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Magical Cats Mystery #11
A Night's Tail
In the charming town of Mayville Heights, librarian Kathleen Paulson and her two cats pounce on clues to catch a killer, in the eleventh installment of this New York Times bestselling series.
Spring is coming to Mayville Heights, and Kathleen’s brother, Ethan, has arrived in town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. But not everything goes as scheduled when one of Ethan’s bandmates gets into a fight with a man interested in investing in the town. When the businessman’s body is later found, Ethan’s friend is implicated in the crime.
Kathleen wants to help her brother by solving the case, but she has no shortage of suspects from which to choose. Prior to his death, the investor was fighting like cats and dogs with lots of people. If this librarian wants more than a whisker’s chance of solving the case, she will need to rely on her trusty feline sidekicks, Owen and Hercules.
Spring is coming to Mayville Heights, and Kathleen’s brother, Ethan, has arrived in town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. But not everything goes as scheduled when one of Ethan’s bandmates gets into a fight with a man interested in investing in the town. When the businessman’s body is later found, Ethan’s friend is implicated in the crime.
Kathleen wants to help her brother by solving the case, but she has no shortage of suspects from which to choose. Prior to his death, the investor was fighting like cats and dogs with lots of people. If this librarian wants more than a whisker’s chance of solving the case, she will need to rely on her trusty feline sidekicks, Owen and Hercules.
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First published September 3, 2019
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About the author
Sofie Kelly
17 books1,105 followersSofie Kelly is the pseudonym of young adult writer and mixed-media artist, Darlene Ryan. Sofie/Darlene lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she practices Wu style tai chi and likes to prowl around thrift stores. And she admits to having a small crush on Matt Lauer.
She also writes as Sofie Ryan.
She also writes as Sofie Ryan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
October 18, 2021
2.5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This wasn’t my first dead body.
A Night's Tale is the eleventh installment in the Magical Cats Mystery series that takes place in a small town called Mayville Heights in Minnesota. Our first person pov and who the series follows, is from Kathleen who is a Boston transplant working as a librarian. I haven't read the other books in the series and as a consequence, I struggled to keep the large amount of characters straight in my mind. I would say the first 20% of this was overly descriptive (Do we really need to know which side of a haircut everyone is on?) muses from Kathleen of her friends and the townspeople. If you're a frequent reader of the series, you would probably enjoy meeting up with everyone again but as a new reader, it was too many characters to juggle and details that clogged the story.
Owen could become invisible at will. It had seemed so shocking the first time I’d realized what he could do, and now it was no big deal— for the most part. Hercules, on the other hand— or maybe that should be “paw”— could walk through walls.
The series follows Kathleen but her two cats could arguably be the stars of the show. They were feral cats that Kathleen found on a Wisteria Hill and for the last three years, Kathleen has known about their magical abilities, which they apparently use to not only confuse unknowing humans by showing up in random spots but help Kathleen solve murder cases. As this is a cozy mystery series, there are a lot of murder cases in this town. I really wish the cats Owen and Hercules would have been utilized more, they're around in the story but the murder mystery plot doesn't really get rolling until almost the 60% mark and the cats come into the latter second half more and help. With a cover sporting cats and a series titled “Magical Cats”, I wanted them to have more of the spotlight.
“We have to figure out who killed Lewis Wallace,” I said. “Mrr,” Hercules agreed. He put one white‑tipped paw on my hand . He was in.
The murder takes place at 30% and it is of a character new to the town and who hasn't made a great impression, so the suspects are wide and varied, which is fun for a murder mystery. Kathleen is also dating a detective, their romance seems to be threaded throughout the series, so we get some helpful information from him on the murder thread. Kathleen's brother is in town with his band and staying with her and as one of his bandmates had an altercation with the victim and was with Kathleen when she came upon the body at the hotel, they're all close to the case. Kathleen decides to do her own investigation into the case to try and help keep her brother off the suspect list as he was the one who bought the peanut butter muffins that ended up sending the victim into anaphylactic shock and ruled the cause of death.
“Most people are not all one thing,” she said. “You might want to keep that in mind.”
Through Kathleen's investigations, the story revisits past characters and couples while giving some a little more background and setting up possible romances for future books in the series. As I said, I was new to the world, so some of this felt like filler to me and I wanted more of a focus on the cats helping out with the murder mystery. The mystery gets a little convoluted in it's red-herring travels but circles around to a plausible and credible set-up reasons for why the guilty did what they did. This is a cozy mystery, so except everything to be done and presented with more of a lighter touch than gritty.
Just like that, I knew who had killed Lewis Wallace.
The murder mystery accelerates at around 80% and Kathleen ends up solving the case. The last 10% has Kathleen deciding to let her detective boyfriend in on the magical abilities of her two cats because she doesn't want to lie to him anymore and he also happens to have a cat from Wisteria Hill and she's noticed that cat has some magical abilities too. He at first reacts the way one would think you would when told a cat can walk through walls but after seeing it for himself, gets a little hurt that Kathleen is just telling him now when they have been dating almost two years. The series will obvious continue with them working on their relationship and maybe bringing in his cat Micah to help with further investigations. Readers of the series will probably enjoy this more than I did as I couldn't quite keep up with the large cast of characters. The over descriptions of character looks in the beginning clogged the story for me and while there was some interesting tidbits of information (the Andrew Carnegie library tie-in), I thought the writer was a little too eager to include their random bits of research. If you like magical cats that help solve murder mysteries though, Owen and Hercules will steal your heart, if not your food.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This wasn’t my first dead body.
A Night's Tale is the eleventh installment in the Magical Cats Mystery series that takes place in a small town called Mayville Heights in Minnesota. Our first person pov and who the series follows, is from Kathleen who is a Boston transplant working as a librarian. I haven't read the other books in the series and as a consequence, I struggled to keep the large amount of characters straight in my mind. I would say the first 20% of this was overly descriptive (Do we really need to know which side of a haircut everyone is on?) muses from Kathleen of her friends and the townspeople. If you're a frequent reader of the series, you would probably enjoy meeting up with everyone again but as a new reader, it was too many characters to juggle and details that clogged the story.
Owen could become invisible at will. It had seemed so shocking the first time I’d realized what he could do, and now it was no big deal— for the most part. Hercules, on the other hand— or maybe that should be “paw”— could walk through walls.
The series follows Kathleen but her two cats could arguably be the stars of the show. They were feral cats that Kathleen found on a Wisteria Hill and for the last three years, Kathleen has known about their magical abilities, which they apparently use to not only confuse unknowing humans by showing up in random spots but help Kathleen solve murder cases. As this is a cozy mystery series, there are a lot of murder cases in this town. I really wish the cats Owen and Hercules would have been utilized more, they're around in the story but the murder mystery plot doesn't really get rolling until almost the 60% mark and the cats come into the latter second half more and help. With a cover sporting cats and a series titled “Magical Cats”, I wanted them to have more of the spotlight.
