Blog Book Tour | “Inspector Dewey” by Kristen Heimerl and illustrated by Irene Bofill A cosy #mystery for #catlovers!

Posted Friday, 2 October, 2015 by jorielov , , , 4 Comments

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Acquired Book By: I was selected to be a part of the blog tour for “Inspector Dewey” hosted by iRead Book Tours. I received a complimentary ARC copy of the book direct from the author Kristen Heimerl in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Beautiful extras arrived with my ARC:

I wish I had thought to take a photograph of the extras which were included with this lovely ARC copy of Inspector Dewey! The author truly made it a special treat to become a part of her publicity campaign via this lovely blog tour! The other bloggers I noticed have mentioned the lovely surprises on their posts, too, and even one tweeted about them! I wanted to simply give an extra note of gratitude to Ms Heimerl for coming up with not only clever little ‘extras’ to tuck inside a review copy’s envelope, but to put a lot of thought into what a book blogger and reader might enjoy as a surprise gift!

Even the attention to detail in gift wrapping the ARC in yellow tissue, sealed inside a plastic bag with a delicate silvery white bow and placed in a non-bendable mailing envelope was top notch! Placing the Inspector Dewey promotional sticker and artwork on the mailer was something that winked out a smile when I caught sight of it in my postbox yet it was the amount of time she took to make this a special memory for each of us that touched me the most. Well done!

Blog Book Tour | “Inspector Dewey” by Kristen Heimerl and illustrated by Irene Bofill A cosy #mystery for #catlovers!Inspector Dewey
by Kristen Heimerl
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Irene Bofill
Source: Author via iRead Book Tours

My name is Dewey--Inspector Dewey.

I live in the big green house on Hampshire Avenue with my family: Thumper, Lily, and Anna. I am the Big Cat—responsible for keeping everyone safe and in order. I do this quite well, in spite of the fact that managing my family is like, well, herding cats!

Mostly our life is peaceful. But one night it wasn’t. That was the night the bad guy showed up on our block. Of course, I knew exactly how to outsmart the outlaw, but—miserable mullet!—would Anna and the police understand my instructions?

To find out how the adventure ended, you’ll have to read my book. But I’ll give you a hint: there’s a reason I’m called Inspector Dewey.

Fifty percent of the profits from the sale of this book will fund veterinary care for pets whose families are in financial need, so that the animals can remain in their homes and out of the shelter system.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Find on Book Browse

ISBN: 9781939710277

Published by Orange Frazer Press

on 1st September 2015

Pages: 32

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Available Formats: Hardback

Converse via: #InspectorDewey

About Kristen Heimerl

Kristen Heimerl

Marketing Officer, Strategy Expert, Innovator and Brand Builder, Kristen’s business career spans 20+ years serving the biggest brands in industry and the biggest hearts of start-ups and entrepreneurs. Kristen revels in bringing compelling products and services to life and helping leaders and individuals with big dreams realize their big goals.

Kristen’s life joys include her 2+ year obsession creating the most beautiful self-published picture book possible, the breathtaking forests and lakes of her Minnesota birthplace, the family that really does love her no matter what, and her three magnificent Norwegian Forest Cats who together, with Kristen, helped catch the bad guy on their block that inspired her upcoming book (stake out and high speed chase included!)

She holds a master of science in eCommerce from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, and a BA from the University of St. Thomas. As the great transformer in her life, Kristen supports others’ education and literacy as an adjunct professor of business and strategy and, more recently, through her children’s book, Inspector Dewey (Available September 2015).

On the curious nature of cats & how their curiosity doesn’t fade:

I can attest to being a cat lover and a cat adopter for the well-full of my life – as we’ve taken in more than once cat from a rescue organisation and/or shelter over the years. Generally speaking, we kept it at singular adoptions until of course, that fateful day in 2005 we fell in love with three tabbys of whom we simply could not let stay in the cages! In truth, we were seeking a companion after the death of our beloved cat, the last anchour to my childhood and a living spirit of whom was missed. We found two initially and then, the third – the eldest were only shy of a year older by a few months, yet the Papa of the two boys took his duties of fatherhood quite seriously! He still to this day feels like he ‘raised’ his sister and his ‘adoptive’ son rather than assisting us (the humans) in keeping them in line.

