Review - Curiosity Thrilled the Cat

The book we review this week has a library central to its story.  Thriller author Karin Slaughter is spearheading an effort to save libraries.  So this is a good time to share her work.  Did you know that 80% of children in rural areas use their local libraries as their only access to the internet and books. Staff is being laid off. Buildings are being closed. Libraries are built, books are purchased, but there's no funding to open or operate the facilities.

To help spread the word about the needs for community support for public libraries, Karin is championing SaveTheLibraries.com, with a pilot event to benefit the DeKalb County (GA) Public Library system. This initial event serves as pilot program during which the steps of the process are documented in order to make it repeatable at other libraries with minimal amount of staff planning time and administrative investment.  Check out the Save The Libraries website and maybe your library can get involved. 

Author: Sofie Kelly

Copyright: Feb 2011 (Signet) 316 pgs

Series: 1st in Magical Cats Mysteries

Sensuality: N/A

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy

Main Character: Kathleen Paulson, librarian

Setting: Modern day, Mayville Heights, Minnesota

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review

Kathleen needed to start her life over after her boyfriend took a two week trip and came back married. Kathleen leaves Boston for small town Mayville Heights to be a librarian and supervise a major renovation of the town's historic Carnegie Library. She finds the people of Mayville welcoming and she is shortly into the rhythm of the town. She is even adopted by two cats who train her well. The renovation is the one dark spot due to the contractor being difficult, hard to reach, condescending and way behind schedule.

The story begins with a very difficult customer. Guest conductor for the Wild Rose Summer Music Festival, Gregor Easton, is raising a ruckus because the internet isn't available with the renovation efforts. To make the situation worse, Kathleen's cat Owen appears on Mistro Easton's head. Kathleen offers to have breakfast delivered to him to smooth his ruffled feathers. In the morning Kathleen goes to the the theater to enlist the help of the local handy man since the contractor is useless. What she finds is Mistro Easton dead. The police find a note to Easton setting up a rendezvous at the library with Kathleen's name on it - combined with her arranging for breakfast and it appears she knew the victim very well. Maybe enough to kill him for something. The cats are determined to assist in digging up information. It also appears that dangerous "accidents" are happening to Kathleen. Could somebody be out to stop her from uncovering evidence?

Kathleen is a fresh character that is easy to like.  The descriptions of her magical cats are handled well. They are wonderful companions who you suspect may even understand her without being over-the-top (okay they are magical - but otherwise they aren't over-the-top).  The police are portrayed as thorough and competent while Kathleen is simply following her instincts and discovering tidbits which eventually all click together. The potential romantic interest is almost a given...you guessed it - the police detective.

The plot is doled out and the solution is good.  Some good suspenseful moments during the confrontation which got my blood pumping.  The writing draws you in like a gentle caress.  This is a great cozy that will quickly have you anxiously waiting for the next release so you can spend more time with the people of Mayville Heights.  If you want something that will put a smile on your face, give a few laughs and feel like you just treated yourself to some comfort food, this book is for you.

This is bound to be a popular series with just the right mix of townspeople, interesting heroine and nice plotting.

Here is a nice piece on how special Carnegie Libraries are - featuring a Minnesota CL.