loribonesscaswell

Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel. He’s returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but a celebrated author’s visit draws an unruly swarm of fanatic mystery buffs…and one devious killer.

To celebrate National Library Week the Athena Public Library plans to feature amateur sleuths we loved as kids, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Veronica Thane. It was quite a surprise to find out the author of the Veronica Thane mysteries was about to celebrate her 100th birthday and was living very close to Athena. When the author agrees to make a special appearance at the library the news goes viral. Fans start to flock to town, many with copies of her books to sign and a few with hundreds, some of them very rare editions. There is even a rumor that there are several stories still unpublished. How far would a fan go to get their hands on these manuscripts? Would they commit murder??

Dollycas’s Thoughts

I absolutely love this series! Diesel stole my heart the first time I saw him on the cover of the first book. I also appreciate a story with a male protagonist. Charlie is a true gentleman with very clever insight and a different perspective than the cozy readers are used to. His relationship with Diesel just warms my heart. I can easily see them walking down the streets of Athena, Diesel in his halter and Charlie stopping to visit with everyone he meets. Diesel is very intuitive himself. He senses when people need a little chin bob or just a paw on their knee. He also understands the words “treat” and “chicken” very clearly.

James outdid herself in this book because she wrote not just one story but two. She created a new young sleuth named Veronica Thane and wrote a mystery for her. It is the story Charlie is reading as the library will be featuring the author. The book was one his favorite childhood mysteries. As Charlie reads it leads him to think about the current crime trying to be solved in Athena. It helps all the pieces of the puzzle come together.

The author has written a wonderful story with true to life characters including a very special feline. It makes me really miss my feline companion that looks and acts a lot like Diesel. He is now living with my son and it my granddaughter’s buddy. There are plenty of plot twists and secrets revealed. Charlie works hard to keep Chief Deputy Kanesha Berry apprised of each new development he uncovers because he knows what will happen if he doesn’t. Charlie, Diesel and Kanesha make an excellent investigative team. She is not a lady to mess with.

The book is dedicated to those authors like Mildred Wirt Benson, Margaret Sutton, and Julie Campbell Tatham who wrote the first mysteries most of us read. I had a bookshelf full of them way back when. James plans to have The Mystery at Spellwood Mansion, in its entirety up on the website soon.

Another fun and entertaining read from this author. A perfect way to take a step back in time to the “girl detective” stories of our past. You may be ready to reread a few Nancy Drew or Judy Bolton mysteries when you finish this one.