Jeanne Reviews: Checking Out Crime by Laurie Cass

Once again, intrepid librarian Minnie and her cat Eddie come across a dead body on their bookmobile run.  This time the body is lying in the middle of the road.  Minnie’s attempt at resuscitation are futile, but there is the question of how he got to be in the road in the first place.  A bicycle is found nearby, but it begs the question of why it was left in the woods.  Was it a hit and run? And did that speeding car that nearly hit the bookmobile just before they saw the body have any role in the death?

It’s a puzzle and one Minnie is determined to figure out, but she has a lot going on at the moment.  Or rather, she doesn’t have a lot when she should.  She and Rafe are now engaged, but so far no ring. This doesn’t bother Minnie, but it certainly raises a lot of comment from family and friends.  Also, winter is coming quickly, meaning that Minnie needs to move to land from her beloved houseboat, but Rafe is far from finished with the renovations on what is to be their house and Minnie’s aunt no longer has her big B&B for a winter refuge.  Last but not least, Minnie’s library director is very enthusiastic about the bookmobile.  This is a good thing, except that he keeps adding more stops for Minnie to make, making the bookmobile run an all-day plus endeavor. Her helper Julia is at the end of her rope, and so is Minnie.

However will it all work out?

This is the ninth in the Bookmobile Cat Mystery series which has seen Minnie through several romances, at least three directors, and a lot of murders.  Plucky Minnie brings her love of books and her willingness to help to every situation, be it library or murder investigation. There’s a good supporting cast, and the author is willing to have situations change.  The series is set in Michigan, and there’s a strong sense of place.  Mostly a cold place, it seems, so I’m not planning a trip anytime soon!

This particular entry in the series was a bit heavier on personal problems but still had an interesting solution to the crime. I thought the motive was far-fetched, but the clues were fair so I’ll give that aspect a pass. By the way, I especially liked the hints Eddie the cat dropped along the way, hints that Minnie ignores but that readers latch onto.  It’s not giving anything away to say that there is a feel-good ending. I’ve been around for the first nine books, so it’s pretty safe to say I’ll be on the looking in October when book ten is scheduled to come out.

 

Books in the series:

Lending a Paw

Tailing a Tabby

Borrowed Crime

Pouncing on Murder

Cat with a Clue

Wrong Side of the Paw

Booking the Crook

Gone with the Whisker

Checking Out Crime

The Crime that Binds (2022)