Dollycas’s Thoughts

Mayville Heights has been chosen as the location to host the reboot of a very popular baking show and Kathleen has been hired for all her librarian knowledge as an advisor for the show. She will be providing interesting facts, history, and the contestant’s biographies for the commentator to use during the show. Local restaurants are benefitting too as they will be catering meals for the cast and crew of the show.

Filming is barely underway before one of the judges is murdered. Kathleen has been down this road before. People want her to investigate and find the killer. Her magical cats want to be involved. Marcus, her detective boyfriend, wants her to leave the case to him. Can everyone get together and catch the killer before he strikes again? It’s a true case of cat and mouse . . . but remember “curiosity killed the cat”.

I am so happy to visit Mayville Heights again. Cancer put me behind on this series and I vowed to myself that I would catch up this year.

Hercules and Owen are truly magical cats that steal my heart every time I start reading a book in this series. Their person Kathleen doesn’t really understand how they do what they do but she has been doing her best to keep their talents a secret. I was so happy that she finally shared their abilities with Marcus seeing as his cat is gifted too. All their antics are absolutely delightful. Can a Funky Frog replace a Funky Chicken?

Kathleen herself is a strong protagonist using her skills to try to track down a killer. There is a vast array of suspects but she doesn’t give up. I was right there with her when all the clues started to fall into place and I was having a ball. The reveal was fantastic and again Kathleen had me cheering her on while practically biting my fingernails to the quick. Then I was laughing as she met up with someone she sees too often under the same circumstances.

I must say, Kathleen, Marcus, Maggie, Rebecca, Roma, and all the core characters in this series are so well written. They are all like the good people you would meet in any midwest town. They care about each other genuinely. We are getting to know them all so well over the course of this series that each time I get to visit Mayville Heights I am excited to catch up on everything going on in their lives. We also get in a great mystery or two, too!

A Case of Cat and Mouse was a marvelous read and a Perfect Escape! A wonderful mystery laced with humor starring some stellar characters.

I do recommend reading the series in order to get to know the cats and their history and the other characters from the start but Ms. Kelly does give some background to enable this book to be read all on its own.

Stay tuned, I hope to read and review Hooked on a Feline soon!

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a cute mystery novel perfect for a quick read.

I love anything by Sofie Kelly/Sofie Ryan! All of her magical cats series are the best!!! If you haven't checked out this series you should start from the beginning!

This is one of my favorite series, and Sofie Kelly never fails to keep me entertained. The characters were wonderful. The setting was fun, and I loved the mystery. I will definitely be continuing with the series.

A Case of Cat and Mouse by Sofie Kelly is the twelfth book in the Magical Cats Mystery series. When I read the "magical cats" part, I felt certain I was not going to like the book. I could not have been more wrong. Even though I have not read any other books in the series, I had no problem jumping right in with this book. Librarian Kathleen is hired to help with research for a cooking competition. After she discovers one of the judges dead, she finds herself doing investigation along with the research. While the cats did have "magical powers", it was not the focus of the book and certainly not as out there as I feared. This could easily become one of my favorite series!

I just found this series on the last book and this one was another fun installment. I really love Kathleen as a librarian turned amateur sleuth with a police officer boyfriend. They are sweet together and he doesn’t treat her as an ignorant meddling bystander or get exasperated with her when she wants to help. I also love all the little details about the small town. I personally don’t love the setting of a cooking competition, mostly because I feel like it’s becoming a common background for cozy mysteries, so it didn’t capture my attention as much as it might for others.

The mystery was curious and I figured it out before Kathleen and Marcus, but I really enjoyed the quite dramatic ending.

I’ll be honest, I was a little disappointed we didn’t get to see much of the cats’ magical abilities. Yes they’re were definitely involved in the story, but it felt like their special abilities were more mentioned, but not really displayed.