“We have to figure out who killed Lewis Wallace,” I said. “Mrr,” Hercules agreed. He put one white‑tipped paw on my hand . He was in.
The murder takes place at 30% and it is of a character new to the town and who hasn't made a great impression, so the suspects are wide and varied, which is fun for a murder mystery. Kathleen is also dating a detective, their romance seems to be threaded throughout the series, so we get some helpful information from him on the murder thread. Kathleen's brother is in town with his band and staying with her and as one of his bandmates had an altercation with the victim and was with Kathleen when she came upon the body at the hotel, they're all close to the case. Kathleen decides to do her own investigation into the case to try and help keep her brother off the suspect list as he was the one who bought the peanut butter muffins that ended up sending the victim into anaphylactic shock and ruled the cause of death.
“Most people are not all one thing,” she said. “You might want to keep that in mind.”
Through Kathleen's investigations, the story revisits past characters and couples while giving some a little more background and setting up possible romances for future books in the series. As I said, I was new to the world, so some of this felt like filler to me and I wanted more of a focus on the cats helping out with the murder mystery. The mystery gets a little convoluted in it's red-herring travels but circles around to a plausible and credible set-up reasons for why the guilty did what they did. This is a cozy mystery, so except everything to be done and presented with more of a lighter touch than gritty.
Just like that, I knew who had killed Lewis Wallace.
The murder mystery accelerates at around 80% and Kathleen ends up solving the case. The last 10% has Kathleen deciding to let her detective boyfriend in on the magical abilities of her two cats because she doesn't want to lie to him anymore and he also happens to have a cat from Wisteria Hill and she's noticed that cat has some magical abilities too. He at first reacts the way one would think you would when told a cat can walk through walls but after seeing it for himself, gets a little hurt that Kathleen is just telling him now when they have been dating almost two years. The series will obvious continue with them working on their relationship and maybe bringing in his cat Micah to help with further investigations. Readers of the series will probably enjoy this more than I did as I couldn't quite keep up with the large cast of characters. The over descriptions of character looks in the beginning clogged the story for me and while there was some interesting tidbits of information (the Andrew Carnegie library tie-in), I thought the writer was a little too eager to include their random bits of research. If you like magical cats that help solve murder mysteries though, Owen and Hercules will steal your heart, if not your food.
September 21, 2019
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We are back in Mayville Heights and librarian Kathleen Paulson is thrilled that her brother has come to visit. His band, The Flaming Gerbils, is playing some gigs nearby and have organized a song-writing workshop at the St. James Hotel. When they and Kathleen arrive at the hotel to check out the space they find a man the had encountered the night before deader than a doornail. Lewis Wallace has been in town trying to work out a deal for a new business venture and it isn’t long before his true colors are exposed opening up a large variety of suspects. Because of the band members recent history with the man Kathleen, with a little assist from her magical felines, Owen and Hercules, strive to get the right person booked for the crime.
I love this series! Owen and Hercules are such amazing kitties and so is Micah! Marcus just doesn’t know it yet 😎 They are absolutely priceless. Owen with his catnip chickens, Hercules snaking off to have breakfast across the backyard with Everett and Rebecca, and Micah’s little antics just crack me up.
In this installment, we meet Kathleen’s brother Ethan. I was thrilled that she had a little piece of home with her but it leads her to realize that Mayville Heights is home too. Right now at the library, she is helping set up a quilt show. The organizer is a real micro-manager but Kathleen understands and they make a great team. The show sounded quite impressive. Her boyfriend Marcus would like her to stay out of his case but Kathleen always seems to find the right answers just before he does. Of course, he doesn’t have a set of magical cats helping him investigate.
Ms. Kelly continues to create great characters while letting established characters to grow. They are three-dimensional and the dialogue rings true. This time she not only had to give us a despicable victim, you will see what I mean early in the story, she also brings us The Flaming Gerbils! I love that name! She has to give them all enough depth so that readers become invested and keep those pages flipping. She does this so well. I love the little snarks between brother and sister. It sounded a lot like my house when the kids are together.
Sofie Kelly also pens a twisted mystery with plenty of clues pulling both Kathleen and readers in different directions. I thought I had it all figured out only to keep reading to find I was completely wrong. It turned out to be quite a puzzler until the final clue slid into place.
Readers will get a kick out of this well-plotted mystery with terrific characters, a great dose of humor, just a little bit of romance and cats that will absolutely, positively steal your heart. A Night’s Tail has it all and was truly A Perfect Escape!
We are back in Mayville Heights and librarian Kathleen Paulson is thrilled that her brother has come to visit. His band, The Flaming Gerbils, is playing some gigs nearby and have organized a song-writing workshop at the St. James Hotel. When they and Kathleen arrive at the hotel to check out the space they find a man the had encountered the night before deader than a doornail. Lewis Wallace has been in town trying to work out a deal for a new business venture and it isn’t long before his true colors are exposed opening up a large variety of suspects. Because of the band members recent history with the man Kathleen, with a little assist from her magical felines, Owen and Hercules, strive to get the right person booked for the crime.
I love this series! Owen and Hercules are such amazing kitties and so is Micah! Marcus just doesn’t know it yet 😎 They are absolutely priceless. Owen with his catnip chickens, Hercules snaking off to have breakfast across the backyard with Everett and Rebecca, and Micah’s little antics just crack me up.
In this installment, we meet Kathleen’s brother Ethan. I was thrilled that she had a little piece of home with her but it leads her to realize that Mayville Heights is home too. Right now at the library, she is helping set up a quilt show. The organizer is a real micro-manager but Kathleen understands and they make a great team. The show sounded quite impressive. Her boyfriend Marcus would like her to stay out of his case but Kathleen always seems to find the right answers just before he does. Of course, he doesn’t have a set of magical cats helping him investigate.
Ms. Kelly continues to create great characters while letting established characters to grow. They are three-dimensional and the dialogue rings true. This time she not only had to give us a despicable victim, you will see what I mean early in the story, she also brings us The Flaming Gerbils! I love that name! She has to give them all enough depth so that readers become invested and keep those pages flipping. She does this so well. I love the little snarks between brother and sister. It sounded a lot like my house when the kids are together.
Sofie Kelly also pens a twisted mystery with plenty of clues pulling both Kathleen and readers in different directions. I thought I had it all figured out only to keep reading to find I was completely wrong. It turned out to be quite a puzzler until the final clue slid into place.
Readers will get a kick out of this well-plotted mystery with terrific characters, a great dose of humor, just a little bit of romance and cats that will absolutely, positively steal your heart. A Night’s Tail has it all and was truly A Perfect Escape!
