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Cat in the Stacks #15
Hiss Me Deadly
Charlie and Diesel must catch a killer before he strikes another deadly note in this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Cat in the Stacks Mysteries.
Charlie Harris remembers Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill as one of the outsiders during high school in Athena. Although Wil was a couple of years ahead of him and his friend Melba Gilley, Melba had a big crush on Wil, who dropped out after his junior year. An aspiring musician, Wil hit the road for California and never looked back. Wil eventually became a star, fronting a band and writing award-winning songs.
Coming back to Athena to work for two weeks with students in the college music department, Wil is now the big man on campus. Not everyone is happy to have him back, however. His entourage have been the target of several acts of petty harassment. At first they are easy for Wil to shrug off, but the incidents escalate and become more troubling. When one of the band members is killed Charlie worries that Melba, now deeply involved with the man at the center of the attacks, could be in deadly danger. It is up to Charlie and Diesel to find out who hates Wil Threadgill enough to silence his song . . . forever!
Charlie Harris remembers Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill as one of the outsiders during high school in Athena. Although Wil was a couple of years ahead of him and his friend Melba Gilley, Melba had a big crush on Wil, who dropped out after his junior year. An aspiring musician, Wil hit the road for California and never looked back. Wil eventually became a star, fronting a band and writing award-winning songs.
Coming back to Athena to work for two weeks with students in the college music department, Wil is now the big man on campus. Not everyone is happy to have him back, however. His entourage have been the target of several acts of petty harassment. At first they are easy for Wil to shrug off, but the incidents escalate and become more troubling. When one of the band members is killed Charlie worries that Melba, now deeply involved with the man at the center of the attacks, could be in deadly danger. It is up to Charlie and Diesel to find out who hates Wil Threadgill enough to silence his song . . . forever!
320 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2023
183 people are currently reading
960 people want to read
About the author
Miranda James
24 books1,255 followersPen name of Dean James, who also writes as Honor Hartman and Jimmie Ruth Evans
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
June 8, 2023
Hiss Me Deadly is the latest book in the Cat in the Stacks cozy mysteries written by Miranda James. Set in a small town in Mississippi, the series focuses on a Charlie Harris, ~60ish widower (newly engaged, with two grown-up kids and several grandchildren), who solves murders. In this installment, best friend Melba asks Charlie to talk to a former high school friend whose found great success in the music business but is worried someone is trying to hurt him. Wil, the friend, made a few enemies when he left his local band for the shores of California nearly 40 years ago, and it seems to have caught up with him. Several bandmates, former and current, are murdered or injured during the man's triumphant (not so?) return home.
Charlie's a great protagonist, even though in this one he seemed a bit off. Still smart and curious, he also felt a bit washed out, perhaps tired. That said, the mystery had lots of interesting arcs and kept me focused. I knew early on who the killer was, but I found the path to get there filled with red herrings and truthful but misleading facts. All fair game in this type of light mystery, and in the end, Charlie almost gets killed - again! I read them for the fun characters, and this as no exception. Good writer, fantastic at creating a setting and drawing you in. Looking forward to more in the future.
Charlie's a great protagonist, even though in this one he seemed a bit off. Still smart and curious, he also felt a bit washed out, perhaps tired. That said, the mystery had lots of interesting arcs and kept me focused. I knew early on who the killer was, but I found the path to get there filled with red herrings and truthful but misleading facts. All fair game in this type of light mystery, and in the end, Charlie almost gets killed - again! I read them for the fun characters, and this as no exception. Good writer, fantastic at creating a setting and drawing you in. Looking forward to more in the future.
July 20, 2024
A multi murder mystery in my favorite cozy mystery series. The ending was simpler than I expected and I definitely guessed who the murderer was pretty early, but it was fun getting there. I still continue to find it laughable when Charlie feels like he has to get a sitter for his cat when he’s away from home for a few hours. So silly.
July 15, 2023
Dollycas's Thoughts
After a bit of a hiatus, we are back in Athena, Mississippi visiting Charlie Harris and his family and my personal favorite fictional feline, Diesel. In this story, a man Charlie and his bestie Melba went to school with returns after making it big musically in California. He is being given an honorary degree at the college and will spend two weeks mentoring students in the music department. Melba had/has a huge crush on the man and is acting like a schoolgirl whenever he is around.
But not everyone is thrilled to have the man back in town. It seems that his departure all those years ago had a real impact on the ones he left behind and someone is making it known. At a reception to welcome Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill home the threats and harassment hit a whole new level when one of Wil's former bandmates is killed. Charlie is worried that anyone connected to the man could be in danger including Melba. Charlie has no choice but to try to find who was hurt by Wil's departure bad enough to kill. With Diesel by his side, he hopes he can make the killer sing out a confession and fast before anyone else is singing their swansong.
______
It was great to catch up Charlie. He is always busy with some cataloging or smoothing something out for his family or friends or in the middle of another mystery. I can never get enough of his fabulous cat Diesel and his chirps and mrrrrs. His son Sean and his wife are going through some adjustments with a new baby and a home renovation and Charlie is always there with an open ear to listen and maybe impart some words of wisdom. Helen Louise and Charlie are getting closer and fans like me will love to see that relationship evolve in a meaningful way. Truthfully all the core characters continue to develop nicely but with everything Charlie had on his plate, he didn't seem to be the Charlie I had expected to see. I can't totally put my finger on it but heck people in real life go through ebbs and flows so there is no reason a fictional character can't too. Charlie is blessed though to have the best cat who can lift anyone's spirits and make them feel better with a couple of chirps, trills, and touches.
