“Claws for Celebration” by Linda Reilly it's a delightful and entertaining cozy mystery that will keep readers engaged and amused from beginning to end. The book follows the resourceful and woody protagonist, Callie Costas, as she finds herself embroiled in a captivating murder investigation during a festive celebration. Reilly’s Writing style is engaging in flows effortlessly, keeping the pacing steady and the story engaging. The small town setting is vividly portrayed, and the colorful cast of characters adds charm and depth to the narrative. The mystery itself is well crafted, with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the final reveal. With its perfect blend of mystery, humor, and holiday spirit, “Claws for Celebration” it's a must-read for cozy mystery enthusiasts looking for a fun and festive escape.

I really loved this first book in a new to my series and author. I can't wait to read the next one. The characters and location really add to the plot. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Yet another entry into this wonderful mystery series about cat rescue. This time we get a bonus of having the book set during the Christmas holidays, which makes it even more cozy.

The third book in the Cat Lady Mystery series by Linda Reilly is Claws for Celebration. Christmas is near in the town of Whisper Jog, and that means it is time for the annual cookie contest. Lara and her aunt Fran, who run the High Cliff Cat Shelter, take time out to attend. When one of the judges dies under suspicious circumstances, Lara's friend's mother is the prime suspect. Lara finds a strange thirty year old letter in an old library book. The two mysteries have her puzzled, and they kept me guessing until the end. I enjoy the cat theme of this series. I am curious to see how the story line continues to develop over the next few books.

I really like this series, Cat Lady Mysteries. This is book 3 and it transitions smoothly from the previous books while still being a stand alone read. This is a Christmas story with small town Whisky Jog, New Hampshire having their annual cookie bakeoff. Lara and her Aunt Fran are hoping for the pet friendly competition to help fund their cat shelter. When one of the judges is murdered the cookies are the last thing Lara is worried about. With just a hint of a magical cat, pet lovers will love this cozy series. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Really one of my newest, favourite series - plenty of cats, wonderful characters and an engaging storyline and mystery.

There are two mysteries in this installation - a modern-day one, and one that goes back almost thirty years. Lara gets drawn into both, uncovering family secrets and long-held grudges. And in between finding clues, she helps her Aunt Fran run their new cat rescue, High Cliff Shelter for Cats. In this edition, we also discover the origins of Blue, Lara's guardian Ragdoll cat, and how all these seemingly random things are connected.

It's a terrific series and I already can't wait for the next book!

I don't know how I managed to miss the second Cat Lady mystery, but I jumped from the first book to the third one -- and with as much as I enjoyed Claws for Celebration, I'm going to have to catch up with whatever it was that I missed.



Lara is disappointed that the town's annual cookie decorating competition refuses to add a category for pet friendly treats, but that doesn't stop her from developing her own recipe and cooking up some healthy cat treats for the charity bake sale. She's hoping her best friend's mother will win the competition with her gorgeously decorated Santa cookies, but there won't be a winner at all this year. The former home economics teacher who's in charge of judging the entries has a fatal reaction to one of the cookies. It seems like everyone in town had some sort of grudge against Gladys Plouffe.

The murder mystery, and another mystery that Lara stumbles into along the way, kept me intrigued. I am most definitely not a cat person myself these days, but I found myself loving all of the cats in the shelter that Lara runs with her Aunt Fran. Each one has a distinct personality and if I could open my home to Nutmeg or Valenteena I absolutely would.

Linda Reily creates great characters and edge of your seat mysteries that will keep you coming back for more. I totally love this series and hope it never ends.

Caws for Celebration, is my favorite so far, in the series. I enjoyed the twist of the cookie contest and I really enjoyed how the mystery began, who would have ever thought a library book would be the start of an awesome mystery.


If you love cozy mysteries this series is a must try.

Claws for Celebration was a fun, quick read. This was well written and finished in a way that makes you want book 4 right away - big things are going to happen, at least it appears that way - a new addition to the shelter, a possible engagement (or 2), who knows? I can't wait to find out.

In this story murder hits Lara close to home with her best friend's mom as the accused. Nobody liked Ms. Plouffe, why should Daisy be accused of the murder? Because her cookies were the culprit. Lara also checks out a book at the library and a letter falls out talking about a murder that happened on the day of her birth, almost 30 years ago. Are they related?

A lot happens in this story, other than murder - Lara's mom shows up unexpectedly and they are forced to deal with some harsh truths, Blue, the Ragdoll ghost cat is still lurking around and Lara is desperate to share her vision with those closest to her, and the cat shelter is thriving with cats being placed in loving homes all the time. Lara solves both murders and is able to enjoy Christmas with her nearest and dearest. 4.8 stars

I voluntarilly reviewed this book on Netgalley. #clawsforcelebration #netgalley #lindareilly

Third visit with Lara and her Aunt Fran and their cat shelter and every one is better than the last. The mysteries get tighter and the characters more engaging. In this book, it's almost Christmas. A murder at a cookie contest combined with a mysterious letter confessing knowledge of a 30-year old murder keep Lara busy asking questions as Blue, a gorgeous Ragdoll cat that only Lara can see, tries to keep her pointed in the right direction. Don't miss this series if you are a fan of cozies, especially ones with a focus on felines, it's one of the best ones.

Claws For Celebration
Cat Lady Mysteries, Book #3
Linda Reilly
5 Stars

Synopsis:

Feline deadly this Christmas . . .

Whisker Jog, New Hampshire, celebrates all things Christmas, and few things are more beloved than the town’s annual holiday cookie competition. Lara Caphart, who runs the High Cliff Shelter for Cats with her Aunt Fran, is waiting for the green light for a brand-new category: pet-friendly cookies. But when the woman filling in as a last-minute judge dies after sampling someone’s Santa-themed treat, Lara’s recipe for healthy cat snacks will have to be put on the back burner.

The victim, Gladys Plouffe, was the town’s roundly despised former home economics teacher. The chief suspect is the mother of Lara’s best friend, who was hellbent on walking away with the bake-off’s cash prize. Cryptic clues from beyond the grave only deepen the mystery, pointing to a cat with striking blue eyes—a cat who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lara’s mysterious Ragdoll. As Lara begins a dangerous game of cat and mouse, not even her significant other may be able to stop a perfectly clawful killer from getting away with the purr-fect crime . . .

Praise for Linda Reilly’s Mysteries

“I was kept guessing until the final chapter. . . . A perfect cozy mystery.”
—Susan Furlong, author of the Georgia Peach Mysteries, on Escape Claws

“I thoroughly enjoyed this puzzler of a mystery. Reilly cooks up a perfect recipe of murder and mayhem in this charming cozy.”
—Jenn McKinlay, New York Times bestselling author of the Hat Shop Mysteries, on
Fillet of Murder

“Smart, sassy, and a little bit scary. Everything a good cozy should be!” —Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, on Fillet of Murder (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Lara is a hardworking smart woman who is not afraid of very much. She loves her Aunt Fran and I enjoy reading about the relationship between them. They make a great team and they are doing good things, and even though they do not always see eye to eye on everything, they never stop loving each other. All of the cats have distinct personalities and I love reading about all of their antics.

The writing style flows smoothly and it defined the characters very clearly through their actions and words. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and I was pulled right into the story because of this. I enjoyed the fact that there were a couple of mysteries to solve in this book, and both were well plotted and well paced.

I would highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy. Each book just keeps getting better and I am already looking forward to the next one.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.

This series keeps getting better with every book and this is purrfect for my Christmas reading list. Here we have the third in this delightful series with a lovely cast of characters, cats and humans. Winter has come to Whisker Jog, NH and Lara and her Aunt are getting ready for the holiday cookie contest because Lara has an idea about a pet treat cookie. Things go sideways when one of the women acting as a cookie judge dies after eating one. The list of possible suspects is long but the police have put the mother of Lara's best friend at the top.
While Lara, along with her friends and family start to investigate the current murder, a letter turns up - dating back to 1990 and the week of Lara's birth. The letter mentions another murder and a cat = might it be the cat who is a ghost and is seen by Lara? I must say, Blue is my favorite of all of the cats. The shelter that is run by Lara's Aunt with the help of Lara is a place I would love to live in - High Cliff Shelter for Cats is the kind of place I would create if I ever won the lottery.
The current and the past murders are well developed and each time I thought I knew who dunnit, I didn't. I didn't hesitate to give this one five stars. Looking forward to reading #4.

I received this ARC via Netgalley in return for an honest review. Claws for Celebration is the third book in this series but each can be read as a stand-alone. I love the premise of the series; Lara and her Aunt Fran run the 'High Cliff Shelter for Cats', using Aunt Fran's Victorian home as the shelter. In this book, she's trying to develop a healthy pet snack as part of a local contest When one of the judges turns up dead, Clara and Fran know they need to help the police solve the mystery. Lara is also assisted by the ghost of her former blue-eyed Ragdoll cat, Blue. This is a great cosy mystery series and one that I recommend.

Princess Fuzzypants here: For obvious reasons, I like books where cats play a prominent role. I might be considered biased by some but pfft, I am a cat. I don’t like all of them equally but the ones I like best, I really like. This series is fast becoming one that I really like.
First of all, setting the story in a home turned into a cat rescue means lots and lots of great cats. The humans are all right. I do like Lara, her aunt and their employee Kayla. Lara in particular is smart, caring and intuitive. Naturally this is the case. She has a ghost Ragdoll named Blue who helps her out and guides her. Lara needs all the guidance she can get when a highly unpopular former home ec teacher is poisoned at a cookie contest. There is no shortage of people who had run-ins with the victim but the spotlight initially is on the mother of Lara’s best friend. As if trying to solve one murder is not enough, Lara discovers a letter that speaks of another murder that occurred on the day Lara was born.
The letter also talks about a beautiful Ragdoll cat who also died at the scene of the murder. Lara begins to wonder if there is a connection between Blue and this long past murder. As she finds out more and more, it becomes harder and harder to keep her secret about Blue away from those closest to her.
For the record, without any help from Blue, I twigged immediately to the killers although the backstories on both were surprising and sad. It didn’t hurt that I had my suspicions early on. In fact, it only helped as a good story unfolded filled with characters with whom the reader can care and of course, cats. Lots of cats.
This is a great book for the cat mystery fan. I give five purrs and two paws up.

This is a favorite series of mine and I was thrilled to receive this book for review. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. This book is the third in series and can be read as a stand alone. Each book in the series I highly recommend.
In this next in series our protagonist Lara Caphart is busy solving two murders!
Lara is attending a annual holiday cookie contest when a judge is mercilessly murdered. Lara is shocked when her best friends Mom is suspected so she sets out to clear her name.
The second murder happened over 20 years ago and may have a connection to Lara's mysterious ghost cat, Blue that only she can see and communicate with. I love the ghost cat character and how Blue adds so many clues to the story. I adored all the cats in the series that were housed in Lara's house which is the High Cliff Shelter for Cats. Lara and her staff care for the cats with such love and compassion. The author knows cats and has a talent for including every detail of their adorable personalities. The cats make this story, "purrfection" for all cat lovers. I loved the plot, the well crafted dueling sleuths and all the supporting charcters, human and cat. This is the "purrfect" addition to the series and I look forward to the next in series.
My opinions are my own. Thank you for the ARC and well done to the author. i hope this series will continue for many more books to come with all the cats we love .

Claws for Celebration by Linda Reilly is the 3rd book in the Cat Lady Mystery series, and another great addition. Lara Caphart lives with her Aunt Fran in Whisker Jog, New Hampshire where they run High Cliff Shelter for Cats.  Lara is hoping to add a pet-friendly cookie category to the annual holiday cookie competition. When a last minute judge dies after eating a cookie, the sleuthing begins. Claws of Celebration is a fun book, and the mystery keeps you guessing until the end. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cats and cozy mysteries, this book/ series is for you.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book had a very intriguing mystery. I would think I knew who the killer was and why, to only have my idea squashed on the next page. It had a great festive feel for the holiday and I highly recommend this book for a great mystery

Claws For Celebration by Linda Reilly is book three in the Cat Lady Mystery series. This is one of my favorite series. Though it is book 3, it can be a read alone.
Reilly takes us back to the High Cliff Cat Shelter in Whisker Jog, New Hampshire where it's the holiday season and a Christmas cookie challenge is going on. When one of the judges, Gladys Plouffe, drops dead from an allergic reaction there are plenty of suspects. After all, the retired home economics teacher did not have any fans. Then when Lara finds a mysterious letter in a library book about a murder over 30 years ago, she is again in search for the murderers.
The characters are very real and likeable. You get humor, romance, an angel/ghost cat, Christmas, plenty of mystery, and of course, cats. The plot twists and turns and you are kept guessing until the end. Reilly also focuses on cat shelters and will have you wanting to visit the shelter. This is an easy, enjoyable read that will have you wanting to sit by the Christmas tree.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley and Lyrical Underground for an honest review.

Claws for Celebration by Linda Reilly is a charming seasonal read.
This is the third book in Cat Lady Mystery series but can be read as a standalone. References about past happenings are clearly explained and don't affect the story at all.

This time it's almost Christmas in the little New Hampshire town, and seasonal cookie competition has gathered many participants. However, one of the judges, a little liked high school teacher is found dead. It turns out she has been poisoned. The problem is Lara's best friend's mother is a chief suspect.
Lara also finds a mysterious letter dated a week after her birth claiming that there has been a murder. One of the witnesses to this might be Lara's special cat Blue.

Books in this series are always a treat but now there are two mysteries to solve.
I enjoyed steady pace of the book, as well as the fact that cat play a major part in it. Setting always adds to the charm as well.
Lovable set of characters becomes more dear and appreciated with each new installment.
Most of the main characters are romantically involved and with each new book we can follow development of their relationships.
Nicely presented and clever plot never fails to catch my attention and I always look forward to new stories from this author.

This is a delightful series. Interesting family dynamics. A smidgeon of romance. Lots of cats. A murder to solve, actually two of them. I look forward to reading the next one.