Mudpie Interviews...Whiskers from Gabby Allan's Whit & Whiskers Mystery Series

Whitney Dagner is your tour guide to a Pacific paradise that’s to die for—only to find it’s a place people are also willing to kill for—in Gabby Allan’s Much Ado About Nauticaling, first in the Whit and Whiskers Mystery series.

 
After far too many years in the Los Angeles corporate world, Whitney Dagner has come home to Santa Catalina Island off the California coast to help her brother Nick run Nautically Yours, the family tourism business. Between gift shop shifts selling all manner of T-shirts and tchotchkes and keeping her feline Whiskers in fine fettle, she pilots the Sea Bounder, a glass bottom boat showing tourists the underwater sights of aquatic plants, marine life—and a murder victim?

The self-proclaimed “Master of the Island,” Jules Tisdale was a wealthy man with business interests throughout Catalina who was about to be honored as Person of the Year before someone strangled him with his own tie and tossed his body into the water. That someone appears to be Nick, who had a raw deal from Jules and no alibi the night of his murder. To clear her brother’s name, Whit will have to investigate Jules’ shady associates and not exactly grief-stricken family members—with the unwelcome help of Felix Ramirez, police diver and Whit’s ex-boyfriend who’s looking to rekindle their relationship.

Mudpie was very excited to have the opportunity to interview Whiskers, the feline star of this series. We hope you enjoy meeting her!

Welcome, Whiskers! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Could you start by telling us a little about yourself and how you came to live with Whitney?

Thanks for having me, Mudpie! You look fabulous, by the way. Just had to get that out of the way... Now, on to your question. Well, Whit and I have been together for most of my life. She picked me up out of a litter because I, too, am fabulous. Thankfully, she knows that and treats me exactly as she should. Sometimes I have to remind her but for the most part she's a good human, and I think I'll keep her.

What's a typical day like for you?

A lot of lounging, a lot of playing with my many, many toys. Ever since we moved to the island, we go on walkies where everyone wants to stop and pet me. I like it much better than where we lived before. And now that Whit and I have a roommate who works the night shift I almost always have someone to curl up on, so that's a good thing.

Have you ever had any scary experiences living so close to the water?

Not yet, but I don't discount that something could happen. Whit's really careful with me, though. Even when we're in her golf cart she makes me sit in the basket so I am safe.

Tell us about Much Ado About Nauticaling, the first Whit & Whiskers Mystery you star in.

Whit does have to leave my wonderful company sometimes to run this glass-bottom boat company with her brother, Nick. He is not my favorite person since he doesn't pet me or give me treats nearly as much as I deserve. So when a dead guy floats under the boat, Nick is the one the police think did it. Whit loves her family, not as much as she loves me, but she does love them. So off she goes to clear his name even though I find him to be just a little bit shady. And if Karma gets him for not petting me enough, I say he has no one to blame but himself.

Do you assist Whitney in any way in solving the mystery?

There is no better sounding board in this whole wide world than me. I'm sure if she'd take me with her all the time I could probably point her directly to the bad guys, but she wants me safe and that means staying in the house more than I'd like. But I do make the appropriate noises when she's rubbing my tummy and running her theories by me. It's enough.

Can you give us any clues as to what's next for you two?

I can! I can! But only a little... It seems that someone's been doing more than just bird watching and might be getting in some serious trouble for trying to pull one over on the island residents. But my Whit will be able to catch the bad guy. Well, hopefully, before she gets caught in the net of SOMETHING FISHY THIS WAY COMES.

Thanks so much for having me! I hope we can meet again!

Giveaway

We have one print copy of Much Ado About Nauticaling and the adorable door hanger pictured above to give away. To enter simply leave your email address in a comment below. US entries only, please.