Sunday 3 June 2018

Zorro Reviews #KidLit #Mystery: Murder on the #Canadian

Title: Murder on the Canadian 
Author: Eric Wilson
Genre: Action Adventure / Murder Mystery / Juvenile Fiction
Status: Read
Cats?: Nope.

Zorro Says:

I admit it: I'm hooked on Juvenile Fiction. Ever since I read my first Hardy Boys mystery last year, I haven't been able to kick the habit.

My latest kidlit read is Murder on the Canadian, A Tom Austen Mystery written by Eric Wilson. Yes, our amateur sleuth is a young lad. Yes, he's hilarious. And yes, he's about to solve a murder on a train.

Great cast of characters in this one. So much personality. There's nothing worse than dull characters in a murder mystery, and you won't find any here.  Young Tom loves Hardy Boys mysteries and detective novels, but he's no kid genius. There are a number of clues an adult reader picks up on that Tom doesn't notice. This builds tension.  You're sitting there going "That's a clue, Tom! It's a clue!"

He gets there eventually, I should mention. Kid's not a total dope. In fact, he does a better job at solving this murder than I would have, as a kitten. I shouldn't be so hard on Tom.

There's a great action sequence toward the end of the book, as well.  Something to look forward to.

Murder on the Canadian is a fun read. I honestly wasn't prepared for how much I would enjoy this one.  Big personality, lots of fun suspects, a smattering of jokes, and a physical struggle that could mean the difference between life and death.  What more could a cat ask for?

The agonizing sound of a woman's scream hurls Tom Austen into the middle of a murder plot on board the sleek passenger train The Canadian. Who is responsible for the death of lovely Catherine Saks? As Tom investigates the strange collection of travellers who share Car 165, he gets closer and closer to the truth . . . and then without warning, he is suddenly face to face with the killer, and his own life is threatened in the most alarming possible way.









Wednesday 16 May 2018

Butterball Reviews #British #Mystery A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell

Title: A Guilty Thing Surprised (An Inspector Wexford Mystery)
Author: Ruth Rendell
Genre: British Detectives
Status: Read
Presence of Cats: A brief appearance by a ginger named Ginger (very creative...)

Butterball Says:

As I recall, it was a mere one year ago when I lamented the fact that I had gone so very long in life without ever having read the words of one of Britain's finest mistresses of mystery.  Ruth Rendell represents quality writing and intriguing plots, the likes of which this cat has not seen since Agatha Christie.

A Guilty Thing Surprised is not the first Inspector Wexford Mystery, and though I have not read any other books in this series, I did not feel this fact hampered my enjoyment in the least.

Because the setting is a manor house in England's green and pleasant land, one is immediately transported to the time of Agatha Christie's writings.  Thus, it feels oddly anachronistic when the servants are reportedly listening to The Beatles and stacking the dishwasher.

The copyright date on this book reads 1970, which leads one to believe it is set in perhaps the late sixties: a time of change, when the older generation believes they have betters, and the younger generation believes they can one day become their betters. And perhaps they are correct.

When the lady of the house is murdered in the woods, suspicion falls upon the usual suspects: the husband, the family, the servants. Motives abound.  Whether she was murdered for love or money, there is no short supply of characters who might have wielded the weapon.

There are hints of piquancy and salacious goings-on behind the scenes, but I must say the resolution is salacious in the extreme! From the very first pages, I thought things were perhaps heading in a direction KitKat would most enjoy. Was I correct in this assumption? Ah, that would be telling!

For now, I'll only say that I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in the world of Inspector Wexford, and I hope to visit again very soon. Highly recommended for lovers of Agatha Christie's masterful works!









Saturday 7 April 2018

Murder at MarketFresh, Book 2 in the Lasagna Lady #Mysteries #Series

Hi, hi, hi!

It's me again, your pal KitKat, with another announcement about our cat mom Doris Hay's Lasagna Lady Mysteries series.

Book Two is now available

Much like its predecessor Murder at Meadowlark, the new book Murder at MarketFresh is set in the Mystery Cats' hometown of Toronto.  The first book was set at a retirement residence. This murder takes place in a supermarket parking lot. It's a hit-and-run, but is it deliberate?  Is it an accident?  Luella Genova is one of only three witnesses, and she votes for deliberate act of violence.

One thing I love about the second book in any series is that you've gotten all the meeting your main characters stuff out of the way. We met Luella and Chandelle in Book One.  We already love them--despite their quirks or because of their quirks, I'm not sure which. Now we're ready to watch them take on the worlds of lasagna delivery, crime-solving, and dealing with the ghosts of the past.

You may recall that in Book One, someone broke into Luella's house. That was never fully resolved, was it?  Well, in Book Two we find out who it was--and the answer will blow you away!

We also get to see Luella trying to worm her way into Chandelle's young life. Luella's convinced Chandelle would be happier if she made some friends her own age. When she tries to get the transgender teen to join her school's LGBT Alliance, let's just say it doesn't go well. Chandelle's great at driving other people's lives, but she doesn't appreciate it when Luella interferes in hers.

There's so much going on in this book it would be a great read even without the murder mystery, but, that said, the mystery is actually central to the action.


What does it take to solve a murder in a supermarket parking lot? A mischievous husky dog, an entrepreneurial high school student, and a little lasagna lady with a whole lotta heart!

When Luella Genova witnesses a hit-and-run in the parking lot of the MarketFresh superstore, it isn’t her first brush with murder. It is, however, the first time she’s witnessed the death of a teen.

Grace Tangoco was a determined young woman working three jobs to pay for university. Her classmates and coworkers loved her, and yet nobody knew her all that well. Nobody but her secret boyfriend, who mysteriously disappeared after the hit-and-run.

Who could have killed such a kind and hard-working young girl? The police are investigating, sure, but this case can only be cracked by Luella the Lasagna Lady and her business partner Chandelle “Garlic Bread Girl” Jervais. After all, they’re the only two people who know about the teenager’s haunting last words.

If you're ready to watch Luella and Chandelle's friendship build while they solve another murder, you're ready for Murder at MarketFresh.

Murder at MarketFresh is currently enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program. That means, if you're a KU member, you get to read the entire novel for free!

Murder at MarketFresh is the second book in the Lasagna Lady Mysteries series.

Read MURDER AT MARKETFRESH by Doris Hay today! 
It’s free with KindleUnlimited!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079ZZNLB6?tag=dorishay-20
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079ZZNLB6
Amazon CANADA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B079ZZNLB6
Amazon AUSTRALIA: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B079ZZNLB6

Sunday 18 March 2018

Zorro Reviews The Charmed Bracelet (Nancy Drew Graphic Novels: Girl Detective #7)

https://www.amazon.com/Charmed-Bracelet-Nancy-Graphic-Novels/dp/159707036X?tag=dorishay-20
Title: The Charmed Bracelet (Nancy Drew Graphic Novels: Girl Detective #7)
Author: Stefan Petrucha
Illustrator: Vaughn Ross
Genre: Action Adventure / Female Sleuth / Graphic Novel
Status: Read
Cats?: Zero

Zorro Says:

Last year KitKat inspired me to read a Hardy Boys mystery for the first time. When The Charmed Bracelet showed up on the Mystery Cats' desk, I swiped it too. (Sorry, KitKat. You can read it next.)

Why did Zorro, your action/adventure cat, want to read a Nancy Drew mystery? Easy answer. Just flip through this graphic novel and the first thing you'll notice is all the car chases and squirming around in air ducts. Nancy Drew is a total ninja in this graphic novel. Early on, she saves her boyfriend from being struck down by a murderous motorcycle. Okay, the motorcycle itself wasn't murderous. The guy riding it was. But wouldn't that be cool if the motorcycle was a sentient being intent upon Ned's ultimate demise?

Maybe I should be writing Nancy Drew graphic novels!

As you might have guessed by my description, the Nancy Drew in this graphic novel is a contemporary version of the character. She's a kick-ass super-heroine, for the most part.

Bess and George are no delicate doilies either. While Bess is interpreted as a bit of a femme fatale, George is her usual tomboy (KitKat's type, I'd venture to guess) and self-proclaimed "Girl Computer Whiz."

There are two mysteries to be solved in The Charmed Bracelet. One involves a stolen computer chip. The other is more personal: Nancy's boyfriend Ned is being framed for crimes he didn't commit.

Despite the dual mysteries, The Charmed Bracelet is a quick read. Maybe too quick? I'm not a big reader of graphic novels, so I'll be the first to admit I'm not overly familiar with how the pacing usually works in this style of book. I'll pass it along to KitKat, but I don't think she's a huge reader of graphic novels either, so the Mystery Cats probably can't provide an expert opinion. But, heck, we never claimed to be experts! We're just cats who like mysteries. And, as a cat who likes actiony thrillery tales, I thought it was a neat little read, but with an emphasis on "little." This glossy paperback has a total of 112 pages, and a whopping 24 of those pages are bonus materials and ads for other books! 

If you're a Nancy Drew aficionado, you'll surely want to investigate this graphic take on the franchise.










Sunday 25 February 2018

Murder at Meadowlark, Book 1 in the Lasagna Lady #Mysteries #culinary #cozy #mystery #series

Hello, friends!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YGP2N3?tag=dorishay-20KitKat here, with a big announcement on behalf of myself and my fellow Mystery Cats and our dear old cat mom, Doris Hay:

At long last, it is with great pleasure that we, the Mystery Cats, announce to you that our cat mom has released the first book in her Lasagna Lady Mysteries series!

