Everyone knows a leopard can’t change its spots. But can a thief hide the spots on a catnapped Bengal? Groomer Cassie McGlone is about to find out . . . With no ID for his pet, an agitated young man shows up at Cassie’s Comfy Cats claiming his house has burned down and he needs to board his big, brown cat, Ayesha. But after a bath washes dye out of the cat’s coat and reveals beautiful spots, … beautiful spots, Cassie suspects the exotic-looking feline may in fact be a valuable Bengal show cat, possibly stolen. At the same time, there are rumored sightings of a “wild cat” in the hills of Chadwick, New Jersey. Could there be a connection?
When Ayesha’s alleged owner turns up dead, it looks like whoever wants the beautiful Bengal is not pussyfooting around. Working with the police, Cassie and her staff need to be careful not to reveal the purloined purebred’s whereabouts while they discreetly make inquiries to cat breeders to find her real owners. But after a break-in attempt rattles Cassie’s cage, it’s clear someone let the cat out of the bag. And when a second body is found, it’s up to Cassie to spot the killer, who may be grooming her to be the next victim . . .
Praise for The Persian Always Meows Twice
“A delightful debut mystery. It’s smart, well-plotted, and features a cast of characters—both human and feline—that I want to see more of. This book will be catnip for cat lovers.”
—Laurien Berenson, author of Wagging through the Snow
“The purr-fecf mystery to curl up with for a lovely cozy read, preferably with a cup of tea, cuddly cat optional but recommended.”—Leslie Meier, author of Turkey Trot Murder
more
The Bengal Identity
A Cat Groomer Mystery, Book #2
Eileen Watkins
5 Stars
Synopsis:
Everyone knows a leopard can’t change its spots. But can a thief hide the spots on a catnapped Bengal? Groomer Cassie McGlone is about to find out . . .
With no ID for his pet, an agitated young man shows up at Cassie’s Comfy Cats claiming his house has burned down and he needs to board his big, brown cat, Ayesha. But after a bath washes dye out of the cat’s coat and reveals beautiful spots, Cassie suspects the exotic-looking feline may in fact be a valuable Bengal show cat, possibly stolen. At the same time, there are rumored sightings of a “wild cat” in the hills of Chadwick, New Jersey. Could there be a connection?
When Ayesha’s alleged owner turns up dead, it looks like whoever wants the beautiful Bengal is not pussyfooting around. Working with the police, Cassie and her staff need to be careful not to reveal the purloined purebred’s whereabouts while they discreetly make inquiries to cat breeders to find her real owners. But after a break-in attempt rattles Cassie’s cage, it’s clear someone let the cat out of the bag. And when a second body is found, it’s up to Cassie to spot the killer, who may be grooming her to be the next victim . . . (Amazon)
Review:
The characters are well developed and well rounded. Cassie is a smart caring woman who knows her stuff about cats. She will do almost anything to protect the cats that she boards and takes care of. When Cassie and her assistant, Sarah, find that a cat in their care has been dyed and the person that dropped the cat off has died, she knows that she has to get to the bottom of what is going on. With the help of Dawn, her friend, and Sarah, she tries to figure that out.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the book I felt like I was right there, watching all the action taking place and listening in on conversations.
There was more than one mystery in this book which was great. The mysteries were well plotted and well developed. I was pretty sure of the culprit early on but there were enough other things going on that I really did not mind. I really liked that Cassie did not stumble upon a dead body, which is what happens in a lot of the cozies that I read.
You can tell that the author knows a lot about cats and that she has a fondness for them. This book dealt with breeding issues and the real problem of illegal breeding of exotic cats. It also gave some very disturbing images of non-reputable breeders.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted cozy mystery. Whether you are a cat person or not , you will enjoy this book. I am already looking forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, Kensington Books, and NetGalley, which I greatly appreciate.