August 21, 2019
I loved this book! I finished this book in one day, which is something I rarely ever do, but I could not put this book down. This is a perfect example of cozy mystery at it's best. The writing was so smooth and the characters and vibrant and lovable. The story flowed at the perfect pace, without any thinking in circles that can sometimes happen in a mystery. And magical cats! Need I say more?!
Kathleen is a head librarian at the Mayville Heights Free Public Library in Minneapolis. She has wonderful friends, a lovely detective boyfriend, and in this installment her younger brother and his band are visiting. When they all go out one night, they witness a drunken stranger get into a fight and then is later found dead in the local hotel. As Kathleen learns more about the man, she uncovers some unsavory things about his past and his character. She cannot help her mind from dissecting the possible suspects and asking discrete questions and I LOVED that her detective boyfriend never scolds her or treats her like a nosy woman. And Kathleen herself is smart, a lot more careful and thoughtful of her actions and words than some other amateur sleuths, which I loved.
The story flowed so well, never getting stuck on one person or another. We got to see a lot of Kathleen's life has both head librarian, friend, and sister and I loved learning more about her Tai Chi and her past with her siblings. Sofie Kelly writes some really lovely characters. Of course I adored the idea of Kathleen's magical cats; one who can disappear and one who can walk through walls. The best part is the have their little ways of helping Kathleen solve the mystery, or notice clues she otherwise wouldn't. It never gets too over the top and I found myself not blinking an eye at the idea of these special cats.
I absolutely loved this mystery, was stumped by the clues, and cannot wait to go back and read the rest of the books in this series! Definitely a new favorite series for me!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. I was happy to give my honest thoughts.
Kathleen is a head librarian at the Mayville Heights Free Public Library in Minneapolis. She has wonderful friends, a lovely detective boyfriend, and in this installment her younger brother and his band are visiting. When they all go out one night, they witness a drunken stranger get into a fight and then is later found dead in the local hotel. As Kathleen learns more about the man, she uncovers some unsavory things about his past and his character. She cannot help her mind from dissecting the possible suspects and asking discrete questions and I LOVED that her detective boyfriend never scolds her or treats her like a nosy woman. And Kathleen herself is smart, a lot more careful and thoughtful of her actions and words than some other amateur sleuths, which I loved.
The story flowed so well, never getting stuck on one person or another. We got to see a lot of Kathleen's life has both head librarian, friend, and sister and I loved learning more about her Tai Chi and her past with her siblings. Sofie Kelly writes some really lovely characters. Of course I adored the idea of Kathleen's magical cats; one who can disappear and one who can walk through walls. The best part is the have their little ways of helping Kathleen solve the mystery, or notice clues she otherwise wouldn't. It never gets too over the top and I found myself not blinking an eye at the idea of these special cats.
I absolutely loved this mystery, was stumped by the clues, and cannot wait to go back and read the rest of the books in this series! Definitely a new favorite series for me!
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. I was happy to give my honest thoughts.
September 10, 2019
Overall I like the book , I love the cats there was just a few annoyances which might be me ....
May 29, 2021
I love these cats so much I don't even care that I accidently got the wrong book out of the library and read this book very far out of order.
To prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future Sofie Kelly, please don't title one book in your series A Night's Tail (the one I read) and an earlier book in the series A Midwinter's Tail (the one I wanted to read) . Some of your readers have frazzled brains from 15 months of working from home, and a trigger finger when it comes to books in the Overdrive app! Take pity on us. Oh, and if you are reading this Ms. Kelly.... I just love Owen and Hercules so much!
To prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future Sofie Kelly, please don't title one book in your series A Night's Tail (the one I read) and an earlier book in the series A Midwinter's Tail (the one I wanted to read) . Some of your readers have frazzled brains from 15 months of working from home, and a trigger finger when it comes to books in the Overdrive app! Take pity on us. Oh, and if you are reading this Ms. Kelly.... I just love Owen and Hercules so much!
September 10, 2019
I enjoyed it, especially the bit at the end where something I've been waiting for FINALLY happens. The murder investigation had some interesting red herrings but the way it was written, it was kind of obvious who the murderer was. Oh well. Light and fun and just what I need.
September 22, 2019
Every time a Sofie Ryan mystery is published, I am among the first readers. Love the series, the characters and the kitties. Well done plot. Just a fun read!
September 12, 2019
A Night’s Tail by Sofie Kelly is the eleventh A Magical Cats Mystery and a joy to read. I like the author’s casual and engaging writing style. I was quickly drawn into this cute cozy mystery with librarian, Kathleen Paulson and her two magical cats, Hercules and Owen. The beginning with Mary is hysterical (I do not want to spoil it for you). Kathleen’s brother, Ethan is visiting town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. The group recently lost one of its members to art school, so Derek Hanson has been playing with them. Derek ends up the top suspect in a businessman’s murder after having an altercation with him at a bar. Ethan asks Kathleen to prove Derek’s innocence. Kathleen soon finds the victim had a checkered past which leads to multiple suspects. There are good clues to help readers in solving the whodunit before Kathleen zeros in on her quarry. The cats help guide Kathleen along the way and provide some pivotal clues. There are charming cozy moments as Kathleen spends time with brother, enjoys outings with friends, plans a quilt show at the library, dates with her boyfriend, and interacts with her cats. Owen and Hercules are cute and clever felines. I like how Kathleen talks to them (uses them as a sounding board) and they respond with their little noises. Owen, of courses, manages to dismember a catnip chicken or two (he is addicted to catnip much to his brother’s disgust). Kathleen finds it is time to tell Marcus about his feline’s special ability, but she is not sure how he will react to the news. If you are new to A Magical Cats Mystery series, I recommend reading Curiosity Thrilled the Cat first. It will provide you with needed background information. I wish there had been less repetition of case details as Kathleen shares what she has uncovered with others and discusses the case with her cats. I had to laugh when Kathleen called Owen and Hercules “two mooching furballs” as they tried to acquire human food from Ethan (I had a cat like that). A Night’s Tail is a spellbinding tale with a catnip chicken catastrophe, quilt show quandaries, a cookie calamity, and a busy brother with a bothersome bandmate.
July 20, 2019
Thanks to the First to Read Program for an ARC of this book. The following is my honest review:
I have to wonder if I would have enjoyed this book more if I would have started at the beginning of the series. At a minimum, it probably couldn't have hurt to be more familiar with the characters and their history. With that said, this book could still be read as a stand alone.
This is a quick, easy read. Kathleen is a librarian with 2 magical cats, Owen and Hercules. What makes them magical? One has the ability to walk through doors and the other can make himself invisible at will. The two kitties are comical and mischievous and I would love to learn more about the Hill where these two feral cuties were discovered and why Kathleen thinks that the place where she found them is the reason behind their magical abilities.
