Whiskers and Ciphers

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 6

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781967678901

Tule Publishing

260 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

September 10, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A corpse in the town's fountain spells trouble for Rebecca Cuthbert, who, along with her talking cat, Aneksi, must uncover the killer and dangerous truths behind the cursed artifacts plaguing Citrus Grove.

The normally quiet community is buzzing with excitement as the local university prepares to host an academic conference on Egyptian antiquities that's attracting scholars, collectors -- and a few hidden agendas.  Did a newcomer carry out this crime, or is the culprit closer to home? 

With Detective Nick Devon at her side and her knack for connecting the dots, Rebecca finds herself once again in the thick of the investigation.  With help from her resourceful grandfather and her clever feline friend, she is determined to unlock the secrets of a mysterious antique journal.  But each new clue reveals a longer list of suspects, deeper suspicions, old enemies, and more threats.

Solving this puzzle may come at a deadly cost.  Can she crack the case before the murderer strikes again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert lives in a small California town with her grandfather, Stirling, whom she never knew she had until the death of her parents.  Together, they own and run Cuthbert Antiques, which specializes in Egyptian artifacts, both real and manufactured.

Recently, Stirling's cousin Phineas has come to visit, and he states that he wants part of the antiques, as they should have come to him originally.  (Read the book to find out why!).  But now there's a woman in the store, and she's been spending her time looking around at the antiques, eventually making it known that she's waiting for Phineas.  But when he arrives, he's not alone -- he has with him an esteemed scholar, which causes a pang of jealousy.

The next morning, the woman in the store is found in the town's fountain, dead.  It's eventually discovered that she was murdered, and naturally Rebecca wants to know if it's one of the cursed artifacts they are looking for that may have caused it.  But her kitten Aneksi, who was originally a pet of Queen Cleopatra, cannot smell a 'hex' as she calls them.

Rebecca believes Phineas is involved in the murder, and now he's nowhere to be found.  But while searching for clues, she's finding out that it's more than just a hex that's concerning, but that the murder has taken herself and Stirling to a whole new level.  And this time, if they can't stay ahead of a killer, they may be the next victims...

This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all.  I am also absolutely obsessed with the story line and the characters.  I find it absolutely enchanting.  This book does take us to a new level of mystery.  There is a lot going on here, and Rebecca is in the thick of it all.

Is Phineas really the killer, or is he just being framed as one?  Could the ancient artifacts have anything to do with it?  What is going on with Detective Nick Devon, Rebecca's boyfriend?  Not to mention Rebecca's best friend Luna is having problems, and she's trying to help her as well.

I don't really want to give anything else away here, but I can say that this book was probably the best in the series in my humble opinion.  I enjoy each of these on their own, but this one left me with more mystery to solve, as did the last in the series (which answered some questions in this one).  I cannot wait to visit with the Cuthberts and Aneksi once again.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Whiskers-Ciphers-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery/dp/1967678901/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8263603593

More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Blackmail and Kitty Tails

A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 5

Author:    Deanna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781966593812

Tule Publishing

262 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

May 21, 2025

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A glamorous gala, a cursed dagger, and a killer on the loose -- Rebecca Cuthbert and her talking cat, Aneksi, face their most dangerous mystery yet.

When Rebecca Cuthbert volunteered to help with the Citrus Grove Women's Club gala, she envisioned a night filled with elegant silk drapes, Egyptian-themed decorations, and tasty hors d'oeuvres -- certainly not murder.  But then the lights flicker out during the party setup, and club president Deborah Ralston is found dead, stabbed with an ancient dagger.

With Aneksi purring by her side and a murder weapon steeped in legend, Rebecca must unravel a twisted web of secrets, blackmail, and bitter rivalries behind this sinister murder.  Everyone from suspicious club members to scorned lovers is a suspect, and time is running out as Rebecca's own antique shop becomes linked to the deadly artifact.

Can Rebecca and her cat corner the killer before tragedy slashes her world again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Rebecca Cuthbert lives in a small town with her grandfather Stirling, who owns an antiquities shop that specializes in Egyptian artifacts.  She grew up in Montana with her parents, who passed in a car accident, which led her to the grandfather she never knew she had.

Nor did she know that she now had a kitten named Aneksi, who is immortal and has powers of her own.  She also discovered that in the basement of their shop lies a vault full of cursed artifacts that Stirling's grandfather brought home from Egypt.  Some of the artifacts were stolen, and they have been searching for them whenever they can.  I give you this backstory for the following...

When Rebecca accepts an invitation to join the Citrus Grove Women's Club, she didn't think it would be so stressful or take so much of her time.  But here she is, anyway.  While working with the other ladies on the annual club gala, there is a sudden blackout, and when the lights go on, president Deborah Ralston is lying with a knife in her back.  A very distinctive knife, and Rebecca believes that it may be one of the items in the collection that was stolen.  But during the chaos, the knife disappears, and now everyone who was attending is a suspect.

There is also the issue of the man who was trying to break into Deborah's apartment, which is near Rebecca's.  Accidentally (of course) Rebecca confronts him and discovers he is a private investigator who has been hired by Deborah's soon-to-be ex-husband, in order to find if she has hidden assets.  But Rebecca herself finds evidence that Deborah was blackmailing people in town, and this may have led to her death.

Trying to keep her detective boyfriend Nick Devon in the dark may not be an option this time.  But will telling him the truth only cause more problems?  And is one of her friends a murderer?  With Stirling and Aneksi by her side, Rebecca knows she needs to find out more about the dagger.  But will it lead to danger for her?

This is the fifth book in the series and I am absolutely addicted to it.  I love the characters, who are quite believable, and I love little Aneksi as well.  The tale is written beautifully, and it draws you in from the very beginning.  Learning more about the artifacts, and encountering them in each story, is a tale all its own.  The author is quite talented, and she draws situations well.

Each story brings us closer to Rebecca's new life and that which she left behind, with questions that are sometimes answered.  (I don't mind waiting for more answers in later books).  Although Stirling's cousin from England, Phineas, seems a bit of a slime, I believe he is meant to be so.  We will see in the next book what awaits him.

The mystery is worth waiting for, the ending giving us satisfaction.  The murderer was a bit of a surprise; but not too much for me, although it doesn't matter because I enjoyed the book so much.  This was a new author for me, and I am glad that I took a chance and read all the previous books.  

The ending comes together nicely, giving us a hint of what is to come; and the murder conclusion is all that it should be.  I eagerly look forward to the next book in the series.  Highly recommended. 

https://www.amazon.com/Blackmail-Kitty-Tails-Purr-fect-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0DW7X65W1/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8280334687

More on Deanna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Furballs and Felonies (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery Book 3)

Author:    DeAnna Drake

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781964703336

Tule Publishing

224 Pages

$11.99; $4.99 Amazon

August 12, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What's worse than finding a murder victim on your doorstep?

