The Great Jewel Robbery Review & Giveaway

About the Book: Chicago Tribune reporters, Grace and Emma, have been best friends since college. When Grace is assigned to cover an annual charity ball and auction and she and her boyfriend break up, Grace decides to take Emma to the event as her, "plus one."

The evening is going well until Emma finds the host's brother in the study unconscious. Initially, it's believed that he had a little too much to drink and tripped, but it's soon clear that there's more going on here. The wall safe is open, and three million dollars of jewelry is missing.

Emma and Grace try to solve the mystery, much to the chagrin of the local detective.

The Black Cat Sees His Shadow: Book Review

I actually read this book a couple of months back, but then I found out I was at the top of a housing waiting list, and everything got a little nuts after that.  However, this book is a great one, so I still wanted to tell you all about it.

About the Book: The town of Lavendar is celebrating its annual Pumpkin Days Festival, and the town is buzzing with tourists.  On the eve of opening day, Sabrina finds out that she has a doppeldanger, Tia Hartwell.  Tia is a caricature artist.  People can hardly tell the two women apart.  Their similarities are striking - right down to their black cats.

Sabrina quickly learns that Tia has an enemy - bad-tempered Calvin Fisher, a jewelry vendor.  When Sabrina finds Fisher dead in his pickup truck, the police put Tia at the top of their suspect list.  Sabrina knows Tia didn't kill Fisher.  Along with her sidekick, Hitchcock, Sabrina must find a way to prove Tia innocent.

Once Upon a Spine Book Review

About the Book: Brooklyn Wainwright, a San Francisco bookbinder, is on edge because her soon-to-be in-laws are coming to meet her all the way from England.  She's also worried about the rumors that the charming Courtyard shops across the street from her will be replaced by a high-rise apartment building.  She and her fiance, Derek Stone, must convince the shopkeepers not to sell.

That could be a difficult task with a rare edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland causing bad blood at the Brothers Bookshop and vandalism putting everyone on edge.

As if that's not enough, Brooklyn finds the local cobbler murdered under a set of shelves in the local Rabbit Hole.  Things get even more interesting when a second priceless copy of Alice surfaces.  Will this cause more trouble within the close-knit Courtyard community?

When Derek's parents arrive, things go much better than anticipated.  Brooklyn wins over her fiance's dad with some chocolate cream pie, and Derek's mother jumps at the chance to help Brooklyn solve this murder.

My Thoughts: This is the first big city cozy I've read.  It still felt like a small town cozy to me, given how close everyone in the Courtyard is - it's like their own little world.  Once Upon a Spine is the first book I've read in the Bibliophile Mystery series, and I was able to easily follow the storyline.  So if you haven't read any of the other books in the series, you'll have no trouble reading this book as a stand-alone novel.

I really enjoy Brooklyn's character.  Her relationship with the main detective on the case, Inspector Lee, is much different than I'm used to in cozies.  Inspector Lee almost welcomes Brooklyn's help rather than reprimanding her and telling her not to get involved in the case.

There is a cat in this mystery, but we don't see much of her at all.  That was disappointing, but the book was excellent even without many appearances from Brooklyn's cat.

I really enjoyed reading this book.  I wasn't all together surprised at the end, but I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters.

I believe anyone who enjoys cozies would like this book.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of, "Once Upon a Spine: Bibliophile Mystery" by Kate Carlisle for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own. 

Twelve Angry Librarians Book Review

I absolutely adore the Cat in the Stacks mystery series, and I had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Twelve Angry Librarians: Cat in the Stacks Mystery.  It did not disappoint!

Charlie is stressed out because as the interim library director at Athena College, he's going to have to give the welcome speech for the Southern Academic Libraries Association conference, which is being hosted in Athena this year.  As if this weren't stressful enough for him, the keynote speaker is Charlie's nemesis from library school.

It's been 30 years since Charlie has seen his nemesis, Gavin Fong, but he is still the same know-it-all arrogant man Charlie remembers, and he still manages to get under everyone's skin.

In his keynote speech, Gavin shares an unpopular opinion - that librarians will be obsolete in the academic libraries of the future.  When Gavin dies, nobody seems too upset about it.

Charlie was seen having an argument with Gavin the day before he dies, and, as a result, makes the suspect list.  Now Charlie has to figure out who really killed Gavin...

My Thoughts: As I stated at the beginning of the post, I absolutely love the Cat in the Stacks Mystery series.

With most cozy mysteries, you hear about the murder towards the very beginning of the book.  In Twelve Angry Librarians, however, the murder occurs later on in the book.  I enjoyed reading the backstory quite a bit.  I felt this made the book unique.  In this book, we also get to "see" the murder - don't worry, it's nothing gruesome - and I enjoyed this as well.

I love that the Cat in the Stacks Mystery series is from a male's perspective - it makes the series a very unique one, indeed.  As always, Diesel is charming with his cat antics as well.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves cozy mysteries and cats!

I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of, "Twelve Angry Librarians: Cat in the Stacks Mystery," by Miranda James for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

Telling Tails Book Review

Sarah Grayson owns a secondhand shop in North Harbor, Maine.  Her friend, Rose, is also an employee at the store.  When Rose makes a special delivery for a customer, she arrives just in time to see the customer's dead body being dragged away by his wife.  Rose tries to tell everyone what she saw, but nobody believes her, especially when the customer's wife says he is still alive and well.  She claims he left her and has a text message and an empty bank account to back up her story.  Sarah works with Rose and her other friends to uncover the truth about who murdered the customer.  

My Thoughts: Telling Tails is the fourth book in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series.  I haven't had the chance to read the other books, but after reading this one, I definitely plan to.  I initially had a difficult time understanding the characters and their relationships to one another, but the confusion quickly cleared up as I continued to read.  You can definitely read this book as a stand-alone mystery.

I really enjoyed this book.  I love how protective and caring Sarah is of Rose.  The storyline was great, and I was surprised at the end.  I would definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading future books in the series.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of "Telling Tails: Second Chance Cat Mystery" by Sofie Ryan for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

By Familiar Means Book Review

I've been looking forward to reading By Familiar Means since I finished the first book, A Familiar Tail, in A Witch's Cat Mystery series by Delia James.  I can tell you that By Familiar Means did not disappoint!

After discovering her special abilities, Annabelle Britton decides to make Portsmouth, New Hampshire her new home.  Anna's grandmother is coming to visit - she hasn't been to Portsmouth or seen her coven in 30 years.

Anna worries about how she's going to pay the rent on her cottage.  So when an opportunity comes up for painting murals for the new coffee shop, it's like her wish has come true.  However, spooky noises has one of the coffee shop owners convinced the building is haunted, and he wants Anna and her coven to get rid of the spirit before the shop opens.

Annabelle doesn't believe in spirits, but she agrees to check out the shop anyway.  Her Vibe leads her to finding smugglers' tunnels and a dead body.  Now Annabelle, Alastair, and her coven must figure out who the killer is.

My Thoughts: By Familiar Means didn't focus as much on the development of Anna's magical talents as did A Familiar Tail.  I would have liked to see more time spent focused on this area.

Despite that, though, this book was an excellent read!  I loved Alastair's antics, of course.  His behavior will make any cat lover laugh and adore him.

I enjoyed learning about Anna's grandmother and her role in Anna's life and magical journey.  It seems that Anna's grandmother will be sticking around for future books in the series, and I look forward to getting to know her personality better.

I really loved this book, and I highly recommend it to all cat and cozy mystery lovers!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of, "By Familiar Means: A Witch's Cat Mystery," by Delia James for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

The Cat, the Collector, and the Killer Book Review

I was thrilled when The Cat, the Collector, and the Killer: Cats in Trouble Mystery by Leann Sweeney arrived in the mail for review.  This is my favorite cat cozy mystery series, and I was really looking forward to reading the latest book in the Cats in Trouble Mystery series.

Jillian Hart is enjoying married life with her new husband, acting police chief, Tom Stewart, when a woman is found wandering the streets in her night clothes, disoriented and confused, and carrying a kitten in her tote bag.  The woman, Minnie Shultz, is a cat lover who has adopted several cats from the Mercy Animal Shelter.  However, when her house is searched, Jillian stumbles upon many (additional) cats, stacks of boxes, and a dead man (Chester Winston).

Minnie is admitted to the hospital and assigned a psychiatrist, Dr. Ross.  Shortly after beginning to care for Minnie, Dr. Ross has a car accident.  Jillian believes that Chester's murder and Dr. Ross' "accident" are connected somehow.

Fat Cat Takes the Cake Book Review

Quincy seems to have a knack for sniffing out crime.  In Fat Cat Takes the Cake: A Fat Cat Mystery by Janet Cantrell, Chase and Julie's old classmate, Richard, "Dickie," Byrd is holding a high school reunion to raise support for his mayoral campaign.  Though Chase and Julie aren't thrilled about the prospect of seeing another old classmate, Ron North, they attend the reunion anyway.  Ron North was a creepy kid who stalked Julie in high school.  Unfortunately, his social skills haven't improved as he's aged, and he bothers Julie and Dickie's wife, Monique, at the reunion.

The next day when Chase takes Quincy, her orange tabby, on a walk with his new harness, Quincy manages to get loose, and finds Ron North's body.

Julie becomes the number one suspect.  She and Chase have to figure out how to prove her innocence or a killer will go free while an innocent woman goes to prison.

My Thoughts: Let me just say that I loved this book!!  Sprinkled throughout the book are little passages from Quincy's point of view.  I loved those and wish there were more of them.  They add something special to the book.

Chase's character is very relatable, and her determination to prove Julie's innocence is admirable.  Her relationship with the detective on the case felt awkward to me, and that probably has to do with events that have taken place in previous books.  Though this is the third book in the series, it is the first one I've had the opportunity to read.

I was able to figure out who the guilty party was before the author revealed it, but it wasn't someone I initially would have suspected.

I'm looking forward to future books in this series, and I would definitely recommend, Fat Cat Takes the Cake: A Fat Cat Mystery to cat lovers and cozy mystery lovers.  It's a wonderful read!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of "Fat Cat Takes the Cake: A Fat Cat Mystery," for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

No Cats Allowed Book Review

No Cats Allowed by Miranda James is the first book I've read in the Cat in the Stacks series, and it was great!

About the Book: The library has a new director - Oscar Reilly - and nobody likes him.  He's rude and unfriendly, and he's irritating the entire library staff.  Reilly is working hard to cut library costs, and his first targets are the rare book collection and the archives.

Charlie Harris, who works in the library archives, has been bringing his Maine Coon cat, Diesel, to work with him for years, but Reilly now insists that Diesel stay home.  Reilly also wants to replace Charlie's good friend Melba, who works as an assistant to the library director, with someone younger.

The suspect list is long when Reilly's body is found in the basement of the library.  Though the evidence points to Melba as the murderer, Charlie knows she's not guilty.  He and Diesel must work together to find the real killer before Melba is deemed guilty.

My Thoughts: As I stated in the beginning of this post, this is the first book I've read in the Cat in the Stacks mystery series.  I didn't have any trouble following the storyline.  The author gives enough backstory that this book can be read as a stand-alone, though I don't know why you wouldn't want to read the rest of the books in this awesome series.

A Familiar Tail Book Review

A Familiar Tail: A Witch's Cat Mystery by Delia James is the first book in its series, and judging by this first book, it's a series I'm going to enjoy following!

About the Book: Struggling artist, Annabelle Britton, decides to visit her best friend, Martine, in the small town of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  Little does she know that her visit will reveal why she's always been a little different from the rest of her family.  Ever since she was young, Anna has been able to walk into a place and get a "vibe" from it.

She meets a gray cat named Alastair, whose former owner died under suspicious circumstances.  When she follows Alastair into what appears to be an abandoned home, she uncovers a witch's wand.  She soon meets a group of friendly women who use their spells and charms to keep Portsmouth safe.

When another local's dead body turns up, Anna knows she must solve the mystery surrounding both deaths.  She uses the help of her new friends and magic to solve the puzzle.

My Thoughts: A Familiar Tail is told in the first person by Annabelle, who is a very likable character in my opinion.  I really enjoyed watching her discover why she's always been a little different from the rest of her family.

The book has many twists and turns, and I was never sure what the next chapter might bring!  I had a suspicion on who might be behind the murders, but that didn't occur to me until pretty late in the book.

I absolutely loved how Alastair played a major role in this story.  He was an integral part of the story, and I don't think there were many pages on which he didn't appear.  Alastair possess some magical powers.  He's also very communicative; he seems to have something to say about everything, which makes him a rather charming cat.

I believe fans of the Harry Potter series might like this book as well as fans of cozy mysteries with cats playing a major role in the storyline.

I look forward to reading future books in this series and seeing how Anna's knowledge and use of magic develops over time.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of "A Familiar Tail: A Witch's Cat Mystery" by Delia James for a fair and honest review.  Receiving the book did not influence my opinions.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

Black Cat Crossing Book Review

About the Book: In Black Cat Crossing (A Bad Luck Cat Mystery, #1) by Kay Finch, Sabrina Tate returns home to Lavender, Texas to help her aunt run her vacation rental business and to work on her novel.  Sabrina keeps hearing rumors around town about a "bad luck" cat.  This black cat, whom she names Hitchcock, ends up leading her to a murder scene - her cousin, Bobby Joe Flowers, has been murdered on her Aunt Rowe's property.  Bobby Joe Flowers is a known cheat and womanizer with many enemies.  However, Sabrina's Aunt Rowe had an argument with him shortly before his murder, placing her at the top of the police's suspect list.  Now Sabrina must figure out who killed Bobby Joe to save her aunt.

My Thoughts: Finch did a great job of developing the characters in this book.  By the time I was done with the book, I felt like I knew each main character well.  I found Sabrina to be a little too impulsive - I definitely wouldn't have done a lot of the things she did.  She put herself in some dangerous situations.  However, I found Sabrina's determination to clear her aunt's name admirable.

I really loved the way Sabrina kept defending Hitchcock to the suspicious townspeople who kept insisting that he was bad luck.  I believe this is an important message about black cats, and I appreciate the author taking the time to paint this black cat in a positive light.

As with most of the cozy mysteries I read, I had my suspicions of who had committed the murder, but I was wrong.  The person who had committed the murder was a total surprise to me at the very end.

I look forward to reading further books in this series as they come out.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of "Black Cat Crossing (A Bad Luck Cat Mystery, #1)" by Kay Finch free of charge from the publisher for an honest and fair review.  Receiving the free book did not influence my opinion in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

All Sales Final: Book Review

When I read the back of All Sales Final (Good Buy Girls) by Josie Belle, I thought it was the perfect Halloween cozy mystery.

About the Book: Maggie and her fiancee, Sam's, wedding is fast-approaching, and Maggie doesn't even have a wedding dress picked out yet!  On top of all the wedding planning she has to do, she and Sam purchase a new home.  They believe they've found their dream home, but Maggie quickly notices that their cat, Marshall Dillon, acts strangely in the house.  He seems quite scared in the new home and hisses at things that aren't there.  

Then Maggie discovers a skeleton in their basement!  As she tries to help Sam and the rest of the police force discover the identity of the body as well as what happened, she quickly realizes that someone doesn't want her unraveling these mysteries.  

My Thoughts: This is the first book I've read in the Good Buy Girls mystery series, and I had no problem following the storyline or getting to know the characters.  You can definitely read this book as a stand-alone.

I really enjoyed this book.  It left me guessing until the very end.  The ending really surprised me.  I love the cozy feeling this mystery provided.  I felt like I was trying to solve the case with a bunch of girlfriends I had always known.

I would have loved to see more of Marshall Dillon in the book.  We didn't get to see much of him, and that was disappointing to me as I always love cats in mysteries.

I loved the mix of the character's personalities.  The Good Buy Girls are similar in some ways, but they are also a diverse group of women, which makes their gatherings and conversations interesting.

I found Sam's skeptical attitude about the ghost in their new home a little frustrating because he seemed to be making light of Maggie's fears.  I also found Maggie's unwillingness to make decisions about her upcoming wedding a little frustrating, but it does eventually fall into place.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable book.  I would recommend it to anyone who loves cozy mysteries and haunted houses and ghosts.

