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Cat in the Stacks #16
Requiem for a Mouse
Librarian Charlie Harris and his ever-intuitive feline friend Diesel must catch a killer in a deadly game of cat and mouse where no one is who they seem to be...
At last, Charlie and Helen Louise’s wedding is only a month away. They’re busy preparing for the big day, and the last thing Charlie needs is a new mystery to solve. Enter Tara Martin, a shy, peculiar woman who has recently started working part-time at Helen Louise’s bistro and helping Charlie in the archive. Tara isn’t exactly friendly and she has an angry outburst at the library that leaves Charlie baffled. And then she abruptly leaves a catered housewarming party Charlie’s son Sean is throwing to celebrate his new home in the middle of her work shift. Before ducking out of the party, Tara looked terrified and Charlie wonders if she’s deliberately trying to escape notice. Is she hiding from someone?
When Tara is viciously attacked and lands in the hospital, Charlie knows his instincts were Tara was in trouble and someone was after her. With the help of his much beloved cat, Diesel, Charlie digs deeper, and discovers shocking glimpses into Tara’s past that they could never have predicted. Will they catch the villain before Charlie’s own happily ever after with Helen Louise is ruined?
At last, Charlie and Helen Louise’s wedding is only a month away. They’re busy preparing for the big day, and the last thing Charlie needs is a new mystery to solve. Enter Tara Martin, a shy, peculiar woman who has recently started working part-time at Helen Louise’s bistro and helping Charlie in the archive. Tara isn’t exactly friendly and she has an angry outburst at the library that leaves Charlie baffled. And then she abruptly leaves a catered housewarming party Charlie’s son Sean is throwing to celebrate his new home in the middle of her work shift. Before ducking out of the party, Tara looked terrified and Charlie wonders if she’s deliberately trying to escape notice. Is she hiding from someone?
When Tara is viciously attacked and lands in the hospital, Charlie knows his instincts were Tara was in trouble and someone was after her. With the help of his much beloved cat, Diesel, Charlie digs deeper, and discovers shocking glimpses into Tara’s past that they could never have predicted. Will they catch the villain before Charlie’s own happily ever after with Helen Louise is ruined?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 25, 2024
About the author
Miranda James
39 books1,165 followersPen name of Dean James, who also writes as Honor Hartman and Jimmie Ruth Evans
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
April 16, 2024
Another good installment in the Cat in the Stacks series written by Miranda James. Requiem for a Mouse, a cozy mystery about a seemingly timid woman hiding something, offers a light investigation and a chance to catch up with Charlie, Diesel, and some old friends. Charlie's wedding is approaching soon, but before then, his son and daughter-in-law are finished renovating their ancestor's home. At the party, the timid woman -- Tara -- claims she had a panic attack but nothing seems in line with her behavior. Then she disappears and is found during a hit-and-run. Who wanted to kill her? Books arrive at the library to be catalogued, specifically by Tara, and then Charlie begins to find more clues. Lots of run to read, and I am excited about the ending, letting us know about an upcoming trip to Ireland!
July 27, 2024
Another great installment in the series. I enjoyed puzzling over the identities and motives as this one was a little twistier than usual.
March 12, 2024
Number sixteen in the Car in the Stacks cozy mystery series brings a new assistant to Charlie in the archives. Tara is off-putting and secretive, but she's a big help to Charlie. But after some peculiar incidents, Tara is a victim of a hit and run and winds up in the hospital. And this was no accident. Now it's up to Charlie to figure out what happened to Tara and solve the case.
I'm done y'all. The two best words to describe this book are tedious and repetitive. The bones of the story are fine. But the telling of it was a chore to get through. If you took out all the unnecessary stuff (do we need to know EVERY time Melba pets the cat?) you would probably be left with about 50 pages. We get constant descriptions of what Charlie eats, every time he puts a leash on the cat, and what he wears to bed. Then there's the repetitiveness. Something happens, so we get it first hand. Then, we listen to the story of how it happened as Charlie tells Melba. And again when he tells Helen Louise. And again when he tells the roommate and his police boyfriend. Seeming plot points were dropped here too with no other explanation. At one point, Charlie yammers (to the reader) about how he's got a tux fitting and it's earlier than he remembered and he makes several reminders for it in his phone, but then he never goes and doesn't bring it up again. Then, there was the key, which was found and mused on ad nauseum, but nothing ever happens with it. So I think I'm done. Sixteen books is more than enough time to devote to this series.
Also, the cover and title have zero to do with this story!
Release Date: 6/25/2024
I'm done y'all. The two best words to describe this book are tedious and repetitive. The bones of the story are fine. But the telling of it was a chore to get through. If you took out all the unnecessary stuff (do we need to know EVERY time Melba pets the cat?) you would probably be left with about 50 pages. We get constant descriptions of what Charlie eats, every time he puts a leash on the cat, and what he wears to bed. Then there's the repetitiveness. Something happens, so we get it first hand. Then, we listen to the story of how it happened as Charlie tells Melba. And again when he tells Helen Louise. And again when he tells the roommate and his police boyfriend. Seeming plot points were dropped here too with no other explanation. At one point, Charlie yammers (to the reader) about how he's got a tux fitting and it's earlier than he remembered and he makes several reminders for it in his phone, but then he never goes and doesn't bring it up again. Then, there was the key, which was found and mused on ad nauseum, but nothing ever happens with it. So I think I'm done. Sixteen books is more than enough time to devote to this series.
Also, the cover and title have zero to do with this story!
Release Date: 6/25/2024
June 25, 2024
It was wonderful to be back in Athena with Charlie, Diesel, and the gang! This is an intriguing and mysterious story. It made me want to keep trying to solve it myself. I did figure some of it out which added to the fun for me. The surprise ending makes me excited for the next book in the series! I loved it! I definitely recommend this one!
August 10, 2024
Dollycas's Thoughts
Charlie and Helen Louise's wedding day is getting close. As they work on all the final details Charlie receives a large collection of books to catalog at the archive. He is happy to have an assistant to help him but Tara Martin is an odd duck, shy, quiet, and standoffish. She also has taken a part-time job working at Helen Louise's restaurant. Then one day Charlie sees a whole new side of the young woman when she steps out of the office to take a phone call. She yells at whoever she is talking to and throws and breaks her phone. Helen Louise's restaurant was catering Charlie's son Sean's new home and Tara was working the party, but she suddenly left looking scared of something or someone. Charlie finds her and she feigns a panic attack.
Later Tara is the victim of a hit and run or was it a deliberate attack? Charlie knows now someone was after her. Someone at Sean's party? Soon he and his handsome feline, Diesel are finding clues that make him delve deeper into Tara's past with surprising results. Working closely with the police he strives to get justice for his former assistant.
______
Some of my favorite cozy mystery characters are Charlie, Diesel, and all the folks in their world. I love catching up on what is going on with all of them and am delighted that we are getting close to Charlie and Helen Louise's wedding. After 16 stories these characters are like old friends and I get a comfortable feeling from the moment I start to read.
In Requiem for a Mouse, Charlie wants to stay out of the investigation but he keeps finding clues in his office and suspects keep stopping by. Melba Gilley, his longtime friend and co-worker does her best to run interference or alert the authorities as needed. Helen Louise also had an interesting visitor at her restaurant. Sheriff's deputy and Charlie's friend and boarder Haskell makes several trips to the archive to pick up Charlie's finds and getting statements regarding those finds. They also have some kitchen table discussions with Haskell's life partner Stewart and their housekeeper Azalea, who happens to be Sheriff Kanesha Berry's mother. I love how everyone gets in on the investigation including Diesel with his well-placed chirps and reactions to the strangers he meets. Everyone connected to the case seemed to have an alias and secrets. I always have a great time following all the clues and interactions. This time I had part of the puzzle figured out and loved the surprise ending when most of the clues fell into place.
I enjoy that the author blends normal everyday happenings in the characters' lives seamlessly with the things to move the mystery along. The story has a nice flow but there are some repetitions to get all the information to the key players.
Requiem for a Mouse is a captivating addition to this long-running series. I look forward to the big event in Book 17 and Charlie and Helen Louise's exciting adventure. They have to take Diesel with them, right? It should be a blast.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Berkley Mystery, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Charlie and Helen Louise's wedding day is getting close. As they work on all the final details Charlie receives a large collection of books to catalog at the archive. He is happy to have an assistant to help him but Tara Martin is an odd duck, shy, quiet, and standoffish. She also has taken a part-time job working at Helen Louise's restaurant. Then one day Charlie sees a whole new side of the young woman when she steps out of the office to take a phone call. She yells at whoever she is talking to and throws and breaks her phone. Helen Louise's restaurant was catering Charlie's son Sean's new home and Tara was working the party, but she suddenly left looking scared of something or someone. Charlie finds her and she feigns a panic attack.
Later Tara is the victim of a hit and run or was it a deliberate attack? Charlie knows now someone was after her. Someone at Sean's party? Soon he and his handsome feline, Diesel are finding clues that make him delve deeper into Tara's past with surprising results. Working closely with the police he strives to get justice for his former assistant.
______
Some of my favorite cozy mystery characters are Charlie, Diesel, and all the folks in their world. I love catching up on what is going on with all of them and am delighted that we are getting close to Charlie and Helen Louise's wedding. After 16 stories these characters are like old friends and I get a comfortable feeling from the moment I start to read.
In Requiem for a Mouse, Charlie wants to stay out of the investigation but he keeps finding clues in his office and suspects keep stopping by. Melba Gilley, his longtime friend and co-worker does her best to run interference or alert the authorities as needed. Helen Louise also had an interesting visitor at her restaurant. Sheriff's deputy and Charlie's friend and boarder Haskell makes several trips to the archive to pick up Charlie's finds and getting statements regarding those finds. They also have some kitchen table discussions with Haskell's life partner Stewart and their housekeeper Azalea, who happens to be Sheriff Kanesha Berry's mother. I love how everyone gets in on the investigation including Diesel with his well-placed chirps and reactions to the strangers he meets. Everyone connected to the case seemed to have an alias and secrets. I always have a great time following all the clues and interactions. This time I had part of the puzzle figured out and loved the surprise ending when most of the clues fell into place.
I enjoy that the author blends normal everyday happenings in the characters' lives seamlessly with the things to move the mystery along. The story has a nice flow but there are some repetitions to get all the information to the key players.
Requiem for a Mouse is a captivating addition to this long-running series. I look forward to the big event in Book 17 and Charlie and Helen Louise's exciting adventure. They have to take Diesel with them, right? It should be a blast.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Berkley Mystery, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
June 29, 2024
Charlie Harris’ life is about to change for the better as his wedding to his longtime girlfriend Helen Louise is right around the corner. His faithful feline companion, Diesel, is right by his side. With the wedding so close, Charlie promises his family he will stay out of any mystery investigations and simply do his job as a librarian.
Of course, things don't always go as planned. Charlie’s new assistant, Tara Martin, is very strange and quiet. She even attends a party at Charlie’s son’s house, but she leaves after having a sudden panic attack. Charlie worries about his assistant and wonders if there is something going on that he should know about.
When Tara doesn’t show up for work and is the victim of a hit-and-run accident, Charlie is on the case. He and Diesel plan to get to the bottom of this and find out who would do something so awful to Tara.
This is the 16th book in the Cat in the Stacks series. I’ve been reading this series for years. There are a few I missed along the way, but I plan to catch up. As a cat lover, this is high on my list of favorite cozy mysteries. Diesel, of course, is my favorite character and as much a part of the story as any of the humans - even if he doesn’t speak. He does manage to get his point across.
The story is fast paced. The ending was a surprise to me. I could not put this book down. I was reading late into the night.
Although this is a continuing series, the mystery is solved in this book. It can be read as a standalone, but I think the true fun is starting this series from the first book and getting to know the characters. It’s a total joy for me to watch Charlie’s growth as a character and a family man. I feel as if I’m part of the family, too. It’s very much like visiting old friends with this book.
