CARVE A WITNESS TO SHREDS by Cathie John

CARVE A WITNESS TO SHREDS by Cathie John
Journals of Kate Cavanaugh Culinary Mystery, No. 3
Journeybook Press - 1999
ISBN: 096341836X - Trade Paperback
Cozy Mystery

Reviewed by Pam Stone, MyShelf.com
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CARVE A WITNESS TO SHREDS is the 3rd installment of Kate Cavanaugh, the first one was " ADD ONE DEAD CRITIC " and the second was " BEAT A ROTTEN EGG TO THE PUNCH".

Charlotte Oakly asks Kate to investigate Victor Lloyd who is an obnoxious, over confident man with a seedy sales pitch, for a real estate developer. Kate reminds Charlotte that she is a caterer and not a private investigator. Charlotte says that she cannot trust anyone else to do it for her except Kate since Victor is the father of the young Eric whom her daughter Melissa is engaged to, and she does not want Melissa to marry someone connected to the mob. Charlotte reminds Kate that she did solve a couple of murders this year; Kate tells her there was a difference. She did not set out to be involved in solving the murders. It was dumped into her lap. Kate is used to Clairmont blue bloods hiring her to help them celebrate their families wedding not to prevent them from taking place. Lately, though, Kate has been feeling a melancholy grab her. Getting tired of walking into her kitchen and trying to generate enthusiasm for the day’s list of parties and the awaiting crowds of hungry mouths, Kate is going through a career burnout. All of the sudden the idea of an investigation appeals to Kate. Kate calls Charlotte that she will do the job for her, and she will start that night at the River Boat Party that is giving by Victor Lloyd.

Victor Lloyd's party was to show off his plans of things to come on the Cincinnati- Northern Kentucky Riverport area. It will be a place called the Oasis, which will have top name adult entertainment, singers, comics, musical reviews, and even its own chorus line dancers. While Kate was out on deck trying to pick up some info on Victor she hears "man overboard!" as she looks down she sees a Victor Lloyd's badly mauled body in the water. Kate is summoned to see Victor's Uncle Peepo, who now wants to hire Kate to find out what happened Victor, even though the police think it was an accident.

CARVE A WITNESS TO SHREDS is the best of the three Kate Cavanaugh Mysteries. It is very well written with lots of twists and turns. A lot of the same fetching characters from the first two books are in this book also; even Mr. Boo-Kat who has his own problems in this outing. A loose coyote on the farm is hindering his freedom. I really liked the fact that the author goes over facts from the previous books so if the reader has not read the other books he or she is not totally lost. The facts maybe considered spoilers by some. So if you are planning to read the series you may want to start from the beginning.