Whiskers and Lies by Sofie Kelly

 Whiskers and Lies

Book Summary

Librarian Kathleen Paulson is always willing to help a friend, but to save one from a wrongful arrest, she’ll need magical backup from her affectionate cats in the newest installment of this New York Times bestselling series.

Baker Georgia Tepper has been hired to provide delicious and spooky cupcakes for the Reading Buddies Halloween Party at the library, and she and Kathleen are meeting to finalize the menu of festive confections. Unfortunately, once Georgia’s former mother-in-law ambushes her at the library and threatens Georgia with legal action, the afternoon of fun is soured.

When Georgia’s litigious in-law is later found dead and the friendly baker is implicated, Kathleen is eager to help prove her innocence. Luckily, Kathleen and her intrepid magical cats, Hercules and Owen, have solved their fair share of mysteries. As a result, she knows that in life as well as crime solving, it is all relative, but with hard work, she can make sure the right criminal is booked.

My Thoughts

Whiskers and Lies by Sofie Kelly is a charming cozy mystery.  I like the characters in this series especially Kathleen.  Her cats, Owen and Hercules are adorable and clever.  I also like Marcus’s cat, Micah.  The characters are developed and relatable.  I love the interactions between Kathleen and her cats.  They seem understand Kathleen and react appropriately.  The cats and their antics (especially Hercules) add humor to the story.  I like the descriptions of Mayville Heights.  It is a town filled with friendly people who watch out for one another.  The prankster and the pranks were entertaining.  It added another mystery to the story.  The main mystery was interesting and entertaining. Georgia Tepper moved to Mayville Heights a few years ago with her daughter, Emmy.  She was running from her in-laws who were determined to gain custody of Emmy.  Unfortunately, Margery and Hugh Wyler have found them, and they have not given up the fight.  When Margery ends up dead, all evidence points to Georgia as the killer.  Kathleen with help from her two feline sidekicks works to uncover the truth.  

I liked this mystery.  It was different.  There are clues to help readers solve the crime before the tense reveal.  I like how Hercules and Owen help by finding clues and leading Kathleen to them.  Their magical abilities are helpful (becoming invisible and walking through walls) when investigating a murder or facing down a killer.  Kathleen knows that her cats have her back.  Kathleen is good at asking questions without being aggressive or accusing.  The reveal was tense and illuminating (there was a touch of humor too). Whiskers and Lies is the fourteenth A Magical Cats Mystery.  It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series.  I did find the pacing to be a little on the slow side.  I wish there had been more action.  The book does contain a small amount of foul language (less than six words).  I enjoyed the Halloween party planning and the descriptions of Georgia’s spooktacular cupcakes.  The ending will surprise readers and will make fans of the series happy.  Whiskers and Lies is a magical tale with appealing pranks, Halloween happenings, clever kitties, a murdered mother-in-law, delectable cupcakes, an alarming arrest, and an unexpected present.

Whiskers and Lies is available from Amazon*.  You can find the other thirteen A Magical Cats Mysteries here.  You can follow Sofie Kelly on Amazon to receive an email when she has a new release.  She also writes A Second Chance Cat Mysteries as Sofie Ryan.  Scaredy Cat will be the tenth book in the series, and it will be out on July 4, 2023.  You can learn more about the author by visiting her website.  Thank you for joining me today.  Next time I am sharing my thoughts on A Quilt for Christmas by Melody Carlson.  I hope that you have a fun day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Fast and the Furriest: A Second Chance Cat Mystery

Greetings!  As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner, Phoebe's Light by Suzanne Woods Fisher, Clairvoyant and Present Danger by Lena Gregory, Murder on the Rocks by Shawn Reilly Simmons, A Well-Timed Murder by Tracee de Hahn, Murder as Sticky as Jam by Diana Orgain (ebook only) and The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan are a some of the books available today.  Sofie Ryan also writes under the name of Sofie Kelly.  Sofie Kelly writes A Magical Cats Mystery series.  

The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan is the fifth installment in A Second Chance Cat Mystery series.  Sarah Grayson owns Second Chance in North Harbor, Maine.  Sarah is refurbishing an item for the shop when she is approached by Erin Fellowes looking for Mac McKenzie (a part-time employee of Sarah’s).  Mac is a private man who has not shared any details of his past.  When Mac returns Sarah passes along the message from Erin.  Later that evening Mac shows up at Sarah’s house.  He was unable to find Erin and wants to tell Sarah about his past.  His wife, Leila has been in a coma for two years from a carbon monoxide leak in their home.  Mac was the main suspect and Leila’s parents sued for guardianship.  While they are talking, Detective Michelle Andrews shows up looking for Mac.  Erin Fellowes was found dead and a witness claims Mac was arguing with her before her death.  Sarah with help from Elvis (her cat) and Charlotte’s Angels goes about locating Erin’s killer and discovering what happened to Leila two years prior. 

