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Secret Library #5
Clawful Scandal
New for the Secret Library cozy mystery series!
Laura Lee and her friends are helping Mrs. Thornberry host a charity event for the local hospital. The dinner is a flurry with music, dancing, and celebrity guests. Everything seems to be going splendidly, including healthy donations piling in, until Mary sees the one person who Should Not be there.
The man is Timothy Skyler and is well known among the town's criminals as one of the craftiest of the bunch. But when he shows up dead among the town's elite, and with a piece of jewelry from Judge Katherine, everything explodes.
Life doesn't settle back to normal though, when the mystery is dumped into Laura Lee's lap as a mutual friend contacts her. Can the Secret Book Club untangle this mess before Laura Lee's friend gets dragged in farther?
Perfect for those who like cozy books heavy on mystery, adorable animals, small towns, humor in relationships and escape.
Laura Lee and her friends are helping Mrs. Thornberry host a charity event for the local hospital. The dinner is a flurry with music, dancing, and celebrity guests. Everything seems to be going splendidly, including healthy donations piling in, until Mary sees the one person who Should Not be there.
The man is Timothy Skyler and is well known among the town's criminals as one of the craftiest of the bunch. But when he shows up dead among the town's elite, and with a piece of jewelry from Judge Katherine, everything explodes.
Life doesn't settle back to normal though, when the mystery is dumped into Laura Lee's lap as a mutual friend contacts her. Can the Secret Book Club untangle this mess before Laura Lee's friend gets dragged in farther?
Perfect for those who like cozy books heavy on mystery, adorable animals, small towns, humor in relationships and escape.
174 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2022
145 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 8, 2023
Great cozy mystery! I enjoy the eccentric characters! The book club is cool. I love the cat! I highly recommend this story and the entire series.
December 30, 2022
Wonderful Series!
I have really enjoyed reading these books. So much excitement and great characters. Good clean cozy mysteries and never a dull moment...love the cat too!
I have really enjoyed reading these books. So much excitement and great characters. Good clean cozy mysteries and never a dull moment...love the cat too!
December 18, 2022
Secrets From the Past Don't Always Stay Hidden...
Miss Janice is hosting her annual costume party fundraiser and the attendees are all dressed in 1920s styles. During the evening, Mary alerts Laura Lee to the presence of a man, Timothy Skyler, who she says should not be there. Mary says he is evil and a known trouble maker. When Mary and Laura Lee follow Timothy outside, they hear him talking to somebody and hear a slap. They don't know who he was talking to or who was slapped. When Timothy does not return to the gala, they presume he has finally left for the evening. When Timothy is found dead in the driveway with a piece of Judge Katherine's jewelry, rumors and suspicions abound.
Who killed Timothy? Why was he killed? Is the judge actually involved? Can Mary and Laura Lee sort through all of the lies and accusations to solve the mystery?
CeeCee James has another wonderful mystery with this latest adventure. The characters are fantastic and the situations realistic. She also bits of humor throughout to keep the story light and entertaining!
Miss Janice is hosting her annual costume party fundraiser and the attendees are all dressed in 1920s styles. During the evening, Mary alerts Laura Lee to the presence of a man, Timothy Skyler, who she says should not be there. Mary says he is evil and a known trouble maker. When Mary and Laura Lee follow Timothy outside, they hear him talking to somebody and hear a slap. They don't know who he was talking to or who was slapped. When Timothy does not return to the gala, they presume he has finally left for the evening. When Timothy is found dead in the driveway with a piece of Judge Katherine's jewelry, rumors and suspicions abound.
Who killed Timothy? Why was he killed? Is the judge actually involved? Can Mary and Laura Lee sort through all of the lies and accusations to solve the mystery?
CeeCee James has another wonderful mystery with this latest adventure. The characters are fantastic and the situations realistic. She also bits of humor throughout to keep the story light and entertaining!
December 27, 2022
A delightful read.
Ms. James has written another interesting mystery. Mary and the gang come together to solve the murder of a man on the grounds. The story is well written and has many twist and turns to keep you interested.
Ms. James has written another interesting mystery. Mary and the gang come together to solve the murder of a man on the grounds. The story is well written and has many twist and turns to keep you interested.
December 27, 2022
Loovved it. Great story!! Fantastic as usual!!
December 18, 2022
I absolutely love this series and Clawful Scandal is perhaps the best book so far. A super twisty mystery with loads of fun and quirky characters, not to mention great friendships and interesting relationships, this one has everything I love in a cozy mystery.
