Book Review: Arsenic & Old Books by Miranda James

Lucinda Beckwith Long, the mayor of Athena, Mississippi, has donated a set of Civil War-era diaries to the archives of Athena College. She would like librarian Charlie Harris to preserve and substantiate them as a part of the Long family legacy—something that could benefit her son, Beck, as he prepares to campaign for the state senate.

Beck’s biggest rival would like to get a look at the diaries in an attempt to expose the Long family’s past sins. Meanwhile, a history professor is also determined to get her hands on the books in a last-ditch bid for tenure. But their interest suddenly turns deadly, leaving Charlie with a catalog of questions to answer. Together with his Maine Coon cat Diesel, Charlie must discover why the diaries were worth killing for before he too reaches his final chapter.[summary via Goodreads]

The Cats in the Stacks are one of my favorite cozy mystery series, currently in print. They are one of the few series that are "auto-buys" for me. In fact, I will usually pick up the newest without even reading the summary on the back of the book. I know, regardless of the plot, that I'm going to love the story. 

I absolutely raced through Arsenic & Old Books. The story drew me in and I couldn't get enough of it. The plot was really fascinating. I'm Australian by birth and have lived in Canada for almost 10 years. To say that my American history isn't as knowledgeable as others in North America is an understatement. I'm always fascinated by anything to do with American history and I particularly enjoyed the plot for this reason. As Charlie is reading the diaries, he uncovers more about the well-known families in Athena and the results certainly were enjoyable to watch. Nothing like a well-know family scandal to spice up the pages!

I love all the characters in this series, but of course Diesel steals the show! Being a cat owner of a Maine Coon myself, I love Diesel, the Maine Coon in this series. Miranda James' perfectly writes his mannerisms and it always makes me feel lucky to be the owner of a Maine Coon. They certainly are a special breed.

I really can't say enough good things about this series. It is well-written, well-plotted and always leave me having enjoyed a very good read. The Cats in the Stacks mystery are a favorite amongst most cozy mystery readers bookshelves for good reason. They are some of the best contemporary cozy mysteries in print right now, and should be read by everyone. So if you haven't picked up this series yet, I strongly recommend you do.