Synopses & Reviews
In Athena, Mississippi, librarian Charlie Harris is known for his good natureand#151;and for his Maine coon cat Diesel that he walks on a leash. Charlie returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but taking the plunge into a recent acquisition will have him in over his headand#133; and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Lucinda Beckwith Long, the mayor of Athena, has donated a set of Civil War-era diaries to the archives of Athena College. The books were recently discovered among the personal effects of an ancestor of Mrs. Longand#8217;s husband. The mayor would like Charlie to preserve and to substantiate them as a part of the Long family legacyand#151;something that could benefit her son, Beck, as he prepares to campaign for the state senate.
and#160;
Beckand#8217;s biggest rival is Jasper Singletary. His Southern roots are as deep as Beckand#8217;s, and their families have been bitter enemies since the Civil War. Jasper claims the Long clan has a history of underhanded behavior at the expense of the Singletarys. Heand#8217;d like to get a look at the diaries in an attempt to expose the Long familyand#8217;s past sins. Meanwhile, a history professor at the college is also determined to get her hands on the books in a last-ditch bid for tenure. But their interest suddenly turns deadlyand#133;
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Now Charlie is left with a catalog of questions. The diaries seem worth killing for, and one thing is certain: Charlie will need to be careful, because the more he reads, the closer he could be coming to his final chapterand#133;
Review
"Miranda James should soon be on everyone's list of favorite authors."--Leann Sweeney, author of the Cats in Trouble Mysteries
"[A] kind-hearted librarian hero...and a gentle giant of a cat that will steal your heart."--Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author
"Courtly librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat, Diesel, are an endearing detective duo."--Carolyn Hart, author of the Bailey Ruth Mysteries
"Humor and plenty of Southern charm buoy Jamesand#8217;s fifth Cat in the Stacks mystery...Cozy fans will hope James (a pen name of Dean James) will keep Charlie and Diesel in action for years to come." --Publisher's Weekly
Review
Praise for National Bestseller The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon
“Carefully plotted…a fun-filled series.”—The Mystery Reader
“Amusing and enthralling.”—Genre Go Round Reviews
“A light and easy cozy mystery that strikes a nice balance between the murder mystery and the intricacy of human relationships...I give this book four paws up." —MyShelf.com
Review
"Miranda James should soon be on everyone's list of favorite authors."--Leann Sweeney, author of the Cats in Trouble Mysteries
"[A] kind-hearted librarian hero...and a gentle giant of a cat that will steal your heart."--Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author
"Courtly librarian Charlie Harris and his Maine coon cat, Diesel, are an endearing detective duo."--Carolyn Hart, author of the Bailey Ruth Mysteries
"Humor and plenty of Southern charm buoy Jamesand#8217;s fifth Cat in the Stacks mystery...Cozy fans will hope James (a pen name of Dean James) will keep Charlie and Diesel in action for years to come." --Publisher's Weekly
Review
and#8220;Combines a kindhearted librarian hero, family secrets in a sleepy Southern town, and a gentle giant of a cat that will steal your heart.and#8221;and#8212;Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author of the Booktown Mysteries
Review
Praise for the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries and#160;
and#8220;A promising new cozy series.and#8221;and#8212;Lorna Barrett, New York Times bestselling author
and#8220;Miranda James should soon be on everyoneand#8217;s list of favorite authors.and#8221;and#8212;LeAnn Sweeney
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and#8220;Witty, charming, and Southern as the tastiest grits.and#8221;and#8212;Carolyn Hart
Review
“
By Book or By Crook is a smart whodunit. Assistant librarian Lucy, is a likeable heroine among an engaging cast of supporting characters.”—Sofie Kelly,
New York Times bestselling author of the Magical Cats mysteries
“A library in a lighthouse? And a cat? Sign me up! A fun read for all cozy fans.”—Laurie Cass, national bestselling author of the Bookmobile Cat mysteries
“This is a first-rate cozy mystery featuring a spunky librarian, a captivating book collection, an intriguing lighthouse, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you reading until dawn.”—Daryl Wood Gerber, national bestselling author of the Cookbook Nook mysteries
Synopsis
Aging eccentric James Delacorte asks Charlie the librarian to do an inventory of his rare book collection-but the job goes from tedious to terrifying when James turns up dead. Relying on his cat Diesel to paw around for clues, Charlie has to catch the killer before another victim checks out.
Read Miranda James's blogs and other content on the Penguin Community.
Synopsis
Librarian Charlie Harris and his cat Diesel must catalog a killer in this mystery in the New York Times bestselling Cat in the Stacks series. Suspecting that someone is stealing from him, the aging and eccentric James Delacorte wants Charlie to do an inventory on his rare book collection. Soon after they begin, Delacorte is found dead at his desk, leaving Charlie with the bigger task of solving his murder.
Immediately Charlie is suspicious of Delacorte's own family, and relies on the help of Diesel to paw around for clues. The cat and mouse game heats up after a highly valued copy of Edgar Allan Poe's Tamerlane goes missing and a second murder occurs. Now Charlie and Diesel must solve the case before the killer strikes a third time--and hope curiosity doesn't kill the cat...
Synopsis
Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel. He's returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but when a feud erupts between the town's richest ladies, the writing on the wall spells murder. The Ducote sisters are in a tiff with Vera Cassity over the location of this year's library fundraising gala, and Charlie would rather curl up in a corner than get into the fray. It seems everyone--even his housekeeper Azalea--has it in for Vera. And at the gala, she gives them good reason, with a public display of rancor aimed at anyone who gets in her way.
But those bitter words wind up being her last. When Charlie discovers Azalea standing over Vera's dead body, it's up to him--with a little help from Diesel--to clear Azalea's name, and catch a killer before his last chapter is finished.
Synopsis
When cat lover and quilter Jillian Hart volunteers to help a local animal shelter relocate a colony of feral cats living in an abandoned textile mill, she never expects to find a woman living there, too. Jeannie went missing from Mercy, South Carolina, a decade ago, after her own daughters disappearance.
Jeannie refuses to leave the mill or abandon Boots, her cat who died years ago. After all, she and Boots feel the need to protect the premises from creepers” who come in the night. After Jeannie is hurt in an accident and is taken away, those who've come to town to help repurpose the mill uncover a terrible discovery.. As the wheels start turning in Jillians mind, a mysterious new feline friend aids in her quest to unearth a long-kept and dark secret.
Synopsis
Everyone in Athena, Mississippi, knows Charlie Harris, the librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat named Diesel. Heand#8217;s returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but a celebrated authorand#8217;s visit draws an unruly swarm of fanatic mystery buffsand#133;and one devious killer.
Itand#8217;s National Library Week, and the Athena Public Library is planning an exhibit to honor the centenary of famous novelist Electra Barnes Cartwrightand#151;creator of the beloved Veronica Thane series.
Charlie has a soft spot for Cartwrightand#8217;s girl detective stories (not to mention an extensive collection of her books!). When the author agrees to make a rare public appearance, the news of her whereabouts goes viral overnight, and series devotees and book collectors converge on Athena.
After all, itand#8217;s rumored that Cartwright penned Veronica Thane stories that remain under wraps, and one rabid fan will stop at nothingand#151;not even murderand#151;to get hold of the rare booksand#133;
Synopsis
Get bound up in murder in the first Lighthouse Library mystery!
For ten years Lucy has enjoyed her job poring over rare tomes of literature for the Harvard Library, but she has not enjoyed the demands of her familys social whorl or her sort-of-engagement to the staid son of her fathers law partner. But when her ten-year relationship implodes, Lucy realizes that the plot of her life is in need of a serious rewrite.
Calling on her aunt Ellen, Lucy hopes that a little fun in the Outer Banks sunand some confections from her cousin Josies bakerywill help clear her head. But her retreat quickly turns into an unexpected opportunity when Aunt Ellen gets her involved in the lighthouse library tucked away on Bodie Island.
Lucy is thrilled to land a librarian job in her favorite place in the world. But when a priceless first edition Jane Austen novel is stolen and the chair of the library board is murdered, Lucy suddenly finds herself ensnared in a real-life mysteryand shes not so sure theres going to be a happy ending....
Synopsis
The newand#160;series from the author of The Silence of the Library and Murder Past Due...
New York Times bestselling author Miranda James returns to Athena, Mississippi, with an all-new mystery featuring Miss Anand#8217;gel and Miss Dickce Ducote, two snoopy sisters who are always ready to lend a helping hand. But when a stressed socialite brings murder right to their doorstep, even they have trouble maintaining their Southern hospitalityand#133;
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With the Mississippi sun beating down, Anand#8217;gel and Dickce are taking a break to cool off and pet sit their friend Charlie Harrisand#8217;s cat, Diesel, when their former sorority sister, Rosabelle Sultan, shows up at their door unexpectedly, with her neand#8217;er-do-well adult children not far behind.
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Rosabelleand#8217;s selfish offspring are desperate to discover whatand#8217;s in her will, and it soon becomes clear that one of them would kill to get their hands on the inheritance. Suddenly caught up in a deadly tangle of duplicitous suspects and deep-fried motives, it will take all of the sistersand#8217; Southern charm to catch a decidedly ill-mannered killerand#133;
About the Author
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.