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The Cat, The Wife and The Weapon
Cats in Trouble # 4
Leann Sweeney

Obsidian
April 2012/ 978-0-451-23647-0
Mystery/Cozy
Amazon

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

Jillian Hart lives in Mercy, South Carolina, with a trio of fabulous felines. Syrah, Merlot and Chablis travel with Jillian on business. The latest trip had lasted a week and consisted of craft fairs and cat shows where Jillian sold handmade cat quilts.

Upon her return home, Jillian tries to contact her boyfriend, Tom Stewart. She had talked to him for the first several days she was away, but after that she'd only been able to connect with his voice mail. Jillian was more than a little uneasy. She decided to go to his house to see if he was OK. Instead of Tom, a stranger answered the door. He identified himself as Tom's brother, Bob. Bob is just the first of a series of things that Tom never told her about. When Bob tells her that Tom's diabetic cat, Dashiell, snuck out the door a couple of days ago, Jillian really starts to panic. Dashiell requires medication on a regular schedule so she sets out to find the cat and get him to the vet ASAP
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When Tom shows up at her house, Jillian is instantly relieved, but also deeply worried at the site of cuts and bruises on his face. What comes next is a long story that involves a corpse in Tom's totaled Prius, the introduction of the previously unknown Finn, who is Tom's stepson, and the interference of Tom's ex-wife, Hilary. The police are convinced that Finn shot and killed Hilary's most recent husband, Nolan, and Jillian sets her cap on finding the truth.

The Cat, The Wife, and The Weapon is a light and easy cozy mystery that strikes a nice balance between the murder mystery and the intricacy of human relationships. Jillian's relationships with her cats are much easier to understand, and the felines remain important to the story and to Jillian's continued emotional growth. I liked how Sweeney has continued to develop her character's personalities and back stories. The South Carolina setting teems with southern hospitality, the scenes were action-packed, and there is romance and humor as well. I give this book 4 paws up!

Reviews of other titles in this series

The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse #1
The Cat, The Lady and the Liar #3
The Cat, The Wife and The Weapon #4
The Cat, The Mill And The Murder #5
The Cat, The Vagabond and the Victim #6

Reviewed 2012
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