I’m looking forward to the next one. I’m hoping Charlie and Helen Louise will finally tie the knot.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Of course, things don't always go as planned. Charlie’s new assistant, Tara Martin, is very strange and quiet. She even attends a party at Charlie’s son’s house, but she leaves after having a sudden panic attack. Charlie worries about his assistant and wonders if there is something going on that he should know about.
When Tara doesn’t show up for work and is the victim of a hit-and-run accident, Charlie is on the case. He and Diesel plan to get to the bottom of this and find out who would do something so awful to Tara.
This is the 16th book in the Cat in the Stacks series. I’ve been reading this series for years. There are a few I missed along the way, but I plan to catch up. As a cat lover, this is high on my list of favorite cozy mysteries. Diesel, of course, is my favorite character and as much a part of the story as any of the humans - even if he doesn’t speak. He does manage to get his point across.
The story is fast paced. The ending was a surprise to me. I could not put this book down. I was reading late into the night.
Although this is a continuing series, the mystery is solved in this book. It can be read as a standalone, but I think the true fun is starting this series from the first book and getting to know the characters. It’s a total joy for me to watch Charlie’s growth as a character and a family man. I feel as if I’m part of the family, too. It’s very much like visiting old friends with this book.
I’m looking forward to the next one. I’m hoping Charlie and Helen Louise will finally tie the knot.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 11, 2024
Princess Fuzzypants here: I love Diesel and look forward to each and every book in this series. It has been fun watching Charlie and his family evolve both the family related to him and his family of friends. His wedding is coming up fast and his son, daughter in law and granddaughter have moved into the renovated farm house he inherited. Things are looking good. He even has an assistant helping him catalogue a new bequest to the library. Tara is, to put it mildly, an odd fish. Her behaviour screams of social ineptitude and she rejects any attempts at interaction but she does the job well.
She also works at the bistro who are catering the housewarming party. That is until she spies someone and beats a fast retreat out of the house. Charlie finds her cowering in the root cellar and takes her home. Or so he thinks. After she is killed in an intentional hit and run, the gang learn that nothing she told them was the truth and she is involved in some very shady dealings. As they try to learn more about Tara and the situation that got her killed, they meet new people who may or may not be involved. The problem is everyone is claiming to be someone else. It is a cat and mouse game but then that is something at which we Maine Coons excel. Trust Diesel to suss out the bad guys.
The mystery had lots of twists and turns but it is always the relationship between the characters that brings me back to this series time and again. I look forward to the next one. Five purrs and two paws up.
She also works at the bistro who are catering the housewarming party. That is until she spies someone and beats a fast retreat out of the house. Charlie finds her cowering in the root cellar and takes her home. Or so he thinks. After she is killed in an intentional hit and run, the gang learn that nothing she told them was the truth and she is involved in some very shady dealings. As they try to learn more about Tara and the situation that got her killed, they meet new people who may or may not be involved. The problem is everyone is claiming to be someone else. It is a cat and mouse game but then that is something at which we Maine Coons excel. Trust Diesel to suss out the bad guys.
The mystery had lots of twists and turns but it is always the relationship between the characters that brings me back to this series time and again. I look forward to the next one. Five purrs and two paws up.
July 23, 2024
This is my comfort series! Every time I jump back into this series it's like getting a warm hug from the best characters and cat companions. Charlie is a great amateur sleuth and has such a cozy tone to his words and thoughts. He's smart and savvy and understands people so well. And I love how he is surrounded by lovely family and friends. I was very intrigued by this mystery and shocked by the ending. I already can't wait for more!
Note: I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it!
Note: I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it!
July 4, 2024
Requiem For A Mouse is the sixteenth book in the A Cat In The Stacks Mystery series by Miranda James.
It’s always a joy to visit Charlie, Diesel, his Maine Coon cat, and Charlie’s friends and family.
Athena College recently acquired an extensive collection of books for Charlie to catalog. Tara Martin has been hired to help Charlie catalog the collection. Tara is a young lady who could be more talkative. In fact, at times, she can be rude. But her work is excellent, so Charlie accepts her shortcomings. Tara also works part-time at Helen’s, Charlie’s fiance, bistro.
Sean, Charlie’s son, is having a housewarming party after having the family's old farmhouse renovated. Helen’s bistro will cater the party, and Tara will work there. Things are going well until Tara gets a panicked look on her face and takes off at a run. Charlie heads outside to look for Tara, and after a while, he finds her hiding in the root cellar. Tara tells Charlie that she had a panic attack but offers no explanation as to what caused the attack. A couple of days later, she fails to report for work and is notified by the police that she was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Charlie will ask Melba, a library employee, to help him look into Tara's death.
This book is well-written and plotted and tells an exciting story. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable. Once again, Diesel will play a role in helping Charlie solve the mystery.
I’m looking forward to the next book in this exciting series.
It’s always a joy to visit Charlie, Diesel, his Maine Coon cat, and Charlie’s friends and family.
Athena College recently acquired an extensive collection of books for Charlie to catalog. Tara Martin has been hired to help Charlie catalog the collection. Tara is a young lady who could be more talkative. In fact, at times, she can be rude. But her work is excellent, so Charlie accepts her shortcomings. Tara also works part-time at Helen’s, Charlie’s fiance, bistro.
Sean, Charlie’s son, is having a housewarming party after having the family's old farmhouse renovated. Helen’s bistro will cater the party, and Tara will work there. Things are going well until Tara gets a panicked look on her face and takes off at a run. Charlie heads outside to look for Tara, and after a while, he finds her hiding in the root cellar. Tara tells Charlie that she had a panic attack but offers no explanation as to what caused the attack. A couple of days later, she fails to report for work and is notified by the police that she was killed in a hit-and-run accident.
Charlie will ask Melba, a library employee, to help him look into Tara's death.
This book is well-written and plotted and tells an exciting story. The characters are well-developed, engaging, and believable. Once again, Diesel will play a role in helping Charlie solve the mystery.
I’m looking forward to the next book in this exciting series.
