The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon

When quilter Jillian Hart returns to her lake house in Mercy, South Carolina, she discovered her friend, Tom, is missing-and his estranged half-brother has moved into Tom's house. Jillian doesn't trust the guy, especially since he allowed Tom's diabetic cat to escape. When police officers find Tom's wrecked car with a dead stranger inside, Jillian is determined to find out what happened to Tom-before someone else turns up dead.

Leann Sweeney is a master at making readers care about her characters. Time spent with them is an absolutely joy. Jillian and her beloved cats Merlot, Syrah and Chablis are at the top of the list of my favorite cozy characters. In this fourth book in the series, we learn so much about Tom and his dysfunctional family. My heart went out to Finn...so much pain and neglect in his life yet he has turned out to be such a great kid. He and Yoshi make the cutest team! Seeing how they integrate themselves into Jillian and Tom's relationship will be a treat.

This book is also extra special to me because of Tom's cat Dashiell. He's right at the center of the action in Jillian's latest adventure, and I loved the way Leann dropped into the story tidbits about the extra care and attention a diabetic cat requires. She's an expert on the topic as well, as her beloved cat Agatha is diabetic. Leann has been there for me to pick her brain over the past several months as I've adjusted to life with my sugar kitty Tara.

This series just keeps getting better and better, and book #5 can't come fast enough for this reader!!!