Showcase: MRS. ODBODDY AND THE CONNIVING CANDIDATE (A WWII tale of political shenanigans and snookery) by Elaine Faber

Even as WWII wages across the Pacific, election time has come to Newbury. Mrs. Odboddy has had enough of the city council making it difficult for women to gain licenses to start businesses, even in their own homes. Agnes decides to run for the vacant city council seat. That’s when the trouble starts, first when someone breaks into her house, opens the pipes, and floods her kitchen. Katherine and her colored friend are attacked in a race-related assault, and the local church is vandalized.

 Were all these disasters intended to discourage Agnes from continuing her campaign? That’s when an official accusation of theft is filed against her by her political opponent, Horace Faggenbacher, owner of The Flying Red Horse gas station. 

To make matters worse, Katherine’s ex-fiance is back in town declaring his undying love, attempting to convince her to marry him. With each disaster that affects the family, Dr. Dew-Right somehow manages to lend such helpful assistance that Katherine is prevented from kicking him to the curb. But, when anonymous claims against Agnes result in the state’s plans to take away their beloved ward, Mattie, Agnes knows she’s up against a conniving opponent who will stop at nothing to prevent her winning the election. 

How can she prevail against such sinister attacks when her family is at risk? Is winning an election really worth it? On the other hand, how can she allow this conniving candidate’s assaults against her reputation and family force her out of the race? Join Agnes in her journey against overwhelming odds as she attempts to win an election that could help bring about more equitable decisions to the Newbury citizens, to the women in town, and the colored community. 

AMAZON

The Mrs. Odboddy Series

Mrs. Odboddy Hometown Patriot

Mrs. Odboddy Undercover Courier 

Mrs. Odboddy and Then There was a Tiger

Mrs. Odboddy's Desparate Doings

Mrs. Odboddy and the Conniving Candidate

About the Author

Elaine Faber's short stories are published in magazines and multiple anthologies. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Elk Grove Wrters Guild, and Northern California Publishers and Authors. 

The Mrs. Odboddy mysteries are set in Northern CA during WWII, a humorous historical fiction both informative and funny. Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot is the first in Elaine's WWII humorous mystery series. Mrs. Odboddy fights the war from the home front, seeing conspiracies and spies around every corner. When Mrs. Roosevelt comes to town to attend a funeral, Agnes's fears become a reality and she must prove she is, indeed a hometown patriot. 

All books are reader friendly without explicit sex, extreme violence or profanity. Elaine's short stories are published in 21 anthologies over the past 7-8 years. Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband. They currently share their home with two house cats.

FACEBOOK ~ BLOG ~ AMAZONAUTHOR ~ GOODREADS

RAFFLECOPTER

Book Review: SPIRIT WOMAN LEGENDS AND LIES (Spirit Woman Mystery Adventures Book 2) by Elaine Faber

About the Book 

The legendary Native American Spirit Woman and her mountain lion companion, said to appear in times of trouble, are once again sighted near Lockleer Mountain. And there is trouble aplenty. 

Twenty-four hours after Joe and his brother, Cyrus, quarrel over the ownership of a winning million dollar lottery ticket, Cyrus’s mutilated body is found in the mountains, ravaged by the local wildlife. Sheriff Peabody and Deputy Nate Darling are soon puzzled by stolen VA hospital drugs found in Cyrus’s bedroom. It seems likely the suspected homicide is either connected to the contested lottery ticket or the drugs. 

Hearing of the crowds that inevitably follow such a disturbing event, Rosita Ramirez, a transient with two children, comes to Lockleer Mountain to sell homemade tamales. She is befriended by Nate’s fiancé, Lou Shoemaker, owner of the Pooper Scooper sewer disposal truck. Rosita parks her old motorhome at the First Baptist Church and Lou aids her in acquiring employment at the local diner. 

Soon, malicious gossip erupts about Rosita and the pastor. The church deacons are divided between ignoring unproven gossip, versus concern the gossip will divide the congregation and affect the future of the church. 

