Something Whiskered

Cat in the Stacks #17

by Miranda James

A dead baron, an Irish castle, and an unexpected ghost . . . Charlie Harris, Helen Louise Brady, and their feline friend Diesel find themselves hot on the trail of a conniving killer in this delightful Cat in the Stacks Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Miranda James.

Charlie Harris and his wife, Helen Louise Brady, have arrived in Ireland for their honeymoon. After a few days in Dublin, they head to County Clare, ancestral home to Helen Louise’s extended family, the O’Bradys. Her cousin Lorcan runs Castle O’Brady as a bed-and-breakfast with his wife Caoimhe and their daughter and son-in-law. But upon arrival at the castle, the newlyweds are shocked to see a body falling from the roof.

The dead man is centenarian Finn, Baron O'Brady, Lorcan’s grandfather, which means that Lorcan now becomes the new Baron O'Brady. Was someone in a hurry for Lorcan to assume the title and ownership of the estate? Or is there another reason for wanting Finn dead? And why is a ghostly cat making an appearance in their room-is he trying to warn them? Charlie and Helen Louise must answer these questions and more as they realize the local garda can't solve the crime alone. And along with Diesel they will have to investigate themselves or risk something wicked coming their way…

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cats, Cozy, Fiction, Animals, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

First published July 29, 2025

About the author

Pen name of Dean James, who also writes as Honor Hartman and Jimmie Ruth Evans

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie, his new wife, and Diesel visit Ireland... love the travel aspect of the book. A distantly-related relative, a castle with a title up for grabs, and a hidden agenda among several townsfolk. All the good makings of a solid mystery. I was glad Charlie got off campus and we had a different focus with new side story characters. I did miss his kids, tenants and friends, tho. Everything came together nicely, and I liked the shenanigans between the different people who interacted with the castle owner. I did feel a few things were left unanswered (minor clues, like who was writing in lipstick on the bathroom mirror) and what happened to the ex-wife... but still a satisfying conclusion. I wonder what happens next for our intrepid sleuth.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dollycas’s Thoughts

It’s honeymoon time for Charlie and Heleb Louise, and Diesel gets to tag along. They have traveled to Ireland to meet the O’Bradys, Helen Louise’s extended family. The trip started with a few days in Dublin before heading to County Claire and Castle O’Brady. It is now a bed-and-breakfast run by Helen Louise’s cousin, Lorcan, and his wife Caoimhe. Their daughter and her husband also work at the B&B.

Charlie and Helen Louise arrive just in time to witness a horrific event: an elderly man plummeting to his death from the castle roof. The man, Baron Finn O’Brady, had just reached a hundred years old, and Helen Louise was so excited to see him and introduce him to Charlie. With the centenarian’s death, her cousin Lorcan takes over the title of Baron O’Brady.

No one believes the man took his own life, so who killed Finn O’Brady? And why? Without much confidence in the local garda, Charlie, Helen Louise, and Diesel start an investigation of their own. Soon, they are receiving threats and a mysterious feline ghost visiting their room.

Will Something Whiskered help catch the killer? Or will someone wicked get away with murder?

I love this series. Diesel stole my heart in book one, Murder Past Due, and with each new book, that love has grown. We had a Maine Coon cat with a crooked tail who looked a lot like Diesel that passed away in 2018. I had the privilege of hearing all the chirps and mews firsthand. Every sound Diesel makes brings back warm memories of our Wiley.

The big change in this story is that Charlie and Helen Louise are married. Close as ever and solving mysteries together. I love their relationship and how it grew organically. Being away from home for this installment meant that other core characters were not in the story, but they were mentioned and thought of. We did meet many interesting people in Ireland, and they became well fleshed out within the pages. Maybe some with come to Mississippi in the future.

Finn O’Brady was a down-to-earth kind man, “full of fun and the joys of life”. Helen Louise has many wonderful memories and couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to kill him. As an outsider, Charlie could look at all the suspects with clear eyes, while Helen Louise knew many of the people and could get them to open up. Diesel is a great judge of character, but there came a time when they had to decide to put Diesel’s safety over everything else. While hard on all three of them, it was the right decision. The mystery itself was solid with some clear and murky suspects. The reading of the will brought forth some interesting bequests and knowledge, and was interrupted by a surprising person. Then the autopsy report gave important information, and the clues started to come together. I found the ending to be satisfying, but it left some small questions unanswered. Nothing that would deter my enjoyment of the book.

Something Whiskered is a fabulous addition to this long-running series. A new setting, new characters, and a well-plotted mystery were very entertaining. It was a heck of a honeymoon for the newlyweds and our favorite feline. I am looking forward to returning to Mississippi, Charlie’s happy place, to see what mystery he, Diesel, their family, and friends get pulled into next in Book 18.

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 the Berkley and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

[Yuuto · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know I didn’t feel like the previous book in this series was that great, but this one stunk. It didn’t have any of the charm that this series usually has.

(Watch out, there be major spoilers ahead)

There were glaring inconsistencies and bits of plot that fall off the radar! “I didn’t know about a ghost cat” ok but someone DID mention it early in the book. Like in the first few pages. Why was a ghost cat needed? Because ooh spooky castle? The ghost cat wasn’t even plot relevant.

They mentioned the uncle seeing Rory running naked through the garden one night in the past, looking like he was on drugs. That felt like it would’ve made sense for him to be the killer, given the method of death, right? NOPE! Had nothing to do with anything.

Who left the “I know where he is” message on the mirror, after Diesel was put in the cattery? Pretty sure this was never brought up again.

And the big reveal was so rushed, within the last eight pages of the book, and it was SO lame. Did the author just get bored and say “yeah, I don’t know”?

