Fat Cat Takes the Cake

A Fat Cat Mystery #3

by Janet Cantrell

Quincy the butterscotch tabby has a talent for sniffing out sweets—and uncovering crimes—in this Fat Cat mystery from the national bestselling author of Fat Cat Spreads Out.

When former classmate Rich “Dickie” Byrd throws a high school reunion to gather support for his mayoral campaign, it drums up some not so sweet memories for dessert shop proprietor Chase Oliver and her friend Julie Larson. Julie would rather not reconnect with Ron North, the creepy kid who had a crush on her back in the day. His social graces haven’t exactly improved with age, but is he creepy enough to kill?

The next day, Chase is in the park testing a new cat harness for Quincy—who quickly proves he cannot be leashed. But when his escape leads Chase to Ron’s body, the police wonder who else got away. Now, with Julie suspected, Chase must prove her innocence before the real killer plans another fatal reunion.

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

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 5, 2016

About the author

Janet Cantrell is a pen name for Kaye George, Agatha nominated novelist and short story writer. She belongs to Sisters in Crime, Guppies, and Austin Mystery Writers. Her national bestselling cozy Fat Cat mystery series features Quincy, a pudgy, adorable cat who is an accomplished escape artist. Especially when he’s on a diet and hungry. Leave it to Quincy to lead his human, Chase, co-owner of a Minneapolis dessert bar shop, into trouble. Janet lives in Knoxville TN with her husband. Her recently departed feline, Agamemnon, is a source for some of Quincy’s antics. Visit http://janetcantrell.com/ for more details.

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable cozy mystery. Great characters; however, I disliked the way the protagonist went back and forth between two men. I don’t like love triangles. Cute cat character. Great mystery.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chase Oliver, co-owner of the dessert shop Bar None, is busy this Christmas. Her partner, Anna, is getting married and Chase is one of the bridemaids. Not to mention that it’s the busiest time of year for their shop and a former high school classmate is throwing a fourteen year reunion. Chase and her best friend, Julie, can’t figure out why he doesn’t wait another year and have a fifteen year reunion, but they figure it has something to do with his running for a political office. To add to Chase’s list of tasks, she’s trying to train her lovable cat, Quincy, to take walks using his harness.

The reunion turns out to be a disaster when a classmate who used to stalk Julie attends and starts stalking again. Not only does he stalk Julie, but he antagonizes everyone at the reunion. Ron North has definitely not improved with age, he may even have become a bit creepier.

The next day Chase walks Quincy wearing his new harness, but the cat outsmarts her. He figures out a way to get himself out of the nasty harness and go in his own direction. Unfortunately, his own direction leads to a dead body. A very dead body by the name of Ron North.

All of the evidence is pointing right to Julie. Chase can’t sit quietly by as her friend goes off to jail. Instead, she launches her own investigation to get to the bottom of this.

One of my favorite literary felines is back in action. The handsome butterscotch tabby, Quincy, is as cute as ever. I just want to cuddle him. The author has a flair for letting the reader know what the cat is thinking without it being overbearing and without the cat actually speaking to the humans. Quincy’s thoughts are exactly what I would have thought a cat would think.

Janet Cantrell’s series gets better with each book. I’ve grown to love Chase more all the time. It goes without saying that Quincy won me over with book #1, but he continues to hold onto my heart. With his human, I needed more time to warm up to her and I did. Not only has Chase become more rounded as a character, but so has the secondary characters like Julie and Anna.

There is some romance, but the mystery far exceeds the romance which is good. Although, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Chase’s romantic interest – the local vet. Definitely more Quincy too - always more Quincy. LOL

The story is fast-paced. I thought I figured it all out towards the end of the book, but I was totally taken by surprise where the mystery eventually went and it was a welcome surprise. I like being fooled in my books :)

This series is so clever, witty and downright fun. I’m always anxiously awaiting the next one. I’m really hoping this wonderful series will keep on going…Quincy has so much still to do.



