📖My Thoughts📖

Who doesn’t love a good mystery? How about one that includes a candy store? Even better yet, a mystery with a candy store setting that also includes books? Cozy mysteries are one of my favorites as well as one of my go to’s. Why? They’re fun, easy to read and follow along with, they aren’t so complex that you get yourself all tangled up in resulting in you being completely lost, and not in a good way. They’re perfect for any type of setting which is another reason I love them! This book was no exception. The pace was perfect, it was very easy to read and understand, and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. While this was the eleventh book in the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries series, I read it without any trouble as a standalone. I am definitely adding the prior books to my to be read list. I really want to get to know the characters better and if this book is any indication as to how the rest of the series is, I’m willing to bet that they’re all good too. If you’re looking for a new cozy mystery series to dive into, give this one a try!
Thank you Netgalley, Berkley Publishing Group and Laurie Cass for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Who wanted the candy man dead? That is the question on bookmobile owner Minnie ‘s mind .

When someone murders the local candy store owner and the police have no clues Bookmobile driver Minnie and her rescue cat Eddie set out to find the killer .

I absolutely love this series . This is one of the few cozy series that only gets better over time . I can not wait for the next adventure of Minnie, Eddie and Rafe .

I just reviewed A Troubling Tail by Laurie Cass. #ATroublingTail #NetGalley

Another great addition to the Bookmobile Cat Mystery series. I absolutely love Aunt Frances and the surprise she gave Minnie and Rafe. Eddie is the best and I wish my library had a traveling library cat, everyone can use a cat cuddle every once in a while. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it has been written and released.

I was so excited to see a new book in one of my favorite cozy mystery series, this is number 11 in the Bookmobile Cat series. If you love cozies, bookmobiles, libraries and cats this one is perfect for you.
A kindly older gentleman, owner of a candy shop in Chilson, Michigan is murdered. The police don't seem to be solving it quickly enough so Bookmobile driver and librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, are once again on the case of another murder.
Giving his meow of approval or disapproval Eddie isn't just the cutest library cat for children to cuddle he's there in the middle of it all. The series is consistently interesting with its twists and turns and red herrings thrown in.
I was easily pulled into the story and could visualize it well. The characters are easy to follow and likable. Minnie and her fiancée don't seem to be in a hurry to plan their wedding but I'm hoping we'll see that in the next book.

Pub Date 01 Aug 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

I always look forward to the next episode of this series from the time I turn the last page on the prior one, and this one is even better than the last. Minnie is one of the most positive protagonists I have the pleasure to read, and her cat, Eddie, is one of the finest and most loyal felines in current cozy mystery series. The setting, in northwest lower Michigan, is gorgeous with wonderful late spring descriptions. The mystery is fresh and intriguing, and kept me guessing throughout.

Minnie and fiancé Rafe both have demanding jobs yet always carve out time for themselves and their friends. Rafe is a middle school principal, and Minnie is the assistant library director in Chilson. Since the addition of the bookmobile, she knows she has the best job in the world. The bookmobile has been very successful, and continues to expand. I am fascinated by some of the items they now loan out!

Minnie has a special project from the library board president. Trent, a retired attorney and now president of the board, retrofitted a heavy, vintage, one-speed bicycle with coaster brakes into a book bike, with boxes built to carry materials to places such as assisted living facilities. It seems too heavy for use even before any books are stocked. It was designed and painted with the best of intentions, so she must prepare a presentation for its use for the next board meeting.

Minnie and Hunter, the other bookmobile driver, have a new stop at an elementary school. The children are excited about seeing Eddie, the famous bookmobile cat. One of the boys taunted her into turning the radio on that she never used. When she finally found a station, they learned of a police situation in Chilson. Whippy, owner of the family-owned Henike’s Candy Emporium, had been found dead in the store. After the news alert, Leah, one of the teachers, fainted. Later, Leah said she simply hadn’t had breakfast that morning, but still seemed. . . off.

Most of Chilson was saddened at the loss of Whippy; he had worked in that shop since learning the ropes from his father. He was kind to everyone, generous with products, and even played Santa Claus at Christmas time. It was even more grievous when they learned Whippy had been murdered.

Minnie had helped solve several murders since moving to Chilson, but she didn’t know anyone closely associated with the Henike family. Then, a couple of Minnie’s new friends received death threats. Their notes had the same characteristics as the threat found in the candy shop office after Whippy’s murder. Almost everyone who knew Toby, the young man who was accused of the murder, knew he couldn’t do it. When someone asked for Minnie’s help finding the killer, she couldn’t say no.

