Words with Fiends
Ali Brandon

Genre:
Mystery
Rating:

Brooklyn bookstore owner Darla Pettistone and her oversized black cat, Hamlet, have solved a few complicated capers. But after a recent brush with danger, Darla needs to get Hamlet out of a feline funk…

Lately, Hamlet hasn’t been chasing customers or being his obnoxious self—something Darla surprisingly misses. Concerned, she hires a cat whisperer to probe Hamlet’s feline psyche and then decides to get out of her own funk by taking up karate to learn how to defend herself in case the need arises again.

But when Darla finds her sensei dead at the dojo, it seems that even a master can be felled by foul play. Darla decides to investigate the matter herself, and the promise of a mystery snaps Hamlet out of his bad mood. After all, Darla may be the sleuth, but Hamlet’s got a black belt in detection…

Review

Darla Pettistone recently inherited “Pettistone’s Fine Books” in Brooklyn from her great-aunt Dee. Darla has been enjoying her new store and getting to know her employees James, a retired college instructor, and Robert, a young Goth. Darla and the bookshop cat, Hamlet, are still recovering from almost losing their lives when helping with a murder case. Darla takes up karate to deal with her trauma and she gets advice from a “cat whisperer” on how to help Hamlet. Then, Darla and Robert find the body of their sensei Master Tomlinson, who has been attacked at the dojo and left for dead. When Darla and Hamlet find themselves again facing danger, will they be able to get over their fears in time to find a murderer and save their own lives?

The Black Cat Bookshop Mysteries are wonderful books with interesting, unique characters that have real depth. From the title, which I love, to the conclusion of the story, Words with Fiends is a delight. When Darla isn’t busy with the bookstore or taking care of Hamlet, she enjoys playing an online game to pass the time and connect with fellow word game lovers. Although this is the third book in this series, new readers can easily catch up on the background of the characters and enjoy the story. Darla is still getting to know James as well as her tenant and friend Jacqueline “Jake” Martelli, the private investigator who lives below the bookstore. Darla is also getting to know Detective Reese, who is a good and fair detective and a perfect potential love interest for Darla so readers can learn about these characters right along with Darla.

The mystery of the attack on Master Tomlinson is intriguing and I enjoyed watching Darla investigate, with the help of Hamlet, who uses his book-snagging ability to knock books off the shelves and give Darla clues to solving the case. There are plenty of suspects and through the course of the investigation, and Darla learns looks can be deceiving and not to jump to conclusions. While Darla has Hamlet to help her, Robert also makes a new friend – a sweet Greyhound named Roma. The characters, both the humans and their four-legged friends are the best part of the series. They are likeable, but not perfect and even though this is early in the series, they are already showing growth from the first book. My only regret is there are some wonderful events at the end of the book that I would have like to see happen instead of reading a description after the fact. However, it’s still a great book with a unique mix of reality, whimsy, and humor. Fans of Lillian Jackson Braun will enjoy seeing Hamlet help Darla solve crimes, and I am already looking forward to their next case.

Reviewed by Christine