The curious nature of cats and the fact their curiosity never expires is an apt way to explain how even at the age of eleven my Papa cat is still going strong on the house protection front! He cannot rest nor play if he hasn’t checked on his charges, or roamed throughout the home securing in his mind all is safe and secure. He’s not as kin on sleuthing as Dewey and I don’t think you could say he has a strong sense of courage (he’s a bit afraid of his own shadow!) but his new habit of securing bugs is quite hilarious!

I think cats are not only adaptive to their environments but they process information in a way that makes them similar to us. Even if they make an unexpected transition (say moving house, as who hasn’t done that in their lifetime?) you’ll find your cat(s) start to adjust to where they are living with reminders of where they were last. Especially if there are stark differences, the honeymoon shift is a bit longer lasting! I delight in finding myself eager to observe a squeak, a meow, and a curious question tilted up to my ears from a cat who dearly believes their speaking my language and of course! I will instantly know the answer to their enquiries! If only we can all remain as curious and accepting as cats to embrace life and each new experience that arrives onto our path!

My Review of Inspector Dewey:

Prior to opening this illustrated story, I had no idea it originated as an IndieGoGo campaign! Christine @ Readerly Musings tipped my hat in recognising crowd funding sites are a great place to find the bookish self-starting projects where all of us can start to help projects become greenlighted. What delish delights the supporters of this campaign must have had whilst it was being developed! The colours and hues of the illustrations combined with the typography of the text set quite the stage of sophistication for this picture book new classic!

I’m a bold red or a deep plum purple kind of gal, which is why finding Inspector Dewey outfitted in yellows and creames as background hues whilst his main attire is set in purple and grey, I felt quite at home inside this picture book! The illustrations are arrestingly life-size, they are super at gaining your focus as soon as your eyes dance across the pages – spying the Inspector in his hat with the cheekiest grins and a paw rapt to action with his trusty magnifying glass!

He has this easy-going personality, where he wants to draw you into his home, get a sense about his turf and appreciate the cosy life he’s sporting whilst happily living with his foodie best friend Thumper and the dainty yet spunky Lily! Lily I must admit reminds me of one of my own cats: a sister to our tallest cat, she’s shorter by at least half! She pretends to feint indifference or fault but truly, her charm is to out smart her brother at each turn! When I read about how Lily ‘sits on her’ best buds, I saw my own cat flittering through my eyes as I have seen her do this more than once!

The contrast between day and night in the story is cleverly shown by casting a deeper aura of purple across the pages and giving the moon a sliver of a place to shine. Dewey, Thumper, and Lily each have a personality you can acknowledge in their scenes, as the storyboard layout reminds me a bit of a play set to stage. Even if they are not the sole focus on the scene itself, they are still visible and distinguishable too! The close-ups were my top favourites – you can see who they are and how much light was etched into their compositions!

The fact Dewey likes to humourous his life by making small insinuations towards fishy words of shock gives weight to how he views his environment and understands his duty cannot be compromised by fear. A bit of levity here or there would lighten any paw with fur to ease out of self-doubt! Without page numbers I am not certain where this layout falls in the finalised copy but seeing the entire household (including their fair human!) on ALL FOURS making headway towards a phone (it was an emergency!) gave me a fit of giggles because Dewey was in charge! He was making the choices that would change the course of what may or may not happen!

Now how clever is it that the police cars are following the phone lines between the watermarked portraits of Anna and the Police Lady handling their urgent call?

There are hidden clues and hidden words – special discoveries a child would love to find! I know I did when I was their age! I couldn’t get enough of illustrated stories and Chapter Books – most of which were read aloud or read whilst I was sitting so close to the pages, I had to make sure I did not miss one illustration nor hidden surprise! This of course stretched out the readings but oh! The happy joy to see something you were not expecting! This same joyful reaction is found whilst reading Inspector Dewey!

The sheer accuracy of what is visible on the layout for 5am is not even funny! I never used to have cats who wanted to sleep ‘with me’ but rather had their own special place to tuck inside during the night hours – seeing this layout baffled me a bit, as how could it be so bang-on correct? Are all cats the same when it comes to nightly rituals with their humans? Little heaters of love curling onto where your folded under the blankets?

You will immediately find yourself curled head to tail inside this delightful illustrated story! Don’t think twice, pick up a copy and find out why Heimerl not only understands the behaviour and heart of cats, but she knows how to tell a story that will give a heap of joy to a cat lover!

On the writing style of Kristen Heimerl and why I want more of this series:

She has a light-hearted approach to crafting a story a child would love to read, because it’s using language and syntax that parents would love to see inside a picture book! Not spoken down to children or using simpler language cues but rather, she chooses words that rhyme inasmuch as words which encourage a happy imaginary scene to unfold as you read the story! The words bounce and pounce across the pages, encouraging a story to settle over your heart, and a playfulness atmosphere to entertain you!