For Rebecca Cuthbert, it's finding a cursed Egyptian charm tucked into the dead woman's pocket.  The ominous discovery propels the fearless shopkeeper and her immortal, chatty cat on a perilous hunt for the killer and another piece of the missing magical collection.

Unfortunately, Citrus Grove's annual summer festival is tying up police department resources -- including Rebecca's new beau, Detective Nick Devon -- which leaves Rebecca, her grandfather's wisdom, and Aneksi's mystical powers to crack the case.

As her investigation delves into the amulet's eerie peculiarities and the deceased's shocking connections with a menacing foe, as well as an unwelcome old flame from Rebecca's past.  Rebecca doesn't know who to trust.  Can she rely on her newfound friends in her adopted hometown, or will deadly revelations turn her into the killer's next target?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

After the unexpected death of her parents in a car accident, Rebecca Cuthbert learned she had a grandfather she never knew about.  She moved from Montana to Citrus Grove to meet him, and decided to stay and help him with his antiquities shop.  But since then, she's learned why her father left and never contacted him again: in a vault her grandfather, Stirling Cuthbert, has been keeping ancient Egyptian artifacts that his grandfather brought back to the states -- without knowing they were cursed.  Unfortunately, someone stole some of them, and now both of them are trying to retrieve the items, one at a time.

What they did find among the missing items was a burial urn for a cat.  When broken, the urn left them with an immortal kitten named Aneksi -- and they've been fond of her and love her, even knowing she can speak to them and has powers they may not know yet.  Or ever.

But when Rebecca is taking trash to a dumpster one night, she sees someone on the shop's doorstep, and when she approaches finds the woman dead.  Aneksi leads her to an artifact stolen from them -- the dark ankh -- and that will be the cause of all the trouble that lies ahead.

And no one can even decipher what lies ahead, including the appearance of Rebecca's ex-fiancé, Mason Moretti; the last person she ever wants to see again.  He says he's bringing her a message, but she knows there's more.

Still, a murderer is out there, and could be anyone in town.  Will Rebecca find the killer?  Or will someone land in prison for a crime they didn't commit?

This is the third book in the series, and I have to say that I am hooked on this.  This being a big deal because I don't normally read fantasy books.  But I'm a sucker for Egyptian history and cats, so I should have known beforehand, ha!

I loved the storyline, and I am becoming fond of the characters as well.  They are given more depth in each book, and who cannot like Aneksi?  Rebecca is finding her way in her new town, and you can see that she and Stirling are growing closer to each other, which is a wonderful thing.  Neither interferes with the other's life, but they cling to each other as only newfound family can.  

Finding the killer is proving to be a bit more difficult though, as Rebecca thinks everyone could be the murderer.  She uses her friend Luna as a sounding board, but she still has doubts and goes about trying to find the truth.  Will it make her enemies?  That I don't know, but I do know that when she ferrets out the killer, it's an interesting climax to the book.  And speaking of teasers -- there's a whopper that makes me want to read the next in the series right away.  Get cracking, Ms. Drake!  We're waiting!  Highly recommended.

I was given a copy of this book from the author and BookSprout but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Furballs-Felonies-Purr-fect-Relic-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D54RLHZ6/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6759289507

More on DeAnna Drake's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/deanna-drake/

Monterey Bay Murder (Amanda Warren Cozy Animal Mystery Book 2)

Author:    Seren Star Goode

Genre:     Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781736538791

Goodestar Publishing

280 Pages

$14.99; $3.99 Amazon

August 2, 2024

⭐⭐⭐⭐

In the small coastal town of Ocean Wood, where the salty breeze carries butterflies and secrets, Amanda's quest to restart her life takes a wild turn as a diver washes ashore, a speargun bolt piercing his chest.

The once-tranquil marina turns into a hotbed of suspicion, with Amanda's friend Ben as a prime suspect.  Amidst celebrities, betrayals, and shakedowns, Amanda and Grok team up to clear Ben's name.  

Together, they discover that the marina harbors more than just boats.  With a cast of quirky friends and Grok's uncanny investigative skills, Amanda sails into the heart of the mystery determined to expose the true culprit.

Can Amanda and Grok untangle this fishy business before the killer strikes again?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Amanda Warren left her home to find a new one -- hopefully her twin sister Alexandria will forgive her after years of estrangement.  But when she arrives in Ocean Wood, there's no trace of Alexandria, and no one seems to know where she's gone...not even her cat, Grok, whom Amanda discovers she can understand.

She's trying to get her dog washing business off the ground, but she keeps running into trouble.  Like this morning, when her friend Ben called her frantically for help.  She goes to the marina where he's just moved in with his boat, only to find it's taking on water.  She tries to corral his dog Qbert, but it seems the dog has found something more interesting...a body.  Now Ben's a suspect in the murder, and he' wondering if he should just move back to his former home.  Amanda realizes the only thing she (and Grok) can do is find the real killer...if she can make it without getting killed...

I wanted to read this book because I love mysteries and I love cats.  I really didn't know what to expect, especially the fact that Grok can communicate with Amanda, who appears to be a little bit psychic herself in this matter.  Grok can do things humans can't, and his help is invaluable.

When the diver, Tobias, is killed, a clue points to Ben as the killer,  Which he isn't.  But who is?  Amanda thinks anyone who was at the marina during the time of death could be a suspect.  But with the chief of police hating her, and the lead detective telling her to stay out of it, she needs to be stealthy about it or her own goose might be cooked.

So she enlists the help of friends she's made, and in between her grooming jobs she looks for clues pointing to someone else, which means asking questions.  A lot of questions, which could put her in the hot seat (and does).

The one thing I didn't care for in this book is Amanda walks right up to people and asks them about the murder.  She might as well state: "I think you killed Tobias.  Time to 'fess up."  It's a tad uncomfortable to read.  There are ways to surreptitiously ask questions without people actually figuring out what you're doing.  Also, less chance of being discovered doing it.  But she actually has no tact about it, so that was why I deleted one star.

However, in the end we discover the murderer, and Amanda is right in the thick of it, and saved by an unlikely hero, which was surprising and rather fun to read about.  All in all, I enjoyed the story and will continue with the series.

