Cozy Mystery Review: Paws to Remember | Sofie Kelly

Sofie Kelly’s magical cats series is always a lot of fun, and Paws to Remember is no exception. In Paws to Remember, a body is discovered in the wall and the investigation uncovers long-buried secrets.

About the Book | Paws to Remember

Librarian Kathleen Paulson and her enchanted felines get involved in a cold case that is putting people in very hot water in the newest installment of this New York Times bestselling series.

When a water leak repair results in a body being found behind the walls of the store run by the artists’ co-op that Kathleen’s friend, Maggie, is part of everyone is completely mystified as to whose body it is and who hid it there. But as the dust settles, her boyfriend, Detective Marcus Gordon, begins to suspect the body could belong to a young woman who disappeared more than thirty years ago.

When a friend with a connection to the young woman asks Kathleen to look into the circumstances around the disappearance, she and her cats—who have special feline talent for catching felons—find themselves digging up secrets that at least one person in Mayville Heights would much prefer stay buried.

Review | Paws to Remember

I’ve read several of Sofie Kelly’s Magical Cats series and enjoyed all of them. Paws to Remember is the fifteenth book in the series, and as usual I found it easy to jump into though I haven’t read the full series. I always enjoy the leading character for this series, Kathleen. This book was fun and different because it involves a cold case—something we don’t see as often in cozy mystery series.

It’s early December and an extra cold winter has settled in on Mayville Heights, Minnesota, leading to a power outage and a burst pipe one chilly evening in an old building in town. The River Arts building houses the artists’ co-op owned by Maggie, who calls her friend Kathleen to help when she sees what she thinks is a rodent.

Librarian Kathleen Paulson and her cat Owen hurry to the building to help. While Owen handles the rodent problem, Kathleen helps the local handyman, Harry, tear down drywall to prevent mold. But as they work, Kathleen discovers something disturbing—a body wrapped in a blanket and plastic that had been sealed into the wall.

When the local paper comes out with a story speculating that the body in the wall belongs to a missing eighteen year-old named Lily Abbott who disappeared thirty-six years earlier, the town is shocked. Lily was seven months pregnant when she disappeared and most of the locals believed she ran away, but her brother Tim went to his grave insisting something happened to Lily. Meanwhile Kathleen’s fiancé Detective Marcus Gordon investigates who murdered Lily Abbott.

Though most of the locals who were around when Lily disappeared have moved away or passed on, one local woman comes forward claiming she believes Lily gave birth before her disappearance and that she is her daughter. Ella King was born around the time of Lily’s disappearance, so it’s possible she could be the missing woman’s daughter. Kathleen uses all of her research skills to look into Lily’s past and determine what happened to the young woman who died tragically before her time.

Sofie Kelly has done a great job with building depth into the characters and relationships in this series. While relationships are key to cozy mysteries, some can veer towards fluffy in series that maintain a more humorous edge to their stories. This series stands out because of the way the characters interact—more like contemporary fiction in many ways.

I always enjoy librarian leads to cozy mystery series because they have a true researcher core to their sleuthing that is so satisfying to read as a fellow bookworm. Kathleen has a deep memory for information and how to access it. She is well-primed to tackle a cold case due to her skills and the resources available to her as a librarian.

Any cat-lover will adore Kathleen and her magical cats, as well as the plethora of other cats that grace this series. Kathleen’s cats have some special talents that always keep me entertained. It’s a fun wink through the pages!

The mystery is surprisingly well-paced for a cold case, which could run the risk of dragging on. The story has a few twists and turns that kept me engaged. I also like that while this isn’t an overly humorous cozy mystery, there are scenes throughout that offer some comic relief and keep the tone light. The conclusion to the mystery is surprising and satisfying.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

About the Author | Sofie Kelly

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.

She also writes as Sofie Ryan.