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Magical Cats Mystery #7
Faux Paw
Fantastical felines Owen and Hercules are ready to help librarian Kathleen Paulson pounce on a killer art thief in this novel in the Magical Cats Mystery series.
Normally, the arrival of an art exhibition at the Mayville Heights library would be cause for celebration. But thanks to the overbearing curator and high-tech security system that comes with it, Kathleen’s life has been completely disrupted. Even Owen and Hercules have been affected, since their favorite human doesn’t seem to have a spare moment to make their favorite fish crackers or listen to Barry Manilow.
But when Kathleen stops by the library late one night and finds the curator sprawled on the floor—and the exhibition’s most valuable sketch missing—it’s suddenly time to canvass a crime scene. Now Kathleen, her detective boyfriend Marcus, and her clever cats have to sniff out a murderous thief, before anyone else has a brush with death...
Normally, the arrival of an art exhibition at the Mayville Heights library would be cause for celebration. But thanks to the overbearing curator and high-tech security system that comes with it, Kathleen’s life has been completely disrupted. Even Owen and Hercules have been affected, since their favorite human doesn’t seem to have a spare moment to make their favorite fish crackers or listen to Barry Manilow.
But when Kathleen stops by the library late one night and finds the curator sprawled on the floor—and the exhibition’s most valuable sketch missing—it’s suddenly time to canvass a crime scene. Now Kathleen, her detective boyfriend Marcus, and her clever cats have to sniff out a murderous thief, before anyone else has a brush with death...
406 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2015
117 people are currently reading
1276 people want to read
About the author
Sofie Kelly
17 books1,114 followersSofie Kelly is the pseudonym of young adult writer and mixed-media artist, Darlene Ryan. Sofie/Darlene lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she practices Wu style tai chi and likes to prowl around thrift stores. And she admits to having a small crush on Matt Lauer.
She also writes as Sofie Ryan.
She also writes as Sofie Ryan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
April 13, 2018
1.5
There've always been certain things that annoyed me in this series (people repeating stuff at least three times to different characters, people being too polite all the time to name at least two), but this time the rest of it didn't make it easier to get through this. Faux Paw is the worst so far.
And if you add that for some weird reason the author decided it's a good idea to add
The mystery is lukewarm at best. The moment
The town itself hasn't lost its charm, though.
There've always been certain things that annoyed me in this series (people repeating stuff at least three times to different characters, people being too polite all the time to name at least two), but this time the rest of it didn't make it easier to get through this. Faux Paw is the worst so far.
And if you add that for some weird reason the author decided it's a good idea to add
The mystery is lukewarm at best. The moment
The town itself hasn't lost its charm, though.
January 30, 2024
Have the criminals escalated? Kathleen wakes up with a severed head in her bed! No, it’s just one of the cat’s Fred the Funky Chickens. A traveling art exhibit is causing some chaos at the library, but that escalates when the curator is found dead and the prize exhibit is missing.
Kathleen and friends deal with the aftermath, along with Kathleen’s detective boyfriend Marcus, and her ever-helpful cars. This is such a fun cozy mystery series.
Kathleen and friends deal with the aftermath, along with Kathleen’s detective boyfriend Marcus, and her ever-helpful cars. This is such a fun cozy mystery series.
September 6, 2017
Another great entry in the series, the characters are always the strong point in this series but the mystery this time was one of the best, with So glad I have a few more of these to read before I'm caught up with the series.
December 4, 2015
I liked this, but this series is kind of becoming "if you've read one, you've read them all." Which is okay, I like the thing it does, but the murder victim is hilariously easy to guess (you do not want to be a newcomer in this town!!!). The murderer is less obvious (I wasn't sure who it was).
Kathleen putting together everything she did at the end was rather implausible, but sure. Why not!
Kathleen putting together everything she did at the end was rather implausible, but sure. Why not!
June 19, 2018
Another mystery solved by the magical cats.
A prestigious art display is going to held at the town library, and with all the prep work, plus a control freak curator, the life of the whole town is disrupted. The curator is killed, one of Kathleen's friends is a suspect, and supercop Marcus doesn't have a clue.
