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THE TAROT CAT MYSTERIES
By DIANE A.S. STUCKART

FOOL'S MOON...Book 1
When two clever black cats join forces with a hapless Tarot card reader to solve a murder, the result is purr-fectly magic! 

Grad student Ruby Sparks has found a great new gig -- managing Botanica Santa Rosa, her Cuban half-sister's New Age shop, while the older woman takes a sabbatical. It's the perfect job, giving Ruby a place to live and a tidy salary, while allowing her to take graduate classes at night. The fact that she is a novice when it comes to reading Tarot cards doesn't worry her. That is, until a woman asks for a reading that will tell her if her recently deceased employer died accidentally...or was murdered.​

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LOOK FOR BOOK 2, MAGICIAN'S QUARREL, IN 2026!

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FOOL'S MOON was Awarded a
Feathered Quill 
Reviewer's Choice Book Award AND a Cat Writers Association Certificate of Excellence

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INTRODUCING THE TAROT CATS!

So who are the Tarot Cats? They are Ophelia and Brandon -- sibling black cats and the fictional feline sleuths starring in the new series, THE TAROT CATS MYSTERIES. The pair live in the Botanica Santa Rosa, a quirky New Age-style shop in West Palm Beach, Florida. They share the place with their human caretaker, Ruby, and their pit bull friend, Zuki. Oh, and also with 3 roosters and a mysterious koi named Philomena who lives in a seemingly bottomless fish pond in the Botanica courtyard.

Here are the fictional Ophelia (left) and her brother, Brandon.
And here are the real-life inspirations for the Tarot Cats: Brandon Bobtail (left) and sister, Ophelia 

A Q&A about the Tarot Cats

  • Do the fictional Brandon and Ophelia talk in their books?

Only to each other,​ and to other furred and

feathered (and finned!) friends. 

  • So the human characters can't understand them?

Nope. All they hear is meowing.​

  • I'm not sure I want to read about talking cats...or

magical ones, either.

Don't worry -- Brandon and Ophelia ​aren't

"magical". They are regular cats doing cat stuff, while we follow along. And who wouldn't want to get a cat's-eye view of life!

  • But I thought Ophelia read Tarot cards?

She does. But Tarot cards are NOT magic. As her human caretaker, Ruby, would tell you, they are simply a tool for self-discovery.​

  • How about the real-life Brandon and Ophelia? They don't talk...do they?

As far as Diane knows, they speak only feline, and perhaps a smattering of canine, since they live with two dogs.​

  • Where did the real-life Brandon Bobtail and Ophelia get their names? 

Brandon was named after Diane's alter ego, Ali Brandon. As for the "Bobtail" portion of his name, he has but half a tail (we think he was born that way, but he was a rescue, so it's hard to say). His litter mate, Ophelia, was named as a nod to Diane a/k/a Ali's other fictional feline, Hamlet the cat. 

  • Speaking of Hamlet, what does he think about his feline successors?

Hamlet has given them both the "Purr" of approval. â€‹

What the critics are saying about

FOOL'S MOON...

"Lighthearted and quirky, this will enchant cozy readers and animal lovers." ~Publishers Weekly

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"[Stuckart] writes throughout with charm and warmth. Anyone with a pet will enjoy."  ~Kirkus

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​"[E]nough twists to keep even the most savvy reader guessing. Overall, FOOL'S MOON is surprisingly delightful, [and] plenty of fun..."  ~Meredith Frazier, Reviewing the Evidence

 

​"It kept me guessing until the end...[a] fun, whimsical, and lighthearted romp with a twisty plot." 

 ~Nancy J. Cohen, award-winning author of the Bad Hair Day Mysteries.

 

​“Magic and romance meet murder as animal lover Ruby Sparks gets in over her head in this funky, fast-paced debut.”  ~Clea Simon, author of A SPELL OF MURDER, a Witch Cats of Cambridge mystery

 

“…a delightful and enchanting adventure. I highly enjoyed this heartwarming story…”  ~Sandie Herron, Sandie’s Corner/Lesa’s Book Critiques

 

 “…a delightful start to a new cozy mystery series…I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Five stars.” ~Caitlyn Lynch, Romance and Erotica Author/Book Blogger

 

“Ophelia and her four-legged friends turned out to be both enchanting and persistent. Quick action and plenty of pet-to-pet loyalty and affection…turn this mystery into an enjoyable (and gore-free) romp.” ~Beth Kanell, Kingdom Books

 

“This was my first cozy mystery but I can say that it will not be my last! The use of detective cats was a great choice to tell this story!!” ~Crossroad Reviews

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