About the Book
Synopsis from Goodreads:
A dead baron, an Irish castle, and an unexpected ghost . . . Charlie Harris, Helen Louise Brady, and their feline friend Diesel find themselves hot on the trail of a conniving killer in this delightful Cat in the Stacks Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Miranda James.
Charlie Harris and his wife, Helen Louise Brady, have arrived in Ireland for their honeymoon. After a few days in Dublin, they head to County Clare, ancestral home to Helen Louise’s extended family, the O’Bradys. Her cousin Lorcan runs Castle O’Brady as a bed-and-breakfast with his wife Caoimhe and their daughter and son-in-law. But upon arrival at the castle, the newlyweds are shocked to see a body falling from the roof.
The dead man is centenarian Finn, Baron O'Brady, Lorcan’s grandfather, which means that Lorcan now becomes the new Baron O'Brady. Was someone in a hurry for Lorcan to assume the title and ownership of the estate? Or is there another reason for wanting Finn dead? And why is a ghostly cat making an appearance in their room-is he trying to warn them? Charlie and Helen Louise must answer these questions and more as they realize the local garda can't solve the crime alone. And along with Diesel they will have to investigate themselves or risk something wicked coming their way…
Charlie Harris and his bride, Helen Louise, are finally married and off on their honeymoon. They head to Ireland where Helen’s family runs a bed and breakfast. She is thrilled to show off her family home to Charlie (and his Maine Coon Diesel, of course) as well as spend some time with her extended family members.
Things take a shocking turn when they drive up to the castle and are greeted with a dead body falling from the roof. The dead man is the patriarch of the family, Baron Finn O’Brady. He was Helen’s uncle and beloved by all. Or so they thought. There’s even a ghostly cat who shows up every now and then.
Charlie and Helen are determined to find out who the killer is before someone else is hurt or worse. They ask quite a few questions and begin receiving threats of their own. Even Diesel is at risk. They must find the killer before the killer finds them.
This is the 17th book in the series, and I enjoyed it. I haven’t read all the previous books yet, but I’ve read most of them. This one is a bit different as it takes Charlie out of his hometown and puts him in a new location. Plus, there’s a ghost cat involved.
It’s an intriguing storyline and a chance to learn more about Helen and her family. It’s fun to watch Charlie and Helen team up to do some sleuthing.
There were many potential suspects. I wasn’t too surprised at how it turned out, but I found the investigation intriguing. I was anxious to find out the reasoning behind the crime.
Overall, another good mystery from Miranda James. I did miss having Charlie at home surrounded by his family and friends, but he had his feline buddy, Diesel, and his bride, Helen, with him.
As always, I’m looking forward to my next visit with Charlie and Diesel.
For reading challenges:
NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge 2025
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2025
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
I'm so glad you enjoyed this too! I love spending time with Charlie and Diesel - even if I was very stressed about Diesel for most of the book!
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