CANR
WORK TITLE: A NIGHT’S TAIL
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.darleneryan.com/
CITY: New Brunswick
STATE:
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Canadian
LAST VOLUME: CANR 276
Doesn’t want birth year included online.
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; daughter of John W. Arsenault and Elsie Dorothy Stairs; married J. Patrick Ryan; children: daughter.
EDUCATION:University of New Brunswick, B.Sc., 1980; St. Thomas University, B.Ed., 1982.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has worked as a copywriter, reporter, lab instructor, chambermaid, fitness teacher, lifeguard, and disk jockey.
AVOCATIONS:Swimming, cooking, reading, tai chi, art.
MEMBER:Sisters in Crime (Guppy chapter).
AWARDS:New Brunswick Arts Board creation grant, 2000; University of New Brunswick Childhood Centre Writing-for-Babies Contest winner, 2003, for Kisses, Kisses, Kisses; Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice listee, 2005, and Stellar Book Award, 2006-07, both for Rules for Life; Dr. Marilyn Trenholm Counsell Early Childhood Literacy Award, poetry category, 2006.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Darlene Ryan is a Canadian writer. Born in Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada, in 1958, she holds degrees from the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University. Aside from her writing, Ryan has worked variously as a lab instructor, chambermaid, fitness teacher, lifeguard, and disc jockey. Ryan published her first novel, Rules for Life, in 2004. Izzy learns to cope after the death of her mother, who left a set of rules for life. When her father remarries, though, Izzy begins arguing with her father, worrying about her post-rehab brother, and dealing with her new stepmother’s pregnancy.
Elisabeth Hegerat, writing in Resource Links, commented that “the sequence of events is occasionally a bit choppy, but the fast pacing and short chapters make the story accessible to reluctant readers.” School Library Journal contributor Elizabeth Fernandez agreed that reluctant readers would find the novel “accessible,” pointing out that “this book is written in easy, sometimes frank language.” Fernandez also noted, however, that it “has a moving and sophisticated story line.” Kliatt contributor Olivia Durant found the novel “touching” and mentioned that its “humor and honesty will appeal to teenage girls of all ages.”
Saving Grace, Ryan’s second novel, was published in 2006. Fifteen-year-old Evie kidnaps her biological baby daughter from the baby’s adoptive parents, believing that they do not take good enough care of her. With reluctant support of the biological father, they flee to Montreal and plan to raise the child. That is Evie’s plan, at least, until she realizes that she is not capable of parenting the child on her own.
H.H. Henderson, reviewing the novel in School Library Journal, remarked that even though teens are the targeted audience for this book, “more sophisticated readers will find themselves drawn to both the content and character.” Lisa Carlson, writing in Kliatt, suggested that “girls will perhaps find the plot more interesting, although boys could benefit from analysis of the characters and further discussion of these themes.” Laura Reilly, reviewing the novel in Resource Links, commented that while Ryan’s quickly paced story “takes place in less than a day,” it “covers a lot of ground.” Reilly added that like other books in the Orca Soundings series Saving Grace tackles issues that “are current and relevant.”
Ryan published the novel Five Minutes More in 2009. D’Arcy is perplexed after her father’s car is found in the river. She wonders if it was an accident or suicide. Her life begins a downward spiral as she distances herself from her boyfriend, family, and friends, and finds solace with Seth, who has issues of his own.
A contributor to the Brain Lair blog wrote that she “really enjoyed” Five Minutes More “because Seth’s actions made the reviewer curious “to know how the book would end.”
Maddie runs away from home to escape being hit by her mother’s boyfriend in Pieces of Me, and then she must learn how to survive on the streets. Maddie forms a family of homeless teens and children, joining Q, Dylan, and Leo. The makeshift group waits for food at soup kitchens and hangs out in the mall, and they get by with the money Q makes playing poker. The entire group is terrified of winding up in the foster care system, and Maddie and Q serve as mother and father to the younger boys. Q eventually loses one too many poker games, and Maddie decides to ask for help.
Although critics felt that the end was somewhat contrived, they nevertheless found that Pieces of Me is a touching and worthwhile story. In Kirkus Reviews, a contributor pointed out that “the book ends with a sudden turnaround that implies that adults … can always save lives like Maddie’s,” which “mars an otherwise complex survival story.” On the other hand, Lisa Crandall in School Library Journal remarked: “This story realistically portrays several reasons children and teens become homeless.” Kara Dean, writing in Booklist, was even more impressed, declaring: “Ryan has created a thought-provoking portrait of young people living … on the fringes of society.” Furthermore, Voice of Youth Advocates correspondent Elizabeth Norton observed: “Dark and gritty, Pieces of Me is a fast read and a timely addition to the canon of high/low literature.”
Ryan is also the author of the “Magical Cats Mystery” series under the pseudonym Sofie Kelly. The first installments, Curiosity Thrilled the Cat and Sleight of Paw, were published in 2011. They were followed by Copycat Killing and Cat Trick in 2012 and 2013, respectively. In the latter tale, Kathleen Paulson is alerted to a murder after a body is discovered by her magical cat, Hercules. The residents of Mayville Heights all become suspects, and several of the townspeople’s secrets come to light as Kathleen and her magical cats investigate. Kathleen’s boyfriend, a detective named Marcus, is upset that she, Hercules, and Owen are interfering with his case.
Critics lauded Cat Trick, and a Socrates’ Book Reviews website contributor noted that “the characters are likeable and the cats are darling. … For a few hours, I felt as if I was in Mayville Heights.” Proffering additional praise on the Radish Reviews website, a critic asserted: “Kathleen seems distracted by her personal problems—and she is—and Kelly seems to be as well. And the result of that is that the reader is distracted by them. Meanwhile, the clues are whizzing by, practically unnoticed.” The critic went on to advise: “You should be reading Sofie Kelly if you’re a mystery fan. Great fun, great setting, great quirky characters, and two magical cats. Can’t go wrong with that.”
The felines, Hercules and Owen, again help Kathleen with a murder investigation in A Tale of Two Kitties. Kathleen, who is a librarian, befriends a man named Victor, who has a sordid past and has just returned to town. He ran away with Meredith, who was married to his twin brother, Simon. Soon after, Meredith died under mysterious circumstances. Now, Simon’s granddaughter, Mia, who works with Kathleen, urges her not to be nice to Victor. When Simon turns up dead, Victor is a suspect. Kathleen and the cats determine to find Simon’s killer.
A writer in Kirkus Reviews suggested: “Kelly writes a tale that’s Minnesota nice in the best possible way, allowing readers to enjoy the story without tipping into either Pollyanna or snark.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer commented: “Cozy readers will enjoy spending time with Kathleen, her cats, and the appealing residents of Mayville Heights.” “Fans of cat-centered mysteries will relish this new addition,” asserted a contributor to California Bookwatch. Janet Webb, critic on the Criminal Element website, remarked: “No wonder Kathleen Paulson is such a talented sleuth—she had magical accomplices and a librarian’s mad skills—which makes A Tale of Two Kitties a very entertaining read.”
In The Cats Came Back, a music festival is being held in Kathleen’s Minnesota town. One of the star performers is Emme Finley, whose lookalike assistant is Miranda Moore. One night, Hercules and Owen get Kathleen’s attention and lead her to Miranda’s body. Together, they help Kathleen’s detective boyfriend solve the murder.