The mystery blended nicely with the subplots. I found myself focused on a couple of suspects pretty quickly but I had an inking about someone else too. So when all was revealed in dramatic fashion with some key characters in mortal danger I was pretty impressed with my own amateur sleuthing. I did enjoy the twists and clever attempts of misdirection. The ending was a little abrupt though. I didn't get the final closure I needed regarding Wil Threadgill, his career, and Melba but maybe we will in the next book. I do wish Charlie had been more actively involved in the investigation but he was there when it counted.
The author always does an excellent job setting the scene so readers can easily visualize everything. Charlie's home, his office, the library, Helen Louise's bistro, Sean's new home, and everywhere in between including where the showdown took place. It is always a joy to travel around with Charlie.
There were a couple of editing issues that I hope were ironed out before the final copy was printed like Charlie living through the same afternoon twice including two lunch breaks. They gave me pause and messed with flow but I was able to get back on track.
Hiss Me Deadly gets us back to Athena and the characters we love and that is a very good thing. I was delighted to see that the next book in the series has been turned in to the publisher as of yesterday and should be released next summer. I have already added it to my calendar.
After a bit of a hiatus, we are back in Athena, Mississippi visiting Charlie Harris and his family and my personal favorite fictional feline, Diesel. In this story, a man Charlie and his bestie Melba went to school with returns after making it big musically in California. He is being given an honorary degree at the college and will spend two weeks mentoring students in the music department. Melba had/has a huge crush on the man and is acting like a schoolgirl whenever he is around.
But not everyone is thrilled to have the man back in town. It seems that his departure all those years ago had a real impact on the ones he left behind and someone is making it known. At a reception to welcome Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill home the threats and harassment hit a whole new level when one of Wil's former bandmates is killed. Charlie is worried that anyone connected to the man could be in danger including Melba. Charlie has no choice but to try to find who was hurt by Wil's departure bad enough to kill. With Diesel by his side, he hopes he can make the killer sing out a confession and fast before anyone else is singing their swansong.
______
It was great to catch up Charlie. He is always busy with some cataloging or smoothing something out for his family or friends or in the middle of another mystery. I can never get enough of his fabulous cat Diesel and his chirps and mrrrrs. His son Sean and his wife are going through some adjustments with a new baby and a home renovation and Charlie is always there with an open ear to listen and maybe impart some words of wisdom. Helen Louise and Charlie are getting closer and fans like me will love to see that relationship evolve in a meaningful way. Truthfully all the core characters continue to develop nicely but with everything Charlie had on his plate, he didn't seem to be the Charlie I had expected to see. I can't totally put my finger on it but heck people in real life go through ebbs and flows so there is no reason a fictional character can't too. Charlie is blessed though to have the best cat who can lift anyone's spirits and make them feel better with a couple of chirps, trills, and touches.
The mystery blended nicely with the subplots. I found myself focused on a couple of suspects pretty quickly but I had an inking about someone else too. So when all was revealed in dramatic fashion with some key characters in mortal danger I was pretty impressed with my own amateur sleuthing. I did enjoy the twists and clever attempts of misdirection. The ending was a little abrupt though. I didn't get the final closure I needed regarding Wil Threadgill, his career, and Melba but maybe we will in the next book. I do wish Charlie had been more actively involved in the investigation but he was there when it counted.
The author always does an excellent job setting the scene so readers can easily visualize everything. Charlie's home, his office, the library, Helen Louise's bistro, Sean's new home, and everywhere in between including where the showdown took place. It is always a joy to travel around with Charlie.
There were a couple of editing issues that I hope were ironed out before the final copy was printed like Charlie living through the same afternoon twice including two lunch breaks. They gave me pause and messed with flow but I was able to get back on track.
Hiss Me Deadly gets us back to Athena and the characters we love and that is a very good thing. I was delighted to see that the next book in the series has been turned in to the publisher as of yesterday and should be released next summer. I have already added it to my calendar.
June 30, 2023
I debated on giving this one or two stars. I chose two because I do still love reading about Diesel, Ramses and Dante. In fact, I would rather the whole book just be about those three loveable characters. The last 2 or 3 books in this series have really been a disappointment. So blah. So much of the story was about who was meeting at whose house for supper or lunch. Melba is probably my favorite character. At least she has some spunk! I also enjoy Azalea Berry(would love to be friends with her)! I hope there will be more books in the future that will have storylines based around her. The other characters just aren't that entertaining/interesting to me.
June 18, 2023
Hiss Me Deadly is the fifteenth book in the “Cat in the Stacks” series. I have enjoyed this series from the beginning. I love Diesel and Charlie. In this book, former band members start dropping like flies when Wil, a native son of Athena, comes home to work with students at the local college's music department. But someone decides that this music maker needs to die before he even gets started and will go to almost any length to make it happen.
The suspects in this addition are easy to spot, but the evidence doesn’t point to anyone in particular. When the killer is revealed, I felt let down. I knew who it was, even their motive, but I am never a fan of the killer being introduced in the last half of a book. The pace of this story was slower than I would have liked, and there was way too much eating and feeding Diesel. The side stories didn’t work for me as they seemed unnecessary to the plot. In and of themselves, they would have made a good story on their own and weren’t a necessary part of this book. There wasn’t all that much action, but that is not unusual for this series. The old high school band angle, I felt, was pushed a bit too much as the motive and lacked believability.