Another superior mystery.
A prestigious art display is going to held at the town library, and with all the prep work, plus a control freak curator, the life of the whole town is disrupted. The curator is killed, one of Kathleen's friends is a suspect, and supercop Marcus doesn't have a clue.
Another superior mystery.
Read
July 17, 2018I need to stop reading contemporary cozy mysteries. I keep trying, though, because I worry that it's internalized sexism that keeps me from liking or appreciating them. But I'm coming to understand that I bristle at the constructed bubble of safety~ that the crime occurs in but doesn't actually threaten. It's not a fantasy I enjoy or believe in or find worthwhile, either in real life or in the world of the story. I find too much in the narrative that undermines it: the way protagonists undermine law or order in their own investigations; the way crime is not something that leaves a lingering effect on the community; the way victims are frequently people who are not missed, and so that allows the cast of recurring characters to get on with their lives until the next murder. And I get that cozy mysteries aren't meant to deal with any of that, that the crimes featured are specifically constructed to avoid touching cyclic violence or the systematic forces of poverty and racism that dominate the way people deal with the criminal justice system.
But I can't let it go. But I keep going back to cozy mysteries because I want to read less gore and less exploitation and sensationalism in my crime fiction, and because I want to make sure I'm not just being sexist in recoiling from a woman dominated subgenre.
I. Just. But nearly every contemporary cozy I read just whips me up into a hostile frenzy.
Magical, clue-finding cats? Yes, I'm down that. I like these cats and the magical digestive systems that allow them to eat tons of human food. I find that charming. I like them.
What's not charming? The librarian protagonist, when building a case to her detective boyfriend that she suspects someone could be a thief/murderer, includes in her reasoning that the person in question checked out "A Coffin for Dimitrios and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Eric Ambler and Agatha Christie. Mystery classics."
what. the. fuck.
In real life, I'd hope nothing short of the Patriot Act (and even THAT, but I recognize that the Patriot Act is law and whatever) would get a librarian to be that shitty to a) think reading mysteries makes someone suspicious (among other things, but SERIOUSLY), b) voluntarily and proactively violate a patron's privacy by--without court order, without the law enforcement office even requesting it--reveal to a law enforcement officer what a patron checked out.
Nothing. Cozy. About. That.
(Also, I thought the mystery was boring. The characters are all right if bland, the worldbuilding is nice, and I like the cats.)
But I can't let it go. But I keep going back to cozy mysteries because I want to read less gore and less exploitation and sensationalism in my crime fiction, and because I want to make sure I'm not just being sexist in recoiling from a woman dominated subgenre.
I. Just. But nearly every contemporary cozy I read just whips me up into a hostile frenzy.
Magical, clue-finding cats? Yes, I'm down that. I like these cats and the magical digestive systems that allow them to eat tons of human food. I find that charming. I like them.
What's not charming? The librarian protagonist, when building a case to her detective boyfriend that she suspects someone could be a thief/murderer, includes in her reasoning that the person in question checked out "A Coffin for Dimitrios and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Eric Ambler and Agatha Christie. Mystery classics."
what. the. fuck.
In real life, I'd hope nothing short of the Patriot Act (and even THAT, but I recognize that the Patriot Act is law and whatever) would get a librarian to be that shitty to a) think reading mysteries makes someone suspicious (among other things, but SERIOUSLY), b) voluntarily and proactively violate a patron's privacy by--without court order, without the law enforcement office even requesting it--reveal to a law enforcement officer what a patron checked out.
Nothing. Cozy. About. That.
(Also, I thought the mystery was boring. The characters are all right if bland, the worldbuilding is nice, and I like the cats.)
January 29, 2016
Well, the mystery solving portion of this took a turn for the ridiculous about two thirds of the way through this one. I also enjoy how much Kathleen always manages to figure out via Google. Just, honestly never visit this town. You will inevitably be unceremoniously murdered, probably in some way tangentially connected to the library. It's a good thing I'm totally not here for the mystery aspect of these, I guess.
