Murder Past Due: Review

Murder Past Due by Miranda James is a cozy cat mystery that isn't just "too much" as so many of
them can be. Diesel is a Maine coon cat with a human named Charlie Harris. Diesel doesn't solve mysteries--he's just a big, lovable cat whose most extraordinary habits is walking around town on a leash, warbling and chirping instead of meowing as other cats do. The mystery solver is Charlie--college librarian and first-time amateur sleuth. Since everyone in Athena, Mississippi knows Charlie, they are more apt to gossip with him than spill what they know to the law. 

When former classmate, now bestselling novelist Godfrey Priest returns home for an honorary dinner and to donate his papers to his alma mater, he stirs up more trouble than good feelings and someone decides to perform a killing review on the author and end his days on the bestseller list for good. There is no shortage of suspects--from Charlie's boss who lost his wife to Godfrey's womanizing ways to Godfrey's half-brother who could have used financial help in the worst way to a possible ghost writer to the bookshop owner who lost a great deal of business when the famous author cancelled a couple of book-signing to an old flame who wound up pregnant years ago and now it looks like Godfrey wants to steal her son's affection.

Charlie spends his time in the library's archives and it looks like he'll need to dig in the town's past history to find all the clues necessary to help the sheriff's office solve the mystery of the cancelled author.

This is a pleasant cozy mystery. There are a fair amount of clues and enough suspects to distract, although I did pick the culprit out. The plot was still enjoyable and it was interesting meeting the regulars for what looks to be a good series. It's nice to have a "cat mystery" where the cat is just a cat. He doesn't find the clues; he doesn't point them out to his owner. But he is a lovely addition to the cast. Charlie is an interesting character, but I think I like Diesel even more. ★★★