The murder mystery was an interesting plot. Kelly leads the reader in several directions as far as potential suspects. Once a certain bit of info is revealed, it's fairly easy to ascertain who did it and why.
My main complaint is that I felt like the first third of the book is little more than a laundry list of characters. The reader is introduced to quite a few people. Unfortunately, there was usually only a sentence or two about them so it was hard to commit them all to memory. Perhaps most of these individuals were introduced in prior books and therefore there was no need to elaborate? I'm not sure. Unfortunately, while all the introductions are being made, it takes a long time to get to the heart of the story: the murder.
My only other wish was that the powers of the cats be more integral to the story and the murder mystery. The cats played a small part but for the most part they were little more than sounding boards for Kathleen to bounce ideas off of.
Not a bad book. I would recommend it for a quick read if you're looking for a cozy and don't have a lot of time!
I have to wonder if I would have enjoyed this book more if I would have started at the beginning of the series. At a minimum, it probably couldn't have hurt to be more familiar with the characters and their history. With that said, this book could still be read as a stand alone.
This is a quick, easy read. Kathleen is a librarian with 2 magical cats, Owen and Hercules. What makes them magical? One has the ability to walk through doors and the other can make himself invisible at will. The two kitties are comical and mischievous and I would love to learn more about the Hill where these two feral cuties were discovered and why Kathleen thinks that the place where she found them is the reason behind their magical abilities.
The murder mystery was an interesting plot. Kelly leads the reader in several directions as far as potential suspects. Once a certain bit of info is revealed, it's fairly easy to ascertain who did it and why.
My main complaint is that I felt like the first third of the book is little more than a laundry list of characters. The reader is introduced to quite a few people. Unfortunately, there was usually only a sentence or two about them so it was hard to commit them all to memory. Perhaps most of these individuals were introduced in prior books and therefore there was no need to elaborate? I'm not sure. Unfortunately, while all the introductions are being made, it takes a long time to get to the heart of the story: the murder.
My only other wish was that the powers of the cats be more integral to the story and the murder mystery. The cats played a small part but for the most part they were little more than sounding boards for Kathleen to bounce ideas off of.
Not a bad book. I would recommend it for a quick read if you're looking for a cozy and don't have a lot of time!
December 23, 2019
This is a fairly standard installment of this series. I did like meeting Ethan, Kathleen's little brother.
The ending does sort of beg the question,
Either way, I felt the ending was slightly odd.
The ending does sort of beg the question,
Either way, I felt the ending was slightly odd.
January 13, 2023
Marcus finally knows! Glory hallelujah.
This was fine, it's pretty much what I've come to expect from these books this far into the series. Though I will say, Sofie Kelly sort of beats you around the head with obvious clues as to who the killer will turn out to be. Whether or not that's intentional, I don't know, but the amount of times the characters mentioned the clocks going back on hour was ridiculous. They might as well have been shouting "THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE TIME DIFFERENCE".
As such, it took me 0.2 seconds to figure out who the killer was.
But anyway. The titles and their puns continue to amuse me.
This was fine, it's pretty much what I've come to expect from these books this far into the series. Though I will say, Sofie Kelly sort of beats you around the head with obvious clues as to who the killer will turn out to be. Whether or not that's intentional, I don't know, but the amount of times the characters mentioned the clocks going back on hour was ridiculous. They might as well have been shouting "THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE TIME DIFFERENCE".
As such, it took me 0.2 seconds to figure out who the killer was.
But anyway. The titles and their puns continue to amuse me.
May 11, 2024
Kathleen is enjoying her brother Ethan’s visit, along with his bandmates from The Flaming Gerbils. She’s showing them around town, enjoying their company… all until they walk in to a conference room and find a dead body. And it so happens that one of the bandmates had an altercation with him recently. Kathleen is pulled in to search for clues, as her boyfriend Marcus officially investigates. Friends and cats help Kathleen in her hunt for the truth.
September 20, 2019
The reader's 11th return to Mayville Heights finds librarian Kathleen Paulson organizing a quilt festival, hosting her brother Ethan as his band - The Flaming Gerbils - plays gigs at The Brick and teaches songwriting workshops, and enjoying life with friends who are artists, bakers, tai chi instructors, and (quiet daytime library worker demeanor notwithstanding) exotic dancers. The Gerbils have a fine new musician, Derek Hansen, Fern's Diner still has the best meatloaf in town, and Georgia's peanut butter and banana muffins are everyone's favorite treat.
Trouble begins when a drunk, blustery stranger kicks a disabled veteran's service dog at The Brick. Derek intervenes. Soon after, the stranger is found dead in hotel manager Melanie's office, with a peanut butter and banana muffin the only apparent cause. But why was his EpiPen on the floor, out of reach? Who could have gotten the muffin into a securely-locked office? And why?
Turns out the murder victim had enemies in town that went back much farther than his current abuse of animals. Quite a few people knew him from college, where he was a semi-successful offensive lineman - offensive both on and off the field. He also had a long history of shady financial dealings that included selling fake sports memorabilia on line, and he was in town to purchase property despite objections from local businesses, including Georgia's bakery...
And those magical cats? They're still walking through walls (Hercules), disappearing after dismembering catnip chickens (Owen), and providing crime-solving hints. Kathleen's beau, detective Marcus Gordon, has adopted a tiny cat whose attributes may also involve more than cuteness. Should Kathleen tell Marcus that all three cats have supernatural powers?
A Night's Tale is immersive and fun, from start to finish. The crime is sorted out, friendships and family ties strengthened, and delicious food consumed. To my delight, I learned that Kathleen and I share a love of washing dishes. Five stars - with two quibbles. One: we never meet the veteran and his dog. I hope we will in subsequent episodes. And two: Kathleen is dead wrong about one thing. It's never too early for pie.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review.
Trouble begins when a drunk, blustery stranger kicks a disabled veteran's service dog at The Brick. Derek intervenes. Soon after, the stranger is found dead in hotel manager Melanie's office, with a peanut butter and banana muffin the only apparent cause. But why was his EpiPen on the floor, out of reach? Who could have gotten the muffin into a securely-locked office? And why?
Turns out the murder victim had enemies in town that went back much farther than his current abuse of animals. Quite a few people knew him from college, where he was a semi-successful offensive lineman - offensive both on and off the field. He also had a long history of shady financial dealings that included selling fake sports memorabilia on line, and he was in town to purchase property despite objections from local businesses, including Georgia's bakery...
And those magical cats? They're still walking through walls (Hercules), disappearing after dismembering catnip chickens (Owen), and providing crime-solving hints. Kathleen's beau, detective Marcus Gordon, has adopted a tiny cat whose attributes may also involve more than cuteness. Should Kathleen tell Marcus that all three cats have supernatural powers?
