The Missing Cash Mystery: A #Cozy #NewRelease Featuring The #Mystery #Cats!

It's not every day that someone writes a book about you, which is why we Mystery Cats are overjoyed that our cat-mom Doris Hay has just released The Missing Cash Mystery!

Why are we so excited?

Because the book's about us!

The Missing Cash Mystery stars ME (Ginger)! Zorro and Butterball play a role too, and KitKat gets introduced as well. It's a great book about a funny little mystery. I think you'll love it, but I could be biased.

The Missing Cash Mystery
Series: Mystery Cats on the Case
Book: 1
Author: Doris Hay
Publisher: Rainbow Crush
Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCPBSCS?tag=dorishay-20

Ginger’s just a kitten who loves a good mystery. She’s never actually solved one before, but when a neighbour’s safe is broken into, Ginger’s on the case.

Her fellow Mystery Cats, Butterball and Zorro, don’t see any point in looking into this crime. Clearly, the neighbour’s son stole the money. He doesn’t work, mooches off his parents, and suddenly has the cash to take his girlfriend on a splashy beach vacation? Even Gemma, the neighbour-lady, feels pretty certain her son is to blame—that’s why she didn’t bother calling the police.

But Ginger smells a rat, and she won’t give up until the true culprit is brought to justice… even if the investigation puts this tiny kitten in all sorts of danger!

Don't delay! Read The Missing Cash Mystery today!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCPBSCS?tag=dorishay-20


There are plenty more places to buy this book. Check them out here: https://books2read.com/u/4j2Dyk

Or look for a copy at your local library! 

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Zorro Reviews The Nancy Drew Files #106: Flying Too High

Title: Flying Too High (The Nancy Drew Files 106)
Author: Carolyn Keene
Genre: Action Adventure / Female Sleuth / Series
Status: Read
Cats?: Zero

Zorro Says:

You love our reviews of Nancy Drew books, so here's another one!

What could a book called Flying Too High be about, you might be asking. Well, you'll be thrilled to hear that Nancy goes undercover as a trainee fighter pilot!

Hard to believe? Not a bit! It's established early on that Nancy Drew is already a great pilot, so why shouldn't she fit right in among the other air force cadets?

Flying Too High is a real stunner. If you like your mysteries action-packed, this is the Nancy Drew for you!

Nancy's been called in by the admiral to investigate the death of one young pilot. Was it an accident?  A technical malfunction?  Or was it sabotage (aka MURDER!)?

We all know Nancy Drew is up to any task, but this one puts her through the ringer. Boy howdy, does it ever! I lost track of the number of explosions that took place over the course of the story. Exciting stuff!

Here's a line from the book, to give you a feel for what Nancy goes through:

"In the couple of days since she'd arrived at Davis Field, she'd been knocked out, her plane had been sabotaged, and she'd had a computer screen blow up in her face."

And you know what? That's not the half of it! There are even more explosions to follow! Lots of action in the air! It's non-stop!

If you're looking for a Nancy Drew novel that's all action (and even a hint of romance), you got it here.  Dive right in!

Find Flying Too High at Amazon

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Butterball Reviews #British #Thriller Make Death Love Me by Ruth Rendell

Title: Make Death Love Me
Author: Ruth Rendell
Genre: British / Thriller
Status: Read
Presence of Cats: None

Butterball Says:

On how many occasions have I lamented living so much of my life without ever having read a Ruth Rendell mystery? I suppose one might say I'm making up for lost time by reading every one that crosses the Mystery Cats' desk.

Today I inform you of my latest read, a book perhaps more in the style of a thriller than a classic murder mystery. I say "thriller" only because we, the reader, watch the crime play out in its entirety. We are aware of the culprit, we are aware of the crime... or, at least, we think we are... until the grand finale, when everything changes.

Make Death Love Me boasts a copyright date of 1979--a mere 40 years ago, and yet we are immediately aware of all the changes that have taken place between that time and this.

Alan Groombridge works in a small bank in a small town. Every day, he removes 3,000 pounds from the safe and fantasizes about stealing it. He could easily live on that money for a year, he figures--a clue that we are gazing into the past, for what feline could live on 3,000 pounds these days?