I definitely want to see more of this series, and I love how the author is donating 50% of the profits from this edition to help support animals who reside in homes where finances are tight and the owners do not have to choose between keeping their pets and giving them to shelters. She’s doing a right and honourable thing in choosing to make a difference with a charity that should go like lightning to ignite the cause to take hold of each heart who reads Dewey’s story!

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Author Guest Post Banner created by Jorie in Canva.

When your a book blogger struggling to get back online after a three-month gap of stable internet connections – you give the author a bit of free rein on the topic for their Guest Post! Here was my quick idea to allow Ms Heimerl a bit of unexpected leeway in which direction she wanted to take this Guest Post Feature and allow me to keep an essay as a compliment to my review:

Let the author know she can pick the topic for the Guest Post and send my regrets for falling a bit short on composing one myself – do tell her I was most curious about how she came up with the name of “Inspector Dewey” and perhaps something along the lines of how clever it was to create the story around a cat who loves to sleuth. She has free rein on length and response, too! Longer essays are a special treat for my blog but if she only has time for a short one that works too!

Don’t get me wrong or anything, but Dewey—the REAL cat—is a dork. When critters creep into our home, he doesn’t miss an opportunity to orchestrate a stakeout. Undeterred by the boredom and banality of staring at a fault in the floor, Dewey will press on for hours—days, in fact—just to rid his home of vermin. He huffs and puffs, slumps and sleuths, and quite ceremoniously pounces and pummels his prey. It’s an elaborate ritual, a celebration of sorts, that he—and only he—has refined to an art form.

Despite his slender size, Dewey takes his responsibility as the “Big Cat” in the household seriously. His roles are plenty, extending beyond mere home protection and extermination services to that of housekeeping and more. Dewey is the recognized Grand Poobah of cleanliness and order in the house on Hampshire. He scours the floor for out-of-place dust bunnies and has a hissy fit if anything unsavory attaches to his hind side. He’s especially obsessed with cleaning ears—his own and his friends’.

Imagine, if he could, Dewey would stand full frontal before a mirror like Hans and Franz, protruding his pecs, admiring his abs, and occasionally releasing a slow, low grunt and a groan. But for all his bravado, Dewey is truly a spectacularly sensitive and sweet kitty who unconditionally loves and cares for his friends, his home, and his human.

So when an unexpected intruder stumbled into our lives two years ago, I knew immediately that if one of the Three Norwegians was to tell our heart-stopping story, it had to be Dewey. I know it’s wrong to anthropomorphize animals (or so I’m told), but with Dewey, it’s so darn easy! I just look at him—his expressions, his mannerism—and his thoughts, ideas, and words pop into my head rather effortlessly . . . and hilariously. Okay, it is a little fun, too! But isn’t it just that way with all beloved pets?

Although Dewey is the undisputed star, Inspector Dewey was not the original name for my book. The name it held for the first year of development was The Bad Guy on the Block—a nod to my nephews and their unrelenting passion for action heroes and obsession with putting away the bad guys. Whenever I said the title out loud, however, it just didn’t feel right—too wordy, too tongue twisting. It had to change.

Next came a series of titles remindful of those held by my beloved Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew collections as a kid—for example, The Hooligan on Hampshire Avenue. But these too fell flat with me. If the book was to become a series (as I hope it will be), I needed a name that was simple, introductory—a prelude to other crimes and mysteries down the road. I settled simply on Inspector Dewey.

Occasionally, the marketer in me gets a twinge of regret for naming two of my book characters the same as famous animal characters in literature and film. But then I remember how their names originally came about: straight from the heart for the tiny kittens who stole mine. Dewey’s silly little self with the adorable, inky dewdrop in the corner of his right eye inspired his name. That, and the fact that “Dewey” means “beloved” in Welsh, sealed the deal. I melted.

Thumper came into my home exactly one day after Dewey—a giant-sized, gentle-souled kitten with a gargantuan heart and four massive white paws that tapped on the floor under the heft of his big, brown belly. His great girth and prodigious paws reminded me of my aunt’s cherished cat, Thumper. In a tribute to her, and a nod to his noisy steps, I gave him the same name. As the new best buds and holy terrors hoofed it across my hardwood floors, I knew my home was happy and whole. Well, that is, until Lily came along a year later adding to our delicious days and completing my Scandinavian trio of trouble makers.