Truly, I hope this is it for this series. In all honesty, if it’s not, it might just be it for ME. 17 books in a series and it’s not going to be very fresh or fun anymore. Time to let it go.

[Cozybooklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

#SomethingWhiskered #NetGalley
I absolutely loved this latest book in this series.
Charlie, Helen Louise, and Diesel are in Ireland on their honeymoon, visiting her family, and celebrating the baron's 100th birthday.
Things get off to a sad start when as soon as the newlyweds approach the home, a body tumbles down from the roof, landing in front of the car.
The body belongs to the baron, and his untimely death could be murder.
The family asks Charlie to keep an eye out and to possibly help determine if this was indeed murder.

I really liked that Helen Louise was a crucial part of the investigation, and that Diesel went along on their honeymoon. He's such a big part of the series that it wouldn't have been as good if he wasn't there.
It was a nice change of pace having a new setting and such different colorful characters. It made this book exciting to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable visit with Charlie, Helen, and Diesel. In this addition to the series we get to join Charlie and Helen on their honeymoon to Ireland. Unfortunately, it is not all fun and relaxation. Helen’s Uncle Finn dies suddenly and it’s not an innocent death. Charlie has been asked by the family to help solve the crime.

This book was enjoyable and a refreshing entry. Seeing Charlie outside of Mississippi was interesting. He has wanderlust in his veins from all the books he has read. He is a relatable character as he loves traveling but can’t wait to get home to those near and dear to him.

I took my time reading as I know I have a bit of a wait for our next book.

[Deborah Almada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always look forward to spending time with Charlie and Diesel! This new adventure is different for a couple of reasons. First, Charlie is now a married man as he and Helen Louise are now a married couple, and second, as this book is a road trip, a trip to Ireland for their honeymoon with Diesel along for the ride. After several days in Dublin, Charlie, Helen Louise, and Diesel are headed to County Claire and Helen Louise's family estate Castle O'Brady to meet with her family, her great uncle Finn, the baron, who is celebrating his 100 birthday and his grandson and family who are Helen Louise's cousins. The family run the estate as a bed and breakfast with a successful dairy business also attached to the estate. Unfortunately, the crew is horrified, as they drive up to the front of the estate to see a body fall from the fourth floor roof and land in front of their car. What was supposed to be a honeymoon with some sightseeing and an opportunity to meet Helen Louise's family turns into a murder investigation. Can Charlie and Helen Louise help as they are objective and don't really know most of the players? Is family involved, or is it someone working on the estate? Who is writing threats on the mirror of Charlie and Helen Louise's suite? Who is Diesel's new friend? This is a good mystery with multiple suspects, some sightseeing, and some interesting guests. I am not always crazy about series traveling outside of its usual place, but except for missing the rest of our regular crew, this trip really works! Thanks to #Netgally, #BerkeleyPrimeCrime, and the author for an opportunity to travel to Ireland! #SomethingWhiskered #CatintheStacksMysteries #MirandaJames #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series too much to go below five stars. But I am unhappy that Charlie and Helen Louise took Diesel to a cattery instead of getting out of the castle all together! I feel like they totally overstayed their welcome (and took so much of their hosts' good wine!). Still trying to wrap my brain around whether the murder strategy was realistic...would someone high on mushrooms be suggestible enough to be lured on the roof for a butterfly? idk.

My fingers are crossed that the next book will give Stewart and Haskell some of the spotlight. I'm ready for their engagement! or Melba finally finding a partner worth her time.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series so much. Charlie Harris is such a comfort character and I am so happy he found a perfect partner in Helen Louise. I enjoyed seeing her more in this one as his sleuthing partner. What a gorgeous setting at an family Irish castle on a dairy farm. I loved the descriptions, especially of the Cliffs. I also love seeing people's reactions to Diesel and how he is almost a human character himself, though I was so sad that he wasn't in the whole book. This was full of fun twists and turns. I did miss our usual cast of characters, which adds a lot to the humor and coziness of the story. But I understand a change of pace at 17 books. The ending was great and I can't wait to see what Charlie and Diesel get into in the future.

Thanks to the publisher for a eARC; my thoughts and review are my own.

[Kellene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series. It's always like coming home when I visit Charlie and Diesel. Charlie and Helen Louise are so great together. I adore the portrayal of a romance between two characters over the age of 30. The travel to Ireland, the landmarks they visit and the descriptions of the family manor made me want to take a trip. As always, the story was well-written and moved at a nice, smooth pace. The ending was a nice resolution, although I had part of the solution figured out. The only complaint I had was the introduction of a new character at the end who really served no purpose but to create trouble. Otherwise, no complaints.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading this author and I enjoyed this book. I've been on a mystery kick recently and I found myself really engaged with the characters.

The imagery was great. I felt like I was there in Ireland helping to solve the mystery. I liked the characters. I found myself trying to guess who done it. Will def check out the rest of this series.

Thank you Berkley for the gifted ebook.

[Analie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Maine coon cats and wish that Diesel had played a more interesting role in solving the mystery. Instead, the mystery is not solved by any cleverness but by the MC stumbling into the answers. The ending is very rushed and explained in a couple paragraphs on the last pages. I am still scratching my head wondering why the author threw in a ghost cat. While there were a lot of writing issues, I did like that the author depicted a romance between two characters over the age of 30.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something Whiskered is book seventeen in the Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James. After their wedding, Charlie Harris and Helen Louise Brady decided to go to Ireland to visit Helen Louise's family at Castle O'Brady for their honeymoon. However, on arrival at the Castle O'Brady, they saw Baron O'Brady fall from the Castle roof in front of their car. Helen Louise Brady Couscin Lorcan asked Charlie to investigate is grandfathers murder. However, someone does not want Charlie investigating and threatening Diesel. Will Charlie give up or continue to find the murderer of Finn O'Brady? Readers of Something Whiskered will continue to follow Charlie Harris and Helen Louise Brady to discover what happens next.

