Publisher's Weekly Review
After odious Hollywood actor Luke Lombardi is fatally poisoned during a college play in Athena, Miss., there's no shortage of suspects in James's delightful 12th Cat in the Stacks mystery (after 2019's The Pawful Truth). Everybody in Athena, including Laura Salisbury, the play's female lead, thought Luke was obnoxious and unpleasant, but she shouldn't be the prime suspect just because she handed her costar the poisoned drink on stage. Clearly, librarian archivist Charlie Harris, Laura's father, and Laura's husband, Frank Salisbury, along with a few friends, aided and abetted by Charlie's extraordinary Maine coon cat, Diesel, should be able to come up with alternative suspects before Chief Deputy Kanesha Berry decides Laura is the killer. Meanwhile, an impostor needs to be unmasked, and Charlie's romantic partner, Helen Louise Brady, is having her own problems at her restaurant. After a slow start, the action picks up speed and maintains the momentum to the satisfying ending. Cozy fans will have fun spending time with the charming Diesel and company. Agent: Nancy Yost, Nancy Yost Literary. (Jan.)
Kirkus Review
An impossible actor's career ends when he dies midperformance, leaving a cast and crew who would have been all too willing to have done the deed.Charlie Harris and his feline sidekicks, Maine coon Diesel and kitten Ramses, are all excited that Charlie's daughter, Laura, and her husband, Frank, will be headlining Athena College's spring production as lead actress and director in a homegrown new play, Careless Whispers. Laura was excited too until the male lead, who had to bail suddenly, is replaced by someone she knows all too well: Luke Lombardi. Laura's had run-ins with Luke in the past and knows that he's a drama queen in all the wrong ways. When Luke shows up in Mississippi, Charlie and his partner, Helen Louise Brady, are suitably unimpressed with his imperious attitude and clueless mini-entourage, but both figure there's little to worry about until a string of pranks seems to escalate to Luke's onstage murder. Though Charlie is concerned that Laura's dislike of Luke might point to her as a suspect, c'mon! Chief Deputy Kanesha Berry, whom Charlie's earlier investigations (The Pawful Truth, 2019, etc.) have made something of a family friend, doesn't think Laura is guilty either, though she does have to follow procedure and question anyone with means and motive. While there aren't many folks in the means category, Luke's volatile and narcissistic manner has heaped the motive category with suspectsand can anyone blame them? It may all come down to unraveling the mystery behind the identity of the playwright, Finnegan Zwake, a pseudonym no one had thought to question until Charlie decides he can't help but, once again, get involved.Like her cast, James gets in a little more drama for a lively continuation of her series. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Archivist Charlie Harris provides support when Athena College's theater department puts on a production of Careless Whispers, starring Charlie's daughter, Laura, and directed by his son-in-law, Frank. Laura goes ballistic when the obnoxious, Tony-nominated Luke Lombardi is hired to star opposite her in the play. Laura has worked with Luke in the past, and she makes her dislike of him obvious to all. When Lombardi is murdered after being the butt of a series of ever-more-serious pranks, Charlie investigates when Laura becomes the chief suspect. Other possible suspects include Lombardi's girlfriend, her former husband, Lombardi's understudy, and even the playwright. Complicating matters, two different men claim to be the author of the play. Charlie unravels the mystery of the play's authorship and uncovers a killer, supplying evidence to the detective in charge of the case. Framed by its Mississippi college-town setting and the details of putting on a play, this cozy, with its sixtysomething male protagonist, will appeal to cat lovers due to the antics of felines Diesel and Ramses.--Sue O'Brien Copyright 2020 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Librarian Charlie Harris can only listen when his grown daughter, Laura, throws a tantrum after she learns who her leading man will be in Athena College's spring production. Luke Lombardi is a good actor but a womanizing, terrible person. Charlie assures Laura that her husband, Frank, who is directing the play, can handle Lombardi's antics. But, after observing Lombardi and his strange entourage at the welcome reception, Charlie's afraid Laura might be right to worry about his performance. However, someone is playing pranks on the actor, and they grow more dangerous. Lombardi dies on stage the night of the performance. Although Charlie swore he wouldn't investigate, he realizes Laura's not only a suspect, she could have died from the same poison that killed Lombardi. VERDICT Fans of the series will welcome the return of all the quirky characters, from Charlie and his Maine coon cat, Diesel, to the Ducote sisters. However, readers who enjoy the theater can quickly catch up with this latest book that brings together the playwright, cast, and behind-the-scenes action. Charlie provides some laugh-aloud moments in this follow-up to The Pawful Truth.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
