Book 15, 2020

[chez_jae]

Arsenic and Old Books by Miranda James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Stayed up about fifteen minutes past bedtime last night to finish reading Arsenic and Old Books by Miranda James. It's the 6th part of the "Cat in the Stacks" mystery series, with primary character Charlie Harris and his Maine Coon cat, Diesel.

Charlie is delighted when the mayor of Athena, Lucy Beckwith Long, donates a set of diaries to Athena College. They date from the Civil War and belonged to her husband's great-great-grandmother. The mayor wants Charlie to preserve the diaries and add them to the other items donated by the Long family. She hopes they can boost her son's campaign for state senate.

Charlie never would have anticipated how much interest the diaries would generate. He's barely in possession of them before one of the history professors wants to get her hands on them, the other candidate for state senate would like to find out if there is anything in the diaries to derail his opponent's campaign, and a local reporter is also sniffing around. When the diaries are stolen, there is no shortage of suspects, and after one of the players is killed in a hit and run, Charlie is left wondering what could be so important about the diaries that someone would kill to find out.

As far as I was concerned, the theft of the diaries and the subsequent police investigation was mystery enough. I would have enjoyed just that! However, there was also the apparent murder to contend with. Characters were three-dimensional, including the loathsome ones. The plot flowed smoothly and kept me engaged, and it was refreshing to read a resolution wherein the main character does not end up in mortal peril.

Favorite line: "You're the one who went rushing off like a blind pig after an acorn."

Very good! Four stars

Comments

[oracne]

That title wins!

[chez_jae]

It was clever!

:)