Sinistre réputation

The cats add a delightful charm and intuition to the story. I'm curious if the author has personal experiences with cats influencing their writing.

The town feels like a character itself, with secrets lurking beneath a friendly surface. Did the author draw from real small towns or create this world entirely from imagination?

The lighthearted tone makes the mystery so enjoyable, but I wondered if maintaining that balance was a challenge during writing.