Her love of animals leads to her volunteering at the local animal shelter. When an expensive, pampered cat shows up at the shelter, Jillian is asked to find out why the owner isn't responding to the calls letting her know where her cat is.

Jillian manages to get into the home of Ritaestelle Longworth but her introduction to its owner is short and upsetting. When she is told by the police chief to leave Ritaestelle alone, Jillian's internal antenna lets her know that something is going on in the Longworth home.

When Ritaestelle shows up on her doorstep late one night to claim her cat, she tells Jillian a wild story of being drugged and someone blackening her name. Jillian finds Isis stuck in a basket so her retrieval of the animal takes longer than expected. When she returns to her living room, Jillian is shocked to find Ritaestelle outside with the body of her assistant in her lap.

Once again Jillian will be drawn into danger as she investigates the wild claims of Ritaestelle and who would have had a reason to kill Evie Preston. With the help of Tom Stewart, a man who wants to be more than just a friend, Jillian will be drawn into the complicated life of Ritaestelle and learn that being part of a big family isn't always a blessing.

The third in this series, Ms. Sweeney manages to engage and confound the reader with the search for the identity of the killer. A big fan of Ms. Sweeney's Texas series, I've been a little less involved in this series. While I love animals, I find it hard to read books in which the protagonist gushes over the animals she owns. Ms. Sweeney manages to keep away from the overly sweet tones and thus keep me reading.

The twists and turns of the Longworth family made this interesting reading and the fact that even Jillian had a hard time liking Isis kept me amused. The identity of the killer was skillfully hidden until just the right time and the final events were a real surprise.

Book Summary