Something Whiskered was a fantastic book to read and an excellent addition to this amazing series. I love that Miranda James intertwined Fergal the ghost cat. By reading this book, you will learn about the beautiful Cliffs of Moher on the west Clare coast of Ireland. I engaged with this book from the first page and continued to the end.

I enjoy the way Miranda James portrays her characters and their interactions throughout this book. The Something Whiskered is well written and researched by Miranda James. I like Miranda James's descriptions of the settings in Something Whiskered, which let me imagine being part of the book's plot.

I recommend this book.

[Angie Boyter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3-. Rather disappointing, both writing and plot.
First of all, this is a classic setup where a BIG family is gathering . It can be hard to keep the characters straight in such novels, and to
me it was inexcusable for a LARGE number of the female characters to have names starting with "Ca" plus one with "Co".
I also found the denouement disappointing, and a good denouement is the most important part of a whodunit.
I have been reading this series for years and the last three books have been disappointing. I may give up.
PS And Diesel was offstage for practically the whole book, sent off to keep him safe.

[Claudia Eckenrode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from begining to end! 303 Pages easy to read & follow. Great mystery. Loved the ghost cat Fergal.
Loved that it was set at an old castle in Ireland.
Want to read more of the author, Miranda James’ books.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.Helen Louise and Charlie are spending their honeymoon in Ireland. Charlie's Maine Coon cat, Diesel has come along as well. As the newlyweds are approaching the estate of Helen Louise's family wedded bliss is replaced by horror as a body falls in front of their car. The deceased is Helen Louise's beloved uncle Finn who was celebrating his 100th birthday before the fatal fall occurred. No one knows why Finn was on the roof of the mansion since his fear of heights was well known. Foul play is suspected and all hope of sightseeing and enjoying time with Helen Louise's family is dashed. When Lorcan, Finn's grandson asks Charlie to discreetly observe the other family members and estate workers in an effort to find out what happened. Family black sheep and resentful staff all come under the microscope and Charlie has to walk a fine line between house guest and detective.
It was a bit disconcerting to encounter Charlie outside his U.S. home town in Alabama where he never hesitates to overstep local law enforcement to solve crimes. James handles this different setting well. Charlie never intrudes on the professional investigation but quietly observes and asks questions to gather information. Helen Louise is equally involved in fact finding. I did miss Azalea and her cooking although there is an Irish equivalent who keeps Charlie well fed. Sweet iced tea was replaced by lots of wine, so much so that I wondered how Charlie kept a clear head .
This is #17 in in the series and the change of scenery was fun, the mystery interesting and Diesel met a ghost cat. Kudos to James to keeping the series fresh.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.

[Mary Tonks · Rating 5 out of 5]

When is the next one coming out? So good!

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, goodbye, Charlie and Diesel, I think this is probably the last Cat in the Stacks mystery I will read. It's the final one released at time of writing this, and I've read all the rest in this series up to this one #17, so it's not like there are more to read anyway (excluding the other series that James has, the southern ladies series, starring a set of protagonists I really don't like, so I will DEFINITELY not be picking those up). Maybe in another couple years I'll find #18 released and for sale somewhere, and maybe by then it'll be worth it, but ehh.

As you get to know the characters and familiar setting over time reading these, they really grow on you to become comfortable, even if the books themselves are usually just written at an average level and the mysteries are just okay and the endings are often not great. There is still something cozy and familiar about them - the author pulls off HALF of the "cozy mystery" novel really well.

This book is very different than the first 16. The big news: Charlie and Helen have finally gotten married!!! A 17 book buildup to this. It feels very nice to see them finally together, even if Helen is a little bland - granted she is given more to do in this one. For the first time ever in one of these books, they leave the familiar setting of the town of Athens in the south USA, and go all the way to Ireland for their honeymoon. (Technically in a previous book they did leave Athens before, but just to go to a hotel in a nearby town, the same characters were around, doesn't count.) In this book the ONLY characters that carry over are Charlie, Helen, and Diesel (the cat). Of course he thinks back fondly on his kids and friends and whatever so they're mentioned here and there, but no involvement.

I think the change of setting was nice. Led to less repetition - a common problem in these books - though there was still plenty of day-to-day minutiae described in detail that was decidedly distracting from the plot. Not that there was much of a plot either. Alas.

One of the absolute strangest things in this book was that ghosts are real now. Insane update to make to the lore of your universe in book 17. They're staying in an old Irish castle (Helen's extended family owns it) and they all just know that it's haunted and accept it. And it's not in a cutesy little "hey, I just left this room, why are all the drawers open? I guess it could've been the wind..." ambiguous way, nor a "I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye, but when I looked, it was gone, but I had a warm feeling" open-ended way.

No no. Charlie just starts seeing a ghost cat. And regularly interacting with it. As does Diesel. And Helen and the whole family is aware of it and they tell him about other ghosts in the castle too. Because ghosts are real now and apparently they've always been real and there is no ambiguity whatsoever, no "could've been the wind" it's a full-on paranormal ghost cat.