“Given their powers … it’s a shame that her heroine’s magical cats don’t do a little bit more to help their human,” suggested a Kirkus Reviews critic. However, a reviewer in Publishers Weekly remarked: “Kelly succeeds in making the adorable Owen and Hercules surprisingly believable.” Alex Calamela, contributor to the Criminal Element website, commented: “Kathleen Paulson is a great hero, her handsome cats are the perfect sidekicks, and the reader will want to follow not just their efforts to find the murderer but their ‘arguments’ over whether or not the cats can eat human food as well. And there’s a story outside of the murder to keep readers invested, as Kathleen helps her friends in town achieve their happily-ever-afters.”
A Night’s Tail finds Kathleen and her two cats looking into the murder of a local businessman named Lewis Wallace. One of her brother Ethan’s bandmates, a guitarist named Derek, becomes the lead suspect because he and Wallace had had a recent fight in a bar.
A contributor to Kirkus Reviews remarked: “Kelly’s cats are magical, but not magical enough to distinguish them from a clowder of kitty cozies.” In a more favorable review in Publishers Weekly, a critic commented: “Kelly stocks a charming small-town setting with plenty of colorful characters, mystical cats, and muffins.”
Buy a Whisker is part of another cat-related mystery series under the Kelly pseudonym. It focuses on a woman named Sarah Grayson, who runs the Second Chance Shop in North Harbor, ME. In this volume, her cat, Elvis, helps her solve the murder of a fellow shop owner in town.
Micky Cox, critic on the Cozy Mystery Review Crew website, discussed the inclusion of a diverse cast of characters in the book. Cox stated: “It makes for an interesting assortment of cross-friendships that are realistic and enjoyable.”
Sarah and Elvis return in No Escape Claws. This installment in the series finds them agreeing to take on the job of trying to exonerate the father of Mallory Pearson. Mallory’s dad has been convicted of negligence in the death of his wife, but Mallory is sure he is not responsible. The elderly people who work in Sarah’s shop also lend a hand in the investigation.
A writer on the Socrates Books Reviews website suggested: “The characters and their relationships continue to grow with each new book. The storyline moves at a nice pace and it’s filled with so many twists and turns it makes your head spin.” “No Escape Claws was a mystery that was a delight to solve,” asserted a contributor to the Genre Minx website.
Ryan once told CA: “One of my favorite movies is the Billy Crystal/Danny DeVito comedy, Throw Momma from the Train. In it, Crystal’s character, a creative writing teacher, gives what I still consider is the best piece of writing advice: ‘A writer writes.’ I know it seems sort of obvious, but think about it. Writes. Not watches Friends re-runs. Not plays solitaire on the computer. Not sleeps late on Saturday morning.
“A writer writes.
“Not talks about writing. Not spends three months fixing up an office to write in.
“A writer writes.
“I spent a lot of years working in radio, something I loved. I’ve been a late-night disk jockey, a producer, an entertainment columnist, a consumer reporter, a news reader, and a copywriter. One way or another, I was always writing. I actually learned a lot from writing commercials, which some people say isn’t very different from writing fiction. I learned how to write when I was bored, when I was tired, and when I had nothing to say. I learned how to write fast. My spelling got a little better. My handwriting got worse. I learned that criticism didn’t always mean something I’d written was awful. And praise didn’t always mean it was good.
“And then one day I went to China to adopt a baby girl and everything in my life changed. I kept a journal during the adoption process—twenty-two long months. I thought that maybe our baby would want to know how she ended up as ours and I wanted her to know what I was thinking and feeling when it was all happening.
“In November of 2001 my first book, A Mother’s Adoption Journey, was published. That happened because for months and months before, I was writing. I didn’t really have any time to write. I was a first-time mother to a beautiful thirteen-month-old daughter. And after my husband’s short parental leave expired, I was a single mom five days out of every nine.
“The book was the story of the journey—literally and figuratively—that had brought me to my child. I wanted someday to be able to hand my daughter her story. I wanted to write that book more than anything. More than I wanted to soak in a tub steaming with the scent of eucalyptus. More than I wanted to talk to someone with a vocabulary beyond ‘bye’ and ‘up.’ More than I wanted to sleep.
“A writer writes.
“My second book, Kisses, Kisses, Kisses, happened because of a contest. I hadn’t planned to write a children’s picture book although I’d always made up stories for my daughter. As part of the “Born to Read” program, Kisses, Kisses, Kisses is now in the home of close to 12,000 babies. (Wow.)
“I wrote the first chapter of Rules for Life as a writing sample for a workshop with Kevin Major at the Maritime Writers’ Workshop. It began from a very simple premise: What if you had an evil stepmother, except she was nice? In our one-on-one meeting, Kevin said, ‘This is good.’ When Kevin later asked if there were any more pages, I lied and said there were—and then raced home to write them.
“A writer writes.
“When Rules for Life was published, I realized that I seemed to have a career as a writer going. My second book, Saving Grace, begins with another what if. What if you had a baby and put it up for adoption … and then stole it back?
Now I have [several] books published, two more I’m working on, and a file full of ideas. And I still don’t have enough time to write. But I do.
“A writer writes.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Ryan, Darlene, A Mother’s Adoption Journey, Second Story Press (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2001.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 1, 2012, Kara Dean, review of Pieces of Me, p. 91.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, February, 2005, Deborah Stevenson, review of Rules for Life, p. 264.
California Bookwatch, October, 2017, review of A Tale of Two Kitties.
Canadian Book Review, 2001, review of A Mother’s Adoption Journey, p. 72.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2012, review of Pieces of Me; July 1, 2017, review of A Tale of Two Kitties; July 15, 2018, review of The Cats Came Back, p. 43; July 1, 2019, review of A Night’s Tail.
Kliatt, March 1, 2005, Olivia Durant, review of Rules for Life, p. 23; January 1, 2007, Lisa Carlson, review of Saving Grace, p. 25.
Publishers Weekly, July 10, 2017, review of A Tale of Two Kitties, p. 66; July 16, 2018, review of The Cats Came Back, p. 43; July 29, 2019, review of A Night’s Tail, p. 63.
Resource Links, April 1, 2005, Elisabeth Hegerat, review of Rules for Life, p. 38; February 1, 2007, Laura Reilly, review of Saving Grace, p. 44.
School Library Journal, March 1, 2005, Elizabeth Fernandez, review of Rules for Life, p. 218; April 1, 2007, H.H. Henderson, review of Saving Grace, p. 146.
Voice of Youth Advocates, June, 2005, Jennifer McIntosh, review of Rules for Life, p. 138; December, 2011, Courtney M Krieger, review of Sleight of Paw, p. 493; October, 2012, Elizabeth Norton, review of Pieces of Me, p. 366; February, 2013, Lisa Crandall, review of Pieces of Me, p. 113.
ONLINE
Brain Lair, http://www.thebrainlair.com/ (April 9, 2009), review of Five Minutes More.
Cozy Mystery Review Crew, https://cozymysteryreview.wixsite.com/ (September 27, 2016), Micky Cox, review of Buy a Whisker.
Criminal Element, http://www.criminalelement.com/ (September 7, 2017), Janet Webb, review of A Tale of Two Kitties; (August 30, 2018), Alex Calamela, review of The Cats Came Back.
Darlene Ryan, http://www.darleneryan.com (August 19, 2019).
Genre Minx, http://www.thegenreminx.com/ (January 29, 2019), review of No Escape Claws.
Radish Reviews, http://radishreviews.com/ (August 5, 2013), review of Cat Trick.
RT Book Reviews, http://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (August 5, 2013), Donna M. Carter, reviews of Copycat Killing, Sleight of Paw, and Curiosity Thrilled the Cat.
Socrates’ Book Review, http://socratesbookreviews.blogspot.com/ (May 22, 2013), review of Cat Trick; (February 8, 2019), review of No Escape Claws.
Sofie Kelly, http://www.sofiekelly.com (August 19, 2019).
TRT Book Club, http://trtbookclub.blogspot.com/ (May 23, 2010), Jen Wardrip, “Visit with Darlene Ryan.”
Meet Darlene Ryan
An Interview by Judy Gorham with additional questions by Janet Koch.
Where do you get your ideas?
I get this question a lot. I think all writers do. For a while I would very flippantly answer, “Wal-Mart,” until one day I said that and the person who asked the question thought I was serious. She thought I walked around Wal-Mart waiting for inspiration to hit.
The best answer is I get my ideas everywhere. Something—anything will start me on a game of “what if.” It could be something I hear on the news. It could be something someone says to me. Could be something I’ve overheard. Yes, I’m guilty of eavesdropping in public. And I can read upside down.
What’s the secret to writing a book?
The secret to writing a book is…that there is no secret. Writing a book is like everything else in life, you have to show up and do it. There may be writers who wait for inspiration to hit and then the words just pour out, but I’m not one of them. I work from an outline and I write a certain number of words each day. Some days it’s easy. Some days I keep clicking on the Word Count and moaning, “Am I done yet?”
Do you ever get stuck?
Sure. I call it writing myself into a hole. Most of the time, I just keep writing until I’ve written myself back out again. If I’m really stumped I go for a walk. Once my feet are moving for some reason my brain kicks into gear.
How did you get started as a writer?
I’ve been writing forever. (I won third prize in a poetry contest in third grade.) I wrote radio commercials for years and lots of bad short stories that I couldn’t get published—for good reason—they were awful. There’s a saying that goes, Before you meet the handsome prince you have to kiss a lot of toads. For me, before I could write something publishable I had to write a lot of junk.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I wanted to move to Hollywood, become a movie director and marry Michael Cole from The Mod Squad, which gives you an idea of how old I am.
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
I can’t choose just one book. Among my favorites are the Paddington Bear books by Michael Bond, Dr. Doolittle, Robin Hood, Pippi Longstocking, and Trixie Belding.
As a teenager I loved anything by Paul Zindel, Kurt Vonnegut, and Ray Bradbury.
Was English your favorite subject in school?
People always seemed surprised when I say no. My favorite subject in school was math.
Do you have to go to college to become a writer?
No, you don’t have to have a degree to be a writer. I know some great writers who only have a high school education. (However I do think a college education has a lot of value.)
Are you a grammar and punctuation fanatic?
Yes. (Picture me laughing.) I’m not as bad as I used to be. I once wrote to a “grammar expert” to settle an argument I was having with someone over the use of a certain phrase. And I was annoyingly smug when I turned out to be right.
Did you choose writing or did writing choose you?
Ummm….Both, I guess. I spent a lot of years doing other things before I became a writer, but I was always writing in one way or another.
How much research do you do for your books?
That depends on the book. For instance with Rules for Life I needed to do some research on emergency room procedures and on miscarriages.
There was very little research needed for Saving Grace because I have lots of experience with adoption.
With Responsible I had to research guitars. It helped that I know someone who is a musician. I asked him what his dream guitar was and that became Kevin’s dad’s beloved Les Paul.
For Five Minutes More I did a lot of reading about ALS.
How do you fit writing into a schedule if you have job, family, kids, etc.?
It’s really difficult. When I was writing my first book my husband was working out of town for five days at a time and my daughter was just a baby. After she went to bed I’d clean up the house, do laundry and then I’d write. I was tired all the time. But I wanted to write that book. I wanted to write it more than I wanted to do anything else.
Even now, there are things that I don’t do so I can write. I don’t watch a lot of TV and I very seldom go to the movies. I used to make all my own bread—I don’t do that anymore. I don’t play computer games. I don’t surf the net.
Do you write a certain number of hours a day (or a certain number of pages, words, etc.?) How do you keep to a schedule?
I try to write a certain number of words. Some days they come easy. Some days they come hard. I also follow a schedule. Unless I’m too sick to sit in front of the computer—or someone else in the family is—I’m there. If I know I’m not going to be able to stick with the schedule on a particular day I try to make up the time in advance—usually in the evening after my daughter’s in bed. If I don’t make up the time in advance I know I probably won’t make it up later.
Do you write EVERY day, or take weekends off?
I don’t usually write on Mondays. I do write on the weekend. The weekend is also when I do all the non-writing things related to writing, like answering mail and cleaning the spyware off my computer. It’s also when I work on smaller projects like articles and short-stories.
Do you write for the joy or the money? Or both?
I write because I like it and because I think I’m good at it, but if I wasn’t getting paid I would do something else for a living because I have to pay for things like milk and toilet paper and braces. There are lots of days when I’m not inspired, when I hate my hair, when I have a cold and piles of laundry and no clue what’s for supper. It would be easy not to write on those days but I do. It’s the best job I’ve ever had, but it is a job, so I show up and give it my best—even when my best is pretty crappy.
I think if you decide to me a writer just to make money you’ll probably be disappointed—and broke.
How do you handle rejection? – first time writers must be rejected a lot. Stephen King was told to give it up and just stick to teaching!
It helped that I spent years writing radio commercials. I once wrote and voiced a commercial for a new client and when I played it to him he hated it. He asked who wrote the script and I said, “That would be me.” He backpedaled a bit and said that it wasn’t so much the words as it was the voice of the announcer he couldn’t stand. Then he asked who that was. “Me again.” I told him.
I give myself a day to sulk after a rejection. Mostly that means I stomp around grumbling that the person who rejected me is a moron who wouldn’t know talent if it bit him (or her.)
It helps to remember that when someone doesn’t like something I’ve written it doesn’t mean the person doesn’t like me. Most of the time the person I submitted the work to doesn’t even know me. My family doesn’t always like what I cook and I don’t take that personally—although I do make them eat it!
How did being published change your life?
It was exciting to hold a book with my name on it for the first time. And I’ve gotten to make some great friends because of my writing.
What's next for you?
There are a lot of things I’d like to try. I’ve been playing around with writing a screenplay on and off for a while. I’m working on a series of books for adults. And there are more books for teens I want to write.
I think a lot of writers believe they’ll write the next Da Vinci Code or Harry Potter book and become another Dan Brown or J.K. Rowling. Chances are that isn’t going to happen. What are the chances of a first time writer being published?
New writers get published all the time. It’s not easy but it is doable. Write, write, write. Read, read, read. Every writer was a first-timer at one time.
Do you answer fan mail?
I do. Readers can write to me via email or care of my publisher.
Will you read my work?
No I won’t. (Sorry.) I just don’t have extra time between my own writing and the rest of my life. Also for legal reasons I can’t take the chance that someone will think I’ve stolen his or her work.
What do you like to read?
Everything. I read the dictionary. I read junk mail. I’m a huge fan of children’s author Robert Munsch. I’ve been reading Kurt Vonnegut since high school and that’s been a while. I like books that make me laugh so I love mystery writer, Tim Cockey. I like Lynn Viehl’s Darkyn series, Marcia Muller’s Sharon McCone mysteries and the Reacher books by Lee Child.
I also like books that make me think, like Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time. I know that makes me sound pretentious, but you’ll notice I said it makes me think, not that I understand it all.
What do you do for fun?
I like to read. I practice Wu style tai chi. I like to swim. I love to cook. And like Izzy and Lisa in Rules for Life, I like to prowl around thrift stores.
I love music. I sing with a great deal of enthusiasm but no ability. I’m also a mixed media artist—I make collages and do a little painting.
Media Bio
New York Times bestselling author, Sofie Kelly, writes the Magical Cats mysteries, set in the small town of Mayville Heights, Minnesota. As Sofie Ryan, she is the author of the popular bestselling Second Chance Cat mysteries that feature repurpose shop owner, Sarah Grayson, a group of senior sleuths and the world's oldest computer hacker.
Sofie has been a late night disk jockey—which explains her love of coffee--and taught absolutely terrified adults how to swim. Like Kathleen Paulson in the Magical Cats books, she practices Wu style Tai Chi. Sofie is also a mixed-media artist and likes to prowl thrift shops looking for things to re-purpose in her art.
Bio
How did you get started as a writer?
I've been writing forever. (I won third prize in a poetry contest in third grade.) I wrote radio commercials for years and lots of bad short stories that I couldn't get published—for good reason—they were awful. But the more I wrote, the more I learned.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I wanted to move to California, become a movie director and marry Michael Cole from The Mod Squad, which gives you an idea of how old I am. I think I became a writer by evolution. I went from writing commercials, to short stories and articles, and eventually books.
Where do you get your ideas?
Everywhere. It could be something I hear on the news. It could be something someone says to me, or something I overhear. (Yes, I'm guilty of eavesdropping in public.) And I like to watch people and make up stories about who they are and what they're doing.
What's the secret to writing a book?
The secret to writing a book is...that there is no secret. Writing a book is like everything else in life, you have to show up and do it. There may be writers who wait for inspiration to hit and then the words just pour out, but I'm not one of them. I work from an outline and I write a certain number of words each day. Some days it's easy. Some days I keep clicking on the Word Count and moaning, "Am I done yet?"
How much research do you do for your books?
That depends on the book. I've searched for information on everything from vintage guitars to the Dewey decimal system to how to duct tape a person to a chair.
Do you have a family?
Yes. I'm married with one daughter in college. We live on the east coast less than two hours drive from the ocean. I like living somewhere with all four seasons, although there are times in the middle of January that living on a Caribbean island starts to sound like fun.
Do you have any hobbies/interests? Do any of those hobbies inspire your writing?
I run. I don't really like the actual running part, but I love the feeling of having accomplished several miles before it's even 8AM. I'm not a graceful runner—or a fast one—but I am persistent. My main character in the Second Chance Cat mysteries, Sarah, is a runner. I also practice Wu-style tai chi like Kathleen in the Magical Cats mysteries.
And I love to cook!
How do you relax?
I think cleaning is relaxing. Yes, I know that seems a little weird to some people. It's not really the first image that comes to mind when you think about relaxing. But when I'm scrubbing a floor my mind can wander while my hands are busy and it's a good way to figure out story problems. So when a book isn't going well my floors get scrubbed a lot!
Besides writing, what was your favorite or most interesting job in your past?
I was once an all night disk jockey. Even though I'm a morning person, I liked the job. Before I started, I had no idea there was a whole sub-culture of people who worked the night shift—not just the obvious, like police officers and nurses. I met artists and musicians who liked working all night and sleeping when the rest of us are awake.
You have a great wit and sense of humor in your writing. Is that a bit of you coming through your characters?
I don't think of myself as being funny or witty. I tend to see myself as a serious person. Years ago I worked with Canadian playwright, Norm Foster, who is incredibly sharp and funny—and very, very observant. I learned to pay close attention to everything that's happening around me—that's where the humor in life and writing comes from.
You write well about the cats in your Magical Cats mysteries. Are you a "cat person"?
I love cats. I like their independent spirit. I don't have one because my husband is extremely allergic to them. (If he dies first I'm getting a cat. People laugh when I say that because they think I'm kidding!) Even though I don't have a cat myself, I do have "cat friends"—cats in my neighborhood that I spend time with so I can get my kitty fix. There are two directly across the street and two more around the corner.
What do you like to read?
The short answer is everything. I read a lot of mysteries, but if something about a book intrigues me—the title, the subject, sometimes even the cover art—I don't pay any attention to the genre. I tend to read more than one book at a time and one of them is usually non-fiction.
Are there any particular writers who have inspired you?
Children's author Robert Munsch is a big inspiration. He's so, so talented. The characters in Munsch's books aren't perfect but they're very real. My favorite Robert Munsch book, is Giant or Waiting for the Thursday Boat, his most controversial book because of the way he depicts God. He wrote Love You Forever, which is an incredibly sentimental story, but he's also the author of The Paperbag Princess, which turns all the fairytale princess stereotypes inside out. Munsch has written wonderfully funny books like Get Out of Bed and Thomas' Snowsuit that make kids and adults laugh. (If you've ever struggled to get a little person dressed to go outside in the wintertime you really should read Thomas' Snowsuit.)
What advice would you give someone who wants to be a writer?
Read, read, read. Read everything. Good books. Terrible books. Stories you like. Stories that bore you. Not only will you develop an ear for sentence and story structure, you'll also start to figure out where your writing interests are. And of course, write, write, write. Like anything else, practice will help you get better. I think you need to write a few crappy books before you can write good ones.
Sofie Ryan
A pseudonym used by Darlene Ryan
Sofie Kelly is the pseudonym of young adult writer and mixed-media artist, Darlene Ryan. Sofie/Darlene lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she practices Wu style tai chi and likes to prowl around thrift stores. And she admits to having a small crush on Matt Lauer.
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery
New Books
January 2020
(paperback)
Claw Enforcement
(Second Chance Cat Mystery, book 7)
Series
Second Chance Cat Mystery
1. The Whole Cat and Caboodle (2014)
2. Buy a Whisker (2015)
3. A Whisker of Trouble (2016)
4. Telling Tails (2017)
5. The Fast and the Furriest (2018)
6. No Escape Claws (2019)
7. Claw Enforcement (2020)
Omnibus
Two Tall Tails (2016) (with Sofie Kelly)
Sofie Kelly
A pseudonym used by Darlene Ryan
Sofie Kelly is the pseudonym of young adult writer and mixed-media artist, Darlene Ryan. Sofie/Darlene lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she practices Wu style tai chi and likes to prowl around thrift stores. And she admits to having a small crush on Matt Lauer.
