Cat in an Orange Twist

Carole Nelson Douglas

Maylords is opening a new upscale furniture store in Las Vegas. Temple Barr, our favorite nosey amateur sleuth, is hired to handle the public relations for the opening. Amelia Wong, the furniture and feng shui guru, is making a special appearance at the week long festivites. There is a gala opening that is mandatory for all the employees to attend. One excellent designer is Simon Foster with his significant other, Temple's choreographer friend Danny Dove. Other guests at the opening include Matt Devine, Temple's neighbor, Janice Flanders, Matt's friend, and Rafi Nadir, a man Temple distrusts. At this opening, gun shots shatter the glass windows and the party.

Temple is now in the middle of a PR disaster. The special television appearance scheduled for the store is cancelled at the last minute. The opening is disrupted by gunfire. The employees of Maylords, mostly gay, are disgruntled. Simon is especially unhappy because his witchy boss keeps changing his room design. Most of the other employees under her hate her as well. A dead body falls out of the car that is the grand prize for the drawing at the end of the opening week. It is Simon. Something is wrong at Maylords. Temple is determined to find out what is going on. She needs to find who killed Simon for Danny's sake. Midnight Louie, her cat, is determined to help her.

That is the mystery of the individual novel Cat in an Orange Twist. This novel is also the ongoing story of Temple Barr, her sometimes present lover, Max Kinsella, her attractive neighbor, Matt Devine (who believes he is in love with Temple), Midnight Louie, and his maybe-daughter, Midnight Louise. Lieutenant Carmen Molina, her daughter, and her daughter's father also have more of their story revealed. Max seems to be missing-in-action in Temple's life. Matt is making his presence more prominent.

For the mystery, this can be a stand alone novel. But if you want the full story line on Temple, Matt, Max, Midnight Louie, Lt. Molina, et al, start with Catnap

Midnight Louie Series:

Catnap
Pussyfoot
Cat on a Blue Monday
Cat in a Crimson Haze
Cat in a Diamond Dazzle
Cat with an Emerald Eye
Cat in a Flamingo Fedora
Cat in a Golden Garland
Cat on a Hyacinth Hunt
Cat in an Indigo Mood
Cat in a Jeweled Jumpsuit
Cat in a Kiwi Con
Cat in a Leopard Spot
Cat in a Midnight Choir
Cat in a Neon Nightmare
Cat in an Orange Twist
Cat in a Hot Pink Pursuit
Cat in a Quicksilver Caper
Cat in a Red Hot Rage
Cat in a Sapphire Slipper
Cat in a Topaz Tango
Cat in an Ultramarine Scheme
Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta