Monday, October 24, 2016

THE CAT, THE WIFE AND THE WEAPON by Leann Sweeney



Publisher:     NAL
Published:    January 21, 2014
ISBN:        978-0451236470
Genre:       Cozy Mystery
Format:     Print
Obtained via:  Publisher  
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

THREE HEARTS
 

Exhausted from several days on the road at various quilt shows Jillian Hart is more than happy to arrive home.  But there is a dark cloud surrounding that arrival—her beau, Tom, hasn’t been returning her calls or texts.  All was well when she left but this just isn’t like Tom.  When Tom’s part-time employee who also happens to be Jillian’s step-daughter, tells Jillian that she too hasn’t heard from Tom, she heads over to Tom’s.  What she finds there troubles her even more—not only is there a strange man camping out in the house who claims to be Tom’s brother—Tom’s beloved cat, Dashiell has disappeared.  Most upsetting to Jillian about that is that Dashiell has just been diagnosed with diabetes.  She finds the little cat unconscious in Tom’s yard.  Jillian rushes Dashiell to the vet and manages to save his life. She returns home shaken and still concerned about Tom and his whereabouts.  When he arrives it is clear he has been roughed up and the tale he tells quickly leads the couple to a dead body—in Tom’s car.  Could Tom have killed his former partner and ex-wife’s current husband?

Leann Sweeney’s Cats in Trouble series has had some solid mysteries.  And for me, what’s not to love about books starring cats?  Sweeney is clearly a cat person and gets them—she does a wonderful job showing each of their different personalities and quirks.  Some are shy, some gregarious, some friendly to people but not other cats and vice versa.  And they definitely understand their humans and when those humans need a snuggle from the furry friend.  Jillian’s three cats are the epitome of those different personalities and traits.  I’ve also appreciated how she’s developed the relationship between Tom and Jillian. It hasn’t been rushed and instead has progressed at a nice pace.

Her THE CAT, THE WIFE AND THE WEAPON, was an okay read, but it just wasn’t up there with the earlier books.  Something was just missing and it was almost like the author had gotten bored with the story.  The usual zip just wasn’t there.  I thought I knew who the killer was early on, but dismissed it because I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it.  I not only disliked Tom’s brother, Bob—I couldn’t believe what a wimp he was about letting his ne’er-do-well brother take over his home.  Really?  You’d leave someone who you know would steal you blind alone in your house for days on end?  And you’d leave your sick cat in a house with someone who is an avowed animal hater? 

There were parts of the book that were enjoyable, but it wasn’t the great read I’m used to from this author.


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

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