REVIEW: Paws to Remember

 Paws to Remember
Author: Sofie Kelly 

It's the holiday season. Librarian Kathleen Paulson and her fiance Marcus are planning a trip to Boston to spend Christmas with her family. And everything is going wrong....including finding the body of a teenage girl who disappeared 36 years before.  Can they solve a cold case....and still have a family Christmas?

I ended up totally binge reading this book. I couldn't put it down. Cold cases are so intriguing, and the plot just sucked me right in.  For me, this is the best book in the series so far. 

A bit of a surprise at the end made me smile. Not going to say what, but Hercules (one of Kathleen's cats) and his friend have a great moment. Loved it!  Best moment in the series as far as I am concerned. 

I now have the next book -- and potentially the final book in this series -- on my desk ready to read. It seems weird to think I may be starting the last book featuring these characters. What a ride! I've loved each book...and I enjoy all the characters, the cats, and all the amateur sleuthing. And....maybe....just maybe Furever After will turn out to not be the last book after all....

We shall see. :)  

 

REVIEW: Whiskers and Lies

 Whiskers and Lies
Author: Sofie Kelly 

Autumn is in the air and Mayville Heights residents are ready for a fun and spooky good time. Halloween decoration and party planning by the local library staff is interrupted by a rather public argument in the library. The family drama stemming from a custody battle then escalates when one party is found dead at the rocky bottom of steep embankment. Librarian Kathleen Paulson and her cats Owen and Hercules are once again on the trail of a killer.  

This story kept my attention from start to finish. The ending was rather darker than I expected - but perfect! I had to stop reading for a few minutes and let the who/why/how sink in before I could read the last few pages. Intense! 

Owen and Hercules are fabulous as usual. I love how they join their sleuthing skills with Kathleen's. There was some interesting character development in this book as well. Can't wait to read the next book! 

I can't believe I'm down to just two more books to read in this series! I have heard that book 16 is the final book in this series, but I haven't been able to verify that for sure. I will enjoy the next two books and savor them like they are the last....and will just be pleasantly surprised if there are more. 

I already have the next book -- Paws to Remember -- on my desk ready to go. 

Great cozy series! I have enjoyed every book!  

REVIEW: Cold as Hell

 Cold as Hell
Author: Kelley Armstrong

Cold as Hell is the 3rd book in the Haven's Rock series, which is a spinoff of Kelley Armstrong's Rockton books. Haven's Rock is a settlement hidden deep in the Yukon. A place where residents can come to start new lives, hide out from danger, and feel relatively safe. Their past is kept secret. They have jobs within the settlement. And, life goes on. 

Casey Duncan is the local detective and helped start the new settlement with her husband, Eric, who is the Sheriff. Casey is pregnant and dealing with that in the middle of the Yukon as best she can. Things are going ok and everyone is settling into routine finally....until....   (There is always an "Until" isn't there!)

Someone drugs a female resident and drags her into the forest. She's saved by another resident before any further violence occurs. Then a snowstorm hits, and as the snow flies and the wind blows, Casey and Eric learn another female resident of the settlement is missing. Only this time, they find her frozen dead body in the snow. 

Who attacked one woman and killed another? It's hard to know in a town where people's pasts are secret and nobody knows who anyone really is. Which one of them is a murderer? 

I loved the Rockton series....and this new spinoff in a new settlement! Always the perfect combination of wilderness survival, unexpected events and suspense! 

I listened to the audio book version of this book [Macmillan Audio, 10 hrs 6 minutes, narrated by Therese Plummer]. Therese is a skilled narrator and always gives a great performance.  

This story kept my attention from start to finish. The pacing was spot-on and there were plenty of suspects and surprises along the way. 

I do have to say that I did get a bit tired of hearing about Casey's pregnancy. It just got old by the end of a 10 hour audio book. lol 

I can't wait for the next book!!  

 

REVIEW: Hooked on a Feline

 Hooked on a Feline
Author: Sofie Kelly

This is the 13th book in the Magical Cats Mystery series. I first started reading this series years ago when the first couple of books came out. Then life intervened and I didn't have much time to read. Life is calmer now, and I've learned that it's important to find time for things that make you happy. Reading moved up on my priority list! So, this year I backtracked and started reading this series again from the start. 

I've almost caught up to the author! :) 

A couple incredibly busy weeks at work caused me to not finish my library copy of this book before the due date...so at Chapter 6 I had to switch to an audio book through Hoopla to finish up. 

I enjoyed this story. This time, a local band comes back together to put on a reunion concert, but just days later one of them is dead. Librarian Kathleen Paulson, her two slightly magical kitty cats and her detective boyfriend Marcus....plus their circle of friends....are back on the case! 

The plot kept me engaged the entire time. There was plenty of suspects and amateur sleuthing. And, the cats, Owen and Hercules, helped solve the case as usual. 

The audio book (Tantor Media, 2021, Narrator Cassandra Campbell, 7 hours 21 minutes) was a great save when I had to return my book before I was done. In fact, when I came out of the library after returning my book, I sat in the parking lot for a minute and checked the book out on Hoopla using my phone. Modern libraries for the win! But....I didn't like the narrator. For me, the way she did the voices of the characters was odd and a bit annoying. Not my favorite narrator at all. But, I was determined to find out who the killer was, so kept listening. If this wasn't  one of my favorite series, I probably would have turned the book off and moved on to the next book.  

Great addition to this series!  I'm glad I'm finally getting to read all of these books. I will be sad when I close the cover on book 16 and realize I'm waiting on the author to publish a new story before I can continue. Or, that book 16 might be the end of the series. I will just savor the next 3 books in the series and hope that there will be more! 

 

REVIEW: A Case of Cat and Mouse

 A Case of Cat and Mouse
Author: Sofie Kelly 

 

I'm working my way through this entire series. It's taken a spot on my list of favorite cozy mystery series. Two cute kitties, each with a magical power. A small town librarian whose boyfriend is a police detective. And a group of various friends that help Kathleen and her kitties solve mysteries. 

What's not to love? 

I've had most of this series on my bookshelves for a few years, started reading with book one in 2011 when it first published. But life got busy and I lost track of this cute series. Picked up book one again this year....and just finished book 13. Having a great time!! 

In A Case of Cat and Mouse, a reality cooking show is in town. One of Kathleen's friends is a contestant. Kathleen is doing research. And the whole town is just enjoying having something this exciting going on in town. Things are going perfectly....until.....one of the show's judges is found dead face-down in a bowl of whipped cream. Once again, Kathleen and her magical kitties are on the trail of a killer!  Who offed the judge? 

Great addition to this series! The plot kept my attention from start to finish. Hercules and Owen were once again real characters in the book, helping out and making solve the case. They aren't just kitties....they are kitty sleuths! There were plenty of suspects, and the perfect amount of amateur sleuthing. 

I'm on to the next book!  I'm almost caught up to the author! Only 4 books left!  

REVIEW: No Rest for the Wicked

 No Rest for the Wicked
Author: Rachel Louise Adams

Delores Hawthorne left her hometown in Wisconsin years ago, cutting all ties with family and friends. But after 20 years, she's drawn back. Her father is missing under odd circumstances. Her memories of events on a Halloween night years and years ago are vague and disjointed. Now her father is gone, her family's reaction to her homecoming is cold, and something tells her that there is much more to that night and its aftermath than she remembers......

Wow! I loved this book! The story reveals the intricacies of an odd Halloween obsessed town, the difficulties in a blended family, and the one event that tore apart Delores' life when she was a teenager. 

This is Rachel Louise Adams' debut novel. I will definitely be reading more by this author! The suspense built steadily....revelations coming out bit by but....until the ending just exploded on the page. 

I listened to the audio book version of this story, narrated by Jeremy Carlisle Parker (Macmillan Audio, 12 hrs 4 minutes) and had an ebook review copy as well (St Martins Press). 

Awesome book for spooky reading season! And the cover art is amazing! I can't wait to find out what this new author comes out with next! 

**I read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press and a review audio book from Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**  

REVIEW: It Happened in Colorado

 It Happened in Colorado
Author: James A. Crutchfield

I've lived in Colorado since 2022. I love it here. I love the vibe of the large metro region I live in, the culture, the mountains and wildlife....and the history! 

