Catwalk

Catwalk: An Animals in Focus Mystery By Sheila Webster Boneham Midnight Ink October 2014

Review by Cynthia Chow

When developer and completely reprehensible bigshot Charles Rasmussen is found murdered on the Dog Dayz agility competition trail, the question isn’t who had a reason for killing him. Truly, it would be amazing to find someone in Indiana who hadn’t had a confrontation with the abhorrent blusterer and therefore with ample motive for putting the truly detestable man out of everyone’s misery. He was abusive to his poor but wealthy wife Louise, put a local store owner out of business when she refused to sell to him, and bought up wetlands in order to bulldoze it into a shopping center. One of his last undeniably repulsive acts was to threaten to kill a feral cat’s litter, and then assault and attempt to have arrested the rescuer of cat when she trespassed on his property. Lucky for animal photographer Janet MacPhail, it wasn’t until after his death that she realized that Rasmussen had also removed his father-in-law from the retirement residence where he was engaging in a romantic relationship with Janet’s Alzheimer-inflicted mother. Considering that he was suing both Janet and the cat rescuer for vandalism and trespass, Janet didn’t need any additional motives to put her in the police list.

So no one is mourning the loss of Rasmussen, but unfortunately his loathsomeness means that everyone Janet cares about is a suspect. Even their one police ally, Homer “Hutch” Hutchinson, is off the case due to his own confrontation with the man.

As a “mature” woman, Janet is unsure of how to classify her relationship with dog lover and anthropology professor Tom Saunders. “Boyfriend” seems too childish and “paramour” too pretentious . Just because she’s not a kid doesn’t mean that Janet’s not prone to acts of immaturity though, as her “demon” side continues to battle with her best intentions whether it regards road rage or whether she can commit to a relationship with Tom.

In the third Animals in Focus Mystery the author continues to celebrate animals and those who love them, all with a truly sharp sense of humor. Not that the she isn’t above literal potty humor, as a scene depicting the sledding power of malamutes over a portable chemical bathroom if guaranteed to illicit giggles. Janet’s relationship with her mother is touching and heartbreaking as the elder woman slips in and out of the present, and the connection between animals and their human companions is always rewarding. Wit, chapters that end on suspenseful moments, and a unique plot make this animal-themed mystery a delight.

This title was great fun to read! Dog lovers, cat lovers, bird lovers and just plain lovers will enjoy its twists and turns to a satisfying conclusion.