Ghostly Paws / Leighann Dobbs

Ghostly Paws by Leighann Dobbs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars

I am becoming a reluctant covert to the cozy mystery genre. It seems that an added paranormal angle makes this formula a bit more palatable for me. This book is like a cross between Vicki Delany's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mysteries and Angie Fox's Southern Ghost Hunter series. Just like Delany's main character Gemma Doyle, Willa Chance left her small town to pursue a career, but ended up returning to Mystic Notch after her marriage foundered and she inherited a bookshop. Like Verity Long in the Southern Ghost Hunter series, seeing ghosts is a new skill that Willa isn't comfortable with yet. All three have connections to their towns' police forces, as ex-boyfriends, almost-brothers-in-law, and sisters. Each has a companion animal (dog, skunk, cat).

I did have a couple of problems with this novel, however. For a woman who used to be a crime reporter, Willa is awfully clueless about investigation techniques. She blunders about, annoying everyone until she accidentally discovers something. My other, bigger beef is the cats. Not that they are included, but that they hold meetings and discuss things. I'd be fine with cat familiars with spooky attributes, but talking cats is just a little beyond where I'm willing to go.

Dobbs' writing is serviceable, but not wonderful. The mystery portion of the story isn't too skilfully handled. Really, as a reader I didn't feel like I got enough information to be able to figure out who dunnit, which is a personal requirement for a good mystery. The scattershot clues that were provided seemed random, rather than well planned. The romance element was overly obvious, telegraphed too early, and to my mind unrealistic. The ghosts were really the best part. I am dismayed, as I had hopes about a series featuring an older woman, something that I can definitely identify with.

I spent my own cash on this book and for that I am disappointed. I sincerely doubt whether I will read anything further by this author. I hope she has a loyal following, but I won't be among them.


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