The Cat’s Eye Charm: A Witch Cats of Cambridge Mystery by Clea Simon

Reviewed by Jeanne

 

Becca’s life seems a bit fraught right now.  Business has been slow at Charm and Cherish the magic shop where she works, and the owner is making noises about turning the place into a (sigh) craft shop.  Becca doesn’t seem to be making much progress in honing her own magical skills, which truth to tell seem to be pretty much non-existent. Well, except for that pillow she conjured, but that was a long time ago.  Even the coven seems to be slowly falling by the wayside.

So it seems like a good omen when Trina comes into the shop wanting to hire Becca in her other capacity as a witch detective. Maybe all Becca needs is a good focus, a challenge, to help her bring out her powers.  The cause is certainly a worthy one: Trina is desperate to find her beloved cat, Mr. Butters.  He was an indoor cat, but has gone missing.  Can Becca do a spell or something to bring him home?

Becca may not be able to wield a lot of magic but she still has help nearby.  Unbeknownst to her, her three cats do have some supernatural abilities.  That pillow Becca thinks she conjured?  That was luxury-loving Harriet who fancied a new bed.  Siamese Laurel can subtly influence human behaviors (usually to Laurel’s benefit) and sweet devoted Clara can become invisible. Clara adores Becca and often follows her to make sure she’s safe, but Clara is careful to remain unseen so Becca has no idea.

What seems like a relatively straightforward request soon turns out to be more complicated and more dangerous than Becca expected, involving kidnapping and a stolen gem.  Even worse, it’s becoming difficult for Becca to know who to trust.

This is the fifth book in the Witch Cats of Cambridge series, but it can be read as a standalone.  I have to say this is probably my favorite entry in the series. I loved seeing the magical cats’ world expand with the addition of a kitten who may be much wiser than they realize.  Kitten is an absolute peach-toed charmer even if she does have a penchant for knocking things off shelves. There’s also Mr. Butters, who has some surprises of his own.  All this makes for some delightful feline world-building.  On the human side of things, the mysterious Elizabeth takes on a somewhat bigger role.  And even though we’re told not to judge-- I adore the cover!

Cats, magic, gems—what’s not to love?