COPY CAT KILLING by Sofie Kelly

Publisher:   Signet

Date published:   May 1, 2012

ISBN:  978-0451236623

Genre:   Cozy Mystery

Book format: Paperback

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

 

With another event in the making, small town librarian Kathleen Paulson is seriously taking up permanent residence in Mayville Heights. She’s still on the fence if she is going to stay after her initial contract runs, but she’s becoming more and more involved with and in the lives of its residents. With her good friends Roma, Maggie, Ruby and Rebecca life is pretty complete. Of course those well-meaning friends think she and police detective Marcus Gordon need to do something about their obvious—well obvious to everyone but the couple involved—attraction. With a seeming never ending rainfall causing flooding throughout the city Kathleen is right there with her friends shoring things up and moving things out of the art co-op’s basement. But there is a fly in the co-op’s ointment--Jaeger Merrill—is demanding more than the rest of the co-op can give. He is determined to find a sponsor to support the town’s artists, but the others aren’t so sure it’s the best idea. Before the rest of the co-op can take action on Jaeger’s demands he turns up dead and it’s Kathleen who finds the body.

Determined to stay out of the investigation, despite her kitties Hercules and Owen’s determination to be involved, Kathleen finds herself unsure what to do next. Out at Wisteria Hill to feed the ferals that live in the old Henderson homestead with Marcus she promises him she will stay out of it, that is, until, she stumbles on another body.

Is the second body related to Jaeger’s death or is it a cold case that needs to be put to rest? Can Kathleen find the guilty party…or parties…before he…or she…finds her?

I’m hooked on Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cat series and not just because of Owen and Hercules, although as a cat person they definitely add a whole other level of entertainment for me. In book 3, COPY CAT KILLING, Ms. Kelly has the variances in cats’ personalities down. She shows their individuality with Owen and Herc. She also takes readers into the world of feral cats and the issues they deal with. Alone, prey to other wild animals, injuries that can go untreated and subject to variances in weather. Through the veterinarian character, Roma, their story is told.

I like how not only is Kathleen changing and growing with each story, but how the secondary characters are developing as well. They have lives as full as Kathleen. And once again it’s nice that Kathleen and Marcus aren’t being rushed into a relationship. The focus is on the mystery and how Kathleen along with Owen and Herc, solve it.

Hercules plays a minor part in solving the crime with Owen taking the lead. There is mention of their magical abilities, however, those talents aren’t necessary to finding the murderer. The story could be told without those skills being included.

I also liked the reality of the Knitting Circle and kudos for that particular thread. Without giving much away, suffice to say they do more than knit.

I’m looking forward to book 4 and then it looks like a bit of a wait until book 5 is out. That’s the way it goes with a good series…at some point you have to wait and that makes the next book even better.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.