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Bookmobile Cat Mystery #10
The Crime That Binds
Librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, are ready to pin down a bank robber in the newest installment of the delightful Bookmobile Cat mystery series.
Late March is prime reading weather in the small northern Michigan town of Chilson. Though snowfall and cloudy skies deter outdoor activities, life inside the bookmobile is warm and cheerful. As Minnie and Eddie make the rounds to deliver comforting reads, Minnie witnesses bookmobile patron Ryan Anderson speeding away. When Minnie discovers the police want to bring him in for questioning about a bank robbery and the murder of a security guard, she realizes she's one of the only people who thinks Ryan isn't morally bankrupt.
When an additional murder victim is discovered, the police immediately suspect her patron, but Minnie isn't convinced. And when she encounters Ryan hiding from the police, she decides to help him by investigating the crimes. But with multiple crimes comes the potential for multiple criminals, so Minnie and Eddie will have to fight tooth and claw to prove his innocence.
Late March is prime reading weather in the small northern Michigan town of Chilson. Though snowfall and cloudy skies deter outdoor activities, life inside the bookmobile is warm and cheerful. As Minnie and Eddie make the rounds to deliver comforting reads, Minnie witnesses bookmobile patron Ryan Anderson speeding away. When Minnie discovers the police want to bring him in for questioning about a bank robbery and the murder of a security guard, she realizes she's one of the only people who thinks Ryan isn't morally bankrupt.
When an additional murder victim is discovered, the police immediately suspect her patron, but Minnie isn't convinced. And when she encounters Ryan hiding from the police, she decides to help him by investigating the crimes. But with multiple crimes comes the potential for multiple criminals, so Minnie and Eddie will have to fight tooth and claw to prove his innocence.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
81 people are currently reading
763 people want to read
About the author
Laurie Cass
14 books580 followersLaurie Cass is the national bestselling author of the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries, including Wrong Side of the Paw, Cat With a Clue, and Pouncing on Murder. She lives on a lake in northern Michigan with her husband and two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
October 4, 2022
I loved it! This is one of my favorite cat cozy mystery series and has been since Eddie, Minnie’s adorable tabby cat, first expressed “Mrr” in the series debut, “Lending a Paw”. Minnie, the library’s assistant director and bookmobile driver, and Eddie are why I love it so much. The setting is also my home state, Michigan. The opening paragraphs about March weather describes it perfectly! Minnie is optimistic regarding all the good things in her life. Being owned by a cat is one of the best things in the world, especially if one has the bond Minnie does with Eddie.
Eddie is the bookmobile cat who is popular with and adored by most of its patrons. Eddie also helps Minnie solve murders in ways she doesn’t always recognize. He doesn’t like being left behind, which is how he got to be the bookmobile cat as well as shows up in tense scenes when Minnie accidentally discovers whodunit. Fortunately for Rafe, her fiancé, he loves the tabby almost as much as Minnie does!
Minnie says being a librarian is the best job in the world, especially on the days that she drives the bookmobile to serve those in areas who can’t get to the building in town. Since moving to Chilson a few years ago, she has made many new friends as well as catching up with two close friends from the summers she visited when growing up. Kristen is now a well-known chef and her best friend, while Rafe is a middle school principal and best of all, Minnie’s fiancé.
One thing I like about the author’s portrayal of Minnie is that she has fears and insecurities like many of us, but like us, she doesn’t talk about them with anyone. Minnie shows us we aren’t alone with those feelings, and we see how she works through them or ignores them long enough to do whatever is next to be done. She also does what few other librarians would do.
Minnie has been involved with solving several murders in Chilson, much to the annoyance of the local sheriff’s department. If someone she cares about is being falsely accused, Minnie can’t let them sit in jailhouse orange. Her wedding is just a few months away and she has the best life she could ever have imagined; however, a new challenge awaits her when a bookmobile patron who is like a younger brother to her is wanted for a couple major crimes.
Ryan is a young man who came from downstate a few years ago, a jack of all trades who works any number of part time jobs to make a living. Ryan is the main suspect in the bank robbery and murder of a security guard in another part of the state. He immediately went into hiding, and Minnie was appalled, knowing that he wouldn’t do either crime. Then when a man in Chilson was found murdered in his home, one of the detectives was considering Ryan for that, even without having solid evidence. It was time for Minnie to do her research, find whodunit and get Ryan off the hook.
This was an intriguing mystery, especially when, to me, a seemingly unrelated clue continued to be front and center! That shows how much I knew. I admired Minnie’s perseverance, especially after a few weeks have passed. When it seemed like everything went wrong that possibly could, whodunit was revealed to my complete surprise! All loose ends were tied up and the ending very satisfactory. I highly recommend this novel and series to those who appreciate well written cozy mysteries with librarians, cats, and a gorgeous Michigan setting.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
Eddie is the bookmobile cat who is popular with and adored by most of its patrons. Eddie also helps Minnie solve murders in ways she doesn’t always recognize. He doesn’t like being left behind, which is how he got to be the bookmobile cat as well as shows up in tense scenes when Minnie accidentally discovers whodunit. Fortunately for Rafe, her fiancé, he loves the tabby almost as much as Minnie does!