When the bank is robbed, Groombridge sees this as his opportunity to escape with his coveted 3,000 pounds. Meanwhile, the bank robbers flee with cash and Alan's young coworker, Joyce.

We spend the majority of the book watching the situation go from bad to worse for our bank robbers and their hostage.  At the same time, Alan Groombridge reinvents himself in London, commits a slight bit of identity theft, and lives out his fantasy.

Hark! Has nobody died?  Isn't this book entitled Make Death Love Me? Indeed it is. Why so, if it is not a murder mystery? Where is this death we've been promised?

Ahh, now, that would be telling! I shan't give away the ending by revealing who dies, or how.  You will simply have to read Make Death Love Me for yourself to enjoy the intriguing narrative leading to death.

Find Make Death Love Me at Amazon

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KitKat Reviews The Baby-Sitters Club #Mystery 1: Stacey and the Missing Ring

Title: Stacey and the Missing Ring
Author: Ann M. Martin
Genre: Juvenile / Nostalgia / Mystery
Status: Read
Cats?: Yes, there's a cat named Mouse!

KitKat Says:

It's not often that I get to read the first book in a series that features characters I remember fondly from kittenhood, but here we have one with The Baby-Sitters Club Mystery #1: Stacey and the Missing Ring.

It's been ages since I've read a Baby-Sitters Club book, but I loved this series as a kitten.  So when this mystery crossed our desk, you better believe I got my paws on it right away.  I couldn't wait to dive right in!

Reading this book really took me back.  It begins with three chapters of reminding you who all the characters are: the girls in the club, their families, their clients.  This takes a while, but kids like repetition, and this is juvenile fiction, after all.

Then we get into the juicy stuff: the babysitting.  No, I'm kidding.  THE MYSTERY. As you've probably guessed from the title, this mystery involves 13-year-old Stacey and a missing diamond ring.

See, diamond is Stacey's birthstone and she's been begging her mom for a (diamond) birthstone ring. Mother and daughter have an argument about it, and Stacey tells all her friends.  As luck would have it, she babysits for a fancy new client and, sure enough, that client's diamond ring goes missing. Stacey is blamed.  No, it's worse than that.  Stacey is accused of stealing.  And when she won't confess, the client threatens to tell all The Baby-Sitters Club's clients she's a thief.

I really felt for Stacey, when she was accused of a crime she didn't commit.  It's hard enough for that to happen to you as a grown-up, but when you're thirteen, the trouble is compounded by the fact that you're a kid and nobody believes you.  She has no way of proving she didn't steal the ring, and even her best friend seems to think she's guilty.

Nobody, cat or kitten, would want to find themselves in Stacey's predicament.

But Stacey comes up with a clever way to solve the problem. That, paired with a bit of luck, leads her to the solution.

Is there a lot of investigation in this book? No. Does it include all the components you expect to find in your typical mystery? No.  There's no questioning suspects or anything along those lines, but there are enough red herrings that I thought I had this mystery tied up and I was wrong, wrong, wrong.  But I don't mind being wrong.  The ending surprised me and put a little smile on my face.

The Baby-Sitters Club Mystery #1: Stacey and the Missing Ring took me on a trip down memory lane. I would recommend it to people who are currently thirteen years old, as well as grown-ups who read these books when they were young. If you're as much of a sucker for nostalgia as I am, you're sure to enjoy it!

Find Stacey and the Missing Ring at Amazon

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Ginger Reviews The #Cat Who Went Bananas #Cozy #Mystery

Title: The Cat Who Went Bananas

Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Genre: Cozy / Pets / Amateur Sleuth
Status: Abandoned
Cats?: At least three

Ginger Says:

I'm breaking my own rules, here.

I have a bit of a personal policy about not reviewing books until I've read them to completion. If I have no intention of finishing a book, I wouldn't normally review it.

Why have I broken my rule for The Cat Who Went Bananas?

