Reviewed by Jeanne
Christmas is just
around the corner, and Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat Diesel are looking
forward to it. After all, he has two grandchildren this year, and children
always make the holidays brighter—even if they are still really too young to
enjoy all the festivities.
As with all holidays,
there are going to be some surprises, pleasant and otherwise. One “otherwise” is an invitation to real
estate agent Gerry Albritton’s party.
Not only is the woman obnoxious, but her idea of decorating is garish to
say the least. It’s especially jarring in a neighborhood that leans toward
tasteful and understated displays. A less gaudy surprise is the discovery of a
box of five kittens on Charlie’s porch with a pathetic note. The kind-hearted librarian takes them in, but
is determined to discover the owner’s identity.
Of course, there’s also
a murder. . . .
This is the tenth in
the Cat in the Stacks mystery, set in
sleepy Athena, Mississippi. James has created a solid set of supporting
characters, including widower Charlie’s two adult children and their families,
his housekeeper Azalea, Azalea’s daughter Kanesha who is a police officer,
Charlie’s lady love, Helen Louise, his boarder Stewart and most especially
Charlie’s co-worker Melba, who is a wealth of information about the town and
its inhabitants. She can be quite
tenacious, and this time she is fixated on Albritton. The woman is familiar somehow and claims to
be from Athena but Melba doesn’t know her—which is clearly impossible.
Of course, Diesel and
the kittens steal the book with their adorable antics but there’s a nice little
mystery or two in the book. It’s
definitely a cozy mystery set in the South, so expect a lot of gossip and
descriptions of meals. As with many cozy series, a book set at the holidays is
pretty much expected and James ticks off that box quite well.
If you’re looking for a
low key seasonal tale with adorable animals and a bit of mystery, this might
just be your glass of sweet tea.
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