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery
New Books
September 2019
(kindle)
A Night's Tail
(Magical Cats Mystery, book 11)
Series
Magical Cats Mystery
1. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat (2011)
2. Sleight of Paw (2011)
3. Copycat Killing (2012)
4. Cat Trick (2013)
5. Final Catcall (2013)
6. A Midwinter's Tail (2014)
7. Faux Paw (2015)
8. Paws and Effect (2016)
9. A Tale of Two Kitties (2017)
10. The Cats Came Back (2018)
11. A Night's Tail (2019)
Omnibus
Two Tall Tails (2016) (with Sofie Ryan)
About Sofie Kelly
Sofie Kelly: Six Quick Questions
Sofie Kelly is the pseudonym of young adult writer and mixed-media artist, Darlene Ryan. As Sofie Kelly she writes the Magical Cats mysteries. And as Sofie Ryan she writes the Second Chance Cats series. Sofie/Darlene lives on the east coast with her husband and daughter. In her spare time she practices Wu style tai chi and likes to prowl around thrift stores.
How did you get started as a writer?
I've been writing forever. (I won third prize in a poetry contest in third grade.) I wrote radio commercials for years and lots of bad short stories that I couldn't get published--for good reason--they were awful. But the more I wrote, the more I learned.
Did you always want to be a writer?
No. I wanted to move to California, become a director and marry Michael Cole from The Mod Squad, which gives you an idea of how old I am. I think I became a writer by evolution. I went from writing commercials and short stories to writing articles and eventually books.
Was English your favorite subject in school?
It wasn't--which always surprises people. My favorite subject was math, at least until calculus came along.
Where do you get your ideas?
Everywhere. It could be something I hear on the news. It could be something someone says to me, or something I overhear. (Yes, I'm guilty of eavesdropping in public.) And I like to watch people and make up stories about who they are and what they're doing.
What's the secret to writing a book?
The secret to writing a book is...that there is no secret. Writing a book is like everything else in life, you have to show up and do it. There may be writers who wait for inspiration to hit and then the words just pour out, but I'm not one of them. I work from an outline and I write a certain number of words each day. Some days it's easy. Some days I keep clicking on the Word Count and moaning, "Am I done yet?"
What do you like to read?
The short answer is everything. I read a lot of mystery and paranormal, but if something about a book intrigues me--the title, the subject, sometimes even the cover art--I don't pay any attention to the genre. I tend to read more than one book at a time and one of them is usually non-fiction.
About Sofie Ryan
Do you have a family?
Yes. I'm married with one daughter. We live on the east coast less than two hours drive from the ocean. I like living somewhere with all four seasons, although there are times in the middle of January that living on a Caribbean island starts to sound like fun.
What's your education?
I have a degree in Biology as well as an Education degree.
Do you ever use that education in your writing?
All the time. I honed my research skills working on my Biology degree. My Statistics professor really emphasized asking lots of questions about any piece of information. And I had a Molecular Biology prof who believed we learn more from our mistakes than our successes--which was good because my lab partner had a habit of setting our experiments on fire.
What was your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subject was math, followed by science classes. I like the order and logic of math. I still read Scientific American just for fun.
Do you have any hobbies/interests? Do any of those hobbies inspire your writing?
I run. I don't really like the actual running part, but I love the feeling of having accomplished several kilometers before it's even 8AM. I also like setting a goal of running a certain distance in a certain amount of time. I'm not a graceful runner--or a fast one--but I am persistent. My main character in the Second Chance Cat mysteries, Sarah, is a runner.
I like to hike and take photos of things I see. More and more the photos are becoming mixed media art. I've been turning the images into collage with fabric and paper.
Besides writing, what was your favorite or most interesting job in your past?
I was once an all night disk jockey. Even though I'm a morning person, I liked the job. Before I started, I had no idea there was a whole sub-culture of people who worked the night shift--not just the obvious, like police officers and nurses. I met artists and musicians who liked working all night and sleeping when the rest of us are awake.
Are you a "cat person"?
Very much so. I love cats. I like their independent spirit. I don't have one because my husband is extremely allergic to them. (If he dies first I'm getting a cat. People laugh when I say that because they think I'm kidding.) Even though I don't have a cat myself, I do have "cat friends"--cats in my neighborhood that I spend time with so I can get my kitty fix.
Sofie Ryan is the author of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat Mysteries. She also writes the New York Times bestselling Magical Cats Mystery series under the name Sofie Kelly.
Sofie Kelly is a New York Times bestselling author and mixed-media artist who lives on the East Coast with her husband and daughter. She writes the New York Times bestselling Magical Cats mysteries and, as Sofie Ryan, writes the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat mysteries.
QUOTED: "Kelly stocks a charming small-town setting with plenty of colorful characters, mystical cats, and muffins."
A Night's Tail:
A Magical Cats Mystery
Sofie Kelly. Berkley Prime Crime, $25 (288p) ISBN 978-0-440-00113-3
Kelly's pleasant 11th Magical Cats mystery (after 2018's The Cats Came Back) finds Kathleen Paulson, the director of the Mayville Heights, Minn., Free Public Library, hosting her younger brother, Ethan, for two weeks while he and his band, the Flaming Gerbils, are in town. When Derek Hanson, one of Ethan's bandmates, punches drunken businessman Lewis Wallace for kicking a disabled veteran's service dog, Derek's admirable deed makes him a murder suspect after Lewis turns up dead. Kathleen is determined to leave the investigation to her detective boyfriend, Marcus Gordon, until Ethan begs her to help clear Derek. With a nudge in the right direction by her two delightful and perfectly ordinary cats (save for the fact that one can walk through walls and the other can disappear at will), Kathleen finds several people around town who had the means, motive, and opportunity to do away with the unpleasant Lewis. Kelly stocks a charming small-town setting with plenty of colorful characters, mystical cats, and muffins. Cozy readers will be well satisfied. Agent: Kim Lionetti, Bookends Literary Agency. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"A Night's Tail: A Magical Cats Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 29 July 2019, p. 63+. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A595916188/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=3683f8c8. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A595916188
QUOTED: "Kelly's cats are magical, but not magical enough to distinguish them from a clowder of kitty cozies."
Kelly, Sofie A NIGHT'S TAIL Berkley (Adult Fiction) $25.00 9, 3 ISBN: 978-0-440-00113-3
Determined to clear a friend in a businessman's murder, a Minnesota librarian gets invaluable help from her two magical cats, who are there for her as long as the sardines don't run out.
Kathleen Paulson is psyched when her brother, Ethan, and his band, the Flaming Gerbils, come to stay with her in Mayville Heights, her adopted hometown. Ethan's excited not only to spend some quality time with his sister, but also to get to know her closest friend, Maggie, who seems as if she could be more than a friend to him. Good vibes abound until Ethan's newest band mate, temporary lead guitarist Derek Hanson, gets into a tussle with a man at a bar the whole crew is visiting. Though Kathleen doesn't condone violence, the man in question, businessman Lewis Wallace, seems to have had it coming to him after kicking a veteran's service dog. Kathleen doesn't know much about Wallace, and what she hears isn't good, but rumors that follow the skirmish suggest he's come to town to turn over a new leaf. After the incident with Derek, Kathleen, a born animal lover, doesn't find Wallace sympathetic until she stumbles on his dead body. Kathleen's boyfriend, town detective Marcus Gordon, is fairly certain that Wallace has been murdered, but it's hard to know who had a motive besides Derek. In an effort to clear the guitarist, Kathleen tries to figure out who else had reason to do Wallace harm. Variously supported by her two magical cats, Owen and Hercules (The Cats Came Back, 2018, etc.), Kathleen uses her research skills and social networks to suss out the truth.
