Sofie Kelly – Curiosity Thrilled the Cat

The first book in the Magical Cats Mystery series, published February 1, 2011.
Genre: cozy mystery with paranormal cats
Cover: nice



When librarian Kathleen Paulson leaves her life in Boston and moves to Mayville Heights, Minnesota, she has no idea that two strays would nuzzle their way into her life. Owen is a tabby with a catnip addiction and Hercules is a stocky tuxedo cat who shares Kathleen's fondness for Barry Manilow. But beyond all the fur and purrs, there seems to be something more to these felines.
When murder interrupts Mayville's Wild Rose Summer Music Festival, Kathleen finds herself the prime suspect. More stunning is her realization that Owen and Hercules are truly special – perhaps even magical. Suddenly she's relying on their skills to solve this crime and save her reputation. With a little legwork from her four-legged friends, Kathleen may be able to solve this purr-fect murder….


Kathleen is the new head librarian overseeing the renovation of the library in Mayville Heights, Minnesota. They hope to be finished in time for the Wild Rose Summer Music Festival, as the library is an historical landmark. But unfortunately, the local contractor is taking his own sweet time, and doesn’t bother answering his phone when Kathleen calls him. So when the famous conductor Gregor Easton wants to use the libraries computer to access the internet, as promised in the flyer he received earlier, he gets very obnoxious when that is not possible yet.
When Owen, one of her cats who snuck in her purse that day, attacks Gregor, Kathleen has to do her best to placate the man. Early the next morning Kathleen decides to find the local handy man, and have him set up the tables and chairs for the computer room, so she can at least put together one of the computers for use. Instead of finding Oren at the town music hall, she finds a dead Gregor Easton instead. As her parents are actors, she is used to dead bodies on a stage, but this is a real one.
The police question her of course, as she is now a suspect. They even seem to think she had a “date” with the man! She did not even know him before yesterday! And when they find some blood in the library, they seem to think that is the place he was killed. But why would he go to the library late at night? She certainly did not invite him!

To clear her own name, and because her cats seem intent on investigating the case, she can’t help but find out things about Gregor. He was not unknown to a lot of people in this town, but who loathed him enough to kill him? And why? Just because he was a lecherous old man?
And what is with all the small accidents happening to her in the library? Surely the contractor is not trying to seriously hurt her.


It took me a while to get into this story. But that is often the case with a first book. I did like the setting, and the other ladies Kathleen interacts with. I do want to find out more about the estate that the cats are living on, and where Kathleen’s two magical cats are from. They followed her home one day, and stayed with her, even though they are feral cats. Owen is fun as he is addicted to cat nip, hidden in something called Fred the Funky Chicken, and Kathleen keeps finding pieces of Fred all over the house. Owen hates her choice of music, and Hercules loves it, which is fun as well.

The mystery was good, but not really surprising, I did figure out the reason pretty soon. But all the circumstances, and family relations those were a nice surprise for me. I will be reading the rest of the series soon, as those books are already on my shelves.

7 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian