Cat's Claw (Cassidy McCabe Mysteries (Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: Boring and tedious
Review: As a psychologist, I was frustrated with this author and her unrealistic portrayal of the work of a psychotherapist. This was my first and last read of this disappointing series.

Rating:
Summary: ok, I'm a sap for Cassidy and Cats
Review: Cassidy McCabe returns in the fifth book of this series, proving that they only get better. For those who have followed the cats and love life of this extraordinary therapist who solves crimes on the side, Cassidy's back and better than ever. If you've not yet met this spunky, peanut-butter cup munching sleuth, don't wait another minute. CAT'S CLAW is definitely the cat's meow.

When Starshine adopted Cassidy McCabe, she inevitably changed her human's view of felines. The cat imparted the gift of love that her human reciprocated and eventually expanded to include concern for other felines as well. Consequently, when Cassidy's "cat-lady" neighbor is murdered, not only does Cassidy once again undertake to solve the murder, but also finds herself responsible for three housecats and nine feral cats. The reclusive Olivia never raises her blinds nor chats with neighbors. So when Cassidy decided to be neighborly in honor of their common concern for cats, Olivia bordered between suspicion and pleasure.

For the first time in twelve years, Cassidy notices that the blinds have been raised across the street. When she investigates, Olivia assures Cassidy that she is fine. But later that evening Cassidy returns to her neighbor's home, to find Olivia dead at the foot of her own stairs with a strange "mountain man," an ex-con, passed out on the couch. Convinced that the mountain man didn't kill Olivia, Cassidy feels compelled to discover Olivia's secrets and the reason for her death.

Meanwhile, Cassidy's husband Zach continues his undercover work as a reporter, disguised as a drug-dealing thug in an effort to prove the dirty dealings of cops. However, the obligatory undercover personality seems to take over, pushing the gentle and loving husband aside, leaving Cassidy with a dangerous, rude imposter. So while Zach's personality disintegrates into that of a hoodlum, Cassidy finds herself busy with Olivia's cats and ex-con friend. Convinced that the man didn't murder Olivia, Cassidy will go to any length to find the real killer while the police accept a bogus confession.

Matthews has an awesome talent for not only weaving excellent tales, but also memorable subplots. I want Cassidy's grandma for my own, complete with her array of wigs and saucy attitude, although I can do without her nagging mother. And to tell how much I love Starshine would require confessing that I have an orange and white kitten named just for this literary feline. Indeed, CAT'S CLAW is very highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Cat's flaw
Review: This book is seriously flawed in several ways. It aims to be cute, with a lot of stuff about cats. It's a much faster read if you skip over the cat stuff and Cassidy's interior monologue, which rarely adds anything to the storyline. The interior monologue is printed in italics, which makes it a lot easier to skip. The primary flaw is that Cassidy McCabe decides to investigate a murder, even though a man found sleeping on the victim's sofa with the murder weapon beside him has confessed to the killing. (And he's already done time for killing somebody else in a fit of anger.) But Cassidy is convinced "he couldn't have done it." At the end she has to get herself in the obligatory dangerous situation. In short, nothing in the book works very well.