A Night's Tale is immersive and fun, from start to finish. The crime is sorted out, friendships and family ties strengthened, and delicious food consumed. To my delight, I learned that Kathleen and I share a love of washing dishes. Five stars - with two quibbles. One: we never meet the veteran and his dog. I hope we will in subsequent episodes. And two: Kathleen is dead wrong about one thing. It's never too early for pie.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC to review.
September 19, 2019
Kathleen Paulson is thrilled to have her brother, Ethan, and his band visiting her as they go on tour. It's not all a happy reunion when things take a nasty turn. Ethan’s friend gets into a fight in a bar with a businessman. When that businessman turns up dead, the police look right at Ethan’s friend as the prime suspect.
Ethan turns to his sister for help in solving this murder. He knows Kathleen has been successful in investigating murders. Kathleen quickly discovers there are many possible suspects and she plans to check them all out. She discusses her findings with her sidekicks - Owen and Hercules. Two kitties with very special powers - one disappears and the other walks through walls. Their special skills do tend to help her investigations.
It’s hard to believe this is the 11th book in the Magical Cats cozy mystery series. I’ve enjoyed this series since the first book. I did miss a couple along the way, but I do have them in my TBR and intend to read them. I don’t think you need to read the previous books to enjoy this one. The author gives you the back story throughout the current book, but it’s so much more fun to start at the beginning.
My favorite parts are always when Kathleen discusses things with her cats. They don’t talk back, but she has full conversations with them. They are as much main characters as Kathleen.
Her romance with Marcus is moving along nicely. It’s always fun to catch up with the folks in Mayville Heights. It’s like visiting old friends.
This is another fast-paced mystery written by this talented author. She never fails to disappoint me.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Ethan turns to his sister for help in solving this murder. He knows Kathleen has been successful in investigating murders. Kathleen quickly discovers there are many possible suspects and she plans to check them all out. She discusses her findings with her sidekicks - Owen and Hercules. Two kitties with very special powers - one disappears and the other walks through walls. Their special skills do tend to help her investigations.
It’s hard to believe this is the 11th book in the Magical Cats cozy mystery series. I’ve enjoyed this series since the first book. I did miss a couple along the way, but I do have them in my TBR and intend to read them. I don’t think you need to read the previous books to enjoy this one. The author gives you the back story throughout the current book, but it’s so much more fun to start at the beginning.
My favorite parts are always when Kathleen discusses things with her cats. They don’t talk back, but she has full conversations with them. They are as much main characters as Kathleen.
Her romance with Marcus is moving along nicely. It’s always fun to catch up with the folks in Mayville Heights. It’s like visiting old friends.
This is another fast-paced mystery written by this talented author. She never fails to disappoint me.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 11, 2019
A Night’s Tail by Sofie Kelly is the eleventh A Magical Cats Mystery and a joy to read. I like the author’s casual and engaging writing style. I was quickly drawn into this cute cozy mystery with librarian, Kathleen Paulson and her two magical cats, Hercules and Owen. The beginning with Mary is hysterical (I do not want to spoil it for you). Kathleen’s brother, Ethan is visiting town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. The group recently lost one of its members to art school, so Derek Hanson has been playing with them. Derek ends up the top suspect in a businessman’s murder after having an altercation with him at a bar. Ethan asks Kathleen to prove Derek’s innocence. Kathleen soon finds the victim had a checkered past which leads to multiple suspects. There are good clues to help readers in solving the whodunit before Kathleen zeros in on her quarry. The cats help guide Kathleen along the way and provide some pivotal clues. There are charming cozy moments as Kathleen spends time with brother, enjoys outings with friends, plans a quilt show at the library, dates with her boyfriend, and interacts with her cats. Owen and Hercules are cute and clever felines. I like how Kathleen talks to them (uses them as a sounding board) and they respond with their little noises. Owen, of courses, manages to dismember a catnip chicken or two (he is addicted to catnip much to his brother’s disgust). Kathleen finds it is time to tell Marcus about his feline’s special ability, but she is not sure how he will react to the news. If you are new to A Magical Cats Mystery series, I recommend reading Curiosity Thrilled the Cat first. It will provide you with needed background information. I wish there had been less repetition of case details as Kathleen shares what she has uncovered with others and discusses the case with her cats. I had to laugh when Kathleen called Owen and Hercules “two mooching furballs” as they tried to acquire human food from Ethan (I had a cat like that). A Night’s Tail is a spellbinding tale with a catnip chicken catastrophe, quilt show quandaries, a cookie calamity, and a busy brother with a bothersome bandmate.
January 5, 2020
4 Stars
This book is worth four stars for this one quote alone.
The book has a huge cast of characters, centering on Kathleen, Maggie, Ethan and Marcus with the two star magical cats Hercules and Owen.
One thing I really expected to see because of the old principle "show a gun in the first act".
Ending
Cozies Reading Challenge
This book is worth four stars for this one quote alone.
I unfolded the shirt and laughed. I held it up so he could see. Across the front was my favorite Groucho Marx line: Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.
The book has a huge cast of characters, centering on Kathleen, Maggie, Ethan and Marcus with the two star magical cats Hercules and Owen.
One thing I really expected to see because of the old principle "show a gun in the first act".
Ending
Cozies Reading Challenge
August 7, 2020
I have really enjoyed these books from the beginning, although I feel that in this book, Owen and Hercules did not have their usual starring role. I hope that changes with the next book.
Kathleen's brother is in town, along with some members from his band, the Flaming Gerbils. At a gathering one night, they all break up a fight between a man named Wallace and a disabled veteran and his dog. When Wallace is later found dead, is it any wonder that the boys from the band are looked askance at? Between getting ready for a quilt show at the library and trying to figure out how to tell Marcus about the cat's super powers, Kathleen is running around town like one of Owen's cat nip chickens!
Will she be able to keep the band from falling apart, and what will Marcus say when she finally tells him the truth...if she can get up the nerve?
Kathleen's brother is in town, along with some members from his band, the Flaming Gerbils. At a gathering one night, they all break up a fight between a man named Wallace and a disabled veteran and his dog. When Wallace is later found dead, is it any wonder that the boys from the band are looked askance at? Between getting ready for a quilt show at the library and trying to figure out how to tell Marcus about the cat's super powers, Kathleen is running around town like one of Owen's cat nip chickens!
Will she be able to keep the band from falling apart, and what will Marcus say when she finally tells him the truth...if she can get up the nerve?
September 30, 2019
Another delightful entry in the long running Magical Cats series. I adore Owen and Hercules, and the mystery here is well thought out and engaging. Relatable and likable characters feel like good friends.
