Prowl

Jacqui the Cat Mysteries #1

by Alexis Duran

Jacqui Corleone is a fashion designer, a yoga-instructor and a concerned citizen who selflessly helps the police solve crimes. Oh, and he occasionally turns into a small wild cat. Probably due to a wizard's curse or an evil government plot to create super warriors.
Or, he's a cat cursed to turn into a human and only the bite of a sexy alpha lion will allow him to remain in his superior form of Cat.
Jacqui does not have a split personality, but sometimes his cat personality can get rather loud.
Jacqui Corleone is a cat shifter who doesn't know why or how he turns into a cat. He lives a solitary life in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. He's not afraid of intimacy (yes, he is) but sensibly refrains from potentially awkward entanglements. Unfortunately, the sexy new deputy sheriff just moved in across the street and Jacqui's vow not to get mixed up with island dudes is sorely challenged.
When the mysterious disappearance of three blue pots draws Jacqui to investigate, he prowls ever deeper into danger--and into the arms of Deputy Wyatt West (he wishes).

Genres: Shapeshifters, Mystery, Paranormal, M M Romance, Humor, LGBT, Romance

Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2018

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

URGH, I hated it when a story ended with the word "To be continued". Especially when this one is very short; which made me think of serials, and well, I hate serials. So yeah, Jacqui talking to his Cat is someone cute, and I couldn't help wondering how Wyatt would deal with Jacqui's cat-self considering in their first meeting, Jacqui (as a cat) sort of sheds Wyatt's blood...

... but because this seems to be ONLY the beginning, they're not even going on date yet, and the thought that this would be many, many short stories, just didn't play well with me

Sorry author :(

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rep: 3 gay characters (two of which are main characters) and Genderqueer side character.

Main character who wears and designs gender-neutral clothing, mystery, hint of romance and a sassy cat shifter. I loved this one!

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Review for all three.)

This is an odd series, but I really liked them. Jacqui, his acquaintances (becoming friends), the unfolding mystery of Jacqui himself, his and Wyatt's back-and-forth, his own back-and-forth between his human self and Cat. His bravado, vulnerability, and hidden sweetness. Hoping this series continues past #3... there's still a mystery to figure out...

[ChaosMoondrawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jacqui is a fashion designer and his neighbor, Wyatt is the new deputy sherrif. We get right away, that Jacqui can shift into a cat, in case the title and cover don't clue you in. I admit to being a fan of this authors Master and Mages series, so I already knew I liked her writing style. The flashes of Cat we get from Jacqui's head as he debates himself are fun. Our first glimpse of Wyatt is not as favorable. Jacqui's best friend Zee is a great match and foil for him. The mystery in this short story revolves around Sandy, a keen gardener, and her missing pots. There is also the little matter of possibly somone trying to kill Jacqui, but since this ends abruptly, I'm guessing that is saved as the overall story arc. There is some awkward flirting between Jacqui and Wyatt and that's about it. The story establishes the characters and then ends so I'm a little disgruntled as I don't like cliff-hangers or serials. If I know its a cliffhanger, I usually wait until the whole series is finished to buy it. If you don't mind that, Jacqui is quite a cute character. There is not a whole lot of depth to this so far, but it's a nice afternoon read.

[Tam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this okay, but what marked it down for me is that it is like a first chapter in a longer story. He doesn't even get together with the love interest in this book. They just kind of meet and start spending a bit of time together. Jacqui is a cat-shifter who doesn't understand why he is. He has no family and thinks he might be the only person in the world but he also knows that someone tried to kill him so he's hiding in a small town on an island in Washington and works as a clothing designer. He's also got a very curious cat side that soon starts investigating the disappearance of his favourite planters to take a crap in. But how does he explain to his sexy cop neighbor how he knows things that he finds out as a cat. Of course his cat didn't get off to a good start with the cop when he was frightened and ended up scratching the hell out of him.

So as I said, it's just kind of a "here we go" book and I've ran into these before where it's a very long arc and I feel a bit like I'm being forced to buy book after book to get to the crux of the relationship. So while I liked it well enough, I'm just not sure I'll follow it up. *shrug*

[Angelique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my serious stylish hat. I looved it. Short, sweet, and adorably endearing.

