Leann Sweeney

The Cat, the Sneak and the Secret is the seventh in Leann Sweeney's Cats in Trouble series. Finn, Tom's stepson, has fallen in love with a cat from Mercy's Animal Shelter. Turn's out the tortoiseshell is quite an escape artist, having snuck out of the shelter several times, always bringing back a trinket to commemorate her escape. Most recently she was found with an antique locket, one partially covered with blood... Jillian and Tom are on the case.

This cozy mystery really hit the spot! I show more enjoyed meeting the new characters, even if some of their stories were heartbreaking, and of course I was absolutely charmed by little Magpie. For once I even had the suspect narrowed down to the correct person, even though I had the motivation all wrong. Jillian and Tom's relationship has progressed nicely. And that ending, it may have been a tad dusty while I was reading. show less

The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon is the fourth in Leann Sweeney's Cat's in Trouble series. These cozy mysteries continue to charm me. I love all the characters, human and furry! This time around we get to learn more about Tom's past, one that he's been hesitant to share until now.

Jillian has just returned home from a week long arts and crafts show when she discovers her friend Tom missing. He's not answering his phone, his car is gone and there's a stranger claiming to be his brother staying show more in his house! Jillian doesn't trust the guy, especially since he allowed Tom's diabetic cat to escape. It's not long before Tom shows up on Jillian's doorstep looking like he came out second best in a fight. Just as he's trying to explain what happened to him, Mercy PD finds Tom's car wrecked and with a dead passenger inside. Who is this stranger, why was he in Tom's car and who killed him? Jillian must find out what kind of trouble Tom's gotten himself into and get to the bottom of it quickly.

Turns out it's quite a tangled mess Tom has, one that will take some sleuthing to unravel. The story is fast paced and the reveals keep coming. The mystery was more complex than in previous installments. Sweeney used enough misdirection that I guessed wrong on who the killer was. The new characters introduced are interesting. Tom's family is a group of unpleasant individuals, his stepson excluded. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of his stepson in the future. There is also a bit more romance in this one as Jillian finally admits she cares deeply for Tom and they begin to show it. It was another satisfying read. show less

The Cat, the Collector and the Killer is the eighth and currently final book in Leann Sweeney's Cats in Trouble series. Newlyweds Jillian Hart and Tom Stewart, "acting" police chief for Mercy PD, have been enjoying a peaceful first few months of their new life together. Right until Minnie Schultz, an elderly woman, is found wandering around downtown Mercy, highly confused, in her nightgown with a kitten in her tote bag. A search of Minnie's house reveals even more cats and... a body. It's show more time again for Jillian to dig deep into what was going on. Who would want to cause Minnie Schultz, and her cats, harm?

This mystery had me guessing right up until the very end! There's a large cast of suspects and every single one seemed to have a possible motive. I felt so bad for Minnie's situation. Jillian has such a big heart, it was great she was able to help this lady reconnect with her family. And the cats were adorable as always.

This has been such a great cozy mystery series. I'm sad to have reached its end. I saw online the author had more books planned but has since fallen ill with no forthcoming news. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope more books will release eventually. show less

After her husband passes away from cancer Jillian Hart is slowly putting her life back together in a small South Carolina town, keeping herself busy with her quilting business and doting on her three cats. That is right up until the moment her house is broken into and one of her cats goes missing. Convinced her purebred Abyssinian was catnapped, Jillian soon finds herself in more trouble than she imagines when, during the course of her crime solving, she stumbles across a dead body.

The Cat, show more the Quilt and the Corpse is the first in the Cats in Trouble mystery series by Leann Sweeney. I needed a quick read to get me through a short business trip and this ended up being the perfect pick. Jillian ends up in every pet lover's nightmare when one of her beloved cats goes missing. Add to the fact that she was recently widowed and fairly new to the small South Carolina town she had settled in with her late husband, the character's heightened panic is completely understandable. Her three cats are all named after wines, Chablis, Syrah and Merlot, which is a fun touch. I liked that Jillian is a bit of a fish out of water, learning how to navigate living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business and doesn't let anyone discourage her from getting to the bottom of the mystery. The story has good pacing. The characters around town are quirky and have interesting personalities. I ended up enjoying the book a lot more than I expected to. I will definitely continue this series in the future. show less