Monday, September 12, 2016

Cozy Mystery Monday - Magical Cats Mysteries

After a long hiatus of completing my Bachelors and surviving a rough summer I'm back for a new cozy review. I've decided that when I talk about an established series, I'll review everything that's been written up to this point. With so many new cozies with a witchy and/or paranormal slant I don't want to miss promoting the good ones as they're released in order to help boost the author's promotion. This time I'm talking about the Magical Cats Mysteries by Sofie Kelly.

In the first book we're introduced to Kathleen Paulson, head librarian of the Mayville Heights Free Public Library, and the two feral stray cats (ones with magical abilities) who adopted her. She's new to the small town, hired to help with the renovations of the historic Carnegie Library over the next eighteen months. Throughout the series we get a great feel for all the people of the town and why Kathleen is torn between staying or moving back to Boston, not least of which is a believable love interest that evolves organically with ups and downs, quirks and sweet moments. The highlight of the books are the cats, Owen (can go invisible) and Hercules (can move through solid walls), as they help point out clues while remaining very much like regular cats in every other respect.

Sofie Kelly does an excellent job of creating plausible crimes with realistic motives. The protagonist is sensible and intelligent and never betrays those qualities to further the plot. She cares about her new home and her new friends, willing to put herself in the middle of investigations to protect the innocent. That doesn't mean actively putting herself in harm's way. Everything about the series works well. I'm always excited when the next book in the series is released.

Make sure to start with book one, Curiosity Thrilled the Cat, and read them in order as the cast of characters grow and the core group really grow and develop throughout the series. The eighth and newest book in the series, Paws and Effect, comes out October 4th. I look forward to catching up with Kathleen, Owen, Hercules, and the rest of Mayville Heights and sharing my thoughts with you. I hope you enjoy the series as much as I have.

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