I’m so pleased that author Jennifer J. Chow has given her character, Mimi Lee, the opportunity to come cat…er, chat with us today. Let’s take a look at Jennifer’s bio and then get right to talking with Mimi. Here we go!
Jennifer J. Chow is the Lefty Award-nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries and the forthcoming L.A. Night Market Mysteries (Berkley/Penguin Random House). The first in the Sassy Cat series, Mimi Lee Gets A Clue, was selected as an Overdrive Recommended Read, one of PopSugar’s Best Summer Beach Reads, staff picks for both Richland Library and Changing Hands Bookstore, and a Reader’s Digest Best Read from the 2020 Quarantine Book Club. Jennifer has also published other Asian-American novels involving secrets and mysteries. She’s active in Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Crime Writers of Color.
Author Social Links: Website * Instagram * Twitter * Facebook
Betty: How would you describe your childhood?
Mimi Lee: Fusion. My mom is Malaysian Chinese, and my dad is Caucasian.
Betty: What kind of schooling did you have?
Mimi Lee: I got my undergrad degree in psychology at UCLA. Go Bruins! It’s a slight bone of contention with my boyfriend, Josh, who went to USC.
Betty: What do you think is your greatest achievement?
Mimi Lee: Hollywoof. It’s my very own pet grooming salon in Los Angeles. I’m glad that years of dog walking and pet sitting have led me to my dream job.
Betty: What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
Mimi Lee: Lots of stuff, but my meet-cute was a meet-oops with Josh because of a misunderstanding we had in our apartment complex’s shared laundry room. And that was on top of him seeing my delicates!
Betty: What’s your greatest fear?
Mimi Lee: That something bad will happen to my friends and family—that’s why I’m keen to clear their names whenever they get on the police’s radar.
Betty: How much of your true self do you share with others?
Mimi Lee: I share a lot with my younger sister, Alice, but even she doesn’t know about my talking sassy cat, Marshmallow.
Betty: Are you close to your family? Do you wish your relationship with them was different in any way? If so, how?
Mimi Lee: I love my close-knit family, although I’m glad that Ma has stopped her ludicrous matchmaking schemes now that I have Josh in my life.
Betty: What characteristics are you looking for in a potential lover/spouse?
Mimi Lee: Tall, handsome, and rich—in kindness toward animals.
Betty: How do you like to relax? What kind of entertainment do you enjoy?
Mimi Lee: I like a good YA novel and sometimes an entertaining show while snuggling with my two favorite guys, Josh and Marshmallow.
Betty: What do you think you’re good at? Bad at?
Mimi Lee: Good at looking out for my family and friends. Bad at following directions from a certain local homicide detective.
Betty: What items do you carry in your pockets or handbag?
Mimi Lee: Keys, money, cell phone, and some handy pet wipes—to clean my furry friends’ paws.
Betty: What foods and beverages do you routinely have in your refrigerator?
Mimi Lee: I love sushi and the occasional boba—but you can’t really refrigerate those drinks too long or the tapioca balls will harden.
When a local teacher is found dead, LA’s newest pet groomer Mimi Lee finds herself in a pawful predicament—with her younger sister’s livelihood on the line.
Mimi Lee is on top of the world. She has a thriving pet grooming business, the sweetest boyfriend, and a talking cat to boot. When she arrives at the elementary school where her sister Alice works, she’s expecting a fun girls’ night out—but instead finds a teacher slumped over in her car, dead.
Alice was the last one to see Helen Reed, which instantly marks her as the prime suspect. Unable to sit quietly and let the authorities walk all over her sister, Mimi starts snooping and talks to Helen’s closest contacts, including one jumpy principal, a two-faced fiancé, and three sketchy teachers. With the help of her sassy but savvy cat, Marshmallow, and a cute kitten named Nimbus, the clock’s ticking for Mimi to get to the bottom of yet another case before her sister gets schooled.
Buy Links: Bookshop.org * PenguinRandomhouse
I love cozy mysteries with cats as active crime solvers. Don’t you? Thanks so much for stopping in, Mimi Lee!
Happy reading!
Betty
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