In addition to finding a killer, Sheriff Peabody and his deputies are now tasked with exposing the perpetrator of the gossip, or the pastor will be forced to leave. How can the Spirit Woman and her companions bring about a solution to the troubles that plague the rural community? 

Review 

The small town of Lockleer Mountain is home for Lou, the now owner of the sewer management service, her husband-to-be Deputy Nate Darling, and her good friend, Judy. The day-to-day is moving along. Joe Walling is released from prison and return home to his two young daughters and his brother, Cyrus, who has been taking care of him. Joe wins the lottery big, an owl is spotted, Cyrus is killed, the lion is sighted, and Nate sees a woman with green dress walking through the trees. No one wants to admit to being superstitious or spooked, but the owl and the spirit woman foretell trouble, with the woman and the lion pairing up to help the town return to its equilibrium. 

The story is well-plotted and the characters and their interactions provide a feel for this small town and the effect these happenings and others have on the community, with ripple effects on the congregation of the local church. The story moves along at a steady with pace with a trade off of solutions and new problems that keep you guessing. This is one mystery, where I couldn't figure out the person behind the murder until the very end. An interesting and engaging cozy mystery. 

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

AMAZON

About the Author 

Elaine Faber's short stories are published in magazines and multiple anthologies. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, IElk Grove Wrters Guild, and Northern California Publishers and Authors. 

Black Cat's Legacy, Elaine's debut fantasy cat-mystery novel, is the first in a series of four Cat Mysteries involving Thumper, who solves mysteries with the aid of his ancestors' memories. Black Cat narrates part of each story with his witty opinions of the inferior humans he lives with. 

Four Mrs. Odboddy mysteries are set in Northern CA during WWII, humorous historical fiction that are both informative and funny. Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot is the first in Elaine's WWII humorous mystery series. Mrs. Odboddy fights the war from the home front, seeing conspiracies and spies around every corner. When Mrs. Roosevelt comes to town to attend a funeral, Agnes's fears become a reality and she must prove she is, indeed a hometown patriot. 

The Spirit Woman of Lockleer Mountain series highlights a legendary Native American spirit woman who aids a troubled town.

All books are reader friendly without explicit sex, extreme violence or profanity.  Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband. They currently share their home with two house cats.

Book Review: MRS. ODBODDY'S DESPERATE DOINGS (A Mrs Odboddy Mystery Book 4) by Elaine Faber

Synopsis (from Amazon)

After falling from a tree, Agnes’s behavior and delusions escalate from ‘merely eccentric,’ to ‘near mayhem ’ Still seeking a permanent home for a displaced carnival tiger, she goes to unthinkable extremes in an effort to prevent city hall from destroying the big cat. When Agnes witnesses a well-known citizen commit burglary, and the church’s beloved Good Shepherd painting goes missing, she becomes obsessed with exposing the art thief. But, questions arise whether the extent of her bizarre behavior is due to a ‘brain bleed’ from her head injury, or is something amiss in her medical treatment? 

As WWII rages across the Pacific, dealing with victory gardens and rationing at home doesn’t stop Agnes from fighting the war from the home front. From city hall, to the hot seat at Newbury’s Police Department, and finally to a San Francisco mansion, Agnes pursues injustice to save a tiger and expose a shocking conspiracy at the highest levels of Newbury’s elite society. 

Review 

Agnes Odboddy is not your typical, patriotic, older lady. She's a bit quirky and feisty, and her granddaughter is trying her best to keep Agnes out of trouble. When Agnes is sure she saw the art thief - a respected member of the community - those close to her are quick to discount her story as a side effect of a concussion. Trying to solve the art thefts and safe a carnival tiger keep Agnes busy. 

This was a fun and interesting read, with unique circumstances as always in Mrs. Odboddy's adventures. This is not the first in the series, but can easily be read out of order even though the tiger enters the series in Book 3. Cozy mystery readers will enjoy this one.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way. 