 I recently went on a group trip to a history museum, and afterwards I wanted to gain more knowledge of Colorado history. I thought this book would be a good place to start. 

It Happened in Colorado is an easy read only 128 pages, plus a Bibliography and index in the back. Topics are separated into 35 short snippets, ranging from ancient times up to the 1980s. Most of the topics I was familiar with already, but some events were completely new to me. Each story is about 3-4 pages long with just enough information to give basic facts. 

At first I was disappointed that the information was so brief, but then I made a list of topics I want to research further. So, the book fulfilled the purpose I wanted.....a place to start in my efforts to study Colorado history!  

REVIEW: A Night's Tail

 A Night's Tail
Author: Sofie Kelly

 

A Night's Tail is the 11th book in the Magical Cats Mystery series. 

I have loved this series since book 1!! :) Hercules and Owen are great kitties. They help their owner, Librarian Kathleen Paulson, solve mysteries and each have a very interesting paranormal power. 

This time around, a shady businessman who has been going around town looking for supposed investments is found dead. Nobody is really sad as the man has been acting like a real jerk all around town, including kicking a service dog. When one of her little brother's friends becomes a suspect, Kathleen and her magical kitties (and her detective boyfriend) are on the case. Can they discover who offed the jerk? 

I love how Owen and Hercules help Kathleen when she's doing her amateur sleuthing. :) 

The plot moved along at a good pace with plenty of sleuthing and suspects. Kathleen's friends were awesome as usual, and it was nice to have Kathleen's little brother and his band in town. 

A great book in this series! I'm moving on to book 12! :)  

REVIEW: Murder at the Blackwood Inn

 Murder at the Blackwood Inn
Author: Penny Warner

Carissa Blackwood is having a rough time. She leaves her husband (a cheater), and moves to help her two eccentric aunts run their Bed & Breakfast in CA. But it isn't just any B&B -- it's haunted. Add in a dash of the occult and her aunts being suspects in a murder, and you get this fun, entertaining, humorous start to a cozy mystery series.  

I love the characters in this book! Carissa is trying to put her life back together and just rolls with the punches as best she can. The aunts are endearing and just a bit zany. A cute handyman and a ghost round out things perfectly. 

The mystery moves along at a good pace. There was plenty of amateur sleuthing and suspects.The book seemed to be more of a series opener, rather than a hard hitting mystery. I loved the fact that the characters were developed and allowed to entertain. And, the romance angle is hinted at but didn't play a big part in the story yet. The mystery was light, and enjoyable.  

This book was the perfect one to kick off my spooky reading season this year. The story is a great start to a new series. I can't' wait to read the next book! 

 And, if the B&B was a real place -- I would make a reservation in a heart beat!!  Yep.....crystals and seances with two crazy aunts and a ghost? Yep! I would stay there and have a great time! 

**I read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane. All opinions expressed are entirely my own** 

REVIEW: The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz

 The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz: A Story of Survival
Author: Anne Sebba

This is the story of 50 women of all ages from 11 nations that were "chosen" -- forced is perhaps a better word -- to form an orchestra in Auschwitz. Performing as part of the orchestra gave them a better chance for survival. A bit more food. Basic medical care and rest when sick.  All so they could continue to perform both for prisoners and Nazi SS officers. 

I had a hard time reading this book. Not because there was anything wrong with the story. The book is well written. I just felt such sympathy for these women that the story was hard to take. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to be forced to play music for men, women and children I knew were going to be murdered, or how terrifying it must have been to give performances for Nazi SS Officers. The guilt, horrors of the concentration camp, and the knowledge that musical ability was the one thing keeping them alive must have been incredibly difficult. 

I loved getting to know these women through this story. Anne Sebba writes a vibrant and dark history of their experiences in the camp. I could only read maybe a chapter at a time before having to put the book down. Heavy, heavy feelings.  

Wonderful story. I'm glad I got to read this. I had no idea there was a women's orchestra at Auschwitz until I read this book. 

**I read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own** 

REVIEW: Tails from the Crypt

 Tails from the Crypt
Author: Sarah Fox 

My spooky reading season seems to start earlier and earlier each year. Halloween is my absolutely most favorite holiday and has been since I was very young. So, of course, every fall I read every Halloween theme cozy mystery I can get my hands on!  

I didn't realize this was the 3rd book in a series when I requested it to review. I got sucked in by the colorful, fun cover and the Halloween theme. I usually don't read a series out of order, but I did this time! 

Definitely back-tracking and starting with book 1! It's already borrowed from Hoopla and ready to go! 

This was such a fun read for me! Animals with a touch of magic to them, Halloween, an animal sanctuary.....it clicked every button on my fav cozy scenarios list. 

I like the characters, the background theme, the dogs are lovely.....I'm definitely going to read this series! 

The story moved at a perfect pace. There were plenty of suspects and suspense, and lots of amateur sleuthing. Add in a touch of magic -- not too much, not too little -- and it was just such an entertaining cozy to read! 

I will definitely be reading more from this author! This book put a huge It's Almost Fall smile on my face!  

REVIEW: Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library

 Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library
Author: Amanda Chapman

I am currently in the middle of a reading project that was decades in the planning. I discovered Agatha Christie's writing during the summer when I was 9 years old. I happened on a garage sale in my neighborhood and there was a box set of Hercule Poirot novels. Six of them. I biked home and begged my mom for the $4 to buy the books. I did extra chores the rest of the summer to pay her back, and spent a lot of evenings laying across my bed reading the exploits of Poirot. I was hooked. 

I started trying to get copies of all of her books because I wanted to read them all.  But, I lived in a very small town with no bookstore and a very limited library. No used bookshop either. So little by little I gathered titles when I could get to a bookstore or found copies at garage sales or received them at holidays. I kept a list in my purse of all the titles I already owned, adding more as I had lucky finds. 

Then life got in the way. And for years, my collection of paperbacks moved from dorm room, to apartment, to house, to another house, to other states......and I never got to read more than a couple of them. Then the internet revolutionized how we gather information....I no longer had to work so hard to get a complete list of Agatha's writing. And....my kids grew up. 

I now had time to actually read my books! 

Over the past few years, I've been reading her mystery writing in publication order. I take my time. I stop and look up references, history, the poisons mentioned. And I watch each movie or television episode based on each story, and listen to any audio dramas -- any adaptations I can find (even a French television show based on her stories). I'm having fun!  

Just about halfway through. 

Now that I said all that -- the minute I read the blurb about this book by Amanda Chapman, I just had to read it!! 

And I'm so glad I did!  This story was just so charming, fun and entertaining to read!! Agatha Christie has been my favorite author for almost 50 years now. And I'm reading my way through all of her lovely mystery stories. The thought of a library in New York at a posh address with a recreation of her library in her vacation home in England was divine. Add in the ghost of Agatha showing up to help solve a mystery? Heaven!!  

I'm not sure what I would do if the ghost of Agatha Christie showed up to inform me she was going to assist me in amateur sleuthing. Most likely after an initial scream, I would be so excited to meet her (even with her being rather life challenged, so to speak), I would just roll with it like the main character in this book did. 

I loved every word of this book! I totally binge read this entire story over Labor Day Weekend. I couldn't put it down once I started, except to sleep for awhile. I had a silly smile on my face the entire time! 

And, it looks like this is the start to a series!! I can't wait for the next book!!  

REVIEW: The Cats Came Back

 The Cats Came Back
Author: Sofie Kelly

Mayville Heights is gearing up for a music festival. The little town is expecting an influx of performers and tourists for the event. Just as things are starting to amp up, a dead body is found in the river. And, of course, the dead woman has ties to a festival performer. 

Local Librarian, Kathleen Paulson, and her two wonderful cats are instantly on the case. As is Kathleen's detective boyfriend, of course. Can they figure out who killed the singer's friend before rumors and fears ruin the festival? 

I enjoyed this 10th book in the Magical Cats Mystery series. For once, I took a guess at who did it...and I was right. But not because the author gave too much away. I just got lucky! :) 

I love how Kathleen's two cats, Owen and Hercules, always help her solve the case. And I enjoy how the author gives both kitties distinct personalities. They are main characters, just as much as any of the humans in the book. 

Moving on to book 11. I hit a hole in my personal bookshelves, and grabbed copies of the next 4 books from my local library. Love love love my local library!! :)