This is obviously insane. It reminded me of (obscure reference no one will get here) Hardy Boys Digest #177 The Case of the Psychic's Vision where, after 176 normal Hardy Boys mysteries, in #177 a family of psychics move to Bayport and they are quite literally real, provable psychics and suddenly Fenton Hardy has (retroactively) always used and trusted real psychics and the Hardy Boys start working on developing their own psychic powers and at the end the main villain is defeated by using their newfangled psychic powers together. And you're reading it like, what the absolute fuck. And then of course by #178 it's all been forgotten, never to be mentioned again. It's like an insane fever dream of a book. When I read that Hardy Boys book years ago it was such a unique feeling and as I started to read the ghost appearances in Something Whiskered here it brought me right back to it.

Weirder still is that Charlie has always consistently been written as a deeply religious man of the South. He has in multiple books commented that he often feels his widow Jackie's vague presence looking over him, in that nice warm ambiguous way where it's meaningful. You would think that seeing REAL LIFE GHOSTS would perhaps make him throw the whole murder mystery thing out the window and start contemplating on the nature of the afterlife, or perhaps his religion, or even wonder about reaching Jackie for real - really any sort of contemplative, interesting thought at all. But nope, don't worry, none of that happens, he just pets the ghost cat a lot. ok

The ghosts also never play any impact whatsoever in the story, they don't have any place in solving the murder, not even ambiguously, they do nothing and serve no purpose. So the point of introducing them was... ???

The mysteries were developing pretty well, and I was pretty interested in what was going on at first. Clear murder, no ambiguity there. Multiple murders too! A couple obviously bad characters that you know it can't be (except, ugh, spoiler alert... yeah it's just them). Unfortunately over half of the characters were named very similar names all starting with Ca- or Co- and it was so hard to keep them all straight. Also the author liked to insert italicized Irish slang on what seemed like every goddamn page, which got a bit tiresome. Weirdly enough he also had Helen use some popular American slang, just to contrast, except Helen has never used slang in any previous book and is much more likely to quote something in French or whatever. But hey, this book is full of firsts.

In past books, Charlie has worried about Diesel's safety, but nothing has ever come of it. This book really upped the stakes by having someone leave a threatening message ABOUT DIESEL!! Oh my god! Effective!! Except it led absolutely nowhere and it was only even barely explained (maybe?) who even LEFT it by the end, for confusing motives, he was never actually in danger, and for all of that 0 payoff, they removed him from the story and put him in a cat hotel for the final third of the book. Granted that is the responsible choice for the characters from their point of view, it made sense, but as the writer, if you're writing this, it should pay off!!! It does not and by the end he was clearly just removed from the story for no good reason for the reader. Cat in the Stacks mysteries, more like Cat in the Nice Safe Cat Hotel mysteries...

The ending and reveals of the murderer/murderers... didn't really make a lot of sense, and was pretty contrived. Spoilers: someone drugged the old man with a small helping of psychedelic mushrooms, which allowed them to lure him up to the roof so he could push him off. I don't know, this was pretty unsatisfying. Psychedelic mushrooms don't make you stupid or gullible or easily suggestible, and hell, the guy had a fear of heights, if anything he'd be more scared of the roof if he was tripping. And do you know how many he'd have to sneak into this guy's salad to have any effect at all, much less a major trip? And do you know how bad they taste??? There is NO SHOT that he wouldn't have taken one bite and been like "what the FUCK is this salad" the taste is STRONG and NOT pleasant until you really get used to them.

So in a way this book also reminded me of this old 1944 mystery The Corpse with the Eerie Eye by R. A. J. Walling where the big end reveal was that he had bloodshot eyes because he was ON THE REEFER and that was also used to explain all his other weird behavior before death, which revealed the author's complete lack of research on the drug in question.

And then the other victim had a very boring death that was nothing to even write about (and this was the murderer - the second victim was the first murderer - so we never see him get caught or anything). And then hell, the second murderer, who was an accomplice to the first murder too, apparently regretted it all and didn't even kill the guy on purpose but in self defense, and was sad and torn up about it - except she's also supposed to be the one who left threatening messages and threatened Diesel? Except she was never hostile in any way and the whole point was that she regretted it all so much that she even killed herself in the end. So... huh?

And yeah, the ending, she kills herself and leaves a note that reveals all this. She's never caught. The police are useless, they do absolutely nothing that leads to the end reveal. Charlie is also completely useless. Nothing he does contributes in any way to the final ending. She kills herself and leaves a note spelling out what happened, completely independent of Charlie, who probably had two conversations with her total. And we are given no satisfaction, no one is truly caught.

Also, come on, they're staying in a historic Irish castle. No secret passages? No portraits with secret eye-windows to peep through? Oooh boy we get a library with a nook that Charlie accidentally hears someone from because they didn't check it first. And an elevator mishap. WHERE'S THE SECRET ROOM, WHERE'S THE INTERESTING BITS?? You could've set it in a modern hotel and had no difference.

I mean what is the point of having this story with ghosts and an old Irish castle and threats against Diesel and a millionaire leaving his inheritance behind and all of these plot elements introduced, for them to all be not used in any way whatsoever??? COME ON. Why even write any of this at all?

The author also revisits his bizarre phrase "bump of curiosity" a couple times, trying to make it work... ugh. "Other than immediate satisfaction for my outsize bump of curiosity, there was no reason I should be present." SHUT UP.

Another very odd thing... p.282 (hardcover edition) they find out about the magic mushroom plot, and we get this short paragraph:

" "It's feckin' awful." Helen Louise looked sick to her stomach, and I understood why. Murder was always terrible, but sneaky murder was really terrible. "

... oh yeah? ... huh? Sneaky murder? You're saying sneaky murder is worse than brutal murder or something? I mean... I guess from a point of view... but... huh?? It just struck me as one of the weirdest bits I'd read in this already-strange book.

I'm giving it 2.5 stars rounded to 3, because well it still was mostly enjoyable to read, and there was some nice closure and it felt like a nice final chapter in this series for me, at least for a good while. Charlie and Helen return home at the end to their wealth of friends and family - compare this to the start of book 1 when Charlie was just friends with Helen, estranged from his son and somewhat estranged from his daughter - he's built a lovely community and lives in high esteem, and is now finally remarried. It serves as a very solid ending to the whole series.

And maybe it should be.

[Corliss O'Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think he went a little heavy on the gombeens, eejits, and craic at the beginning. Book just seemed to peter out at the end

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Not the best in this series.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie Harris and his bride, Helen Louise, are finally married and off on their honeymoon. They head to Ireland where Helen’s family runs a bed and breakfast. She is thrilled to show off her family home to Charlie (and his Maine Coon Diesel, of course) as well as spend some time with her extended family members.

Things take a shocking turn when they drive up to the castle and are greeted with a dead body falling from the roof. The dead man is the patriarch of the family, Baron Finn O’Brady. He was Helen’s uncle and beloved by all. Or so they thought. There’s even a ghostly cat who shows up every now and then.

Charlie and Helen are determined to find out who the killer is before someone else is hurt or worse. They ask quite a few questions and begin receiving threats of their own. Even Diesel is at risk. They must find the killer before the killer finds them.

This is the 17th book in the series, and I enjoyed it. I haven’t read all the previous books yet, but I’ve read most of them. This one is a bit different as it takes Charlie out of his hometown and puts him in a new location. Plus, there’s a ghost cat involved.

It’s an intriguing storyline and a chance to learn more about Helen and her family. It’s fun to watch Charlie and Helen team up to do some sleuthing.

There were many potential suspects. I wasn’t too surprised at how it turned out, but I found the investigation intriguing. I was anxious to find out the reasoning behind the crime.

Overall, another good mystery from Miranda James. I did miss having Charlie at home surrounded by his family and friends, but he had his feline buddy, Diesel, and his bride, Helen, with him.

As always, I’m looking forward to my next visit with Charlie and Diesel.








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.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very first book in the Cat in the Stacks series, Murder Past Due, I’ve been here for Diesel, the very large and very sweet Maine Coon cat who owns the series’ amateur detective protagonist, librarian Charlie Harris. This SEVENTEENTH entry in the series is no exception.

But this entry takes Diesel, Charlie, and Charlie’s new wife Helen Louise Brady far from their usual stomping grounds in tiny Athena Mississippi to Helen Louise’s rather expansive childhood second home in Ireland.

At the end of the previous story, Requiem for a Mouse, Charlie and Helen Louise finally managed to get themselves to the altar after a several books – and years – long courtship. This trip to Ireland was intended to be a honeymoon – and a chance for Charlie to meet some of his old friend/new wife’s extended family.

The visit goes splat from the off. Literally, as the body of Helen Louise’s beloved Great-Uncle Finn crashes to the ground right in front of their car as they are pulling up the long drive to Helen Louise’s childhood home-away-from-home, her family’s ancestral Castle O’Brady, of which dear old Finn was Baron O’Brady – right up until he went splat.

Which puts Charlie right into his familiar shoes – even if they are brogues this time around – as an amateur detective. He overhears one disgruntled family member describe him as a nosy parker, but if the shoe fits… At least this time around Charlie will be poking his nose in where it may or may not belong at the request of his recently acquired family and the even more recently ennobled new Baron O’Brady.

Helen Louise’s cousin Lorcan needs someone to figure out who pushed his 100-year-old granddad off the castle roof, and he hopes that his new cousin-by-marriage will find the answer before it tears his whole family apart.

Charlie will find the answer – he always does – but the tearing apart is bound to happen anyway. No one’s secrets EVER survive a murder investigation – not even an amateur one.

Escape Rating B: In spite of the terrible circumstances, I couldn’t help but envy Charlie and Helen Louise a bit for taking Diesel with them on what should have been a glorious trip. We ALWAYS miss the cats something terrible when we travel, but the idea of taking Diesel along – as much as I adored the concept – did strain credulity just a bit.

That Diesel was so beautifully behaved on their trip read as a bit more unreal than the delightful ghost cat, Fergal, who haunted Castle O’Brady and showed up to commune regularly with his living counterpart.

In spite of the presence of Diesel the international traveler, this story does take Charlie Harris very much out of his comfortable home ground, giving the series as well as its amateur sleuth a chance to stretch their wings rather a lot.

The case is as twisted as any that Charlie has ever faced, as the victim and all the suspects are connected to his new wife’s family. He may not yet know all the players, but he’s aware from the beginning that no matter who turns out to be guilty, Helen Louise is going to be heartbroken over every stone he overturns in the case.

That Diesel comes under threat – even more so than his people – adds a frisson of dread to what is otherwise a cozy – if deadly – mystery.

But the heart of this mystery, just like the mysteries that Charlie can’t resist solving back home in Athena, is wrapped up in the relationships among the people who live and/or work in and around the Castle, many of whom are Helen Louise’s family and friends.

Baron O’Brady is dead. He died on his one hundredth birthday, so he had plenty of time in which to amass both friends and enemies. Everyone says they loved the old man, but no one is universally loved no matter how good they are. Either he stood in someone’s way, or he made someone angry enough to murder him. Or both.

But the setting for the murder is even more intimate than Charlie’s usual stomping grounds. Everyone knows everyone, everyone seems to tolerate or forgive everyone’s foibles, and everyone protects each other – often without meaning to. He’ll have to take the place – and its people – apart in order to put all the clues together.