Mrs. Odboddy Series

Mrs. Odboddy, Hometown Patriot

Mrs. Odboddy, Undercover Courier

Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There was a Tiger

Mrs. Odboddy's Desperate Doings - AMAZON

About the Author

Elaine Faber's short stories are published in magazines and multiple anthologies. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association. Black Cat's Legacy, Elaine's debut fantasy cat-mystery novel., is the first in a series of three Cat Mysteries involving Thumper, who solves mysteries with the aid of his ancestors' memories. Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband. They share their home with four house cats, and usually more, counting those at the door night and morning looking for a hand-out. 

Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot is the first in Elaine's WWII humorous mystery series. Mrs. Odboddy fights the war from the home front, seeing conspiracies and spies around every corner. When Mrs. Roosevelt comes to town to attend a funeral, Agnes Odboddy's fears become a reality and she must prove she is, indeed a hometown patriot.

Book Review: THE SPIRIT WOMAN OF LOCKLEER MOUNTAIN by Elaine Faber

SYNOPSIS

There are sightings of a woman and a mountain lion near Lockleer Mountain, seen at moments of crisis. Is she the legendary Native American’s Spirit Woman, sent to protect the community? Nate is convinced his sister, missing for three months, and surely suffering from amnesia, is the elusive woman. He fears she will not survive the coming winter months, living wild in the wood with a mountain lion. 

While Deputy Nate Darling pursues a relationship with Lou Shoemaker, he and Sheriff Peabody pursue a drug dealer, selling to the youth at the Native American reservation. Things are even more complicated by civil unrest regarding the government’s secret plans to build a mysterious facility, a big box store, and a housing tract close to Lockleer Mountain, threatening the livelihood of the local merchants. 

Is there any hope that the Spirit Woman, real or imaginary, can bring harmony to the troubled community? Will Nate be able to apprehend the drug dealer, locate his missing sister, maintain his budding romance, and guarantee the financial future of Lockleer Mountain?

REVIEW

The community of Lockleer Mountain, where Lou and Nate and others live, has been unsettled for several months, after a car accident left Nate's twin, Suzanna, missing. Despite the odds, Nate holds on to the belief that she's alive. The community is near a reservation and stories of the Spirit Woman and her lion have been shared and retold time and time again. Only now multiple people believe they have seen the lion in a fog followed by a flash of green, possibly the Spirit Woman. In most cases, the sighting results in stopping something bad from happening. Then there's the owl Lou nursed back to health and the superstition that seeing an owl is a bad omen. 

The Spirit Woman, the owl, and the lion not withstanding, someone is leaving Suzanna's best friend, Judy, gifts on her farm and Suzanna is still missing. There's indications of drugs in the high school and a possible new military installation coming to ruin their close knit community as well. All the different pieces make for an interesting read and Faber pulls them altogether in the end. The pace is steady with several subplots and the presence of the lion, Spirit Woman, and the owl adding a novel dimension. An enjoyable read for lazy afternoons.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

AMAZON

Book Review: BLACK CAT AND THE SECRET IN DEWEY'S DIARY by Elaine Faber

Synopsis (from Amazon)

In this dual tale of mystery, lost treasure, and riddles, while Black Cat narrates the exciting events in Fern Lake, Kimberlee discovers a cryptic clue in a diary about a hidden treasure, and heads to Austria to solve the puzzle.

When Kimberlee and Dorian arrive in Austria, they attract the attention of a stalker determined to steal the diary in hopes the clues will lead him to the treasure first. On a collision course, it is inevitable that Kimberlee and the stalker meet in Hopfgarten.

Black Cat and Angel’s lives are endangered with the arrival of Kimberlee’s grandmother in Fern Lake, and the return of a man presumed dead for twenty-five years. With both arrivals, emotional and financial difficulties loom for Kimberlee's family. Since their return to Fern Lake, Angel seems reluctant or unable to adjust to her new home. Does she regret leaving Texas and Grandmother? And, when the opportunity arises, will she decide to leave Black Cat and Fern Lake?

