The Cat of Christmas Present

Whales and Tails #10

by Kathi Daley

With less than two weeks until Christmas, Cait stumbles across a man who had been washed up onto the beach. The man is very much alive, but after suffering a blow to the head, he cannot seem to remember who he is or how he came to be on the island. Cait and visiting cat Clarence set out to discover Prince Charming's identity only to find that their charismatic guest may not be so charming after all.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Christmas, Fiction, Holiday, Romance, Cozy

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2016

About the author

Kathi lives with her husband, kids, grandkids, and dogs in beautiful Lake Tahoe. When she isn't writing, Kathi likes to read (preferably at the beach or by the fire), cook (preferably something with chocolate or cheese,) and garden (planting and planning not weeding). She also enjoys spending time on the water when she's not hiking, biking, or snowshoeing, the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home.
Kathi uses the mountain setting in which she lives, along with the animals (wild and domestic) that share her home, as inspiration for her cozy mysteries.

Join me on Facebook at Kathi Daley Books (www.facebook.com/kathidaleybooks) for updates on my books, photos of life in Lake Tahoe, recipes, contests, and giveaways. For weekly updates and contests sign up for The Daley Weekly Newsletter (http://eepurl.com/NRPDf).

Reviews

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner by Ms. Daley in the Whales & Tails series. I've grown to love Madrona Island and the characters that Ms. Daley has created in this series. With a Christmas setting, likable characters and a complex plot this book provided me with an intriguing mystery that I couldn't put down.

[Doward Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magic of the Christmas season mixes with bank robbers, dead bodies, foreclosures and an amnesia victim's past. Cait rescues a man from the pounding surf, pouring rain and wind on a stretch of beach close to her cottage. With a head wound, he has no memory or identification. At the same time she learns that the loan on the combined bookstore, coffee bar and cat lounge that she and her friend Tara own has been sold. Due to circumstances in the paperwork, the loan is being called in full in 30 days. The man with no memories and the upcoming foreclosure on their business come together in scary and heartwarming ways that no one could have foreseen. This new entry is a perfect read for the holiday season as it brings together friends, family and wonderful animal friends. An intricate mystery plot that entertains and delights.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunday's are best spent reading, great books by the fire with a cup of tea and some shortbread cookies. Last night I sat down and read cover to cover Kathi Daley's latest Whales and Tails Mystery The Cat of Christmas Present. I have loved this series since the start and am in awe of how quickly Kathi turns out each installment in this series. The latest and tenth visit to the Island was one of the best yet! All the wonderful characters I have come to love and a couple of new ones that already feel like family. Kathi has a magical way of writing and it is very evident in this book. The holiday mystery is wonderfully wrapped up in time for Christmas and the perfected ending awaits each reader. May I suggest keeping a box of tissues handy as you near the final chapter of The Cat of Christmas Present. This book will warm your heart and make your holiday brighter!

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cait Hart and her friend, Tara, co-own Coffee Cat Books on beautiful Madrona Island. When a mystical cat, Clarence, leads Cait to the unconscious body of a man who wakes with amnesia, Cait seeks his identity and reasons for his sudden appearance on the island. As always, author Kathi Daley spins a tale layered with twists and turns. Thoroughly enchanting for an afternoon of reading pleasure.

[RO G'ma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cat of Christmas Present is the tenth book in Kathi Daley’s awesome Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery series. Ms. Daley’s writing style flows smoothly and this book is an easy and fun read. The mystery is well plotted and the characters are well developed. Ms. Daley writes clean cozy mysteries with a touch of romance that contain no gratuitous sex, violence, or foul language and there is always emphasis on friendships, family, community, and our furry friends. I highly recommend all Ms. Daley’s books to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted cozy mystery.

Cait finds Clarence, a beautiful cat, sitting on her doorstep and senses he is one of the magical cats her witchy friend Tansy, has sent to her. She can tell Clarence wants her to follow him and she soon discovers a man on the beach who has a large gash on his head but is alive. Cait visits the man at the hospital and learns that his head trauma has caused him to have amnesia. Cait is such a companionate person that even though she hasn’t finished her Christmas shopping, she and Tara are swamped at Coffee Cat Books, and worried they may lose their building, she is determined to learn who “John Doe” is help and help him recover his memories.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Cait finds a body of a man who is barely alive, when he wakes he has amnesia. Cait and friends begin a search to find out who he is and don't like what they begin to find.
I love the fact that this was based more on the man with amnesia than a murder, a refreshing change. This story twists so you are never sure where it's going to take you. These characters are great and I would love to hang around them. I will continue on with this series.
There is the added bonus of some yummy sounding recipes in the back.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book. I totally enjoyed this one more than any in the previous books in the series. Two Christmas miracles present themselves in this one and I totally loved the ending. Deff worth reading!