An intriguing second book in the cat groomer mystery series! This was a fun and intriguing read. Business seems to be going well for Cassie and she is gearing up for Chadwick Day when a strange man comes into her shop begging her to board his cat. He doesn’t have any of the animal’s records and Cassie is hesitant, but the young man states that his house burned down and he just needs the cat to be boarded for a few days. Later, Cassie and Sarah notice the cat’s fur is a bit sticky and they give her a bath. Much to their surprise, the color starts washing off of the cat. Cassie suspects the cat is actually a purebred show cat who was stolen from a breeder. When the man who brought the cat to Cassie later turns up dead in a hit and run car accident, she starts to wonder what is going on and starts checking with breeders and rescues to see if anyone is missing a cat. Another young man goes missing and there have been sightings of a wild cat in Rattlesnake Ridge. When the woman Cassie hires to help out at her shop on Chadwick Day tries to steal the valuable cat, Cassie is out to get to the bottom of this mystery. Cassie’s boyfriend, veterinarian Dr. Mark, has his own troubles with his vet clinic and doesn’t want to believe that the young receptionist could be to blame for all the issues. Intriguing and interesting facts about hybrid cats. I love this series and learning about different types of cats and other little cat facts. This book was especially intriguing with the cat hybrids (and a good lesson not to try breeding wild cats with domestic cats illegally). I look forward to more cat adventures with Cassie and seeing what’s next for her and Dr. Mark!
Having once had a bengal kity myself, I could totally identify with the antics of the cat.
Fun for cat lovers who like mysteries.
An entertaining read. I did not guess any of the resolution at all.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have always wanted a Bengal kitty but they are way out of my price range. To read about one is the next best thing.
While the town is also dealing with some sightings of a big cat in the wild that had a attacked a dog and scared a child. Cassie McGlone, owner of Cassie’s Comfy Cats was pretty surprised when one of her feline guests turned out to be a Bengal. When he arrived at her shop all she saw was a big brown kitty, but a bath started to show the cat’s true identity. Cassie suspects the feline had been catnapped. Cassie then learns the man that boarded the Bengal with her has been killed so she opens up to the police about her very special guest. But a break in makes her realize that someone will go to great lengths to steal this cat. Cassie starts her own investigation to find the kitty’s true owners while the police try to apprehend the killer. What they find is positively shocking!
Cassie is a fun protagonist. She is thoughtful and smart and would do anything to protect her friends or the cats in her care. Her assistant Sarah is a caring woman as well. She has opened her home to Harpo, a pretty Persian after his owner was killed in the previous story. She is injured in this story, but she doesn’t let it hold her back much at all. Together they make a great team. Dr. Mark Coccia is back and spending time with Cassie, but he is having some employee issues at his vet clinic that is weighing heavt on his mind and need to be handled. Detective Angela Bonelli knows the information she gets from Cassie will help her solve the case. I love the open way they work together. We meet a couple other characters that I hope return in a future book too.
There is more than one mystery in this story and there are some really nice twists. The story is well written with excellent depictions of time and place making it so easy to visualize everything. There is a part of this story that is so relevant and so current, but when the sheer magnitude of what was happening was revealed I was livid. To avoid spoiling the story for others I will say no more about that except to say this story is a wonderful read that elevated my blood pressure just a bit.
I love these characters and where Ms. Watkins has taken them. You can tell how much she loves cats by all the love of them that her characters share.
As with the first book in this series, The Persian Always Meows Twice, I read it all in one sitting. I am excited for Feral Attraction to be released on September 25!