July 12, 2024
Fascinating mystery. I like that we’re back on track with the mystery being the main focus and not the cat. Don’t get me wrong, I love Diesel, but when most of the book is focused on who’s going to watch him, it gets a little annoying. I come back to this series because I enjoy the characters and the archive setting but the repetition of dialogue and details is starting to wear me down. Still, this kept me entertained and I will continue with the series.
January 8, 2024
This series is the epitome of a cozy mystery, cat sidekick included. This time the central mystery is solved partly through good old fashioned library combing which was fun to read about. I’m hoping the final chapter’s mention of an international locale means Charlie and Diesel will be taking their show on the road in the next installment.
NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2024
Requiem for a Mouse (Cat in the Stacks, #16) by Miranda James.
The first page begins with an early morning interaction between Charlie Harris and Ramses & diesel (his two eager to please cats). And that's just fine with me. Those are the 3 main characters that keep me coming back for the next book in this series.
This story finds an addition at the Library and not such a pleasant one. Tara Martin shares Charlie's office and is a good worker as far as that goes. And that's where it ends when it comes to any comradery between herself and Charlie. Melba finds getting to know Tara as a person is a street best not crossed. There's no welcoming smile when Tara arrives for work each morning.
Tara also works at Helen Ann's Bistro and does her job and leaves as unsociable as when she came in. That leaves Charlie, Melba and Helen Ann pondering the question as to why Tara is so aloof to the point of rudeness.
Charlie's son and daughter in law have finished redoing their new home and throw a party complete with catering a la Bistro. Tara is a necessary part of the catering staff but abruptly leaves the affair in a rush. Charlie attempts to find her but has a rough go of it until he discovers Tara in the root cellar. Now he must find out what or who threw Tara into a panic.
I return to Charlie and Diesel for the warmth of these characters and their supporting cast. This author throws down a welcoming carpet for me to enter the story each time. A cozy mystery with a touch of kindness.
The first page begins with an early morning interaction between Charlie Harris and Ramses & diesel (his two eager to please cats). And that's just fine with me. Those are the 3 main characters that keep me coming back for the next book in this series.
This story finds an addition at the Library and not such a pleasant one. Tara Martin shares Charlie's office and is a good worker as far as that goes. And that's where it ends when it comes to any comradery between herself and Charlie. Melba finds getting to know Tara as a person is a street best not crossed. There's no welcoming smile when Tara arrives for work each morning.
Tara also works at Helen Ann's Bistro and does her job and leaves as unsociable as when she came in. That leaves Charlie, Melba and Helen Ann pondering the question as to why Tara is so aloof to the point of rudeness.
Charlie's son and daughter in law have finished redoing their new home and throw a party complete with catering a la Bistro. Tara is a necessary part of the catering staff but abruptly leaves the affair in a rush. Charlie attempts to find her but has a rough go of it until he discovers Tara in the root cellar. Now he must find out what or who threw Tara into a panic.
I return to Charlie and Diesel for the warmth of these characters and their supporting cast. This author throws down a welcoming carpet for me to enter the story each time. A cozy mystery with a touch of kindness.
June 3, 2024
Every opportunity I get to read a Cat in the Stacks novel is a real treat. I love getting back into the world of Charlie and Diesel. This installment was fun and fast-paced.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.
June 29, 2024
Loved it!
I'm a big fan of Charlie and Diesel and Requiem for a Mouse is a wild adventure you won't want to miss.
Charlie's assistant Tara is the victim of a hit and run, and Charlie's curious mind won't stop trying to figure out what happened.
Who is Tara, really and why was she killed are just two of the questions Charlie kept asking himself.
This is a great mystery and I know other readers will love it just as much as I did.
I love Melba and her relationship with Diesel, he really knows how to charm the humans.
I'm a big fan of Charlie and Diesel and Requiem for a Mouse is a wild adventure you won't want to miss.
Charlie's assistant Tara is the victim of a hit and run, and Charlie's curious mind won't stop trying to figure out what happened.
Who is Tara, really and why was she killed are just two of the questions Charlie kept asking himself.
This is a great mystery and I know other readers will love it just as much as I did.
I love Melba and her relationship with Diesel, he really knows how to charm the humans.
July 5, 2024
This book was a letdown compared to the others in the series. Lots of words, but not much happening.
If Charlie is the sleuth he deems himself with his self-proclaimed insatiable bumps of curiosity, why, early in the story, didn’t he show the picture of Millie Hagendorf (Alberta) to Lisa Krause the librarian to see if she recognized her as the woman in the hoodie looking for the yellow fever book? And who was the hoodie woman? We never heard anything more about her. If she was Millie, how did she know Tara had put a clue in that book? If she wasn’t Mille, this would be a huge coincidence that some random person wanted a book just catalogued days prior.
We never heard anything further about the key found taped to Tara’s (Georgia’s) desk. …and the police were OK with Charlie pawing (no pun intended) through her desk instead of them forensically examining it?
Why was Melba’s phone stolen? They mention a spate of cell phone thefts, but this never ties to anything. Ryan Jones (Marsh) allegedly sold used phones, but Melba’s and the others were never tied to him.
And then Charlie and Helen’s wedding never took place! Seems this book was just fluff (seriously, no pun intended) to add another book to the series and string us along to the next one.
If Charlie is the sleuth he deems himself with his self-proclaimed insatiable bumps of curiosity, why, early in the story, didn’t he show the picture of Millie Hagendorf (Alberta) to Lisa Krause the librarian to see if she recognized her as the woman in the hoodie looking for the yellow fever book? And who was the hoodie woman? We never heard anything more about her. If she was Millie, how did she know Tara had put a clue in that book? If she wasn’t Mille, this would be a huge coincidence that some random person wanted a book just catalogued days prior.
We never heard anything further about the key found taped to Tara’s (Georgia’s) desk. …and the police were OK with Charlie pawing (no pun intended) through her desk instead of them forensically examining it?
Why was Melba’s phone stolen? They mention a spate of cell phone thefts, but this never ties to anything. Ryan Jones (Marsh) allegedly sold used phones, but Melba’s and the others were never tied to him.