Review

Black Cat is back home with Kimberlee, along with his love, Angel. Between them (each taking the credit), they prompt Kimberlee to read Dewey's Diary - a manuscript she bought. This takes her down a rabbit hole in search of a treasure. It's all complicated though by the murder of her neighbor, who surprisingly has left her half of her lodge, and further complicated by the return of the neighbor's husband after 25 years. 

Faber created a story of two mysteries - the murder and the treasure. There is a steady pace with Kimberlee's husband, Brett (a mystery writer by trade), left to keep house and take care of their baby while she goes to Austria to find the treasure. With historical references to the troops at Normandy and World War II, Faber effectively wove mystery with history. Fans of Faber's other books will not be disappointed.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.

AMAZON

Review: MRS ODBODDY : And Then There Was a Tiger: A WWII Tale of Conflict and Carnivals, Turmoil and Tigers by Elaine Faber

Synopsis

While the ‘tiger of war’ rages across the Pacific during WWII, eccentric, elderly Agnes Odboddy, ‘fights the war from the home front’. Her patriotic duties are interrupted when she is accused of the Wilkey’s Market burglary.

A traveling carnival with a live tiger joins the parishioner’s harvest fair at The First Church of the Evening Star and Everlasting Light. Accused again when counterfeit bills are discovered at the carnival, and when the war bond money goes missing, Agnes sets out to restore her reputation and locate the money. Her attempts lead her into harm's way when she discovers a friend's betrayal and even more about carnival life than she bargained for.

Granddaughter Katherine's turbulent love triangle with a doctor and an FBI agent rivals Agnes’s own on-again, off-again relationship with Godfrey.

In Faber's latest novel, your favorite quirky character, Mrs. Odboddy, prevails against injustice and faces unexpected challenges . . . and then There Was a Tiger!

Review

Mrs. Odboddy is once again at her quirky best and following her own version of Murphy's Law. She's consistently at the right place at the wrong time, and it is not surprising she's the common denominator. Not enough evidence for an arrest but in a small town... Godfrey's return seems to be the bright spot and she is able to help with the war bond effort, and may just be cleared of the counterfeiting, until the old trench coat is donated and she tries to find it. 

This is a fun read with some surprises and unanswered questions - at least for Mrs. Odbuddy. The tiger is an added touch. So far, this is my favorite in the series, and it can be read as a stand-alone mystery. If you haven't read the others though, you should get to know Mrs. Odboddy and Godfrey's stories first. 

Books in this series:

Mrs. Odboddy: Hometown Patriot

Mrs. Odboddy: Undercover Courier

Mrs. Odboddy: And Then There Was a Tiger

Review: MRS. ODBODDY UNDERCOVER COURIER by Elaine Faber

Synopsis:
Asked to accompany Mrs. Roosevelt on her Pacific Island tour, Agnes and Katherine travel by train to Washington, D.C. Agnes carries a package for Colonel Farthingworth to President Roosevelt.

Convinced the package contains secret war documents, Agnes expects Nazi spies to try and derail her mission.

She meets Irving, whose wife mysteriously disappears from the train; Nanny, the unfeeling caregiver to little Madeline; two soldiers bound for training as Tuskegee airmen; and Charles, the shell-shocked veteran, who lends an unexpected helping hand. Who will Agnes trust? Who is the Nazi spy?

When enemy forces make a final attempt to steal the package in Washington, D.C., Agnes must accept her own vulnerability as a warrior on the home front.

Can Agnes overcome multiple obstacles, deliver the package to the President, and still meet Mrs. Roosevelt’s plane before she leaves for the Pacific Islands?

Mrs. Odboddy: Undercover Courier is a hysterical frolic on a train across the United States during WWII, as Agnes embarks on this critical mission.

Review:

Mrs. Odboddy is at it again, and still seeing Nazi's and spies everywhere. She isn't too sure who to trust and and Katherine isn't the only one who's wondering about her mental health. Katherine becomes a bit more of a believer when it appears someone is trying to steal the package though she really doesn't want Irving to be a spy. Charles comes to her rescue, the package is delivered but with an unexpected twist. 

As with the first in the series, there is a touch of nostalgia about WWII with growing concerns and a desire to get the boys home safely. This is a fun, quick read and Mrs. Odboddy carries the show. 

About the Author:

Elaine Faber's short stories are published in magazines and multiple anthologies. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Black Cat's Legacy, Elaine's debut fantasy cat-mystery novel., is the first in a series of three Cat Mysteries involving Thumper, who solves mysteries with the aid of his ancestors' memories.

Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband. They share their home with four house cats, and usually more, counting those at the door night and morning looking for a hand-out.

Mrs. Odboddy - Hometown Patriot is the first in Elaine's WWII humorous mystery series. Mrs. Odboddy fights the war from the home front, seeing conspiracies and spies around every corner. When Mrs. Roosevelt comes to town to attend a funeral, Agnes Odboddy's fears become a reality and she must prove she is, indeed a hometown patriot.

AMAZON

GUEST POST: ELAINE FABER - author of Mrs. Odboddy Hometown Patriot

It is my pleasure to have Elaine Faber as my guest today to talk about the wives and sweethearts of the brave men who fought in WWII...

As we think about honoring our VETERANS on Veterans Day, let’s also honor their wives and sweethearts for their steadfastness during WWII. These ladies were hometown patriots as they fought the war from the home front. In Mrs.Odboddy–Hometown Patriot, elderly, eccentric Agnes Odboddy was such a patriot. 

Rationing:

American housewives willingly gave up their precious food, clothing, tires, and other goods to aid the war effort. Ration stamp booklets were issued and many items including sugar could only be purchased when accompanied with the appropriate stamp. 

Just imagine how frustrating to find your coffee rationed to one pound every six weeks per adult. This was due to blockades affecting Brazilian ships attempting to bring coffee to the US (During part of 1942-43). The majority of the available coffee was sent to the troops.

Beef was in short supply and costly, as well as eggs, resulting in many resident chickens in suburban backyards. (Agnes obtains six chickens, but because she has no chicken coop available, she puts them in the bathroom. What could possibly go wrong?)

A limit to purchase only five tires during the entire war was put in place. By today’s standards, that sounds sufficient, but rough roads and poor tires were conducive to multiple flat tires. With a few exceptions for doctors and other public safety professionals, gasoline was rationed to four gallons per week, requiring folks to car pool, ride buses, use bicycles or walk. Speed limits of 35 mph were most common.

Victory Gardens:

To appear patriotic and reduce reliance on the limited supply of vegetables and fruit available, citizens were almost required to plant a victory garden. Suburban front yards were converted to rows of cabbages, zucchinis, tomatoes and carrots. Any vegetable with a high yield requiring limited space became the main ingredient of Meatless Monday. Even Mrs. Roosevelt planted zucchini in the White House Rose Garden. 

Watch Towers:

Ever fearful of another Japanese air attack, watch towers were erected every several miles along the California and Oregon coastline requiring volunteers to be the eyes and ears for the military. Radar was invented during the war but was in limited supply. 

As Agnes’s fantasy mystery-adventure progresses, she experiences every phase of rationing, growing a victory garden and manning a watch tower. As a dedicated hometown patriot, she is determined to root out a ration book conspiracy, identify a perceived Nazi spy and prepare for a visit from Mrs. Roosevelt. With the return of an old lover who wants to re-ignite their romance, things heat up. With chickens in the bathroom and a search for a million dollars in missing Hawaiian money, this hysterical romp through the WWII era is a fascinating novel like you’ve never read before.

Mrs. Odboddy–Hometown Patriot is available in e-book and print at Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/hdbvzsv

About Elaine’s Faber

Elaine Faber is a member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Elaine Faber is the author of three cozy cat mysteries and the humorous novel, Mrs. Odboddy-Hometown Patriot. The sequel, Mrs. Odboddy-Undercover Courier will publish later this fall. She has published short stories in magazines and multiple anthologies. 