FTC Disclosure: The publisher and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming cat cozy about Quincy, an overweight marmalade cat and her human, Chase who is a co-owner of a breastfast bar bakery with Anna. Quincy is now giving us his point of view of what is happening. He must be bored shut up in the office all day, no wonder he gets into mischief. I like the inclusion of how to leashed train a cat.
I downgraded the book as there are so many subplots most of them not necessary. We had, high school reunion, senior fraud, stalking, baking contest, political rallies, snow storm, romance and, of course, a murder. The author did not leave any loss ends, but they were not joined together into one story. The stalker is found murder after the reunion. He had been stalking Chase's BFR Julie who is arrested for the murder. Quincy and Chase work together to clear her name. If you like a book with plenty of action this book is for you.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions are my own.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time Chase, Dr. Ramos and Quincy are out for a walk. Quincy is able to get out of his harness and goes in search of food, he find some nuts in the pocket of a corpse!

OH NO! Can't Quince ever go outside without finding a body?

This story had more twists and turns than the others.

[Randee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series, but there wasn't very much of Quincy (the fat cat) in this one. On the plus side, there was an essay at the end of the story on how to acclimate a cat to walking on a leash. I found it interesting, but I can't see any of my 3 indoor cats having the patience with me to fumble through training.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first two books in the Fat Cat Mystery series by Janet Cantrell I was eager to read the third installment in the series. Quincy, the tabby cat in this series, is known for walking off, exploring, and discovering a mystery in the making, specifically dead bodies. Quincy also shares his thoughts in a sometimes first person, sometimes third person narrations in italics. If you are like me and love animals, perhaps sometimes thinking about what they say, then you’ll love to read Quincy’s thoughts and actions.
The book opens with Chase Oliver, co-owner of the Bar None dessert bar shop and owner of Quincy, being invited to her high school reunion. The reunion, held at a non-traditional year after graduation, is hosted by Richard “Dickie” Byrd and is an event to gather support for his run for mayor. At this event, Chase and her friend Julie meet old friends, classmates, and faculty. The next day Quincy and Chase, out on a walk, discover one of Chase’s old classmates dead. Throughout Chase’s search for the killer she also reconnects with Eddie Heath, an old classmate and crush, and she has a moral conflict in terms of her spending time with Eddie and how it will affect things with her veterinarian love interest Dr. Michael Ramos. At the same time as Chase is being a sleuth to try to keep her friend Julie off the suspect list, Anna, the other co-owner of Bar None is competing in a baking competition and planning her wedding.
Fat Cat Takes the Cake is a fun continuation of this series. Janet Cantrell gives enough backstory that you can jump right in to the series and understand who the characters are. I really enjoy the unique setting of the book, Dinkytown, a college town in Minneapolis. I think this provides a great place for future mysteries and lots of fun characters that come in to Bar None. Janet Cantrell features a recipe at the end of the book of a new Bar that Chase and Anna are currently featuring in their shop. I found this third book to be is easier to follow, the plot on the previous two books were a little difficult to follow. If you found this to be an issue I would recommend giving Fat Cat Takes the Cake a shot and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Cantrell also sets up this mystery with an interesting back story that even if you are not a fan of cats, like Quincy (but how could you not be), you’ll be drawn in to the other characters, plot, and the character’s personal lives which are interesting sub plots.

[Sheryl Hagan-The Book Conservatory · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix a baking contest between two competing bakeries, a high school reunion and a realty scam? A dead body of course!

What a ride Janet Cantrell took me on along with Chase Oliver, Quincy the cat and crew as they try to figure out who killed a classmate the night of the high school reunion and clear the name of one of their close friends in the process of not only murder but being involved in a realty scam to buy out the neighborhood. Honestly though, they are the perfect suspect. Janet sets several traps throughout the book, leading the reader in directions of several possible killers but in the end, I did not see THIS person being the murderer! I really thought I had this one figured out.
I liked that the high school reunion was the center point of the whole dramatic conflict. When is there not drama at a reunion of some sort? We have all of our players in one place and so many reasons why each person would want this person dead. Chase is a great amateur detective the way she goes about decoding the evidence. I enjoyed trying to decode it along with her. Again, Janet uses this as a way to confuse the reader and send them off looking for a different suspect than who is finally named in the end. Sneaky.

I really liked the writing element of understanding what Quincy knows, giving us a bit more insight into the case than the characters. I would have liked to have seen this used more however. It’s clever. Quincy is just a regular cat and I love seeing the world from a perspective I am not used to. He just kind of stumbles upon some of the most important elements the characters could use to solve the case. More Quincy-Wincey please!
Great book, characters and recipe. I can’t wait to see the next installment!

