Caturday Reads: The Cat The Collector and The Killer is a must-read for cat lovers
The Cat The Collector and The Killer
Leann Sweeney
Berkley Publishing
Mystery & Thrillers
Pub Date: 2 August 2016
Review
If you love cats and murder mysteries, look no further. Leann Sweeney’s novel is purrfect, with its spot on depiction of cat adoration (Petcube anyone?) and an intriguing and complex mystery where felines play a major role.
In The Cat The Collector and The Killer, the body of the local animal control officer is found in the home an elderly cat collector amidst large boxes of purchased items. The elderly woman is found wandering the streets, disoriented and carrying a kitten in a tote bag. Her symptoms make it difficult to discover how and why the dead man came to be in the house. Jillian Hart, quilter, cat lover and wife to police chief Tom Stewart is drawn into helping the woman, first by taking the kitten into her care, then by helping to solve the mystery.
I liked how Leann Sweeney differentiated between “collecting” and “hoarding”. Collectors have a number of cats in their care, but are careful to ensure all receive proper veterinary care, feeding, attention, and a clean enriched environment. Hoarders on the other hand are generally unable to properly care for their pets, not providing adequate food, attention, or veterinary care. I also liked Jillian’s humane approach to the investigation, and the care and understanding that she showed. It was not easy to guess the culprit, but the entire scenario developed by Leann Sweeney made a great deal of sense. Best of all The Cat The Collector and The Killer has the absolute best use of dirty cat litter I have ever encountered. I won’t forget that scene anytime soon. Leann Sweeney has a wonderful understanding of cats and cat lovers and puts it to good use in her mysteries. I am already looking forward to her next novel.
5/5
I received a copy of The Cat The Collector and The Killer from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
—Crittermom
Description
In the latest mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of The Cat, the Sneak and the Secret, a cat collector is suspected of murder.
Jillian Hart and police chief Tom Stewart are enjoying peaceful, newly wedded bliss in Mercy, South Carolina, until a woman is found wandering the streets one night. She's in her night clothes, disoriented, and carrying a kitten in a tote bag. A police investigation of the woman's house reveals many more cats, a maze of cardboard boxes—and a dead man.
Although the evidence suggests the frail woman is the killer, Jillian doesn't believe she's capable of such a crime. The dead man had many enemies in town, which means finding the real murderer may prove to be its own cat and mouse game...