The Fast and Furriest can be a standalone.  The necessary details are provided in the book.  I enjoyed the author’s writing style.  The Fast and Furriest is a light, entertaining cozy mystery.  The story has a good pace and great characters (Mr. P is one of my favorites).  I love Sarah’s business and her creative ideas.  I like the interactions between the characters along with the scenes between Elvis and Sarah.  The author is adept at dialogue.  The mystery is nicely constructed. Clues are provided to aid readers in identifying the culprit.  There is also misdirection that could send you down the wrong path.  I appreciated getting to know Mac in this story.  I hope we will see him again in the future books.  It will be interesting to see what develops between Sarah and Nick.  There are those cozy moments that readers love (cooking, going out, gossip, friendship, and family) as well as light-hearted humor.  I give The Fast and the Furriest 5 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a charming cozy mystery with a smart main character and an adorable cat, then you should check out The Fast and the Furriest.  The other books in A Second Chance Cat Mystery series are The Whole Cat and Caboodle, Buy A Whisker, A Whisker of Trouble and Telling Tails.

Thank you for visiting today.  Tomorrow I will be featuring Desired in Darkness by Heather Sunseri.  May you have an enchanting day.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

A Tale of Two Kitties: A Magical Cats Mystery

Welcome!  An Amish Christmas Love by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid and Kelly Irvin will be published on September 12.  It contains four Amish short stories that are set during the holiday season.  Sofie Kelly is pseudonym for Darlene Ryan, a young adult fiction author.  She also writes A Second Chance Cat Mystery series under the non de plume Sofie Ryan.

A Tale of Two Kitties by SofieKelly is the ninth mystery in A Magical Cats Mystery series.  Kathleen Paulson is a librarian in Mayville Heights, Minnesota and owns (well, as much as you can own a cat) two special cats named Owen and Hercules.  When remodeling a local post office, undelivered mail and photos were discovered.  The library has agreed to take possession of the photos.  Kathleen wants to find a way to identify the people in the photos and get them in the hands of family.  Twin brothers, Victor and Leo Janes have returned to town for Thanksgiving and the gossip mill is buzzing.  People remember that Victor had an affair with Leo’s wife.  Unfortunately, Meredith died in a car accident shortly afterward.  This is a chance for a reconciliation between the two men.  Mia Janes, a library student intern, is tickled to have her grandfather in town.  Kathleen drives Mia to visit Leo one day after work and Kathleen notices the apartment door ajar.  She goes inside to find Leo dead from obvious blunt force trauma.  The police soon narrow their sights on Simon Janes, Leo’s son and Kathleen’s friend, when they discover he an argument with Leo and lacks an alibi.  Kathleen with the aid of her two magical sidekicks, Owen and Hercules, delves into the case intent on tracking down Leo’s killer.  Come visit Mayville Heights and help Kathleen solve her latest case in A Tale of Two Kitties.

A Tale of Two Kitties has good writing, but the pace is a little slow.  There are nice, relatable characters and a charming small-town setting.  Kathleen is a great character who has a wonderful job—a librarian!  I enjoy her interactions with her fur babies.  A Tale of Two Kitties contains an extra amount of cozy.  There is socializing, meals, work at the library, romance, the cat’s antics, the found photographs and mail, plus much more.  I wish the author had not devoted so much time to the lost (and now found) photographs and mail.  It seemed to dominate the story. The mystery was interesting and I liked how it was structured (containing several different components that all fit together).  The author included some good clues which will aid readers in solving the crime (plus the suspect list is very small).  My rating for A Tale of Two Kitties is 4 out of 5 stars.  A Tale of Two Kitties is a cute story and I delighted in the paranormal element.  The magical cats are adorable and entertaining (especially Owen with his funky chickens).  If you have not read any of the previous A Magical Cat Mystery novels, you will be a little lost (since there are so many secondary characters) in the beginning and it might hinder readers in solving the crime.  A Tale of Two Kitties is a charming cozy mystery that will delight readers. 

I sincerely hope that each of you have a happy Saturday.  Those in the path of Hurricane Irma, please stay safe.  We are in for a long, wet weekend.  I am currently reading Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury (still trying to catch up on my reading from when I was sick).  I will be reviewing Murder Wears Mittens by Sally Goldenbaum next.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader