Sofie KellyRezensionen

Water damage at the artists’ co-op led to the discovery of a body hidden for decades in the wall. Kathleen just happened to be there when the body was pulled out from behind the damaged drywall. Her detective boyfriend, Marcus Gordon, suspects it to be the body of a missing girl who disappeared 30 years ago. A young girl who may have a connection to this case asks Kathleen to look into the identity of this body, and the history behind the disappearance. Of course, she does, and of course, it gets her into trouble. It’s a good thing she gets some help from her friends and her magical felines as well as the neighbor’s dog. It’s an entertaining mystery, and the cats are always a delightful addition. These characters are starting to seem like old and dear friends, and it’s always nice to visit them.

I just could not get interested in this book. By the time I waded through all the exposition in the beginning chapters to get to the actual mystery, I no longer cared much. I like the idea of a cat-lady librarian for a main character, but other than judging people by the books they check out, there's not much library to this story aside from the setting. The cats weren't particularly engaging for me, either.

Anyway, I hate to abandon a book after getting so far into it, but I just couldn't face another seven hours of audio when I was barely paying attention anyway. DNF at 32%.

Audio version, borrowed from my public library. Cassandra Campbell's performance was ok. I was attempting to read this for the 2018 Halloween Bingo square Cozy Mystery: a subgenre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. Instead, I have picked up book #6 in the Haunted Home Renovation series, Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell.

Marguerite Gavin (Narrator)
Referred to KISS as a "70's hair band" WHAT???
cure story and enjoyed the narrator

Marguerite Gavin (Narrator)
Cute story. Enjoying the series.

While feeding the cats out at Wisteria Hill, Kathleen feels the earth crumbling beneath her. The resulting land slide reveals skeletal remains where there should be none. They discover the remains belong to Roma's real father, and that leaves a lot of questions for Roma about what she's been told about him. At the artist's co-op, Maggie's vision is challenged by another artist's desire to bring in investors, but he turns up dead--floating in the basement. Was it natural death or murder? Kathleen's cats Owen and Hercules are there to lend a paw when she needs a clue. Usually when two cases are linked in a plot, they fit together in the end some way. These didn't. They remained separate. I spent a lot of mental time trying to figure out an angle where the two would work together. The historic investigation was more interesting than the current one because it included an interesting community group from the past. In the book's closing pages, readers learn the answer to why Marcus (the detective) doesn't have a library card--a question they've been asking since the first book in the series.½

Though busy at her secondhand store, Sarah is looking forward to a house tour with her friend, Michelle, a detective. When the tour turns up a dead body, Sarah wants to remove suspicion from the owners of the B&B where the body was found. The fact that there is a history between the owners and the dead TV show host is troubling. He was a debunker of ghost stories, and they have a ghost story they are trying to preserve. Looking at the acquaintances of the deceased for anyone else who might be provoked to kill him has Sarah in sleuth mode. The elderly Angels, along with Elvis the cat, are also on the case. It’s quite intriguing and definitely entertaining. This well written mystery is another great addition to the series.

I dove into this series with this book being my first to read, so it was a tad confusing for me, I found it hard to keep up with the characters. I read in another review that I should have at least read Curiosity Thrilled the Cat first. With that being said, the magical cats Owen and Hercules are my favorite characters, the second being Kathleen whom is the head librarian at Mayville Heights Free Public Library in Minneapolis. I believe that if I would go back and read the start of this series, I would enjoy it so much more than I have. Do not get me wrong this sounds like a wonderful series and I do look forward to starting at the beginning to read much more about the mystery-busting trio.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Buy A Whisker by Sofie Ryan, is great, I am enjoying the main character’s family and all the tips for rehabilitating furniture that people bring in from dumpsters! I used to watch p ickers on TV to find things that can be rescued and the main character. Sophie Grayson has a business, Second Chance, that buys from pickers and she and her employees fix them up to sell. I enjoyed reading about what she did with the furniture. Her friends are all great characters so I got interested in them before I did in the mystery. As the book proceeds, more suspects appear and
I ended up staying up late at night to find out who was the murderer.

Rose is my favorite character, a senior with no fear and plenty of determination. Elvis the black cat has the unusual ability to be a lie detector when Sophie interviews the suspects. Sophie seems to be more of a dog person instead cat person but Elvis really helps her solve mysteries.

Someone is sabotaging cat shows, and Elvis, Sarah’s exceptional cat, is tapped by the Angels, a senior detecting group, to help catch the culprit. It’s quite an intriguing mystery, and with Elvis as the star of the show, it’s very entertaining. It’s always a pleasure to read about Sarah’s creativeness in repurposing discarded objects, and it adds much enjoyment to the story. Well written with delightful characters, especially Elvis, this addition to the series shines bright.

Sarah happens upon her friend Stella in the street, in shock and holding a bloody glass ball. Then Sarah sees a body lying in the street, head bashed in and bleeding. So begins this mystery. Sarah and her groups of senior citizen detectives are hard at work, trying to prove their friend is innocent. Because of all the evidence linking Stella to the murder, proving her innocence won’t be easy. They will have to uncover the real killer. It’s quite a mystery, intriguing and entertaining. Adding interest to the story are the continuing characters, including Elvis the cat, as well as the story thread concerning the running of Sarah’s second hand shop. It all adds up to make it a very interesting story.

There is bad blood between two estranged brothers, and when one returns after a long absence, the whole town is interested to see what will happen. Interests peak when one brother is found murdered. His granddaughter is devastated, and Kathleen feels she must get involved to prove her friend - the deceased man’s son - had nothing to do with his murder. You can be sure that Kathleen will need help from her magical cats to keep herself out of harm’s way. This is another great installment in this entertaining series. Well written with cat characters who steal the show from their human counterparts, these stories will capture the interest of cozy readers as well as cat lovers.

Kathleen and her cats have a murder to solve, or least help with. Her friend Georgia has an unpleasant encounter with her former in-laws who have tracked her down despite her name change. Because the grandparents want custody of their granddaughter, Georgia is considering another run when her ex-mother-in-law is found dead. And Georgia is the prime suspect. Marcus, police detective and Kathleen’s boyfriend, warns her to be careful and not to interfere with the police investigation. But being Kathleen, she goes ahead with her own investigation anyway. This was an intriguing mystery. There are enough clues along the way for the astute reader to puzzle things out along with Kathleen. Included in the characters list is Marcus’s father who plays a key role. These delightful magical cats mysteries are always entertaining and a lot of fun. This one will leave readers wanting the next one for sure.

Sarah Grayson runs Second Chance - a shop in the oceanfront town of North Harbor, Maine, where she sells items that have been lovingly repurposed and refurbished. Elvis, the stray cat that has chosen Sarah as his companion, charms all the customers that come into the store. And when Sarah's elderly friend Maddie is found with the body of a dead man in her garden, it's up to Elvis and Sarah to clear the old lady's name and to make sure the real murderer doesn't get a second chance to kill again.

I have to mention Elvis first.. I love him. He has cattitude, but he's so charming and smart and you can't help but fall in love with him. At first I did have trouble keeping names straight since there are a few old women who hang out together in this story. But I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, the setting, the second hand store aptly named Second Chance, the mystery. I especially enjoyed the main character's reluctance to get involved with finding out who the murderer is - that was very refreshing! I feel like I have to mention that there were a lot of errors in chapter 15 and it was distracting. With that being said I still can't wait to read more in this series!

North Harbor, Maine, has been quiet since Sarah Grayson and her rescue cat, Elvis, solved a murder that cleared their friend's name. Sarah is happy giving items a second chance at her store Second Chance. But now there's controversy over developing the waterfront which the residents are all for - except for baker Lily Carter. So when Lily is found murdered in her bakery, everyone thinks it's over the development. But Sarah isn't so sure, and it's up to her and Elvis to find the motive and the murderer.

A fun follow-up to the first book, The Whole Cat and Caboodle. Once again we have great characters (I love Elvis!), and a great setting. I love the Second Chance shop and I love that the characters actually still do work there even though they want to solve the murder. The mystery was good. Some things were convenient but I suppose that's how it goes sometimes. I'm looking forward to book #3!

A cute cozy mystery. Set in Minnesota. I like Roma's statement about how she has chocolate and duct tape - "If I can't fix whatever's wrong with those two things, I'm going home and getting back into bed." I would have liked to have seen more from the cats.½

Not done yet. But I will say the author needs to find a different narrator to read the audiobook. The reader has a tired voice that becomes nasal at times. It makes the heroine sound like a whiny loser.

Finished:
The narrator’s voice did not improve.

By the end of the book, I realized this is more of an old-fashioned Harlequin romance with a murder thrown in so it can be classified as a mystery. There’s definitely more relationship stuff going on than investigating. Nothing wrong with that; it simply isn’t my cup of tea.

As much as I like the cat aspects of the series, the cats don’t show up enough to hold my interest.

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.

This is the first in another series with a cat in the title, the Second Chance Cat Mystery Series’. The series revolves around Sarah Grayson, who owns and runs “Second Chance, the Repurpose Shop” in a small coastal town in Maine called North Harbor.

Sarah had only been in town for a few months. She had returned to a place she dearly loved from childhood visits — where her grandmother lived after her late-night syndicated radio show had been canceled. After only a few months, Sarah’s new store was already a success. And, Sarah had already acquired Elvis, a big black cat that, as a stray in the town, had acquired a large scar across his nose. Before long, one of Sarah’s grandmother’s friends is found sitting beside a dead man, and the friend, Maddie, is accused of murder.

Maddie’s friends, who are mostly elderly ladies, are though. Sarah is, however, very interested in trying to keep Maddie’s and Sarah’s grandmother’s friends out of trouble. And, after failing to persuade them to let the police do their job, Sarah reluctantly begins to participate in the sleuthing to try to keep them safe.

It is an interesting journey of finding the murderer by way of many guesses and misses and one is surely going to enjoy this series....

Digital audio read by Marguerite Gavin

Book two in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series, featuring Sarah Grayson, proprietor of Second Chance, a consignment shop in North Harbor, Maine, and her rescue cat, Elvis. Sarah gets involved in a controversy over developing the waterfront. Sarah, along with most of the residents, are in favor, but one notable holdout is baker Lily Carter. So, when Lily is found murders in her bakery, fingers are pointed as those who were in favor of the development.

Once again Sarah is helped in her sleuthing for her band of friends who’ve dubbed themselves “Charlie’s Angels.” This colorful crew of senior sleuths are tenacious and inventive. And, though I’m not a cat person, I love Elvis and his ability to recognize a lie.

It’s a pretty typical cozy mystery. There are enough suspects and red herrings to keep the reader engaged and guessing, and an interesting regular cast of colorful, quirky characters.

Marguerite Gavin does a fine job of reading the audio version. She sets a good pace and has clear diction.

Book #14 in the cozy mystery series. There's nothing new or original here, simply a comforting mystery. If you like the rest of them you'll like this one. Once again, an unpleasant visitor is killed and one of Kathleen's friends is the primary suspect. As always, she starts asking questions and, with the aid of her cats, figures it out. Hercules--the tuxedo cat who can walk through walls--plays a major part in saving the day. A minor mystery is resolved, and a long-running plot thread reaches a turning point.½

In the second Magical Cats mystery, librarian Kathleen Paulson and her cats adopted from Wisteria Hill, Owen and Hercules, help solve the murder of a teacher who set many children on the right paths over the years. Kathleen's friend Ruby who found the body was arrested, and she and her friends all know Ruby incapable of murder. Although it suffers in the believability department, this series is a fun read for anyone who loves cats and know they all possess "magical powers" of some sort--even if they aren't quite the ones Owen and Hercules have. I listened to the audiobook and found it pleasant for a long drive.½

Fun to read mystery.

Another fun quick read.

Another easy read.

Another fun fast read.