I received a copy of this book from Hidden Gems Books but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Monterey-Murder-Amanda-Warren-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0D9S3B82Y/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6748046171

More on Seren Star Goode's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/stores/Seren-Star-Goode/author/B0CLQ7FSKL?ref

Mystics and Murder (Darla Damian Paranormal Mysteries Book 1)

Author:    Julia Koty

Genre:    Mystery/Paranormal

Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:    9781939309273

Busstop Press

176 Pages

$9.99; $2.99 Amazon

March 22, 2022

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What happens when you swear off your psychic skills but still need to solve a murder?

the cozy seaside town of Stoneport, Massachusetts is not only home to tourist restaurants and a lighthouse but to strange disappearances and a cat-sleuthing secret society.  It's also home to the world-renowned psychic,  Darla Damian, who has recently sworn off her abilities.  Of course, her first day back is more exciting than she had anticipated.

Back at the Aurora B, Fine Crystals and More, Darla's best friend books a new consulting case for her with the Stoneport police department.

"Open and shut," they say.

Except it isn't.

Her loving cats are barely any help, X and O have their own mystery to solve.

The mysterious case collides with her complicated past and Darla faces her biggest fear: that she not longer has what it takes to interpret her visions and unearth the truth.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Darla Damian, world-renowned psychic, is back at work after three weeks away.  Three weeks during which time she's pondering whether she can trust her visions anymore.  Three weeks after a traumatic event that's caused her to doubt everything now.  But in her first return to work, her best friend Candace, who is also her partner in the Aurora B, Fine Crystals and More, has booked a new case for her -- one that she hopes will get Darla back on track.

But Darla doesn't want to be 'back on track.'  She wants to lay low and do simple Tarot readings for others, not wanting to see or feel her visions.  Yet now she's presented with a missing persons case -- that just might be more than that.  When a murder occurs, Darla discovers that maybe the two might just be connected.  And even though she still wants to leave it alone, Candace won't let her.  Now Darla is involved in what she doesn't want, and with a new homicide detective who thinks she's a hack.  Can Darla find the killer?  And more important, can she find her skills again?

This is the first book in a new series, and as such, it shines.  If you've read any of the Mira Michaels books, you'll know that Darla is Mira's older sister.  (If you haven't, I suggest you run - not walk - to your nearest purchase place and buy a copy.  You'll be hooked).  Darla has always depended upon her psychic gifts to help others, but when something extremely traumatic occurs, and she blames herself for 'misreading' her vision, she feels that she can't trust herself anymore.  Now it's up to Candace to help her return to what she does best.  With prodding and trust, Candace tries to help Darla as she navigates her way into a new case, albeit reluctantly.

What follows is Darla, still unsure of herself, asking questions and watching people, rather than reading them, to find the truth.  Yet there is a vision or two to help her along, and she's going to have to trust herself in order to corner a killer.  Because we know she will, of course...

The ending is a very interesting one, and leaves us wondering what the next book will bring.  As for the new detective, I'm right there along with Darla, as I'm a believer myself, (and have the proof to back it up!). 

The characters are believable and fully fleshed out (the main ones, at least) and we understand Darla's feelings and her angst; we also understand Candace and why she is doing what she is.  The story line is riveting, and let us not forget Darla's Siamese cats, X and O, who are definitely worth reading about in their own right, trying to keep the peace between the House Cats and the Ferals -- and solving their own mystery along the way.

In the end, this is the beginning to a new series that should have everyone smiling in satisfaction and waiting for the next in the series (hurry, hurry!) as Darla takes her place on your bookshelf.  Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from the author and BookFunnel, but this in no way influenced my review.

https://www.amazon.com/Mystics-Murder-Paranormal-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B09KW3R32F/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4615785923

More on Julia Koty's Books:   https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/julia-koty/

Tabby Trouble (A Cat Aunt Cozy Mystery Book 1)

Author:    Iris Leigh

Genre:     Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B095HZFDL2

Independently Published

93 Pages

$2.99 Amazon

July 15, 2021

⭐⭐

I don't ask for much, and I know for sure I didn't ask to communicate with cats.

But when I agree to cat sit my best friend's cats, that's exactly what I get for my trouble -- well, that and a baffling murder mystery to solve.

Now my next-door neighbor is dead under mysterious circumstances, the talking cat is giving me orders, and  my cat is missing, and somehow both are connected.

It's up to me to figure out how and why and solve the murder in a town full of potential suspects.

I'm going to need a little more than luck and a chatty cat to help me solve this puzzle, but there's one big problem.  I've never solved a crime before, let alone investigated one.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

I love books with pets, especially cats, but this book just didn't make any sense from page one,  I also really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't, no matter how hard I tried.  There were just too many inconsistencies, and the protagonist was just Too Stupid to Live.  Below are some of the examples of this:

When the victim dies at the beginning, the protagonist, Kat, admits she didn't know the woman well at all, but was told by her neighbor, Mrs. West, whose husband is a retired police detective, that the woman was murdered.

Then Kat has an 'accident' with a toaster that allows her to hear the thoughts her (temporary) cats are saying, and also those of the victim's cat, Rusty, who wants her to solve the murder.  So obviously she must solve the murder.  But the thoughts those cats are thinking would be nowhere near what cats think, I believe.  As an owner of cats, I think they'd most rather be home sleeping or wanting to spend all their free time with me.  And never would they want to go outside and leave their cushy homes -- my cats never even try to escape when I open the front door; and it's also not safe for cats to be outside; they can catch diseases and have a chance of a shorter life span.  So that's irresponsible of Kat not to even look for the cat.

Then she goes to a gym and starts working out -- without workout clothes.  Unless she was wearing them, she didn't use the locker room to change, and no one noticed she was wearing street clothes.  Very odd!

Kat also started opening cupboards at the dead woman's house while it was full of people.  Say what?  Who would do something like that?  Snooping with a house full of people?  Not even being discreet about it?  Then being surprised when someone notices?  Why was everyone there, anyway?  There was no mention about a wake; she just goes in the house and everyone is there.  Another odd situation.

There were no descriptions of anything -- especially Kat.  We don't know what she looks like, how tall she is, whether she's attractive, etc.  Where does she live?  What does the surrounding area look like?  We also don't know if she has a job.  Supposedly she has her own home, but never went to work during the investigation, or spoke to anyone to take time off.  So what does she do for a living?  Watch cats?  That she doesn't really like?  The book left me with too many questions and not enough answers.