There were parts of this story I absolutely loved. It’s ALWAYS great to see Diesel again, while Fergal the ghost cat was a very nice addition. I did find Diesel’s behavior in this circumstances to be a bit too good to be true, but I was still happy to see him.

The travel parts of the story were lovely, and brought back fond memories of my own trip just a few years ago even as it gave me a list of more places to see if we ever get back.

I was completely caught up in the mystery and the ties that bind and strangle – in some cases literally – among the people at Castle O’Brady. But I found the ending a kind of muted, a bit sad, and not nearly as cathartic a wrap up as I expected.

So many of those involved in the murder seem to have died ‘offstage’. We do know how it ends, but we don’t see it ending nearly as much as I had hoped for. I like a good gathering of the suspects and arrest of the killers but this story didn’t work out that way. But I did come into this hoping for a comfort read and I absolutely did get one!

Summing things up, I loved catching up with Diesel. I wouldn’t mind seeing Fergal again. But I’m looking forward to Charlie’s next adventure, back home in Athena where he – along with Helen Louise and especially Diesel – belong.

Originally published at Reading Reality

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #BerkleyPublishing #MirandaJames #SomethingWhiskered #Mystery #Cozy #BookReview #Fiction #Cats

Title: Something Whiskered
Author: Miranda James
Format: eBook
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Publication Date: July 29, 2025
Themes: Mystery, murder, family, small town, whodunit
Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, dead body, witnessing a death by falling from a great heighth, nationalism, ghosts/paranormal

What a delightful story. Apparently, as I read the reviews from other readers, this book is one in a series. If you’re like me and this is the first you’ve read, you’ll be happy to know that this book does just fine as a standalone! The only side effect is that now I really want to go check out the other books. This installment sees Charlie Harris and his new wife, Helen Louise along with Diesel the cat going on a long honeymoon to Ireland. Helen Louise is excited for Charlie to meet her extended family with whom she summered as a child. As they’re arriving however, they’re horrified to see a body slam into the ground right in front of their car. Helen Louise is devastated to find that it’s the body of her beloved cousin, Baron Finn O’Brady, who is supposed to be celebrating his 100th birthday. This is why Helen Louise and Charlie chose to visit at this time. Baron O’Brady’s son, Lorcan, becomes the new baron. Was he so power hungry that he was willing to murder his own father? Why are Helen Louise and Charlie finding threatening messages on their bathroom mirror? Who is Diesel playing with that only he can see?

This was a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. I enjoyed meeting Charlie and Diesel and their family. Diesel was a delightful addition to the story, as animals always are. I was charmed by his personality and his willingness to participate in whatever his humans are doing. He added a delightful reason to care about these characters. The reader is enveloped into the family and gets to enjoy becoming an “amateur detective” alongside Charlie and Diesel. I really, really loved the ghost cat. The scenes with Fergal and Diesel were so much fun and so adorable. This is the very definition of a cozy mystery.

This author has a real knack for imagery. I’ve never been to the “Emerald Isle” but I had no trouble picturing the setting and being charmed by it. This imagery, coupled with the characters, demonstrates why stories like this, which are full of murder and other nefarious acts, can be described as cozy. The combination of delicious fear along with warm comfort makes this a literary cup of tomato soup.

I did notice a few unanswered questions and plot holes by the end of the story. This led to a fairly disappointing ending. I felt that the narrative just stopped and left me with some questions. No spoilers here as I feel each reader should formulate his or her own opinion.
All in all, this installment is a very pleasant, comfortable read. Even with the ending not being what I would have chosen, the journey there was light-hearted and cozy mystery. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

[Becky Burciaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something Whiskered, the seventeenth book in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery series by Miranda James, delivers another charming and suspenseful installment of this beloved series. Readers are whisked away to the misty, intrigue-laden hills of Ireland, where librarian-sleuth Charlie Harris and his new wife, Helen Louise Brady—along with their ever-curious Maine Coon cat, Diesel—find their honeymoon interrupted by murder and mayhem at the ancestral O’Brady castle. There, they encounter an unexpected ghost (of the four-legged variety) and, of course, a dead baron (as is often the case where Charlie and Diesel are concerned).

The Irish setting—a whimsical twist—is a refreshing change of pace for the series, with Ms. James painting a vivid picture of County Clare’s rugged beauty and the storied history of Castle O’Brady. The castle itself, run as a bed-and-breakfast by Helen Louise’s cousin, is both cozy and gothic—a perfect backdrop for a classic whodunit. The author’s attention to detail immerses readers in the local culture, from the warmth of family gatherings to the mysteries lurking in shadowy corridors.

The plot kicks off with the fall of the centenarian Baron O’Brady, who plummets to his death from the castle’s roof. Was it an accident, or something more sinister? A web of motives and suspects is deftly woven in, keeping readers guessing as Charlie and Helen Louise dig into the O’Brady family’s secrets. The stakes are heightened by the presence of a ghostly feline, whose spectral appearances add a delightful supernatural twist to the investigation.

Charlie and Helen Louise’s dynamic is as endearing as ever, their partnership strengthened by both romance and mutual respect. Diesel remains the heart of the series—his keen instincts and comforting presence providing both clues and comic relief. The supporting cast, especially the O’Brady family, is well-drawn, with enough quirks and hidden agendas to keep readers completely engaged.

Miranda James balances suspense and warmth with her signature style. The mystery is satisfyingly complex, but never loses the cozy charm that this author is so adored for. Themes of family, legacy, and belonging run through the narrative, giving the story emotional depth without sacrificing its lighthearted tone.

