Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
This is one of my very favorite series and I am so happy to feature it today!
No Cats Allowed:
A Cat in the Stacks Mystery
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Mississippi
Release Date: February 23, 2016
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group
Published by The Penguin Group
Cover Illustration by Dan Craig
Cover Design by Lesley Worrell
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425277744
E-Book ASIN: B00X593CO4
Springtime in Mississippi is abloom with beauty, but the library’s employees are too busy worrying to stop and smell the flowers. The new library director, Oscar Reilly, is a brash, unfriendly Yankee who’s on a mission to cut costs—and his first targets are the archive and the rare book collection.
As annoying as a long-overdue book, Reilly quickly raises the hackles of everyone on staff, including Charlie’s fiery friend Melba—whom Dillard wants to replace with someone younger. But his biggest offense is declaring all four-legged creatures banned from the stacks.
With enemies aplenty, the suspect list is long when Reilly’s body is discovered in the library. But things take a turn for the worse when a threatening e-mail throws suspicion on Melba.
Charlie is convinced that his friend is no murderer, especially when he catches sight of a menacing stranger lurking around the library. Now he and Diesel will have to read between the lines, before Melba is shelved under “G” for guilty…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Every time these books arrive I look at the cover and see my cat, Wiley. He is now living with my daughter because we can’t have cats here and I miss him so much. He is just a little bit smaller than Diesel but not by much.
In this installment Charlie’s new boss, Oscar Reilly has decided he is allergic to cats and wants to ban Diesel from coming to the library. He also has the rest of the staff ticked off by some of his other actions. He is a human resources nightmare. I was not surprised to find someone had put him out of everyone’s misery, but when the police arrested Melba I knew the had they wrong person. Charlie knows it too, and he is going to get her out of jail and get the right person booked as soon as possible.
James continues to impress me with this series. This time the method of murder was something off the wall and totally unexpected and I had to read it twice to fully grasp the situation. One big ouch let me tell you. But before the crime he takes his time introducing us to Mr. Oscar Reilly, and I disliked him immediately and praise the employees for their restraint. I may not have killed him but probably would have been fired for telling him off and probably slapping him across the face and stomping out. What a first class jerk! The mystery has quite a few twists and turns and several suspects, I would guess anyone the man ever met could be a suspect.
In addition to the murder there are a couple of little subplots that fans of this series will enjoy. I hesitate to say more because I do not want to spoil anything.
I love this series has a male protagonist. A fine Southern gentleman who stays calm but takes action. He opens his home and his heart and draws us right into to these stories. All the characters are wonderfully developed and so real.
The pages pass quickly and as always my visit to Athena comes to an end much too soon. This was a delightful way to spend an afternoon but I need a few more warbles from Diesel and more time with Charlie and his friends and family. Next year…
Find out more about Miranda James and her books on her webpage here.
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies to give away!
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with a US or Canadian mailing address.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Sounds like a great read! The cover art is adorable. I hope you are able to go and visit with Wiley. Thank you for the chance to win.
This is a fun series and I can’t wait to read this one as well. Thank you for sharing
This is one of my favorite series!
love a good mystery
This sounds so good can’t wait to read.
I am sure this is another great book. I can’t wait to read it. robeader53@yahoo.com
Loved the post- Thanks for sharing!
Cute book cover. Sounds like a good book.
Sue B
How could I resist that fun title!
Sounds fun! Thanks for the introduction to a new to me author.
I love this series. Diesel and Charlie make a good team. I can’t wait to read this one.
Looks so interesting! Added to my TBR. Thanks for a chance to get it sooner.
Sounds interesting! Thanks for the giveaway and review.