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Praise for the National Bestselling Bookmobile Cat Mysteries

“With humor and panache, Cass delivers an intriguing mystery and interesting characters.”

—Bristol Herald Courier (VA)

“Almost impossible to put down . . . the story is filled with humor and warmth.”

—MyShelf.com

“[With] Eddie’s adorableness [and] penchant to try to get more snacks, and Minnie’s determination to solve the crime, this duo will win over even those that don’t like cats.”

—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“A pleasant read. . . . [Minnie is] a spunky investigator.”

—Gumshoe

“Laurie Cass spins a yarn full of red herrings and fascinating characters. Ms. Cass also populates Chilson with engaging folks to visit, and spending time with them is both relaxing and entertaining.”

—Fresh Fiction

“Reading Cass’s cozies feels like sharing a bottle of wine with an adventurous friend as she regales you with the story of her latest escapade.”

—The Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles

“Books, family, romance, and of course, a library cat make this a winning series for mystery readers and fans of these cozy adventures.”

—Kings River Life Magazine

Titles by Laurie Cass

Lending a Paw

Tailing a Tabby

Borrowed Crime

Pouncing on Murder

Cat with a Clue

Wrong Side of the Paw

Booking the Crook

Gone with the Whisker

Checking Out Crime

The Crime That Binds

Dedication

For my mom.

Margery Joyce Milks Schnell

1934–2021

Chapter 1

It was a dark and dreary morning. And there was every indication that the darkness and dreariness were going to continue into noon, then into early afternoon, late afternoon, dusk, evening, and possibly into eternity. It was one of those days that made you wonder why you lived in northwest lower Michigan. A day that made you question every life choice you’d ever made, since the net result was a dull, sodden late March with no visible evidence that spring was ever, ever, ever going to show up.

“Mrr.”

I grinned. Then again, all the paths I’d taken had brought me to this. I was assistant director of the Chilson District Library, head of the library’s outreach efforts, and driver of the bookmobile. Plus, I had a wonderful fiancé I was going to marry on some indeterminate date, and I had a great boss, outstanding coworkers, supportive friends, and—

“Mrr!”

—and a black-and-white tabby cat who commented on everything from quantum mechanics to the color of the inside of his eyelids.

My part-time bookmobile clerk, just as every previous clerk had done, tapped his toes on the cat carrier strapped to the floor in front of the passenger’s seat. “What was that, Mr. Eddie?” Hunter Morales asked. “Did you say you were hoping for sunny and seventy degrees today and since the day isn’t turning out as you expected, that Miss Minnie is to blame?”

I nodded in a sage-like manner. “And that I should be punished.”