Because it's bad.  It's really bad, really poorly written. Dick and Jane Solve a Murder, with a heavy helping of Grampa Simpson rambling. When you're constantly asking a book "Why are you telling me this?" that's not a good sign. Honestly, it was a struggle to get through the first three chapters. By that point, I knew I wouldn't be reading the rest of the book.

Sure cats have nine lives, but they're all too short to waste on bad writing.

The reason I wanted to review The Cat Who Went Bananas (or at least comment on it) anyway is that this book comes from a series that's been around for decades. The earlier "The Cat Who..." books are fantastic. I've reviewed one written in 1967 very positively.

When I got my paws on a copy of The Cat Who Went Bananas, I put it aside for a time when I wanted to treat myself. Sometimes you need to cozy up with a good book, and if you're lucky, you're familiar with a series that can give you just the feeling of warmth and comfort you need.

The fact that this terrible book is part of a series that was formerly fantastic is what disappoints me the most. I had high expectations based on other books in the series.  This book doesn't meet those expectations. Nowhere near.

How the mighty have fallen.

Ever since I put this book down, I've been thinking about successful series on a grander scale. Not just books, but television too.  No matter how good a series is in the beginning (or wherever its golden era is situated), at some point that series is going to be in decline. I really respect creators who know when to pull the plug, but I also understand the urge to keep on truckin, especially if the series is making big money.

As a reader, do you prefer to follow a series into the abyss because you're comfortable and familiar with the characters? Or do you stop buying those books as soon as they're past their prime? I can think of a lot of TV shows I've stopped watching even though I really liked them earlier on.

What about you? Can you think of a series (whether it be books or television) that dropped off in quality? Did you keep reading or watching?  Or did you dump it like yesterday's trash? Let us know in the comments.

If you're curious about The Cat Who Went Bananas, I invite you to form your own opinions. I won't be finishing it, but maybe you will. Maybe you'll love it!

Find The Cat Who Went Bananas at Amazon

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Hey Mystery Cats, What is the Ultimate British Mystery Series?

We're talking television today.

The Brits make the best TV mysteries, but which series is the best of the best?

Butterball Says:

There is only one possible response to such a question. The greatest British mystery series of all time is Midsomer Murders. This program has been around for decades. Why are we still watching it after more than 20 years? Because this long-running television show is consistent and reliable in providing us with the cosy settings and situations we crave.

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Midsomer Murders.

Zorro Says:

Looking for a good time? Well then Death in Paradise is the show for you. Set on the fictitious island of Saint Marie and filmed on location in Guadeloupe, Death in Paradise is funny, sunny, and comfortingly formulaic. One of the best things about all these British shows is the predictable pacing, and Death in Paradise has got that down to an art form. You always know roughly when things are going to happen, but I'm always surprised by the results. This show's got a lot going for it--including comedy legends like Ardal O'Hanlon!

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Death in Paradise!

KitKat Says:

Believe it or not, I agree with Butterball (it happens on rare occasions), but I'll pick another one--which is easy to do, because there are so many amazing British mysteries out there. I'm going with Inspector Lewis, the Morse spin-off. Why Lewis and not Morse? Because Inspector Lewis has everything going for it that I enjoyed with Morse--it's cinematic, it's got an amazing soundtrack and intriguing mysteries--but it doesn't have the one thing I was never too fond of with Morse: Morse himself. I just never liked that character, sue me! With Inspector Lewis, I really enjoy the interplay between the investigators and, on top of that, the show is visually stunning.

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Inspector Lewis.

Ginger Says:

Oh, it's so hard to choose, but I'll have to go with Rosemary and Thyme. If you've never seen it, you should go out and find yourself a copy. It's a murder mystery series about two gardeners who just happen to solve crimes. One used to be in the police and one has an academic background, so they're perfectly positioned to figure out whodunit. This is the cosy of cosies. It's the cosiest cosy that ever cosied. The characters are great and there's plenty of gardening? Who could ask for anything more.

That's why the Ultimate British Mystery Series is Rosemary and Thyme.



Feel free to weigh in. That's what comments are for! 
Which is your favourite British mystery series?