Cat With a Clue: 10/14/16

Cat With a Clue by Laurie Cass is the fifth in the Bookmobile Cat mystery series. At the close of Pouncing on Murder, it looked like Minnie would be the new library director. She, though, has decided to stay in her current position and let someone else come in. While the interview process is going on, though, she has to contend with unprecedented mayhem in the library: murder, burglary, and sabotage.

The mystery here is two fold: what is the motive behind these crimes and then who could be driven to commit these crimes. Although the why and who are different, Cat with a Clue reminds me of Darned if You Do by Monica Ferris.

As a library volunteer the problems the Friends have struck home. While you'd think that libraries would be secure, the reality is that someone at the Friends has access to get in, whether it's a key or a passcode. The Friends are a vulnerability and a strength — it's how it has to be for the support relationship to work.

Minnie's decision to not interview for the directorship bothered me more than the crimes. She's written as such a great librarian. Her coworkers want her in charge. She's be great in charge. But she either doesn't trust herself or just doesn't want that much responsibility. Like her coworkers I'm stressed out about the future of the library (even though it's fictional)!

Five stars

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