Panthers Play for Keeps

February 17, 2014
At the start of Simon’s engaging fourth mystery featuring animal behaviorist Pru Marlowe (after 2013’s Parrots Prove Deadly), Pru and Spot, a service dog she’s training for a wealthy man who is going blind, discover the badly mauled body of a young woman while walking in the woods outside the Berkshire town of Beauville. To all appearances, a large animal, most likely a wild cat, killed the woman, yet no cats like this have been seen in the area in years. Det. Jim Creighton, the man in Pru’s life who has recently become uncomfortably chummy with the attractive therapist sponsoring Spot, is inclined to think the woman was murdered. Pru, whose psychic powers allow her to understand animals’ thoughts, receives conflicting and confusing suggestions from Spot, as well as from her tabby, Wallis. In the end, Pru’s sleuthing instincts guide her to a satisfying resolution of the crime.

June 2, 2014
The 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race provides the backdrop for Kaehler’s entertaining third Kate Reilly mystery (after 2013’s Braking Points). Kate’s beau, Stuart Telerday, should have been on hand, but just as the day is getting started, cops turn up announcing that he was badly injured in a hit-and-run. Kate soon receives a set of mysterious text messages suggesting that the supposed accident was, in fact, attempted murder. Complicating matters emotionally—and perhaps giving Kate a motive for hurting her boyfriend—is the kiss that Stuart admits he shared with another woman the night before. If that isn’t enough to handle, one of Kate’s teammates is killed on the track. Snappy dialogue, a smart and affable heroine (who calls to mind auto racer Danica Patrick), and pacing reminiscent of 24 combine to make this entry as exciting as a spin around the speedway. Agent, Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency.