Lara Caphart is an amateur sleuth I previously met when she arrived in Whisker Jog, New Hampshire, to help her aunt Fran, who was getting on, had knee joint troubles, and kept many cats. Now Lara is running a kind and responsible shelter for cats, trying to match strays up with good homes, but somehow getting involved in solving murders. THE GIRL WITH THE KITTEN TATTOO will appeal to cat-lovers and those who believe that true love will overcome obstacles.

Lara’s good friend Sherry and her fiancé David are getting married, and Lara is helping to organise everything. Since the couple are marrying in the coffee shop, one would think the catering would be on the spot, but Sherry wants extras, and Lara needs new dressy shoes, so Lara’s trips to the next town have nothing whatsoever to do with crime-solving. That’s what she tells her boyfriend, lawyer Gideon Halley. Gideon’s ex, Megan Haskell, has been accused of poisoning a business man after she turned up and made a scene at his party and he died that night. By driving to shop, Lara can conveniently question some possible witnesses and discover background – Megan asked her to help, but even Lara doesn’t know why she agreed.  She thinks Gideon might still have feelings for Megan, and poking around is getting on his wrong side. Maybe it’s just that Megan loves cats, too.

Linda Reilly shows us a variety of cats in her latest Cat Lady Mystery and this fifth instalment reads nicely as a standalone. I actually got quite caught up in the wedding preparations, the country produce and goods at the Peach Crate store, plus Lara's turning down an offer to adopt a cat because two parents were treating a cat as another toy. As well as Sherry and David avoiding motherly wedding plans that don’t suit them, we see Lara’s activities driving a wedge between herself and Gideon. Lawyers prefer to leave detective work to the police, and they don’t appreciate being misled. Even if she does find the killer – from a wide choice of suspects - can our hero mend the rift in her own relationship? I like this dilemma because many mysteries don’t impact on the amateur sleuth’s personal life, yet in police procedurals, the detectives often have a difficult personal life due to their work.

THE GIRL WITH THE KITTEN TATTOO is a suspect in the murder, and the book is an interesting and engaging read. Cat fans, mystery lovers and those in need of a brain teaser will keenly take up the challenge.

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