Darla Pettistone left Texas for New York after unexpectedly inheriting her Great-Aunt Dee's Brooklyn bookstore. She didn't know that the store's mascot-Hamlet, an oversize black cat with a personality to match-was also part of the deal. And he may be more trouble than Darla bargained for...

As the new owner of Pettistone's Fine Books, Darla Pettistone is determined to prove herself a worthy successor to her late great-aunt Dee...and equally determined to outwit Hamlet, the smarter-than-thou cat she inherited along with the shop.

Darla's first store event is a real coup-the hottest bestselling author of the moment is holding a signing there, which brings hordes of fans and some protestors. But when the author meets an untimely end during the event, it's hardly good for business, even though it's ruled an accident...until Hamlet digs up a clue that seems to indicate otherwise. Now Darla fears a killer might be lurking about... Can the interfering Hamlet point the paw at the culprit without losing one of his own nine lives?