And then Charlie and Helen’s wedding never took place! Seems this book was just fluff (seriously, no pun intended) to add another book to the series and string us along to the next one.
July 3, 2024
3.5
I always enjoy this series because it’s cozy and relaxing (all murders aside). It’s like a pat of butter slowly melting on a hunk of cornbread. But I don’t know, something about this one kind of fell flat with me. There’s ample descriptions of every single meal Charlie eats (and how much chicken Diesel gets), but what about the part where he was fussing over which day he had to go get his tuxedo fitted for the wedding? Never mentioned again. What about that key he found taped to the desk drawer? Did they ever determine where that went?
I hate to say that maybe this series has come close to running its course, but if the impending nuptials take place next time, then really, it might be a good time to wrap it up. I will of course miss the characters if that’s the case, but let a series go too long and it starts getting dull and repetitive. I guess I’ll wait till whenever the next book drops and see what I think then!
I always enjoy this series because it’s cozy and relaxing (all murders aside). It’s like a pat of butter slowly melting on a hunk of cornbread. But I don’t know, something about this one kind of fell flat with me. There’s ample descriptions of every single meal Charlie eats (and how much chicken Diesel gets), but what about the part where he was fussing over which day he had to go get his tuxedo fitted for the wedding? Never mentioned again. What about that key he found taped to the desk drawer? Did they ever determine where that went?
I hate to say that maybe this series has come close to running its course, but if the impending nuptials take place next time, then really, it might be a good time to wrap it up. I will of course miss the characters if that’s the case, but let a series go too long and it starts getting dull and repetitive. I guess I’ll wait till whenever the next book drops and see what I think then!
February 10, 2024
Charlie and his cat Diesel are listening to his children and his housekeepers daughter, and keeping their noses out of the detection business. Instead Charlie is preparing for his upcoming wedding. He does find his new assistant a little odd though. When she disappears while helping at Charlie's sons open house, C Charlie knows something is going on on her life, and he tries to help her. A hit and run does not help. Another fun book in the series of part time librarian Charlie and his sidekick Diesel
February 9, 2024
A wonderful addition to Charlie and Diesel's adventures. A bit too sweet and cozy at times, which makes for some eye rolling; however, the mystery pulls you in and you can't help love the cast of characters. A series that feels like true comfort.
July 6, 2024
A series still going strong
Another enjoyable read with Charlie and Diesel.
Usually we see Charlie working alone in the library archives but in this book he has hired an assistant, Tara. What can I say about Tara…she is an odd bird. She is curt but just shy of being rude. Instantly you know something isn’t right about her. She not only works for Charlie but also Helen Louise, Charlie’s fiancé. Unfortunately during the family farmhouse remodel reveal Tara gets “sick.” This causes Charlie to question who she is once again. Sadly, Tara meets her untimely death a few days later. Can Charlie solve the murder before his big day with Helen Louise?
First, let me say I can’t wait for the wedding. I hope we get to be a part of it. I like Helen Louise and think she brings out Charlie in ways we wouldn’t normally see. She loves Diesel and that is a big plus for her.
Now on to this book. The mystery kept me guessing the entire time. I don’t want to say too much as I’m always afraid I’ll ruin something for others. There are plenty of suspects and whys. Using the archives was a great idea. I’m always fascinated with the archives as I remember my college archives. An area I never visited but looked at from afar. Imagining the original owners of the oldest books in the library.
Grab your favorite cat and plan for an adventure with Charlie and Diesel.
Another enjoyable read with Charlie and Diesel.
Usually we see Charlie working alone in the library archives but in this book he has hired an assistant, Tara. What can I say about Tara…she is an odd bird. She is curt but just shy of being rude. Instantly you know something isn’t right about her. She not only works for Charlie but also Helen Louise, Charlie’s fiancé. Unfortunately during the family farmhouse remodel reveal Tara gets “sick.” This causes Charlie to question who she is once again. Sadly, Tara meets her untimely death a few days later. Can Charlie solve the murder before his big day with Helen Louise?
First, let me say I can’t wait for the wedding. I hope we get to be a part of it. I like Helen Louise and think she brings out Charlie in ways we wouldn’t normally see. She loves Diesel and that is a big plus for her.
Now on to this book. The mystery kept me guessing the entire time. I don’t want to say too much as I’m always afraid I’ll ruin something for others. There are plenty of suspects and whys. Using the archives was a great idea. I’m always fascinated with the archives as I remember my college archives. An area I never visited but looked at from afar. Imagining the original owners of the oldest books in the library.
Grab your favorite cat and plan for an adventure with Charlie and Diesel.
June 30, 2024
I’m so happy to read about Charlie and Diesel again. Charlie’s wedding to Helen is coming up and it’s exciting to read about. He’s been devoted to his late wife, Jackie, since she passed, so seeing him find love again is really great.
A new employee named Tara is working with Charlie at the archives but she’s very strange. Her secretive habits are causing trouble in her work and making Charlie question who she is. When Tara gets in a car accident and dies Charlie is asking questions about who Tara really is.
Turns out Tara is on the run from her sister after being framed for embezzling money. Now, it’s caught up with her.
At least Charlie’s wedding is coming up. I’m looking forward to the wedding and the honeymoon. I wonder if the next book will occur during their honeymoon or after.
A new employee named Tara is working with Charlie at the archives but she’s very strange. Her secretive habits are causing trouble in her work and making Charlie question who she is. When Tara gets in a car accident and dies Charlie is asking questions about who Tara really is.
Turns out Tara is on the run from her sister after being framed for embezzling money. Now, it’s caught up with her.
At least Charlie’s wedding is coming up. I’m looking forward to the wedding and the honeymoon. I wonder if the next book will occur during their honeymoon or after.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2024
LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT!! THIS SERIES JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS I CAN READ FASTER THAN MIRANDA/DEAN JAMES CAN WRITE. I LOVE ALL OF THE CHARACTERS, ESPECIALLY DIESEL. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT IT IS ABOUT, YOU WILL HAVE TO READ IT TO FIND OUT. I HATE REVIEWS THAT TELL YOU WHAT THE WHOLE BOOK IS ABOUT. I TELL YOU IF I LIKED IT OR NOT AND YOU HAVE TO READ IT TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS ABOUT. I'M SURE EVERYONE WILL ENJOY THIS BOOK AND THE SERIES AS MUCH AS I DO.
