter. A second lie.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Norman identified the brooch as his from the same photograph the inspector had.”
“We know he had a scuffle with Captain Ward. Aunt Beanie told us.”
“But with a lack of other suspects, the evidence of the brooch and no alibi, the inspector arrested him anyway. Besides, Norman isn’t shouting his innocence from the rooftops. Mind you, he can hardly get a word in, not with the noise that cat’s making.”
They heard more haunted meowing.
“I suppose we better rescue the cat. And Inspector Evans,” concluded Dotty.
Constable Varma knocked on a door at the end of the corridor.
“What?” demanded Inspector Evans.
She pushed open the door and said, “Inspector, Dotty Sayers has come to collect the cat.”
“You?” he accused Dotty. “Perhaps you should join this interview. At least you’ll have more to say about it than Mr Climpson.”
A loud meow came from a black rigid bag with a curved top, in the corner of the room. Next to it was a plastic supermarket shopping bag.
“On second thoughts, just get that cat out of here. It’s doing my head in, it is.”
Norman was pale, but he looked composed, almost resigned to his fate. He stared at the table and didn’t greet Dotty.
She leaned down and asked, “Norman, are you OK? Can I contact anyone for you?”
Norman slowly shook his head.
“What about a lawyer?” pressed Dotty. In TV programmes the accused was always asked if they wanted a lawyer and if they couldn’t afford one, the police called a duty lawyer who was either inexperienced, or flustered with too many cases to deal with.
“I’ve asked Mr Climpson if he would like a lawyer present,” confirmed the inspector, “but he declined.”
“I think you should get one.” Dotty was worried. How would Norman stand up to Inspector Evans’ relentless questioning? She was certain that since the inspector had a suspect, who’d had the opportunity to kill both Todd Mountebank and Sarah Roberts, he wouldn’t let him go without firm evidence of Norman’s innocence.
Norman slowly shook his head again.
“Mrs Sayers,” demanded the inspector. “Please collect that cat and leave.”
Dotty squeezed Norman’s arm, picked up the cat basket and plastic bag, and reluctantly followed Constable Varma out of the interview room.
Constable Varma took hold of the supermarket shopping bag and remarked, “At least I should be able to go home soon.”
The cat basket was heavy and Earl Grey continued to meow. Dotty bent down and looked into his large yellow eyes, partially obscured by the black mesh of the cat basket. “It’s OK, I’ll look after you,” she murmured.
She heard a metallic crashing noise and looked up. Constable Varma had dropped the shopping bag, and tins of cat food were rolling across the floor.
“Oh, toda.”
As Dotty helped Constable Varma collect the tins and packets of cat food, she asked, “Why can you go home?”
Constable Varma looked up at her. “Because Inspector Evans is convinced he’s caught his man.”
Purrfect scene. Thanks for sharing it.
What do you like most about your role in your authors’ books?
Eating, sleeping and receiving attention from my companion Dotty. I also like playing and messing around with my friend Agatha, a wiry, black Berkshire piglet. Her companion has this enormous oven they call an Aga, and Agatha and I love to lie next to it absorbing the heat.
Cool, I mean warm – MOL (meow out loud). I love the sunny window in the Cobble Cove library’s children’s room.
Are you a talking cat in your books or just a silent one like I am who just meows occasionally?
I don’t talk and I try to keep out of the way. I only meow if I’m hungry, ignored or in trouble.
That makes sense. It my latest adventures, I communicate with the other pets and vice versa. The humans have no idea how we help solve the crimes and protect them, although I think my lady Alicia is starting to suspect something.
What advice would you give other cat characters?
Keep out of the way and don’t trust anyone. There are dead bodies everywhere in cozy mysteries and some unsavory characters, particularly the police. I’ve even been catnapped (read Valued for Murder) although I was fed with homemade French cooking. The best.
I’ve been in some tough spots myself, locked in a secret room, but cozies are great in that they usually end on a positive note. The food is also fantastic.
Do you have any new books coming out? Please give dates and details.
