No one likes Alexis Hightower, so when the cat show judge
turns up dead, with a cat toy stuffed in her mouth, just
about everyone at the cat show slash speed dating weekend
had motive. Scumble River's school psychologist Skye Denison
just happens to find the body, and soon finds herself
helping her police chief fiancé, Wally Boyd, work his way
through the suspect list.
MURDER OF THE CAT'S MEOW is the 15th book in the Scumble
River series, but it's the first I've read. Author Denise
Swanson weaves in enough background that I was never lost as
continuing characters, like Skye's former students Frannie
and Justin, are re-introduced.
The murder set-up is pretty complex, and without giving too
much away, most of Skye and Wally's time is spent
eliminating suspects and following dead-ends. They kind of
stumble on the real motive and the killer near the end.
Skye, Wally, and the other regulars are likeable, well-drawn
people, and the other characters have quirky personalities
but don't seem one-dimensional. MURDER OF THE CAT'S MEOW is
an entertaining cozy mystery, light enough to sleep easy at
night, and puzzling enough to keep you interested.
When ex-Vegas showgirl and local business owner Bunny Reid starts an online dating service called Cupid's Cat’s Meow, out-of-town visitors flock to her bowling alley for the speed-dating and cat show events. Bunny’s scheme sounds harmless enough, but school psychologist Skye Denison knows all too well that an influx of strangers into Scumble River always spells trouble… Soon, Skye is called to the bowling alley to break up a fight between a riled-up contestant and the judge who insulted his feline. When the judge’s body is found — strangled with a cat toy — it’s up to Skye to solve the purrplexing mystery and show a devious killer that her sleuthing skills are the cat’s meow.