CATCH AS CAT CAN by Claire Donally

Publisher:     Berkley

Published:     May 3, 2016     

ISBN:        978-0425276075

Genre:      Cozy Mystery

Format:     Print

Obtained via:  Publisher  

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

FOUR HEARTS

 

Shadow has a new friend.  A special friend that has Shadow sneaking rides with his human, Sunny Coolidge, into town for the treats Neil Garret gives him.  Neil is the owner of a brand new fish store right next to Sunny’s MAX office and what self-respecting cat will turn down a bite or two of fish?  But one morning the freezer holds something more than fresh fish. 

When Sunny stops by the seafood shop at the behest of her boss, Ollie Barnstable, to see about the back rent, she is beside Neil when he discovers a body in the freezer.  Sunny quickly brings her beau, detective Will Price to the scene.  Sunny is surprised when Will is accompanied by a woman named Val Overton who turns out to be a U.S. Marshal. 

When a second body turns up the mystery of just what is going on in the seafood shop there’s definitely something fishy going on in Kittery Harbor.

I’ve said it before but I gotta say it again – I love Shadow, the gray kitty in the Sunny and Shadow books.  I particularly liked Claire Donally’s latest in this series, CATCH AS CAT CAN because of Shadow’s larger role in it. Without offering up a spoiler, suffice to say he plays takes a step toward being a more integral part in solving the murder. 

Will and Sunny’s romance appears to have stalled and I hope this doesn’t portend a love triangle starting.  So far Donally has been spot on in keeping this series a super cozy mystery without a lot of gratuitous romance showing up.  The romance between Will and Sunny is nicely done and I like where she’s going to Mrs. Martinson and Sunny’s dad, Mike.  The pace is just right.

The mystery in this one is a good one.  Unique and nicely done.  Donally had some great “keep em guessing” turns in it.  Now comes the hard part – waiting for the next one in the series!

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