Charlie and Diesel are an incredible duo; they always have been. I can clearly see them walking down the sidewalk enjoying the weather or at a restaurant where Charlie would feed his beloved cat under the table. Other characters, such as Helen Louise and Melba and the other returning cast members, add fun and real life to this series and are invaluable to Charlie and his investigations. I was not crazy about the ending, as I wanted to know what happened to Wil and the band after the killer was caught, but we didn’t get those answers which made their stories feel unresolved. I did like that Charlie and Helen finally set a date for the wedding, and I can’t wait to read about it, hopefully in the next book. I enjoyed this book but not as much as I thought.
The suspects in this addition are easy to spot, but the evidence doesn’t point to anyone in particular. When the killer is revealed, I felt let down. I knew who it was, even their motive, but I am never a fan of the killer being introduced in the last half of a book. The pace of this story was slower than I would have liked, and there was way too much eating and feeding Diesel. The side stories didn’t work for me as they seemed unnecessary to the plot. In and of themselves, they would have made a good story on their own and weren’t a necessary part of this book. There wasn’t all that much action, but that is not unusual for this series. The old high school band angle, I felt, was pushed a bit too much as the motive and lacked believability.
Charlie and Diesel are an incredible duo; they always have been. I can clearly see them walking down the sidewalk enjoying the weather or at a restaurant where Charlie would feed his beloved cat under the table. Other characters, such as Helen Louise and Melba and the other returning cast members, add fun and real life to this series and are invaluable to Charlie and his investigations. I was not crazy about the ending, as I wanted to know what happened to Wil and the band after the killer was caught, but we didn’t get those answers which made their stories feel unresolved. I did like that Charlie and Helen finally set a date for the wedding, and I can’t wait to read about it, hopefully in the next book. I enjoyed this book but not as much as I thought.
July 1, 2023
I’m on my way to the American Library Association Annual Conference this week, which makes this the perfect time for another Cat in the Stacks cozy mystery. Why? Because both amateur detective Charlie Harris and his author, Miranda (Dean) James, are both librarians! The college in Charlie’s hometown, Athena, Mississippi, where Charlie works part-time as an archivist and rare books cataloger, probably doesn’t ever send him to the Annual Conference, but I’d say it’s a sure bet that when Charlie worked at the much larger Houston Public Library that they occasionally did – particularly on those occasions when the conference touched down in the Lone Star State – as it sometimes still does.
50something Charlie has an unfortunate – or fortunate for the readers of this series – tendency to find himself involved in murder. Not perpetrating it – as his large and in charge Maine Coon cat Diesel would never permit his human to ever fall to the dark side. Rather, Charlie all too frequently finds himself in a position to solve murders, or at least to make the attempt.
A fact which ALWAYS makes Detective Kanesha Berry wish he’d mind his own business, as he’s all too frequently working in parallel to her and very much without her sanction. His family and friends also wish he’d do a better job of letting sleeping dogs lie, as his willingness to stick his nose in where it doesn’t belong – at least when it comes to murder in his hometown – all too often put Charlie (and even Diesel) directly into the line of fire.
And so it proves in this case of one of Athena’s prodigal sons returning home to both a hero’s welcome and a twisted version of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, with Charlie’s sister-from-another-mister, Melba Gilley, caught in the crossfire along with Charlie, Diesel, and the man she’s been pining over for entirely too long.
Escape Rating B: I’ve missed Diesel, although now I have Tuna and he’s about half a Diesel in size, intelligence and purr volume. Diesel is always the best part of the Cat in the Stacks mystery series, even though he is not the detective like Joe Grey and is merely (although merely can’t truly encompass a cat Diesel’s size) a big, sweet cat.
Howsomever, Diesel frequently serves as an emotional support cat during Charlie’s adventures – and not just for Charlie. A LOT of the characters in this entry in the series need more than a bit of feline TLC to get them through the trauma.
The starting point is a deadly take on “small town child makes good” as Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill is coming back home to Athena after 40 years of musical success, both as the leader of his own band and an Oscar-worthy movie soundtrack composer.
But Wil didn’t simply leave Athena and never look – or come – back over the years. He ran away – from town, from home, from his senior year in high school, and especially from the musical group that had formed around him and his friends. A musical group that was starting to see a fair amount of local success, and had a promising future – until Wil, the driving force behind that success bailed on Athena and left them high and dry and in the lurch.
It’s clear from the outset that someone in town isn’t exactly happy to see Wil, but their method of attack is to start attacking people around the man, and not the man himself. As the injuries mount and the bodies continue falling, Melba tries to protect her old flame, Charlie stays on the case to look out for Melba, while Detective Berry searches for a killer who seems to be holding an old grudge while hiding in plain sight.
I had a lot of fun reading this one – as usual. Charlie Harris is authentically one of us librarians, and Diesel is just as authentically a very big cat. Charlie’s life reads like a comfortable slipper that produces a sigh of relief whenever I put it on, because so much of his work and career is so familiar and rings true. Very much on the other hand, he has a tendency to find himself in interesting trouble, much like Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote.
This particular entry in the series relies on a bit of prior knowledge of Charlie’s life to date and the family of both birth and choice that he shares it with, as the ‘B’ plot of the story involves both Charlie’s attempts to get his fiancée to set a date for their wedding as well as a bit of trouble in the paradise of his son’s marriage. It’s not necessary to have read the entire series to get stuck into this entry, but one or two would be helpful – and the whole thing is a lovely, cozy read.
The case itself, while it isn’t a fair play mystery as there aren’t nearly enough clues to figure it out until very late in the game, is still more than interesting enough to follow between the story of the local boy makes good returning, the very old, very deep and very justified grudge, and the second set of crimes that just makes solving the puzzle that much more complicated.
So if you like small town cozies with engaging amateur detectives assisted by diverse ‘Scooby gangs’ accompanied by really adorable and personable animals, the Cat in the Stacks series might be your reading catnip. It certainly is mine!
Originally published at Reading Reality
50something Charlie has an unfortunate – or fortunate for the readers of this series – tendency to find himself involved in murder. Not perpetrating it – as his large and in charge Maine Coon cat Diesel would never permit his human to ever fall to the dark side. Rather, Charlie all too frequently finds himself in a position to solve murders, or at least to make the attempt.
A fact which ALWAYS makes Detective Kanesha Berry wish he’d mind his own business, as he’s all too frequently working in parallel to her and very much without her sanction. His family and friends also wish he’d do a better job of letting sleeping dogs lie, as his willingness to stick his nose in where it doesn’t belong – at least when it comes to murder in his hometown – all too often put Charlie (and even Diesel) directly into the line of fire.
And so it proves in this case of one of Athena’s prodigal sons returning home to both a hero’s welcome and a twisted version of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, with Charlie’s sister-from-another-mister, Melba Gilley, caught in the crossfire along with Charlie, Diesel, and the man she’s been pining over for entirely too long.
Escape Rating B: I’ve missed Diesel, although now I have Tuna and he’s about half a Diesel in size, intelligence and purr volume. Diesel is always the best part of the Cat in the Stacks mystery series, even though he is not the detective like Joe Grey and is merely (although merely can’t truly encompass a cat Diesel’s size) a big, sweet cat.
Howsomever, Diesel frequently serves as an emotional support cat during Charlie’s adventures – and not just for Charlie. A LOT of the characters in this entry in the series need more than a bit of feline TLC to get them through the trauma.
The starting point is a deadly take on “small town child makes good” as Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill is coming back home to Athena after 40 years of musical success, both as the leader of his own band and an Oscar-worthy movie soundtrack composer.
But Wil didn’t simply leave Athena and never look – or come – back over the years. He ran away – from town, from home, from his senior year in high school, and especially from the musical group that had formed around him and his friends. A musical group that was starting to see a fair amount of local success, and had a promising future – until Wil, the driving force behind that success bailed on Athena and left them high and dry and in the lurch.
It’s clear from the outset that someone in town isn’t exactly happy to see Wil, but their method of attack is to start attacking people around the man, and not the man himself. As the injuries mount and the bodies continue falling, Melba tries to protect her old flame, Charlie stays on the case to look out for Melba, while Detective Berry searches for a killer who seems to be holding an old grudge while hiding in plain sight.
I had a lot of fun reading this one – as usual. Charlie Harris is authentically one of us librarians, and Diesel is just as authentically a very big cat. Charlie’s life reads like a comfortable slipper that produces a sigh of relief whenever I put it on, because so much of his work and career is so familiar and rings true. Very much on the other hand, he has a tendency to find himself in interesting trouble, much like Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote.
This particular entry in the series relies on a bit of prior knowledge of Charlie’s life to date and the family of both birth and choice that he shares it with, as the ‘B’ plot of the story involves both Charlie’s attempts to get his fiancée to set a date for their wedding as well as a bit of trouble in the paradise of his son’s marriage. It’s not necessary to have read the entire series to get stuck into this entry, but one or two would be helpful – and the whole thing is a lovely, cozy read.
The case itself, while it isn’t a fair play mystery as there aren’t nearly enough clues to figure it out until very late in the game, is still more than interesting enough to follow between the story of the local boy makes good returning, the very old, very deep and very justified grudge, and the second set of crimes that just makes solving the puzzle that much more complicated.
So if you like small town cozies with engaging amateur detectives assisted by diverse ‘Scooby gangs’ accompanied by really adorable and personable animals, the Cat in the Stacks series might be your reading catnip. It certainly is mine!
Originally published at Reading Reality
July 8, 2023
It made me happy to catch up with my old friends Charlie and Diesel, it had been too long, all the rest of the gang was also present so that was good. In this adventure Charlie is taken back to high school days when a former classmate who made it big in the music industry, is given an honorary degree at Athena College, at a reception for his return someone is killed and it looks like the accident had been set up for the returning musician. After this incident, more murder and mayhem ensues, has this problem followed Wil from Hollywood or does this situation have beginnings going back 40 years? I have to admit I found this book a little sad and kind of depressing. Charlie just seems off stride a little in this one. I hope with some good news on the personal front he will return to his usual self in our next adventure!
June 28, 2023
Great addition to the series! Sure, there’s still WAY too much attention paid to the caregiving of the cats (they’re cats – leave them at home alone, they’ll be fine for the few hours you’ll be gone) but otherwise everything else was back to the usual high standard of this series. The mystery was great and, though I figured out the murderer early on, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. The story with Sean and Alex was silly and I felt unnecessary to the story but it’s nice that all the minor players get their chance in the limelight. Also, it felt like this one just ended, without any real resolution to what happens next for the band. It seems like the resolution is swept aside in exchange for the little tidbits about what happens next for the bit players in the series.
July 27, 2023
Hiss Me Deadly is book 15 in the Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James. Wilfred (Wil)Threadgill, who left Athena fourty years ago, came back for two weeks to help the students in the college music department. Wilfred Threadgill is still friends with Melba and ask her to organise a meeting with Charlie Harris. However, at the welcome party for Wilfred Threadgill, someone dies, and Charlie Harris starts to worry about her friend Melba, Wilfred's friend.
Cat in the Stacks is excellent series, and Hiss Me Deadly is a fantastic addition to this series. I had trouble putting this book down. Luckily, it was the weekend. I love Miranda James's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Hiss Me Deadly is well-written and researched by Miranda James. I like Miranda James's description of the settings of Hiss Me Deadly, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Hiss Me Deadly will learn about the consequences of child neglect. The readers of Hiss Me Deadly will learn about problems that can arise when a person who has only lived in a city moves to the country.
I recommend this book.
Cat in the Stacks is excellent series, and Hiss Me Deadly is a fantastic addition to this series. I had trouble putting this book down. Luckily, it was the weekend. I love Miranda James's portrayal of her characters and the way they interact with each other throughout this book. Hiss Me Deadly is well-written and researched by Miranda James. I like Miranda James's description of the settings of Hiss Me Deadly, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Hiss Me Deadly will learn about the consequences of child neglect. The readers of Hiss Me Deadly will learn about problems that can arise when a person who has only lived in a city moves to the country.
I recommend this book.
March 2, 2024
I always enjoy Diesel’s and Charlie’s adventures. I especially enjoyed Diesel’s major role in this book. It’s also fun to follow Charlie and his family as they progress through their lives.
March 20, 2025
I think that Athena MS should ask Charlie and Diesel to relocate! The murder rate in this small town would DROP! But then I wouldn't have these mysteries to enjoy! Try one --if you like a cozy mystery with a wonderful Maine coon, you'll be hooked too!
June 28, 2023
Hiss Me Deadly is the fifteenth book in the A Cat In The Stacks Mystery series.
It’s been a while since the last Cat In The Stacks book but so worth the wait.
This book will take Charlie and his co-worker, Melba, back to their high school days. Their fellow classmate, Wilfred “Wil Threadgill, left Athena when he was 17. He was in a band before leaving for California, where he became a famous musician and composer. As far as Melba knew, she was the only classmate in touch with Wil. Melba informs Charlie that Wil will return to receive an honorary degree from Athena College and conduct clinics with music department members.
When Charlie is introduced to Wil, Wil asks that he is concerned for his life and asks Charlie to watch for any suspicious activity.
Wil and his band that came with him are about to perform at the dinner in honor of Wil. But before they take the stage, John Earl, a former member of Wil’s high school band, jumps on the stage, grabs the microphone, and is electrocuted. Charlie begins to feel that maybe there is something to Wil’s fear that someone is out to kill him. Before long, a member of his travel group is killed in a hit-and-run, and another sustains minor injuries in Wil’s room. A third member of his group dies, which might have been a suicide. Kanesha Berry, sheriff, and her deputies are baffled by the events but work diligently to learn what is happening. Charlie senses that Melba might have feelings for Wil and starts spending time with Wil going over what had happened during high school and what is going on now. They need to find the killer before anyone else is hurt or killed.
In addition to the murder, Charlie had to deal with his son, Sean, and daughter-in-law, getting through a rough patch in their marriage.
The book is well-written, plotted, and engaging. Most of the regular characters are back once again. The characters are well-developed, enjoyable, and believable. Also, Diesel and Ramsey are so adorable. Diesel even ends up being a hero.
I’m looking forward to reading the next Cat In The Stacks book.
It’s been a while since the last Cat In The Stacks book but so worth the wait.
This book will take Charlie and his co-worker, Melba, back to their high school days. Their fellow classmate, Wilfred “Wil Threadgill, left Athena when he was 17. He was in a band before leaving for California, where he became a famous musician and composer. As far as Melba knew, she was the only classmate in touch with Wil. Melba informs Charlie that Wil will return to receive an honorary degree from Athena College and conduct clinics with music department members.
When Charlie is introduced to Wil, Wil asks that he is concerned for his life and asks Charlie to watch for any suspicious activity.
Wil and his band that came with him are about to perform at the dinner in honor of Wil. But before they take the stage, John Earl, a former member of Wil’s high school band, jumps on the stage, grabs the microphone, and is electrocuted. Charlie begins to feel that maybe there is something to Wil’s fear that someone is out to kill him. Before long, a member of his travel group is killed in a hit-and-run, and another sustains minor injuries in Wil’s room. A third member of his group dies, which might have been a suicide. Kanesha Berry, sheriff, and her deputies are baffled by the events but work diligently to learn what is happening. Charlie senses that Melba might have feelings for Wil and starts spending time with Wil going over what had happened during high school and what is going on now. They need to find the killer before anyone else is hurt or killed.
In addition to the murder, Charlie had to deal with his son, Sean, and daughter-in-law, getting through a rough patch in their marriage.