This is book 12 in the Magical Cat mystery series and it's a great addition. My favorite combo of librarian sleuth and pets that help solve the mystery. Kathleen is serving as a researcher for a cooking show being filmed in Mayville Heights and finds one of the judges dead on the set. Her cats, Owen and Hercules are very involved in the search for the murder. Using their magical power to disappear into thin air and walk through walls is a big help. A fun easy read for busy readers. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A CASE OF CAT AND MOUSE is book twelve in the Magical Cats series by Sofie Kelly. I know that this series is loved by many, which is why I decided to give it a shot. After reading some books in the series, I was excited to jump into this new one.

However, I found myself never really falling in love with the series like many other people. I’m not sure why, but the characters failed to hold my attention and although I have no issue with the writing style or the mystery, something about this series just never clicked fully on for me. There were parts that I really liked and some parts that were just meh for me.

Ultimately, I decided that it wasn’t enough for me to stick it out. After this, I don’t think I will continue reading this author. It’s funny because in this genre, there are some well-loved authors, but I find that there are only a couple that really stand out to me. Unfortunately, this series didn’t grip me enough to want to stay with it.

A Case of Cat and Mouse: A Magical Cats Mystery By Sofie Kelly
Review by Sandra Murphy

Kathleen’s regular job is head librarian. However, she also acts as researcher for the newly refurbished The Great Northern Baking Showdown as the show films in Mayville Heights. The program follows a familiar pattern. Each week the contestants compete in three categories, one for basic baking, the next where they can show off their signature baked goods, and the third is the tricky one as they are given surprise ingredients, a tool to use or one is taken from them, anything to show they can be calm under pressure and adapt to any challenge.

Although they seem to get along on set, comments from Kassie, one of the judges, are often barbed. She’s not at all qualified for the job but doesn’t let that detail stop her. Rebecca, Kathleen’s friend and neighbor, is one of the contestants.

When Kassie is found face down and dead in a bowl of whipped cream, it’s first thought it could have been an accident, but that theory doesn’t hold for long. She had a drug in her system, could have been overcome and unable to save herself. Unfortunately, she had no friends on the set. When questioned, everyone has a solid alibi.

The main suspect is Elias, who is in charge of the show. He’s the closest thing Ruby’s ever had to a father so she asks Kathleen to see what she can find out since Kathleen’s helped the police before—even before the detective, Marcus, became her boyfriend.
As alibis fall apart and the truth comes out, it seems to be an even harder case to solve.

This is the twelfth book in the popular series. Owen and Hercules, the magical cats, are in fine form. Hercules is set to be a calendar cat once again. Owen, lover of Fred the Funky Chicken catnip toys, has branched out to include a catnip frog. As always, they are key in finding out who the killer is. The main thing to understand is everyone lies and everyone has a secret.

There are a number of suspects to choose from so readers will have a hard time solving the crime before Kathleen and Marcus. Good luck!

Maryville Heights is going to be on TV! A reboot of a popular baking show has chosen to film here, and Kathleen’s friend, Rebecca is a contestant! Everyone is so excited! Along with her normal duties in the library, Kathleen has started researching little factoids for the show, so life’s pretty busy. Unfortunately, not everything is sweet in the baking competition. When one of the judges turns up dead in a bowl of whipped cream, everyone is a suspect. Kathleen’s cop-beau Marcus is already on the case, but everyone wants her to investigate too. With reluctance, she and her furry friends start digging.

Who do you trust when just about everybody had an issue with the deceased? When alibis aren’t always completely clear? Can Kathleen keep the peace, catch a killer, and keep the show running?
I was approved for a eARC from Netgalley and Berkley Publishers in exchange for an honest review. My thanks! I am very late in reviewing, and I apologize for that.

I love the Magical Cats series! There’s something very sweet about the interactions of the town and the bizarre happenings (pranksters gifting the library’s gazebo with odd things, caffeine addicted thieving squirrels… let’s face it, a cat that can disappear and another that can walk through doors are hardly the oddest thing in town). I love Kathleen and her friends, and I especially love our furry sleuths, Owen and Hercules. It’s always nice to revisit Maryville Heights and see what the gang has gotten into this time.

One issue that a lot of long running series’ seem to have, is repetition. I talked about it with the Stephanie Plum series- the same conversations seem to happen ad nauseum… the same triangle… the same situations. To a very small extent, you see this here (for real… why is she always the one to find dead people? Why do people always insist that she do something when the cops- read: her boyfriend- are already on the case? I mean, I know that’s kind of the way these books go, but does anyone else ever wonder about this?). For the most part, though, there are enough variations and side characters to make things really interesting. The series is still on my top ten for cozy mysteries; and this was a wonderful addition. I would give it four stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
On the adult content scale there was a lot of language and talk of romantic relationships- though nothing terribly explicit. I would still have given this to my niece (though I need to stop using this as a marker because she’s, like, eighteen now and I can’t keep thinking of the ten year old that tried to get us to let her read Outlander- a resounding no, btw). I would give this one a four… sixteen and over would be an appropriate age range.

This is such a great series! I really enjoy reading about Mayville Heights and Owen and Hercules' latest antics. I thought this cozy mystery was very entertaining and I was kept guessing until the end. I highly recommend this story and the series!

Maybe not her best, but a delightful tale of magical cats! It was complex with lots of suspects and I loved the setting of the cooking show. I can recommend the whole series!

Once again, Sofie Kelly has written the perfect cozy mystery. Readers of this series will not be disappointed, and new readers will easily catch on to all the action and charming characters in this small Minnesota town. Although part of a series, this title easily stands alone for new readers.

I absolutely adore this series. This is the twelfth installment. We learn more background about the cats, Wisteria Hill and Rebecca. I always am happy to visit Mayville Heights. I had a good hunch who killed the judge but tying the killer to the victim took some time.

The story is well-written and plotted. I enjoy the cats’ antics and the funky chickens and their hold over Owen. It is so easy to picture the cats doing whatever Kathleen sees them doing.

I want to thank Berkley Publishing for allowing me to read this book after the publication dat. They normally don’t allow me to read their books as I am not a blogger, just an avid reader.

I am not required to leave a positive review.

I love a good cozy mystery, and one that incorporates a librarian and magical cats is right there on the top of my list. I loved reading 'A Case of Cat and Mouse' by Sofie Kelly. Kept me guessing until the very end and I love how Kathleen is able to get people to talk, maybe it's the librarian about her. Highly recommend!

All the books by this author featuring the "magical cats" have proven to be fun and intriguing. They are definitely cozy type mysteries and will appeal to cat lovers, as well as those desiring to read a fun, clean story.

Princess Fuzzypants here: I cannot believe this is the 12th book in the series. I remember the very first one where Katherine met Hercules and Owen. These are two very cool cats. They are magical. One can appear and disappear at whim and the other can walk through walls. It is a nifty trick when they are required to save Katherine from her various escapades. They have rescued her more times than her hunky beau, who is now completely in on the secret of their magical talents. Good thing. His kitty, Micah, is also magical.

Katherine is bringing her fly paper brain for information and awesome research skills to a tv show shooting in town. In the midst of shooting the series, the bad girl in the mix, a vicious and nasty piece of work who relishes being cruel, is found face down in a bowl of whipped cream. As a murder weapons, there have been many worse but it is murder nonetheless. Katherine is persuaded to help exonerate the show’s producer who happens to be close to her friend, Ruby.

The problem is as she digs deeper, she manages to find alibis for almost everyone but the one she is trying to clear. She also discovers there has been a lot going on behind the scenes of which she was unaware. This is one case when the killer is revealed, the reader has sympathy. At least that might be the case if Katherine and Hercules were not in mortal danger.

