Sister Katusha poses with our copy of the book, which we bought at Poisoned Pen Bookstore in Scottsdale, AZ.
We loved this cozy mystery set in a library and starring two cats with magical powers. Cats who can do magic – what could be more enchanting! Kathleen Paulson, head librarian in small town Mayville Heights, MN, finds the estranged father of a good friend, Simon, bludgeoned to death. It falls on her – and her cats – to prove to the head detective, Marcus, who happens to be Kathleen’s love interest – innocent. It is well known by the townspeople that Simon fought viciously with his father, and he has a motive and little alibi, so Kathleen’s got her work cut out for her.
As for the two cats: Hercules, a tuxedo cat, has the ability to walk through walls, and Owen, his grey tabby brother, the power to disappear at will. (Lots of cats seem to have that power :)) Kelly creatively makes good use of the cats’ magical powers in helping to solve the crime.
This was my first Sofie Kelly book – she has several in the “Magical Cats” series. I found the town to be well described, making me feel like I lived there, and the characters, including the minor ones, well drawn, making me feel like they were my friends. Kathleen is smart and resourceful, as you’d expect of a librarian, and easy to root for, and the mystery was adequately suspenseful without the murderer coming from out of nowhere, like I’ve seen in too many cozy mysteries lately. Kathleen ends up solving not on the the killing at hand but a crime from the past as well.
We give this one five bonito flakes!