The book is well-written, plotted, and engaging. Most of the regular characters are back once again. The characters are well-developed, enjoyable, and believable. Also, Diesel and Ramsey are so adorable. Diesel even ends up being a hero.
I’m looking forward to reading the next Cat In The Stacks book.
March 5, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this cozy mystery.
A former resident of Athena returns to get an honorary degree from the university. Wilfred Threadgill had run off forty years ago and turned up in Hollywood, where he made a good living as a musician and had written several well received movie scores. He was a good friend of Melba (who seems to know everyone) and had written her letters over the years. He's asked to meet Charlie and his cat Diesel when he arrives and Charlie is happy to do so. At the reception given by the university, a stage is set up for Wil's band to perform, when in walks a former friend and bandmate of Wil before he left town. John Earl has become an abusive drunk and blames Wil for his lack of success. John Earl reaches for the microphone and is electrified and dies in front of a roomful of horrified people.
Later, other member of Wil's band are menaced (cut hand, attempted knife attack) and another friend from forty years ago is killed by being run down by a car. Charlie is beginning to wonder if Wil himself is behind these attacks. But this doesn't stop him from visiting with his often, and even accompanying him to an empty house on a dark night in the country to meet with the murderer.
While I enjoyed hearing about Charlie and Diesel again, I felt there are lots of holes in this story and the plot is clumsy and not believable. As is a preprint, maybe some editing would tighten it up.
A former resident of Athena returns to get an honorary degree from the university. Wilfred Threadgill had run off forty years ago and turned up in Hollywood, where he made a good living as a musician and had written several well received movie scores. He was a good friend of Melba (who seems to know everyone) and had written her letters over the years. He's asked to meet Charlie and his cat Diesel when he arrives and Charlie is happy to do so. At the reception given by the university, a stage is set up for Wil's band to perform, when in walks a former friend and bandmate of Wil before he left town. John Earl has become an abusive drunk and blames Wil for his lack of success. John Earl reaches for the microphone and is electrified and dies in front of a roomful of horrified people.
Later, other member of Wil's band are menaced (cut hand, attempted knife attack) and another friend from forty years ago is killed by being run down by a car. Charlie is beginning to wonder if Wil himself is behind these attacks. But this doesn't stop him from visiting with his often, and even accompanying him to an empty house on a dark night in the country to meet with the murderer.
While I enjoyed hearing about Charlie and Diesel again, I felt there are lots of holes in this story and the plot is clumsy and not believable. As is a preprint, maybe some editing would tighten it up.
March 17, 2023
James is back with a new entry in the Car in the Stacks mystery series and we couldn't be happier. Charlie and Diesel are recruited to help someone from their youth when he comes back to town after a long absence. Wil fled town just before his senior year of high school, making his way to California and becoming an award winning musician. Now he's back, but he just feels like something isn't right and he wants Charlie to investigate. But when an old friend turns up dead, suddenly it's a murder investigation.
Yeah, I did t live this one. It felt like one endless description of what Charlie was eating and what he fed the cats. In between all that, there was a bit of a mystery and Melba being dumb. Then the stuff with Sean was just silly. Sean talks to Charlie who comes up with the most obvious solution that anyone should have come up with and he suddenly feels better. Later he talks to his daughter in law and gives her the same solution that Sean already gave her and suddenly she feels so much better? Please.
Yeah, I did t live this one. It felt like one endless description of what Charlie was eating and what he fed the cats. In between all that, there was a bit of a mystery and Melba being dumb. Then the stuff with Sean was just silly. Sean talks to Charlie who comes up with the most obvious solution that anyone should have come up with and he suddenly feels better. Later he talks to his daughter in law and gives her the same solution that Sean already gave her and suddenly she feels so much better? Please.
July 3, 2023
A good whodunnit, but this one felt a bit rushed and blah. Too much time focusing on Sean and Alex. We don't need to know everytime Charlie has a conversation with one of his other family members or friends to update them on the situation with Sean and Alex's marriage, we've already heard the conversation....
There was also a few glaring mistakes later on in the book where Charlie goes to lunch twice and another time where Azalea is upstairs cleaning and Charlie heated up his own lunch... Azalea would never allow that!!! I know there was a long wait for this book, but then suddenly the publishing date was pulled forward by 6 months and I wonder if there was enough time to edit it properly. I just felt like the whole story could have been tighter and actually have a good resolution at the end. It just kind of ended abruptly..... Not the best in the series, but I still enjoyed it more than the last one
There was also a few glaring mistakes later on in the book where Charlie goes to lunch twice and another time where Azalea is upstairs cleaning and Charlie heated up his own lunch... Azalea would never allow that!!! I know there was a long wait for this book, but then suddenly the publishing date was pulled forward by 6 months and I wonder if there was enough time to edit it properly. I just felt like the whole story could have been tighter and actually have a good resolution at the end. It just kind of ended abruptly..... Not the best in the series, but I still enjoyed it more than the last one
August 14, 2023
Is the gig up for Charlie and Diesel?
I’m so happy to have had another visit with Charlie and Diesel. I have missed them. I can guarantee they will make the saddest weekend much better. I would close my eyes and pretend to be petting Diesel.
Charlie was a little more behind the scenes in the murder investigations than normal but it worked. He had many family issues to figure out as well. I can say all works out beautifully but for details you have to read for yourself.
Hurry and open your copy of Hiss Me Deadly for a turn at jealousy and murder with a side of family.
I’m so happy to have had another visit with Charlie and Diesel. I have missed them. I can guarantee they will make the saddest weekend much better. I would close my eyes and pretend to be petting Diesel.
Charlie was a little more behind the scenes in the murder investigations than normal but it worked. He had many family issues to figure out as well. I can say all works out beautifully but for details you have to read for yourself.
Hurry and open your copy of Hiss Me Deadly for a turn at jealousy and murder with a side of family.
June 23, 2023
Charlie Harris has his hands full with family problems. When his good friend Melba Gilley begs him to help her, he can’t say no.
A former high school friend of theirs, Wil Threadgill, returns to Athena and turns the town upside down. Many of the people he left behind are conflicted with their feelings about him. Melba is one of those people. It doesn’t take long before they discover someone is after Wil. Someone close to him is murdered. They realize Wil is in more danger than they thought.
Charlie agrees to help Wil and Melba get to the bottom of this and his handsome maine coon kitty, Diesel, is right by his side for all of it. Charlie is surprised to find out there are quite a few people who are angry with Wil, but who is angry enough to kill?
This is the 15th book in the Cat in the Stacks series and I loved every minute of it. This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and it did not disappoint. I haven’t read all the books in the series, but I’ve read six of them and plan to do some catching up soon.
The relationship between Charlie and Diesel, of course, is my favorite part of these books. I love how Charlie takes Diesel with him everywhere. I’m, also, enjoying Charlie’s relationships with the humans in his life. All the characters are well-rounded and realistic.
The plot is intriguing, captivating and difficult to guess whodunit. I didn’t realize it until the last couple of chapters. It is a fast-paced book that I couldn’t put down.
Miranda James is a master storyteller and never lets me down. I’m hoping the next book will be out soon. Until then, I’m going to be playing catch up with this series.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
A former high school friend of theirs, Wil Threadgill, returns to Athena and turns the town upside down. Many of the people he left behind are conflicted with their feelings about him. Melba is one of those people. It doesn’t take long before they discover someone is after Wil. Someone close to him is murdered. They realize Wil is in more danger than they thought.
Charlie agrees to help Wil and Melba get to the bottom of this and his handsome maine coon kitty, Diesel, is right by his side for all of it. Charlie is surprised to find out there are quite a few people who are angry with Wil, but who is angry enough to kill?
This is the 15th book in the Cat in the Stacks series and I loved every minute of it. This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and it did not disappoint. I haven’t read all the books in the series, but I’ve read six of them and plan to do some catching up soon.
The relationship between Charlie and Diesel, of course, is my favorite part of these books. I love how Charlie takes Diesel with him everywhere. I’m, also, enjoying Charlie’s relationships with the humans in his life. All the characters are well-rounded and realistic.
The plot is intriguing, captivating and difficult to guess whodunit. I didn’t realize it until the last couple of chapters. It is a fast-paced book that I couldn’t put down.
Miranda James is a master storyteller and never lets me down. I’m hoping the next book will be out soon. Until then, I’m going to be playing catch up with this series.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 28, 2023
Some traumatic event must have happened to Miranda James in the time between books. He (this is book 15, so surely everybody has figured out by now that Miranda is a pen name for Dean James) apologizes for the year's delay but doesn't explain other than to say, "I apologize to my readers who have had to wait an extra year for this book, but sometimes life throws you curves (look, I made a sports analogy!). It took me a while to regroup and get my creative mojo back, and I hope readers will enjoy this latest effort." Even though the creative mojo isn't back 100%, I still enjoyed the book. It was a quieter book, packed with the quotidian details of his and Diesel's lives. There were even a few anomalies. There wasn't a lot of action until the end. The plot was revealed by conversations. There was lots of "Diesel" time, which is why we really look forward to each new book. This is not a book for those new to the series, but I highly recommend that newly interested readers go back and start at the beginning. This is really a lovely series. I hope we will have a new Cat in the Stacks book to look forward to reading soon. There were a few plot threads left hanging.
August 15, 2023
I was so happy when my library hold came in for Hiss Me Deadly, book 15 in the Cat in the Stacks by Miranda James. I adore this series. It is in my top five favorite cozy mystery series.
Librarian Charlie and his delightful cat Diesel are once again involved in a murder case, this time surrounding the return of former classmate Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill. Despite being part of a talented high school rock band, Wil escaped Athena to leave a terrible homelife behind, but this also left his bandmates high and dry. Wil becomes a successful musician in LA, yet resentment back home has festered over the years. When Wil returns to Athena to work with local college music students, he feels unsettled and possibly worried for his safety. And he’s not wrong to be worried – the first dead body appears at his welcome celebration. Attacks and other mysteries keep stacking up and Charlie can’t resist the puzzle, especially when his dear friend Melba is involved.
Another wonderful, gentle mystery and I’m always sorry to leave Charlie and Diesel behind when I close the book. James works in such wonderful little details that make me, as the reader, feel like I’m there with the pair.