Minnie says being a librarian is the best job in the world, especially on the days that she drives the bookmobile to serve those in areas who can’t get to the building in town. Since moving to Chilson a few years ago, she has made many new friends as well as catching up with two close friends from the summers she visited when growing up. Kristen is now a well-known chef and her best friend, while Rafe is a middle school principal and best of all, Minnie’s fiancé.
One thing I like about the author’s portrayal of Minnie is that she has fears and insecurities like many of us, but like us, she doesn’t talk about them with anyone. Minnie shows us we aren’t alone with those feelings, and we see how she works through them or ignores them long enough to do whatever is next to be done. She also does what few other librarians would do.
Minnie has been involved with solving several murders in Chilson, much to the annoyance of the local sheriff’s department. If someone she cares about is being falsely accused, Minnie can’t let them sit in jailhouse orange. Her wedding is just a few months away and she has the best life she could ever have imagined; however, a new challenge awaits her when a bookmobile patron who is like a younger brother to her is wanted for a couple major crimes.
Ryan is a young man who came from downstate a few years ago, a jack of all trades who works any number of part time jobs to make a living. Ryan is the main suspect in the bank robbery and murder of a security guard in another part of the state. He immediately went into hiding, and Minnie was appalled, knowing that he wouldn’t do either crime. Then when a man in Chilson was found murdered in his home, one of the detectives was considering Ryan for that, even without having solid evidence. It was time for Minnie to do her research, find whodunit and get Ryan off the hook.
This was an intriguing mystery, especially when, to me, a seemingly unrelated clue continued to be front and center! That shows how much I knew. I admired Minnie’s perseverance, especially after a few weeks have passed. When it seemed like everything went wrong that possibly could, whodunit was revealed to my complete surprise! All loose ends were tied up and the ending very satisfactory. I highly recommend this novel and series to those who appreciate well written cozy mysteries with librarians, cats, and a gorgeous Michigan setting.
From a thankful heart: I received a complimentary copy of this novel, and this is my honest review.
November 12, 2023
The Crime That Binds by Laurie Cass has a library patron and regular in the series under suspicion of murder and Minnie is convinced he is not guilty. I mean he has never had a late fee and Eddie likes him, so he can't be a killer... right? This installment of the Bookmobile Cat Mystery series has Minnie staying silent over things she would normally tell the police, and I completely agree with all of her choices. There is quite a bit going on in the storyline along with other character subplots, and it had plenty of the action and humor I am accustomed to in this series. And the babies! Let's just say there is a lot of crying in the book, and it isn't coming from adults, but it was almost hilarious at the same time. Character arcs continue, and there is still plenty of focus on friendship as well.
Rafe is exceptionally helpful when it comes to helping Minne and it was fun seeing him be so involved in what was going on. The Crime That Binds goes quickly on audio, and the narrator Erin Bennett has been such a joy to listen to throughout all of the 10 books I have listened to. She narrates Elin Hilderbrand's novels and as much as I love her for those, I love her even more for this series to be the voice of Minnie and Eddie's mrrs. The last line of the book made me love Cass more than I already do if that's possible, and there is nothing like being a cat lover to make you appreciate it even more. I loved all aspects of this book including the conclusion of the mystery being such a surprise! The Crime That Binds and the series in general is a perfect choice if you love cats, cozies, and laughing.
Rafe is exceptionally helpful when it comes to helping Minne and it was fun seeing him be so involved in what was going on. The Crime That Binds goes quickly on audio, and the narrator Erin Bennett has been such a joy to listen to throughout all of the 10 books I have listened to. She narrates Elin Hilderbrand's novels and as much as I love her for those, I love her even more for this series to be the voice of Minnie and Eddie's mrrs. The last line of the book made me love Cass more than I already do if that's possible, and there is nothing like being a cat lover to make you appreciate it even more. I loved all aspects of this book including the conclusion of the mystery being such a surprise! The Crime That Binds and the series in general is a perfect choice if you love cats, cozies, and laughing.
October 26, 2022
The mystery was OK in this one. The story flowed well enough and it kept me interested but Minnie is annoying; she spent more time investigating than she did working (did she even do any work?!!!) Eddie is a cute cat but the leaving of clues and “talking” is a bit much. This was not my favorite of the series.
October 9, 2025
Another good installment. I love that the bookmobile is growing and Minnie needed to add additional staff. I love Eddie, he's one of my favorite book cats. I always love seeing what's going on in everyone's personal lives, I feel like the characters have really grown up and become real adults. Mystery was interesting and entertaining.
February 9, 2023
This is my favorite cozy mystery series. I once read a review that stated Librarians should not review cozy mysteries with Librarians in them. Well, of course, I disagree, since I am a librarian, a cat lover and a bibliophile.
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed this entry in the series.
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed this entry in the series.
October 12, 2022
Another good installment, with plenty of Eddiness. Probably 3.5*s overall.
It did feel like it seemed to take a while to get to the point, and then went over the same ground more than once. So it felt maybe 30 pages too long? It was about 20pgs longer than many of the others in the series.
It did feel like it seemed to take a while to get to the point, and then went over the same ground more than once. So it felt maybe 30 pages too long? It was about 20pgs longer than many of the others in the series.
February 12, 2023
I loved it! The writer makes this series so much better than typical cozy mysteries. The reflective thoughts are comical and I chuckle the entire time. Minnie and Eddie the cat are my favorite crime catching duo, just thinking about them makes me smile. Great author.
December 13, 2022
You'd think by now her friends wouldn't let Minnie go off on her own. And that the police would listen to her, but what's the fun of that? It's always a fun ride on the bookmobile with Eddie.
October 2, 2022
Spring is just around the corner, and Minnie is looking forward to putting winter behind her. But when one of her bookmobile patrons is accused of murder – not once, but twice – Minnie is determined to prove her friend’s innocence.
This is the tenth book in this series, and I enjoyed it as much as the previous books in the series. I could almost feel the cold of winter that isn’t quite ready to let go, and completely agree with the excitement surrounding a gorgeous spring day in March. The bookmobile setting always takes me back to my trips to the bookmobile with Mom when I was a kid and we couldn’t get to the library itself. I like the rest of the recurring characters and was glad things worked out for Graydon.
The mystery here was another good one, even though there weren’t a lot of suspects to consider. For a change, the person who eventually was revealed as the killer was at the top of my list almost from the moment the character was introduced, and I wasn’t far off regarding the motive. And it didn’t surprise me that Eddie was on hand just when he was needed :) I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is the tenth book in this series, and I enjoyed it as much as the previous books in the series. I could almost feel the cold of winter that isn’t quite ready to let go, and completely agree with the excitement surrounding a gorgeous spring day in March. The bookmobile setting always takes me back to my trips to the bookmobile with Mom when I was a kid and we couldn’t get to the library itself. I like the rest of the recurring characters and was glad things worked out for Graydon.
The mystery here was another good one, even though there weren’t a lot of suspects to consider. For a change, the person who eventually was revealed as the killer was at the top of my list almost from the moment the character was introduced, and I wasn’t far off regarding the motive. And it didn’t surprise me that Eddie was on hand just when he was needed :) I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 18, 2023
Unfortunately this book did not work for me. I have read the series from the beginning but this one just did not work. Too much rambling, not a good plot, and characters did not work.
October 9, 2023
The 10th book in Laurie Cass' Bookmobile Cat Mystery series, "The Crime That Binds" starts off with a visitor to the bookmobile running away from a stop as it is eventually learned that this patron has been charged with a pair of crimes including murder. Cass does her excellent job with the characters in this city as this plot unfolds in a way that's a little different than the usual fare for this series simply because officially the crime isn't local to Chilson. It is also nice to see in a lot of ways Minnie taking a slightly different direction with the sleuthing in this book which leads to a rather interesting ending in this series that continues to impress.
October 9, 2022
Love this series
Catching up with Minnie and Eddie is always a blast, and The Crime That Binds is another great addition.
Stolen sculptures, a bank robbery and murder are just a few of the things that Minnie encounters while trying to prove a bookmobile patron innocent of the crimes.
Catching up with Minnie and Eddie is always a blast, and The Crime That Binds is another great addition.
Stolen sculptures, a bank robbery and murder are just a few of the things that Minnie encounters while trying to prove a bookmobile patron innocent of the crimes.
November 4, 2022
I loved this one! This series is one of my absolute favorites and this mystery was super. It kept me guessing at the culprits and held my attention really well. A great installment and I can't wait for next time!
June 10, 2023
Best book in series to date. Very enjoyable cat cozy.
August 10, 2023
Tons of Eddie the cat content!🙌
September 30, 2024
as usual in this excellent series, another good murder mystery with plenty of red herrings
August 3, 2025
If there's one thing about rescue cat Eddie, he's going to help save the day (and his librarian mum)🫶🏼
November 9, 2022
Really about a 3.4. Solid entry in the series, introduces a couple of new characters. I like the characters she builds, mostly people I would like to know. For me, I'd could wish she'd do away with Our Heroine confronting the bad guy in a dire situation that she gets out of by her wits. I know it's traditional, but I'm a little tired of it. Anyway, I'm certainly going to read the next in the series!
February 12, 2023
The Crime That Binds is the tenth instalment of the normally fun and interesting Bookmobile Cat Mystery series, but I found this one more difficult to get through as I found Minnie seriously annoying. I just couldn't understand why she would get so involved in helping someone she's only met through the bookmobile, has no real idea who he is, but has convinced herself that he is innocent and requires protection, and involving herself in the investigation.
First of all, Minnie and I have a love/hate relationship as it stands. I have not always been fond of this character because I have found her annoying in the past, but it was always the cat, Eddie, as well as the story lines, that redeemed the books for me. Because Minnie has behaved herself over the past few books, she has become a more interesting character, and I have liked her a lot better. Characters need a reason for what they do, and there is no reason for Minnie to take the risks she does in this book that are plausible. With several other characters having issues, it also gave Minnie a reason to meddle, something that felt just off in this book. I know that no one has a perfect relationship, but to make people miserable, like Ash and Chelsea, just to have a story line and to have Minnie give some relationship advice and make her seem the hero, seems like a plot stretch to me and felt off, like the author was searching for issues, but couldn't really find plausible ones. By the time we found Chelsea crying in various places, I was almost ready to DNF the book.
The plot of the book, while it had an interesting premise, dragged a bit. Honestly, too much time was spent on the characters to the detriment of the story, and I think it was because the story line was a bit thin to begin with. The author has Minnie doing some silly things and asking some silly questions, and this is the first book in this series where I was rolling my eyes constantly. And then she goes and misses the biggest question of all, the one that was staring the reader (and Minnie) in the face and gave you the clue to who the murderer was, and crosses said murderer off her list. I remember thinking, Aren't you even going to ask the most obvious question? Nope, she doesn't and goes along her merry way. The type to be murdered first in a horror movie, honestly, because she's clueless. And how does someone manage to take off so much time from work to investigate? She's always leaving work to go do something. This isn't to say there weren't some good moments in this book as I always love it when old characters return and we get to see what they are up to, but unfortunately, that doesn't make up for the murky plot and a main character who was irritating, to say the least.
The Crime That Binds did not work for me, and is my least favourite of the books in this series. Unfortunately, the plot rambled on, Minnie's reactions and actions were not believable, and Minnie's meddling wasn't interesting. It felt like the author was scrambling to come up with some interesting plot points, and when you put them all together, unfortunately, it was not cohesive. The only thing I did like was Eddie, especially when he stomped all over Minnie's clues. That about sums it up.
First of all, Minnie and I have a love/hate relationship as it stands. I have not always been fond of this character because I have found her annoying in the past, but it was always the cat, Eddie, as well as the story lines, that redeemed the books for me. Because Minnie has behaved herself over the past few books, she has become a more interesting character, and I have liked her a lot better. Characters need a reason for what they do, and there is no reason for Minnie to take the risks she does in this book that are plausible. With several other characters having issues, it also gave Minnie a reason to meddle, something that felt just off in this book. I know that no one has a perfect relationship, but to make people miserable, like Ash and Chelsea, just to have a story line and to have Minnie give some relationship advice and make her seem the hero, seems like a plot stretch to me and felt off, like the author was searching for issues, but couldn't really find plausible ones. By the time we found Chelsea crying in various places, I was almost ready to DNF the book.
The plot of the book, while it had an interesting premise, dragged a bit. Honestly, too much time was spent on the characters to the detriment of the story, and I think it was because the story line was a bit thin to begin with. The author has Minnie doing some silly things and asking some silly questions, and this is the first book in this series where I was rolling my eyes constantly. And then she goes and misses the biggest question of all, the one that was staring the reader (and Minnie) in the face and gave you the clue to who the murderer was, and crosses said murderer off her list. I remember thinking, Aren't you even going to ask the most obvious question? Nope, she doesn't and goes along her merry way. The type to be murdered first in a horror movie, honestly, because she's clueless. And how does someone manage to take off so much time from work to investigate? She's always leaving work to go do something. This isn't to say there weren't some good moments in this book as I always love it when old characters return and we get to see what they are up to, but unfortunately, that doesn't make up for the murky plot and a main character who was irritating, to say the least.
The Crime That Binds did not work for me, and is my least favourite of the books in this series. Unfortunately, the plot rambled on, Minnie's reactions and actions were not believable, and Minnie's meddling wasn't interesting. It felt like the author was scrambling to come up with some interesting plot points, and when you put them all together, unfortunately, it was not cohesive. The only thing I did like was Eddie, especially when he stomped all over Minnie's clues. That about sums it up.
August 6, 2023
4 stelle e mezza
Mrrr! Sì, Eddie, non ti preoccupare, il mio personaggio preferito di questo libro e di tutta la serie sei tu! La tua padroncina, invece, ogni tanto mi fa sbuffare: sinceramente non riesco a capire come possa essere una bibliotecaria una persona a volte molto sbadata...
Mrrr! Sì, Eddie, non ti preoccupare, il mio personaggio preferito di questo libro e di tutta la serie sei tu! La tua padroncina, invece, ogni tanto mi fa sbuffare: sinceramente non riesco a capire come possa essere una bibliotecaria una persona a volte molto sbadata...
November 17, 2022
Another good one. I sure enjoy this series. Eddie the cat, a bookmobile, and some kind of murder to solve. Plus interesting characters. Can't be beat
October 9, 2022
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Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
I am always excited to hear when a new cozy in this series is forthcoming, as it has been a favorite for a long time. I enjoy reading about libraries, especially from the point of view of a librarian, and this series has taught me much about bookmobiles. The characters are very likable and engaging. Eddie, the cat, is a pure delight, “…so unlike all other cats I’d met, I was half convinced he was his own species”. The mystery kept me guessing throughout, with the bad guy as elusive as daffodils in Michigan before April.
Overall, Minnie’s life is the best it has ever been. A fiancé she is in love with, a job she is delighted with, and a cat she adores. Changes continue to present themselves, one being more stops and hours added to the bookmobile schedule. Minnie hired a second part-time clerk, one who can also drive the bookmobile. She will remain the primary driver of her beloved library on wheels but having another person who can drive it would be helpful, especially if she wants a honeymoon after her upcoming wedding.
Her outspoken tabby cat, Eddie, is part of the charm of the bookmobile. He stowed away on the maiden voyage of the bookmobile, and some of the patrons loved him so much that Minnie had to smuggle him on board ever since while keeping Eddie a secret from the former library director. Eddie assisted Minnie with other challenges, such as when she found people who had been murdered and helped find the bad guys to clear those she cared. Eddie is a great sounding board and often found a way to be present when Minnie was ready to drop the net on a killer.
Minnie and her new clerk, Hunter, were at a stop at the end of March when one of her regular patrons returned from downstate early. Pug and his wife were going to move to live year-round within the next couple months. Pug came to town to take care of some things and stopped for books. Ryan, a voracious reader and bookmobile patron, has been like a younger brother to Minnie. While Ryan was there, he got a text that had him speeding away from the bookmobile with no explanation. Later they learned he was accused of robbing a bank downstate and killing a security guard, with his driver’s license left behind. A few days later, Pug was murdered by someone at his home. Since Ryan was on the run, police thought he must have killed Pug, too.
Minnie wasn’t looking for Ryan when she ran in to him; he was hiding because he didn’t do the things of which he was accused. His explanations sounded reasonable, and she wants to help Ryan as she is one of the few who believes he is innocent. She can’t do anything about the accusations from downstate, but she might be able to find who killed Pug. If so, he will at least be cleared of one murder.
The author is excellent at defining the characters. They are well developed and shown realistically through their conversations and behaviors. I enjoy Minnie the most, especially since we are privy to her thoughts and dreams, including her feelings about her work in the library or the bookmobile, her loyalty to her coworkers and friends, and her desire to help others. I also like her fiancé, Rafe; even though it took a while for me to warm up to him, he is the perfect guy for our adventurous librarian.
The setting of this novel, both the geographic location and the individual places throughout, are planned and described well. Minnie pulls no punches about the many things she is happy about and the things that are less endearing, such one particularly disagreeable suspect. The mystery is presented with a minimum of unpleasant details while being very clear about why Minnie suspects certain people. Plot twists built the suspense to a frightening height until I was almost certain that all was lost. I was very surprised at who killed Pug and why and was very happy with the overall resolutions. I highly recommend this novel and series!
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
I am always excited to hear when a new cozy in this series is forthcoming, as it has been a favorite for a long time. I enjoy reading about libraries, especially from the point of view of a librarian, and this series has taught me much about bookmobiles. The characters are very likable and engaging. Eddie, the cat, is a pure delight, “…so unlike all other cats I’d met, I was half convinced he was his own species”. The mystery kept me guessing throughout, with the bad guy as elusive as daffodils in Michigan before April.
Overall, Minnie’s life is the best it has ever been. A fiancé she is in love with, a job she is delighted with, and a cat she adores. Changes continue to present themselves, one being more stops and hours added to the bookmobile schedule. Minnie hired a second part-time clerk, one who can also drive the bookmobile. She will remain the primary driver of her beloved library on wheels but having another person who can drive it would be helpful, especially if she wants a honeymoon after her upcoming wedding.
Her outspoken tabby cat, Eddie, is part of the charm of the bookmobile. He stowed away on the maiden voyage of the bookmobile, and some of the patrons loved him so much that Minnie had to smuggle him on board ever since while keeping Eddie a secret from the former library director. Eddie assisted Minnie with other challenges, such as when she found people who had been murdered and helped find the bad guys to clear those she cared. Eddie is a great sounding board and often found a way to be present when Minnie was ready to drop the net on a killer.
Minnie and her new clerk, Hunter, were at a stop at the end of March when one of her regular patrons returned from downstate early. Pug and his wife were going to move to live year-round within the next couple months. Pug came to town to take care of some things and stopped for books. Ryan, a voracious reader and bookmobile patron, has been like a younger brother to Minnie. While Ryan was there, he got a text that had him speeding away from the bookmobile with no explanation. Later they learned he was accused of robbing a bank downstate and killing a security guard, with his driver’s license left behind. A few days later, Pug was murdered by someone at his home. Since Ryan was on the run, police thought he must have killed Pug, too.
