A Cat in the Attic Mystery: The Secret of Logan Pond

The Secret of Logan Pond is the fourth in A Cat in the Attic series written by Kathi Daley. Calliope (Calli) Rose Collins who is the main character in this series, has landed a full time position at the Foxtail News, the local paper. Dex Heatherton, current editor of the paper and Calli’s boss, was friends of the young boy who went missing. May 19. 1995 was the date when six boys, mostly middle school age, decided to skip school and head to Logan Pond for a fishing and campout. Each of them had their own tents and when morning dawned the next day on five were there. The body of the sixth young boy was never found. Researching this mystery and writing a column about it was given to Calli. It was also Dex’s hope that Calli would be able to solve the question of what happened to Austin Brady.

I enjoyed this story because Kathi carried forward the same well-rounded characters, even down to Alastair who was Aunt Gracie’s cat. The relationship between Calli and Cass stumbles because of the family curse but also because of a former girlfriend of Cass’s. I love the adventerous soul of Calli and the big heart of not just Calli but her Aunt Gracie. The further you read into the book, you will not be able to stop until you get to the last page. For this I gave The Secret of Logan Pond 5 Stars.

In this next book of the series Callie is looking into the twenty-five year old disappearance of a twelve year old boy. He along with several friends went on an overnight camping trip and the next morning the boy was nowhere to be found. Police and locals searched for the boy but it was as if he vanished into thin air. Callie hopes to figure out the mystery and being closure to all involved. Meanwhile Cass is investigating a murder, the victim happens to be one of the boys who went on that camping trip so long ago. Callie thinks the man’s death has something to do with her mystery and digs into to sing some answers. Follow along as they put their.heads together and follow the links that seem to keep popping up. Will they be able to solve the puzzle before someone else ends up dead? This was a great read, the characters are easy to get to know and make a connection with.

The Secret of Logan Pond earns 5/5 Cold Cases…Engaging Entertainment!

In 1995, six boys skipped school for overnight trip of camping and fishing, however, the next morning thirteen-year-old Austin Brady was missing. Even with an extensive search, all-points bulletin, and everyone in town on alert, Austin was nowhere to be found. The current editor of local paper and Callie Collin’s boss was friends with the boys and originally set to join them, but his father wouldn’t allow him to go when he discovered the boys were cutting school. The twenty-fifth anniversary of the boy’s disappearance is coming up and revisiting the event may shed new light on the case, shake up a few memories, and maybe reveal a once hidden answer. That is Callie’s hope. She’s checking out all sources, including the surviving boys, now men, but one of the boys died a few years after Austin’s disappearance, two left the area, and the two still in the area are reluctant to revisit the event. It may be an uphill battle to find closure for his boss and others. Callie, finds herself juggling several stories, so along with uncovering previously not reported details and following up dismissed clues, there’s a local fundraiser, a new Fit and Fabulous Wellness Center, and a “not yet public” land deal. She also volunteers at the animal shelter, acts as a surrogate sister for the neighbor girl, and navigates a relationship with her childhood friend in the shadow of a “why tempt fate” curse. Whew! Life for Callie is full, busy, and not without a few roadblocks.

Brilliant! Kathi Daley laid out an excellent cold case with informal interviews, tireless research, and enlisting many friends and family to lay out the known clues, surprising revelations, and possibly additional related felonies. However, it’s the community, the residents, friends, and family that play the biggest role. The characters are depicted realistically in their reactions and motives, I enjoy that law enforcement is not circumvented but an integral part, and everyday interactions illustrate a close knit small town. Be aware that there are a lot of direct discussions, hearsay, theorizing, and researching; action or personal peril is often relegated to the end. It is still a great page turner!

Spoilers? Unfortunately, yes. Previous murder mysteries are not effected, but some references are made about a few residents giving away secrets found in a previous book. So newbies might fair better starting from the beginning…It is definitely worth your time!

Callie continues to find ways to contribute to her new community, now that her musical career is over. She is enjoying her relationship with her former high school best friend, potential sweetheart nut dares not move forward due to a family curse. Instead she appreciates sharing things she loved as a child with her neighbor girl. She also helps calm and train shelter dogs, to the dismay of her attic companion, a very intelligent cat.
Her part time job writing “fluff” human interest pieces for the local newspaper takes a more serious turn when she is assigned a cold case investigation. Can she uncover facts the officials missed a quarter century before? What about a new wellness center that seems too good to be true for their small town? Is there more to that story?
When a shooting takes Cass in another direction, will Callie find a link between certain crimes?
I enjoy watching the relationships develop and being surprised by random clues that may have more meaning that at first suspected.

The Secret of Logan Pond is the fourth book in Kathi Daley’s A Cat in the Attic Mystery series. This is a clean read, with caring and compassionate characters, and a complex mystery. The storyline flows smoothly, and the three-dimensional characters are well-developed and affable. The storyline is well-plotted, and there are lots of twists and red herrings to keep readers engaged and guessing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading well-crafted cozy mysteries.

After an accident shattered Calliope “Callie” Rose Collins career as a concert pianist, she returned to Foxtail Lake, which is nestled in the Colorado Rockies, and is living with her great-aunt, Gracie, who raised her after she lost her parents as a young child. Callie loves spending time with Gracie’s cat, Alastair, volunteers at the Foxtail Lake Animal Shelter with her childhood friend, Officer Cass Wylander, and Paisley Holloway, a young girl who recently lost her mother under her wing. Callie has embarked on a new career as a columnist for the local newspaper, and her current assignment involves the mysterious disappearance of twelve-year-old Austin Brady a quarter of a century ago when he was on a camping/fishing trip with five other young boys at Logan Pond. In addition to helping Callie with her investigative assignment, Cass is looking into the cold-blooded murder of a local resident, Bobby Brighton.