Jeanne Reviews: Night of the Were-Cat by Eileen Watkins

For professional cat groomer Cassie, life is pretty sweet right now.  Her business is thriving and her personal life is going well—she’s still dating handsome veterinarian Mark. A date is interrupted when Mark is called to the clinic because of a break-in. An employee is injured and drugs are stolen from the clinic.  It seems to be part of a pattern: several clinics have been hit. There has also been a rise in reports of a date rape drug being used: ketamine, a drug often used to sedate animals. It can also be deadly, and a young woman has died recently because of it.

With his staff under suspicion, Mark is stressed and unhappy.  Cassie is anxious to help him clear his employees and also wants to catch the people who distributing the drugs.  Can the cat groomer help the police once again?

This is the sixth in the Cat Groomer Mystery series, but you don’t have to read them in order.

These books always have stunning covers and this time is no different. A magnificent black smoke Maine Coon graces the cover and does indeed play a part in the book.  A subplot has Cassie helping with a pet photo contest of non-canines for a were-wolf lookalike competition.  The idea was inspired when Cassie is hired to look after Maine Coon Quentin, named after the were-wolf in the old TV show “Dark Shadows.”

That’s one of the things I really enjoy about this series.  Each book has spotlighted a different cat breed, and Watkins seems knowledgeable about them all. There are some books with cats that leave me wondering if the author has ever actually interacted with a cat.  I don’t have any such concerns here.  Also, while the cats may not always be center stage, they do always play a role in the story.  They aren’t just on the cover to sell books.

I also like that Watkins takes up a different problem each time as part of the plot, offering a little education with the entertainment.  Previous books have taken on such things as community cats and TNR (Trap, Neuter, and Release), animal hoarding, and unscrupulous animal breeders; this time, it’s theft of controlled substances from vet clinics and the rise in the use of ketamine (usually a drug used to sedate animals) as a party and date rape drug.

The books in the series are:

The Persian Always Meows Twice

The Bengal Identity

Feral Attraction

Gone, Kitty, Gone

Claw & Disorder

Night of the Were-Cat

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Claw and Disorder by Eileen Watkins

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Claw and Disorder by Eileen Watkins:   Reviewed by Jeanne Cassie McGlone is faced with more than one mystery in Claw and Disorder , the fifth in the Cat Groomer series.   Sh...

Guest Post: Treadmill Books: Feral Attraction: A Cat Groomer Mystery by Eileen Watkins

Treadmill Books:  Feral Attraction: A Cat Groomer Mystery by Eileen Watkins

Cat groomer Cassie McGlone is invited to be a guest speaker at a homeowners meeting at The Reserve, an upscale development.  There is a conflict over some feral cats in the area, with some residents wanting them eradicated while others advocate TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) to control the population. One outspoken cat supporter is Sabrina Ward, who feeds the strays and provides shelters. 

It isn’t long before a resident’s dog is poisoned, apparently by food left for the cats. Obviously someone is serious about getting rid of the felines.  Then Sabrina is found dead, possibly from natural causes—but could it have actually been murder?

This is the third in the Cat Groomer Mystery series, and I have enjoyed them all.  Watkins knows her cats, and her subplots impart interesting cat information.  She also isn’t afraid to tackle controversial topics, such as the breeding of exotics, which adds an extra layer of interest as far as I’m concerned. 

Cassie herself is a solid leading character.  She doesn’t rush headlong into situations but neither does she back down.  She’s in a tentative romance with a local veterinarian, both of whom are a bit gun shy after failed relationships; in Cassie’s case, it was also an abusive situation. Interestingly enough, while Cassie has three cats she adores, it’s the cats she boards and cares for who are in the spotlight. It’s another good teaching strategy, as readers learn about unusual breeds such as Bengals or the special needs of Sphinx cats (who are hairless).

I read a lot of mysteries with cats (a comment which would certainly be in the running for Understatement of the Year) and this one stands out because of the cat information.  I’m not a feline expert, but I’ve read a bit about my furry overlords—enough to know that Watkins has done her research.  That’s a feature I love in books: being able to learn something while being entertained. 

I think that these could be read as standalone books without any problem.

I’ll be looking forward to the next in the series, Gone, Kitty, Gone which is scheduled for December 2019. The current titles are The Persian Always Meows Twice, The Bengal Identity, and Feral Attraction.

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Bengal Identity by Eileen Watkins

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: The Bengal Identity by Eileen Watkins: Reviewed by Jeanne Cassie McGlone, whom we first met in The Persian Always Meows Twice , has a thriving cat grooming/boarding...