Bree’s orderly scientific life turned upside-down
the day she discovered her first body…learned her co-worker was a spy…and
accepted the mission of tracking down an international terrorist.
Out January
15, 2019 – The Tiger’s Tale by Kelle Z. Riley
The Tiger’s
Tale (The
Undercover Cats Series) by Kelle Z.
Riley
Genre: Cozy
Mystery with Romantic Elements
Publisher:
Curtis Brown Unlimited
Length: 350 Pages
Release Date: January
15, 2019
Is she hitting her stride? Or going nowhere
fast?
Fresh from a successful undercover operation,
scientist/spy-in-training Bree Watson should feel on top of the world. Instead,
the ground is shifting under her feet. When her handler abandons her to follow
a lead with his sexy ex-partner, Bree must choose between a normal life, or
proving her worth as a spy. Not an easy choice, when she factors in:
- A
police detective’s amorous intentions
- Her
handler’s mixed signals
- A
teaching post at a university filled with intrigue
- A
dead administrator with a sordid past
- A
timid tiger and her tenacious trainer—both being framed for murder
Combined with fanatic football fans, beatnik
poets, an orphaned monkey, a demanding boss, quirky colleagues, and her angry
cat, the result may be a recipe for disaster.
Can she take the heat? Or will she get
burned?
EXCERPT
Six
months ago, Bree had been a confirmed dog person—until she'd inherited a cat
from her murdered boss. Now, she held a tiger by the tail. Or rather, by a
leash. But when it came to tigers, the difference was just splitting hairs.
Bree
scrambled, following the energetic cub over the dusty, rock-strewn flatlands of
the Thailand Tiger Sanctuary. It tugged on the leash, intent on exploring.
Sweat trickled down her back. Her foot caught on a rock and she stumbled when
the wayward cub pulled her forward.
A
strong male hand grabbed the leash and jerked the tiger back onto the path.
Bree suppressed a shiver of awareness and turned to Matthew Tugood, both
grateful for—and irritated by—his presence.
“I
can’t believe we’re doing this,” he grumbled. “Why are we here again?”
Bree
resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. “You know my sorority is donating a
rescued cub to the Terrance U animal clinic.”
He
scowled at her. Or maybe the sun was in his eyes. “I cut through the red tape
for the donation. Not your sorority. Not Terrance University. Not the exotic
animal clinic. Me.”
She
ignored him and focused on her tiger cub. Tugood slowed, widening the gap
between them and the tour group. “Let me rephrase. Why are we spending the day
in a tourist trap?”
“I
wanted to meet the cub’s trainer and get firsthand experience.”
Matthew
answered with a grunt. His mouth firmed into a tight line as he scanned the
horizon, squinting against the bright sunlight. “You’re wasting time you could
spend preparing for your assignment.” His voice dropped low and he kept his
eyes trained on the distance. After a slow pivot, he leaned close, his breath
warm on her ear despite his harsh tone. “Or have you forgotten about your
mission?”
Bree
disentangled the leash from his hands. “I liked you better before I knew you
were a spy.”
“No,
you liked my cover story.” His voice softened, and he glanced her way. “That’s
not the same thing. And you do like me now. I happen to like you too.”
Despite the ninety-degree heat, a shiver raced down Bree’s spine as if he’d
touched her.
“What
I don’t like is that you never stop thinking about your mission. Not for a
minute.”
“Lower
your voice. We don’t want to be overheard.”
Bree
eyed the terrain, wondering if the clumps of scrub grass and rocks were
cleverly disguised surveillance devices. She dismissed the idea. “Can’t you
think about something besides the mission?”
“May
I remind you that my single-minded focus on the mission saved your life on more
than one occasion?”
Bree
dropped the argument. For one thing, his interference had saved her life when a
murderer—make that two murderers—had wanted her out of the picture. On the
other hand, she hadn’t found a single dead body before she met Matthew. So, in
her mind, it was a toss-up.
“I
need you to focus on our mission.”
“Fine.
You’ve made yourself clear.” Bree shrugged. “Next topic.” Beside her, Matthew
bristled and Bree took secret delight in being able to needle him the same way
he constantly needled her.
“Our
target is convinced you’re a brilliant researcher with access to cutting-edge
technology.”
Bree
stopped in her tracks so fast, the tiger cub did a backflip at the end of his
leash. She whirled on Matthew. “In case you’ve forgotten, I am a real
researcher, complete with a PhD in science. Just because my cover story
involves a fictional company doesn’t negate my real experience.” Behind her,
the tiger cub let out a noise—between a growl and a whine—as if to support
Bree’s statement.
“Your
science degree isn’t the only reason you’re an asset to the Sci-Spy
organization.”
Another
yowl accompanied by a tug on the leash made Bree turn back to her tiger cub and
hurry to catch up with the group. Tugood kept pace, his voice low and
insistent. “Like it or not, your days as a simple researcher ended when you
signed on with Sci-Spy.”
Bree
stopped at the edge of the tour group and turned to Matthew. “Please. I need a
day to do something fun. Something…normal.”
Across
the clearing, a tiger roared, shaking the ground under her feet. Soon she’d be
photographed with the massive animal.
Bree
held Matthew’s gaze. When he nodded in reluctant agreement, she turned to the
group, but all thoughts of fun—and normal—had fled at Matthew’s mention of
their target. Tomorrow, she’d confront a terrorist and try to uncover his
network of associates.
Compared
to that, even the quarter-ton tiger seemed docile.
Follow the tour and enter to win one of
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Author Bio
Kelle Z. Riley, writer, speaker, global traveler, Ph.D.
chemist and martial artist weaves bits of her real life into the Undercover Cat
Series books. The series features a scientist-turned-sleuth who juggles
mystery, romance and the search for a perfect cupcake recipe.
By day Kelle is a full time chemist working in water treatment with
multiple U.S. patents. At night she turns into an author whose accolades
include finals in the RWA Golden Heart and numerous chapter contests. More
information on her workshops can be found on her website.
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