Unfortunately, this was a simple mystery with simple cardboard characters that didn't give us anything to think about.  There just weren't enough pages to flesh out the characters at all. As for the reason for the murder?  Since we didn't get involved with the characters, it really didn't matter.  Sorry.

https://www.amazon.com/Tabby-Trouble-Aunt-Cozy-Mystery-ebook/dp/B095HZFDL2/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4127578559

More on Iris Leigh's Books:    https://www.amazon.com/Iris-Leigh/e/B095J46ZJG/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

Christmas Kitten Chaos (A Mira Michaels Mystery Short Story)

Author:    Julia Koty

Genre:      Mystery

Digital Book

ASIN #:    B097K96FCF

Busstop Press

58 Pages

$2.99 Amazon

October 12, 2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Told from the point of view of Mira's trusty cat, Arnold, this short story is about the trials and tribulations of being a cat-dad to three rambunctious kittens during the Christmas holiday.  Even more challenging, Arnold's rivals arrive with Mira's sister Darla, on Christmas Eve.  The twin cats are psychic and forcing Arnold to use every ounce of patience to be a good cat for Christmas.  To make matters worse his kittens go missing and he must partner with Darla's twin menaces to save them.  Quickly things go sideways, the tree is toppled, Santa's cookies spill to the floor.  Is there enough Christmas magic to fix this year's Christmas Kitten Chaos?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Arnold isn't happy.  While he loves Mira's sister Darla, he hates her Siamese cats, X and O.  They make his life miserable, and he isn't going to stand for it.  He has enough trouble as it is keeping tabs on his three kittens.  But when the kittens go missing and Arnold is afraid they're outside - somewhere he never goes - he has to ask the help of the twins to find them.  But even that isn't without a price.  Will Arnold find his kittens before Christmas?  Or will the twins find a way to get rid of Arnold?...

This short story is another delight from the pen of Julia Koty.  I love Arnold and the fact that he's very self-efficient, thank-you-very-much.  It takes all that he has to keep his calm while the twins are baiting him constantly with veiled threats.  So when his kittens go missing and he's afraid they've gotten outside, the twins hint that this is the case, but offer to help him if he'll give them something in return.  Something, in his mind, vile.  But he's willing to do anything to save his kittens.

Along with this, there are the fights of the three, with Arnold showing his superiority in his own home, which only causes chaos and disaster, toppling of the tree, and when Santa's cookies spill, the twins insist that he won't come and Christmas is ruined.  Will Santa come?  More importantly, will Arnold's kittens be found?...

I loved this story and all that it entails, including the spirit of Christmas.  This is a perfect short story for anyone, but children would especially love it, as it shows what the true meaning of the holiday can and should be.  Putting aside differences and working together, magic can be created.  The ending leaves you feeling wonderful, and looking forward to seeing more of Arnold and his kittens.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Kitten-Chaos-Michaels-Mystery-ebook/dp/B097K96FCF/ref

Goodreads:    https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4091055155

More on Julia Koty's Books:    https://www.fantasticfiction.com/k/julia-koty/

Fillet of Murder (A Deep Fried Mystery Book 1)

Author:  Linda Reilly
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9780425274132
Berkley Publishing
304 Pages
$7.99; $2.99 Amazon
May 5, 2015

⭐⭐

Sometimes in life, you have to fish or cut bait.  After walking away from a miserable job and an even worse boyfriend, Talia Marby has no regrets.  She's returned to her hometown and is happy to help her dear friend Bea Lambert by working at Lambert's Fish & Chips, a cornerstone of a charming shopping plaza designed to resemble an old English Village.

But not all the shop owners are charming.  Phil Turnbull has been pestering Bea to sign a petition against a new store opening up, and his constant badgering is enough to make her want to boil him in oil.  When Talia and Bea stumble upon Turnbull murdered in his shop, the police suspect Bea.  Now it's up to Talia to fish around for clues and hook the real killer before her friend has to trade serving food for serving time...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Talia Marby left her job and lost her boyfriend when he fell in love with someone else.  Now she's moved back home and has a new job and is among friends.  But Phil Turnbull is badgering everyone to sign a petition against a shop he doesn't want, and Bea Lambert doesn't want anything to do with it.  In fact, they have words about it, and when Phil is found dead, Bea is the main suspect.  But Talia knows she couldn't hurt anyone, and is determined to find a killer before her best friend winds up behind bars....

While I love Ms. Reilly's other series, I just couldn't get through this book.  Almost every woman was drop-dead gorgeous and almost every man was drop-dead handsome.  Really?  A lot of this was over the top.  Below there are spoilers, so if you haven't read the book and plan to, please don't finish the rest of this review:

Just when you think a cop is going to be the love interest (as we all know there will be one) then lo and behold, someone else pops up later when almost two-thirds of the book is read!  It's as if the author thought she might want the cop to be the love interest, but then changed her mind and decided to create another man - and we didn't even really get to know this person enough to see if we liked him or not.  Then we find out her best friend is dating the cop and doesn't tell her -- which is why I came to the conclusion I did.  If the author had decided that Rachel was dating the cop all along, it should have been mentioned when they were discussing boyfriends - but it wasn't - and Rachel was even telling Talia about a recent bad date she had.  Therefore, it was an afterthought.

Also, the fact that her ex-boyfriend Chet fell in love with horse riding of all things, and it's the reason they broke up seemed patently ridiculous.  I mean, horse riding is perfectly fine, but I can't see an investment broker just heading out to ride horses all day and thinking it's the best thing since sliced bread.  Especially since it can eventually cause damage to your back.  Fun?  Yes, occasionally - but not every single minute of every single weekend.  This was just weird.  Talia should have realized something was up with that, but she appeared rather dense throughout the book anyway.

At any rate, it just couldn't keep my interest and I think I'll be sticking with Ms. Reilly's other series.  Two stars for the writing, none for the plot.

https://www.amazon.com/Fillet-Murder-Deep-Fried-Mystery/dp/0425274136/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2926798016

More on Linda Reilly's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/linda-reilly/

Three Treats Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery Book 3)

Author:  Debra H. Goldstein
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496719492
Kensington Publishing
304 Pages
$7.99; $6.99 Amazon
August 25, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

For someone whose greatest culinary skill is ordering takeout, Sarah never expected to be co-owner of a restaurant.  Even her Siamese cat, RahRah, seems to be looking at her differently.  But while Sarah and her twin sister, Chef Emily, are tangled up in red tape waiting for the building inspector to get around to them, an attention-stealing new establishment -- run by none other than Sarah's late ex-husband's mistress, Jane -- is having its grand opening across the street.

Jane's new sous chef, Riley Miller, is the talk of Wheaton with her delicious vegan specialties.  When Riley is found dead outside the restaurant with Sarah's friend, Jacob, kneeling over her, the former line cook -- whose infatuation with Riley was no secret -- becomes the prime suspect.  Now Sarah must turn up the heat on the real culprit -- who has no reservations about committing cold-blooded murder...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sarah Blair, having had a disastrous marriage and even been accused of murder, has finally (she hopes) found her place in life in small-town Wheaton, Alabama.  Her cat, RahRah, was left to her by her late mother-in-law along with a very large home and the carriage house behind it.  While Sarah and her two pets - Fluffy the dog making the second - are happy in the carriage house, she's now going to be part-owner in a restaurant with her twin Emily and Emily's chef beau, Marcus.  They're turning the big house into Southwind restaurant - that is, if they can ever get the final inspection.