Elaine’s cozy mysteries include: Black Cat’s Legacy; Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer, and Black Cat and the Accidental Angel. Black Cat, the cat with the memories, tackles a California cold case murder, a Texas embezzling lawyer, and skullduggery at an emu farm in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  She has published short stories in magazines and multiple anthologies as well. 

Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA. She and her husband share their home with three house cats, the inspiration for the Black Cat Mysteries. The Agnes Odboddy character is a figment of Elaine’s vivid imagination and in no way relates to her quirky personality.

Contact Elaine at Elaine.Faber@mindcandymysteries.com (e-mail)

http://www.mindcandymysteries.com (Website)

Books Available at Amazon:
http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm Black Cat’s Legacy

http://tinyurl.com/lg7yvgq Lethal Lawyer

http://tinyurl.com/07zcsm2 Accidental Angel



http://tinyrul.com/hdbvzsv Mrs. Odboddy – Hometown Patriot

Guest Post:

Today it's my pleasure to have Elaine Faber, author of the Black Cat Mysteries, here as my guest.  Her post on "Creating a Series" tells about the Black Cat Mysteries.  Spotlight and review of the third in the series follows the guest post.

Creating a Series - Thumper, the Cat in the Black Cat Mysteries

Elaine Faber

The novel: Authors write from our hearts and can’t help but inject many of our own ideas, humor, personality, fears or interests into our characters, particularly the protagonist. Though limited to the physical capabilities of a feline, Thumper, the cat in the Black Cat Mysteries, is best described as having human emotions, thoughts, ideas, and knowledge. With this in mind, Thumper, therefore, is much of me.

As a POV character in Black Cat’s Legacy, Thumper has waited for someone to return to solve the cold case murder from 25 years ago at the lodge. With the aid of his ancestors’ memories, he points out clues to help Kimberlee and her associates solve the mystery. Of course, someone stands in the way and creates chaos. Throw in a bit of romance and intrigue, a touch of espionage and a smidgen of fantasy and you have a real page turner.

The sequel: The author engages in a clever dance, writing a sequel to create what happens next. Assuming a mixed audience of fans from our first book and new readers starting with book two, we must give enough of what happened before to understand why this and that is happening in book two without spoiling book one.  

Thumper plays a bigger POV role in the sequel, Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer. By meeting his soul-mate, Noe-Noe, a cream tabby with eyes the color or mustard and stripes the color of marigolds, he has opportunity for more POV scenes and humorous conversations. Set on a Texas horse ranch, Thumper must stop a killer bent on harming Grandmother, even though he doesn’t like her very much as she has her own wicked agenda.

The third in the series:  The third novel in a series must tie up all the loose ends within the three books, leaving the reader contented with the conclusion. As authors, we must answer all the questions satisfactorily and yet leave just the hint of a possible future plot.

In the novel, Black Cat and the Accidental Angel Thumper and Noe-Noe are left behind following an MVA. Thumper suffers a head injury and memory loss. For whatever reason, Noe-Noe says, “Call me Angel. I’m here to take care of you,” refusing to share their previous life. What follows is a journey where Thumper, now called Black Cat in their new home on an Emu farm, experiences a spiritual journey of human emotions that include fear, loss, grief, shame, faith, jealousy, despair and joy as he learns, with the assist of divine intervention, that there are more important things than knowing your own name. (yes…there is an angel)

What’s next? In spite of my intention that my journeys with Black Cat are finished, one never knows what tomorrow brings. After all, as the muse for his character, he still lives within me, kicking and screaming to get out, wanting to share yet another adventure, even as I turn my attention to another series set during WWII.  

****

Elaine Faber is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association. Elaine lives in northern CA, with her tolerant husband and four house cats, including a tuxedo cat that looks a lot like Black Cat and three ferals that come to the back door night and morning looking for a hand-out! A portion of the proceeds from her Black Cat mysteries goes toward cat rescue organizations.

