The Fast and the Furriest

Second Chance Cat Mystery #5

by Sofie Ryan

Sarah Grayson and her trusty companion, Elvis, race to tail the right suspects in the fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat Mysteries.

Sarah Grayson owns Second Chance, a shop that sells lovingly refurbished items, in the charming town of North Harbor, Maine. But she couldn't run the store without the help of her right-hand man, Mac—or her dashing rescue cat, Elvis.

Mac's life before North Harbor has always been a little bit mysterious, but it becomes a lot more intriguing when a woman from his past shows up in town, and then turns up dead. Suspicion falls on Mac, but Sarah—and Elvis—know he can't be the killer, and they hope they can prove his innocence quick as a whisker.

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

273 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 6, 2018

About the author

Pseudonym for Darlene Ryan. Also writes under Sofie Kelly.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the title and the cover of The Fast and The Furriest by Sofie Ryan. This is the firth in the series but a first for me. I liked the idea of the mystery and theme that just how much you think you know a person is so subjective. This February 6th Berkley release is going to please fans of this series.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan is the fifth installment in A Second Chance Cat Mystery series. Sarah Grayson owns Second Chance in North Harbor, Maine. Sarah is refurbishing an item for the shop when she is approached by Erin Fellowes looking for Mac McKenzie (a part-time employee of Sarah’s). Mac is a private man who has not shared any details of his past. When Mac returns Sarah passes along the message from Erin. Later that evening Mac shows up at Sarah’s house. He was unable to find Erin and wants to tell Sarah about his past. His wife, Leila has been in a coma for two years from a carbon monoxide leak in their home. Mac was the main suspect and Leila’s parents sued for guardianship. While they are talking, Detective Michelle Andrews shows up looking for Mac. Erin Fellowes was found dead and a witness claims Mac was arguing with her before her death. Sarah with help from Elvis (her cat) and Charlotte’s Angels goes about locating Erin’s killer and discovering what happened to Leila two years prior.

The Fast and Furriest can be a standalone. The necessary details are provided in the book. I enjoyed the author’s writing style. The Fast and Furriest is a light, entertaining cozy mystery. The story has a good pace and great characters (Mr. P is one of my favorites). I love Sarah’s business and her creative ideas. I like the interactions between the characters along with the scenes between Elvis and Sarah. The author is adept at dialogue. The mystery is nicely constructed. Clues are provided to aid readers in identifying the culprit. There is also misdirection that could send you down the wrong path. I appreciated getting to know Mac in this story. I hope we will see him again in the future books. It will be interesting to see what develops between Sarah and Nick. There are those cozy moments that readers love (cooking, going out, gossip, friendship, and family) as well as light-hearted humor. If you are looking for a charming cozy mystery with a smart main character and an adorable cat, then you should check out The Fast and the Furriest.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series grabbed me from the very first book and it has been a true delight to read ever since.
The characters, especially Sarah, Elvis and the friends who form a detective agency, are vividly written and are wonderfully engaging and entertaining to read.
The whodunits are well paced and keep me guessing and wanting to know the outcome!
This latest offering is even better than expected.
I cannot wait to read the next in the series!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

[Fred · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fast and The Furriest is the fifth book in the A Second Chance Cat Mystery series.

Sarah Grayson and the Charlotte’s Angel have a case that hits close to home this time.

Sarah was busy sanding a metal cart when a stunning, mid-thirties stunning lady, Erin Fellows, approaches her and asks to see Mac, her handyman, that it is very important that she speak with him. When Mac gets the message he tries calling Erin but the calls keep going to voicemail, so he heads out to look for her, telling Sarah that he looked all over downtown North Harbor. Later there is a knock on the door and Sarah finds detective Michelle Andrews at the door and wanting to talk to Mac. Knowing this can’t be good, Sarah calls a lawyer, Josh Evans and the three of them meet with Michelle at the police station. Soon a witness comes forward who claims he saw Mac talking to Erin downtown. So, Mac is arrested for Erin’s murder and soon Michelle is taken off the case because of her being friends with Mac and Sarah.

Liz, Rose, and Charlotte, almost known as Charlotte’s Angels along with Mr. P set off to clear Mac from the murder charge. With the information that Mac shares from his past, they set off to investigate a company that manufactures skin care products for possible mismanagement. (This is Mac’s story to tell, so I will let the readers hear his story as they read the book.)

As always, Charlottes are very determined to have justice served. Once again Rose and Mr. P excel and also provide a few light humor moments.

A very well told story and one that kept me in the dark until the end.