What irks them is the fact that Sarah's nemesis Jane - mistress of her late husband and current thorn in her side - has been able to open a restaurant across the street in another grand home with no problems.  In fact, Jane's chef Riley is a master of vegan dishes and they're prominently featured on the menu, which keeps the place full during its soft openings.  On one of these nights, Sarah is trying the dishes and also trying not to like them, but she fails.  Her friend and part-time employee Jacob Hightower has nothing but praise for Riley.  After seeing an altercation between Riley, Jacob, and the building inspector Louis Botts, Sarah wants to leave, but is delayed by the appearance of her attorney employer, Harlan, and police chief Gerard.  Just when everything seems to be calming down, Sarah hears a scream and the three of them run into the parking lot, where they see Jane, and Jacob, who is bending over Riley's body.  Once it becomes apparent Riley is dead, Jane screams again that Jacob murdered her. 

But Sarah refuses to believe that gentle Jacob can be a killer, and when asked by his sister Anne to help find the true killer, she has a hard time saying no.  Now Sarah, with help from Anne and other friends, is on the case to hunt down who might have done this.  But the more she discovers about Riley, the more it's looking like a lot of people might have wanted the young woman dead...

This is the third book in the series and I must say that I enjoyed it much better than the first two.  I realize that it takes time for new authors to polish their books, and Ms. Goldstein seems to have found her niche in this third one.  The characters are much more lively, and I really enjoyed the fact that Jane didn't spend the entire time in this book trying to make Sarah's life miserable.  (I honestly hate the 'evil nemesis' who wants to destroy the protagonist; and I am glad that the author didn't feel the need to go this route).

While we don't get to see much of Emily and Marcus, this book isn't centered around them, but more so around Jacob and even Anne, who actually becomes a bit softer in this one, apparent by her love for her younger brother.  Although Sarah's relationship with Cliff is moving at a snail's pace, at least it's moving at all.

But back to the mystery:  Sarah is naturally irritated by the fact that the vet clinic and Jane were both able to get their buildings inspected and are open, but Botts is dragging his feet on Southwind, using the excuse that there's only one of him and he has many jobs.  Sarah realizes she's going to have to find a way to corner Botts if she wants their restaurant to open; but with Anne asking for her help Sarah is pulled in several directions herself.

What she discovers is that there was more to Riley than meets the eye; and when there's another death, it pulls the investigation deeper.  Just when Sarah thinks she might never find the missing pieces, it almost becomes too late when she does.  It's an interesting mystery that goes deeper than one can imagine, and has its roots in other places. 

All in all, when the murderer is discovered the reason why Riley was killed is as old as time itself, but nevertheless it holds together in this story.  I enjoyed it immensely, and will continue to read this series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Three-Treats-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496719492/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3339680032

More on Debra H. Goldstein's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/debra-h-goldstein/

The Girl with the Kitten Tattoo (A Cat Lady Mystery #5)

Author:  Linda Reilly
Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781516109883
Lyrical Underground Publishing
232 Pages
$15.95; $7.19 Amazon
May 25, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wedding bells will soon be ringing in Whisker Jog, New Hampshire.  But instead of church bells, they may be tinkling above the door of Bowker's Coffee Shop.  Lara Caphart's best friend Sherry and her fiancé David want to tie the knot where they met -- in her family's coffee shop.  Lara is overjoyed for her friend, but as she feeds and grooms the kitties at the High Cliff Shelter for Cats in her aunt Fran's Folk Victorian, she can't help but wonder when her own beau, lawyer Gideon Halley, will stop hinting and make their union legal.

It doesn't help that Gideon's old flame, Megan Haskell, just showed up with a tearful yarn about being fired that smells fishier than a can of tuna.  But Blue, the Ragdoll cat who only Lara can see, appears to be on Megan's side.  Should she ignore her green-eyed monster of jealousy in favor of her blue-eyed spirit cat?  When Megan's ex-boss is found dead, Lara has to retract her claws long enough to follow Blue's uncanny clues and clear her rival of a murder charge...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lara Caphart owns and runs the High Cliff Shelter for Cats along with her aunt, Fran Clarkson, in Fran's Victorian home.  It's unusual in that the cats are not kept in cages, but are allowed the run of the home, therefore they'll adjust to their forever homes easier. 

As Maid of Honor, she's been busy helping her best friend Sherry plan her wedding, right down to party favors.  If the cats weren't keeping her busy enough, the wedding is.  But one night while she's at the coffee shop that Sherry's mom owns, a beautiful young woman knocks on the door and asks if anyone knows where Lara's boyfriend Gideon, an attorney, lives.  Stunned, Lara directs her but then wonders who this woman is.

It doesn't take long before Gideon tells her it's his old girlfriend, whom he dated shortly before he met Lara.  Without warning, jealousy rears its ugly head and while Lara wants to tamp it down, she also wants to know more about Megan Haskell.  She's about to get her wish: Megan arrives on Lara's doorstep and wants her help since her boss, Wayne Chancer, has been murdered and she's a suspect.  She tells Lara that she knows she finds murderers and wants her to help prove her innocence.  Megan is so distraught and helpless-looking that Lara tells her she'll do what she can.

But when Gideon finds out, it causes problems between them, and even when Lara is determined to let it go and let the police handle it, things keep occurring that pull her back into the case, and her determination doesn't amount to much if a killer can also find out who she is...

In this latest installment in the series, Lara is feeling torn between her love for Gideon and her intentions to do the right thing, no matter what the cost.  She's caught up in not so much the murder of Wayne, but something else, something she can't name, and it draws her to a nearby town named Bakewell that might hold the key.  But in trying to figure out what is going on, she just might have sabotaged her relationship with Gideon, who wants her to stop doing it.

Knowing that she can't, she unwillingly gets involved with the murdered man's widow, a young woman who holds several jobs and has a secret that she shares only with Lara, and Megan won't stop arriving at her doorstep unannounced, complicating her life even more.  It's almost more than Lara can handle, and she can't share what's going on with anyone. 

