The Curious Case of Mr. Buttons: Curious Cat Case Files, #1

By CJ Reynolds

 

This is Gabby, the talking cat's first Cozy Mystery Adventure!

 

Gabby reunites with her cat friends from Caddy's Cat Cafe', and their excitement quickly turns into worry when one quiet afternoon, Brian, the cat handler introduces the large basket.

 

Their curiosity piques, and they embark on a quest to uncover its contents.

Intrigued like cats chasing a red dot, they eagerly investigate, sniffing for clues and pawing for answers. 

 

Definitely not a picnic basket, what could it possibly hold? 

 

To their surprise, it's Mr. Buttons!

 

They wonder if he'll become a friend or a foe. 

 

Worries arise as they fear Mr. Buttons might disrupt the peaceful cafe and send Gabby packing.

 

Determined to unravel the truth, Gabby and her gang dive, whiskers first into learning all about Mr. Buttons.

 

Sleepless nights lie ahead as the feline detectives work together (or not) to solve this mystery. 

 

With Gabby at the helm, there will be exciting moments, surprises, and possibly some mayhem. 

 

This short non-murder mystery guarantees a purr-fectly entertaining adventure!

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: CJ Reynolds
• Release date: Jul 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781960739049

Book preview

The Curious Case of Mr. Buttons

CJ Reynolds

Laurel Lane Press

Copyright © 2023 by CJ Reynolds

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

ISBN: 978-1-960739-04-9

Book Cover design by Asqa

Editor Kristen Bryson

https://cjreynoldsauthor.com/

Nora

Thank You for your inspiration and friendship.

Caddy Cat Cafe Plans

See the small plans of Caddy Cat Cafe' on the next page, or grab a free large pdf of the plans.

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/fvl098s5v6

image-placeholderimage-placeholder

Other Books by CJ Reynolds

Caddy Cat Cafe' Mysteries

Caturday Knife Special – Book 1

Claws Out! – Book 2 forthcoming

Curious Cat Case Files - short stories

The Curious Case of Mr. Buttons

Contents

1.Chapter 1

2.Chapter 2

3.Chapter 3

4.Chapter 4

5.Chapter 5

6.Chapter 6

7.Chapter 7

8.Chapter 8

9.Chapter 9

10.Chapter 10

11.Chapter 11

12.Chapter 12

13.Chapter 13

14.Chapter 14

Acknowledgments

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chapter 1

M r. Nuggy! Come over here, quick! Gabby said as she hid behind a table leg, one eye peeking out. Mr. Nuggy padded over to Gabby. He stared at her, his blue eyes reflected in the large glass door in front of them.

Yes. What is it now, Gabby?

What is that! she said, pointing her paw toward the door.

Brian, the cat handler, carried an enormous wicker basket past the first glass door and tapped on the Kitty Cat Collectibles’ window as he passed through the second. When he got in the Feline Foyer, he stopped to show the cashier of the gift shop the contents of the basket.

It’s Brian.

Brian, who towered over the associate, held a brown basket that the average person would consider huge. In Brian’s arms, it looked small. He lowered the basket so the cashier could peek inside. She gasped and grinned, then said, Awww.

Gabby looked up at Mr. Nuggy. I know who my Brian is. What’s in the basket?

It’s a picnic basket. Maybe it has picnic stuff in it. Or maybe it’s nothing, and it’s all an illusion.

Gabby rolled her eyes. "Really? She said ‘aww.’ I hardly think aww is something a human would say about nothing. Gabby paused. I saw something gray in there. That’s another cat! I know it is. Why hide it? Why would Brian do this to me? Look at him. He looks happy."

Gabby was in the Feline Foyer, the largest room in the Caddy Cat Café, where the cats hung out. High cat walks lined the entire room, otherwise filled with tables, benches, cat towers, and hanging baskets so the cats could feel like plants. The room was mostly glass, so the cats could see everywhere, except a few offices in the back and the PP Parlor off to the right. The café itself was to the left, facing the ocean, but glass panes let patrons watch the cats on the other side. People came and went all day, but Gabby couldn’t care less. She couldn’t go in there anyway.

You should want the people you love to be happy, Gabby, Mr. Nuggy said.

Yes, I want him to be happy when he is giving me cuddles, not when he’s happy about a picnic cat.

She sat down, leaning on her paws. Gabby was a black and white tuxedo with big green eyes.