Miranda James

Charlie Harris is a widow who has moved back to his hometown of Athena, Mississippi, into the house he inherited from his aunt. He works part time as the archivist at the local college’s library. He’s also well known for his rescued Maine coon cat, Diesel; a cat that goes almost everywhere with him. I loved Diesel. I'm not a big fan of cozies but I am a big fan of kitties, so the story is worth reading just to meet him. Of all the people from his past Charlie never wanted to ever see show more again, Godfrey Priest was IT. Godfrey was a jerk when they had known each other in high school and college, and now his status as a bestselling author of thrillers has done nothing to deflate his gigantic, growing ego. Now Godfrey is back in town and appearing at the local college where...you guessed it...Charlie works. Since Godfrey returned, secrets start appearing out of the woodwork. Charlie then finds Godfrey dead in his hotel room. The investigation centers around Charlie’s boarder, who is the son of an old friend, and Charlie starts looking around and asking questions. Still, it won’t be easy to find the killer of a guy who no one seemed to ever have liked. Charlie isn't sure that he is the one to do it or even if he can. One of the reasons I don't especially care for Cozy Mysteries is that usually the plot moves forward at a snail's pace, and it takes forever for something to happen. That wasn’t the case with this one. This book had more twists in the first 100 pages than some books I've read had in the entire story. The pace did slow down a little as the story progressed, there were still some really good twists and reveals in the second half. The clues were well planted, and I found myself completely satisfied at how things came together at the end. show less

In Athena, Mississippi, librarian Charlie Harris is known for his good nature—and for his Maine coon cat Diesel that he walks on a leash. Charlie returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but taking the plunge into a recent acquisition will have him in over his head…

Lucinda Beckwith Long, the mayor of Athena, has donated a set of Civil War-era diaries to the archives of Athena College. The books were recently discovered among the personal effects of an ancestor of Mrs. Long's show more husband. The mayor would like Charlie to preserve and to substantiate them as a part of the Long family legacy—something that could benefit her son, Beck, as he prepares to campaign for the state senate.

Beck's biggest rival is Jasper Singletary. His Southern roots are as deep as Beck's, and their families have been bitter enemies since the Civil War. Jasper claims the Long clan has a history of underhanded behavior at the expense of the Singletarys. He'd like to get a look at the diaries in an attempt to expose the Long family's past sins. Meanwhile, a history professor at the college is also determined to get her hands on the books in a last-ditch bid for tenure. But their interest suddenly turns deadly…

Now Charlie is left with a catalog of questions. The diaries seem worth killing for, and one thing is certain: Charlie will need to be careful, because the more he reads, the closer he could be coming to his final chapter…
Cat in the Stacks #6 show less

It has been a while since I've read a book in an afternoon, and this was just the book for it. Guess that's why cozy mysteries are such a hit!

In a small college town, Athena, Mississippi, Charlie Harris has moved back to his hometown and now lives in the home he inherited from his beloved Aunt Dottie. He is the new Athena College library archivist and the proud adopter of an abandoned Maine coon cat named Diesel. Charlie takes in boarders from the local college, one of whom is a freshman and show more the son of a friend who never left the town, Judy.

The action starts with another Athena local, Godfrey Priest, a renowned author of horror novels who is coming in for a book promotion tour. He was also a bully to his classmates. Including Charlie. So when Godfrey comes into Charlie's office, makes a gift of his notes and works, and drops a bombshell of some personal information, Charlie sees a different side of his former nemesis. And then Godfrey is murdered, so the murder mystery and solving begins.

It is a challenge for Charlie to navigate this murder, since he is by nature an inquisitive sort, and he early on runs into challenges with the Deputy assigned to the case, Kanesha. Not only is she a black woman in a predominately white male position, she's also the daughter of Charlie's housekeeper, Azalea. Sparks fly towards the end of the book, and my guess is that Charlie will be a much greater help in the next murder investigation. And besides, how many cats are a help in solving murders? show less

Dollycas’s Thoughts

It’s honeymoon time for Charlie and Heleb Louise, and Diesel gets to tag along. They have traveled to Ireland to meet the O’Bradys, Helen Louise’s extended family. The trip started with a few days in Dublin before heading to County Claire and Castle O’Brady. It is now a bed-and-breakfast run by Helen Louise’s cousin, Lorcan, and his wife Caoimhe. Their daughter and her husband also work at the B&B.

Charlie and Helen Louise arrive just in time to witness a show more horrific event: an elderly man plummeting to his death from the castle roof. The man, Baron Finn O’Brady, had just reached a hundred years old, and Helen Louise was so excited to see him and introduce him to Charlie. With the centenarian’s death, her cousin Lorcan takes over the title of Baron O’Brady.

No one believes the man took his own life, so who killed Finn O’Brady? And why? Without much confidence in the local garda, Charlie, Helen Louise, and Diesel start an investigation of their own. Soon, they are receiving threats and a mysterious feline ghost visiting their room.

Will Something Whiskered help catch the killer? Or will someone wicked get away with murder?

I love this series. Diesel stole my heart in book one, Murder Past Due, and with each new book, that love has grown. We had a Maine Coon cat with a crooked tail who looked a lot like Diesel that passed away in 2018. I had the privilege of hearing all the chirps and mews firsthand. Every sound Diesel makes brings back warm memories of our Wiley.

The big change in this story is that Charlie and Helen Louise are married. Close as ever and solving mysteries together. I love their relationship and how it grew organically. Being away from home for this installment meant that other core characters were not in the story, but they were mentioned and thought of. We did meet many interesting people in Ireland, and they became well fleshed out within the pages. Maybe some with come to Mississippi in the future.

Finn O’Brady was a down-to-earth kind man, “full of fun and the joys of life”. Helen Louise has many wonderful memories and couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to kill him. As an outsider, Charlie could look at all the suspects with clear eyes, while Helen Louise knew many of the people and could get them to open up. Diesel is a great judge of character, but there came a time when they had to decide to put Diesel’s safety over everything else. While hard on all three of them, it was the right decision. The mystery itself was solid with some clear and murky suspects. The reading of the will brought forth some interesting bequests and knowledge, and was interrupted by a surprising person. Then the autopsy report gave important information, and the clues started to come together. I found the ending to be satisfying, but it left some small questions unanswered. Nothing that would deter my enjoyment of the book.

Something Whiskered is a fabulous addition to this long-running series. A new setting, new characters, and a well-plotted mystery were very entertaining. It was a heck of a honeymoon for the newlyweds and our favorite feline. I am looking forward to returning to Mississippi, Charlie’s happy place, to see what mystery he, Diesel, their family, and friends get pulled into next in Book 18. show less