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the fifth book of The Second Change series, Matt past is highlighted. He has a major secret that astonished Sarah Grayson. A strange girl comes to Second Chance and asked to see him. Later the girl is found dead and there is an eye-witness that Matt saw her. Matt denied seeing the girl. Sarah, Elvis and the Angels feel Matt is innocent. They begin to explore the facts of the case to prove it. Will they succeed before Matt is convicted of murder? I highly recommend this book and series.

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

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Elvis is in the building." I thought of this when I first started reading "The Fast and the Furriest, " one of the series (Second Chance Cat Mystery #5)., written by Sophie Ryan, and narrated by Marguerite Gavin.

Not THAT Elvis mentioned above, but a sleek black cat of the same name, who belongs to Sarah Grayson, our protagonist. Sarah owns the Second Chance Shop in which they refurbish all kinds of items that either they find in junk yards, second hand stores, scrap shops or anywhere there might be something they could fix up and sell. They reside in North Harbor, Maine.

There is some shocking news received by Sarah and Charlotte's Angels, who are "the mature and wise women" version of Charlie's Angels, and even to Elvis about Mac's personal life. Mac has worked with Sarah for a good while, as her right hand man. One day, Sarah is working to refurbish an item in their store; she is approached by Erin Fellowes who is looking for Mac MacKenzie (part-time employee at the Second Chance store). When Mac hears this, he head out to locate Erin, having looked all over the North Harber area. Detective Michelle Andrews is at the door wishing to speak with Mac. Sarah quickly sees something is wrong, and calls Josh Evans, lawyer, the three meet with Michelle at the police station. At that point, a witness comes forward saying he saw Mac speaking with Erin while downtown. Mac is arrested for Erin's murder, and Michelle is taken off the case as she is connected to Sarah and Mac thru friendship.

Charlotte's Angels (Liz, Rose and Charlotte), along with Mr. P do their best to clear Mac of this murder charge. Mac shares info with them that give them enough ammo to investigate a skin product company, regarding poor management.

The resolution is great. Charlotte's Amgels are great. But you get to see how!!!

Enjoyed read: Recommend. Rate 4 stars

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this fifth in series! It can be read as a standalone, but the others are not to be missed! I admit, when I read the first in series I wasn't captivated...but each one gets better than the last! So much so that I am eagerly looking for the next one. Typically I don't like cliffhangers, and even though these are minor in scope, I don't mind. They only make me even more eager to see Sarah and Elvis again.

The mystery brings some stunning news to Sarah and Charlotte's Angels, the "mature and wise women" version of Charlie's Angels, and even to Elvis about Mac's private life. Mac has been Sarah's right hand at Second Chance, her repurpose and thrift store, for about a year. Mac has always been a bit of an enigma with the exception of his love of sailing, but these things were surprising.

Elvis reminds me of one of my cats when it comes to his conversations. And his enjoyment of computer keyboards. The one thing that really sets him above most felines is his ability to tell if a human is lying, and doesn't hesitate to share the information with his person. Because there is no doubt in my mind that many of our pets choose us, just as he chose Sarah.

The characters are delightful and witty, yet able to be serious and wise, elegant and intelligent when necessary. They are well developed, and I appreciate the lengths Sarah is willing to go to in order to enhance her valued friendships, including with her "fairy godmothers".

The plot twists and turns are beautifully executed even if the truth at times is ugly. I did not know who the real bad guy was, or why, and was surprised. The end was satisfying, and I am happily looking forward to the next in series. It is so hard to leave this delightful set of friends and the Second Chance shop and of course, Elvis!

I received a copy of this from the publisher and this is my honest review.

[Mystereity Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun mystery in the Second Chance Cat series, The Fast and the Furriest dug into the shadowy past of Mac, the enigmatic handyman at Second Chances. And what a story it was! It would've made for a great soap opera plot even Elvis the cat could get in to (as long as it wasn't on during Jeopardy, of course.) When Erin Fellows shows up in town looking for Mac and is later found dead, Mac comes under suspicion after an eyewitness places him at the scene. Sarah's sassy senior friends, an informal PI agency calling themselves "Charlotte's Angels", kick into gear to solve the murder to save their friend.

I always enjoy this series, it's a relaxing, light read and the charming characters make it feel like I'm catching up with old friends. I have to say, Sarah is stubbornly clueless about Nick's interest, maybe he needs to step up his game? I enjoyed their "field trips" they took in the course of their investigation (Stevie's alibi made me laugh) and it all came together for an exciting ending, Mr. P. certainly is a man of many talents.

Overall, The Fast and the Furriest is a delightful addition to an already great series. This book can easily be be read as a standalone or an entry into the series, as any references to prior books are summed up nicely and it would be easy for readers new to the series to understand.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fast And The Furriest
By
Sophie Ryan

What it's all about...

Maine, mystery and a murder! The stuff cozy mysteries are made of! Oh and I forgot...almost forgot...about the cat! The lovely smart and lovable cat...Elvis...who watches Jeopardy every day as his way to relax!

Why I wanted to read it...

The premise of these cozies is always that someone is murdered. In this case a woman comes to town looking for someone and before she finds him she is murdered. That leaves everyone else hustling to find out what, who , and why.

What made me truly enjoy this book...

This book takes place with a cast of quirky interesting characters who are all connected to a second hand store in North Harbor, Maine. There are tons of antiques, lots of coffee, great conversations and yummy sweet treats.

Why you should read it, too...

Readers who love really well written cozy mysteries will adore this book. I can’t wait to read more of the books in this series!

I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stelle e mezza
Altra serie che era finita nel dimenticatoio... Ma dopo le prime pagine mi sono subito ricordata tutti i personaggi e mi sono sentita a casa.
Per quanto riguarda la storia, non capisco come Mac possa essere stato sospettato di aver assassinato una persona senza avere un movente, anzi aveva tutto l'interesse che rimanesse in vita. Mah...
Detto questo, adoro Elvis il gatto!

[JoAn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fast and the Furriest by Sofie Ryan was just the perfect addition to this series. A fast paced plot with few suspects and plenty of twists. I have enjoyed every one of the books in this series and this is no exception. Ms. Ryan's writing flows smoothly and keeps me completely involved until the end. I love Charlotte's Angels as each one is quirky and completely lovable. I'm ready for the next one.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t really care for this book in the series. Thought it was kind of drawn out and boring and disappointing. Again, too many people in these books that are irrelevant to the story. And make it hard to keep track of the important ones. Not sure I will continue with this series.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Grayson owns Second Chance, a shop that sells lovingly refurbished items, in the charming town of North Harbor, Maine. But she couldn't run the store without the help of her right-hand man, Mac, or her dashing rescue cat, Elvis.

Mac's life before North Harbor has always been a little bit mysterious, but it becomes a lot more intriguing when a woman from his past shows up in town, and then turns up dead. Suspicion falls on Mac, but Sarah, and Elvis, know he can't be the killer, and they hope they can prove his innocence quick as a whisker.

I fell into this novel by the sheer coziness of it. It was like visiting with old friends. But as the book progressed, and the story unfolded it I was more and more invested it in. What that means is this book is a real page turner, and it's one of those that I want to be reading when I was away from it.

The twist in this story, which appears at the first, really grabs at a person's heart and brings on emotions that stay with you long after the novel is finished. This is definitely one of my favorite series and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through the Penguin First to Read program.

[Linda Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in the mood for a cat mystery when I requested a copy from First To Read, and hoped for a well-written cozy. However, I didn't realize that there are four preceding books. Therefore, I found myself sometimes lost among a multiplicity of characters, both old and new. Sarah Grayson owns a successful vintage and repurposing store in the picturesque Maine village of North Harbor. Sarah has been aided by a group of older ladies who not only help out in the store, but help her solve mysteries. This time, an employee (and maybe more), Mac McKenzie is suspected in the murder of an old friend who came to North Harbor to see him. Mac has kept a lot of secrets from Sarah about his former life. Nevertheless, the group of friends springs into action to clear him. With some help from Elvis, Sarah's rescue black cat.

The Fast and the Furriest has a number of plusses; the Maine setting, the close-knit group and a look at what it takes to run a business in a village like North Harbor. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and will be adding Second Chance Mysteries to my TBR list.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 5 in the Second Chance Cat series and somehow I've missed the first 4. Sarah and her cat Elvis run the Second Chance store where she re purposes furniture, household goods and just about everything under the sun. With the help of Matt her friend and helper they make a living. When a friend from Matt's past turns up dead in North Harbor, Maine he becomes the prime suspect and even though he's never shared anything about his past, Sarah knows she has to prove he's innocent. The story is a good mystery and the characters are likable and real. Of course cat lovers will adore Elvis and his helpful ways. I received an ARC from the publisher/author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series for the most part. There was one mannerism described over and over for multiple characters that got pretty old. If you hadn't read the series, you could have jumped in at any book since the author rehashes a lot of the character quirks & history. Had to skim over those parts by the 4th & 5th books. Neither of these things kept the plot or the characters from holding my interest though.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah is dertermined to clear Mac, one of her employees, of a murder charge. She engages the help of the elderly Charlotte’s Angels, a detective group that is up to the challenge. This cozy is the fifth in the series, and though the characters continue to develop as their lives go on, the backstories are explained so the story can work as a standalone. Well written with interesting characters, identifying the murderer will keep readers turning the pages, especially for those who enjoy solving the case along with the characters.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah owns the second chance a store that sells used items that have been refurbished. Her right hand man has always been a mystery and when a woman from his past shows up and is murder, Mac is the main suspect. Sarah is sure he didn’t do it and with her group of senior citizen PI’s set out to find out who the killer is.

