Wednesday, January 27, 2016

The Cat Detectives Are Back! | Review of The Case of the Clever Secret Code



About the Book

Buckley and Bogey, Cat Detectives, find their next big case with the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency to be their most difficult yet.

It all starts one hot summer day, when the boys are sitting in the front window of their Mom’s antique store. That’s when they see a big, black limo crawling up the street and going right through downtown St. Gertrude.

So who is in that long, black car? None other than famous movie star, Steele Bronson! And his surprise arrival sends the entire town into a tizzy! Especially when he announces his plans to shoot his next movie right there at the St. Gertrude Library, housed in a historic four-story mansion. And wouldn’t you know it, but it all happens just when Gracie, the boys’ human sister, is a finalist in the town’s Fourth of July essay contest. Holy Catnip!

But it isn’t long before Buckley and Bogey realize there is something very wrong with the whole picture . . . including the one that Steele Bronson is filming. Because it soon becomes very clear that the guy is after much more than just an Academy Award. And when the drama turns to danger for the boys and their family, that’s when Buckley and Bogey jump into the scene. Because this is one case that has it all—from Fourth of July festivities to tales of the American Revolution, and from a secret code to a hidden key!

Unless Buckley and Bogey want to see this movie turn into a tragedy, it’ll be up to them to crack the case . . . as well as the secret code . . . Holy Mackerel!

Available Now


My Review

Talk about clever!

The BBCDA (Buckley & Bogey Cat Detective Agency) is back, solving a brand-new mystery and cracking the code. This case takes Buckley, Bogey, and their loved ones through the library, on the hunt, and into some pretty tough moral dilemmas. Yet it's a fun ride with a hint of National Treasure, plenty of patriotism, and a great big dose of warm fuzzies. Once you meet these cat detectives, you'll love getting reacquainted with them with each new read!

Poor Gracie, Buckley and Bogey's human "sister," has a LOT to deal with in this story. What starts out in star-struck excitement quickly breaks down into frustration and sorrow as actor Steele Bronson pushes Gracie and her family into the (unwanted) spotlight. To what end? What does a big-name actor and his team want with the small Texas town of St. Gertrude? And what does Gracie's Fourth of July speech have to do with them?

As hard as it is to see Gracie meet with failure after failure, one of the best things about this story (and the whole series) is seeing the difference it makes in a person's life to have the support of loved ones.

Another thing I loved about The Case of the Clever Secret Code? For fans of this series and its precious characters, let me tell you that it's a treat to see the way Buckley comes into his own as a cat detective. While a lot of the plot revolves around Gracie, Buckley is the main character—and he's finding his purr-fect (couldn't resist!) place in the BBCDA and within his family.

This latest Buckley & Bogey mystery shows that fame has a price and doing the right thing is its own sort of prize. The ending is quite enjoyable, and the case is one for the history books.

Disclaimer: The author is one of my previous clients from my freelance editing and publicity days—and more than that, she's become my honorary aunt and dear, dear friend. So I freely admit to having a special place in my heart for Buckley & Bogey and their Mom/author. :)

*With thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book. A review was not required in exchange, but I offer this as my honest opinion.*

Bonus!
Enjoy this exclusive interview with Cat Detective Buckley.

4 comments:

Cindy Vincent said...

Thank you sooooooo much, my dear (honorary niece) Amber! You are such a gem!! I so appreciate you taking time out of a very busy schedule to write such a wonderful heartfelt review of this newest Buckley and Bogey adventure. Thank you for all the lovely things you said. Of the four Buckley and Bogey books that I've written, this one has a special place in my heart, mostly because, yes, I did put my character, Gracie, through a very tough time. (Funny how an author can feel so much emotion toward a character and how difficult it can be to write them into a difficult situation! Have you experienced this with your characters?) Even so, she grew up and learned a lot from her situation, and ended up with even better things in the end. But besides all that, I was laughing to the point of tears when I wrote the part about the exercise wheel, and I was in hysterics when I wrote about the boys new "look" for the movie. Overall, it's such a joy to write this series and I am truly blessed.

In any case, I have to say, you created an absolutely beautiful page with this review -- as always!! You do such a great job with your blog. Thanks again!

Your Honorary Aunt, Cindy

Unknown said...

Holy Catnip, Amber! Bogey and I both read your review, and we really want to thank you for all your nice words! You have done so much to help us out and we really appreciate it. Who knew that two guys who were once at a cat shelter would end up on your blog? Pretty good deal, huh? We sure hope more people will think about adopting black cats like us after they read our books. Thanks for getting the word out!

And we sure do like your page! Especially the roses at the top. Whenever our Mom has roses in the house, we try to eat them, but that doesn't last long . . .

Anyway, thanks again. Lots of hugs and wet nose kisses from us!

Your pal,
Buckley Bergdorf
Cat Detective

Amber Holcomb said...

HRH Aunt Cindy,

Totally my pleasure!! I'm so happy you like the post. :)

This was such a great installment of the Buckley & Bogey Cat Detective Capers. You did a marvelous job of helping both Gracie and Buckley to grow and helping the reader to care for them. And yes, the exercise wheel scenes were priceless! ;) Loved the balance of humor and seriousness.

(Although I do believe The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks still holds the title of my favorite Buckley & Bogey story, just because there was something extra special about editing that for you and about the scene with Buckley and the Christmas star. ♥ But this newest addition to the series is right up there, too!)

As for putting our characters into tough spots, that can be quite sad/difficult/draining, can't it? I think I pour so much of myself into my characters that it's easy to empathize with their plights. It's kind of funny...in my current WIP (Where Trains Collide), the heroine is in college and experiencing the stress and frustrations of school. But I'm realizing now that I don't have to look back to re-experience those feelings - because they can crop up even after college. Even now. It's amazing how the timing of writing a story can so perfectly coincide with the time in your life when you need to work through something. :) (Now I just need someone to tell me to focus and put my fingers to the keyboard!)

Anyway, I'm rambling! But I just want to say I'm grateful for your comment and kindness, Aunt Cindy. ♥

Hugs,
Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Cat Detective Buckley,

I'm more than happy to help spread the word about your adventures and wonderful stories! Thank you for allowing your Mom to share them with us. :)

I'm glad you and Bogey liked the review! And how fun to hear you like the roses. There's a beautiful rose garden in the town where I live, and I enjoyed visiting it last summer. I was more than ready to add a little color and a touch of spring to the blog through that pic. ;)

Hugs and cuddles to you and your siblings!
~Amber