Shades of Downton Abbey, US style, it is a really fun series all the way through. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
Shades of Downton Abbey, US style, it is a really fun series all the way through. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
December 31, 2022
This was a pretty thin mystery.
February 28, 2023
Mrs Thornberry is hosting a benefit for a hospital so Laura Lee and her friends are hard at work. The night of the event is going well until Mary sees someone who really shouldn't be there. Timothy Skyler is a well known criminal, so why is he among the town's elite? When he is found dead with a piece of jewelry from a local judge, things start getting tricky. Laura Lee and her friends are soon drawn into the investigation, setting out to find the killer.
I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. It's well-written and the characters are well-developed. The plot is fast-paced and it's a quick, fun read. I was pulled into the captivating story and was fully absorbed in it from beginning to end, reading it in one sitting. The mystery was intriguing with plenty of red herrings plus lots of twists and turns. I'm really looking forward to more from this series. I would love to see Laura Lee start a romantic relationship with a certain someone. I highly recommend both book and series which I believe is best read in order to get the most out of things.
I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. It's well-written and the characters are well-developed. The plot is fast-paced and it's a quick, fun read. I was pulled into the captivating story and was fully absorbed in it from beginning to end, reading it in one sitting. The mystery was intriguing with plenty of red herrings plus lots of twists and turns. I'm really looking forward to more from this series. I would love to see Laura Lee start a romantic relationship with a certain someone. I highly recommend both book and series which I believe is best read in order to get the most out of things.
December 31, 2022
Laura Lee works as a housekeeper at the home of Miss Janice, an elderly lady who has a yearly costume party & charity auction for Saint Jude research hospital. The event is a success, but the next morning a body is found on the driveway. It seems that two of the employees know the dead person from different encounters with him. When a piece of jewelry is found in the garden the ladies decide it’s time to investigate & get to the bottom of why the man was killed. As Laura Lee continues to investigate several new suspects pop up & things finally come together when one of them tries to leave the state.
January 9, 2023
A really enjoyable series with a fun group ladies who call themselves the Secret Library Club. They all work for Miss Janice on a large estate, cleaning, serving, and so on, with the aid of a friendly cat named Hank. This time the ladies are helping Miss Janice put on a charity fundraiser when one of them recognizes someone from her past who shouldn’t be there. Next thing you know the man, Timothy, is dead with two punctures in his neck. A fun and interesting cozy murder mystery with enough twists and surprises to keep you reading on!
February 6, 2023
Clawful Scandal (The Secret Library Cozy Mysteries Book 5) by CeeCee James is a quick-paced, entertaining cozy mystery. I enjoyed the writing and all the characters (especially Hank) It was nice to have Miss Janice, Mary, Cook, Marguerite, Stephen, Janet and the other familiar characters in the story again. I read the book in two sittings. It was a fun installment in the series and a good value for an entertaining tale. I look forward to more books by CeeCee James in the future - Five stars from me :)
March 12, 2023
Laura Lee and her friends all work for Mrs. Thornberry. They are currently helping with a major charity event. When one of them spots a person who should not be there--the girls convene in the Secret Library Club room to decide what to do. They love solving mysteries and this one is a doozy! Missing very expensive jewelry--the man who was not supposed to be there--is found dead. Will they be able to get to the bottom of all this while keeping Mrs. Thornberry from any undue problems?
Lots of twists and turns in this clean cozy--will you be able to guess the ending?
Lots of twists and turns in this clean cozy--will you be able to guess the ending?
January 2, 2023
interesting book
Enjoyed the plot and mystery. It was interesting following the clues to discover the villain. No left out clues that keep you from sleuthing the perp. That gives the reader the chance to be a real detective instead of having a deciding clue kept secret and dropped in at the end like so many authors do. I like the comaraderie of the staff and their employer. I love the secret rooms.
Enjoyed the plot and mystery. It was interesting following the clues to discover the villain. No left out clues that keep you from sleuthing the perp. That gives the reader the chance to be a real detective instead of having a deciding clue kept secret and dropped in at the end like so many authors do. I like the comaraderie of the staff and their employer. I love the secret rooms.
June 8, 2024
It had been years since I read the first 4 books in this series, so it took a couple chapters to recall some of the characters, but after that I felt like I settled right in. Light and easy cozy mystery with kind of a simple but effective plot, great characters and a unique premise of it being servants for the rich solving the mysteries. I enjoyed this quick, fun book. I like so many other reviewers, I love Hank! Also I’m hoping that Laura Lee and Stephen eventually end up as a couple.
