BPL Book Bingo: Harry Potter, Fred Chappell, and the Cat Sitter

Reviews by Jeanne

This year, Bristol Public Library and the Avoca Branch Library offered a Summer Reading Program for adults in the form of BPL Book Bingo.  Participants had a bingo-type card except that in place of numbers were categories such as “Read a book written before 1900” or “Watch a movie based on a book.” I had intended to just read enough for one or two bingos.  Instead, I ended up doing “Blackout Bingo,” i.e., completing all the squares on the sheet, even though I had to stay up way past my bedtime to get all the reading done.  The reason I became so enamored was that it got me out of my reading rut and enticed me to make inroads on all those books I had always meant to read but had put off reading.  Here’s a sample of three books I read for the challenge:

Family Gathering by former North Carolina Poet Laureate Fred Chappell satisfied both the requirement for reading a book of poetry and my pledge to myself to sit down and read something by this North Carolina author. The title sets up the theme of the collection: family gatherings, warts and all.  There are portraits of individuals of all ages, from young Elizabeth who is “Priss-proud in her finery and bored/Bored bored” because the grownups aren’t admiring her to Grandma Settle, who pages through the photo albums and reveals the dim past, back before “the wars arrived, and all the lads/Were handsome, tall, and brave, and none was dead.” Satire, humor, and pathos await the reader, rather like the classic Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters.  

Even though I count myself a Harry Potter fan, having read all the books, visited the amusement park, and seen most of the movies, I had not read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.  Not only were the reviews on it a bit mixed (some loved it, some loathed it), but theatrical scripts are not among my favorite choices of things to read.  Still there was that square which asked me to “Read a play,” so I decided to give it a try.  I was pleased to find that I wasn’t nearly as bothered by the format as I had thought.  I believe it’s because my familiarity with the J.K. Rowlings’ magical realm enabled me to visualize settings and people, and part of my enjoyment became thinking of ways certain scenes could be staged. As for the story itself, there were parts that I liked very much indeed, but there were others that made me a bit sad—yet I could see why this or that might have happened, even if I didn’t like it.

Finally, I chose The Cat Sitter and the Canary by Blaize and John Clement to fulfill my “Read a book in a series” requirement.  This was much more my usual fare (cozy mystery with a kitty or two), and I had read all the others in the series to date.  Dixie Hemingway works as a pet sitter in picturesque Siesta Key, Florida where she encounters murders on the basis usually found in such series; that is, at least one a book.  The series was begun by Blaize Clement but continued by her son, John, based on conversations they shared before her death.  The books have been just a bit uneven since, sometimes relying very much on a checklist sort of events.  This one involves finding a dead body in a client’s home and a mysterious tourist who seemed to have lost his key to his rented house.  The writing was smoother than in some entries and there were signs that upcoming changes may shake up Dixie’s world.  I’m not sure how I feel about that, but I’ll reserve judgment until I see for certain where things are going.  I may find it’s just what the editor ordered to keep the series fresh.

The exciting news is that BPL Bingo is returning this winter!  Starting January 2, you can pick up a Bingo sheet at Main or Avoca to participate.  We do have some small prizes to award for those who accomplish enough tasks to get Bingo.  The game will run until February 28, giving everyone extra time to win--er, read!

The Cat Sitter’s Whiskers by Blaize and John Clement

Reviewed by Jeanne

Dixie Hemingway—no relation to you-know-who—gave up her job in law enforcement after a family tragedy and now earns her living as a pet sitter on Siesta Key, Florida.  The problem is that while Dixie is no longer with the police, crime still has a way of finding her.  This time, she’s taking care of a mischievous Maine Coon cat named Barney Feldman but it certainly wasn’t Barney who conked Dixie on the head when she came to the house. Dixie reports the incident as a break-in, but nothing seems to have been taken even though the house has a lot of expensive items, including a valuable collection of antique masks.  The police think that perhaps Dixie passed out and hit her head.  

The only one witness was Barney Feldman.  And Barney isn’t talking.

For those unfamiliar with the series, the Cat Sitter books are an interesting blend of cozy with grit. On the one hand, there can some messy deaths but there’s no wallowing in graphic detail.  Dixie does tend to rush in where angels fear to tread at times, but she’s also a strong character who has had some training in dealing with emergencies, making her interventions more plausible.  She may have been broken a bit by fate, but she’s working her way back.  The pet sitter angle is well done; Dixie tosses out a pet care tip or two and obviously cares about the animals but maintains a business like attitude. 

This is the tenth book in the Cat Sitter series, but only the third for John Clement who took over writing up Dixie’s adventures after his mother Blaize passed away.  I had enjoyed the previous two but had a vague feeling that something was missing.  All the familiar characters were there, all the expected trimmings, but somehow it felt a bit by the numbers.   This time, however, I think John really found Dixie’s voice all the way through

Part of the appeal of almost any series, mystery or not, is finding out what’s going on with the characters’ personal lives. Recently, Dixie embarked on a new romance but still carries some heavy personal baggage.  Some of the reoccurring characters are fleshed out a bit more this time, and Clement creates some memorable new ones. The animals shine with their own personalities, which is part of the appeal for me.    The primary mystery plot was a bit slow building as Dixie found herself a bit sidetracked by her personal life, but there were a couple of particularly nice twists this time around which made it all worth the wait.  Some I saw coming, some I didn’t.  

I usually advise people to start with the first of any series, and while I would suggest that you do so with this one as well but I don’t think folks would have any trouble just diving in with this one.  If you haven’t read any of Dixie’s adventures recently, then I think you’ll find yourself right at home.

The Cat Sitter's Cradle by Blaize and John Clement

Reviewed by Jeanne

Dixie Hemingway, former cop and now pet sitter in Siesta Key, has had more than her share of strange encounters in both occupations, but this one may top all the others: while making her morning rounds for clients she finds an exotic bird, non-native to Florida, lying in the bushes—not far from a young woman who has just given birth.  The young woman speaks little English so when she becomes frantic after Dixie and friend Joyce offer to get help, they suspect she may be illegal. They take her and the new baby to Joyce’s house while they try to figure out what to do with mother and baby. 

Meanwhile, Dixie is dealing with a somewhat difficult new client and his equally difficult family and wondering if she’s ready to embark on a new romantic relationship. Her first foray wasn’t a disaster, but it didn’t exactly end happily either. Then Dixie finds herself involved with another murder and has to reassess some of the people she knows—or thought she knew.

I’ve enjoyed the Dixie Hemingway (no relation to Ernest) mystery series.  Dixie is strong but flawed heroine, a woman left shattered by the sudden deaths of her husband and young daughter in an accident some years before.  That’s the reason she left the police force, and the reason she’s more than a bit reluctant to form relationships. Siesta Key is vividly portrayed, so much so that I always think I’d like to visit.  Supporting characters are also strong in the series, including Dixie’s brother Michael and his partner, Paco. I also like the animals Dixie works with, all of whom have their own personalities.  We also pick up bits of information about animal care and behavior, but this is tossed in casually, never shoehorned in.  I’d classify this as a traditional mystery:  not overly violent or bloody, but with just a bit of an edge. The books are always well-plotted, bringing the various story lines to a satisfying conclusion.

I admit to a bit of trepidation about this book, however.  Dixie’s creator, Blaize Clement, passed away, leaving her son John to continue Dixie’s adventures. Even though he’s said he and his mother talked a great deal about the direction of the books, there’s always that question of an author’s voice—that unique way of expressing themselves that good writers have.  I’m pleased to say that John acquits himself well.  There were a couple of places where I wondered about phrasing or feelings, but for the most part he has captured his mother’s writing style well.  This is a good solid mystery with appealing characters.

The series doesn’t have to be read in order, unless you’re like me and just prefer to do it that way.

Update:  According to a Facebook posting, John has finished the next book in the series, The Cat Sitter’s Nine Lives, which will be out in 2014.  He is now at work on the tenth book, as yet untitled.

Blaize Clement’s Cat Sitter Mysteries

Reviewed by Jeanne

It’s no secret that I like light mysteries, preferably with cats and not just the real cats at my house who try to sit on the book as I read.  There are any number of these books, though some are just teases:  the artist slaps a cat on the cover and no cat appears in the book.  I’ve concluded that often a cat (or a dog, let’s be non-speciesist) is the artistic shorthand for “relatively non-violent, not a lot of explicit sex and not too much cursing.” Sadly, sometimes it’s also shorthand for “bland and formulaic.” Too many series books nowadays feature first person narration from a feisty if somewhat ditzy heroine,  who always finds herself involved in mystery, with a man or men she’s attracted to but either they don’t notice her or she’s trying to convince herself she’s not interested, attempts at snappy dialog, intriguing location, and some sort of quirky profession.

I’d heard good things about the Dixie (“no relation to Ernest”) Hemingway series, so I decided to give one a try.  Dixie is a former deputy who left the force after her husband and three year old daughter were killed in a traffic accident.  Her grief made her unstable as an officer, so she’s working as a pet sitter while she tries to get her life back together.  She lives with her firefighter brother Michael and his partner, Paco, in their late grandparents’ home on Siesta Key.

I didn’t think this sounded particularly promising.  In fact, it sounded a lot like all the things I just said I didn’t like but I decided to read the first book anyway. Why?  Because every now and then I’ll find an unexpected gem and that makes it worth all the digging. 

I’m happy to report this was one of those times.  Clement has a feel for both characterization and pacing.  Dixie has her problems, but she’s also a tough, decent woman who has a strong sense of justice for the underdog (or undercat, as the case may be.)  While animals always figure into the plots, they aren’t excuses to get sentimental.  Dixie treats them as individuals and with respect, even the ones who aren’t exactly lovable. There are funny lines, but they aren’t forced and there’s no attempt to draw attention to them.  One of my favorite lines is “Since I love chocolate second only to crisp fried bacon, the devil could leave a trail of it and I’d probably eat my way straight to hell.”  I can relate. Also, Clement never lets the plot drag but moves things along at a brisk pace.  Even when there’s a bit of down time to enjoy hot coffee and crisp bacon, she manages to keep the story from dragging and there’s no sense that the author is stalling or padding the book—that’s a pet peeve of mine, and no pun is intended.

Siesta Key is wonderfully depicted. It’s a small island off the Florida coast, just about eight miles long. Snowbirds and tourists swell the ranks in winter, but the small number of permanent residents give the place a small-town feel.  After a couple of books, I was ready to visit there myself, have some of those extra crispy hash browns, coffee, and eggs at the diner even though I don’t really like eggs, and maybe meet some of the retired circus people who live on Siesta Key.  I certainly wouldn’t mind meeting Detective Guidry in his hand-made Italian suits or lawyer Ethan with his lovely manners and dark good looks.  There’s a bit of judicious cursing and the occasional risqué comment, but nothing too off color. Some of the murders are brutal but Clement doesn’t sensationalize.  In short, these aren’t  fluffy sweet cozy books; they have a bit of grit and sand in there.

Unfortunately, Blaize Clement passed away July 20, 2011 after, as her son John put it, “a year-long disagreement with cancer,” which makes me think that Blaize was a lot like Dixie.  I’m sorry we lost her so young.  The good news is that her son is going to continue the series, at least for a book or two.

The books don’t have to be read in order but if you are one of those who prefers to read ‘em that way then here’s the list:

1.       Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter

2.       Duplicity Dogged the Dachshund (Note: if animal deaths bother you, be warned that some do occur in this book.)

3.       Even Cat Sitters Get the Blues

4.       Cat Sitter on a Hot Tin Roof

5.       Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs

6.       Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons

7.       Cat Sitter’s Pajamas

8.       Cat Sitter’s Cradle by Blaize and John Clement (2013)

To keep up with news, events and a countdown to the next book's publication date, visit the website:  http://www.dixiehemingway.com