Kelly's cats are magical, but not magical enough to distinguish them from a clowder of kitty cozies.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Kelly, Sofie: A NIGHT'S TAIL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2019. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A591279173/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8aa5f355. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A591279173
QUOTED: "Kelly succeeds in making the adorable Owen and Hercules surprisingly believable."
The Cats Came Back: A Magical Cats Mystery
Sofie Kelly. Berkley Prime Crime, $24 (304p) ISBN 978-0-399-58459-6
The annual Wild Rose Summer Music Festival provides the backdrop for bestseller Kelly's entertaining 10th Magical Cats mystery featuring Mayville Heights, Minn., librarian Kathleen Paulson (after 2017's A Tale of Two Kitties). Kathleen's cats, Owen (who can vanish at will) and Hercules (who can walk through walls), help her investigate the murder of Miranda Moores the assistant and near doppelganger of up-and-coming Emme Finley, a cabaret singer from Chicago in town for the festival. To unmask the killer, Kathleen must find the motive, which first means figuring out whether Miranda or Emme was the intended victim. Members of Miranda's no-account family are suspect, but there's also Emme's old boyfriend, Derrick, a bad boy according to Nora, Emme's sister and manager. Meanwhile; everyone's preparing for veterinarian Roma's wedding to Eddie out at the old Henderson estate, the birthplace of Kathleen's unusual kitties. Kelly succeeds in making the adorable Owen and Hercules surprisingly believable, even to readers who aren't cat people. Agent: Kim Lionetti, Bookends Literary Agency. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"The Cats Came Back: A Magical Cats Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 16 July 2018, p. 43. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A547266817/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ec47e5dc. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A547266817
QUOTED: "Given their powers ... it's a shame that her heroine's magical cats don't do a little bit more to help their human."
Kelly, Sofie THE CATS CAME BACK Berkley (Adult Fiction) $24.00 9, 4 ISBN: 978-0-399-58459-6
With the help of her two magical cats, a small-town Minnesota librarian investigates the murder of the assistant to a singer come to town.
Having grown up with a mother in the world of theater, Kathleen Paulson appreciates the talent it takes for performers to succeed on stage. The rest of Maryville Heights is also caught up in the excitement of live performance when the town hosts a music festival that attracts performers from all over the country. Her background gives Kathleen a special connection to the group, and she gets to know cabaret singer and rising star Emme Finley and Miranda Moore, Emme's look-alike, assistant, and close friend. While she's out one night with her friend Ruby, her companions Owen and Hercules, two typically troublemaking cats, seem to want to show Ruby and Kathleen something. Kathleen knows her feline friends well enough to know to trust their senses--each cat seems to have his own magical powers--and she and Ruby follow when the cats lead them to a body by a river. At first glance the dead person seems to be Emme, but Kathleen is certain it's Miranda. Kathleen tells her boyfriend, Detective Marcus Gordon, that she's convinced they've stumbled onto a murder. But who would have killed an out-of-towner who was by all accounts nothing but friendly? Kathleen, this time with Marcus' blessing, can't help digging a little deeper and realizes that the killer may have targeted Emme and gotten her look-alike instead. Determined to keep Emme out of future danger, Kathleen uses all the resources at her disposal, including the help of Owen and Hercules, to identify Miranda's killer.
Simple to engage with, Kelly's cozy series (A Tale of Two Kitties, 2018) uses another murder of an outsider to continue its gradual development of its characters' lives. Given their powers, though, it's a shame that her heroine's magical cats don't do a little bit more to help their human.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Kelly, Sofie: THE CATS CAME BACK." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2018. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A546323372/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=3c8708e3. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A546323372
QUOTED: "Fans of cat-centered mysteries will relish this new addition."
A Tale of Two Kitties
Sofie Kelly
Berkley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780399584572, $23.00, www.amazon.com
A Tale of Two Kitties is a 'magical cats' mystery recommended for mystery and kitty fans alike, and represents the ninth book in the series (although it also stands nicely on its own four paws, for newcomers). Here estranged brothers return to a small Minnesota town for a visit, reigniting a scandal that had long simmered. When one brother is found dead, it's up to librarian Kathleen and her cat detectives to paw through the evidence to prove their friend is innocent - even if it involves exposing a bit of dirt. Fans of cat-centered mysteries will relish this new addition to the stories.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"A Tale of Two Kitties." California Bookwatch, Oct. 2017. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A513853112/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e737a25d. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A513853112
QUOTED: "Cozy readers will enjoy spending time with Kathleen, her cats, and the appealing residents of Mayville Heights."
A Tale of Two Kitties: A Magical Cats Mystery
Sofie Kelly. Berkley, $23 (336p) ISBN 978-0-399-58457-2
Bestseller Kelly graduates to hardcover with her inviting ninth Magical Cats mystery (after 2016's Paws and Effect). Kathleen Paulson, the director of the Mayville Heights, Minn., Free Public Library, owns two cats with unusual abilities: Owen, who can vanish at will, and Hercules, who walks through walls. When library intern Mia Janes's paternal grandfather, Leo, is bludgeoned to death, the main suspect is Mia's father, Simon. Father and son had argued bitterly, but there are others who might have wanted Leo dead: a mysterious woman from Leo's past; a casino owner who believes Leo cheated him; and Leo's estranged twin, Victor, who years earlier ran away with Leo's wife shortly before she died in a car wreck. The problem is that Kathleen's alternative suspects all have unshakable alibis. With some help from her gifted felines, Kathleen unravels the mystery in a leisurely but plausible fashion. Cozy readers will enjoy spending time with Kathleen, her cats, and the appealing residents of Mayville Heights. Agent: Kim Lionetti, Bookends Literary Agency. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"A Tale of Two Kitties: A Magical Cats Mystery." Publishers Weekly, 10 July 2017, p. 66+. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499720058/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=03a3b3c3. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499720058
QUOTED: "Kelly writes a tale that's Minnesota nice in the best possible way, allowing readers to enjoy the story without tipping into either Pollyanna or snark."
Kelly, Sofie A TALE OF TWO KITTIES Berkley Prime Crime (Adult Fiction) $23.00 9, 5 ISBN: 978-0-399-58457-2
Two cats provide active assistance to a small-town Minnesota librarian investigating an ancient scandal that may have sparked a recent murder.All around Mayville Heights, the return of Victor Janes is big news. Victor ran off years ago with his twin brother Leo's wife, Meredith. Soon afterward, Meredith was killed in a car accident, the townspeople suspect while she was trying to return to Leo and their son, Simon. Librarian Kathleen Paulson becomes acquainted with Victor in the course of helping him find some niche books, and while they don't instantly bond, she knows she should reserve judgement on his past behavior. In the years since the scandal, Simon has grown into an adult with a child of his own who's almost grown. His daughter, Mia, works with Kathleen but doesn't share her reluctance to pass judgement on Victor. She's certain Victor had something to do with Meredith's death, wants nothing to do with her great-uncle, and even accuses Kathleen of being too nice about giving Victor a chance to make amends. Before Victor can settle in, Kathleen finds Leo bludgeoned to death. She's encouraged to investigate by none other than Owen and Hercules, her two companion cats, who like nothing more than a good mystery (Paws and Effect, 2016, etc.). While the cats offer what help they can--and they are indeed a talented twosome--Kathleen also gets insight from her good-guy boyfriend, Detective Marcus Gordon, who shares whatever information won't compromise the case. In spite of the heroine's protestations, Kelly writes a tale that's Minnesota nice in the best possible way, allowing readers to enjoy the story without tipping into either Pollyanna or snark.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Kelly, Sofie: A TALE OF TWO KITTIES." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2017. Gale General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A497199752/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=7bf1ec4d. Accessed 10 Aug. 2019.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A497199752
QUOTED: "Kathleen Paulson is a great hero, her handsome cats are the perfect sidekicks, and the reader will want to follow not just their efforts to find the murderer but their 'arguments' over whether or not the cats can eat human food as well. And there’s a story outside of the murder to keep readers invested, as Kathleen helps her friends in town achieve their happily-ever-afters."
Review: The Cats Came Back by Sofie Kelly
By Alex Calamela
August 30, 2018
The Cats Came Back
Sofie Kelly
Magical Cats Mystery Series
September 4, 2018
The Cats Came Back by Sofie Kelly is the 10th book in the Magical Cats Mystery series.
This mystery has everything you need for the perfect cozy: a small town, a compelling sleuth who has nothing to do with law enforcement, and very special animal sidekicks.
Kathleen Paulson works at the Mayville Heights Free Public Library in a small but beautiful town in Minnesota. Mayville Heights is hosting a music festival to keep the bustling tourism industry alive. The town is filled with visiting musicians, and the tourists have given the live-in artists new projects to work on. Kathleen’s friend Ruby, for example, is not only singing in the festival but is also photographing Kathleen’s cats throughout the town for a tourist-friendly calendar. Kathleen’s cats, Hercules and Owen, are well-known throughout the town, but they do have a secret: Owen can disappear and reappear at will, and Hercules can walk through walls, doors, etc. Kathleen has lived in Mayville Heights for four years, and she’s kept her furry friends’ special abilities a secret—even from her detective boyfriend, Marcus Gordon.
On a photo shoot for the cat calendar, Kathleen, Ruby, and the cats stumble upon a dead body by the river. The victim is a recent arrival to Mayville Heights, brought by the music festival. Kathleen had met the young woman and is deeply saddened, but she’s content to let Detective Marcus Gordon handle the case. Interfering in police work has landed her in hot water in the past, but when some of the people closest to her insist that Kathleen must use her uncanny ability to get people to open up to find the murderer, she can’t help but abide. And amidst all this—the murder, the music festival, the magical cats—there’s going to be a wedding. Not only will Kathleen have to catch a killer but she must help a friend get to the altar as well.
I was a little wary of reading about magical cats, this being my first visit to Mayville Heights, but the cats’ abilities do not take a front seat to the story and only serve to move the plot along. The cats are main characters in the story, however, as Kathleen treats Owen and Hercules as the Watsons to her Sherlock, talking about the minutiae of the case with them and questioning her own sanity when she feels as if she’s reading understanding from their actions. Twice in the book, they take action to help Kathleen in her quest to uncover the truth about the murder. Sure, from time to time Kathleen bounces her ideas off of Detective Gordon, but those conversations only help aim her talk about the details of what they’re both uncovering. It is the cats’ exploits that help to point her in the right direction.
My only complaint with The Cats Came Back is I had a difficult time with some of the background history of Kathleen’s time in Mayville Heights. Since this was my first time reading a Magical Cats Mystery, and this is the 10th in the series, there was quite a bit that I’d missed. Sofie Kelly does a commendable job trying to fill in possible first-time readers with background details about how Kathleen came to live in Mayville Heights, some of the ins and outs of the town, even how the cats came to live with Kathleen, but missing nine books caused some confusion with some of Kathleen’s interpersonal relationships.
While this is not a mystery series I would recommend diving into so late in the game, The Cats Came Back was interesting enough for me to want to go back to book one and learn more. Kathleen Paulson is a great hero, her handsome cats are the perfect sidekicks, and the reader will want to follow not just their efforts to find the murderer but their “arguments” over whether or not the cats can eat human food as well. And there’s a story outside of the murder to keep readers invested, as Kathleen helps her friends in town achieve their happily-ever-afters.
QUOTED: "No wonder Kathleen Paulson is such a talented sleuth—she had magical accomplices and a librarian’s mad skills—which makes A Tale of Two Kitties a very entertaining read."
Review: A Tale of Two Kitties by Sofie Kelly
By Janet Webb
September 7, 2017
A Tale of Two Kitties by Sofie Kelly follows two magical cats with powers of detection that prove indispensable to librarian Kathleen Paulson.
A librarian and her two cats solve mysteries—is that a cozy cliché? A Tale of Two Kitties, the ninth in Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cats Mystery series, is anything but facile. It stars the vibrant, occasionally mettlesome, intelligent Kathleen Paulson.
You’d think by now it wouldn’t bother me to step on a body in the middle of the kitchen floor, but I was in my sock feet and the body—missing its head, no surprise—was damp.
Horrors! A dead body in the opening paragraph? But it’s only a “headless yellow catnip chicken, aka Fred the Funky Chicken,” which belongs to Owen, one of Kathleen’s two cats. Owen and Hercules have individual superpowers as well as possess a “seemingly uncanny ability to understand” conversations. Owen has “the ability to vanish” at will, and Hercules can walk through walls.
Check out Sofie Kelly's list of five of her favorite cozy mystery series featuring cats!
Kathleen has lived in the fictional town of Mayville Heights, Minnesota, on the shores of Lake Pepin for two and a half years. She’s the head librarian of the town library.
The Mayville Heights Free Public Library is a Carnegie library, built in 1912 with money donated by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. I’d originally come to town to supervise the restoration of the building for its centenary, as well as update the collections and set up Internet access for the library’s patrons. Very quickly the town and its people began to feel like home and when I’d been offered the chance to stay I’d said yes.
The library feels like the heart of the community, and Kathleen has some of the attributes of an unofficial mayor. A crime-solving mayor at that … with whimsical furry assistants.
With a well-placed paw on a keyboard or a pointed stare, Kathleen’s two cats, Hercules and Owen, have helped her to solve cases in the past—so she has learned to trust their instincts. But she will need to rely on them more than ever when a twenty-year-old scandal leads to murder…
The 20-year-old scandal: Leo Janes’s wife left him for his brother, Victor. Tragically, she died in a car accident. Now, Victor—diagnosed with cancer—is back, hoping to repair relations with his brother before it’s too late. Unfortunately, it is too late, and Kathleen is there to witness it.
I knocked on the door. “Leo,” I called. “It’s Kathleen Paulson.”
There was no answer.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Please don’t let this be bad, I prayed silently. Please let me find Mia’s grandfather listening to John Coltrane with his headphones on.
But it was bad.
Before the advent of the internet, librarians were like human Google know-it-alls. That’s certainly true of Kathleen, the “kid back in elementary school who had liked to read the encyclopedia for fun.”
Her boyfriend, detective Marcus Gordon, is unsurprised that Kathleen is a witness, again, to a murder; he compliments her detective abilities, even though he “only believed in the facts, in things he could see and touch.” Kathleen never takes statements—even from her talented boyfriend—at face value. For example, she thinks a 20-year estrangement might give Victor a motive to kill his brother. Marcus disagrees, saying, “He had nothing to gain.” Kathleen is inclined to kick the tires on that statement.
I looked at the computer screen again. Marcus had said once that I had the mindset of a detective. I wanted to know the what and the why about everything.
No wonder Kathleen Paulson is such a talented sleuth—she had magical accomplices and a librarian’s mad skills—which makes A Tale of Two Kitties a very entertaining read.
QUOTED: "The characters and their relationships continue to grow with each new book. The storyline moves at a nice pace and it’s filled with so many twists and turns it makes your head spin."
Friday, February 8, 2019
Review: No Escape Claws by Sofie Ryan (Blog Tour)
Labels: 5 kitties, cozy mystery, Cruisin' thru the Cozies, Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2019, review, The Purrfect Reading Challenge, what an animal reading challenge
About the Book
Genre: Cozy Mystery, #6 in A Second Chance Cat Mystery Series
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Synopsis from Goodreads...
Sarah Grayson and her feline ally Elvis get a chance to see if their sleuthing skills are up to scratch in the sixth installment of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat Mysteries.
It's fall in North Harbor, Maine, where Sarah owns a charming secondhand shop. A cold case heats up when Mallory Pearson appears at Sarah's doorstep. Mallory's father is in prison for negligence after her stepmother's mysterious death in a house fire, but Mallory believes he's innocent and asks the quirky team of senior citizen detectives who work out of Sarah's shop to take on the case. With Sarah and Elvis lending a paw, they decide to try to give Mallory's father a second chance of his own...
My Review
Sarah Grayson runs a quaint secondhand shop with the help of a few of her grandmother’s closest friends. The seniors, also, have their own detective agency they operate out of Sarah’s shop. Often Sarah, along with her furry friend Elvis, lend them a helping hand and/or paw.
Teenager Mallory Pearson begs the group to help get her father out of jail. He's been accused and found guilty of negligence in a house fire which caused his wife's death. The detectives have their work cut out for them. It's especially hard since Mallory's father took a plea deal and doesn't want the investigation to continue. They aren’t totally sure her father is innocent, but they suspect there is more to this story than meets the eye.
This is the sixth book in this fun series. I always love revisiting Elvis (and his humans, too). Elvis has a few cute scenes in this book, but it’s not enough for me. Of course I could never have too many kitty scenes in any book.
I’ve been reading this series since the beginning and it’s always good for some laughs and intriguing mysteries. This is no exception. The characters and their relationships continue to grow with each new book. The storyline moves at a nice pace and it’s filled with so many twists and turns it makes your head spin. I thought I figured it all out, but I was slightly off track.
I’m always left wanting more when I finish one of these. I’m already counting down to when the next one comes out. I’m going to need another Elvis fix soon!
For reading challenges:
The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2019
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2019
Cruisin’ thru the Cozies Reading Challenge 2019
Literary Escapes Reading Challenge 2019 (Maine)
QUOTED: "No Escape Claws was a mystery that was a delight to solve."
Review: No Escape Claws by Sofie Ryan
Posted January 29, 2019 by Minx
This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
No Escape Claws by Sofie Ryan
Series: Second Chance Cat Mystery #6
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Mystery
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-1101991244
ASIN: B07CWFWW5C
Purchase at: Amazon ◊ Barnes & Noble ◊ Book Depository ◊ Google Play ◊ Kobo ◊ IndieBound
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
Minx's Rating:
Sarah Grayson and her feline ally Elvis get a chance to see if their sleuthing skills are up to scratch in the sixth installment of the New York Times bestselling Second Chance Cat Mysteries.
It's fall in North Harbor, Maine, where Sarah owns a charming secondhand shop. A cold case heats up when Mallory Pearson appears at Sarah's doorstep. Mallory's father is in prison for negligence after her stepmother's mysterious death in a house fire, but Mallory believes he's innocent and asks the quirky team of senior citizen detectives who work out of Sarah's shop to take on the case. With Sarah and Elvis lending a paw, they decide to try to give Mallory's father a second chance of his own...
No Escape Claws is the sixth book in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series and was a creative whodunit with plenty of twists and turns, although there was little involvement from Elvis, the feline in this series. The mystery in this story was a team effort with the main character, Sarah, being a reluctant team player. When she was first approached by Mallory, who was firm that her father was wrongly convicted for a crime that he couldn’t have committed, Sarah was skeptical. She was not sold on Mallory’s father’s innocence, especially because he had pled guilty to the crime in the first place, but ultimately helped with the investigation because her curiosity of what took place won over her skepticism.
I really liked the mystery in this story because it kept me on my toes wondering who was the guilty party but I didn’t enjoy that it involved so many characters. I did not really feel a connection to Sarah, Mr. P., Nick, Mac, or any of the Angels in this story and although they were interesting and well developed, they just did not hold my interest. So, with their many interactions and multiple conversations in the story, I found my interest waning a bit. There was a small romance angle with Sarah trying to decide how she truly felt about two different guys and that added some extra interest to this story because it was written well and did not detract from what was taking place. Overall, No Escape Claws was a mystery that was a delight to solve.
QUOTED: "It makes for an interesting assortment of cross-friendships that are realistic and enjoyable."
Review of Buy a Whisker by Sofie Ryan
September 27, 2016
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Micky Cox, guest blogger
Another murder has struck close to the Second Chance Shop and one of their own is implicated! That brings Charlie's Angels to the case (think Golden Girls version of Charlie's Angels) with Sarah trying to keep them out of trouble and danger! With her trusty cat, Elvis, Sarah must figure out who the killer is before one of the "Angels" is hurt in the crossfire, but will she be in time or will she herself be the next shop owner to get "whacked"?
This is the second book in the series and I'm so thrilled I came back for another visit. The character development is much deeper and richer with a plot that will actually keep you guessing. While you could read this as a stand alone book, by reading the first book in the series you get to know the characters much better as well as the town and its inner workings. I'm looking forward to book 3 in the series and can't wait to head over to the library to find it!
If you enjoy a good, entertaining cozy mystery then I think you will find this series very much to your liking. I particularly like that the cast of characters is a diversified cast as you have a group of elderly women trying to be protected by Sarah and her friends who are 30ish and then you have a teenager and her friends showing up on the scene as well as a host of men of various ages. It makes for an interesting assortment of cross-friendships that are realistic and enjoyable!
I was selected by the Cozy Mystery Review Crew to receive a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review and my statements are my true opinion. It's a well developed cast of characters that any cozy mystery reader would quite enjoy.