A Dead Baron, an Irish Castle, and an Unexpected Ghost is a delightful addition to the Cat in the Stacks series—perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, armchair travel, and clever cats. Miranda James once again proves why she’s a master of the genre, delivering a tale that’s equal parts puzzling, heartwarming, and utterly entertaining.

This ARC was provided complimentary by the publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie Harris and his wife Helen Louise Brady are enjoying their honeymoon in Ireland. After several days in Dublin, they head to County Clare, where Helen Louise has family. Her cousins run a bed-and-breakfast at Castle O’Brady where they can stay, even with their beloved cat Diesel, who was allowed to make the trip with them. But as they’re pulling up to the house, a body falls from the top of the castle. Helen Louise stops the car and gets out to see it’s her 100-year-old Uncle Finn.

As Charlie meets the cousins and staff at the castle, Helen Louise is heartbroken at the death of her uncle. And as Charlie has some experience with investigating, the family asks him to look into the death. Was it murder? Was it an accident? How did Finn get up to the roof in the first place? It was well known that he was a man who didn’t lie heights.

Helen Louise’s cousin Lorcan is set to become the new Baron and take over the estate, so of course Charlie has to consider that as a motive. But Lorcan was already running the estate and was in line to inherit, so unless there is some reason to speed up the process, Lorcan doesn’t have a reason to kill Finn. And Charlie can’t see a reason for that. So that means he has to consider everyone else in the castle at the time of their appearance.

When a threat shows up on their bathroom mirror, Charlie and Helen Louise have to decide whether or not to keep investigating. But then help shows up in the form of a ghost. A ghost cat, to be exact. Fergal appears to Charlie and offers up purrs of encouragement before disappearing again. But when another body is discovered, will ghost purrs be enough to help Charlie put the pieces together? Or will Charlie, Helen Louise, and Diesel have to head back home with no answers?

Something Whiskered is book 17 in Miranda James’s charming Cat in the Stacks Mysteries. I loved the Irish setting for this one, but it was challenging to keep track of all the new characters and how they fit together. I enjoyed watching Charlie piece everything together, but the ending was a little disappointing. Everything got wrapped up, but the way they did it wasn’t as satisfying as many of these mysteries have been. I did love Fergal. I thought the addition of a ghost cat was a lot of fun, and I found his purrs just as comforting as Charlie did. Something Whiskered is an interesting trip to Ireland, but after this trip, I’m not sure I’ll want to travel there with Charlie, Helen Louise, and Diesel again.

Egalleys for Something Whiskered were provided by Berkley through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

[L.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie and Helen Louise are on their honeymoon in Ireland and visiting the castle belonging to Helen Louise's cousin, Finn, the Baron O'Brady, for his 100th birthday. Upon their arrival they're horrified to see the elderly man tumble from the roof and plummet to his death on the drive right in front of them. What was the man, who was terrified of heights, doing on the roof in the first place?

I love a good cozy mystery vacation! Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit, I fell in love with the Emerald Isle reading Maeve Binchy novels in high school. Charlie and Helen Louise see it all, sightseeing in Dublin before moving on to County Clare where they spend time in a drafty old castle with a library filled with first editions and walking the ancient Cliffs of Moher. But most exciting of all is the murder they investigate at the request of Finn's grandson, the new Baron O'Brady, Lorcan.

There were lots of interesting characters and they all seem to have plenty of deep, dark secrets, but which one of them hated the old man enough to want to see the end of him? Was it someone trying to keep their dirty deeds from becoming common knowledge? Someone bearing an old grudge? Or someone who wanted their share of the estate and didn't want to wait for the Baron to die of natural causes?

One thing that I was very disappointed with in this book was that they brought Diesel with them. To Ireland. Having a relative who was recently responsible for the moving of animals from the US to other countries, I have a decent idea of what it would take to deliver a cat from the US to Ireland and only a crazy person would go through that kind of paperwork and expense to bring a pet for a three week vacation. It was getting a bit much how Charlie was taking Diesel with him to places a person should not take a pet cat, but this was way over the top.

As with a lot of the books in this series, the story ends abruptly and in a very anti-climactic way. While I do respect the author's desire to not give a tropey action-packed villain reveal... I love the tropey action-packed villain reveal and frankly anything else leaves me feeling disappointed.

Overall, I enjoy this series and this was a good book but I think the series would be very much improved by Charlie cutting the cord and leaving Diesel at home when appropriate and by Charlie getting himself into a scrape or two now and then.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something Whiskered by Miranda James is the latest entry in the Cat in the Stacks series. This one shows that Charlie and Diesel don’t have to be in Mississippi for a mystery to follow them.

Charlie and Helen Louise are finally married. As part of their honeymoon, they decide to visit her Uncle Finn O’Brady’s picturesque estate in Ireland. They arrive, along with our favorite Maine Coon, Diesel, on the estate but before they have even gotten out of the car, tragedy happens as her Uncle Finn’s body seemingly falls from the sky right in front of their vehicle. What ensues is a whodunnit surrounding Helen Louise’s extended family and those who work for them.

One of the strengths of this installment is that it draws the reader more into Helen Louise’s history and her enjoyment of her childhood summers in Ireland with her family. By giving this depth, it helps the reader to feel the weight of the tragedy and the relevance of their subsequent involvement. The estate and the lands surrounding it, as well as Ireland itself, were painted in words that made me feel the cold breeze as they walked in the estate’s garden to a folly and pond nearby (finding yet another horrible discovery).