August 6, 2024
Being an avid reader, retired, with a cat/s, I deeply enjoy this series. Whose primary character is in the same situation. They are all well written, with generous character development for all. What must be called a cozy mystery. I enjoy these in between my nonfiction or harder to plow through books. It's like visiting old friends and I have this author on pre-order.
July 24, 2024
I enjoy this series.
July 30, 2024
Good light mystery for reading at camp
September 27, 2024
Loved the book, loved the characters, excited to the next book
August 31, 2024
As today marks the start of the American Library Association Annual Conference, it’s the perfect day to review the latest entry in the Cat in the Stacks series, Requiem for a Mouse, featuring librarian Charlie Harris and his large and lovable Maine Coon cat Diesel.
While the possessive should probably be in the other direction, that Charlie belongs to Diesel and not the other way around, as a librarian himself Charlie would have attended many ALA conferences over the course of his career, especially back when he was one of the Branch Managers at the Houston Public Library.
Charlie’s current position, as the part-time cataloger and rare book librarian for his hometown – and alma mater’s – tiny Athena College Library in Athena, Mississippi – generally doesn’t have the budget to make Charlie schlep to wherever the conference happens to be each year. (This year it’s San Diego.)
Which is just fine with him, as he’s been there, done that, and probably has thrown away the conference t-shirts quite some time ago.
Besides, Charlie has much more interesting things to do. Such as ‘help’ the local police solve murders. A help that Athena P.D.’s Chief Deputy generally thinks of as poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong and beating her detectives to the clues a bit too often.
This time around, Charlie’s nose DOES belong in the case – because it happened at the desk right across from his. Not literally, but certainly more than figuratively enough that he feels compelled to help discover who murdered the intensely private, socially maladroit woman who had been his part-time assistant.
Tara Martin may have been rude and tactless – and she certainly was – but that certainly wasn’t enough reason for someone to drive deliberately onto the sidewalk to run her over. But the cops’ certainty about her cause of death is the one of only two sure things in this entire case – and the victim’s identity is not the other.
But Charlie can’t let it rest until he knows both whodunnit and the truth of who it was done to – even when that puts him squarely in the killer’s sights.
Escape Rating B: I’m here for Diesel. Not just because I’ve always wanted a Maine Coon, but because he’s just sweet and charming – and large – but also because he’s intelligent and empathetic but on a cat scale and not a human one. There are quite a few cozy mystery series that feature cats – and why not? – but it’s refreshing that the cat in this series doesn’t solve the mysteries on his own and doesn’t mysteriously help his person solve them.
Which leads back to Diesel’s person, Charlie Harris. One of the things I love about this series is not just that Charlie is a librarian, but that he feels like ‘one of us’ and not merely the result of some cursory research. (This is not a surprise as the author is themself, one of us.) But it’s lovely not just to see one’s own profession represented in a story but to have it done correctly – which is far from always the case.
This series is a very cozy series. Athena is a small town, Charlie has a charming and well-developed ‘Scooby Gang’ who help him, worry about him, and occasionally rescue him from his own folly. The portrait of the town as a whole turns it into the kind of fictional small town that makes readers want to live there – except in the hot, muggy Mississippi summers.
So this is a series I pick up because I’m always happy to see Diesel and I love catching up with Charlie and his friends and family.
That being said, the beginning of this one is particularly rough. Tara Martin, whoever she is, puts everyone off with her tactlessness and her inability to pick up on social cues. When the story opens, as much as many of the characters want to help her out, there’s a surprising amount of backbiting and general verbal nastiness. There’s not even a suggestion that she might be neuroatypical – which was my first thought. It’s only after she’s struck down that people begin to treat her situation with any real understanding. But the initial impression that people were badmouthing her behind her back stuck with me and stained my impression of the book.
The mystery was a lot of sad fun, as it was very twisty and filled with lots of delicious red herrings for Diesel and his little buddy Ramses to beg for – even though every reveal about the victim’s true circumstances made her life and her death just that much sadder. (She’s certainly the ‘Mouse’ of the title) Those twists and turns, along with a whole cast of characters using false names and fake pretenses made this a very quick read as .well. But that initial impression meant that in the end I liked it rather than loved it as I had expected to.
But I’m still Team Diesel, so I’ll still be back to check up on how he’s doing the next time there’s a Cat in the Stacks mystery.
Originally published at Reading Reality
While the possessive should probably be in the other direction, that Charlie belongs to Diesel and not the other way around, as a librarian himself Charlie would have attended many ALA conferences over the course of his career, especially back when he was one of the Branch Managers at the Houston Public Library.
Charlie’s current position, as the part-time cataloger and rare book librarian for his hometown – and alma mater’s – tiny Athena College Library in Athena, Mississippi – generally doesn’t have the budget to make Charlie schlep to wherever the conference happens to be each year. (This year it’s San Diego.)
Which is just fine with him, as he’s been there, done that, and probably has thrown away the conference t-shirts quite some time ago.
Besides, Charlie has much more interesting things to do. Such as ‘help’ the local police solve murders. A help that Athena P.D.’s Chief Deputy generally thinks of as poking his nose in where it doesn’t belong and beating her detectives to the clues a bit too often.
This time around, Charlie’s nose DOES belong in the case – because it happened at the desk right across from his. Not literally, but certainly more than figuratively enough that he feels compelled to help discover who murdered the intensely private, socially maladroit woman who had been his part-time assistant.
Tara Martin may have been rude and tactless – and she certainly was – but that certainly wasn’t enough reason for someone to drive deliberately onto the sidewalk to run her over. But the cops’ certainty about her cause of death is the one of only two sure things in this entire case – and the victim’s identity is not the other.