September 14, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Kathleen and Marcus
Kathleen is our sleuth, head librarian, and she lives with Hercules and Owen two magical cats. Kathleen is involved in many things in Mayville Heights, especially if they include the library. She is one of those people who see a puzzle and has to know how to solve it.
Marcus is a police detective in town, and he has a magical female cat. Marcus is a nice guy; he always seems to help out with a local cause. In this installment, Marcus is coaching the girls' hockey team.
Kathleen and Marcus make an adorable couple. It's nice that they take the needed time to make a relationship work when they are both so very busy. They are a well rounded, happy, and healthy couple.
Friends and Family
Kathleen's younger brother, Ethan and his bandmates, Derek and Milo. Derek is a temporary member of the Flaming Gerbils. But he fits in and the band has been doing better now. Their music and songwriting skills have improved.
Kathleen's friends, Maggie, Roma, Rebecca, and Ruby are still there for her. In fact, without them who would tag along when she wanted to do some sleuthing.
Mystery
Lewis Wallace is found dead in the conference room reserved by Ethan and his bandmate Derek. The mystery was laid out well with plenty of red herrings to go around. But who did it? The answer to that question you will have to read this fantastic book.
5 Stars for A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly
This book is my first in the Magical Cats Mystery Series, and I enjoyed everything. My mom has read most of the series. I loved Hercules with his wet feet issue and Owen with his chicken addiction. A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly gets five stars, and this is a must-read for those who like cozies with cats.
A Night’s Tail Excerpt
We stayed for the band’s second set and then headed home. Brady offered to drop off Milo and Derek at the bed-and-breakfast where they were staying but it was a nice night—clear and just a couple of degrees below freezing and they decided to walk down. Marcus, Ethan and I squeezed into the front seat of my truck.
“Is there going to be kissing?” Ethan asked, when I pulled in the driveway at Marcus’s house. He squished his face and pulled his shoulders up around his ears. He was sitting in the middle between Marcus and me.
“Yes, there’s going to be kissing.” I leaned across him, covering his eyes with one hand, and gave Marcus a quick kiss.
“I’ll call you after practice,” he said.
Marcus was helping coach the girls’ high school hockey team. They were just one win away from making it to the state finals.
I nodded.
“Good to see you, Ethan,” he added and climbed out of the truck.
“Is it safe to look?” Ethan asked. I’d already dropped my hand. He opened one eye, squinting at me. “I don’t want to see anything that might scar my psyche. I’m very sensitive.”
“You’re very something,” I said. I straightened up and put the truck in gear.
Ethan slugged my shoulder with a loose fist and laughed. “C’mon, Kathleen, you know you’ve missed me.”
“Like a root canal,” I countered as I backed out of the driveway. “Like fingernails on a chalkboard.” We’d been doing this routine for years.
“Do they still have chalkboards?” Ethan asked.
“Like a colonoscopy. Like Mom’s hot cross buns.” Our mother’s hot cross buns were legendary. They looked like they belonged in an issue of Bon Appétit. But they were harder than a concrete paver. Dad had literally chipped a tooth on one of them, although as far as Mom was concerned the tooth had a weak spot and the fact that it broke when he took a bite of—or at least tried to take a bite of—one of her hot cross buns was just an unfortunate coincidence.
Ethan narrowed his eyes at me. “Ooooh, Mom’s hot cross buns. Burn.”
I glanced over at him, head back against the seat, fingers tapping a rhythm on his leg that only he could hear, and I was hit with a wash of homesickness, like someone had just upended a bucket of water over my head. I missed them: Mom, Dad, Sara and Ethan, even though he was right here beside me.
It wasn’t easy being so far away from Boston, from all of them. Not that my family were always in Boston. Ethan was on the road a lot with the band. Sara’s work as a makeup artist and filmmaker had her traveling more and more, and while Mom and Dad were teaching, they still went where the acting jobs were, which in my mother’s case meant Los Angles a couple of times a year for a recurring role on the daytime drama The Wild and Wonderful.
On the other hand I had a life now in Minnesota, a life with Owen and Hercules, my cats, with Marcus and Maggie and a group of friends I’d miss just as much as I missed my family now if I went back to Boston.
“Hey, I never did ask,” Ethan began. “Did you know that dipwad in the bar?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t know him, at least not personally. He’s here in Mayville Heights to maybe start a business.”
“You get some interesting people in bars,” Ethan said. “When we played in Chicago this woman got up on her chair, whipped off her shirt and started dancing. Then she yelled at me to come give her an autograph.”
“I think that makes you a certified rock star,” I teased, “being asked to autograph a woman’s bra.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow just the way I sometimes did, à la Mr. Spock from Star Trek. “I didn’t say she had a bra on under her shirt.”
“Ewww,” I said with a shudder. “Now my delicate psyche is scarred.”
Ethan shook with laughter. “She was wearing a tank top. And I signed the back of it!” He spent the rest of the drive home sharing all the weird things he’d been asked to autograph, including a bald guy’s head and the top of a toilet tank. I laughed so much I got hiccups and I forgot all about drunks in bars.
Other Books in the Series
Prize: (1) Prize Package including a hardcover copy of A Night’s Tail, a paperback copy of The Cats Came Back, a copy of Color a Cat (a drawing and coloring book) and a sweet surprise.
Tour Organized by:
A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly is a terrific story about family, friends, lies, and judgment all with a side of murder.
Kathleen and Marcus
Kathleen is our sleuth, head librarian, and she lives with Hercules and Owen two magical cats. Kathleen is involved in many things in Mayville Heights, especially if they include the library. She is one of those people who see a puzzle and has to know how to solve it.
Marcus is a police detective in town, and he has a magical female cat. Marcus is a nice guy; he always seems to help out with a local cause. In this installment, Marcus is coaching the girls' hockey team.
Kathleen and Marcus make an adorable couple. It's nice that they take the needed time to make a relationship work when they are both so very busy. They are a well rounded, happy, and healthy couple.
Friends and Family
Kathleen's younger brother, Ethan and his bandmates, Derek and Milo. Derek is a temporary member of the Flaming Gerbils. But he fits in and the band has been doing better now. Their music and songwriting skills have improved.
Kathleen's friends, Maggie, Roma, Rebecca, and Ruby are still there for her. In fact, without them who would tag along when she wanted to do some sleuthing.
Mystery
Lewis Wallace is found dead in the conference room reserved by Ethan and his bandmate Derek. The mystery was laid out well with plenty of red herrings to go around. But who did it? The answer to that question you will have to read this fantastic book.
5 Stars for A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly This book is my first in the Magical Cats Mystery Series, and I enjoyed everything. My mom has read most of the series. I loved Hercules with his wet feet issue and Owen with his chicken addiction. A Night's Tail by Sofie Kelly gets five stars, and this is a must-read for those who like cozies with cats.