What results is an interesting mystery that has many layers, and while each one seems separate, it takes time to figure out who the murderer might be.  The clues aren't overt, and when we discover the reason for the murder, it's well thought out although a bit sad at the same time.  I liked the way everything was played out, and of course, the book ended just as we expected it to do, with the killer apprehended and Lara back safe in her home (as we knew she would be); it's an enjoyable book that leaves us with anticipation for the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Kitten-Tattoo-Lady-Mystery/dp/1516109880/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3300970184

More on Linda Reilly's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/linda-reilly/

Claws of Action (A Cat Lady Mystery #4)

Author:  Linda Reilly
Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781516109876
Lyrical Underground Publishing
212 Pages
$11.39; $5.99 Amazon
August 13, 2019

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The only thing that could make the High Cliff Shelter for Cats even cozier is a reading room where kids can snuggle up with a furry feline and a book.  But as Lara and Aunt Fran prepare for the reading nook's official opening, the health inspector in their New Hampshire town, Evonda Fray, decrees that the shelter qualifies as a "cat café," thanks to the free snacks it serves to visitors -- and that it must be shut down.

When Evonda's body is found in her car clutching a copy of the cease-and-desist order, suspicion naturally falls on Lara and Aunt Fran.  But there's a whole litter of potential culprits, including a tenant in one of Evonda's buildings who'd been ordered to give up his rescue cat, a disgruntled daughter-in-law, and more.  Now Lara -- with some help from her aunt and her spirit cat, Blue -- has to pin the tail on the right suspect.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lara Caphart and her Aunt Fran own and run the High Cliff Shelter for Cats; not your usual shelter.  The shelter is their Victoria Home, the cats are allowed the run of the house, and on 'adoption days' they are taken to the room that serves as a meet-and-greet, where Fran and Lara offer the guests snacks and something to drink.  But, according to the new health inspector, Evonda Fray, who showed up unannounced, it qualifies as a cat café, and says she's coming back the next morning to shut them down. 

Then a man, Brian Dowling, shows up at their home unannounced and begs Lara to care for his elderly cat, Smuggles, while he finds another place to live.  It seems Evonda is his new landlord and hates cats, and told him he'd have to get rid of the feline immediately.  Softhearted Lara agrees to the situation, even though she struggles with the fact that she doesn't want their facility to become a boarding place for cats.

However, the health inspector never gets a chance to follow through on her threat.  When the chief of police arrives at their doorstep that morning, it's to tell them that Evonda's dead, and had a cease-and-desist letter in her hand.  After learning this, neither women want to host the new reading nook's opening, and put it off for another time.

When the chief warns Lara to stay out of the investigation, she vows to do so, since it has nothing to do with her.  At least until she's hauled in for extensive questioning -- questioning that seems to put Brian Dowling in the limelight as Evonda's killer.  While she doesn't want to believe it, she doesn't know where else to turn.  Only a matter of sheer coincidences puts her in the sights of a killer -- who may or may not be the person she expects...

This is the fourth book in the series, and I enjoyed reading it.  Lara and her aunt are beginning to grow on me; I already liked the cats in the book.  I do like the fact that the cats eventually get adopted, but I miss certain ones every now and then.  I especially have a soft spot for Brian's elderly cat Smuggles, since I lost my own 17-year-old cat just before Christmas, and it still tugs at my heart.

The mystery is quite interesting - when Evonda is murdered Lara wants to know more about the woman but can't find much about her online.  It takes a chance meeting before she discovers the truth, and by then the woman is dead.  It's rather sad what made her the way she was, and I can't even imagine something like that happening to another person.

The reason for the murder was as simplistic and as old as murders have been committed; still, it never should have happened, and we know that all decisions have consequences, some that will never leave us, no matter what we do.  It was done well enough that it was believable, and the reactions of those left behind carry it through.  When the ending comes and everything is getting back to normal (or as normal as it can be when you have a spirit cat), it gives us a bit of a teaser of things to come in the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Claws-Action-Cat-Lady-Mystery/dp/1516109872/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3299330941

More on Linda Reilly's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/linda-reilly/

Claws for Celebration (A Cat Lady Mystery Book 3)

Author:  Linda Reilly
Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781516104215
Lyrical Underground Publishing
222 Pages
$14.16; $7.19 Amazon
December 4, 2018

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Feline deadly this Christmas...Whisker Jog, New Hampshire, celebrates all things Christmas, and few things are more beloved than the town's annual holiday cookie competition.  Lara Caphart, who runs the High Cliff Shelter for Cats with her Aunt Fran, is waiting for the green light for a brand-new category:  pet-friendly cookies.  But when the woman filling in as a last-minute judge dies after sampling someone's Santa-themed treat, Lara's recipe for healthy cat snacks will have to be put on the back burner.  The victim, Gladys Plouffe, was the town's roundly despised former home economics teacher.  The chief suspect is the mother of Lara's best friend, who was hellbent on walking away with the bake-off's cash prize.  Cryptic clues from beyond the grave only deepen the mystery, pointing to a cat with striking blue eyes -- a cat who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lara's mysterious Ragdoll.  As Lara begins a dangerous game of cat and mouse, not even her significant other may be able to stop a perfectly clawful killer from getting away with the purr-fect crime...                   

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Lara Caphart, along with her aunt Fran, own and run the High Cliff Shelter for Cats.  There is a Christmas cookie contest coming up, and Lara wrote to the company asking if they'd consider a category for pet-friendly cookies.  Although it's a no, she still wants to bake some, so she heads to the library to find a book with recipes that she can tweak and make her own.  But she finds more than she wants:  a thirty-year-old letter that proclaims the writer witnessed the murder of an elderly woman, and she swears she saw the woman's cat's soul leaving its body.

Even though Lara wants to investigate the murder, she also wants to attend the contest and support her friend Sherry's mother, who entered the competition, and also sell her own cat-friendly cookies.  Unfortunately, one of the judges, Gladys Plouffe is a retired home-ec teacher who despised Sherry, so she's glad that the woman doesn't know about her mom's entry.

Lara's also surprised that the owner of the company who's sponsoring the competition - Todd Thryce - stops by her table and praises her for her efforts, then asks if he can come by the shelter before he leaves town.  Lara is pleased with this, although his companion, Alice Gentry, doesn't look so thrilled to be there or that he wants to do so.

Then, when everyone is squeezed out of the auditorium so the judging can begin, Lara hears a scream  and enters again, finding Gladys on the ground, and it appears she's dead.  She's also holding one of Sherry's mom's, Daisy's, cookies.  With the police thinking she was poisoned, Daisy is a wreck, unable to run her restaurant or even cook.  So now Lara has two mysteries to solve: helping Daisy and finding out more about the letter.  But even trying to stay away from a murderer isn't always easy...

This is the third book in the series and I have to say that I enjoyed it more than the first two.  As a lifelong lover of cats (all animals, but cats especially), and proud owner of several myself, I really enjoyed reading about the cats' individual personalities and their antics.  That being said, I also liked the way it didn't take away from the mystery portion of the story.

