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Today on Salty Inspirations, I’m welcoming author Debbie De Louise for a spotlight on her cozy mystery, The Case of the Bullfighting Builder.
Fans of cozy mysteries will enjoy getting a closer look at Debbie’s latest mystery featuring Cathy and her feline companions. Here’s an excerpt to introduce readers to this intriguing story.
Excerpt from The Case of the Bullfighting Builder
by Debbie DeLouise
Cathy considered making herself a sandwich while Harry and Hermione ate their chow, but she wanted to continue her work up in the attic. She also figured she’d check on Zippy, the bearded dragon lizard she’d adopted after solving a murder case on her and Steve’s honeymoon.
The cats ate quickly, so she was able to remove their bowls and clean up before heading to the den where they kept Zippy’s tank. Entering the room, she saw the reptile clinging to a log. Steve had quickly taken a liking to him and, when she finally agreed that they could adopt him, her husband promised to be his caretaker. Besides the right heat, lighting, and diet which often consisted of bugs, Zippy was easier in some ways to care for than her cats. He didn’t do much and didn’t ask for much. She couldn’t cuddle with him the way she did with Harry and Hermione, but Steve considered him a pet. He liked to take him out of his tank and even for walks when the weather was warm. As it was early October, Steve took advantage of the nice days and also let Zippy loose to walk around the house or ride on his shoulder. The cats sniffed his tail when they first met him but didn’t try to harm him. She still kept an eye on them when they were together.
Leaving Zippy to his nap on the branch, Cathy went up to the attic to resume sorting through her parents’ stuff. Harry followed her. The black cat ran to a box she hadn’t checked, his yellow eyes staring at her.
“Alright, Harry,” she said, “I’ll check that one now.” She lifted the lid. Inside were more things of her mothers’ – blouses, dresses, and other clothing that Gran hadn’t had the heart to take to Goodwill. As Cathy went through them, she realized her mother must’ve been the same size as she was when she was killed in the car accident ten years ago. Maybe she could wear some of them. It might make her feel connected. As she had that thought, she fingered the light scar on her cheek, a reminder of the accident that had cost her so much.
At the bottom of the box, underneath all the clothes, she found a folded piece of paper. It was strangely out of place as if it had been tossed in and covered. Unfolding it, she read the typed words, “Accident Report.” It was dated a few days after the car crash. She’d been in the hospital recovering from her injuries during that time and had never seen this report or been told about it by her brother or grandmother.
Harry meowed as she sat cross legged on the floor reading the paper. She pet his head absently as the words blurred before her eyes, and she realized she was crying. Sheriff Miller had signed the report. An examination of the car after the accident had revealed the brakes had been tampered with. How could that be? Who would’ve wanted to harm her family? And why hadn’t an investigation into the crime been conducted? Cathy had to know. She needed to confront Gran and ask for answers.
The Case of the Bullfighting Builder (Buttercup Bend Mysteries) by Debbie De Louise
About The Case of the Bullfighting Builder
The Case of the Bullfighting Builder (Buttercup Bend Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
6th in Series
Setting – Buttercup Bend, New York (fictional town in the Catskills)
Publisher : Independently published
Publication date : May 14, 2026
Print length : 268 pages
Paperback
ISBN-13 : 979-8196898846
ASIN : B0H1V1TW5M
Digital
ASIN : B0H1QYNW2G
When Cathy Jefferson’s builder is found dead at the construction site of her new home, she’s pulled into a murder investigation that will test her detective skills like never before.
While sorting through her grandmother’s attic, Cathy uncovers a secret about her parents, who died in a car crash years earlier. Now juggling two cases and determined to learn the truth about her parents’ death and catch her builder’s killer, Cathy teams up with her fellow detectives Nancy and Howard.
Their investigation leads them to a ranch where a prize bull is kept, and to Cathy’s estranged uncle and her college roommate. As secrets unravel and danger closes in from every direction, Cathy discovers that the biggest surprise of all may still be waiting for her.
Will Cathy catch her builder’s killer so that her new home can be finished, and will she receive closure about the death of her parents? Find out in THE CASE OF THE BULLFIGHTING BUILDER, the sixth book in the Buttercup Bend Mysteries series by Debbie De Louise.
About Debbie De Louise
Debbie De Louise is an award-winning author and a retired reference librarian. She is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Cat Writers’ Association, and the South Carolina Writers Association. She’s written over twenty books including three cozy mystery series: the Cobble Cove Mysteries, Buttercup Bend Mysteries, and her new series, Soup the Supernatural Kitten Mysteries. She’s also written a paranormal romance, standalone mysteries, a time-travel novel, and a collection of cat poems. Her stories and poetry appear in more than a dozen anthologies. Originally from Long Island, she moved to South Carolina where she now lives with her husband, daughter, and three cats. Learn more about Debbie and her books by visiting her website at https://debbiedelouise.com.
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Tour Participants
July 6 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT
July 7 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
July 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 9 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
July 10 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
July 11 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
July 12 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT
July 13 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
July 13 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
July 14 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
July 14 – Book Hookup – REVIEW
July 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
July 16 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT
July 16 – Salty Inspirations – SPOTLIGHT
July 17 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
July 18 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
July 19 – Romance Novel Giveaways – AUTHOR GUEST POST
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Thank you to Debbie De Louise for sharing a spotlight on The Case of the Bullfighting Builder with Salty Inspirations. If this cozy mystery sounds like one you’d enjoy, be sure to add it to your TBR list.
Don’t forget to browse the blog for more author spotlights, cozy mystery features, and bookish inspiration.
As always, thanks for stopping by for some Salty Inspirations! —Michelle❤️
Thanks so much for hosting a spot on my blog tour and for featuring an excerpt to my book.