A Night’s Tail Excerpt
We stayed for the band’s second set and then headed home. Brady offered to drop off Milo and Derek at the bed-and-breakfast where they were staying but it was a nice night—clear and just a couple of degrees below freezing and they decided to walk down. Marcus, Ethan and I squeezed into the front seat of my truck.
“Is there going to be kissing?” Ethan asked, when I pulled in the driveway at Marcus’s house. He squished his face and pulled his shoulders up around his ears. He was sitting in the middle between Marcus and me.
“Yes, there’s going to be kissing.” I leaned across him, covering his eyes with one hand, and gave Marcus a quick kiss.
“I’ll call you after practice,” he said.
Marcus was helping coach the girls’ high school hockey team. They were just one win away from making it to the state finals.
I nodded.
“Good to see you, Ethan,” he added and climbed out of the truck.
“Is it safe to look?” Ethan asked. I’d already dropped my hand. He opened one eye, squinting at me. “I don’t want to see anything that might scar my psyche. I’m very sensitive.”
“You’re very something,” I said. I straightened up and put the truck in gear.
Ethan slugged my shoulder with a loose fist and laughed. “C’mon, Kathleen, you know you’ve missed me.”
“Like a root canal,” I countered as I backed out of the driveway. “Like fingernails on a chalkboard.” We’d been doing this routine for years.
“Do they still have chalkboards?” Ethan asked.
“Like a colonoscopy. Like Mom’s hot cross buns.” Our mother’s hot cross buns were legendary. They looked like they belonged in an issue of Bon Appétit. But they were harder than a concrete paver. Dad had literally chipped a tooth on one of them, although as far as Mom was concerned the tooth had a weak spot and the fact that it broke when he took a bite of—or at least tried to take a bite of—one of her hot cross buns was just an unfortunate coincidence.
Ethan narrowed his eyes at me. “Ooooh, Mom’s hot cross buns. Burn.”
I glanced over at him, head back against the seat, fingers tapping a rhythm on his leg that only he could hear, and I was hit with a wash of homesickness, like someone had just upended a bucket of water over my head. I missed them: Mom, Dad, Sara and Ethan, even though he was right here beside me.
It wasn’t easy being so far away from Boston, from all of them. Not that my family were always in Boston. Ethan was on the road a lot with the band. Sara’s work as a makeup artist and filmmaker had her traveling more and more, and while Mom and Dad were teaching, they still went where the acting jobs were, which in my mother’s case meant Los Angles a couple of times a year for a recurring role on the daytime drama The Wild and Wonderful.
On the other hand I had a life now in Minnesota, a life with Owen and Hercules, my cats, with Marcus and Maggie and a group of friends I’d miss just as much as I missed my family now if I went back to Boston.
“Hey, I never did ask,” Ethan began. “Did you know that dipwad in the bar?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t know him, at least not personally. He’s here in Mayville Heights to maybe start a business.”
“You get some interesting people in bars,” Ethan said. “When we played in Chicago this woman got up on her chair, whipped off her shirt and started dancing. Then she yelled at me to come give her an autograph.”
“I think that makes you a certified rock star,” I teased, “being asked to autograph a woman’s bra.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow just the way I sometimes did, à la Mr. Spock from Star Trek. “I didn’t say she had a bra on under her shirt.”
“Ewww,” I said with a shudder. “Now my delicate psyche is scarred.”
Ethan shook with laughter. “She was wearing a tank top. And I signed the back of it!” He spent the rest of the drive home sharing all the weird things he’d been asked to autograph, including a bald guy’s head and the top of a toilet tank. I laughed so much I got hiccups and I forgot all about drunks in bars.
Other Books in the Series
Prize: (1) Prize Package including a hardcover copy of A Night’s Tail, a paperback copy of The Cats Came Back, a copy of Color a Cat (a drawing and coloring book) and a sweet surprise.
Tour Organized by:
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This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
September 10, 2020
It’s always fun to visit Kathleen, Owen, Hercules and the rest of the folks in Mayville Heights. As usual, Kathleen gets involved in solving a murder, but this time the guilty party is very close to home.
And Marcus has been noticing that Micah, his little ginger cat, seems to appear out of nowhere. He’s been blaming it on himself, thinking he is being unobservant due to stress. Kathleen knows she is going to have to tell him the truth about Micah and Owen and Hercules; when she does, it goes just about like you’d expect!
This series may not be great literature, but it sure is fun - especially recommended for cat people!
And Marcus has been noticing that Micah, his little ginger cat, seems to appear out of nowhere. He’s been blaming it on himself, thinking he is being unobservant due to stress. Kathleen knows she is going to have to tell him the truth about Micah and Owen and Hercules; when she does, it goes just about like you’d expect!
This series may not be great literature, but it sure is fun - especially recommended for cat people!
December 19, 2019
Pretty mediocre compared to rest of series. Barely any investigation much less clever investigation. And no cat help. Cats were the best parts and they had much less time or interaction than usual. The coming out was anti climatic and that was best part of book. Shame such likable characters have no more engaging stories anymore
October 30, 2019
https://openbooksociety.com/article/a...
A Night’s Tail
Magical Cats Mystery #11
By Sofie Kelly
ISBN#9780440001133
Author’s website: sofiekelly.com
Brought to you b OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
Spring is coming to Mayville Heights, and Kathleen’s brother, Ethan, has arrived in town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. But not everything goes as scheduled when one of Ethan’s bandmates gets into a fight with a man interested in investing in the town. When the businessman’s body is later found, Ethan’s friend is implicated in the crime.
Kathleen wants to help her brother by solving the case, but she has no shortage of suspects from which to choose. Prior to his death, the investor was fighting like cats and dogs with lots of people. If this librarian wants more than a whisker’s chance of solving the case, she will need to rely on her trusty feline sidekicks, Owen and Hercules.
Review:
A Night’s Tail, the eleventh entry in the long running Magical Cats Mystery Series, ticks all of the boxes of a great cozy mystery. Well developed characters, wonderful feline sidekicks, and a puzzling mystery make for cozy reading at its best.
Kathleen is excited to have her brother Ethan and his band The Flaming Gerbils in town for a visit, but things get complicated when businessman and all around jerk Lewis Wallace dies in the hotel conference room where the band’s songwriting workshop is set to occur. When accidental death is ruled out, Kathleen does all she can to ferret out the killer amidst suspects who all have a motive.
I really enjoy this series. Book eleven is just as fresh as the series debut. Owen and Hercules have some amazing abilities, but I do not consider this to be a particularly paranormal series. Author Sofie Kelly does an admirable job of making Owen and Hercules’s actions and talents seem perfectly probable. The characters, including those new to this book, are fleshed out and engaging. At this point, the recurring characters continue to grow and feel like good friends. In this tale, I particularly enjoyed getting to know Kathleen’s brother Ethan, and how his visit helps her realize that, though she misses her family, Mayville Heights has become home.