Murder at Meadowlark takes place here in Toronto, where we Mystery Cats live. It's largely set at the Meadowlark Retirement Residence. Those seniors really get around! You'll be amazed! There's lots of LGBT content to keep me happy (sometimes I think Mama Doris writes these books just for me!), but I know Ginger loved the big feels she got from the characters.

There's a lot to love about Luella and Chandelle and their burgeoning friendship. A lady in her sixties and a sixteen-year-old makes for a great pairing. They're such an odd couple, but that's why they fit together so well. Luella never speaks her mind. Chandelle never stops speaking her mind. They work so well together, and I really enjoyed watching their friendship deepen throughout the book. 

This is a mystery novel with a whole lot of heart. We Mystery Cats hope you'll enjoy the twists and turns Murder at Meadowlark takes you on. Some of those twists are a little dark, especially for a culinary cozy, but ultimately this books captures the heart as much as it intrigues with its backbone of murder mystery.

Murder at Meadowlark is currently enrolled in Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program. That means, if you're a KU member, you get to read the entire novel for free! We Mystery Cats definitely recommend it. Mind you, we're somewhat biased. After all, we warm the author's feet every night, and she provides us with food and litter. So we certainly want her book to succeed.  If it does particularly well, maybe she'll even buy us treats!

Read Murder at Meadowlark today! It's the first book in the Lasagna Lady Mysteries series, and you're sure to fall in love with these quirky characters just like you've fallen in love with us Mystery Cats!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YGP2N3?tag=dorishay-20

Lasagna Lady Mysteries
Book 1
Author: Doris Hay

Luella Genova has never been great at speaking her mind. When community-spirited high school student Chandelle Jervais asks her to bring one of her famous lasagnas to the potluck at Meadowlark Retirement Residence, the aging widow would rather stay home and swallow a bottle of pills.

Who’d have thought lasagna could change a lady’s life?

When Luella arrives at Meadowlark, a woman has just died—not an uncommon occurrence in a home for seniors, but Luella smells a rat. Even the old woman’s family is satisfied to believe that she died of natural causes, but that only makes Luella more suspicious. The only way to prove it was murder… is to find the killer!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YGP2N3?tag=dorishay-20Book One in the Lasagna Lady Mysteries series.

Read MURDER AT MEADOWLARK by Doris Hay today! 
It’s free with KindleUnlimited!

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YGP2N3?tag=dorishay-20
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B078YGP2N3
Amazon CANADA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B078YGP2N3
Amazon AUSTRALIA: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B078YGP2N3

Wednesday 14 February 2018

Ginger Reads The #Cat Who Ate Danish Modern: A #Cozy #Mystery

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Who-Danish-Modern-Book-ebook/dp/B000OCXJ66?tag=dorishay-20
Title: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern

Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Genre: Cozy / Pets / Amateur Sleuth
Status: Read
Cats?: Two, and one's got a knack for presenting clues!

Ginger Says:

I've seen Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who..." books on library shelves since I was a kitten, but this is the first time I've actually picked one up to read.  I always wondered how these stories were told.  For some reason, I assumed I would be reading a book told from a cat's point of view.  As it turns out, that wasn't the case.  Once I got over the initial disappointment of being told a human story instead of a cat one, I really got into it and had a lot of fun with this book.

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern features a journalist named Jim Qwilleran who used to work the crime beat.  Now he's down on his luck, living in a run-down apartment with a Siamese cat named Koko.  When his boss assigns him to an interior design magazine, Qwilleran's not keen.  He's clueless about design. It's really not his world... that is, until a crime spree breaks out!  Every property he visits seems to get burgled, someone dies, the police raid it as a brothel... the list goes on!  Finally, some crime to investigate. Qwilleran's back in his element.

Now, his cat Koko doesn't accompany him on his investigations.  That would be pretty neat, but I guess you'd get a reputation if, as a journalist, you brought your cat along to interviews.  So Koko stays home while Jim is out and about, but still manages to bring attention to clues leading to whodunit.

When I first picked up this book, I didn't quite realize its age.  I was barely three pages into the novel when I said to myself, "When was this written?!?"  There are certain concepts, relationships and turns of phrase that struck me as outmoded.  That's when I checked the copyright date: 1967.  No wonder the book's got a bit of a Mad Men feel about it.

All in all, I ate this book up.  It's very witty, consistently amusing, and the characters are a lot of fun: big personalities that keep you wanting more.  This is probably my feline bias talking, but I would have enjoyed more time with the cats.  Yes there are cats in the book, but it's primarily a human story and a human investigator.

Having said all that, if you're looking for a big-city cozy mystery set in the world of 1960s-era interior design, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern certainly fits the bill!