Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon Giveaway!

A priceless jewel.  An epic mission.  A cat detective.  Haven’t ordered a copy of Li’l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau:  The Case of the New Year Dragon yet?  Just leave a comment on this post to be entered into a drawing to win an autographed paperback copy!

Li’l Tom, cat detective at the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau of Telegraph Hill, is back—this time, to solve the case of the New Year Dragon! 

Small animal deaths, art and jewel thefts, and a sinister, perhaps even supernatural, being lurking in the fog and shadows have been plaguing San Francisco and making the city’s four-legged residents afraid to venture out alone.  Could these incidents be related?  It’s up to Li’l Tom to find out. 

With the help of his sidekick, the lovely Calico cat, Lola, and several other unlikely animal assistants, Li’l Tom plunges into San Francisco’s Chinatown, Union Square, Russian Hill, and even the famous annual New Year Parade to crack the case.  Along the way, improbable beasts and unhinged villains thwart his every move.  Can he succeed in solving the case before it’s too late—before the Year of the Dragon is upon him?  

EXCERPT

It would soon be the Year of the Dragon. His year. He had waited ten years for this—since he was only a fourth of the size he was now and a mere whippersnapper. He was now fully grown and could no longer resist the overwhelming draw of his master’s summons. He knew it was risky to leave the comfort of his temperature-controlled habitat, especially in this cold and clammy climate, but the allure of the call was too great. Remaining in his cozy den was no option. He was instinctually aware that he was destined for greater exploits and now was the time to make his move.

♦◊♦

The ancient cat sat stone-like in the spacious basement of his Chinatown lair, his satin robes draped about him. He was in a deep trance, his only movement the rising and falling of his chest with his heavy breaths, and the fluttering in and out of his long whiskers that draped down each side of his mouth along the length of his body and to the floor. This was the time his apprentice would finally join him, and they would unite to accomplish great things. He had created the perfect, sultry environment for his follower and the basement was scorching, to say the least. As he concentrated on summoning his servant, his breathing became more and more shallow, sweat springing from his brow and dripping down his whiskers as well as the long tendril of fur that descended from the patch on his chin. His body began to sway to and fro with the mental strain, until he finally passed out and oozed onto the dank pavement of the basement floor.

Angela Crider Neary is an attorney by day and writer by night. She is an avid mystery reader and especially enjoys reading novels set in interesting locales. She was inspired to write her first mystery novella, Li'l Tom and the Pussyfoot Detective Bureau: The Case of the Parrots Desaparecidos, by one of her favorite areas in San Francisco, Telegraph Hill.  Her second book, Li'l Tom and the Case of the New Year Dragon is now available.  To learn more, visit her on Facebook and Amazon.