Tag: cats

BONUS REVIEW: The Pawful Truth by Miranda James

BONUS REVIEW: The Pawful Truth by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

If you’re working at a good college, why not take advantage of the excellent professors and audit a class? And that question is what sets this story in motion. Charlie Harris signs up for a class on the history of England with a popular young professor at Athena College. And the guy lives up to his reputation as an instructor. He’s engaging and really knows not only his material but how to connect with students. He’s inspiring and persuasive.

Charlie isn’t the only non-traditional student in the class. There’s also Dixie Bell Compton. The professor seems to know her – and he’s not happy to see her. In fact, after the first class, as Charlie is leaving, he hears Dr. Warriner ask her “What the hell are you doing in my class?” Charlie’s only real interaction with Dixie comes when she asks him to be her study partner for the course. As he’s only auditing the class, Charlie declines. When Dixie is later found murdered, Charlie can’t help but wonder if he should have helped her – and if Dr. Warriner had anything to do with her death.

Review

A mystery starring the team of Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, is a treat every time. I love these characters as well as the larger circle of Charlie’s family, boarders and friends. They feel like family after all this time. I’ve been reading about them now for eleven books.

This series always feels fresh to me compared to others in the cozy genre. There’s a male protagonist, there’s no romance with a law enforcement officer, and Charlie is a seasoned character with grandchildren. The two cats in this book are just as nuanced as the human characters with personalities and antics that I find fun to read.

This was a twisty mystery – and Charlie had permission to keep his ears open for clues this time since so much of what happened was tied to the college. That was a nice change as well. The solution didn’t come until the very last pages, but I wasn’t 100% sold on it. There’s a reason built into the solution for my reluctance to feel it’s completely wrapped up. But even then, there were a few moments that didn’t ring true for me emotionally with the characters. Maybe I needed more – a few more paragraphs to the solution so it felt better anchored to me. That may just be personal preference. That said, the solution fit the story, and the book ended with a lot of energy – and a set up for the next book in the series, Careless Whiskers, set to release in January 2020. I know I won’t be missing it – and you shouldn’t either.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Snazzy Cat Capers by Deanna Kent

REVIEW: Snazzy Cat Capers by Deanna Kent

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ophelia Von Hairball V of Burglaria is the premiere cat burglar in the world. And she could prove it once again by winning the Furry Feline Burglary Institute’s (FFBI) 5th Annual Purr-fect Heist Competition – if she had any idea it was happening.

But Ophelia’s nemesis has gone all out to keep Ophelia out of the competition. Thanks to her new inventor/sidekick, Oscar F. Gold, though, Ophelia still has a chance. She just has to get all the way to Paris, sneak into the Belle Mew-seum, and steal the rare Himalayan Diamond without being seen by her nemesis. Then she has to get to Belgium with the diamond by the deadline which is in less than two days.

How hard could it be?

Review

This was fun! Lots of cat puns, but the overall story was solid. Ophelia is a bit of a diva when it comes to her cat burglaring (but she is still like-able). Her partner, Oscar, is earnest and clever. They make a great team when Ophelia deigns to let Oscar help.

The illustrations in the book – pictures, letters, comic panels – are integral to the story telling. You can’t skip past them. With the exception of a couple times when the integration or transition was clunky, this worked really nicely.

No worries that this book will turn readers into criminals. The cat burglars return the things they steal – at least, eventually. The heist is really more about the challenge than about the spoils.

The age range on this one is 7-10 which makes this either a transitional chapter book or a young middle grade. It’s over 200 pages, and while illustrated, there are fewer illustrations than say a Bad Kitty book. So I would lean towards a younger middle grade audience. (2nd-4th grade, and maybe higher) This fun book is the kick off of a new series. Book two – The Fast and the Furriest – will release in 2019.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Ra the Mighty, Cat Detective by Amy Butler Greenfield

REVIEW: Ra the Mighty, Cat Detective by Amy Butler Greenfield

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Ra is the Pharaoh’s Cat. He lives a pampered life poolside with all the snacks he could want. Cats are revered in Egyptian culture. So Ra is living the good life!

When a stray kitchen cat named Miu asks Ra to help her prove a young servant didn’t steal a priceless amulet, Ra is not interested. He has the pool and snacks! Why would he want to do anything  but nap? Ra’s companion, Khepri the scarab (dung beetle) and Miu convince Ra to help them find the girl who is in hiding in the palace. When they find Tedimut, the servant girl pours her heart out to Miu about what happened (cats are great listeners), and Ra decides, after hearing her story, to help.

Ra and Khepri move about the palace, listening to the human occupants talk about the crime. But the animal occupants – Aar the leopard, Ini and Ibi the turtledoves, and Bebi the baboon – are helpful informants, too. But can a lazy, pampered cat and a dung beetle really  solve a mystery in the palace? And if they do, how will they get the humans to understand what really happened?

Review

I loved this book! It’s marketed to the early chapter book crowd, but I feel like it’s really more of a young middle grade book. I think this will work for any elementary school kiddo who can handle the length of the book. The mystery is solid. There are a few possible suspects, and Ra and Khepri are fun detectives. I love how they figured out the solution AND were able to clue the humans in.

There are some classic detective schemes used in this one, including the clueless “detective” and the clever “assistant” who really does a lot of the mystery solving. Ra and Khepri make a great team, though. Khepri is insightful, smart and observant even if he is obsessed with dung. Ra wants to live up to his title as Pharaoh’s Cat, and he uses his access to the palace and his position to get them into all the places they need to go to solve the case. Miu is devoted to Tedimut, and she’s committed to doing what she can to save her.  And she knows just how to work Ra to help make that happen.

