#Review / #Giveaway – Escape Claws (A Cat Lady Mystery) by Linda Reilly

Escape Claws (A Cat Lady Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – New Hampshire
Lyrical Underground (December 26, 2017)
Paperback: 202 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1516104192
Kindle ASIN: B06XJZ6HWX

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Lara hasn’t been home in quite a while, but when one of her friends contacts her about her Aunt Fran and her house full of cats she knows she needs to head back and reconnect with her aunt.  She finds her aunt does not only need help with her felines but she has some medical issues to attend to as well. Fran is also being harassed by one of her neighbors who is determined to have a portion of her land. It seems Lara has arrived just in time. Just in time to find the bully, Theo Barnes dead on her aunt’s property and it wasn’t a natural death. She and her aunt quickly become the prime suspects so Lara adds “find the real killer” to her already long to do list. She may have an unlikely partner helping her solve the crime that makes her pursuit very interesting.

Aunt Fran, aka “the crazy cat lady” and Lara and all the feline companions have pawed their way right into my heart. Heck, if I had a place like Fran’s I would be a crazy cat lady too. Her genuine desire to care for these rescue kitties drew me into the story. Lara’s devotion to caring for her aunt and the cats was heartwarming. These are two formidable women and make a great team.

I like the way the author took time to introduce us to the characters, including the kittens. The first page of the story introduces the “Cast of Feline Characters” including Blue, a very important feline in this story. They are all unique with different personalities, just like real cats.

We also meet several other residents of Whisker Jog, friends and suspects. The victim was not well liked so many people should have been on the list of suspects but Police Chief Jerry Whitley set his sights on Fran and Lara immediately.

I am a big fan of Linda Reilly, all of her Deep Fried Mysteries were Perfect Escapes for me. I love the way she tells a story and sets the scenes. She has a very descriptive style that makes you feel you are right there with the characters. Again in Escape Claws, the mystery unfolds at a very comfortable pace. It was not an easy mystery to solve and it is offset by the inner turmoil Lara is facing. Her aunt needs her but she has to go back to her job. The storylines are woven together very skillfully.

You don’t need to love or even like cats to enjoy this story, but if you do you will absolutely love this book.

This series is off to a fabulous start! I cant’ wait to return to Whisker Jog!