The Bengal Identity by Eileen Watkins is the second book in A Cat Groomer Mystery series. Cassie McGlone owns Cassie’s Comfy Cats in Chadwick, New Jersey. A man arrives at the shop wishing to board his cat, Ayesha with Cassie because his home burned the previous night. Even though he cannot provide identification or veterinary records, Cassie agrees to board Ayesha. When putting the cat in her cage, Cassie notices something sticky on her coat. A bath shows that Ayesha has been dyed to cover up her beautiful spots (rosettes). It seems that someone has also removed the cat’s chip. A consultation with Dr. Mark Coccia, the local veterinarian and Cassie’s boyfriend, reveals that Ayesha is a rare Bengal which is quite valuable. While watching television, Cassie sees a report of a hit-and-run accident that killed a man who had no identification. The sketch revels it to be the same man who dropped off Ayesha. Cassie contacts Detective Angela Bonelli and starts searching for Ayesha’s owner. At the same time, there are sighting of a large cat on Rattlesnake Ridge. Is there a connection between the wild cat and Ayesha? Then someone tries to break into Cassie’s Comfy Cats. Someone wants Ayesha and Cassie is determined to find the cat napper. Join Cassie on her latest hair-raising adventure in The Bengal Identity.
The Bengal Identity can be read alone. Everything a reader needs to know is included. I found The Bengal Identity easy to read with a steady pace. The author’s writing style is straightforward, and it is obvious that that Eileen Watkins is knowledgeable about cats. She presents some interesting information on Bengal’s in this book. I had to laugh when Ayesha’s caterwauling was described. I knew immediately what the problem was and waited to see when Cassie would figure it out. The author accurately described the sound a female cat makes when in heat. Ayesha and the other cats in the book are the primary focus of The Bengal Identity. I love the description of Cassie’s Comfy Cats. The cats that stay there have deluxe quarters and plenty of places to roam and explore (gave me some ideas to use in my cat’s rooms). The mystery is uncomplicated. The solution can easily be discerned along the reason. Cassie devoted her time to looking for Ayesha’s owner. Solving the murder was just a bonus. My rating for The Bengal Identity is 3 out of 5 stars. The Bengal Identity is a light, cozy mystery that will appeal to feline lovers. The next installment A Cat Groomer mystery series is Feral Attraction.
THE BENGAL IDENTITY BY Eileen Watkins
The Second Cat Groomer Mystery
Cassie McGlone has some doubts about her new boarder. Rudy, the man who dropped her off seemed very agitated and his story a bit odd, but the cat looked healthy and he seemed fond of her. After all, it was just for a few days. Ayesha’s arrival proved to be more of a mystery when her somewhat sticky fur led to a bath…and the brown color of her coat started running down the drain revealing rosettes. This athletic and vocal animal wasn’t your average cat-Ayesha was a Bengal, probably a show cat worth thousands! Why was she disguised? Did Rudy steal her? Things take a dangerous turn after Rudy is killed in a hit and run. Is someone trying to steal Ayesha? Will Cassie find her real owner before something worse happens? Does it have something to do with the killer cat roaming the outskirts of town? And what’s going on in her boyfriend’s veterinary clinic? Cassie has more puzzles to sort out than an unkempt long-haired cat has mats!
Although I’m a stickler for reading series in order, I didn’t have a chance to read A PERSIAN ALWAYS MEOWS FIRST, the first book in the series, before this one. That being said, this book was perfect to read on its own. There were brief references to things that happened in the first book, but I had plenty of information and never felt as if I was missing something. I enjoyed this book so much, that I’ll be going back and reading the first in the series soon!
THE BENGAL IDENTITY is a delight. Interesting, realistic characters inhabit the charming New Jersey town of Chadwick. Characters that don’t go out of their way to investigate and get into trouble, but rather have mysteries thrust upon them and work with the police to try to sort things out. I’m a huge cat lover and appreciate not only the antics of the cats in the book, but the good information the author imparts about them as well. Of course, I love Ayesha! The mysteries were plentiful and, especially appropriate for a cat-centric book, plenty of herrings were given, red ones, that is. Although, at one point near the end I was yelling, “No, don’t do it!!!!” having figured out enough of what was going on to know that a particular character was up to no good!
The second Cat Groomer mystery is an intelligent fun read sure to delight cat and mystery lovers alike.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.