Review of ‘The Cats Came Back’
Another brilliant mystery, The Cats Came Back is a novel worth curling on the couch for.
Synopsis
Small-town librarian Kathleen Paulson often seems to gets mixed up in murder, but luckily, her very special cats always find a way to help her close a case . . .
The charming Minnesota town of Mayville Heights is hosting a music festival, and the whole place is bustling with musicians and tourists. Kathleen is looking forward to taking in some fabulous performances--and her two cats, Owen and Hercules, are looking forward to taking in some fabulous sardine crackers. But then the trio stumbles across a dead body by the river.
The victim is a close friend--who also happens to be a look-alike of a popular cabaret singer set to perform at the festival. Who could have wanted to harm this innocent girl? Was it a case of mistaken identity?
As accusations abound and suspicions swirl, Kathleen, Hercules and Owen will put their abilities--both mundane and magical--to the test, and lay down the paw.
Review
A good mystery is sometimes hard to find, but Sofie Kelly continues to do a fantastic job with The Cats Came Back.
Now, this is the tenth novel in the series, but do not let that stand in the way. Kelly does a fantastic job of recapping events in the previous novels to give the reader a sense of where the characters are now. They are not distractions but only serve to engage the reader and ground them in. Kelly’s sound structural and lively writing gives the novel its strong personality that allows the reader to know who these characters are.
The Cats Came Back is a book any reader can curl up to. It makes the reader want o curl up to it on a cozy sofa with a cup of tea or coffee. The atmospheric writing is relaxing, even in those few high-tension moments. The Cats Came Back is, after all, a mystery and it is a good one at that.
Unsuspecting
What I loved about the novel is the suspense. There are so many red-herrings in the novel that keep the reader from figuring out who the culprit it. I will say that eventually, I figured it out, but I had the motive all wrong. No one wants to read a mystery where they already know who did it. It only works in some cases like in Monk, but most of the time I prefer to be surprised.
Kelly does a fantastic job of pointing the finger at various suspects to keep the story engaging and the reader on the edge of their seats. Her precision and attention to detail are impressive and, once again, the characters are realistic and funny, connecting to the reader.
Warm and Fuzzy
What also makes the novel stand out is the cats. Kathleen has two magical cats that can go through walls and do all sorts of things. They even help Kathleen in her investigation. Honestly, Kathleen is living my life. All I want is to be a librarian just like Kathleen in a small town and her love of cats only makes her more personable.
Owen and Hercules may only meow to the reader, but Kelly has imbued them with so much life and vitality. Anybody who is a cat owner will see their cats in this novel because of the personality they have.
Final Thoughts
The Cats Came Back is a brilliant novel. It encourages the reader to take a breath and curl up with a nice cup of tea…or coffee if you are like Kathleen.
Rating 4 out of 5.
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About the Author
Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.
About the Creator
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