Review: Fat Cat Takes the Cake by Janet Cantrell

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
E-ARC

Publisher:
Berkley Prime Crime

Release Date:
April 2016





Chase Oliver, co-owner of the dessert shop Bar None, is busy this Christmas. Her partner, Anna, is getting married and Chase is one of the bridemaids. Not to mention that it’s the busiest time of year for their shop and a former high school classmate is throwing a fourteen year reunion. Chase and her best friend, Julie, can’t figure out why he doesn’t wait another year and have a fifteen year reunion, but they figure it has something to do with his running for a political office. To add to Chase’s list of tasks, she’s trying to train her lovable cat, Quincy, to take walks using his harness.

The reunion turns out to be a disaster when a classmate who used to stalk Julie attends and starts stalking again. Not only does he stalk Julie, but he antagonizes everyone at the reunion. Ron North has definitely not improved with age, he may even have become a bit creepier.

The next day Chase walks Quincy wearing his new harness, but the cat outsmarts her. He figures out a way to get himself out of the nasty harness and go in his own direction. Unfortunately, his own direction leads to a dead body. A very dead body by the name of Ron North.

All of the evidence is pointing right to Julie. Chase can’t sit quietly by as her friend goes off to jail. Instead, she launches her own investigation to get to the bottom of this.

One of my favorite literary felines is back in action. The handsome butterscotch tabby, Quincy, is as cute as ever. I just want to cuddle him. The author has a flair for letting the reader know what the cat is thinking without it being overbearing and without the cat actually speaking to the humans. Quincy’s thoughts are exactly what I would have thought a cat would think.

Janet Cantrell’s series gets better with each book. I’ve grown to love Chase more all the time. It goes without saying that Quincy won me over with book #1, but he continues to hold onto my heart. With his human, I needed more time to warm up to her and I did. Not only has Chase become more rounded as a character, but so has the secondary characters like Julie and Anna.

There is some romance, but the mystery far exceeds the romance which is good. Although, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Chase’s romantic interest – the local vet.  Definitely more Quincy too - always more Quincy.  LOL

The story is fast-paced. I thought I figured it all out towards the end of the book, but I was totally taken by surprise where the mystery eventually went and it was a welcome surprise. I like being fooled in my books :)

This series is so clever, witty and downright fun. I’m always anxiously awaiting the next one. I’m really hoping this wonderful series will keep on going…Quincy has so much still to do.



For reading challenges:
Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2016
2016 NetGalley and Edelweiss Reading Challenge
2016 What an Animal Reading Challenge

FTC Disclosure: The publisher and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.