I loved the 'mystery within a mystery' as I always relish these types of books, since they give me two mysteries to solve, along with the protagonist.  Little did we know that the letter would mean more than it did, and the writer would have given Lara a bigger clue to someone close to her heart.  It was a sad story that brought tears to my eyes; but then again, I've stated how much I love cats, and if anyone loses a precious animal, it will do the same for you.

The present-day mystery was just as much involved as the past, and the clues leading to the murder were subtle, yet they were there.  I had read very closely, and was glad to see that one of my own suspects was correct, although that also was a very sad situation.  In the past murder, the suspect was much more difficult to discern, and I will say that it came as a complete surprise, and the reasons behind it were rather distasteful, yet believable all the same.

When the ending comes and everything is put back to rights (as we know it would eventually be so), Lara has made a decision that affects her future, and I will say that I agree with that.  It also gives her and her aunt something to look forward to in the future.  I will definitely be continuing with this series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Claws-Celebration-Linda-Reilly/dp/1516104218/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3298984946

More on Linda Reilly's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/linda-reilly/

Cat About Town (A Cat Cafe Mystery #1)

Author:  Cate Conte
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; [Audio CD]; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781250072061; [9781541469471]
St. Martin's Publishing [Tantor Audio]
295 Pages
$6.19; [$16.25]; $6.99 Amazon
August 1, 2017

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Maddie James has arrived on Daybreak Island, just off the coast of Massachusetts, on family business.  The last thing she expected to find her was a stray orange tabby -- one so cute and cuddly that Maddie is struck with the idea to open a cat café.  But little does Maddie know that she's in for something a lot more catastrophic when her new furry companion finds the dead body of the town bully.  Now all eyes are on Maddie:  Who is this crazy cat-whisperer lady who's come to town?  If pet-hair-maintenance and crime-fighting weren't keeping her busy enough, Maddie now has not one but two eligible bachelors who think she's the cat's pajamas..and will do anything to win her heart.  But how can she even think about happily-ever-after while a killer remains on the loose -- and on her path?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Maddie James has arrived on the island where she grew up, to attend her grandmother’s funeral.  She now lives in San Francisco and owns her own business, but has taken a leave of absence.  However, when talking with her mother, she learns that her mom thinks her grandfather, Leo, might be getting forgetful about certain things and asks Maddie to keep an eye on him.

While at the graveyard she comes across an orange cat that seems to like her, and Maddie does her best to make friends and get the cat to come to her, but people keep interrupting and the cat skitters away.  Also, while at the graveyard, a man approaches Leo and Maddie later learns that Frank O'Malley wants him to sell his home — the home her mother grew up in, where she lived until she was nine with her parents, and where her grandfather grew up. Maddie’s appalled, and Leo insists he doesn’t want to talk about it.  But Maddie when Maddie learns that Frank went so far as to threaten Leo, she decides to speak with Frank  herself and tell him that there’s no way her grandfather is going to sell and he needs to back off.  While the talk didn’t go well, Maddie isn’t going to give up and have her grandfather lose his home. 

Dejected, she goes to the cemetery again to visit her grandmother’s grave and the cat once appears, and this time he follows her home.  After walking with him throughout the day, he's been named  JJ; and she takes him with her to the food festival that evening.  But JJ skitters away again, and she follows his tail to one of the tents and sees him under a table — when she raises the cloth to get him, she comes across the body of Frank O’Malley, who’s been stabbed.  Now her grandfather is a suspect in the death, and Maddie is determined to stay and find out who killed Frank...and hopefully the killer won’t come after her, too...

This is the first in a new series, and like all new ones, I'm always a bit skeptical of what might be inside the pages.  But I was pleasantly surprised in the fact that this book is actually very good.  The plot is delightful, I love JJ's personality, and also the fact that Maddie doesn't allow him outside alone.  (I don't even believe in cats being outside at all, but I do understand that JJ is crucial to the story so it wouldn't make much sense otherwise; and the fact that Maddie has him on a leash when he's with her mitigates it for me).  I like Maddie, since she's not broke, didn't come running home with her tail between her legs, and actually has intelligence.  This book would have been five stars for me but for two things:  I really did feel that the way Maddie was asking questions was intrusive to other people.  I get that she was trying to find answers, but she was pretty much cornering people and demanding them at times.  That bothered me.

The second is the obligatory love triangle.  While there isn't one yet, I will say (as I've always said) that I absolutely detest them.  Let's put it this way: if it were a man and he was stringing along two women, you'd think he was a dog, or worse.  So why is it okay when a woman does it?  Now, as I've said, there's really no love triangle going on.  But the potential is there, and I, for one, hope it doesn't come to fruition.  A book can be just as interesting without two guys hating each other and trying to outdo each other.  They don't need to put on their chain mail and joust for fair maiden in this century.

That being said, I was pleased with the rest of the book.  It was written well, the plot was interesting, Maddie and her family definitely has potential, and I like the secondary characters as well.  I do love the idea that she's going to open a cat café, which makes all the more enticing to read the next in the series.  As an owner of several cats, this series appeals to me; the author is a pleasure to read, being able to create definitive characters and descriptions of the area; and I will continue on with the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-About-Town-Cafe-Mystery/dp/1250072069/ref=

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3247748098

More on Cate Conte's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/cate-conte/

One Taste Too Many (A Sarah Blair Mystery #1)

Author:  Debra H. Goldstein
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496719478
Kensington Publishing
323 Pages
$7.81; $1.99 Amazon (Sale)
December 18, 2019

⭐⭐

Married at eighteen, divorced at twenty-eight, Sarah Blair reluctantly swaps her luxury lifestyle for a cramped studio apartment and a law firm receptionist job in the tired hometown she never left.  With nothing much to show for the last decade but her feisty Siamese cat, RahRah, and some clumsy domestic skills, she's the polar opposite of her bubbly twin, Emily - an ambitious chef determined to take her culinary ambitions to the top at a local gourmet restaurant...

Sarah knew starting over would be messy.  But things fall apart completely when her ex drops dead, seemingly poisoned by Emily's award-winning rhubarb crisp.  Now, with RahRah wanted by the woman who broke up her marriage and Emily wanted by the police for murder, Sarah needs to figure out the right recipe to crack the case before time runs out.  Unfortunately, for a gal whose idea of good china is floral paper plates, catching the real killer and living to tell about it could mean facing a fate worse than death - being in the kitchen!

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Sarah Blair gets a phone call from her sister telling her that Sarah's ex-husband is dead, she's stunned.  But when Emily tells her that she's now suspected of murdering him, Sarah does the only thing she can do.  She gets her attorney boss, Harlan, to defend her sister and decides to find out who really killed Bill and why...

