Claws and Clues: Family Secrets and Feline Mysteries in Willow Creek

by Victor Dain

A dazzling wedding. A vanished heirloom. A tangled web of suspects.

When an irreplaceable family heirloom disappears during a lavish destination wedding in the scenic countryside near Willow Creek, Gwen Mulligan, beloved cafe owner and amateur sleuth, can’t resist the call of another puzzling mystery. But this time, the stakes are higher — her best friend, Helen, is tangled in the drama, and her legendary matchmaking skills might have caused more chaos than romance.

Teaming up with Alex Carter, a charming pet sitter and bookshop owner with a sharp eye for details, Gwen dives headfirst into a whirlwind of secrets, scandals, and quirky suspects. With Mister Whiskers, her mischievous feline sidekick, prowling for clues, Gwen must untangle a web of lies before family ties unravel and the wedding turns into an unforgettable disaster.

Can Gwen solve the mystery in time to save the celebration, or will this be one case too tricky to crack?

Perfect for fans of clean, witty cozy mysteries with a dash of humor, charming small-town vibes, and lovable animal companions. Grab your copy of Claws and Clues today and dive into a delightful adventure!

206 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2025

About the author

Victor Dain writes charming, twist-filled cozy mysteries packed with small-town secrets, witty sleuths, and mischievous pets. If you love heartwarming whodunits with plenty of intrigue, you’re in the right place!

Reviews

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mystery to be Solved . . .

Victoria Banks is getting married to Daniel Whitman, but the highlight, according to Helen, is that her grandmother’s “cursed” sapphire necklace is going to be on display! And Gwen is pretty sure Victoria’s family is hiding something. The gossip, according to Helen, is that the necklace was supposed to go to Victoria’s cousin, but suddenly the Will ‘mysteriously’ changed and the cousin vanished! Now Victoria is wearing the necklace as if it were a trophy!

So when Gwen Mulligan (cafe owner), Helen Turner (her best friend) and Alex Carter (bookstore owner) travel to the destination wedding, Helen proves to be right when that precious heirloom goes missing. The chase is on to find it as Gwen's cat Mister Whiskers responds to the challenge. But tracking it seems odd when they find unusual objects other than the necklace they are searching for. Secrets and lies make things even more difficult for them. Can Gwen find an answer to the mystery in time to prevent the wedding from turning into a disaster? They’re close to a solution, but it seems someone else was involved… and Mister Whiskers, perched near an old bookshelf, knocks a dusty ledger onto the floor. Is that where they will find who the real thief is? Are they ready to confront him? Or will the mystery take another twist and go off in another direction? Is there still more they haven’t found out?

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gwen, Helen and Alex are at the very fancy wedding of Victoria Banks who is getting married to Daniel Whitman. On display at the wedding is a family heirloom; a Sapphire necklace, said to carry a curse. To Gwen, things didn't seem quite right from the beginning. There seems to be some secrets hovering over the with Victoria's family. But when the necklace goes missing, Gwen, Helen and Alex are on the case and of course, Mr. Whiskers who already is sussing out clues. Can they find the missing necklace and figure out what's going on before the wedding turns into a disaster? This is a fun, fast paced book with great characters that keep you totally entertained to the very end. I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Margery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fancy wedding that Gwen, Helen and Alex travel to to celebrate. The night before is the reveal of a family heirloom. A sapphire and diamond necklace that is rumored to carry bad omens.Well during the reception, the necklace vanishes from it's display case. No one has a clue what happened, but Gwen's cat Wiskers seems to be on the job. Hisses, clawing, yowels and raised hackles takes the group on a hunt. Each thing they find is a trinket or a letter or a picture, but no necklace. Will they ever get to the bottom of a family secret that has been around for generations? They will have to follow the cat!

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read. A little chaotic and sometimes difficult to determine who was the good guys and how everyone was related and interacting. Mr. Whiskers, the cat who appeared to know what was going on might have been the best character in this book! Gwen, Helen and Alex are quite the team and along with Mr Whiskers manage to figure out what is going on and where the missing necklace is. As this is Book 3 in the series, I need to go back and read the first 2 to see where this all began. Though it is still a good read even without starting at Book 1.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually the first installment of Gwen, Alex, and Mr. whiskers the cat. This cat is the best at finding the next clues to solve the mysteries that they are working on, without him it would take a lot longer. He's a great character! Good quick read that makes think about who you think is the bad guy.
I received an Arc an this is my review.

[Dianne Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heirloom secrets.

An entertaining cozy mystery with a disappearing heirloom amidst family squabbles. As Gwen, Alex and Helen pursue an investigation, questions about the rightful owner of the heirloom continue to emerge. An interesting story that I enjoyed reading.

I read this book as part of an advance reader team. I am voluntarily writing this review.

[BeBop19 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mysterious and clever

I enjoyed this book it was a cute silly story that brightened my day. I laughed and was on the edge of my seat to figure it all out.