Pouncing on Murder
A Bookmobile Cat Mystery, Book #4
By Laurie Cass
ISBN#9780451476548
Author’s website: www.Catmystery.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
Springtime in Chilson, Michigan, means it’s librarian Minnie Hamilton’s favorite time of year: maple syrup season! But her excitement fades when her favorite syrup provider, Henry Gill, dies in a sugaring accident. It’s tough news to swallow…even if the old man wasn’t as sweet as his product.
On the bookmobile rounds with her trusty rescue cat Eddie, Minnie meets Adam, the old man’s friend, who was with him when he died. Adam is convinced Henry’s death wasn’t an accident, and fears that his own life is in danger. With the police overworked, it’s up to Minnie and Eddie to tap all their resources for clues—before Adam ends up in a sticky situation…
Review:
Pouncing on Murder is the fourth entry in the fun, animal-centric Bookmobile Cat Mystery series, and it is sure to please animal and library loving readers.
As small town Chilson, Michigan, begins to thaw for the spring, Minnie, the assistant library director, is busy with her regular library duties, planning the first ever book fair, driving the bookmobile route, moving from her aunt’s boarding house to her houseboat for the season, and trying to maintain her long distance relationship with her boyfriend Tucker. She is upset to learn that one of her bookmobile patrons, Henry, has died in what appears to be a tragic accident. When she delivers books to Adam, who is recuperating from emergency heart surgery and was present when Henry died, he shares his concerns that Henry’s death may not have been an accident and even that Adam was the intended target. Soon after, Minnie and Adam have a near hit-and-run, and Minnie begins to take Adam’s concerns seriously. What could newcomer Adam and cranky old-timer Henry have in common to incite a killer? Could the local land developer no longer take no for an answer when Henry did not want to sell his land? Is Henry’s neighbor leading Minnie down the wrong investigative path? Could someone from Adam’s past returned for revenge? Could the perpetrator be someone not even be on Minnie’s radar?
Minnie seems like someone I would be friends with and is genuine and likable. She talks to Eddie, the cat, just like I talk to my dog. The supporting characters are realistic and engaging. We should all be so fortunate to have friends and family devoted to us as are the residents of Chilson. Ms. Cass paints the lake and surrounding area in picturesque strokes, and a vacation on the water sounds divine.
I do feel that the actual murder mystery took a backseat to the other things going on in Minnie’s life, and its resolution is a bit predictable, but it is entertaining nonetheless. Minnie’s investigating seems true to life, fitting it in as she has time, and she does not come across as unbecomingly nosy.
Overall, I enjoyed Pouncing on Murder and look forward to more adventures with Minnie and Eddie. With its convincing setting, situations, and characters, it provides hours of pleasant diversion. I recommend it to fans of the series and those who like a heavy dose of Eddie the cat with plenty of books.