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quincy one of my favorite cozy cats! I love the setting - a bustling dessert bar shop in Minnesota. And Quincy does his part this time by finding the dead body of one of Chase's high school classmates who irritated almost the entire class at the previous night's class reunion. What else could she expect when trying to leash train the delightfully plump puss?
The characters are a blast! These are ladies that I would enjoy knowing - Chase, best friend Julie, and Julie's grandmother Anna.
The plot is excellent, with more going on behind the scenes than the murder. I very much enjoy learning about challenges within communities and how they affect residents. And appreciated this mystery that I couldn't solve.
I highly recommend this novel to cat lovers, cozy mystery lovers, and those who have read earlier books in the series. Can't wait to see the next in series!

[Christine Martin-resotko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to get Fat Cat Takes the Cake free from the author for a fair and honest review. This is the first book I have read by Janet Cantrell. The main character, Chase Oliver, and her cat, Quincy are fun and engaging. I like how she inserts Quincy's perspective. It isn't jarring or distracting, like I've seen in other books. The supporting cast is great also. They all have different personalities that mesh well together. The plot was solid. I switched my guess for who did it several times until the last third of the book. The book was fun enough that I'm planning on going back to read the first two books in the series. All in all, a good, solid cozy. One warning though, all those dessert bar descriptions will make you hungry all throughout the read. Just warning you.

[AngryGreyCat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third outing in the A Fat Cat Mystery series. The series is based around dessert shop co-owner, Chase, her partner Anna and her childhood best friend, Julie. In this episode, we have a baking competition, a shady real estate deal, a woman in a coma and of course murder. Chase becomes entangled in the murder when Quincy (fat cat) finds a body with some evidence that implicates Julie. The mystery is well plotted and has lots of interesting side plots. Everything comes together to a satisfying conclusion by the end of the book. A fun quick cozy read.

[Terrie Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun!! Fat Cat and a high school reunion. What more could you ask?

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like cozies, especially the ones with cats, but ooof. The writing in this one is bad. The dialogue is laughable. The murderer sounds more like a mustache-twirling cartoon villain than an actual person. And if you have to make your main character incredibly stupid to draw out the suspense, you're not good at writing suspense. She's stupid in other ways too, but she leaps to ridiculous conclusions just to prolong things and make sure she's put in danger. It's incredibly obvious to the reader who the killer is and it's just annoying and unrealistic that she doesn't see it. There are also weird, random interludes from the POV of the cat that add absolutely nothing to the story. I really only gave this two stars because the cat's name is Quincy and I have fond memories of a sweet cat named Quincy (who was also a little pudgy, as this Quincy is -- sorry Dave!).

[Isa Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Fat Cat Takes the Cake and thought it was a charming third book in the series. Chase (and Julie) are invited to their fourteen year high school reunion and wouldn't you know it, the following day darling Quincy finds a body of their former classmate, with evidence that pins the crime on Julie. As she rushes to solve the murder before her best friend is charged she has to deal with an old flame and new drama. I felt rather proud of myself for figuring out the murderer this go around. And I'm very much looking forward to putting the harness training instructions to use for my own cat.

[Kelcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - rounding up. Quincy is my spirit animal....I only wished he was in the book more!
Chase and her friends are pretty likable. Their sleuthing is believable and they dont do too many far-fetched things to get info like some mains do in cozies. The mystery itself was just OK. Nothing too intense. The list of suspects was pretty short as well. The actual plot fell quite flat for me. Also, can Chase plz get some new love interests? Eddie was annoying and pushy AF and Mike is awk.
Even though the mystery wasnt too intricate, the read was still enjoyable.

[Jill Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars. I had never read any books in this series and with this being the third book I was wondering if I would be able to catch up with the characters from the previous book, but I had no problems what so ever. This was such a fun, easy, and enjoyable read. I will go back and read the other two books in the series just because I liked this one and found it so entertaining.

