The Cat Of Christmas Future (Whales And Tales #14) by Kathi Daley

Book Information

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Whales and Tails Mystery

• Paperback: 210 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (November 21, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1976095042
• ISBN-13: 978-1976095047

Synopsis: As with The Cat of Christmas Past and The Cat of Christmas Present, while this holiday cozy features a mystery, it does not feature a murder. 

It is Christmas on Madrona Island and the spirit of Christmas is out in full force. A cat who looks a lot like a cat from Cait's past comes to visit just as Cait and Cody are getting ready for a full lineup of holiday events. When Cait learns of the cat's true purpose for coming into her life she realizes she will need to set some of her usual routines aside in order to prevent a tragedy from occurring in the future. 

Meanwhile the entire Hart Family is gathering at Maggie's as a series of personal events causes each of member of the family to seek temporary refuge in the large house.

Review: This is a great series, and I always look forward to reading the newest release. This is the fourteenth book in the series, and also the end of a trilogy of sorts: The Cat Of Christmas Past, The Cat of Christmas Present, and The Cat Of Christmas Future. In those three books, there is a holiday themed mystery, but no murder.

I think this is the first time I have read a mystery where a person's future is at stake, based on the decisions made by others in the present. The Hart family is very much present throughout the story, as are the usual supporting characters. I love the way relationships grow and change in this series...it makes them that much more realistic. And, as usual in this series, there is a cat that plays a major part in drawing the right people together and finding the clues to solve the mystery.


Rating: Five stars

About the author

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. 
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries. 

Join me on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on my books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf). 

Taming of the Tabby (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 12) by Kathi Daley

• Series: Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery
• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 20, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1545255962
• ISBN-13: 978-1545255964

Synopsis: A murder, a wedding, and a teenager in danger, all collide in this fast-paced mystery set on magical Madrona Island.

Review: 

Those of us who also read the Seacliff High Mystery series by Ms. Daley will know that Sarah and Alyson left town in a hurry at the end of their last story, in the company of their Witness Protection Program handler, Donovan. Turns out Donovan is an old SEAL friend of Cody's, and he brings his charges to Madrona Island to stay for a few weeks while he determines whether or not the threat to them is a credible one. Alyson is able to use her ability to communicate with ghosts and animals to help Cait and Cody solve their latest mystery. She also enlists the help of her best friend back in Oregon, Mac, when they need a computer whiz to solve an encryption. Of course, as in the other books in this series, a mysterious cat shows up to help solve the mystery. Shadow becomes very attached to Alyson, and will apparently be a part of her future adventures. This story is incredibly well written and kept me reading--I read it all in one morning sitting. I can hardly wait for the next one, Frankencat, which is due to be released in August.

Rating: Four stars

A Winter's Tail (Whales and Tails #11) by Kathi Daley

Book Information

Genre: Cozy mystery

• Series: Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery
• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (February 14, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1542563585
• ISBN-13: 978-1542563581

Synopsis: Three secrets, first revealed in Grimm's Furry Tail, A Tale of Two Tabbies, and The Cat of Christmas Present, collide in a single horrific moment that leaves one person dead and one fighting for their life. This fast paced cozy mystery will have you glued to the page as Cait and Cody join forces with a cat named Moirai in a race against time to track down a killer.

Review: As stated in the synopsis, this story involves secrets which were revealed in three prior stories, so I highly suggest you read those before jumping into this one. 

I love this series and seeing some of these secrets being revealed to the right people at the right time was a great payoff for the characters as well as the readers. At least one of the secrets doesn't involve a happy ending, however, so be prepared for that as well. 

The mystery in this story was a trickier one than usual, IMO. The things that seemed like clues turned out not to be, and the red herrings seemed to outweigh the real clues. I was totally surprised by the reveal of the killer, and saddened by the events which prompted that person's actions. 

The end of this story seems to point toward some new characters for future stories, so I can't wait to see how that all works out. I hope it will bring some happiness to one of members of the "Scooby Gang," who truly deserves it.

Rating: Four stars

About the author

Author of the Zoe Donovan cozy Mystery Series, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mystery series, Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Series, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Cozy Mystery Series. 

Come for the murder, stay for the romance.

Kathi lives in the beautiful alpine community of Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken and dog Echo. When she's not writing she enjoys hanging out on the beach with her children and grandchildren. During the summer she enjoys hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, wakeboarding, and sunset cruises on the lake. During the winter she enjoys cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and curling up by a fire with a good book.

Kathi uses her mountain home as inspiration for her books, all which include appearances by the wildlife she shares her life with. 

Visit Kathi Daley:

Blog - http://kathidaleyblog.com 

Facebook at Kathi Daley Books, www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks 

Kathi Daley Teen - www.facebook.com/kathidaleyteen 

Kathi Daley Books Group Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/569578823146850/

Kathi Daley Books Birthday Club- get a book on your birthday - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1040638412628912/ 

Kathi Daley Recipe Exchange - https://www.facebook.com/groups/752806778126428/ 

Webpage - www.kathidaley.com 

E-mail - kathidaley@kathidaley.com 

Recipe Submission E-mail - kathidaleyrecipes@kathidaley.com 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7278377.Kathi_Daley

Twitter at Kathi Daley@kathidaley - https://twitter.com/kathidaley 

Tumblr - http://kathidaleybooks.tumblr.com/

Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/kathidaley/ 

For weekly updates and contests sign up for her newsletter The Daley Weekly at (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf)or by accessing the link on her Facebook page or website.