But Charlie can’t let it rest until he knows both whodunnit and the truth of who it was done to – even when that puts him squarely in the killer’s sights.
Escape Rating B: I’m here for Diesel. Not just because I’ve always wanted a Maine Coon, but because he’s just sweet and charming – and large – but also because he’s intelligent and empathetic but on a cat scale and not a human one. There are quite a few cozy mystery series that feature cats – and why not? – but it’s refreshing that the cat in this series doesn’t solve the mysteries on his own and doesn’t mysteriously help his person solve them.
Which leads back to Diesel’s person, Charlie Harris. One of the things I love about this series is not just that Charlie is a librarian, but that he feels like ‘one of us’ and not merely the result of some cursory research. (This is not a surprise as the author is themself, one of us.) But it’s lovely not just to see one’s own profession represented in a story but to have it done correctly – which is far from always the case.
This series is a very cozy series. Athena is a small town, Charlie has a charming and well-developed ‘Scooby Gang’ who help him, worry about him, and occasionally rescue him from his own folly. The portrait of the town as a whole turns it into the kind of fictional small town that makes readers want to live there – except in the hot, muggy Mississippi summers.
So this is a series I pick up because I’m always happy to see Diesel and I love catching up with Charlie and his friends and family.
That being said, the beginning of this one is particularly rough. Tara Martin, whoever she is, puts everyone off with her tactlessness and her inability to pick up on social cues. When the story opens, as much as many of the characters want to help her out, there’s a surprising amount of backbiting and general verbal nastiness. There’s not even a suggestion that she might be neuroatypical – which was my first thought. It’s only after she’s struck down that people begin to treat her situation with any real understanding. But the initial impression that people were badmouthing her behind her back stuck with me and stained my impression of the book.
The mystery was a lot of sad fun, as it was very twisty and filled with lots of delicious red herrings for Diesel and his little buddy Ramses to beg for – even though every reveal about the victim’s true circumstances made her life and her death just that much sadder. (She’s certainly the ‘Mouse’ of the title) Those twists and turns, along with a whole cast of characters using false names and fake pretenses made this a very quick read as .well. But that initial impression meant that in the end I liked it rather than loved it as I had expected to.
But I’m still Team Diesel, so I’ll still be back to check up on how he’s doing the next time there’s a Cat in the Stacks mystery.
Originally published at Reading Reality
June 26, 2024
Not as good as the earlier books. Too much repetitive stuff.
August 9, 2024
I enjoy these books, I really do. I particularly enjoy the recurring characters, family members, and community (I love Alex!) I’ll probably read them as long as James writes them, and I usually fly through them, but this particular one was a a slog for me.
The pacing felt off (i.e. slow and extremely repetitive) and I found myself re-evaluating elements of the series as a whole that had never previously bothered me—such as Charlie being catered to quite literally for every.goddamn.meal. and his bland relationship with Helen Louise. It’s not that I don’t like Helen Louise, I do! And I like them together, they FIT, but… their interactions mainly consist of them calling to say good night to each other from their respective households and rarely hanging out whereas he’s constantly chatting, laughing, and speculating with Melba at work, who just seems feistier and more interesting in comparison. Charlie and Melba are meant to have a brother-sister / bff dynamic, but Melba brings ENERGY to their scenes.
Helen Louise and Charlie suit each other great—she IS lovely, but there is no spark to their scenes most of the time. It’s just the same conversation over and over:
“Hi, love.”
“Hi, love.”
“It’s been a long, tiring day. I’d better hang up and go to sleep.”
“Get some rest, love.”
“You too, love.”
“Goodnight, love.”
“Goodnight, love.”
According to the jacket summary, Charlie and Helen Louise are deep into wedding plans, but literally this only consisted of him mentioning that Helen Louise is planning it and he doesn’t have really much to do! I wanted to see their wedding plans or even finally at long last the actual wedding.
The cover (the best of the series thus far, with an actual Maine Coon instead of Generic Cat depicted) clearly looked like wedding cake. Not so!
The pacing felt off (i.e. slow and extremely repetitive) and I found myself re-evaluating elements of the series as a whole that had never previously bothered me—such as Charlie being catered to quite literally for every.goddamn.meal. and his bland relationship with Helen Louise. It’s not that I don’t like Helen Louise, I do! And I like them together, they FIT, but… their interactions mainly consist of them calling to say good night to each other from their respective households and rarely hanging out whereas he’s constantly chatting, laughing, and speculating with Melba at work, who just seems feistier and more interesting in comparison. Charlie and Melba are meant to have a brother-sister / bff dynamic, but Melba brings ENERGY to their scenes.
Helen Louise and Charlie suit each other great—she IS lovely, but there is no spark to their scenes most of the time. It’s just the same conversation over and over:
“Hi, love.”
“Hi, love.”
“It’s been a long, tiring day. I’d better hang up and go to sleep.”
“Get some rest, love.”
“You too, love.”
“Goodnight, love.”
“Goodnight, love.”
According to the jacket summary, Charlie and Helen Louise are deep into wedding plans, but literally this only consisted of him mentioning that Helen Louise is planning it and he doesn’t have really much to do! I wanted to see their wedding plans or even finally at long last the actual wedding.
The cover (the best of the series thus far, with an actual Maine Coon instead of Generic Cat depicted) clearly looked like wedding cake. Not so!
May 8, 2024
3.75 stars
This is a gentle and appealing cozy series featuring semi-retired librarian Charlie and his Maine coon cat Diesel and an assorted cast. Set in a small southern town, Charlie's girlfriend, grown kids, housekeeper, boarders, and co-workers are part of the appeal.
Charlie has a new archive assistant and can't figure her out. She has no social skills, is brusque and secretive and sometimes enraged. Before he can find out what her problem is, she is run down in a hit and run. There are a couple other shady and suspicious characters around town and it seems this is all linked. But when the young woman dies, they can't even come up with an identity as she used fake names and addresses.