Chase Oliver is co-owner of a cute little dessert shop called, Bar None with Anna Larson, and the shoppe’s resident, Quincy, who is supposed to be on a diet, orders from his vet. Julie, Chase’s best friend from high school, receive an email from an old high school chum, inviting them to a reunion in their old high school gym. They can’t figure out why they would be getting an invite to their fourteenth year reunion, from Richard “Dickie” Byrd. Julie and Chase suspect that Dickie is running for Mayor again, and is using this to rally support and votes.

Anna has been invited to the Batter Up Challenge that is hosted every year. She starts working on a recipe so that she can beat Grace Philens (sp), who for the past three years has been invited to the competition and each year gloats about it to Anna that she was invited and Anna wasn’t.
Chase gets an unexpected call from Ron North, a reporter for their local paper who wants to do a story on Chase and her new bakery. Chase isn’t thrilled hearing from Ron, since they went to high school together and he was always stalking Julie.

Julie and Chase goes to the reunion and they see many of the people from their high school class, Mona, a germ-phobic, who is also married to Dickie, Julie’s high school crush Eddie, who only eats healthy, organic foods and juices, their old principle Mr. Snelson, and of course Ron North, who spots Julie and attaches himself to her like a magnet. When he tries to kiss her, Julie’s boyfriend sees this and tells Ron to move along, Ron does so, but not before he takes Julie’s favorite scarf and slips it into his pocket. He leaves his notebook that he uses for his reporting at the punch bowl. Julie finds it at the end of the evening picks it up and asks if it belongs to or know who it belongs to. The next day, Chase is trying out a new harness for Quincy, so they can go on walks to help him lose weight, when Quincy slips out of the harness, runs under a bush, and discovers Ron’s body, dead. He had Julie’s scarf around his neck, and Chase see’s this is not going to look good for Julie. To save her friend, Chase needs to find out who killed Ron, before Julie is charged with murder.
There are plenty of possible suspects, twist and turns, characters are well developed and the story flows nicely. This was such an enjoyable read. I also want to thank Cozy Mystery Review Crew for allowing me to receive a free copy of this book for review.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fat Cat Takes the Cake by Janet Cantrell is the third book in the Fat Cat Mystery series. It is three weeks until Christmas and Anna Larson’s wedding. Anna and Chase Oliver are partners in Bar None (a dessert bar shop) in Minneapolis, MN. They are in the kitchen of the shop when Anna receives an invitation to participate in the Minny Batter Battle. Anna had not received an invitation since its inception. Anna immediately starts thinking about what she will create (and how to beat Grace Pilsen, owner of The Pilsener—a bakery). Chase gets notice that her graduating class from Hammond High School will having a fourteen-year reunion this month (fourteen years and in December). It turns out that Richard (Dickie) Byrd is going to run for mayor and the reunion will be the kickoff to his campaign (and it will not cost him a dime). Chase attends the reunion with her friend, Julie Larson. Unfortunately, Ron North also attends. Ron “stalked” Julie in high school (he is also creepy). Ron has not changed in fourteen years. The next day Chase is out walking Quincy, her butterscotch tabby cat (for exercise since he has been putting on the pounds) when Quincy finds Ron’s body in some bushes (Quincy seems to have a knack for finding bodies). It seems Ron was strangled with the scarf he took from Julie. When Julie ends up accused of the murder, Chase sets out to prove her innocence. Of course, Chase is also a little distracted by Eddie Heath. They dated in high school until Eddie ended up hurting Chase (it was embarrassing). They have reconnected and Chase cannot seem to stay away from him (even though she is dating someone else and they do not have anything in common). Chase had better focus if she wants to clear Julie in time for Anna’s wedding (and Christmas).

The Fat Cat Takes the Cake is told in the first person from Chase’s point-of-view. I enjoyed the tidbits told from Quincy’s view (they were funny). Fat Cat Takes the Cake is an easy to read novel with fun (engaging) characters. The mystery was entertaining, but I thought that the killer was extremely obvious (at least to me). I give The Fat Cat Takes the Cake 4 out of 5 stars. The book can be read alone if you have not enjoyed the previous books in the Fat Cat Mystery series (like me). The ending is just so sweet. There are also some leash training tips for cats at the end of the book as well as a recipe. I look forward to reading the other (and future) books in the Fat Cat Mystery series.