However, there were a few elements that didn’t work well for me. In keeping with the old Irish castle stereotypes, the author introduced a few rumors of hauntings at the estate. This paranormal allusion had not been used in previous books, and it felt out of place, even though the ‘ghost’ was endearing. What bothered me more was that although the mystery was not solved until the very end, it felt anticlimactic. There wasn’t any grand confrontation or “aha!” moment, and it left me feeling disappointed.

Overall, though, Something Whiskered is a pleasant read, especially for fans of the series, offering the cozy mystery her readers have come to expect. While it may not be the strongest mystery in the series, it still delivers an enjoyable visit with Charlie and Diesel in a setting that feels both new and familiar.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, the author, Miranda James, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Marilyn Fontane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something Whiskered by Miranda James , the seventeenth book in the Charlie Harris--Diesel series was not my favorite book in the series. Charlie and his new wife, Helen Louise, travel to Ireland for their honeymoon and for Charlie to meet some of his new relatives. Many series send their primary characters off on a vacation of sorts to put them in new surroundings with new characters once and awhile. There is no reason not to, but...sending a cat (granted the most loveable character in the series) to Ireland with them for a few weeks is a bit more unrealistic than adding Fergal, the ghost cat, (this is not a series with usual paranormal activities) to the list of characters. Yes, the threats to Diesel are more serious than to a human, but really....
And even with that, the language of the story is far more stiff and just plain unrealistic than in the other James books. I even wondered (and still do) if James had "help" finishing the story. For example, the castle is also a bed and breakfast which provides a meal with two vegetables for guests (which are not in residence now, but Charlie and Helen Louise are staying in their place). On page 146 (Hardcover edition) Charlie comments on the perfect roast chicken and says the two veg were delicious. Would anyone say that? Both the broccoli and asparagus were delicious is fine, but in a cozy (which often spends time on food and drink) to talk about "two veg" just seems terribly artificial and stilted. I could give other examples, but my comment is not about James' use of English. On the contrary I am contrasting it, not to other authors, but to James' previous 16 volumes (which yes, I have read). The language here seems slower and less natural.
The plot is interesting, and James has done a lovely job of creating new characters. Oh, yes, I miss the old ones, but to create a story with almost all new characters would be very difficult. And perhaps that is why having Charlie's language appear stilted is particularly strange to me. oh well, it is a fun read, and presumably the three will be back in Mississippi with their old friends next time.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something Whiskered by Miranda James is a delightful tale. I enjoyed Helen Louise, Charlie, and Diesel’s adventures in Ireland. Their honeymoon got off to a soaring start. The vivid descriptions of the castle and grounds allowed me to envision them. I agreed with Charlie about the library. It is a place where I would happily spend weeks in exploring and reading. I was happy that the honeymooners took Diesel with them. I love how he chimes in on conversations (getting his two cents in) and gives comfort to those who are distressed. Diesel is also a good judge of characters. The mystery began right away. The way the body was discovered was certainly unique as was the manner of death. I liked that Charlie and Helen Louise worked together to solve the crime. Helen Louise knew the people involved, which was helpful. At the end of the book, I was left with a couple of unanswered questions. It was nice to meet Helen Louise’s Irish relatives. There were some colorful characters working and residing on the estate. I also enjoyed the Irish slang and phrases. Something Whiskered is the seventeenth A Cat in the Stacks Mystery. While fans of the series will enjoy this installment, I recommend newcomers start with a different book. I enjoyed the departure from Charlie’s normal locale, but I did miss the regular cast of characters. Something Whiskered is a máirt tale with a charming moggy, lipstick threats, an ancient elevator, drunken rants, car troubles, and a happy honeymoon.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is number 17 in the Cat in the Stacks cozy mystery series. If you've not read any, start at the beginning! The series is about a widowed, semi-retired librarian at a college in Alabama who has a giant (even for the breed) Maine Coon cat who never misbehaves and "talks" to him. He stumbles upon murders all the time and ends up solving most of them. Like you do.

Anyone been reading these? I'm sure they've said before and I just forgot, but Charlie is only 55 years old in this one. Really? He acts like such an older man! I would have guessed at least 70! And why did I think Helen Louise was black? 🤷‍♀️ Anyway, in this one, Charlie and Helen Louise are on their honeymoon, staying with HL's uncle, a baron, at his castle in Ireland for several weeks. Of course, they brought Diesel. But when they drive up to the castle, the Baron's body falls from the room onto the ground in front of their car. No, really.

Overall, the story was fine. Charlie and HL didn't seem all that lovey-dovey for it being their honeymoon. I mean, I don't expect (or want) sex on the page here, but it was only very vaguely alluded to once. Also, *****SPOILER ALERT****** Charlie doesn't actually solve this mystery. He asks questions, but it didn't feel like anything he did made any kind of difference.

Release Date: 7/29/2025

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐨.

In this 17th installment of the long-running Cat in the Stacks cozy series, Charlie Harris and his wife Helen Louise have arrived in Ireland for their honeymoon. After a few uneventful days in Dublin, they head to County Clare to visit Helen Louise's extended family, who run a bed and breakfast at the family castle. But when the couple drive up, a body falls from the roof. Sadly, it's Helen Louise's 100-year old great uncle, who fell from the castle parapet just moments before the couple drove up. What would an elderly man be doing on the roof, especially one who was afraid of heights?

This installment was different for several reasons. First, I really enjoyed the change in setting. The lush descriptions of the Irish countryside were beautiful and easy to envision. It's going to take some time to acclimate to Helen Louise being more than just a side character, but I do like her no-nonsense approach. However, the biggest difference I saw in this one was that Charlie was not as instrumental in solving the crime as he usually is.

A solid addition to this charming series. Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the early copy. Look for this one on July 29, 2025.