The characters are brought to life through realistic conversations and actions. Minnie, Eddie, and Rafe are my favorites. Perhaps because Minnie and I share some traits, including being cat lovers, it is easy to appreciate her. Eddie is an extraordinary cat who also has the usual feline traits. The author clearly has been owned by cats, as Eddie perfectly demonstrates some of the “usual” feline behavior. He is fiercely loyal to Minnie, would do anything to protect her, and accompanied her when she sought solutions to murders. Rafe is the perfect man for Minnie in so many ways, sharing witty banter, love, and loyalty. He also understood what many guys wouldn’t – such as why the change of paint colors on the boarding house her aunt used to own was so discombobulating.

This was a challenging mystery. One of the friends receiving a death threat was certain who sent it but the police already cleared them, while another had absolutely no idea. There seemed little, if anything, connecting them. The killer was clever in covering their tracks, but they didn’t know Minnie was cleverer. I was surprised, however, at who the killer was, for reasons I can’t say without giving it away. I was very pleased with the outcome of each situation in this novel, and am already looking forward to the next mystery! I highly recommend this novel and series!

I decided to jump in at book 11 to see if I enjoyed the characters and the story enough to go back and read the previous 10 books. This story had a strong community feel with lots of side characters both in Minnie's personal and professional life. There's a very opinionated cat sidekick which I always enjoy as well as lots of time in library related tasks. I thought it was interesting that Minnie's focus is more on outreach than internal library operations. I have read a number of library themed cozies and that made this one a bit unique.

The mystery is interesting and completely stand alone. Who would want to kill a nice man who runs a candy shop? Minnie digs into his secrets and his past to help a friend and also gets to do a bit of community gossip. I really wasn't quite sure what was going on until close to the end and I thoroughly enjoyed getting there.

Because of the community feel for this book I think this is a series that really improves as you get to know all of the characters. In answer to the question that I had when I started the book - Did I enjoy this book enough to go back and read the previous 10 - hands down yes. This was a fun read and I'm looking forward to getting to know the characters that I met here better.

I enjoy most of the characters and the setting. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great Bookmobile Cat adventure. Please see my complete review at www.reviewingtheevidence.com.

A Troubling Tail by Laurie Cass has a kindly candy store owner murdered in Chilson, Michigan. Minnie Hamilton is keeping busy between her work as the assistant library director, her time on the bookmobile, and intervals not spent planning her wedding (or the reveal party). Minnie has moved into Rafe’s home (which is now their home), but she does miss her houseboat. Minnie has decided to rent her houseboat, but the new renters are worried. They are new to Chilson and are nervous that a murder has just occurred. Minnie delves into the mystery and learns a surprising secret. There are a couple of suspects in the crime. There are clues to help readers solve the crime before the reveal. Two details led me to the killer. The whodunit is neatly wrapped up at the end. In the story, we get to follow Minnie’s day to day life. I felt the story needed some action. It moved at an unhurried pace, and it was a wee bit too long (368 pages). I am baffled as to why Minnie and Rafe do not wish to be more involved in the planning of their wedding (I want to see some joy at the thought of their wedding). The reveal party makes no sense (just send out invites) especially since the couple do not seem interested in planning it either. I like how Minnie talks to Eddie. Anyone who owns a cat can relate. I did find the cumbersome book bike amusing. Personally, I thought it would be a good opportunity for the library to have an exhibit. They could showcase the bike and tell the history of libraries delivering books to patrons. A Troubling Tail is the eleventh A Bookmobile Cat Mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. A Troubling Tail is a languid cozy with a busy bookmobile, a killed candy proprietor, worried renters, an interesting image, shortage of party planning, a bicycle riddle, and a fussy feline.

I've been reading this series since 2017 when I happened to see book 1 at my local library. Cute cat. Bookmobile. Colorful cover. Yep -- had to read it. So glad I did! It has become one of my favorite cozy mystery series over the years!! There are only a few series that get my Favorite Stamp of Approval. Book series that send me to my computer to pre-order new books the minute I can....wait for my copy (or request an early review copy while still ordering a physical copy)....and then disappear into my room to binge read. The Bookmobile Cat Mystery series is on that list!!

When this book showed up as available to review, I knew I couldn't wait until August to get my Minnie and Eddie fix. I requested my review copy, and scheduled a binge read day. Nothing like taking a day for myself, reading a book I enjoy, sipping on my favorite tea.....and just having a totally turned-down, self-care day.

A Troubling Tail is the 11th book in this series. This time, Minnie ends up doing some amateur sleuthing (with her sidekick Eddie of course) when a local businessman is murdered and the local police have no leads. This new book is very entertaining! There is plenty of investigation and Eddie helping, a good number of suspects and little twists, and the plot moves at a nice pace. I can't wait to listen to the audio book! I always read the story to review by publication date, and then listen to the audio once the book is published.

In honor of my long-term enjoyment of this series, (and while I'm waiting for the audio of this newest book to come out) I'm re-listening to the audio books starting with book 1. I wanted to refresh my memory and see how the characters have developed since the start of the series. I am having so much fun listening to the days where Minnie had to hide the fact Eddie was on the bookmobile! :)

I'm definitely eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!! After six years of reading, I still love every time Eddie says Mrrrr!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Mrrrr!**

If you love books, libraries, cats, and cozy mysteries, then A Troubling Tail by Laurie Cass may be the book and series that will delight you. The owner of a local candy story in Chilson, Michigan, is murdered. When the police investigation focus turns to someone she doesn’t believe is a killer, Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie decide to get involved. Minnie is the local library’s assistant director and one of its bookmobile drivers.

The characterization has depth in this novel which made it easy to connect with the characters. Minnie is creative, a terrible liar, smart, capable, empathic, and funny. She also doesn’t like confrontation. Her betrothed, Rafe Niswander is a middle school principal and has been restoring a 100-year-old home for years. The other characters had varying degrees of depth and layers appropriate for their roles in the story. One thing that stood out to me was the sheer number of characters in the novel. This would likely be mitigated by reading the first ten books in the series as some of them are reoccurring characters.

The plot is twisty, the story is well-written, the settings were easy to visualize, and the characters were memorable. I was easily pulled into the inner world of the characters. I also enjoyed the occasional humor that was sprinkled throughout the book. I enjoyed the interactions with Eddie, the rescue cat and how Minnie talked things through with him to come up with her next steps in the investigation.

I thought including Minnie’s excitement about being involved with the library’s strategic plan added another layer of depth to the story. The ending wraps everything up well. This novel shines a light on friendship, family, romance, books, libraries, death, and much more.

Overall, this entertaining story immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged throughout the book. It’s filled with warmth and humor which balances the darker events that occur in the novel. The authentic characters with believable relationships and motivations made it even more enjoyable. This series is best read in order. Those who enjoy amateur sleuths and cozy mysteries will likely enjoy this novel. I am looking forward to reading more of the books in this series.

Berkley Publishing Group and Laurie Cass provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for August 1, 2023.

I like this series. I think I enjoyed it more when Minnie lived on her houseboat. This story has an interesting plot with a person seeking their birth parents. I do think that Minnie takes some dangerous risks though.

I usually love this series, but felt this one had Minnie a little too involved with the crime. I love the characters and read to find out what is happening in their lives. I really hope we get to read about the wedding in the next book. I love their wedding location and want to hear more about it!

A Troubling Tail by Laurie Cass is book #11 in the Bookmobile Cat Mystery series. This was a fun who-dun-it. It kept me guessing until the end. I like the main characters, especially Minnie and her cat, Eddie. I admire Minnie's perserverance with looking for clues and evidence to solve the mystery. I have only read the first book in the series before reading this one. I plan to go back and read earlier books.

A Troubling Tail is book 11 in the Bookmobile Cat Mystery series by Laurie Cass.
I’m going to have to start this phenomenal series from the beginning.
Our main character librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie set out to solve the murder mystery of the owner of a local candy store.
The mystery is solid and keeps you engaged with the culprit totally unexpected.
It was so well written. There are plot twists and turns that kept me engaged.
I enjoyed reading about Minnie's adventures and solving this mystery with her.
If you enjoy well-written cozy mysteries, cats, libraries, and amazing characters you’ll enjoy this one.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Berkley for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A wonderful cozy and great edition to the series! I love these books! Wonderful characters, setting and the cat brings in the humor!

Librarian Minnie Hamilton and her cat Eddie run the bookmobile and are always finding themselves in the middle of a mystery. This time is no different. When a beloved candy store owner is murdered it shocks the town. Minnie decides to stay out of this mystery and let the police handle it until all there focus seems to be on the wrong person. When the police don't seem to want to listen she takes matters into her own hand to find the killer.

Great addition to the series and a fun read.

A troubling tail is story in the Eddie and Minnie saga. The parts with Eddie's antics are simply delightful.