[Alannah Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story with likable characters. I figured out the identity of the killer early on, as the author gave us a big fat clue - on which the amateur sleuth failed to pick up until it practically knocked her over the head. Still, I can forgive that because this book is still a nice read.

[Sherrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah has an unexpected visitor while working outside her shop by Erin who came by to see Mac. Mac goes out to find Erin but unfortunately she is killed before he can locate her. Sarah learns that Mac is married but his wife is in a coma. Some people from Mac's past show up as well. Mac becomes a person of interest in Erin's murder and Sarah with her group go out to prove is innocent.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This installment focuses on Mac. His past and present collide and he must lawyer up when an old friend is found murdered. All the characters are present and the story flows well. Very relaxing and entertaining story.

[Renata · Rating 2 out of 5]

FOR ME it was all a letdown after the title pun, but then I'm not a big mystery reader in general.

http://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers...

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Sarah's friend and coworker Mac has been accused ot the death of an old friend who came to give him some information about his wife. Yes, he has a wife, who has been in a coma for a number of years from a carbon monoxide leak. The Angels go to bat for him, and in the process also investigate what actually happened to his wife.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery was intriguing, but the relationship between Sarah and Mac was weird to me. Considering the series is "A Second Chance CAT Mystery"... there wasn't very much of the cat in the story.

[MsChris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, quick read, but nothing special.

[Joy]

Charlotte's Angels Detective Agency has a new case. Mac, valued employee of the Second Chances store run by Sarah and her friends, has a special skill at refurbishing junk. After working for Sarah for more than a year, he has become a reliable friend and possibly more. Now his past is being stripped bare, and Mac stands accused of murder. No one in the group believes the accusations. As various people from Mac's past resurface, Sarah and their friends are determined to sort through these people for the real murderer. A fast-paced read, involving and endearing. When Mac needs help, I'm in!

Read once, listened once.

[Toni (T.C.) LoTempio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable entry in this series.

[Katherine P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I've been on a winning streak when it comes to cozies lately and this book just keeps that going! I love a second hand shop and I love private investigators so the fact that this book contained both was definitely a bonus. I loved Sarah and her assortment of relatives and friends really fleshed out the book. I'm always a fan of a team dynamic and this had it in spades with input and theories from a number of the different characters.

The mystery was interesting. Everyone has their secrets and learning about Mac's kept me turning pages. Just who was he before he ended up in North Harbor and what is he capable of? Even though I haven't read the other books in the series and don't have a history with Mac I couldn't help but believe in him just as much as Sarah, Rose, Liz, and everyone else did. And of course I can't not mention Sarah's cat, Elvis. He never hesitates to make his opinion known and adds a bit of humor to the book.

While this is the 5th book in the series I had no issue figuring out the setup for the series. I do feel like I'm missing some of the history between Sarah and Nick but he had only a small part in the book so it wasn't distracting. This was a fantastic cozy mystery with a wonderful community, and a likable main character. I'm so excited that I finally tried this series and can't wait to read more!

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best installment in the series. Incredibly weak mystery that gets haphazardly explained in the span of about two pages (and hinges on, of all fucking things, 17th century Japanese bag beads), and a glaringly obvious murderer. The wife-in-a-coma thing was pretty decidedly uncozy, too. This series keeps making me wonder if I'm totally misreading the romantic tension between Sarah and Mac. A wife in a vegetative state really wrinkles that one up, doesn't it?

Then there's the wet fart will-they-won't-they between Sarah and Nick. These are grown adults, in their 30s, one of whom owns a business and another who works as an ME, and all they've done since Sarah "laid a big wet one" on Nick at the end of #4 is...heavy making out? Can we all just call time-of-death on this arc? And, as an aside, can the secondary characters all please stop telling Sarah to lay big wet ones on Nick? The general pushy horniness of these old ladies is a lot to process.

Not nearly enough Elvis. I'm wondering if this is a general trend for Sofie Ryan/Kelly; the Magical Cat Mysteries also started lightening up on the cats' involvement as the series progressed and I'm not here for that shit. I came for the cat, I stay for the cat. The rest is background noise.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in this book are interesting and likeable. The elderly private detectives, Charlotte's Angels are clever and fun, especially the computer hacking and otherwise multi-talented Mr P.

The ending did not come as a surprise. Also, they did not seek the answer to the obvious question, "Why was Erin there at this specific time?" They wondered but did not set out in the obvious direction to find the answer.