10th June – Valued for Murder, book 2 in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series
19th August – Bidding for Revenge, book 3 in the Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series
Hour is Come, the prequel, which I wouldn’t bother with as I’m not in it, and Dotty is looking after her husband’s black Labrador, is available to download for free at my author’s website, http://www.VictoriaTait.com.
Wonderful! I may have another book coming out soon, too. It’s a collection of my story adventures that haven’t been published in print form yet. There’s also a new story that’s going to be featured in it that takes me into the supernatural realm. I can’t wait. It should be fun.
Are you and/or your author on social media? If so, please list your links.
You can find me and my author on
Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VictoriaTaitAuthor)
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/victoriataitauthor/)
Thanks so much for the interview, Earl. I’m also featuring your author’s blog tour below. Best whiskers to you both on your new series.
Fake Death (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
by Victoria Tait
About Fake Death
Fake Death (A Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Kanga Press (April 8, 2022)
Number of Pages c. 240
Digital ASIN : B09TLDS3G1
A dead body. Multiple disguises. Can an amateur sleuth see through the charade – or become a tragic victim?
Young military widow, Dotty Sayers, is delighted with her new job at an auction house in Britain’s picturesque Cotswolds. She agrees to take part in a Remembrance parade to commemorate her husband and his fallen comrades. But drama ensues when an unknown soldier is found dead.
Dotty assists the police and appraises objects found at the victim’s house, but rather than identifying the deceased, she discovers numerous personas. When a suspect is arrested, and Dotty is asked to look after Earl Grey, a British Blue cat, she realizes appearances can be deceiving. Can she track down the real culprit and prevent an innocent man from being imprisoned?
Can Dotty unmask the killer without putting her own life at risk?
Fake Death is the first book in the captivating Dotty Sayers Antique Mystery series. If you like intriguing mysteries, entertaining characters and the glorious British countryside, then you’ll adore Victoria Tait’s enthralling tale.
Buy Fake Death and unmask a killer today!
About Victoria Tait
I was born and raised in Yorkshire, UK, and never expected to travel the world. But I fell for an Army Officer, and I’ve followed him from Northern Ireland, up to the Scottish Highlands, across to Africa and the Kenyan Savannah, back to the British Cotswolds, and we are now living in Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Southern Europe.
I never expected to be an author, but all this moving is not ideal for holding down a job. Instead, I’ve taken the experiences of the places I’ve lived to write vivid and evocative cozy mystery books with determined female sleuths.
I have two fast-growing teenage boys, and together we’ve learnt to ski on the Bosnian mountains. I also enjoy horse riding, mountain biking and I’ve started running as a way to improve my physical fitness, mental wellbeing and shed some excess pounds.
Author Links
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/victoria-tait
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoriataitauthor/
For access to exclusive content, giveaways and freebies, sign up for my newsletter at my website: VictoriaTait.com
Website: https://victoriatait.com/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/VictoriaTaitAuthor/_saved/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20373879.Victoria_Tait
Purchase Links – Amazon
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
April 8 – Here’s How It Happened – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
April 8 – Books Blog – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 9 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Lady Hawkeye – SPOTLIGHT
April 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy REVIEW, GUEST POST
April 10 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
April 11 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
April 11 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
April 12 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
April 12 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 13 – Mochas, Mysteries and Meows – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 13 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW
April 14 – I Read What You Write – GUEST POST
April 14 – Drink Coffee and Read Books – REVIEW
April 15 – My Journey Back – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 15 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT
April 15 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
April 16 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
April 16 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
April 16 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 17 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog – SPOTLIGHT
April 17 – BookishKelly2020 – SPOTLIGHT
Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Oh, boy. I’ve suddenly become quite popular with guests. Today, I’m honored to have another cat to interview. What is your name and your author’s name?
Bio as of 2021
Hi, there, Ms. Dog. You look familiar. I believe you’ve been on this blog before, but please introduce yourself and your author.
Sneaky The Library Cat's Blog 