Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: February 2, 2023 by Crystal Uys
Leann Sweeney’s Cats in Trouble series just keeps getting better and better. The series features cat quilter Jillian Hart and her three cats Merlot, Chablis and Chiraz, along with her human friends, who all live in the small town of Mercy, South Carolina.
In The Cat, the Mill and the Murder, the latest installment in the series, Jillian volunteers to help a local animal shelter relocate a colony of feral cats living in an abandoned textile mill. When she visits the mill, she finds a woman who is living there with her “ghost cat” Boots. Jeannie went missing from Mercy, South Carolina, a decade ago, after her daughter’s disappearance. After Jeannie is hurt in an accident and taken to the hospital, a body is found in the mill’s old fireplace. This is only the beginning of a series of long-kept, dark secrets, and Jillian finds herself drawn into yet another investigation.
No matter how immersed Jillian gets into trying to find out what happened, her cats always come first. When she can’t be at home, she keeps track of them via a remote cam on her phone. Her cats don’t appear to be thrilled with the addition of the “ghost cat” in this installment, but it adds a level of mystery that I found charming and intriguing.
Like all the books in the series, this one is hard to put down. And like all the others, it is filled with lots of fascinating facts about cats. The recurring and new characters are thoroughly likeable, and the cats are absolutely delightful.
Highly recommended for lovers of cozy mysteries, small towns, and, of course, cats.
On a personal note, I was delighted to see that a quote from one of my reviews of a previous book in the series is featured in the “Praise for the National Bestselling Cats in Trouble Series” section in the front of the book. The quote is an excerpt from my review of The Cat, the Lady and the Liar: “Tightly plotted, with likable characters, and filled with cat trivia, this entertaining mystery will become a favorite for cozy and cat lovers alike.” These words definitely apply to this installment as well.
Leann Sweeney was born and raised in Niagara Falls and educated at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Lemoyne College in Syracuse, New York. She also has a degree in behavioral science from the University of Houston and has worked in psychiatry. A former registered nurse, she has been writing in the mystery genre for many years and also writes the Yellow Rose Mystery series. For more information, please visit LeannSweeney.com.
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
