Furever After
Magical Cats Mystery #16
By Sofie Kelly
ISBN: 9780593548752
Website: sofiekelly.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra
Summary:
Kathleen is busy running the library and planning her upcoming wedding to detective Marcus Gordon when she suddenly stumbles across a body in the library. She is surprised to learn that the deceased was in the middle of an unlikely heist—it seems he was trying to steal one of the paintings that had been in a box in the library’s workroom. Kathleen never knew any of the library’s rotating artwork was valuable and can’t imagine what the dead man wanted with it.
But then an art history expert called in by the police identifies the almost-purloined painting as a piece that might have been part of a previous high profile art theft. Owen’s and Hercules’s whiskers are already twitching, and events soon make Kathleen realize that whoever killed the wannabe art thief has more than murder on their mind. Kathleen and her clever cats will have to work fast to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. (Goodreads)
Review:
Furever After is the 16th book in the Magical Cats Mystery series by Sofie Kelly. To my surprise, this is the first book by this author that I have read! I say “to my surprise” because I am always on the lookout for cozy mystery authors who incorporate cats and kittens into their story (well, if truth be told – I also like dogs too). And, whenever possible, I like to read and support Canadian authors. I fell down in this respect, but now that I have found this series and this author – I will rectify the situation 🙂
Furever After begins with Librarian Kathleen Paulson coming across a body:
“It was déjà vu all over again.
The body was smack in the middle of my freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. Fred the Funky Chicken, minus his head. Earlier I’d found Ferdinand the Funky Frog, Fred’s sibling by adoption, in the middle of the bedroom floor. He’d also been decapitated.
“Owen!” I said sharply.
Nothing.
“Owen, you little furball, I know you did this Where are you?”
Now this had me chuckling so loudly family members came running and asked why I was laughing so hard… Great way to start a book I must say. I just knew I would enjoy this read as I could so relate to Owen’s and Hercules’ antics that Kathleen had encountered!
As is usual with cozy mysteries, one encounters a deceased person and the amateur sleuth attempts to solve the mystery of “whodunit”. In this instance we have two cats and a cat owner as the amateur sleuths. Talk about fun, though I do wonder if the cats have a bigger sleuthing role in any of the previous books (?) as this time it just felt like they were Kathleen’s listening confidents in solving this mystery. Guess I shall find out the answer to that when I read more books in this series J.
The story revolves around a priceless piece of art that is being displayed at the Mayville Heights Free Public Library. Kind of interesting that the library has this art hung on its walls from a heist long ago. Now if only Kathleen did not have to interact with a man she had hoped to never see again. Of course, as time went on (very shortly after seeing him again) he turns up dead in the library! And now the sleuthing shall begin.
One of the interesting events that happened to me personally this summer was that I took a course at Carleton University on “Four Famous Art Heists”. While reading this book – there was a reference to a couple of art heists…of which one was talked about extensively in the course – The Montreal break-in:
“Ruby shrugged…I admit I’m fascinated by this kind of thing. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts break-in. Did you know that the Mona Lisa was stolen back in 1911?”
There is a love connection between the amateur sleuth and a local police officer – Detective Marcus Gordon. In fact – Kathleen and Marcus are to marry in less than two months. This is where having read the series from the beginning would add context regarding their love relationship. But in all honesty – it did not take away from my enjoyment of the story at all.
There are numerous possible suspects and as Kathleen, Owen and Hercules methodically work through the list, they eventually come to identify the correct “whodunit”.
I quite liked the cover art as well. Those adorable cats, Owen and Hercules, climbing the trellis which is covered in purple flowers. It just catches my attention.
If you are looking for an easy to read cozy mystery, cats and an interesting story line – then I would suggest picking up a copy of Furever After by Sofie Kelly, find your comfy reading spot and get to reading.
