Ruth J. Hartman
Cozy Mysteries with a feline twist!
The Seneca James Mysteries
Book #1
Raising butterflies is peaceful and calm, until someone dies.
Majestic Monarch Butterfly Farm might flitter away forever. That is, unless Seneca James acquires the property next door. She and Winifred, her costume-wearing cat, have a fight on their hands. Their land sits next to a milkweed-covered field, essential for monarchs. If she’s unsuccessful in buying it, her precious, winged friends won’t survive. When people end up dead on her farmland, Seneca is suspected of murder.
What is it about the milkweed field that’s worth killing for? And who’s the murderer?
Book #2
Seneca James’ cousin, Evie, ends up in hot water, when she’s accused of stealing a wallet from an angry customer in Seneca’s Painted Wings Café. The customer also happens to be the local bank manager, who Evie pleads with for a much-needed loan, resulting in a public spectacle as the bank manager refuses, and ridicules Evie. When the manager later turns up dead inside the cafe, and Evie is the most likely suspect, it will take all of Seneca’s sleuthing and help from her best friend, Sheriff Cody Bales, to get Evie out of trouble.
Mobile Cat Groomer Mysteries
BOOK #1
The life of a cat groomer isn’t just pampering purring felines, it's murder.
Mobile Cat Groomer Molly Stewart loves her job. Until she finds the dead body of one of her pet parents stabbed with a garden implement in his back yard. When Molly’s uncle Russ becomes prime suspect in the murder and the sheriff won’t consider anyone else, Molly claws through obstacles as she prowls for clues. With help from handsome veterinarian Hank Chenoweth and Molly’s two cats, Percival and Jasper, will Molly succeed in proving her uncle’s innocence before the real murderer pounces on her?
Book #2
When mobile cat groomer, Molly Stewart, asks her friend Evan to photograph her new feline clients, they both get more than they bargained for when the body of Evan’s old art teacher is found bludgeoned to death in his photography studio darkroom. After one of Evan’s photos catches suspicious activity in the background, Molly is ready to call the authorities with the newest piece of information. However, an anonymous phone call which threatens not only her, but Evan and their pets, convinces Molly to clam up and find the murderer herself. Will the tenuous situation end up being picture perfect or a photo bomb?
The Bookshop Kitties Mysteries
Book #1
When children’s book author, Christy Bailey, receives a call from her aunt Betty to help out at her bookshop, she drops everything to go. Christy packs up her two cats—Milton and Pearl, the stars of her children's mystery books—and leaves busy Philadelphia for tiny Green Meadow, Indiana. The timing of the call is perfect, as Christy’s letch of an ex-boyfriend has just cleaned out her savings, leaving Christy with a pile of unpaid bills and a desire to start over. And what better place to do that than a charming small town in Middle America?
But when Christy reaches her aunt's bookshop, instead of small town hospitality she finds a dead body! Even worse, her aunt is passed out in the corner, hands covered in blood. The dead woman is an old frenemy of her Aunt Betty, and while Christy knows her aunt is innocent, the local detective isn't so sure. With Milton and Pearl prowling for clues, Christy is determined to find the real killer and clear her aunt's name... before her story ends in tragedy!
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Book #2
Children's book author Christy Bailey is thrilled that her aunt Betty is finally marrying the man of her dreams! The small wedding is a family event, right down to Christy’s cats and subjects of her books, Milton and Pearl, who are dressed in wedding attire and pulled down the aisle in a wagon. After the reception, Christy and her boyfriend-hopeful, Micah, agree to help her friend and wedding caterer, Janie, clean up at her pastry shop. But when they arrive at the shop, they're not greeted by Janie but Janie’s ex-husband—who’s dead on the floor, cold as a frozen muffin!
Suddenly the murder is all anyone is talking about in the small town of Green Meadow, Indiana, and it's clear the local police detectives have Janie squarely in their sights. But Christy believes in her friend’s innocence and with Milton and Pearl pawing for answers, Christy will stop at nothing to give Janie a happy ending.
The Kitty Beret Cafe Mysteries
Book #1
When Ellie Warren opens the Kitty Beret Café, her life revolves around finding forever homes for rescued cats and serving lattes. That is, until a woman’s body is discovered behind her shop—the same woman who’d thrown a hissy fit with Ellie in front of lots of witnesses. With Ellie’s cat, Templeton, supplying clues and the help of handsome Detective Simon Dare, she’s on the prowl for the murderer. Will Ellie discover the identity of the culprit before the murderer sinks their claws into her?
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Book #2
When Ellie Warren, owner of the Kitty Beret Café, gets a request to host a cat show, she’s reluctant. That is, until she discovers it’s for rescued cats only. What starts out as a fun adventure turns south when one of the judges is murdered. Can Ellie, with the help of Detective Dare, and her clever cat Templeton, run the show, crown a Best in Rescue Winner of the competition, while at the same time find the killer?
Book #3
Ellie Warren gets more than purrs and meows when she takes her therapy cats for a retirement home visit where her grandmother lives. Nana is framed for murder when the nasty-tempered dance instructor turns up dead following their cat fight over Nana’s boyfriend. Can Ellie prove crazy Nana is innocent before the police lock her up for good?
Book #4 - Coming Soon!
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When Ellie Warren’s café employee, Shirl Lee, enters some pickles into the Crooked Creek, Indiana, Pickle Festival, neither one knows the brine is poisoned. A pickle judge, Brody Jones, keels over dead right in front of Shirl, most of the town, as well as local detectives. It looks pretty bad for Shirl, who has a negative history with the victim, but Ellie knows Shirl would never hurt anyone. The girl’s love for every living thing is apparent every day when she works her shifts at the Kitty Beret Café. And the café kitties love her right back. Ellie and her cat, Templeton, paw through sour, briny clues to help Shirl out of her current pickle.
A Dorey Cameron Mystery
Dorey Cameron has a problem. Make that two. Her sneaky cat, Weatherby, drags home odd items that Dorey has no clue what to do with. And a mysterious caller leaves threatening messages at her home and the dental office where she works. Are Weatherby’s strange treasures connected to her current troubles? The cat’s out of the bag when vandalism, mugging, and murder have the police pointing the finger at Dorey. Is something in her possession worth killing for?
Dorey must figure out the mystery and end the game of cat and mouse with the mysterious caller, or she and Weatherby are in for a serious catastrophe!