Review and Giveaway: The Cat, the Mill and the Murder

The Cat, the Mill and the Murder (Cats in Trouble Mystery - Book 5) by Leann Sweeney

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0451415418
ISBN-13: 978-0451415417

(Received for an honest review from Obsidian)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Leann Sweeney on the WEB: Webpage, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse (2009), The Cat, the Professor and the Poison (2010), The Cat, the Lady and the Liar (2011), The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon (2012), The Cat, the Mill and the Murder (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Cat, the Mill and the Murder courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

When cat lover and quilter Jillian Hart volunteers to help a local animal shelter relocate a colony of feral cats living in an abandoned textile mill, she never expects to find a woman living there, too. Jeannie went missing from Mercy, South Carolina, a decade ago, after her own daughter's disappearance.

Jeannie refuses to leave the mill or abandon Boots, her cat who died years ago. After all, she and Boots feel the need to protect the premises from creepers" who come in the night. After Jeannie is hurt in an accident and is taken away, those who've come to town to help repurpose the mill uncover a terrible discovery.. As the wheels start turning in Jillian's mind, a mysterious new feline friend aids in her quest to unearth a long-kept and dark secret.

Thoughts:

Leann Sweeney continues her much loved Cats in Trouble series with the fifth book, The Cat, the Mill and the Murder. Readers will find a cleverly plotted mystery, as well as, lots of interesting tidbits about felines and the mill towns of South Carolina. Sweeney's obvious love of cats spills onto every page of this book. She couples it with Southern charm and curiosity, making this a book readers won't soon forget. Murder has once again come to Mercy!

Leann Sweeney has a knack for writing about cats. It is apparent that Sweeney must have cats of her own and has done a great deal of research about felines. Her descriptions about the differences between strays and feral cats was really interesting. I think readers will easily pick up on the fact that Sweeney is attempting to give her readers as much information and knowledge about cats as she is about the mystery  in the book. I liked all the tidbits of information about cats. Personally I am a dog person, but I find the feline aspect of this series a lot of fun to read about and I have learned a lot about the furry critters in the process.

Sweeney once again brings back old the tried and true characters readers have come to know from the series and added a few new faces. Heroine, Jillian Hart is just as curious and as kind-hearted as ever in this installment in the series. She imagines all kinds of horrors as she begins to help relocate a group of feral cats, but things aren't quite what they seem. One of the things that always draws me in about Jillian is her capacity to be open minded and expect the unexpected, the hallmark of a good amateur sleuth. I look forward to see what kind of hot water she gets into next.

The hometown charm of this book and series is exceptional. Readers will love Mercy, South Carolina and wish they could live there too. The townspeople are not only interesting but realistic. Real people with real problems. The homeless woman in this story lost her daughter and in turn her grasp on reality. It is as if each story that Sweeney writes in this series shows a different side of life and how people cope with things, whether its in a small town or a large one. I think readers will appreciate that Sweeney isn't making this kind of reading so much an escape, as a journey.

Sweeney once again gives readers just what they are looking for. A satisfying mystery that keeps them guessing, a lot of great feline intervention, including a ghost cat, and great cast of characters to bring it all to life.

The Cat, the Mill and the Murder is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Leann Sweeney was born and raised in Niagara Falls and educated at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Lemoyne College in Syracuse, NY. She also has a degree from the University of Houston in behavioral science and worked for many years in psychiatry and as a school nurse; she now writes full time.

She began crafting fiction in 1980, fulfilling her lifelong dream. After perfecting her skills with classes and a small fortune in writing books, she joined MWA and Sisters in Crime. Now she’s the creator of two NAL/Obsidian mystery series: The Yellow Rose Mysteries and the Cats in Trouble Mysteries. The Cat, The Quilt and The Corpse, first in the Cats in Trouble Mysteries was the #1 bestseller on the Independent Mystery Bookseller’s List when it debuted and made several top twenty lists for 2009 at bookstores across the country. Since then, The Cat, The Lady and The Liar and The Cat, The Wife and The Weapon climbed all the way to the NY Times bestseller list for mass market paperbacks.

Leann is married with two fabulous grown children, a wonderful son-in-law and a beautiful daughter-in-law–not to mention three amazing granddaughters: Maddison Grace (Maddie), Morgan Elizabeth and Meika Elise. She lived in Texas from 1974 to 2012 and now lives in South Carolina with husband Mike, her two cats Wexford and Marlowe, and Rosie–the smart, retrieving, golf-ball chasing, busy-busy-busy mini-labradoodle.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Cat, the Mill and the Murder to one lucky winner from Debbie's Book Bag.

~You must be a GFC follower or email subscriber to participate.

~US addresses only (publisher request)

~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST May 30th.

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