Minnie wasn’t looking for Ryan when she ran in to him; he was hiding because he didn’t do the things of which he was accused. His explanations sounded reasonable, and she wants to help Ryan as she is one of the few who believes he is innocent. She can’t do anything about the accusations from downstate, but she might be able to find who killed Pug. If so, he will at least be cleared of one murder.
The author is excellent at defining the characters. They are well developed and shown realistically through their conversations and behaviors. I enjoy Minnie the most, especially since we are privy to her thoughts and dreams, including her feelings about her work in the library or the bookmobile, her loyalty to her coworkers and friends, and her desire to help others. I also like her fiancé, Rafe; even though it took a while for me to warm up to him, he is the perfect guy for our adventurous librarian.
The setting of this novel, both the geographic location and the individual places throughout, are planned and described well. Minnie pulls no punches about the many things she is happy about and the things that are less endearing, such one particularly disagreeable suspect. The mystery is presented with a minimum of unpleasant details while being very clear about why Minnie suspects certain people. Plot twists built the suspense to a frightening height until I was almost certain that all was lost. I was very surprised at who killed Pug and why and was very happy with the overall resolutions. I highly recommend this novel and series!
December 4, 2022
The Crime That Binds by Laurie Cass is the 10th installment in the "Bookmobile Cat" mystery series, starring librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie.
Minnie learns that one of her young bookmobile patrons, Ryan, has been accused of a bank robbery and murder downstate. She can't believe the soft-spoken young man would have committed such a crime, and Minnie sets out to prove it. When another murder is committed locally, everyone is sure that Ryan is to blame. It seems that Minnie and Eddie are the only ones who have faith in him. It will be up to them to find out who the real killer is and clear Ryan's name.
This particular book was more of a slog than others in the series. For one thing, I was taken aback that Minnie took it upon herself to investigate. Ryan is simply someone she meets in passing on an irregular basis. I do enjoy cozy mysteries, but I'd like our intrepid amateur sleuths to have a good reason to investigate. There were some subplots going on as well. Ordinarily, I appreciate it when a story doesn't focus solely on the investigation, but in this case, it grew tedious. Minnie's BFF, Kristen, was about ten months pregnant and ready to pop at any moment, and Minnie's ex, Ash, has broken up with his girlfriend, Chelsea, in spite of the fact that they're clearly perfect for one another and both are clearly miserable. Yes, Minnie had to meddle there, too. Another thing that bothered me is that, once again, the position of library director was up in the air/in jeopardy. Good grief, it seems that each book in the series has had a subplot involving either the viability of the bookmobile or the tenure of the director of the library. Enough!
A good read, but not up to par with others in the series. Giving this one an average score.
Minnie learns that one of her young bookmobile patrons, Ryan, has been accused of a bank robbery and murder downstate. She can't believe the soft-spoken young man would have committed such a crime, and Minnie sets out to prove it. When another murder is committed locally, everyone is sure that Ryan is to blame. It seems that Minnie and Eddie are the only ones who have faith in him. It will be up to them to find out who the real killer is and clear Ryan's name.
This particular book was more of a slog than others in the series. For one thing, I was taken aback that Minnie took it upon herself to investigate. Ryan is simply someone she meets in passing on an irregular basis. I do enjoy cozy mysteries, but I'd like our intrepid amateur sleuths to have a good reason to investigate. There were some subplots going on as well. Ordinarily, I appreciate it when a story doesn't focus solely on the investigation, but in this case, it grew tedious. Minnie's BFF, Kristen, was about ten months pregnant and ready to pop at any moment, and Minnie's ex, Ash, has broken up with his girlfriend, Chelsea, in spite of the fact that they're clearly perfect for one another and both are clearly miserable. Yes, Minnie had to meddle there, too. Another thing that bothered me is that, once again, the position of library director was up in the air/in jeopardy. Good grief, it seems that each book in the series has had a subplot involving either the viability of the bookmobile or the tenure of the director of the library. Enough!
A good read, but not up to par with others in the series. Giving this one an average score.
October 16, 2022
Things I like about this series:
Minnie’s coworkers
Rafe
Kristen
Things I don’t like:
Too much Minnie matchmaking
Eddie’s ability to leave clues
Eddie intelligently engaging in conversation
Eddie repeatedly written as the rescuer at the climatic meeting with the murderer
Minnie involves herself in a murder investigation because, once again, she’s sure one of her library patrons couldn’t possibly be guilty. She seems to develop strong bonds with her patrons during brief contact on the bookmobile. It's ridiculous she would put herself in danger for someone she interacts with on a professional basis at most a few minutes a couple times a month.
This time Minnie aids and abets a fugitive. She makes a list of suspects and blatantly asks questions and researches. She veers very close to, if not crossing into, too-stupid-to-be-alive territory. There’s not much about her “investigation” that makes sense or is appropriate.
Minnie’s coworkers
Rafe
Kristen
Things I don’t like:
Too much Minnie matchmaking
Eddie’s ability to leave clues
Eddie intelligently engaging in conversation
Eddie repeatedly written as the rescuer at the climatic meeting with the murderer
Minnie involves herself in a murder investigation because, once again, she’s sure one of her library patrons couldn’t possibly be guilty. She seems to develop strong bonds with her patrons during brief contact on the bookmobile. It's ridiculous she would put herself in danger for someone she interacts with on a professional basis at most a few minutes a couple times a month.
This time Minnie aids and abets a fugitive. She makes a list of suspects and blatantly asks questions and researches. She veers very close to, if not crossing into, too-stupid-to-be-alive territory. There’s not much about her “investigation” that makes sense or is appropriate.
March 10, 2025
The weakest installment in the series.
Minnie had NO reason to put herself in harm’s way to try and figure out who the killer was because the library patron who was accused wasn’t somebody who she even knew outside of occasionally seeing him on the bookmobile.
Also, why tf was Ryan even accused of killing Pug? Just because he was also accused of a bank robbery and murder in a different county? That was such a stretch that was just not believable.
Also, Minnie’s investigation? It felt so lazy. She just took everyone at their word and practically avoided doing any actual digging. It felt so strange.
The plot of this one is really thin and everything felt like too much of a stretch to be believable or enjoyable. I actually got irritated that I still had so much left in the book when nothing of importance was actually happening.
Also, for the love of god, Minnie, BUTT OUT of people’s love lives when they explicitly tell you over and over and over again to leave them alone! The whole situation with Ash and Chelsea breaking up and Minnie trying to manipulate them back into a relationship was so juvenile and, honestly, irresponsible. That plot line was a totally missed opportunity for her to have a heart to heart with Aunt Francis about the ethics of match making and how to support people you care about through hard situations that have no solutions. Because, ultimately, Ash and Chelsea will never be able to build a life together because they fundamentally want different things in life and that needed to be respected by Minnie. It was all so frustrating and it made me feel like Minnie really is naive and immature.
I liked that Eddie was more involved in pointing out clues, but I still wish he said something other than “mrr”.
Minnie had NO reason to put herself in harm’s way to try and figure out who the killer was because the library patron who was accused wasn’t somebody who she even knew outside of occasionally seeing him on the bookmobile.
Also, why tf was Ryan even accused of killing Pug? Just because he was also accused of a bank robbery and murder in a different county? That was such a stretch that was just not believable.
Also, Minnie’s investigation? It felt so lazy. She just took everyone at their word and practically avoided doing any actual digging. It felt so strange.
The plot of this one is really thin and everything felt like too much of a stretch to be believable or enjoyable. I actually got irritated that I still had so much left in the book when nothing of importance was actually happening.
Also, for the love of god, Minnie, BUTT OUT of people’s love lives when they explicitly tell you over and over and over again to leave them alone! The whole situation with Ash and Chelsea breaking up and Minnie trying to manipulate them back into a relationship was so juvenile and, honestly, irresponsible. That plot line was a totally missed opportunity for her to have a heart to heart with Aunt Francis about the ethics of match making and how to support people you care about through hard situations that have no solutions. Because, ultimately, Ash and Chelsea will never be able to build a life together because they fundamentally want different things in life and that needed to be respected by Minnie. It was all so frustrating and it made me feel like Minnie really is naive and immature.
I liked that Eddie was more involved in pointing out clues, but I still wish he said something other than “mrr”.
May 31, 2023
Minnie Hamilton and her cat, Eddie, are still happy at the Chilton, Michigan, library.... Eddie is happily doing a good job as the “Bookmobile Cat” – bringing cheer to the patrons of the bookmobile – both old and young alike. Minnie has another companion, her fiancé, Rafe, has joined their happy family. Minnie just can’t help but become involved in helping others in her small community. In this book Minnie becomes involved in a number of difficult problems – the most challenging one being that one of the frequent users of the bookmobile, a young man, is accused of robbing a bank in a town to the south of Chilton, and killing a security guard in the process. Minnie knows he simply could not, would not, do such a thing. Another library patron is missing a valuable family heirloom: a statue – but did his sister send it to be cleaned or was it stolen – and how valuable is it?? A wonderful couple have broken apart and Minnie just knows they were were just “meant to be together.” And if this wasn’t enough.... her best friend since they were in elementary school is due to have a baby any time now... and won’t refuses to relax and take time for herself but keeps up a full job of running her restaurant. Of course, Minnie wants to “fix” and “solve” all problems. Eddie will help, of course. ---- I’ve read several other books in this series, and while the characters are likeable, this story seemed too busy and too forced. ... and Eddie a bit too knowing
October 19, 2025
This story revolves around a missing sculpture, which was interesting. There’s drama at the library regarding the director. The people who work for the guy love him and are threatening to quit if he gets fired but one person, who they’re going to presume speaks for an entire organization (even though they know she doesn’t), is enough to make an entire board think about firing him. Of course dumb decisions like that are made every day, but I found that aggravating.