The Cat Of Christmas Past (Whales And Tails #6) by Kathi Daley

Synopsis
It's Christmas on Madrona Island and Cait and friends have plans to embrace the magic of the season. The only dark spot on their celebration is the fact that a miserly old landlord is set on evicting an apartment building full of tenants just days before Christmas. Cait makes it her mission to save the old building and is aided by a cat named Ebenezer as they try to convince the old man to change his mind. Things look hopeless when she realizes that an unsolved mystery may be behind the man's gruff exterior. Cait vows to solve the mystery as a means of softening the man's heart and saving the apartments. An impossible task? Maybe. But Cait knows that miracles are real and anything can happen at Christmas. 

Note for mystery purists: This story involves a cold case mystery which is linked to a modern day problem but does not contain a present day murder.

Review
I love this series...the idea of a cat showing up to help out with each mystery is just so fun. This time around, the story is reminiscent of A Christmas Carol, and the cat is named Ebenezer. The whole crew on Madrona Island is getting ready for Christmas, which will help get you in the spirit if you aren't already. 

The 20 yr old kidnapping case that Cait is determined to solve reminded me a bit of the Lindbergh case, even down to the fact the missing infant was named Charles. This one didn't have the same ending, though! 

I had a pretty good general idea what had happened to him early on, and who was involved...but it wasn't until a certain characteristic of one of the characters was mentioned that I knew how it was going to play out. And the final resolution couldn't have been any happier for the entire island!

And be sure to check out the mouth-watering recipes at the end of the book!

Rating
Five stars

About the author Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.  Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.  Join me on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on my books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf).

The Legend Of Tabby Hollow (Whales and Tails #5) by Kathi Daley

Book Information

• Print Length: 246 pages
• Publisher: Kathi Daley Books (September 15, 2015)
• Publication Date: September 15, 2015
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B012DWQB2S

Synopsis: A cozy mystery series set on Madrona Island, a fictional island within the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. As a fourth generation islander Caitlin Hart is struggling to make her way as the economy and culture of the island evolves toward a tourism based industry. Cait lives in a cabin on her aunt's oceanfront estate where she helps her aunt run Harthaven Cat Sanctuary. When she isn't working with the cats, she helps best friend Tara, operate the coffee bar/bookstore/cat lounge they own, named Coffee Cat Books. In the fifth book in the series, Cait and Cody join forces to track down a killer when a body is found in the hollow.

Review: This is another spectacular mystery in the series...quite possibly the best one so far. I had no idea who had committed the murder or why until it was revealed. There were so many twists in the plot--even more than usual.

As usual, Cait is working with a cat who leads her to clues in the case. This time around, it's a big black cat named Ichabod. On their first meeting, he leads her straight to the dead body of the mayor. Unfortunately for everyone, that's not the only body to turn up on the island.

I love the characters in this series. They are a very tight-knit group of friends, and their interactions are so life-like that you feel as if you know them. In this story, we finally meet Cait's older sister, Siobhan, and learn about her history on the island, as well as about her time away. I enjoyed her character, and hope we'll get to see more of her.

One of the great things about this author is that, even though she writes several different series, you can read all of them without feeling as though you're reading the same plots over and over. Each series has its own unique themes, and its own unique voice.

Rating: Four stars

About the author

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. 
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries. 

Join her on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on her books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf). 

Much Ado About Felines (Whales and Tails #4) by Kathi Daley

Synopsis: A cozy mystery series set on Madrona Island, a fictional island within the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. As a fourth generation islander Caitlin Hart is struggling to make her way as the economy and culture of the island evolves toward a tourism based industry. Cait lives in a cabin on her aunt's oceanfront estate where she helps her aunt run Harthaven Cat Sanctuary. When she isn't working with the cats, she helps best friend Tara, operate the coffee bar/bookstore/cat lounge they own, named Coffee Cat Books. In the fourth installment in the series, the body of a long time island local is found buried in her own grave. Cait and the gang set out to investigate the strange occurrence and along the way they uncover the truth about the mysterious man who arrived on the ferry every week and is followed everywhere he goes by a black and white cat.

Review: Another winning story from Kathi Daley. I love the title and the play on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing...including the fact that one of the cats central to the story is named Beatrice (a character from the play).

As is true in other books in the series, Cait and Tara, who run Coffee Cat Books together, get involved in a murder mystery (a woman is murdered and her corpse hidden in her burial plot), and a cat (in this story, it is Beatrice) appears to help them crack the case, then disappears once his or her job is complete. 

While the murder is the main story, there is also a subplot of a mystery man who arrives on the island once a week and is always met and followed by a cat. The way that story plays out is a true heartbreaker!

I had a fairly good idea who the murderer was about halfway through, and I figured out the motive shortly after that, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. 

Can't wait to see what happens next on Madrona Island!

Rating: Four stars