Mary Catherine Roberts, renowned pet psychic, hosts a popular radio show in North Carolina giving advice to pet owners. Traveling home one day after her show, she picks up a distress call that leads her to Tommy, a small turtle whose owner has been murdered. When the victim turns out to be the aunt of Colin Jamison, manager of the radio station where she works, Mary Catherine knows she has to help solve the murder before Colin is convicted of a crime he didn't commit.

Unfortunately, when your one witness to the crime is a turtle, proving Colin's innocence may be a bit more difficult than Mary Catherine first realizes. Being a pet psychic leads to a bit of disbelief on the part of the local police force, and Colin's past isn't all that pure. Someone, however, believes Mary Catherine and Tommy may be able to solve the case and sets out to discourage their involvement. With the support of her friends and a sidekick cat named Baylor, Mary Catherine is determined to find the person who made Tommy the turtle an orphan.

THE TELLTALE TURTLE is the first Pet Psychic mystery by Jim and Joyce Lavene and it's a winner. Full of the Southern flavor the Lavene's are known for, this mystery is well-written with local color and a collection of supporting cast, both two- and four-legged, that will entertain the reader from the very beginning. Mary Catherine is an excellent heroine, savvy and tenderhearted and no one's fool. Baylor the cat is hilarious with his moods and sulks and his devotion to Mary Catherine is endearing. The mystery will keep the reader hooked. Fans of the Lavene's will enjoy their latest foray into the world of whodunit!

Book Summary

Mary Catherine has a rare gift - she can talk to animals. A flamboyantly dressed four-time widow, Mary Catherine pulls top ratings for her pet psychic radio show and helps run an animal shelter. Then one day Mary Catherine hears pitiful thoughts of anguish coming from a house. Rushing inside to help, she finds an injured turtle crying bloody murder - and the dead body of his owner, a society matriarch with a fortune, lying nearby.

By tuning into Tommy the turtle's thoughts and memories, Mary Catherine becomes a vital, if ridiculed, resource for the detectives. But now a psycho caller is threatening the lives of Mary Catherine and Baylor, her haughty and overprotective tabby cat, while dangling clues in front of her like bait. Despite the annoying charms of PI Charlie Dowd - aka, potential husband number five - can Mary Catherine use her talent to find a killer more cold- blooded than the star witness?

Includes recipes for pet treats!