Another thing that’s getting to me is Minnie and Rafe. 10 minutes ago Minnie was madly in love with a doctor, then Ash, now she’s planning a wedding with Rafe. I get that their previous relationship, which has spanned decades, would make moving in and getting hitched something they wouldn’t drag their feet on, but it just bothers me still how Minnie gets so hot and heavy for anyone she’s gone on more than one date with.
I also had issues with her presumptions of the innocence of certain characters. I felt like some people got passes from her that they shouldn’t have. Of course she based it mostly on how they interact with Eddie and what they like to read, which is probably not the worst way to judge a person.
This series isn’t one of my favorites but I have enjoyed it and will definitely stick with it.
Another thing that’s getting to me is Minnie and Rafe. 10 minutes ago Minnie was madly in love with a doctor, then Ash, now she’s planning a wedding with Rafe. I get that their previous relationship, which has spanned decades, would make moving in and getting hitched something they wouldn’t drag their feet on, but it just bothers me still how Minnie gets so hot and heavy for anyone she’s gone on more than one date with.
I also had issues with her presumptions of the innocence of certain characters. I felt like some people got passes from her that they shouldn’t have. Of course she based it mostly on how they interact with Eddie and what they like to read, which is probably not the worst way to judge a person.
This series isn’t one of my favorites but I have enjoyed it and will definitely stick with it.
March 4, 2023
I have been reading the Bookmobile Cat series since it first started! The Crime that Binds is book #10 in the series. While I am still sad that Minnie no longer lives on her houseboat (something that made this series so different), I still love, love, love Eddie the Cat's Mrrrr commentary and the characters in this series.
The basics: As Chilson, MI residents start to have dreams of spring, Minnie finds herself trying to absolve a Bookmobile patron of robbery and murder, while also sleuthing out the perpetrator of an art theft and second murder.
I listened to the audio book version of this newest book in this series. Narrated by Erin Bennett, the audio is just shy of 9 hours long. Bennett does a good job of voicing all the characters and doing Eddie's signature Mrrrr. I enjoyed her performance. She reads at a nice pace, and has a pleasant voice. The story itself dragged in spots for me, but was mostly very enjoyable.
Entertaining new story in this series. I'm definitely in line for the next book!
Favorite character? Eddie the Cat of course! Mrrrrrr!
The basics: As Chilson, MI residents start to have dreams of spring, Minnie finds herself trying to absolve a Bookmobile patron of robbery and murder, while also sleuthing out the perpetrator of an art theft and second murder.
I listened to the audio book version of this newest book in this series. Narrated by Erin Bennett, the audio is just shy of 9 hours long. Bennett does a good job of voicing all the characters and doing Eddie's signature Mrrrr. I enjoyed her performance. She reads at a nice pace, and has a pleasant voice. The story itself dragged in spots for me, but was mostly very enjoyable.
Entertaining new story in this series. I'm definitely in line for the next book!
Favorite character? Eddie the Cat of course! Mrrrrrr!
October 2, 2022
3.75 stars
Small-time librarian and bookmobile driver Minnie and her cat Eddie are back for another adventure. This is a great cozy, featuring libraries, cats, small towns, various weddings and friendships -- quite readable with appealing characters. Although the series is fun, you could probably figure it out as a standalone.
One of Minnie's bookmobile patrons is in trouble and that's enough to get her involved in the investigation. Meanwhile she and fiance Rafe are working to plan their upcoming wedding and her best friend and restauranteur Kristen and husband are expecting a baby.
Being a librarian, Minnie's investigative techniques involve lots of lists and research. Fun reading for fans of lighthearted mysteries. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Small-time librarian and bookmobile driver Minnie and her cat Eddie are back for another adventure. This is a great cozy, featuring libraries, cats, small towns, various weddings and friendships -- quite readable with appealing characters. Although the series is fun, you could probably figure it out as a standalone.
One of Minnie's bookmobile patrons is in trouble and that's enough to get her involved in the investigation. Meanwhile she and fiance Rafe are working to plan their upcoming wedding and her best friend and restauranteur Kristen and husband are expecting a baby.
Being a librarian, Minnie's investigative techniques involve lots of lists and research. Fun reading for fans of lighthearted mysteries. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 22, 2022
It's late March in the small town of Chilson which is located in northern Michigan. While the weather still precludes most outdoor activity, it's a great time for reading. When one loyal bookmobile patron is murdered and another suspected in the man's death as well as some downstate crimes, Minnie and Eddie set out to prove his innocence.
I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. It's a wonderful, lighthearted read with well-rounded characters. I especially love Eddie, the cat. :) I was drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end. The intriguing mystery will keep you guessing. Laurie Cass is a fantastic author and I'm always eager for each new release in this series which has become a favorite. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order to get the most out of everything.
I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. It's a wonderful, lighthearted read with well-rounded characters. I especially love Eddie, the cat. :) I was drawn into this captivating story and kept hooked from beginning to end. The intriguing mystery will keep you guessing. Laurie Cass is a fantastic author and I'm always eager for each new release in this series which has become a favorite. I highly recommend both book and series which I suggest you read in order to get the most out of everything.
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