Well, I'm probably going to go on a rant here, so you've been forewarned:  I really, really, get tired of reading about divorcees who were married to wealthy men but somehow left the marriage penniless and not able to cook, clean, or handle finances in any way.  Seriously?  She's been married ten years but hasn't managed to figure out how to cook?  In whose world is this reality?  It's just crazy how many of these protagonists have no idea what a grocery store looks like.

It's also hard to feel sympathy for Emily at all.  We never get to meet Bill because he's already dead when the book opens, and we only have Sarah's recollections of how things were.  What was Bill's relationship to Emily?  Did she have a real reason to want him dead?  You can amass evidence, but if there's no motive, what do you have?  That's called reasonable doubt.

I also dislike books where we're just slapped in the face with a victim.  We never get to meet the person, there's no build up as to who might want them dead or why, etc.  We didn't get to see any relationship between Emily and Bill.  I never enjoy that in mysteries because there's nothing to draw you into the murder. 

Also, how shallow is Sarah?  She keeps talking about Harlan’s bald spot.  Seriously?  She's such a prize that she's thinking about him wearing hats to cover a bald spot, or that she can see it?  Does it mean he’s less attractive in any way?  Sean Connery.  Bruce Willis.  Yul Brynner.  Dwayne Johnson.  Having hair on your head doesn't make men any sexier than those who don't.  She doesn’t deserve Harlan with that kind of attitude.  It doesn’t make her likable at all.  This is probably the biggest reason I don't really care for Sarah in this book.

Anyway, reading the ending was a bit disappointing for me, since the clues were there but Sarah was so focused on yelling at Harlan and looking for anyone else to pinpoint the murder on that she couldn't see what was right in front of her.  Maybe the next book will be better; I'll give it a chance and see.

https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Many-Sarah-Blair-Mystery/dp/1496719476/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3000051607

More on Debra H. Goldstein's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/debra-h-goldstein/

The Whole Cat and Caboodle (A Second Chance Cat Mystery #1)

Author:  Sofie Ryan
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book; Audiobook
ISBN: 9780451419941;
Berkley Obsidian Mystery
336 Pages
$7.89; $7.99 Amazon (Also available in Audio CD)
April 1, 2014

⭐⭐

Sarah Grayson is the happy proprietor of Second Chance, a charming shop in the oceanfront town of North Harbor, Maine.  At the shop, she sells used items that she has lovingly refurbished and repurposed.  But her favorite pet project so far has been adopting a stray cat she names Elvis.

Elvis has seen nine lives - and then some.  The big black cat with a scar across his nose turned up a local bar when the band was playing the King of Rock and Roll's music, and he hopped into Sarah's truck.  Since then, he's been her constant companion and the furry favorite of everyone who comes into the store.

But when Sarah's elderly friend Maddie is found with the body of a dead man in her garden, the kindly old lady becomes the prime suspect in the murder.  Even Sarah's old high school flame, investigator Nick Elliot, seems convinced that Maddie was up to no good.  So it's up to Sarah and Elvis to clear her friend's name and make sure the real murderer doesn't get a second chance.

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When Sarah Grayson returned home after her radio show was cancelled she decided to open a second-hand shop, and seems to be doing pretty well.  On one morning she's giving a class at the local retirement home, and her friend Maddie doesn't show up - which isn't like her.  So after the class Sarah and her elderly friend Charlotte go to Maddie's home and find her sitting in her backyard alongside her boyfriend Arthur Fenety...who happens to be dead.  When the police suspect Maddie of the murder, none of the women can believe it.  Since the three elderly friends - Charlotte, Rose, and Liz - are determined to find the killer, all Sarah can do is stick by them and hope for the best...

First off, I'm going to say that I absolutely love cats.  I have several of my own, and they are indeed quirky characters with a mind of their own.  However, since my cats aren't magical, and Sarah's cat Elvis isn't either, I have to wonder why he watches Jeopardy.  Cats aren't big on television.  They'd rather eat, sleep, and play.  They aren't too fond of being unable to move, so I can't imagine that any cat would take kindly to being carried around in a duffel bag tied up to their neck with only their head poking out.  There would be a fight about that one.  So no, I didn't get the feeling that Elvis was "real."

Then, I am honestly really, really, tired of protagonists proclaiming they can't cook.  It's not that hard to make basic food and no one has to be a gourmet cook, but it's pretty easy to make a hamburger, chicken breast, or even salmon.  Personally, I think Sarah is just lazy and would rather eat out.  Making scrambled eggs isn't even worth cleaning the pan.  If you're setting off fire alarms, you're not paying attention, which brings me to another another thing: (and proves Sarah just doesn't want to learn to cook). 

Mac remarks that Sarah pays more attention to detail than he does.  No, she doesn't, or she'd be able to cook.  That statement was just blown out of the water.  Also, if he's going to build a boat of his own, shouldn't he be paying attention to details himself and be able to paint those details.  Also, why would you paint a beautiful wood table?  Varnish it to its original color.  I wouldn't buy a wood table from a second hand store that I'd eventually have to strip the paint from to return it to its original glory.  Just sayin'

I also didn't understand why Sarah spent her time hanging around with three elderly women.  Yes, I get they were trying to solve a murder together, but from conversations it's apparent that these ladies are probably most of her social life.  Who hangs around with someone who's nearly sixty years older than you are?  Yes, be fond of your grandparents by all means; but their friends shouldn't be your social life.

Also, the book was more centered on Rose, Liz, and Charlotte, who seemed to blend into each other and they're just not that interesting.  If this book had been labeled as being about senior sleuths we would have been forewarned, because honestly, it really is about them in the long run.  Sarah's love interest just floats in and out of the book when he's needed to make an appearance, as does her friend Jess.  I also didn't get why Sarah would allow the three women to 'create an office' at her place of business.

The murder investigation itself didn't really begin until almost half of the book, around page 190, and by then I'd already lost interest in the book.  When I did get to the end it felt forced and as if the author just needed to find someone as the murderer.  We weren't really given clues so it wasn't pointing toward anyone at all, which was disappointing.

The book would have been better, in my opinion, if Sarah actually had a reason to investigate instead of just keeping an eye on the three women (and, I have to wonder, since Maddie was the one suspected of murder, why wasn't she helping find the killer? - after all, it would have been her head in the noose, not her friends').  I also would have liked to have more descriptions of the town and the harbor, which were practically non-existent here.  This one, unfortunately, was a letdown, but I will perhaps try the second in the series as many times the author hones the characters and the books.  Hopefully this will be the case in this series.

https://smile.amazon.com/Whole-Caboodle-Second-Chance-Mystery/dp/0451419944/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2946638215

More on Sofie Ryan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/sofie-ryan/