Lewis Wallace is despicable, and readers cannot help but think he deserved his untimely end. The mystery of his murder is executed well, and I appreciate that Kathleen does not rehash the clues over and over avoiding repetition. Each detail she discovers kept me on my toes trying to figure out whodunit. The book moves along at a steady pace, and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to get to the end.
A Night’s Tail is delightful, and I recommend it to any cozy mystery reader, especially those who enjoy the inclusion of exceptional cats.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
A Night’s Tail
Magical Cats Mystery #11
By Sofie Kelly
ISBN#9780440001133
Author’s website: sofiekelly.com
Brought to you b OBS Reviewer Daniele
Synopsis:
Spring is coming to Mayville Heights, and Kathleen’s brother, Ethan, has arrived in town with his band, The Flaming Gerbils. But not everything goes as scheduled when one of Ethan’s bandmates gets into a fight with a man interested in investing in the town. When the businessman’s body is later found, Ethan’s friend is implicated in the crime.
Kathleen wants to help her brother by solving the case, but she has no shortage of suspects from which to choose. Prior to his death, the investor was fighting like cats and dogs with lots of people. If this librarian wants more than a whisker’s chance of solving the case, she will need to rely on her trusty feline sidekicks, Owen and Hercules.
Review:
A Night’s Tail, the eleventh entry in the long running Magical Cats Mystery Series, ticks all of the boxes of a great cozy mystery. Well developed characters, wonderful feline sidekicks, and a puzzling mystery make for cozy reading at its best.
Kathleen is excited to have her brother Ethan and his band The Flaming Gerbils in town for a visit, but things get complicated when businessman and all around jerk Lewis Wallace dies in the hotel conference room where the band’s songwriting workshop is set to occur. When accidental death is ruled out, Kathleen does all she can to ferret out the killer amidst suspects who all have a motive.
I really enjoy this series. Book eleven is just as fresh as the series debut. Owen and Hercules have some amazing abilities, but I do not consider this to be a particularly paranormal series. Author Sofie Kelly does an admirable job of making Owen and Hercules’s actions and talents seem perfectly probable. The characters, including those new to this book, are fleshed out and engaging. At this point, the recurring characters continue to grow and feel like good friends. In this tale, I particularly enjoyed getting to know Kathleen’s brother Ethan, and how his visit helps her realize that, though she misses her family, Mayville Heights has become home.
Lewis Wallace is despicable, and readers cannot help but think he deserved his untimely end. The mystery of his murder is executed well, and I appreciate that Kathleen does not rehash the clues over and over avoiding repetition. Each detail she discovers kept me on my toes trying to figure out whodunit. The book moves along at a steady pace, and I found myself staying up way past my bedtime to get to the end.
A Night’s Tail is delightful, and I recommend it to any cozy mystery reader, especially those who enjoy the inclusion of exceptional cats.
*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
February 29, 2020
Yet another great outing for two fabulous felines!
Kathleen's brother (Ethan) is in town, along with his band The Flaming Gerbils, one night when they are all out (including Marcus), the newest member of the band Derek Hanson, gets into an argument with a drunk punter (who had kicked an assistance dog!) and ends up punching him! To calm things down the "Gerbils" (well three of them, the fourth was out somewhere else) started singing one of their a cappella numbers, which does the trick (oh and they end up joining in with the band that was due to start playing shortly thereafter!), the problem is that a couple of days after this the drunken man, one Lewis Wallace, ends up dead, Ethan wants Kathleen to prove that Derek is no killer, and it appears that there are indeed no shortage of people that Lewis Wallace had upset, so now Kathleen, Ethan, Owen and Hercules need to find out the truth and make sure that the right killer gets caught in a cat trap.
Kathleen's brother (Ethan) is in town, along with his band The Flaming Gerbils, one night when they are all out (including Marcus), the newest member of the band Derek Hanson, gets into an argument with a drunk punter (who had kicked an assistance dog!) and ends up punching him! To calm things down the "Gerbils" (well three of them, the fourth was out somewhere else) started singing one of their a cappella numbers, which does the trick (oh and they end up joining in with the band that was due to start playing shortly thereafter!), the problem is that a couple of days after this the drunken man, one Lewis Wallace, ends up dead, Ethan wants Kathleen to prove that Derek is no killer, and it appears that there are indeed no shortage of people that Lewis Wallace had upset, so now Kathleen, Ethan, Owen and Hercules need to find out the truth and make sure that the right killer gets caught in a cat trap.
September 18, 2019
This series is the first I ever read where cats assisted the protagonist solve murders. I liked it right from the start because Hercules and Owen are so finely etched, they are completely believable as uncommonly intelligent and adorable felines. As all cozy writers know, having a setting and an indelible cast of characters can make or break a series. Sometimes the characters are always present, up close and personal, others are in the back wings making an appearance from time to time. This book was especially fun because the protagonist, Kathleen, has a brother, Ethan, who comes to visit her with his band 'The Flaming Gerbils' (what a corny, horrid band name, right?) We've heard of Ethan in previous books and every once in a while have heard him on a telephone call, but coming to town and interacting with his sister, Owen and Hercules was fun. As far as I'm concerned, Sofie Kelly has a Ph.D in cozy writing!
September 14, 2019
Kathleen’s brother Ethan has arrived for a visit, combining business with pleasure. His band, The Flaming Gerbils, is touring. But it’s not all fun times, because a businessman ends up dead following an altercation with one of the band members. Ethan asks Kathleen to find the murderer, and clear his band mate, even though her very capable boyfriend Marcus might solve it first, being that he is a detective. And ever present are her two magical cats, and following not far behind is Marcus’s little cat Micah, although Marcus is not yet aware of her special talent. This series continues to be a delight with every new tale, entertaining in every way.
February 12, 2022
Really about 3.7. I thoroughly enjoy this series and the Second Chance Cat mysteries written as Sofie Ryan. I'd somehow missed this one-- I knew because of a story point in #12-- and am glad I picked it up. Not the strongest entry, but always enjoyable.
October 8, 2019
Again I loved the book and I’m looking forward to the next one in the series.
May 21, 2025
Kathleen's brother Ethan comes visiting with his band while they are touring the region. Lots of fun exchanges that occur with siblings. However, there is a crime to solve, and it's very complex.
March 14, 2021
Ok, il libro mi è piaciuto, ma ci sono rimasta quasi male quando ho visto chi era il colpevole perché il personaggio mi piaceva. E il finale mi lascia qualche dubbio su come proseguirà la storia fra la protagonista e il bel detective.
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