I received a complimentary copy of Fat Cat Takes the Cake from NetGalley (and the kind publisher) in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynn Farris · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Fat Cat Takes the Cake” is the third book in the Fat Cat Series by Janet Cantrell, which is one of my favorite new series. The first Fat Cat book, “Fat Cat at Large,” debuted as a national bestseller and features Chase and Anna who own Bar None, a bakery, and of course Chase’s fat cat, Quincy.



Janet Cantrell is a pseudonym for Kaye George, a critically acclaimed short story writer and novelist.

It is the 14th high school class reunion - an off year, but the former class president, Dickie has arranged it to help shore up his run for mayor. Class reunions are ripe with intriguing characters, but this one may take the cake. There’s a high school principal who dislikes teens. Bart, the former high school wrestling star turned coach appears with some terrifying muscles. There’s Eddie, a health food store owner that dumped Chase a week before prom and now wants to reconnect. Ron, the annoying journalist who had stalked Chase’s friend, Julie, in high school, irritates many of his classmates.

The next day when Chase is walking her cat, Quincy, he slips out and burrows in some bushes and discovers the dead body of Ron. When her friend Julie becomes the suspect, Chase gets involved to help.

The book is full of subplots. Chase’s business partner and Julie’s grandmother is getting married. A baking competition is approaching, and this year Bar None plans to win. There are parents who want to pull the plug on a comatose girl who tried to kill herself and a boyfriend who objects. There is also a scam going on to defraud senior citizens.

To read the rest of the review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/enjoy...

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third installment in the Fat Cat Mystery series by Janet Cantrell.
Chase & Anna co-own a dessert bar store, called "Bar None". Once again, they find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery thanks to Chase's fat but love able marmalade cat, Quincy, & his inability to be kept restrained. He finds another body on one of escape adventures. While Quincy plays his part in these mysteries it isn't overdone or unbelievable. Although I for one, do think I'd have to leave that cat upstairs most days. Maybe I just have a soft spot for orange tabbies because we had one like him for so many years.
This time however, it isn't Chase, but rather her best friend Julie; who also happens to be the granddaughter of Chases's business partner that falls under suspicion. Not one for dropping spoilers, I'll just say this has a cast of unlikeable characters to muck up the happy events, including of course our murder victim.

Maybe it's because it's near Christmas or a planned wedding, but I like this one even better than the first. I had to temporarily skip the second book to get to this one (but that won't be for long). The main characters are well developed after the first book & I had no trouble keeping up.
I'll definitely be reading future installments.

**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & comments included in this review are entirely my own.

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been aware of Janet Cantrell’s Fat Cat Mystery series for some time (and have them loaded on my Kindle) but up until now I haven’t read any of them. I’ve meant to but it’s been the case of too many books and too little time. But when I saw Janet’s third book in her series, FAT CAT TAKES THE CAKE, both the title and the cover made me want to read it NOW! And it proved what I had long suspected…I’ve been missing out on a delightful cozy read!

Even though this is the third book in the Fat Cat Mystery series, it was still easy to read as a stand-alone. The story flowed and I enjoyed getting to know the characters that are close to the protagonist, Chase Oliver. Feisty 72-year-old Anna and her long-time feud with her nemesis, Grace, lends a bit of humor to the story. Of course Quincy, her pudgy butterscotch tabby, steals whatever scene he happens to be in and I loved how we got a paragraph here and there from his point of view. With blackmail, real estate swindles, embezzlement, and the Minny Batter Battle woven throughout this book, I was kept guessing about what was going to happen next and who the culprit was with the clever plots. Janet does a wonderful job tying all the threads together so the story has a cohesive conclusion that I did not see coming! Another bonus with FAT CAT TAKES THE CAKE is the Blueberry Muffin Bars recipe along with tips on how to leash-train your cat. I tried the recipe and it's super yummy!

[Cassi (The Paperback Princess Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you get when you cross an XL marmalade cat, a Bake-off, a Wedding, a 14-year reunion and a baking shop around Christmas?

You get Janey Cantrell's latest in her Fat Cat Mysteries. Featuring everyone's favourite furry sluth and his companion, this books takes on a crazy ride. Chase, Julie, Anna and Quincy are all trying to solve the murder of one of Chase and Julie's former classmates. During the busiest time of year and with other events such as the bake-off that Anna has entered and Anna's up coming nuptials, everyone has their hands full . With the cast of regular characters, as well as the list of secondary characters that Ms. Cantrell writes into this great mystery novel, it will keep you guessing to the very end.

