FlabberGassed * Michael Craft * Mister Puss #1

When a prominent civic leader suffocates from a bizarre gas leak during a high-stakes local election, a charming architect and his brilliant, telepathic Abyssinian cat unholster a sharp investigation to prove it was murder.

The Story: Written by prominent mystery author Michael Craft, this exceptionally witty 2021 release serves as the high-octane premiere installment for the Mister Puss cozy mystery chronicle. The narrative sandbox centers on Brody Vance, an accomplished architect who has traded a high-friction urban lifestyle for a scenic, low-profile sanctuary in Dumont, Wisconsin. His quiet restoration routines permanently fracture when a grotesque tragedy strikes the town's political arena. A wealthy, controversial candidate for local office is found dead inside a tightly sealed room, apparently the victim of a strange domestic gas line malfunction.While local authorities are quick to rule the incident a tragic, low-friction accident, Brody utilizes his advanced structural diagnostic toolkit to look closer at the parameters of the crime scene. He realizes the building's layout was intentionally sabotaged to create a lethal trap. Brody's most valuable tool in the ensuing counter-campaign is his extraordinary, giant Abyssinian cat, Mister Puss. Possessing a unique, silent mental link with his owner, this brilliant feline asset uses his razor-sharp instincts to bypass the administrative shields of high-society suspects.Craft guides readers step-by-step through a fast-paced, multi-layered puzzle where the suspect ledger spans from corrupt local property developers to eccentric visual artists. Between dodging political crossfire and managing a complicated romance, Brody and Mister Puss work against a strict ticking clock to balance the scales of local justice. This delightful Quest Books standalone series starter functions as a powerful protective shield against generic sleuth tropes, instructing the mind on how keen observation can crack the tightest small-town secrets.

Perfect For: Devotees of traditional, fast-reading cozy amateur sleuth mysteries; readers who love clever pet-partner crime solvers and vibrant, inclusive LGBTQ+ character dynamics; and dedicated book collectors looking to start a new, character-driven mystery saga published by Quest Books or Brash Books.