Elaine.Faber@mindcandymysteries   email

www.mindcandymysteries.com  

http://facebook.elainefaber2  facebook

http://tinyurl.com/lrvevgm   Black Cat’s Legacy - Amazon

http://tinyurl.com/lg7yvgq    Black Cat and the Lethal Lawyer - Amazon

http://tinyurl.com/nczzkd6    Black Cat and the Accidental Angel - Amazon

Review of BLACK CAT AND THE ACCIDENTAL ANGEL 

Black Cat (aka Thumper) and Noe-Noe are thrown from the car in their crate when their persons' car is hit and the door pops open.  Black Cat has a head injury and can't remember who he is or where "home" is, but Noe-Noe knows and won't tell him. As they try to find "home" they stow away in a truck and end up with John and his daughter Cindy. Cindy names them (appropriately) Black Cat and Angel. As the story unfolds it seems that Angel's notion that there is a reason they ended up with John and Cindy becomes more likely. Someone is threatening John and trying to make him give up his ranch.

In this third book, the point of view (POV) is not only Black Cat's, but also Angel's. Their discussions and problem-solving as well as Black Cat's male perspective countered by Angel's has a very human feel. Faber does a great job of weaving the conflicts between them - Black Cats desire to remember and find his persons, and Angels seeming reluctance - as well as painting a number of plausible suspects behind the threats to John and Cindy. I've read all three, and this is by far my favorite.

Review: BLACK CAT'S LEGACY (Black Cat Mysteries) by Elaine Faber

Synopsis

Thumper, the resident Fern Lake black cat, knows where the bodies are buried and it’s up to Kimberlee to decode the clues.

Kimberlee’s arrival at the Fern Lake lodge triggers the Black Cat’s Legacy. With the aid of his ancestors' memories, it’s Thumper's duty to guide Kimberlee to clues that can help solve her father's cold case murder. She joins forces with a local homicide detective and an author, also researching the murder for his next thriller novel. As the investigation ensues, Kimberlee learns more than she wants to know about her father. The murder suspects multiply, some dead and some still very much alive, but someone at the lodge will stop at nothing to hide the Fern Lake mysteries.

Review

Kimberlee and her daughter are set for Oregon, leaving behind a failed marriage and too many secrets.  A problem with a tire causes them to exit at Fern Lake in hopes of finding a mechanic.  Only when she is checking into the cabin at Fern Lake does Kimberlee remember that she lived in the house next door - deserted but not sold since she and her mother left after her father died.  Jack takes one look at little Amanda and sees Kimberlee when she was 3 years old - when they left Fern Lake so long ago.  


On a different mission, Brett arrives in Fern Lake to see if he can solve the cold case murder of so many years ago for his next true crime book.  He doesn't count on the many secrets that will be unveiled as he asks questions of the people who still live there, as well as of Kimberlee.  He doesn't count on falling for Kimberlee.  Thumper (Black Cat) watches it all unfold, knowing from the memories of his ancestors that this is a legacy that must be told. With its twists and turns, this was a great "by the pool" read! Looking forward to more "Black Cat Mysteries".


AMAZON 

About Elaine Faber

Elaine Faber's short stories have been published in magazines and multiple anthologies. She is an active member of Sisters in Crime, Inspire Christian Writers and Cat Writers Association.

Black Cat's Legacy is Elaine's debut fantasy cat-mystery novel, the first of a series of three involving Thumper, who solves mysteries with the aid of his ancestor's memories.
Elaine lives in Elk Grove, CA, with her husband of 51 years. (That's a marriage of 51 years, not a husband of 51 years!) They share their home with four house cats, and usually more, counting those who come to the door night and morning looking for a hand-out. Elaine's cat, Boots, is the inspiration for Thumper, the tuxedo cat in Black Cat's Legacy.

Find Elaine on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7800759.Elaine_Faber