Although this book was a fun and easy read, compared to her first 2 Fat Cake Mysteries, I felt a slight let down. There was such a build up to the bake-off that Anna was entered in, that I felt that the actually portion of the novel about it was way to short. As well as this first point, I also believed that there could have been some greater character development on one or two of the secondary character, but all in all it didn't effect the book in the least.

A full 5 stars for this 3rd book in the Fat Cat Mystery series! Hopefully Chase, Quincy and all the others will be back for another mystery!



**I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read any of the Fat Cat series before, and entering a series midway through can be problematic--but within a few pages I was caught up in a very human, fascinating, and compelling read, peopled with characters that I cared about. Only the victim was obnoxiously unlikeable--and that meant that there were a plethora of potential murderers. It was a compelling read, with real-life complications and a slice of romance, and I kept going wondering what was going to happen next.

Two things gave this book some extra spice, as it were. The first was the setting--a specialty dessert bar store where the descriptions of the products made my mouth water--and fortunately, the recipe for the tastiest sounding one was at the back of the book.

The second was the "Fat Cat" from the title, Quincy. Occasional side forays into Quincy's point of view were realistic and fun; and I looked forward to them whenever they appeared. Quincy is not magical, or mystical, or even unusually intuitive (despite his penchant for finding dead bodies). He is a very cat-like cat, and as a cat lover, I appreciated that. Tips for accustoming a cat to a harness were an added bonus.

Thanks to the author and the Cozy Mystery Review Crew for this book. My opinions are my own--and one of my opinions is that I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 3rd book in Janet Cantrell's "Fat Cat Mystery" series, "Fat Cat Takes the Cake" takes us back to the Bar None shop in Minnesota just before Christmas where Anna is about to be involved in the Minny Batter Battle & Chase is visited in the shop by Richard "Dickie" Byrd has decided to throw an impromptu 14th high school reunion as part of a fund raiser. When one of the attendees reporter Ron North shows up dead after the reunion a mystery begins to figure out just what he was up to as well as the reasons behind a scam real estate deal running through the town. Cantrell's story has a lot of character development this time from the Batter Battle, Chase's love life as well as the health of a classmate who is in a coma. Those revolving plots along with the occasional exploit from Quincy make this story an easy read & good entry into this series. The book will keep you guessing up until the very end which actually solves the murder well before the ending & then allows the other plot threads in the book to wrap up leaving we the reader with a clean ending as well as room for the continued development of things into the next installment. Overall, a very solid entry into this relatively new series in this genre of mystery.

[Crittermom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers can't help but love Quincy, the tubby and mischievous orange tabby with a gift for finding delicious tidbits and trouble. In Fat Cat Takes the Cake, Quincy once more proves he has a nose for murder when he discovers the body of Ron North. A creepy journalist with a long-term habit of stalking women, Ron North was never popular, and he managed to upset quite a few people at the high school reunion held the previous night. It is the scarf found with his body, however, that places Chase's friend Julie at the top of the suspect list. In order to save her friend, Chase and Quincy have to find the killer. Between a principal trying to hoodwink elderly homeowners, a slimy politician and a health obsessed body-builder, Chase is spoiled for choice. Still, Chase knows that she only has a limited time to find the truth before Julie's goose is cooked.

Readers can't go wrong with Fat Cat Takes the Cake - a delicious concoction of murder, blackmail, romance, yummy treats and one fabulous cat. Smarter than Garfield and equally capable of polishing off a lasagna, Quincy is a cat readers will love.

4/5

I received a copy of Fat Cat Takes the Cake from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

[Darkand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this delicious little cozy mystery and I can't wait to try the blueberry muffin bar recipe included at the end. YUM! This is the third installment of Janet Cantrell's Fat Cat series and even though this is the first one I've read, I had no trouble at all following along. I have to tell you that if Chase's dessert store, the Bar None, actually existed, I would practically live there! Every bar she describes sounds more scruptious than the last! I especially enjoyed meeting Quincy and would love to hear more of each story from his point of view and I have to admit that even though I had my suspicions about who the murderer was, I didn't figure it out until the very end. I also appreciated the fact that the book did not end abruptly with the final reveal as so many others do. It was refreshing to read a nice little wrap up of the various other plot points that the author mixed into this fun little escape from the real world. As soon as life gives me a breather, I can go back and read the first two books in this series.

**I won a copy of this book through a Facebook group called the Cozy Mystery Review Crew. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Debbie Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fat Cat Takes the Cake is a delightful cozy mystery. Chase co-owns Bar None, a desert bar shop, with her best friend Julie's grandmother Anna. Julie and Chase receive invitations to the unusually timed fourteenth high school reunion which appears to be a cover for classmate Dickie Byrd's announcement to run for mayor. The reunion is not the happy get together that was expected, with many interactions ending in argument. The next day Chase is walking her fat marmalade cat Quincy, when the cat discovers the body of one of her classmates under a bush. When Julie seems to be the most likely suspect, Chase begins checking motives and alibis of the other reunion guests. Anna's impending wedding, Chase's love life and a real estate scheme all add to the interesting plot twists. Quincy has a habit of hiding things he finds and this time one of his finds might hold the key to who committed the murder. I really enjoyed this mystery and look forward to reading other books in this series. I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Fat Cat Mystery that has everything a good mystery needs: a crumb seeking tabby named Quincy, a bakery that makes yummy smelling treats, a part time sleuth who is juggling two boyfriends at the same time, a crazy bunch of citizens, and many devious characters, including one who turns out to be a cold blooded killer. I was thrilled that the Bar None bakery is owned and operated by Anna and Chase, two empowered women who are business savvy and great friends, along with Anna's granddaughter Julie. The delicious dessert bars that were mentioned throughout the book made me hungry; I could almost taste the delicious Blueberry Muffin Bars (the recipe is included in the book) that Anna developed for the Batter Battle which was just as exciting as any battle of the chefs on TV. This book was very well written, fast paced and kept me guessing at clues throughout the story up until the killer was revealed. I did notice several small continuity mistakes in the book, and I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s no Qunicy-dense that the Fat Cat Mystery series is the cat’s meow with readers!

Author Janet Cantrell has penned another fun, and fast moving mystery. FAT CAT TAKES THE CAKE is the most delectable installment in this series so far. So wonderfully written, readers will truly feel a part of the story, and become completely wrapped up in this book at the intriguing mystery unfolds.

With a well thought out plot, a great cast of characters, which includes fat cat Qunicy himself, I found myself not only laughing out loud, but quickly turning one page after the other in anticipation of the next mystery building scene.

FAT CAT TAKES THE CAKE will make a fantastic addition to every cozy mystery reader’s collection.

Make sure to take a look in the back of the book for a yummy recipe, and leash-training tips for cats!

[Alisha Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fat Cat Takes the Cake is a new to me series and I've gotta say I loved it!! I can't wait to go back and read the rest in this series.
In this book Quincy, the butterscotch tabby that loves sweets and hiding things in a hidey hole, is out for a walk with his owner Chase Oliver when he escapes his harness and finds a dead body under some bushes. The police suspect Chase's friend Julie Larson for the murder. It's up to Chase to prove her innocence.
This book is full of murder, blackmail, Batter Bakeoff, a wedding, and a great recipe.

I received this book as an advanced readers copy for a honest review.

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quincy is back! I literally was jumping for joy to read this Fat Cat Mystery. If you haven’t had a chance to read the series, no worries each book is able to stand alone, however this is the 3rd installment. Chase and Quincy just can’t stay out of trouble, and upon stumbling over the dead body, Chase is ready to rethink her life. This is such personable character that I find myself picturing her to look and sound like me. Janet Cantrell does an amazing job of building the crime, and suspect list to a point that you as a reader are guessing in a game of clue.

[Dawn Frazier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a delight to read, it is the third in the Fat Cat series. I love mysteries with cats in them, and Quincy, our fat cat in this series, is one of my favorites. Add in a cast of great characters, a great mystery, a little romance, and you cant go wrong with this book! I love the recipe in the back, and I like that the author included some tips on leash training for cats, I wish I could get mine to walk on a leash. This book was hard to put down, I think this series gets better with each book, and I look forward to the next one.