“Black Cat Crossing,” by Kay Finch

FM’s ratings:

1. Premise 8
2. Prose 9
3. Plot 8
4. Characters 9
5. Overall 8

Comments (optional - but try to keep it under 3000 words!)

Rarely do I try to guess whodunit while reading a mystery. In this book, I did, and of course I guessed wrong! There are probably those who would tell you that inducing you to try and guess which character is the villain is the mark of a good mystery, or at least a classically written mystery. Maybe so. There are other aspects of this plot that fall into that category as well, namely the regularly spaced (one per chapter?) clues dribbled throughout the narrative. When I was younger these elements didn’t interest me much, and even now they don’t influence me near as much as good prose and good characters. The main reason I read a lot of mysteries these days is that almost all of the superb authors, old and new, that I’m discovering happen to be mystery writers, including very many of those who write the Cozy Mysteries such as this one. Some of these books leave me wanting to read another one by the same author very soon, relatively soon, or “maybe again someday…” This one falls into the second category; I definitely don’t want to let Finch fall off of my radar. The Black Cat theme is a plus for me, as well as the Witch theme, though that is only vaguely referenced in this book. One assumes that will be developed in subsequent additions to the series. A strong first book for this series!

Here’s the November line-up!

"Misery Loves Maggody," by Joan Hess [11-4-17]
"Demian," by Hermann Hesse [11-11-17]
"Bell, Book & Candlemas," by Jennifer David Hesse [11-18-17]
"Whisper of Crows," by Jameson Hesse [11-25-17]

(As always, if there are any books you’d like to recommend for next month, please do so. Also, if you have already read a book on our previous lists, you are invited to send your ratings and or comments for that book!)