Sofie Kelly's The Cats Came Back

I found and fell in love with this series years ago, another book I found when spining the rack at my local library, when one of Sofie Kelly's Magical Cat Mysteries fell from the rack, I snatched it up and checked it out. I fell in love with the series from book one and have read them all. In the most recent book The Cats Came Back, I was again enchanted with the same feelings I had when I read the first book. This book made me think, it made me cry and it made me remember. It made me love my own cats just that much more. Great characters, great friends, so much to love and a truly great read.

Small-town librarian Kathleen Paulson often seems to gets mixed up in murder, but luckily, her very special cats always find a way to help her close a case . . .The charming Minnesota town of Mayville Heights is hosting a music festival, and the whole place is bustling with musicians and tourists. Kathleen is looking forward to taking in some fabulous performances--and her two cats, Owen and Hercules, are looking forward to taking in some fabulous sardine crackers. But then the trio stumbles across a dead body by the river. The victim is a close friend--who also happens to be a look-alike of a popular cabaret singer set to perform at the festival. Who could have wanted to harm this innocent girl? Was it a case of mistaken identity? As accusations abound and suspicions swirl, Kathleen, Hercules and Owen will put their abilities--both mundane and magical--to the test, and lay down the paw.

You can find Sofie Kelly's book on Amazon by clicking here ( I am not an amazon affiliate) 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Tale of Two Kitties Review and Give Away....

Such a charming series! Sofie Kelly has a lovely cozy mystery series with two magical cats that add a hint of magic in each case. Librarian Kathleen has her finger on the pulse of the community and library but even she gets caught up in very old family drama and town history, before she knows it she is knee deep in not just the troubles in the past but in a very troubling discovery. With lots of heart and a great capacity for curiosity,  the mystery starts to unfold. I enjoyed this story and Kathleen's relationships with her staff and friends in this story. The cats added the perfect amount of humor and personality to the story as well. This is such a great series and a good one to start from the beginning with so you can truly appreciate Kathleen and all the things that happen to her!

With a well-placed paw on a keyboard or a pointed stare, Kathleen’s two cats, Hercules and Owen, have helped her to solve cases in the past—so she has learned to trust their instincts. But she will need to rely on them more than ever when a twenty-year-old scandal leads to murder… The arrival of the Janes brothers has the little town of Mayville Heights buzzing. Everyone of a certain age remembers when Victor had an affair with Leo’s wife, who then died in a car accident. Now it seems the brothers are trying to reconcile, until Kathleen finds Leo dead. The police set their sights on Leo’s son and Kathleen’s good friend Simon, who doesn’t have much of an alibi. To prove her friend innocent, Kathleen will have to dig deep into the town's history—and into her sardine cracker supply, because Owen and Hercules don't work for free...

A Tale of Two Kitties is out now and you can order it on Amazon by clicking here.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  A Tale of Two Kitties, please email me at karenmowen@gmail.com with Two Kitties in the subject line before September 30th for your chance to win from our random draw. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

On My Table and In My Cup September 2nd-9th

On my table this week I have had quite a lot. Not just books and tea, but calenders, school forms and homework. This week was back to school week one for us and the chaos has begun. In my blessed chaos I do realize and am thankful to for the small issues this has caused in my own world, I only have to turn on the news, or Facebook to see the devastation first hand, fires, floods, storms, earthquakes, accidents and threats of war world wide. I try so hard to focus on the good. Not always easy and something easy to forget. In times of chaos, there are always helpers, the good in people does shine through even in the darkest of times.

 It was a lovely surprise to have a copy of MK Graff's book Golden Hour arrive in my mailbox this week. I am looking forward to reading it.

I am reading this book so slowly not on purpose but due to the events and amount of work I have been doing this week, the last two days I am starting to feel more like myself, just still really tired.
So this one may take me a bit to get to the review.

I did read and enjoy Leigh Perry's The Skeleton Paints a Picture this week, it is a great book and series and this review will be up soon to share!

I got to review a new Witchcraft book this Wednesday that will be out in October and would make a great holiday gift too!

Dial Meow for Murder was on my table this week and a great read as well! I love an uncomplicated character in a complicated mystery!

What a treat to be able to read Yuletide Homicide, this one I will say I cheered at in the end. I love this series so much.

Monday morning before all the chaos, I did go to the beach with my husband while he walked I sat and sipped my tea it was a lovely sunrise and matched my teacup perfectly I tote my teacup and saucer, as well as my Murchie's Vanilla Black Tea in a thermos and sit with the birds, harbor seals, seagulls and Canadian Geese. As I get stronger I will hopefully be able to keep up with him as he walks. 

I ordered and got new glasses this week as well, I am so pleased with how comfortable they are and how well I feel I see in them.

We started our new Fall Series this week and I hope you got to check it out! Be sure to check in on Monday to see what Karen K and I have for you!

I hope you have enjoyed this quick look back at the week and what has been on my table and in my cup!  Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a week in review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

On My Table and In My Cup August 12th to the 19th

What a crazy week that has just passed. I continue to recover from pneumonia and though I am on the mend I am not 100%, I spent Thursday back in hospital with Pleurisy, which is a posh word for inflammation of the lungs and had it been the early 1900's possibly fatal.  Thankfully the makers of Advil are my savior this week and I am hoping that I am on the mend. As I write this I am feeling ever so slightly better. The raging forest fires this summer have added to the slowness of recovery with the air quality not being the best for recovering. I try not to complain about it as many people have been displaced and their lives ruined due to these fires and I have only been inconvenienced.
Upon arriving home Thursday a delivery from Berkley arrived, with these two books for September and I am beside myself with excitement at the chance to read and review them.  Julia Buckley has become one of my most favorite authors and who doesn't love a great magical cat mystery?

I was blessed to receive to care packages in the mail this week from my friends Lin and Sheryl! Feeling the love this week!

Earlier this week my youngest son and I made carrot soup from all the rainbow carrots he grew over the summer. This carrot and rosemary soup was extra special knowing that he was so proud to harvest his own veggies this summer.

We have been so lucky to have moved to a home with an established orchard of Figs, we have been amazed at the bounty we have received and how much we can share with our friends and neighbors. Our landlords have been kind enough to allow us to harvest and process the figs... I have the most amazing friend who shared her recipe for Fig and Balsamic Jam!  It is almost gone and such a treat to have with crackers and cheese, or a turkey sandwich!

Carole shared her D.I.Y book with the recipe in it and we all made the jam. This was the first day I had visitors in two weeks and Squirrel would not leave my side, guarding me and caring for me these past two weeks. On my table and in my cup was the English Breakfast tea my dad picked up in London, the Westminster Abby Blend.  Last remaining Walkers Shortbread on the table too. I had lovely visits with Carole,  my friend Banafshe and her daughter Rana, who baked me a lovely chocolate cake, Hey-Jung, A-hin, Hoon who joined me for tea and fig jam, cheese and crackers.

 My friend Daniela who kindly visited twice with macarons and treats to lift my spirits. My sister, nieces, dad and in laws and puppy niece too! I felt lots of love this week.

There have been books too! I read loved and pre ordered my own copy of Monica Crosson's book The Magickal Family, it comes out in October and this lovely resource guide, self help and pagan life guide was such a wonderful read I can not wait to have it in my hands to refer to often.

VIctoria Laurie, wow 15th book in the series which is out now and a great read, lucky I am to have been able to read this book and its entire series, one of the first I ever bought and still love.

Chime and Punishment by Julianne Holmes I reviewed on Sunday, this was a surprisingly great read and a series I hope will continue.

Jean Flower's book Addressed to Kill the third book in the series was wonderful also. I can relate so much to the main character and love the idea of working at the post office. As a lifelong lover of mail and admirer of those who carry the mail this is a series I just love!

I will have the review of Cat Got Your Secrets by Julie Chase tomorrow. This is a series that earned a place in my heart and favorites list late last year, book three was the best and I am thrilled to have had the chance to read it before it comes out this September.

I also finished From Ice To Ashes by fellow Sisters In Crime- Canada West Member Jessica Simon, I had 4 hours to read it mostly uninterrupted at the hospital on Thursday. Every time a nurse came to get me for a test or to take blood my nose was buried deep in this adventure mystery. I will have this review for you on Tuesday.

 While I did not have the voice to do a video on cozy mystery series this week I did manage to get one up on a favorite poetry series. I hope you will click this link to watch it. 

Thank you all who reached out this week and over the last few weeks, I am touched by your concern, generosity and friendship. Thank you all who continue to support me by visiting my blog here and the sponsors on the page.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Sofie Kelly's Paws and Effect

Tuesday I finished Paws and Effect by Sofie Kelly. This Magical Cats Mystery is out October 4th and is a great read. If you are new to the series this is book 8 and the magical cats Hercules and Owen look just like my own cats adding to the fun of the series for me. Sofie Kelly writes a great mystery in Paws and Effect with an exhilarating climax as well as very well written chapters that keep you caught up in the excitement. I thought this was a well though out mystery and crime of passion. The cats were also outstanding in the book and this cat lover was thrilled.

Kathleen is excited to meet three old pals of her beau, Detective Marcus Gordon, while they visit charming Mayville Heights on business. But the reunion is cut short when one of the friends is killed—and the evidence points toward Marcus as the murderer.  Though it seems she doesn’t know all of Marcus’s secrets, Kathleen is sure he’s no killer. With his suspect status sidelining him from investigating the case, it’s up to Kathleen and her feline partners-in-crime to find whoever is framing Marcus—and make sure the good detective hasn’t found his last clue.

To order your own copy of Paws and Effect from The Book Depository with free shipping,  Click here.
To order from Amazon please click here. 
Learn more about the series and Sofie Kelly by clicking here. 
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy review I would love to here from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

On My Table and In My Cup September 24th- October 1st

Welcome to October from my table to yours....