The series continues to be charming, and I continue to really like the cast of characters. This one's a solid addition to the series.
The series continues to be charming, and I continue to really like the cast of characters. This one's a solid addition to the series.
November 29, 2015
At least four people yawn and then apologize by saying, "It's not the company." Which seems to be the sort of authorial tick an editor should catch.
Aside from that, this is really charming, even if it's a little farfetched and even if Kathleen is always right. That's no mean feat.
Aside from that, this is really charming, even if it's a little farfetched and even if Kathleen is always right. That's no mean feat.
March 20, 2022
The amount of time these characters spend drinking either coffee or hot chocolate is now completely ridiculous. They also seem to eat at Eric's at least on a daily basis, sometimes twice a day.
This amuses me, they must all earn a lot of money.
These repetitive scenes would probably be less noticeable if I hadn't made the decision to read these all in one go.
Regardless, I'm still charmed by the town and all the people in it. And the cats! They are the best.
This amuses me, they must all earn a lot of money.
These repetitive scenes would probably be less noticeable if I hadn't made the decision to read these all in one go.
Regardless, I'm still charmed by the town and all the people in it. And the cats! They are the best.
July 15, 2025
Audiobook - Audible
Narrated by
Cassandra Campbell
⭐️⭐️
A cosy mystery that wasn't much of a mystery.
It was also in the Midlife category, with magical cats.
I don't know why it didn't vibe with me. Really.
I wanted to like it, but I found it boring and flat.
Narrated by
Cassandra Campbell
⭐️⭐️
A cosy mystery that wasn't much of a mystery.
It was also in the Midlife category, with magical cats.
I don't know why it didn't vibe with me. Really.
I wanted to like it, but I found it boring and flat.
October 14, 2015
I was ecstatic to see a new entry in the “A Magical Cats Mystery” series. This is another one of my favorites by another one of my favorite cozy authors, Sofie Kelly.
Kathleen Paulson is back with her kitty cats, Owen and Hercules. Each one has their own special talent. One disappears and the other walks through walls. Kathleen has full fledged conversations with them, but they don’t speak so it’s a bit one sided. However, they do appear to understand what she’s saying. That happens to me with my two kitties all the time. LOL
Anyway, Owen and Hercules are just as much a part of solving the mystery as Kathleen. It’s a fast moving storyline which keeps readers guessing along with our amateur sleuth.
Besides the mystery storyline, we also have Kathleen and her boyfriend Marcus’ relationship growing. He seems to accept her interference in his cases a bit more than the first book :) Another secondary storyline is about one of Kathleen’s friends and her romance with a much younger hockey player. I found both romances to be as interesting as the mystery. I feel like I get to know the characters better with each story.
The mystery itself is a standalone and solved in this book, but I recommend reading this series from the first book so you can see how the characters grow and develop with time.
This is coziness at its finest. I adore those magical cats! I do hope to see this series continue. I can’t wait to catch up with these characters again. Now, hopefully, I won’t have to wait a whole year to visit Owen and Hercules.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Kathleen Paulson is back with her kitty cats, Owen and Hercules. Each one has their own special talent. One disappears and the other walks through walls. Kathleen has full fledged conversations with them, but they don’t speak so it’s a bit one sided. However, they do appear to understand what she’s saying. That happens to me with my two kitties all the time. LOL
Anyway, Owen and Hercules are just as much a part of solving the mystery as Kathleen. It’s a fast moving storyline which keeps readers guessing along with our amateur sleuth.
Besides the mystery storyline, we also have Kathleen and her boyfriend Marcus’ relationship growing. He seems to accept her interference in his cases a bit more than the first book :) Another secondary storyline is about one of Kathleen’s friends and her romance with a much younger hockey player. I found both romances to be as interesting as the mystery. I feel like I get to know the characters better with each story.
The mystery itself is a standalone and solved in this book, but I recommend reading this series from the first book so you can see how the characters grow and develop with time.
This is coziness at its finest. I adore those magical cats! I do hope to see this series continue. I can’t wait to catch up with these characters again. Now, hopefully, I won’t have to wait a whole year to visit Owen and Hercules.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 13, 2016
This is the seventh book in the adventures of Kathleen, Hercules and Owen. I have read them right in a row, pretty much, after reading the first in the series. Sadly, I shall now have to be patient since the 8th will not be published until October 2016...sigh. I find these cozies completely charming and find, Hercules and Owen (the two cats), very simpatico, having cats of my own (who do not solve mysteries but communicate with me in ways not unlike Hercules and Owen.) I highly recommend this series to everyone who likes cats and/or cozies.
April 20, 2017
I still find this series very charming
March 22, 2016
Owen and Hercules Are Important
A good cozy mystery featuring Owen and Hercules, two magical cats and their Human Kathleen. The cats personalities are developing and we see that cats are different individuals. They help provide Kathleen clues in a normal cats way and their magic abilities are not stress. The romance of Kathleen and Marcus is developed. The romances of the other characters are continued especially Roma and Eddie. The Mayville Library is hosting and Art Exhibit and temporary security system is required to protect the paintings. The night before the exhibit is to open the show director is found dead in Kathleen's office. The most valuable painting is missing. The library and Exhibition are closed by the murder. Owen and Hercules must provide the clues for the murder so the library can be open. If you are a cat lover you will like this book, if not buy another book. This the best book of the series.
A good cozy mystery featuring Owen and Hercules, two magical cats and their Human Kathleen. The cats personalities are developing and we see that cats are different individuals. They help provide Kathleen clues in a normal cats way and their magic abilities are not stress. The romance of Kathleen and Marcus is developed. The romances of the other characters are continued especially Roma and Eddie. The Mayville Library is hosting and Art Exhibit and temporary security system is required to protect the paintings. The night before the exhibit is to open the show director is found dead in Kathleen's office. The most valuable painting is missing. The library and Exhibition are closed by the murder. Owen and Hercules must provide the clues for the murder so the library can be open. If you are a cat lover you will like this book, if not buy another book. This the best book of the series.
August 3, 2017
I work at a library and saw this on the shelf and thought that the concept was weird and dumb. I thought I would give it a go because I love cats and also books that are so bad they end up being good. Much to my surprise I ended up genuinely enjoying this book! Yes it's far-fetched, cheesy, and over-the-top, but I very much liked the main character Kathleen and her lovely relationships with the people (and cats) in her life. If you're looking for an action packed, heart stopping thriller- this ain't it. BUT if you enjoy cozy novels you can read with a nice cup of tea and a cat curled up by your side then this is the perfect book for that. I will be sure to check out more books from the Magical Cats Mystery series in the future!
August 11, 2020
So, Marcus has been adopted by the little ginger cat, Micah, as hinted previously. The library is hosting a special exhibition of some historic American art. The most valuable piece, a drawing of a 18th-century Native American encampment, is stolen, and the museum curator is murdered. The murder weapon was a brass cat sculpture in Kathleen’s office. Owen and Hercules are still feuding and sleuthing. There is a possibility Micah may have “special talents” like Owen and Hercules. As usual, Kathleen figures out the crimes. And Marcus says the “L” word to Kathleen. The End.
November 29, 2022
I figured out a lot of it but not all of it.
On the magical cat side of things, I do like that Marcus's cat appears to have similar abilities to Owen and Hercules. Her being magical implies there's something more to this town's magical cats. It might also give Kathleen the in she needs to talk to Marcus (or anyone else) about her cats' abilities.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
On the magical cat side of things, I do like that Marcus's cat appears to have similar abilities to Owen and Hercules. Her being magical implies there's something more to this town's magical cats. It might also give Kathleen the in she needs to talk to Marcus (or anyone else) about her cats' abilities.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
July 25, 2017
Mayville Heights library has the unique pleasure of hosting an art exhibition and the residents are excited to have it in their small town. With the art, however, comes Margo, a high maintenance curator. When Margo is found dead and the most valuable art piece stolen, Kathleen, her boyfriend Detective Marcus Gordon, and her magical cats Owen and Hercules try to piece together what happened that night at the library.