Jacqui is an incredibly adorable character. Very flawed and very full of himself – but so self aware and closed up tight. I loved his relationship with his alter Cat. They are such different character’s yet still the same person.

Wyatt is a very interesting character – in our first book we haven’t really gotten to know him that well – other than learning he really hates Cat’s guts.

I fast paced, short mystery that doesn’t have all that much to it but just enough to keep me glued to the pages. Throw in some dismembered fingers, under water wrestling and last minute rescues and you have the makings of a really good story.

I devoured Prowl in one sitting and can easily see myself doing the same thing with the rest of the books in this series.

I received a copy of this book from the author and Silver Dagger Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. I was in no other way compensated for my opinions or thoughts on this book.

[Shymsal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounding up. I liked this more than I usually like short light fiction. Jacqui was fun and flamboyant. His love interest, Wyatt the deputy, was testy but charming -- though, I have to give him a break. Their first meeting would likely have upset me, too! Although perhaps not as much because I adore cats. Cat was... what you'd expect of a cat.

All of this plus the fact that this is a slow burning relationship (for today's romance fiction) I appreciated enough to go straight to Amazon and buy the next two novellas in the series. Basically, if you like slow burns, light mysteries, fun characters, and cat shifters with hidden pasts you could do much much worse!

One of my favorite bits was Jacqui naming the imaginary shifter kingdom he might have come from Catatonia.

Thanks to Alexis Duran for forwarding me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Violet Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in The Jacqui the Cat Mysteries Series. An interesting book the writing was good. It is a short book with a plot that was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters charming. Jacqui’s personality is a bit spastic and can make it a bit confusing on what is reality and what is fantasy. The characters were developed and thought out. Jacqui Corleone is a fashion designer, a yoga-instructor and Wyatt West is a deputy sheriff and they are the MC’s of this book. There was humor, neighbors, a shifter, an island, murder, a cat and dogs, police, blue pots and more in this book. Although I found this book a little confusing and in the need of some detail throughout the book. I can recommend this book worth a try. I plan to read the next book. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

[Sarita Chapdelaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick and fun read that does end in a cliff hanger. Jacqui is a hilarious cat shifter and I love the conversations/arguments he has with his inner cat. He is a fashion designer and a yoga instructor that moved to the small town of Friday Harbor. His curiosity gets the better of him and he decides to investigate a mysterious disappearance in his cat form. His new neighbor is Wyatt and their first meeting does not go well. This is way more mystery than romance but I have hope that there will more romance in the next installment. The story does end with to be continued but it is so funny and intriguing that I have to read the rest of this series.
I received an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curiosity killed the cat - well almost!

A delightful read about a gay cat shifter who is a clothes designer as a human. When people start saying that three blue pots of geraniums have gone missing his curiosity is aroused, especially as it the hunky gay police officer that he has overheard. Has the owner taken them with her? Or perhaps she has given them away? Trying to get on the good side of his crush he starts investigating. Will he find out the truth and will the truth be even more macabre then he imagined? Great storyline, a few laughs (when he argues with his cat half) and really likeable characters.

[Lada · Rating 1 out of 5]

Man, the title and the blurb were terribly misleading! I thought it's going to be a snarky cat shifter + romcom + cozy mystery, but what I got was 90% babbling nonsense (lusty thoughts included) + 10% mystery that was written like how those questionable, so-called reporters wrote their online news articles.

PS: Jacqui can judge and ridicule Wyatt's fashion sense all the time, but Wyatt is not allowed to judge Jacqui's "fashion sense" at all. ٩(๑`^´๑)۶

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Jacqui! His conversations with his inner cat were great, and I just thought he was wonderful. I'm definitely going to read the rest of the series, to see what other trouble Jacqui can get into, and also to see how long he and Wyatt can resist each other. Great story!

[Nightshadephoenix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

The protagonist was super amusing and the story was rather fun (and mysterious). We got to see a little development into the friendship of the two, but no real romantic relationship.

[Cynthia Charron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want Cat

4 stars ! Because its too short 😉
Alexis Duran is a ☆new to me☆ author and I am glad I took the chance and read that story😍. If you like cats and a original persona, you will be in love with Jacqui, the hidden mystery of friday harbor and Wild Wild West 😍😎 !