October 1st how does that happen so quickly I swear it was just July 2 minutes ago. Today is the release day of Andi Cumbo-Floyd's book Discover Your Writing Self. The reason I share this today is this summer I took Andi's course and felt it was tremendously helpful. I learned so much about myself and writing this summer. Andi had me looking at things I never considered and I felt that I grew personally and improved as a writer while taking the course. I am very pleased there is now a book out so that not only can I review the exercises but so that I can recommend it to anyone who ever wanted to learn about writing. Click here to learn more.

Thursday felt like Christmas with the unexpected and wonderfully exciting arrival of Vicki Vass' book Key to a Murder, this is an Antique Hunter's Mystery and one of my favorite series! I am so thrilled to have it on my table and to review soon! Best part is you can read along with me as this book is already out and you can order it on Amazon by clicking here.

Wednesday Carrie Doyle's book Death on Windmill Way arrived, I have yet to read this book but love the look and feel of it!

Great covers and a fun series Laura Child's book with Terrie Farley Moran also arrived earlier this week much to my surprise and delight as well. I am currently reading this October 4th release now and will share my review with you all very soon.

Magical cats seemed to be a theme this week with Sofie Kelly's book Paws and Effect on my table along with Kathi Daley's Count Catula!

Both cozy series have very intuitive cats and brilliantly written mysteries with characters and cozy settings that can not be beat!

Also I invite you to save the date as Kathi Daley Books is hosting a Halloween Spooktacular Event October 23-31st. I am very pleased to be taking part and hosting a Witches Tea on Wednesday October 26th along with some fun giveaways and visits from a few author friends I hope you will come and join us on Facebook for the day and the entire event! Join in by clicking here.

We also had some lovely visitors to British Columbia where I live this week, I had my own tea party to celebrate The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children stopping by.

Congrats to Robin Coxon winner of the Denise Swanson book Murder of a Cranky Catnapper giveaway.
I feel so very blessed to have you all join me for this week in review and I hope you have a wonderful Saturday!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Rainy Cozy Sunday With Cats, Time To Pre Order Sofie Kelly's Magical Cat's Mystery Faux Paw

Good Sunday morning from my table to yours. It is wet and raining here on the West Coast and it is stunning. The leaves are changing, the rain is making the leaves of my maple tree almost touch the ground. It smells and feels like fall on this the last weekend of Summer.

Out later this month is Sofie Kelly's Magical Cats Mystery Faux Paw. "Magical cats Owen and Hercules from A Midwinter s Tail are back and ready to help librarian Kathleen Paulson pounce on a killer art thief Normally, the arrival of an art exhibition at the Mayville Heights library would be cause for celebration. But thanks to the overbearing curator and high-tech security system that comes with it, Kathleen s life has been completely disrupted. Even Owen and Hercules have been affected, since their favorite human doesn t seem to have a spare moment to make their favorite fish crackers or listen to Barry Manilow. But when Kathleen stops by the library late one night and finds the curator sprawled on the floor and the exhibition s most valuable sketch missing it s suddenly time to canvass a crime scene. Now Kathleen, her detective boyfriend Marcus, and her clever cats have to sniff out a murderous thief, before anyone else has a brush with death "

This is a wonderful series and I love that the cats look like mine!

Squirrel shown above and "Baby Kitty" below

While I am pretty sure Squirrel has magical powers, not sure Baby kitty does, at 17 she is not the most spry but still a large part of our daily entertainment. Magical or not these cats do provide us with comfort and calm. I also find it funny that one of the cats in the book is called "Owen" which is our last name....

The Magical Cat Mysteries are easy to fall in love with and I am glad there is still time to pre order Faux Paw! Only 18 more days until it is released! Click here to order your own copy from The Book Depository with free shipping! 
Thank you for joining me for A Cup of Tea and an up coming cozy mystery! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Pick Of The Litter In My $5 Grab Bag! Curiosity Thrilled The Cat by Sofie Kelly

 

I am now home from our trip to Southern California, I missed the Earth Quake in Orange County Friday by a few hours and the tragic mudslide in Washington State on our drive down. It was so nice to be the passenger in the car on the two day drive down and back sitting in the back with my to young boys, I was able to read Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly on the drive home!

 If you read my last post you already know that I visited a used book store that was closing and got a bag of books for $5. This first in the Magical Cats Mystery was the one I grabbed out of the bag to read on the drive home and am I ever glad I grabbed it! 

 

I found the main character Kathleen really easy to like and relate too, her friends and co workers delightful, as well as the carefully calculated mystery that just happened to unfold while I was getting to know my "new friends"  I really liked this book  and can not wait to read the series.

Reading Curiosity Thrilled The Cat made me miss my own two cats who actually look like the two cats in the book Owen and Hercules...

I am excited to have found a new and wonderful cozy series to read. If you are a Cat lover and a fan of a bit of magic this is a series for you!

You can order Curiosity Thrilled The Cat  from the Book Depository by clicking here.

I look forward to starting my next  book with my cup of tea and sharing more about it with you soon!

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com