As always, I enjoyed this book. If you are new to the series, you can read this as a one off but if you enjoy kitty mysteries, treat yourself and go back to the beginning. Five purrs and two paws up.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Take one cat who can walk through doors or walls and knows where the birthday candles are stashed. Stir in one cat who can disappear and reappear at his discretion. Add a librarian who is an expert with information, including how to build a bomb, and mix all ingredients with a TV reality show bakeoff, great friends, and a killer or two, and you have A Case of Cat and Mouse. It is very well-written with a mystery that has many suspects and folks who want the librarian, Kathleen, to discover who the killer is. It is just another spring day in Minnesota!

Kathleen is the daughter of two actors. She misses her family since moving from Boston a few years ago for what she thought was a two-year position. She found a whole set of friends who are like her second family, the best boyfriend ever, two feral cats with unusual talents that adopted her, and a feral cat colony that she helps care for. Kathleen has remained in Mayville Heights, become a full-time librarian, and somehow gets sucked into solving mysteries to keep innocent friends out of prison.

A modern remake of The Great Northern Baking Showdown is underway at the community center. A couple local people, one being a close friend, Rebecca, have won places on the show. Kathleen works part time for the production company doing research for information about the town and various aspects of each day’s baking challenge. There are two well-known people co-hosting the show, two who are judges, and six of the original twelve contestants are left.

The contestants have been good about helping each other with various challenges. Things are heating up, as only three of those six contestants will finish. One evening, Kathleen had to return to the community center. Instead of the person she needed to meet with, she found one of the judges dead.

The main suspect is a father figure to a close friend of Kathleen’s. The woman pleaded with Kathleen to help find who really did it, even though evidence points to the executive producer. The more questions Kathleen asks, however, the more people come to her with secrets they were afraid to tell the police, or ideas for more suspects. The love of Kathleen’s life is a detective, and while he can’t share his information with her, she is happy to pass along what she learns to Marcus.

This town has some of the best people ever! They are so well defined, I could almost picture them. There is Kathleen, who loves Mayville Heights enough to stay there and become part of the community. Marcus, her boyfriend, is the perfect guy for her. They met under rocky conditions when she was a murder suspect, but he knows she is going to ask questions and solve puzzles and give him the info she gathers. And who couldn’t use a vet for a friend? Roma and her husband are great friends and have been preparing a real surprise for the feral community this time. The contestants and people involved with the baking show, both locals and visitors, fit right in. Well, almost everyone, except Kassie, the judge that was murdered. I adore Owen and Hercules!

There are some incredibly laugh-out-loud funny scenes and a few very intense scenes. Then there are the scenes that make the bakeoff rival the daytime drama that Kathleen’s mother occasionally guests on. This series simply gets better with each novel. If Fred the Funky Chicken is real, I need one for my cats! Or a bagful of them. I have tried so hard to picture him over the years. I did not figure out the solution to the murder; the bad guy is someone who I may not have even considered. That’s the kind of mystery I enjoy most, one that I can’t solve and wish it didn’t end. I highly recommend it!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

This is a cozy series beloved by cozy fans for the wonderful entertaining antics of the two magical cats Hercules and Own with fun sleuthing. This is 12th in the series and one of my favorites of the series.
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity.

In this next in series the town is abuzz with a cooking show coming to town. Amid the festivities Librarian Kathleen Paulson is helping with research for the show. When a contentious judge for the show is found dead in a most unpleasant manner with whipped cream as the cause the suspects are many and everyone is on edge. Kathleen steps up with the help of her wonderful sleuthing cats to find the real suspect.

I loved this next in series with a fast moving well crafted sleuth that kept me guessing. I look forward to their next adventure and more cozy fun.

A baking show is coming to town. Kathleen gets to showcase her librarian skills by doing research for the show. When one of the judges is found dead, she and her cat help solve the murder. Owen and Hercules are the stars of the book. Number 12 in the Magical Cats Mystery series, but you don't need to read the previous books to enjoy the book. But you should.