Creature Cozies

Edited by Jill Morgan with Various authors

      Berkley offers readers a set of mysteries involving both dogs and cats. It is an interesting collection, and one doesn't have to be a cozy mystery reader or a pet owner to enjoy any of them.

      The authors make up an eclectic bunch, with published works ranging from suspense to police procedurals to amateur sleuth and cozy mysteries. Each author is a pet owner and uses his or her pet(s) in the mystery.

      Douglas, known for her Midnight Louie cat series starts it off with "Junior Partner in Crime," a mystery starring Midnight Louie, Jr. Another is "Highest, Best Use" by Jance, which teaches us a lesson in sending thank you notes. "Edelweiss" by Haddam is a chilling story involving a cat and a deceiving twist.

      My favorite of the bunch is "Crystal's Big Night" by Gorman. During wartime, a girl scout swears she spotted two Nazis near the USO in Chicago. The injured solider running the USO deals with celebrities, murder and a cat named Crystal. Creature Cozies isn't all that cozy when it comes to the mystery content, but the book as a whole, with its impressive list of authors, is a winner. Pass it on and let the others enjoy it as well.

"Junior Partner in Crime" by Carole Nelson Douglas
"Highest, Best Use" by J.A. Jance
"Diamond Dog" by Dick Lochte
"Scratch That One" by Jill M. Morgan
"Had He but Known" by Marlys Millhiser
"Crystal's Big Night" by Ed Gorman
"Edelweiss" by Jane Haddam
"Going to the Dogs" by Maxine O'Callaghan
"The Accomplice" by Gary Phillips
"Black Zak and the Heart Attack" by Noreen Ayres
"Lost and Found" by Jan Burke