Charlie is less aggressive than usual in pursuing this mystery, maybe because his son doesn't like him putting himself in danger and maybe because Charlie's wedding to Helen is mere weeks away. But we enjoy watching him puzzle things out and the interaction among the familiar and appealing cast of characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a gentle and appealing cozy series featuring semi-retired librarian Charlie and his Maine coon cat Diesel and an assorted cast. Set in a small southern town, Charlie's girlfriend, grown kids, housekeeper, boarders, and co-workers are part of the appeal.
Charlie has a new archive assistant and can't figure her out. She has no social skills, is brusque and secretive and sometimes enraged. Before he can find out what her problem is, she is run down in a hit and run. There are a couple other shady and suspicious characters around town and it seems this is all linked. But when the young woman dies, they can't even come up with an identity as she used fake names and addresses.
Charlie is less aggressive than usual in pursuing this mystery, maybe because his son doesn't like him putting himself in danger and maybe because Charlie's wedding to Helen is mere weeks away. But we enjoy watching him puzzle things out and the interaction among the familiar and appealing cast of characters. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 22, 2024
I have long enjoyed this cozy mystery series, but this last one leaves me wondering if I will bother reading the next. The mystery this time involves a mysterious part time employee of the archives. Tara is an efficient assistant, though she supposedly lacks all library or archival training or education. She is socially awkward, intensely private, and becomes the center of the mystery investigation Charlie undertakes.
Charlie is also mere weeks away from his wedding to Helen Louise, so occasionally that topic arises. However, he is very little involved in the planning, so he has plenty of time to play the sleuth.
There were several things I found annoying in this installment of the series.
1. Charlie figures out where an important clue might be and puts two of those he most loves at great risk in a completely silly way. This is definitely a case where our protagonist should have known he was doing something very risky.
2. Someone of whom he and Diesel are both intuitively suspicious wants to volunteer for a very short while in the archives. He doesn’t give her the perfectly reasonable response that he, a part-time archivist himself, cannot spare the time to train someone as volunteer assistant for an extremely short time period. That would not be a productive use of his time even if he was not suspicious of her. Instead, he sends her to HR to apply.
3. Charlie uncovers an important and tangible clue. By the time the book is over, there is no information provided about that clue; it seems to have been forgotten, even by the author.
4. Azalea, Azalea. When first introduced Azalea was the focus of some conflict between Charlie and Kanasha and there were some interesting dynamics between Azalea and Charlie. But Azalea now just makes Charlie look bad. Here he is working a sedentary part-time job, coming home to take naps, and skipping his walks to work because it’s chilly. Here Azalea is, much older, well into her seventies, cooking elaborate meals from scratch three times a day for him and his boarders and cleaning the very large home they live in. We do not know how long her work day is, but it is long. At one point she is serving him an elaborate breakfast in the 8 am hour and in another she has left by 6 pm, and that is an early departure for her. We are told this because the men actually have to serve themselves the elaborate dinner she cooked.
Seriously, it takes considerable time to prepare from scratch the biscuits, pies, cakes, rolls, homemade salad dressing, etc. Azalea turns out on a daily basis. It’s one thing to want to stay active, but this is ridiculous. It isn’t credible that Azalea is doing all this just because she wants to be busy. Part of it, perhaps, but not all this. I began to entertain thoughts that perhaps Charlie’s aunt paid Azalea under the table all those years and that Azalea therefore hadn’t enough social security credits ….
And I could entertain those fanciful thoughts because too little else was going on in this book and the main mystery was just not that interesting. So, instead of thinking about the mystery I could notice that Diesel was present, but somehow he seemed just part of the backdrop. And I could notice that Charlie never made it to his tux fitting appointment. Or the absurdity that Charlie actually owned a tux himself, but thought it was too old to wear in the wedding. Why would a public library branch manager need to buy a tux? That is the real mystery here.
Charlie is also mere weeks away from his wedding to Helen Louise, so occasionally that topic arises. However, he is very little involved in the planning, so he has plenty of time to play the sleuth.
There were several things I found annoying in this installment of the series.
1. Charlie figures out where an important clue might be and puts two of those he most loves at great risk in a completely silly way. This is definitely a case where our protagonist should have known he was doing something very risky.
2. Someone of whom he and Diesel are both intuitively suspicious wants to volunteer for a very short while in the archives. He doesn’t give her the perfectly reasonable response that he, a part-time archivist himself, cannot spare the time to train someone as volunteer assistant for an extremely short time period. That would not be a productive use of his time even if he was not suspicious of her. Instead, he sends her to HR to apply.
3. Charlie uncovers an important and tangible clue. By the time the book is over, there is no information provided about that clue; it seems to have been forgotten, even by the author.
4. Azalea, Azalea. When first introduced Azalea was the focus of some conflict between Charlie and Kanasha and there were some interesting dynamics between Azalea and Charlie. But Azalea now just makes Charlie look bad. Here he is working a sedentary part-time job, coming home to take naps, and skipping his walks to work because it’s chilly. Here Azalea is, much older, well into her seventies, cooking elaborate meals from scratch three times a day for him and his boarders and cleaning the very large home they live in. We do not know how long her work day is, but it is long. At one point she is serving him an elaborate breakfast in the 8 am hour and in another she has left by 6 pm, and that is an early departure for her. We are told this because the men actually have to serve themselves the elaborate dinner she cooked.
Seriously, it takes considerable time to prepare from scratch the biscuits, pies, cakes, rolls, homemade salad dressing, etc. Azalea turns out on a daily basis. It’s one thing to want to stay active, but this is ridiculous. It isn’t credible that Azalea is doing all this just because she wants to be busy. Part of it, perhaps, but not all this. I began to entertain thoughts that perhaps Charlie’s aunt paid Azalea under the table all those years and that Azalea therefore hadn’t enough social security credits ….
And I could entertain those fanciful thoughts because too little else was going on in this book and the main mystery was just not that interesting. So, instead of thinking about the mystery I could notice that Diesel was present, but somehow he seemed just part of the backdrop. And I could notice that Charlie never made it to his tux fitting appointment. Or the absurdity that Charlie actually owned a tux himself, but thought it was too old to wear in the wedding. Why would a public library branch manager need to buy a tux? That is the real mystery here.
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