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Merry Christmas Mystery

This book is a little different from the usual mystery, mainly because it is a true mystery. Cait, because of the insistence of Clarence, the cat sent by Tansy, finds a man on the beach near death. When he wakes up he has amnesia and Cait and the group decide to help him. It isn't easy because while they can trace his movements he has been spending only cash. The murder isn't discovered till near the end of the book.

I was so engrossed in the story, had two different ideas about who John Doe was that when his identity was uncovered it was not what I was expecting.

And the ending with Clarence the cat brought tears to my eyes. This for me is the perfect Christmas mystery. Thank You Kathi

[Jane Firebaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars of Absolutely Awesome!
This series just keeps getting better and better. This book is my latest favorite in the series. Of course I feel that way about every new book of Daley's that I read. They are all fabulous. This one especially touched me, I was almost in love with John myself by the end, and it is a Christmas book, which makes it even more wonderful!

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Wonderful Day on Madrona Island!

Just another day on Madrona Island! Caitlin Hart’s relaxing evening changes with a phone call from her BFF and partner in Coffee Cat Books Tara O’Brian and the appearance of another one of Tansy’s magical cats, Clarence. Tara is really upset about a ‘due on demand’ demand for the balance of their business loan fearing the loss of their business is imminent. And Clarence shows up leading Cait out into the storm to discover a seriously injured man who seems to have lost his memory.

Cait heads off to uncover the identity of the mysterious John Doe dubbed ‘Prince Charming.’ Like a scavenger hunt, each shop or restaurant or seedy bar provides another avenue of inquiry. However, having paid cash for all of his purchases, and although friendly and generous, no names were ever exchanged. Cait also struggles with the real possibility her business is in jeopardy. Family and friends again step up to help, but it seems hopeless. And when another body, this one dead, shows up. The integrity of the mysterious man comes into question.

I really like Kathi Daley’s ‘magical cats.’ Every story in this series a new ‘furry friend’ pops up and meows to provide the right amount of help to solve the mystery, and for “…Christmas Present,” ’Clarence?’ is a nice nod to “It’s a Wonderful Life”’s angel. It isn’t a complicated story. A couple of possible solutions and the “I hope he isn’t the bad guy” prayers make it a very fun read with a heartwarming conclusion for all. Once again you enjoy Cait, the family, friends, and the little village in which they reside. We are also treated to a variety of recipes from Kathi and her fans perfect for any holiday gathering.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindle Copy for Review

Cait is still recovering from Halloween murder as Christmas is quickly approaching. Trying to spend some alone time with Cody her boyfriend and keeping up the festivities with her family and friends. Added to her worries Tara receives a notice from the bank that the loan on their bookstore was bought and that they want the loan amount paid off in the next thirty days or be evicted.

Cait finds Clarence the cat mysteriously appearing on her day off on a rainy day off. While taking her dog and Clarence on a walk, she finds a man washed up along the beach who suffered a blow to his head. To her surprise he is not dead but he has no memory of his name or why he is on the island.

Cait finds herself investigating who the mysterious man who may be less than what he seems. A man who been spending a lot of cash but no one knows his name. Who is this mysterious man and what is he hiding? Fast pace story that moves along.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! This 10th book in the Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery series, and is a delightful read. This book is well written and the characters are very realistic. If you haven't read the other books in this series, you will be able to follow the story line with no issues.

In this story, we have a person who has lost his memory, and a bank robber. Also, the mortgage on Coffee Cat Books has been sold and they might be lose the business. Is the person who has lost his memory tied to the bank robber, or this there a third person. Clarence, a cat, helps Cait with solving the mystery.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

[Taryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Christmas Spirit

Another fantastic page turner by Kathi Daley. I love the way she is able to intertwine a touch of the mystical, a new furry friend, and an intriguing mystery. Each new book is truly an extension of the last, filled with friends you've come to know and those you've yet to meet. Follow Cait as she tries to save her business, help a man with amnesia, and solve a murder while still trying to enjoy the holiday season. In this 10th installment you'll feel the Christmas spirit come alive and believe that good things really do happen.

[Bonnie Dale Keck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited liked it but didn't love it hence 4 stars. Wasn't anything stupid such as typos or anything like that, just didn't love this.

Whales and Tails Mystery
Romeow and Juliet (Whales and Tails Mystery Book 1) - The Mad Catter (Whales and Tails Mystery Book 2) - Grimm's Furry Tail (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 3) - Much Ado About Felines (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 4) - The Legend of Tabby Hollow (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 5) - The Cat of Christmas Past (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 6) - A Tale of Two Tabbies (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 7) - The Great Catsby (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 8) - Count Catula (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 9) - The Cat of Christmas Present (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 10) - A Winter's Tail (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 11)

Halloween Hijinks Anniversary Edition (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 1) * - The Trouble with Turkeys (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 2) * - Christmas Crazy (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 3) * - Cupids Curse (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 4) - Big Bunny Bump Off (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 5) * - Beach Blanket Barbie (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 6) * Maui Madness (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 7) - Derby Divas (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 8) - Haunted Hamlet (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 9) - Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 10) - Christmas Cozy (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 11) - Alaskan Alliance (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 12) - Matrimony Meltdown (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 13) - Soul Surrender (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 14) - Heavenly Honeymoon (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 15) - Hopscotch Homicide (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 16) - Ghostly Graveyard (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 17) - Santa Sleuth (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 18) - Shamrock Shenanigans (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 19) - Kitten Kaboodle (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 20) - Costume Catastrophe (Zoe Donovan Mystery Book 21) - Candy Cane Caper (Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery Book 22) - Holiday Hangover (Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery Book 23) - Easter Escapade (Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery 24) {pre-order at this time}
Spin off from Zoe Donovan series Zimmerman Academy. *means NOT ku

Murder at Dolphin Bay (Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery Book 1) - Murder at Sunrise (A Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery Book 2) - Murder at the Witching Hour (Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery #3) - Murder at Christmas (Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery #4)

Zoe Donovan, Whales and Tails, Sand and Sea, others, check out amazon page

[Mary Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cat Of Christmas Present
Whales And Tails Cozy Mystery, Book #10
Kathi Daley
5 Stars


Synopsis:


With less than two weeks until Christmas Cait stumbles across a man who had been washed up onto the beach. The man is very much alive, but after suffering a blow to the head, he cannot seem to remember who he is or how he came to be on the island. Cait and visiting cat Clarence set out to discover Prince Charming's identity only to find that their charismatic guest may not be so charming after all. (Goodreads)


Review:


The Cat Of Christmas Present is the tenth book in this series and it has everything I look for when reading a cozy. There are great characters to get to know better, a setting that pulls you right into the story, animals to enjoy reading about and a mystery to solve.

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. I enjoy reading about all of the relationships between Cait and her friends and family. They all care about each other and are willing to help out whenever anyone is in need of it.
Cait and Cody are great people and they make a really good couple. A new character was introduced in this book and I am curious to see if he makes an appearance in any future books (I hope he does). The mystical cat in this book is named Clarence and I thought that was a very clever name. I am always entertained finding out how these cats will help solve the mystery.


The mysteries are well plotted and carried on well throughout the entire book. As is typical from this author, there is more than one mystery to solve. They include who is the stranger that is found at the beach, what happened to the bank robber that has been spotted on the Island, and what will happen to Coffee Cat Books? It is always fun to have more than one mystery to ponder and try to solve. I enjoyed the fact that Cait did not stumble upon a dead body in this book, I found this refreshing.

I would recommend this book (and all of the books in this series as well as the other series written by this author) to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. If you are looking for a great Christmas mystery (or just a great mystery in general), then this is the book for you.