I loved this! I hope there are many more to come. The Egyptian history pieces, including an author’s note, give this great story an added layer of awesome. Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Claws for Concern by Miranda James

REVIEW: Claws for Concern by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Charlie Harris has met a lot of people through his jobs as a librarian. Walking around with a 40-pound Maine Coon named Diesel helps him meet people, too. This time, Charlie meets Bill Delaney. Delaney says he’s the son of Charlie’s late uncle from his first, brief marriage. The guy seems a little lost. His mother recently died, and the news of his father’s identity is pretty new. Charlie, being Charlie, considers inviting Bill to rent one of the boarding rooms at his house.

At the same time, true crime writer, Jack Pemberton, contacts Charlie about working together on a book about amateur sleuths and the crimes they’ve solved. Jack lives in Tullahoma, Bill Delaney’s home town. The town where Bill was suspected of four murders, but never charged.

Charlie feels a responsibility to help Bill out, but he can’t invite a murderer into his home! But when Bill is involved in a hit-and-run that doesn’t seem accidental, Charlie and Diesel decide to team up with Pemberton to see if they can solve the 20 year old cold case once and for all.

Review

I have enjoyed this series since I read the very first book. I don’t read a lot of cozy mysteries with a male protagonist, and I like how this sets the series apart. Diesel is a terrific character – not just animal window dressing for the series. He opens up conversations for Charlie, passes judgement on the character of people involved in the cases, and chirps his two cents along the way.

One of the things I liked about this particular story was the fresh take offered by a cold case and a new sleuthing partner for Charlie. The usual characters are still around – Charlie’s boarders, housekeeper, and family as well as the Ducote sisters – but they are secondary to most of the action.

The mystery in this one is “quiet.” There’s not a lot of action or danger until the very end. The case is solid. I was working on the solution all the way to the end. Since it’s a cold case, Jack and Charlie have to do a lot of digging, interviewing folks until they can shake loose a new wrinkle in the case. I enjoyed that.

The Tullahoma pieces felt like a cozy mystery in the making. I couldn’t find evidence of a series starring Jack Pemberton, but if Miranda (Dean) James decides to write one, I will definitely read it!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Every Dog Has His Day by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Every Dog Has His Day by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Zachary Caine was content with his bachelor life. He had Rufus, the dog he was fostering for a friend, his “Maine crew” to hang out with, and his work.

But a yowl changed all that. The adorable daughters of his neighbor knocked on his door, begging for help. Their kitten was stranded on Zach’s roof. Of course Zach had to help them!

The last time Zach had talked to the girls’ mother, Jessie, he’d called her “sweetheart,” and she had told him off in no uncertain terms. This interaction was at least civil. And Zach got a kick out of the girls. The kitten on his roof opened up a more neighborly relationship between Zach and Jessie. And that comes in handy when a blizzard hits and they lose power. They pool their resources to wait out the storm together. And while they wait, things begin to thaw between them even more.

Review

In many ways, this series is very different from the Jenn McKinlay cozy mysteries I have enjoyed for years. There’s more language, inuendo, and other mature content in this romance series than you find in the mysteries. But no matter the series, McKinlay writes fantastic characters!

I have loved this whole “Maine crew” from the beginning. I’ve enjoyed the individual stories about the various couples. But I also love how the group operates – the way they show up for one another, the way they care for each other, and their protectiveness for anyone in their circle. As well as those who join the circle along the way.

The little group of Zach, Jessie, and her girls are magic. Zach treats the girls as individuals of value even before he starts to fall for their mother. They are never a means to something else or a hinderance in his mind. He is intentional with them, he responds to their different personalities, and they respond to his love and respect. The loneliness Zach and Jessie have experienced makes them a good fit with potential to “get” one another in ways others can’t. And with the exception of a couple of (reasonable) conflicts and misunderstandings, I loved how honest they were with one another. This is not a plot based on lies and secrets or anything like that where you find yourself thinking, “Just tell them already!” Things are out in the open and mature between them.

This is a great romance series, and I highly recommend it for adults who enjoy the genre! Book 2 is probably my favorite of the three in the series, but this is a close second! Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an electronic review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Twelve Angry Librarians by Miranda James

REVIEW: Twelve Angry Librarians by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Athena is hosting an academic librarian’s conference which means Charlie is enjoying catching up with old friends. But he’s not happy to see every person who is attending the conference.

Gavin Fong is horrible. He steals credit on professional articles and blackballs other librarians from advancing in their careers. He even tries to blackmail Charlie into helping him get the Library Director’s job at Athena College.

When Gavin dies from poison in his bottled water – the special brand he insisted on during one of his diva moments – no one is really surprised. Plenty of people despised him. As an insider, Charlie may be able to ask questions and pursue clues to help the police catch a killer.

Review

Another great mystery in this terrific series! (Book 8 in the series)

The core characters play their usual roles in the story. The detective is willing to hear Charlie’s theories while maintaining a professional distance. Charlie’s family and friends are supportive while also having their own lives and parts to play in the larger story.

The mystery was great. There were a LOT of folks who didn’t like the victim. He was narcissistic and cruel. He cared only for himself and his own advancement no matter the cost. The solution was creative and unusual while also being reasonable and satisfying.

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series right now. You can’t go wrong with any book in the series! The author’s next book will be a new story in the Southern Ladies Mystery series, Fixing to Die, which will be out in the fall.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