Did I mention that I adore cats and love mysteries with kitties in them? This series has one very special kitty in Shadow. Ms Donally does not give him any magical or special powers, He is just a normal cat who adopted Sunny and wants to be sure that he doesn't end up on the street again as has happened before.When we read his feline POV, it is classic. I can see and hear him so clearly and it rings of authenticity. I am fond of his human compatriots especially Sunny who has a snarky inner voice the often tells her things she would rather not hear.There were a number of new characters in the story, some human and some feline. Portia the cat and Luke the musician were treats. Some of the others, I could take or leave.The death of a charming but despicable character at a rest home sets Sunny and her erstwhile boyfriend on a search to discover whether it was natural causes or murder. There were plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing.If you are looking for a thought provoking read, this isn't the book for you. But if you are in the mood for some mind candy, and you have a soft spot for cats, this could be just what the doctor ordered. The 3rd "Sunny & Shadow Mystery", Claire Donally's "Last Licks" is an unusual type of mystery even for this particular series. In it, Sunny's boss Oliver Barnstable ends up in a rehab facility after breaking his leg. It's there that his roommate Gardner Scatterwell ends up dying of an apparent stroke that raises suspicion by Ollie causing Sunny & Will to do an investigation of their own into what exactly is happening in the nursing home. Shadow plays a very small role in this novel although he is obsessed with the smell of the nursing home's cat Portia something that plays out across the entirety of the book. Donally does a decent job of keeping the characters true to form & the story of Scatterwell's death runs the gamut from murder to accident to murder again with a plot that keeps you guessing right up until the very end. Overall a satisfying entry in this relatively new series and one I'll continue to revisit in the future.
What do You think about Last Licks (2014)?
kept you guessing till the end. I love shadow
—sassySOSO