[Shelly Hammond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just plain cute. It's the first book I've read by this author and it's great!
I said it's cute but it does have a guy with amnesia and a dead body, but that aside it's cute! It has kitties! I loved the animals in it and the shop is adorable. It was interesting to see how the author used the animals to progress the storyline. Since this is a mystery I'm not going to give you much at all about the story because, well, you sort of have to dive in there and get to it without knowing too much. It's a decent mystery though and although it might be a little bit predictable here and there, it's still a really good fairly short holiday story.
I feel like I need to go back and read more of the books since I started out pretty far into the series. However, it was also quite easy to read this book and not feel lost at all. So I'd say you can read it alone like I did if you want to.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, I am loving this series. I love that these mysteries are easy to follow, pay attention to details, and are laid back. No serious relationship issues and drawn out horror images. This are books I gladly share with my kids. In this book, The Cat of Christmas Present, the tenth book of the Wales and Tails series, Cait and friends not only try and solve a murder but they also try and help a man recover his memories who may also be tied to the murder somehow. I am liking this new character that has come to town. I hope he sticks around and joins Cait and friends in solving future mysteries. I also hope to see more of this Tanner and Tara in the same sentences. I look forward to reading the eleventh book in this series, A Winter’s Tail.

[James Klabunde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cait while walking her dog stumbles across a man who has been washed up, he is badly injured but still alive. At the hospital she finds out that he doesn't remember his name or why he is on the island. She begins to try to find out the answers. At the same time she learns that they may lose the book store as someone has bought their mortgage and because of two late payments may be evicted in a month. A fast moving and as usual enjoyable book from Kathi Daley. A recommended Christmas read or possible present.

[TX Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant enough cozy mystery although not earth-shaking literary brilliance. It was one of those mysteries where you are usually two steps ahead of the characters in the book. There were editing issues in the Kindle but you can easily self-edit as you read along. I felt that the weaving of the "cat" in the story was rather forced and nominal. Since the cat received top billing in the title, I felt that there should have been more made of that character throughout the tale.

[Sally Hannoush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay! Another fun Christmas cozy. You get romance, murder, heartbreak, robbers, and a good ole cat that helps solve a mystery. It's well written and a quick read. I always zoom through these books. I did figure out who the guy was who had no memories of himself or his past. I want to say more but I can't spoil it for you all. But it's a great read. I'm ready for more, as always.

[Neena Christianson Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good guy or maybe not so good.

Cait is visited by Clarence the Christmas cat, and together they find an injured man. The injured guy can't remember who he is, so Cait and the gang get going on trying to find out who he is. Simultaneously, the cops are trying to find two fugitive bank robbers, and John Doe could be involved.

[Ilene G> · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Christmas mystery.

Cait's getting ready for Christmas when she discovers she may lose her bookstore, finds an injured man with amnesia, and has a murder to solve. She is assisted by a magical cat. I like the plot and characters. There are surprises, and Christmas spirit. I like how Cait owns a bookstore.

[Celest · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Christmas Miracle, maybe?

This was another great adventure with some of my favorite characters. There were some exciting moments while investigating the mysteries that put Caitlin and her family in danger. Of course Clarence, the cat, helped the the team in his own way. Love the series.

[Dorothy Vannelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists, turns and Clarence providing directions.

An injured John Doe was found by Cait on te beach; he had amnesia. Cait and her sleuthing friends try to help John regain his memory. Lots of intrigue happens but eventually the bank robber is caught and John is befriended and appreciated by the gang.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice little Christmas romantic mystery. I actually chose it because of the cat. It was a good fluff story to read between more serious books. The end seemed to come quite suddenly, but all the story lines were wrapped up nicely. Just an ok read.

[Elaine Spies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a sweet Christmas Story

A very quick Christmas read! Cozy little Christmas mystery. I really couldn't put it down. I would liked for the animal to be featured a little more. Still a quick little read for the busy season.

[Susan Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

So far, this is my favorite of ALL Kathi’s books i have read, and Clarence is tied with Ebenezer for my favorite cat. The ONLY part that would have made it better is if Cait and Cody had invited the HUMAN Clarence’s wife to the CHRISTmas party. BRAVO!

[Jolynn Kuhlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really great

Wow this was another great book in this series , I love these books , the mystery, the romance and the cats who help ,it keeps you sitting on the edge of your seat with wonder.

[Sue :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think I was going to like this book but I did

My only complaint was lack of details between characters. I guess I read too many cozy mysteries because I had it solved right after the body was found.

[Rhonda Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get it it's good

I just love Christmas stories and when you add in a mystery it just umps it up. Kathie Daley always delivers in her stories. Pick this up for a good clean heartwarming mystery.