Something Whiskered by Miranda James is the latest entry in the Cat in the Stacks series. This one shows that Charlie and Diesel don’t have to be in Mississippi for a mystery to follow them.

Charlie and Helen Louise are finally married. As part of their honeymoon, they decide to visit her Uncle Finn O’Brady’s picturesque estate in Ireland. They arrive, along with our favorite Maine Coon, Diesel, on the estate but before they have even gotten out of the car, tragedy happens as her Uncle Finn’s body seemingly falls from the sky right in front of their vehicle. What ensues is a whodunnit surrounding Helen Louise’s extended family and those who work for them.

One of the strengths of this installment is that it draws the reader more into Helen Louise’s history and her enjoyment of her childhood summers in Ireland with her family.  By giving this depth, it helps the reader to feel the weight of the tragedy and the relevance of their subsequent involvement. The estate and the lands surrounding it, as well as  Ireland itself, were painted in words that made me feel the cold breeze as they walked in the estate’s garden to a folly and pond nearby (finding yet another horrible discovery).

However, there were a few elements that didn’t work well for me. In keeping with the old Irish castle stereotypes, the author introduced a few rumors of hauntings at the estate. This paranormal allusion had not been used in previous books, and it felt out of place, even though the ‘ghost’ was endearing.  What bothered me more was that although the mystery was not solved until the very end,  it felt anticlimactic. There wasn’t any grand confrontation or “aha!” moment, and it left me feeling disappointed.

Overall, though, Something Whiskered is a pleasant read, especially for fans of the series, offering the cozy mystery her readers have come to expect. While it may not be the strongest mystery in the series, it still delivers an enjoyable visit with Charlie and Diesel in a setting that feels both new and familiar.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, the author Miranda James, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.