Librarian Charlie and his delightful cat Diesel are once again involved in a murder case, this time surrounding the return of former classmate Wilfred “Wil” Threadgill. Despite being part of a talented high school rock band, Wil escaped Athena to leave a terrible homelife behind, but this also left his bandmates high and dry. Wil becomes a successful musician in LA, yet resentment back home has festered over the years. When Wil returns to Athena to work with local college music students, he feels unsettled and possibly worried for his safety. And he’s not wrong to be worried – the first dead body appears at his welcome celebration. Attacks and other mysteries keep stacking up and Charlie can’t resist the puzzle, especially when his dear friend Melba is involved.
Another wonderful, gentle mystery and I’m always sorry to leave Charlie and Diesel behind when I close the book. James works in such wonderful little details that make me, as the reader, feel like I’m there with the pair.
July 20, 2023
Semi-retired librarian Charlie doesn't really remember Fred much from high school, except for the ten day's wonder when he ran away to California. But Charlie' friend Melba had a crush on him then, and kept in touch over the years. Now she's excited that Fred--now known as Wil--beat all the odds and became a successful performer and composer and will return home to get an honorary degree. But someone doesn't seem to want to see him again. His former best friend, now an abusive drunk, dies in a trap that was intended for Wil. Charlie likes the little he's seen of Wil, but he wonders if maybe it was Wil who set the trap himself.
August 27, 2023
I am a goof who picked up the 15th book in a series after having only read the 1st one. That being said, this series really can be read as a set of standalones. It probably would have been a little better having the strings between the books, but it was still a lot of fun.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own
January 15, 2024
I got this book for Christmas, I am a huge cat lover. This is my first Miranda James book. I will definitely check out her other books too. This was a good read, I love Maine coons, it was fun hearing what a great companion Diesel was and Ramses was young and got lots of love from the people who live at the house.
August 2, 2024
3,5 Sterne
Wie immer eine entspannende Wohlfühllektüre. Etwas mehr Handlung und Ermittlung und etwas weniger Familienleben wäre schön gewesen. Das Ende war wirklich spannend und ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Buch.
Wie immer eine entspannende Wohlfühllektüre. Etwas mehr Handlung und Ermittlung und etwas weniger Familienleben wäre schön gewesen. Das Ende war wirklich spannend und ich freue mich schon auf das nächste Buch.
January 7, 2024
It has the usual warmth and characters and cats that I always enjoy. but let me down with the denoument , which was neither clever nor credible .
June 20, 2024
Major twist!
I did not see that ending coming. Very well written leaving me completely unaware who was guilty. Always love these cat in the stacks series.
I did not see that ending coming. Very well written leaving me completely unaware who was guilty. Always love these cat in the stacks series.
February 25, 2025
Diesel and Ramses had so much bacon in this one.
April 26, 2025
This is one of those books that you just want to savor. I really love this series!
July 31, 2023
I think I've finally outgrown this series. I've read ALL of Miranda James' cozy mystery novels and I've done so primarily because I've enjoyed the characters and the ongoing relationships. The mysteries have always been secondary. But this time around, I found there was just too much time detailing of Diesel's eating and toiletry habits and Charlies naps, novels and noshing. That kind of chatter has always been a part of the books, but there wasn't much else going on in this one, so after 15 novels, I think I've read about them enough. There also was none of the comic tension between Charlie and Kanesha and very little with Azalea, two of my favorite characters. The book just felt a bit blah. I was initially drawn to this series because Charlie isn't one of those "stupid amateur detectives" that insists on meeting suspects late at night in remote areas, but enough is enough. Sorry Charlie!
April 14, 2023
Will Threadgood, a former Athena resident, left town forty years ago. He deserted his band members when he relocated to the west coast and made a name as a successful musician. Now he's returning to Athena to receive an honorary degree and teach a master music class.
Charlie is surprised when Wil asks him to serve as lookout for any suspicious activity while he's in town. Will explains that he has reason to be anxious about his safety. After dutifully encouraging Wil to contact local police, he agrees to Wil's request.
Wil and his band are scheduled to play at a reception in his honor. Just as the event is to begin, John Earl, a former member of Wil's teen band forty years ago, storms the stage, grabs the microphone and is electrocuted - then a hit and run kills another member of the the old band and an attempt is made on the life of Wil's best friend and current band member.
Murder brings in lhe police and Charlie has to keep a low profile as he trys to prevent a other killing. In doing so he puts his life in danger in a nail-biting conclusion.
This is number 15 in the series and fans will enjoy catching up with Charlie's family and friends as well as major progress in his relationship with Helen Louise.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced copy.
Charlie is surprised when Wil asks him to serve as lookout for any suspicious activity while he's in town. Will explains that he has reason to be anxious about his safety. After dutifully encouraging Wil to contact local police, he agrees to Wil's request.
Wil and his band are scheduled to play at a reception in his honor. Just as the event is to begin, John Earl, a former member of Wil's teen band forty years ago, storms the stage, grabs the microphone and is electrocuted - then a hit and run kills another member of the the old band and an attempt is made on the life of Wil's best friend and current band member.
Murder brings in lhe police and Charlie has to keep a low profile as he trys to prevent a other killing. In doing so he puts his life in danger in a nail-biting conclusion.
This is number 15 in the series and fans will enjoy catching up with Charlie's family and friends as well as major progress in his relationship with Helen Louise.
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced copy.
March 10, 2023
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I have the previous ones in the series. This book was a little darker and it seemed as though there were too many subplots. I also don’t think things were resolved that well, too many unanswered questions. I do look forward to the next one though. I received an ARC through NetGalley.
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