Northern Indiana is the location and the town has a builder trying to expand and destroy natural wetland environment, while young troublemakers callously shoot pellets at small animals - including pet cats. When Janet's wise dog Jay finds the cat unharmed, everyone is relieved - except the big, belligerent man in whose property she'd been hiding. Charles Rasmussen is one of those people who doesn't like cats. A local group tries to trap, spay or neuter and rehome or release feral cats, but some townsfolk think cats are just vermin. Soon after, Rasmussen makes a complaint to the police about Janet, and she's served with papers for civil trespass and damage. Rasmussen's a land developer, and he's also violent to his wife. His sudden death comes a shock, and his body is found in an extremely strange place.

Amusingly Janet's big ginger cat Leo wants to play on her dog agility training obstacles, and learns to run along the course just like a dog. I enjoyed all the animal details, from the wildfowl on the wetland to the dogs' agility contest, and there is a hilarious scene where two malamutes take off after a cat, dragging... no, I'll let you read it.

Sheila Webster Boneham is the author of many factual dog books so we can depend on her to get the details right. There is also a look at residents in a senior citizens' home who find love late in life and want to marry, to the apparent displeasure of their offspring. Young environmentalists want to save the home of the teal and the red-winged blackbirds, as well as the winter migratory birds, on wildlife habitats. There's a lot going on in CATWALK with tempers running hot, and Janet isn't at all sure that her recent relationship can survive the stress.

Indiana in winter is the in-place to be with this hectic and heart-warming animal-themed mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed CATWALK and I hope Sheila Webster Boneham provides us with many more excuses to explore the darker side of human nature and the lighter side of pet ownership.

Book Summary