I am disappointed to have learned that this is the last book in the Good Buy Girls mystery series.  However, there are four other books in the series I haven't read, and I look forward to reading those in the future.

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of "All Sales Final (Good Buy Girls)" free of charge for an honest and fair review.  Receiving the free book did not influence my opinions in any way.  All opinions shared on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret Book Review

I had never read anything by Leann Sweeney before I picked up The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret, but after reading this book, I plan to read the rest of the books in the "Cats in Trouble Mystery" series!

About the Book: The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret is the 7th book in the "Cats in Trouble Mystery" series.  In this book, Jillian Hart is preparing for her wedding to Tom.  Tom's stepson, Finn, is visiting from college and falls in love with a tortoiseshell cat from the Mercy Animal Shelter.  Jillian and Tom agree to make room for the new cat even though she is known to be a kleptomaniac.  

The cat, Magpie, sneaks out of the shelter regularly and brings back trinkets, shoelaces, and socks.  When she turns up with a locket, Jillian wants to return it to its rightful owner.  However, her quest is sidetracked when a dead body shows up.  While Jillian and Tom try to figure out what happened, the town's police chief also turns up dead.  Tom, a former police officer, is then appointed to be Mercy's interim police chief, and the investigation takes unexpected turns.  

My Thoughts: I really loved this book.  Jillian has three cats - Syrah, Chablis, and Merlot - when Magpie joins their household.  All of the cats play a major role in the story line, which I absolutely love!  I got a real sense of the cats' personalities.  The book is also written in such a way that I felt like I really got to know Jillian, Tom, Finn, Candice, and the rest of the main characters as well.  Sweeney's writing style is engaging.

I enjoyed all the twists and turns in the mystery; I could hardly put the book down each night to sleep.  It kept me guessing until the very end.  Even though The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret is part of a series, you can definitely read this book as a stand-alone.  

I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries where cats play a major role in the story line.  I look forward to reading all of the other books in the "Cats in Trouble Mystery" series.

You can purchase The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret on Amazon or wherever books are sold.  You can learn about Leann Sweeney and the rest of the books in the "Cats in Trouble Mystery" series by visiting her website.

FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of "The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret," by Leann Sweeney from the publisher for review.  Receiving the free book did not influence my opinion in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.  

Crushed Velvet: Book Review

Crushed Velvet by Diane Vallere is a wonderful cozy mystery I believe everyone can enjoy.

About the Book: Polyester Monroe is working hard, getting her new fabric store, Material Girl, ready for its grand opening.  She's even ordered a proprietary velvet for the occasion.  However, when her delivery arrives, it's not quite what she expected.  She finds the body of Phil Girard crushed underneath the velvet in the back of the delivery van!

Genevieve Girard, Phil's wife and a close friend of Poly's, becomes the main suspect in the case.  While Poly works on her store, she's also faced with helping her friend prove herself innocent.

My Thoughts: I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I could easily picture the genuine friendship Poly has with Genevieve.  Poly's diligence to prove her friend's innocence never wanes.

I found Genevieve's behavior somewhat frustrating as she does her best to avoid talking with Sheriff Clark about the case.  Genevieve's fear is understandable though considering all the evidence incriminating her.

I really enjoyed the storyline.  Even though I am not a sewer, I liked reading about how Poly uses fabric to change people's lives.  I could feel her excitement over opening Material Girl and celebrated with her when the grand opening happens.  Additionally, the budding romance between Poly and Vaugh is sweet and adds something special to the book.

My only "complaint" about this book is that I would have loved to read more about Pins and Needles, Poly's two cats.  Pins is a cute gray kitten and Needles is a handsome orange tabby.  I loved reading about their antics.

Crushed Velvet had me guessing at who the murderer was up to the very end.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.  It is part of the Material Girl Mystery series, but you can read it without having read any of the other books in the series.  I haven't read any of the other Material Girl mysteries and had no problem following the plot.

I look forward to reading future books from Diane Vallere.

FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of Crushed Velvet by Diane Vallere from the publisher for review.  Receiving the free book did not influence my opinion in any way.  All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.