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A Whisker of Trouble
Second Chance Cat #3
Sofie Ryan

Obsidian
February 2, 2016 / ISBN 978-0-451-41996-5
Mystery/Cozy/Amateur Sleuth

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

 

Reviewer Note: Sofie Ryan also writes as Sofie Kelley

Sarah Grayson runs Second Chance, a shop in North Harbor, Maine, where she refurbishes and repurposes furniture and other items to sell. It is a unique business, and she's definitely found her niche. Or one of her niches. The other seems to be working with a group of senior citizens to solve murders!

Sarah has been hired, along with her team from Second Chance, to clear out the house of Edison Hall, who was a collector of many things, to the point of bordering on being a hoarder. Edison's son, Ethan, hired a specialist to appraise his late father's wine collection. When Sarah, her store manager, Mac, and her uniquely intelligent cat, Elvis, enter Edison's small house, there is a terrible smell. A smell which leads them to the body of the wine specialist, one Ronan Quinn.

Although the police are on the case to solve Quinn's murder, they are taking too long to suit Stella, Edison's sister, who is the one who hired Sarah and crew in the first place. She steps up to hire "Charlotte's Angels" to solve the mystery. Charlotte's Angels is made up of Rose, her boyfriend, Mr. P, Liz and Charlotte, all sprightly senior citizens, who are actually now legally able to conduct investigations since Mr. P (aka Alfred) got his private investigator's license! While Sarah has vowed to stay out of any more murder cases, she knows she'll end up in the thick of things, since she usually ends up driving the Angels around anyway. Her cat, Elvis, seems to have a nose for snooping too, and the intelligence to convey his take on things.

Sofie Ryan has a knack for penning an interesting, realistic cozy, and making you almost believe the human characters are running the show. The truth is, although it's subtle, Elvis the cat has the best intuition of all! There is such a good mixture of people in this book- teens, 30 something's, and retirees, that it should have multi-generation appeal amongst cozy readers. Add a dash of humor and a side order of romance, and you've got the perfect mystery for a snowy day read. I recommend this book - and series- to book groups, too. Four paws and one tail up!

Reviews of other titles in this series

The Whole Cat and Caboodle #1
Buy a Whisker #2
A Whisker of Trouble #3
Telling Tails #4

Reviewed 2016
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