Et cetera : Book Review: Lending a Paw

 Lending a Paw
                      By Laurie Cass
                                                Large Print
                                                Fiction
                                                Mystery
                                                Reviewed By                                                             Connie Bennett

          This time around, I looked for something light-hearted and easy to read.  I found it!  If ever a series called for an afghan and a cup of tea (or coffee, or cocoa), this is the series to fit the bill!  I read book one, "Lending a Paw", in one evening!   It was such a fun read, I was tempted to start the second book of the series, "Tailing a Tabby", but my patient husband requested "lights out".  The entire series of eight delightful books are known as the Bookmobile Cat Series, and, of course, a bookmobile and a cat play important roles, as does a librarian named Minerva Hamilton.
          The premise is simple: a young woman,  who has wanted to be a librarian ever since the jobs of  President, astronaut and ballerina were decided to be unattainable, sees a listing for an associate director of the district library in the small tourist town where she spent her childhood summers!  Her first official act is to lobby for a bookmobile to provide materials to tiny outlying towns who have lost their own libraries due to budget cuts.  "Minnie's" second official act is to take in a homeless cat she dubs Eddie.
          Now, to this already eclectic bunch, add an overbearing Library Director who is long on barking orders and short on sharing credit, an aunt with whom Minnie lives part-time, several millionaires, some shady characters, a few co-workers and volunteers, a best friend who owns and operates an upscale restaurant, and naturally, a handsome doctor.  
          When Eddie invites himself along on the first outing of the intrepid bookmobile, then escapes during the last stop of the day, Minnie finds herself in an abandoned house with a dead body and, up to her eye teeth in a murder! So many suspects, so little time!
          During this busy season, this book is just the ticket for a cozy little murder mystery. There is small-town humor, a touch or two of romance, a bit of danger, and a lot of fun in this one! Put your feet up and take an evening off with Minnie and Eddie!  Enjoy!

                                               Published 2015
                                               Penguin Pub. Group
                                               NY, NY