HOW TO WASH A CAT by Rebecca Hale is a confusing collection of mismatched clues held together by eccentric characters with two cute cats thrown into the odd mix. I had as much trouble as some of the characters (including the unnamed-until-the-last-page lead character) actually identifying the mystery, let alone caring if it was solved. I felt the author had some solid ideas but didn't bring them together in a cohesive way. Ms. Hale does a beautiful job with the descriptions of San Francisco and fleshing out the odd collection of characters, but it didn't jell together. By the culmination of the story, I simply felt confused and glad I'd reached the end.

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