Faux Paw is a great book in Sofie Kelly's Magical Cats Mystery series. The pacing is steady and the entire novel is easy to read and understand. Multiple suspects keep the reader guessing and keep Kathleen and Marcus on their toes. I really enjoy the Magical Cats Mystery series even if newcomers to the town are the ones that are murdered. I don’t like it when authors kill off main characters or characters that are important to the Hero/Heroine. The continued world building and character development of Kathleen, her magical kitties, and Marcus, along with the secondary characters, is fresh and original with each installment.
The books in Sofie Kelly's Magical Cats Mysteries are descriptive without going overboard. I feel like I'm in every scene of the story. The books also have the right amount of suspense to keep the reader engaged all the way to the end. The romance included isn't over the top and doesn't overshadow the mystery solving. It's a nice addition to give the story and characters realism.
The Magical Cats Mystery series is one of my favorites. I enjoy the lowkey nature of cozy mysteries. They keep me entertained with their quirky main characters.
Paperback review copy was purchased by me for my bookshelf.
Faux Paw is a great book in Sofie Kelly's Magical Cats Mystery series. The pacing is steady and the entire novel is easy to read and understand. Multiple suspects keep the reader guessing and keep Kathleen and Marcus on their toes. I really enjoy the Magical Cats Mystery series even if newcomers to the town are the ones that are murdered. I don’t like it when authors kill off main characters or characters that are important to the Hero/Heroine. The continued world building and character development of Kathleen, her magical kitties, and Marcus, along with the secondary characters, is fresh and original with each installment.
The books in Sofie Kelly's Magical Cats Mysteries are descriptive without going overboard. I feel like I'm in every scene of the story. The books also have the right amount of suspense to keep the reader engaged all the way to the end. The romance included isn't over the top and doesn't overshadow the mystery solving. It's a nice addition to give the story and characters realism.
The Magical Cats Mystery series is one of my favorites. I enjoy the lowkey nature of cozy mysteries. They keep me entertained with their quirky main characters.
Paperback review copy was purchased by me for my bookshelf.
April 9, 2018
I needed an audiobook filler and I thought a nice cozy mystery with cats would be a nice change. I was mistaken. Maybe cozy mysteries just aren't my thing, maybe it was just this book, or maybe it was "magical cats" assisting with another murder in a small quaint little town. Whatever it was, this was not a book I was into. Even though it was the 7th in the series, it read fine as a stand alone, it was pretty straightforward; no crazy plot twists, predictable characters, non-stop eating and describing food, everything was kitschy and quirky. It was too much. Too much ugh. A traveling museum exhibit is coming to the library. The lady in charge of arranging the exhibit is found murdered in the library and a valuable art piece is stolen. Oh no! The librarian and resident cat lady is determined to find the killer so the library can re-open. She and her boyfriend (who is also conveniently a detective) bounce scenarios off each other until the case is solved.... They get a couple of clues from the librarian's magical cats along the way (one can turn invisible and the other can walk through walls.... totally normal). Hard pass.
February 17, 2020
Life should be good for Kathleen, she and Marcus are getting on great, Owen and Hercules are two fantastic cats and she has some wonderful friends in Mayville Heights, there is just one teensy problem, the library is going to be hosting an art exhibition, with some museum pieces and some from the local art community, this means that some fairly major adjustments need to be made to meeting (they obviously can't be held around the exhibits) and security, and so an independent security expert and an art expert are making sure everything is up to their exacting standards. Kathleen is therefore stunned when she goes past the library one night to see a light on in her office (which should be out of bounds to all but herself) and when she goes to check she finds the security system disabled, a dead art expert in her office and one of the museum pieces missing!
Now Kathleen needs to harness the magical abilities of her cats to find out who did what do whom and why, namely track down a murderer, and a thief, even before that figure out if they are one and the same and whilst they cannot bring the dead back to life it would be nice if they could at least find the missing art work!
Now Kathleen needs to harness the magical abilities of her cats to find out who did what do whom and why, namely track down a murderer, and a thief, even before that figure out if they are one and the same and whilst they cannot bring the dead back to life it would be nice if they could at least find the missing art work!
January 12, 2020
I loved it! Every time I read one of Sofie Kelly/Sofie Ryan's books, I want it to keep going and Faux Paw is a perfect example of the reason. The mystery is strong, complex, and well paced and the characters draw me into their community throughout the book. Except for the murders, this is one of those books I would like to step into become part of the story. The romantic relationships, the complications, the not-always-perfect people all add to the flavor and depth of the novel. And then there are those cats!!!
September 29, 2018
Another cute Magical Cats story. I'm sure that in a year, I won't remember this book, but I devoured it (as I do most of these books). This time it was an art show at the library, a "state of the art" security system, and a drawing of the town that goes missing. Oh yeah, and of course a murder. I honestly think I like the cats the best in these books.
October 29, 2022
Misdirection
Kathleen’s acting skills come into play as she tries to tease out who would have wanted to kill the woman in charge of a traveling art exhibit. Was the theft of a valuable drawing the motive, with the death an accidental tragedy, or something more sinister?
Kathleen’s acting skills come into play as she tries to tease out who would have wanted to kill the woman in charge of a traveling art exhibit. Was the theft of a valuable drawing the motive, with the death an accidental tragedy, or something more sinister?
April 11, 2025
A very old and valuable drawing is missing from an art installation at the library, and the woman who was responsible for the exhibit is killed in Kathleen's office. Many suspects but also many conflicting details emerge. This plot keeps the reader thinking!
August 12, 2018
Still enjoyable even if I figured out whodunnit the minute the character was introduced.
April 19, 2024
This is another fantastic addition to the series, as well as a gripping and excellent read in its own right.
May 4, 2018
Another Good One!! Love this series!!
I enjoyed this installment of the Magical Cats series. A good story and the cats always make me laugh. I'm looking forward to reading the next one!!
I enjoyed this installment of the Magical Cats series. A good story and the cats always make me laugh. I'm looking forward to reading the next one!!
October 1, 2019
Faux Paw is a charming and adorable mystery book. It's one of those "just one more chapter" and before you know it, it's 2 am books. Easy to read, with a likeable set of main characters. I'm planning to get the other books in this series. 🐱
The mystery had an extensive setup, which was nice since I could get to know the characters with a great ending.
The mystery had an extensive setup, which was nice since I could get to know the characters with a great ending.
October 16, 2015
This was a perfect addition to the Magical Cats Mystery series! The book Kathleen and the cats were at it again, getting pulled into a murder investigation in their little town. I love how Hercules and Owen have their own little quirks which adds such charm and humor to the story. What I really loved about this story was that the murderer surprised me at the end. I never would have guessed who it was. When a story can surprise me like that, it is a beautiful thing. The only thing is I wish there was more in the book about the cats helping solve the case. I love in the previous works how it was mentioned more about the cats abilities and how they had a more active role. What really keeps me is reading is I am on the edge of my seat waiting to learn more about where the cats came from and how they can do what they do and how does little Micah fit in! Overall it was a very well written, enjoyable time that I am definitely going to reread.
I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review.
I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest review.
October 23, 2015
I have been a fan of Hercules and Owen since the first book in this story. This time around, while helping Kathleen solve another murder, they are HILARIOUS in their episodes of sibling rivalry. It was like reading about two human children trying to one up each other.
The plot involving a murder and an art theft is very well written. There are so many twists and turns, making me suspect a variety of people of the crimes. I did eventually have a very strong feeling about the murderer, but knowing that information before the reveal did not in any way lessen my enjoyment of the remainder of the story.
I am continuing to enjoy the relationship between Marcus and Kathleen--and I think we are going to be learning more about Marcus's kitten, Micah, as well.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
The plot involving a murder and an art theft is very well written. There are so many twists and turns, making me suspect a variety of people of the crimes. I did eventually have a very strong feeling about the murderer, but knowing that information before the reveal did not in any way lessen my enjoyment of the remainder of the story.
I am continuing to enjoy the relationship between Marcus and Kathleen--and I think we are going to be learning more about Marcus's kitten, Micah, as well.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.**
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