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See? When my cheeky cats came home, they each had their gifts surely, but keeping the critters as you say at bay and out-of-doors was a bit past their pay grade! My dearly departed cat was a feisty calico who was part hunter and part detector of intruders – my current brood of cats are more gentle and curious without the knowledge of what to do with a bug (as a for instance) if it flies in front of your whiskers? Except to say, they give it a hearty shake of their paw, cock their heads to the side and wonder why the bug disappeared? Either that, or they point to where a bug is currently trying to outfox us (the humans) but without giving us any help in keeping said bug locked down!

I *loved!* how Dewey’s celebratory dance and sparkles of happiness are included in the story – you truly have found a way to translate personality and cattitude to how your fictional cats are an equal match to your living cats!

I, too, grew up on the likes of Nancy Drew (and Agatha Christie!) and I could see how our shared past influenced you! You write a definitive cosy for children and I think they will find this as a stepping stone towards reading the books we grew up with devouring! Passing on a love of cosies is champion to me! I remember that this is how I felt when I read another illustrated story The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake by Robin Newman!

I cannot express my gratitude enough in the topic you selected for this essay – it is almost as though you had the forethought of knowing what I was seeking without too many clues from me to guide you! As soon as I read this essay, I knew it was going to be a wonderful companion to my review! It gives such a warm glow of how you developed the book and the hope we have of finding more stories in succession as the series sprouts it’s wings! Bless you!

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This book review and author guest post is courtesy of:  iRead Book Tours

Click through via the badge to find out what else awaits you!

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Reader Interactive Question:

I look forward to hearing your reactions if you’ve read this novel too

and/or if your curiosity had become piqued to read it after reading my own ruminations!

Why do you think animals make the best characters inside works of fiction?

What makes cats so naturally akin to sleuthing – share your thoughts!

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{SOURCES: Cover art of “Inspector Dewey”, book synopsis, author photograph of Kristen Heimerl, author biography, and the quotation from the novel and the tour badge were all provided by iRead Book Tours and used with permission. Illustrated Stories and Writerly Topics Banners created by Jorie in Canva. Comment Box Banner made by Jorie in Canva. Tweets embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Post dividers and My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.}

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About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

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Posted Friday, 2 October, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 21st Century, Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Cats and Kittens, Children's Literature, Cosy Mystery, Debut Author, Illustrations for Stories, Indie Author, iRead Book Tours, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Modern Day, Picture Book




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4 responses to “Blog Book Tour | “Inspector Dewey” by Kristen Heimerl and illustrated by Irene Bofill A cosy #mystery for #catlovers!

  1. Today marks the end of what has been an absolutely wonderful blog tour. Who knew this would be so much fun? But then, who knew any of this book journey would be so much fun?! I pinch myself. I consider myself especially fortunate to end the tour with such a beautiful, thoughtful review. I’m overcome with gratitude. Thank you sincerely.

    • Thank you, Ms Heimerl!

      I truly felt blessed to have been a part of your blog tour and how thankful I felt for your IndieGoGo campaign to have been such a success to have given this book the chance of being published! I couldn’t stop sharing my enthused support of Dewey all weekend! I truly had such a wicked sweet time expressing how reading this opening to a series struck me with such a happy heart of happiness, that all gratitude is mine to give to you. I cannot wait to hear about the sequel! :)

  2. grgenius

    Loved your review! So glad you found DEWEY as magical as I. It truly is a wonderful read and the illustrations are to die for. Agreed on the packaging and extras, a touching surprise and another aspect of fun to be had. Thanks for sharing a bit about your fur babies. It’s true, they help raise each other…and train us humans. ^-^ Happy reading!

    • Hallo, Hallo Gina!

      I meant to get back to you over the weekend, as I was so happy to find another reader who was as wrapped up in Dewey as I had been myself! He’s such a winning character – from his cheeky humour to his stylish way of expressing himself! It’s one of those uplifting stories you love to read, and are thankful you’ve found! Magical – definitely! He’s truly the type of cat you can see having longevity in his series, as he captures the attention of both young and old audiences!

      Loved your pictures of what was included in the packages on your review! Nice touch! And, your quite welcome! I like talking about my cats especially when having them makes finding a story like this one a bit more special! Definitely agree with you on your last sentiment! Jolly good fun cats are to have around us! :) May you have a lot of happy reads coming along next yourself!

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