July 28, 2024
I enjoyed this book. The main characters are the household staff of a very nice lady and have proven themselves to be quite adept at problem solving and finding out who the murderer is. The plot is easily followed, and the premise is finding out who killed the gatecrasher, Timothy with the checkered past. The answers were convoluted and hard won and the mystery solved with a few red herrings thrown in to confuse the reader. I most definitely recommend this book and the rest of the series.
August 3, 2025
The day after Miss Janice’s yearly 20’s themed costume ball one of the guests is found dead in the driveway.
I wish the cat was more involved with the investigating. From the story titles I expected more. He just seems to be wandering the house most of the time.
Fave scenes: Laura Lee being interviewed by the police, Mary’s upgrade, Laura Lee taking the bread out of the oven and the flying tackle.
I wish the cat was more involved with the investigating. From the story titles I expected more. He just seems to be wandering the house most of the time.
Fave scenes: Laura Lee being interviewed by the police, Mary’s upgrade, Laura Lee taking the bread out of the oven and the flying tackle.
February 3, 2023
Maids save the day
Maids save the day in this tale of mystery and murder.
It appeared that a high born lady committed murder.
It was actually a senators' wife.
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
Maids save the day in this tale of mystery and murder.
It appeared that a high born lady committed murder.
It was actually a senators' wife.
I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.
February 21, 2023
Another delightful addition to this compelling series. I love following the exploits of the staff of this huge stately manor. They are smart and reckless and with the aid of a supernaturally intelligent cat they manage to track down the murder and keep from falling victims themselves. Altogether a fun and interesting read.
January 8, 2023
Clawful Scandal is a fantastic cozy mystery. I really enjoyed this book. It is interesting and fun. I love the characters and enjoyed following them solve the mystery. The mystery has many twists to keep you guessing. I love this series.
February 16, 2023
New book in this series. Has Laura Lee and her fellow members of the secret book club get involved in solving a murder that took place at the manor during a charity event. Fantastic characters that will grow on you and of course Hank the cat.
February 26, 2023
Laura Lee and her cohort of coworkers!
Miss Janice has a party and a murder happens in the garden. Bits and pieces are overheard, but not enough. Laura Lee and her friends get busy with their sleuthing and discover secrets as they begin putting the pieces together.
Miss Janice has a party and a murder happens in the garden. Bits and pieces are overheard, but not enough. Laura Lee and her friends get busy with their sleuthing and discover secrets as they begin putting the pieces together.
January 2, 2023
Who killed Timothy Stiller and why??? It goes a long way back, doesn’t it??? I enjoyed this story and recommend the book.
January 9, 2023
The Help Solves the Murder
This is the first book by this author for me. I really enjoyed it. She has a way of keeping you wanting to read till the end
This is the first book by this author for me. I really enjoyed it. She has a way of keeping you wanting to read till the end
January 16, 2023
I love this series with it's clues, camaraderie, and that it holds your interest from start to finish.
February 28, 2023
Laura Lee and the gang make a great team and it's so fun to read. I really like these characters and the adventures are so interesting! I hope there are many more to read!!
March 13, 2023
My review for Clawful Scandal
I absolutely loved it! Another excellent book! I love all the characters! This is a myst read series! I can’t wait for the next book!
I absolutely loved it! Another excellent book! I love all the characters! This is a myst read series! I can’t wait for the next book!
August 19, 2023
Clawful scandal
The ladies of the Thornburg mansion did it again. As always I enjoy ms Jame's stories. Can't wait for he next one.
The ladies of the Thornburg mansion did it again. As always I enjoy ms Jame's stories. Can't wait for he next one.
February 26, 2024
Who killed Timothy Skyler and why??? Blackmail??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
August 27, 2024
Pure Fun
Delightful mystery with a charming cast of clue seeking domestics, a mansion with secret rooms and a big yellow cat in charge of it all.
Delightful mystery with a charming cast of clue seeking domestics, a mansion with secret rooms and a big yellow cat in charge of it all.
January 8, 2023
Best Cozy Mystery Series
This is the very best cozy mystery series. I love the setting and all of the characters. I’m always waiting for the next book!
This is the very best cozy mystery series. I love the setting and all of the characters. I’m always waiting for the next book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews