Cat's Claw

January 23, 2012
China Bayles shares top billing with Sheila Dawson in Albert’s diverting 20th cozy set in the touristy Texas town of Pecan Springs (after 2011’s Mourning Gloria). China, an ex-lawyer turned herbalist and owner of Thyme and Seasons as well as co-owner of Party Thyme (catering) and Thyme for Tea (tearoom), is a magnet for crime and gossip. Sheila, Pecan Springs’s first female police chief, faces triple professional challenges: the arrest of leading citizen George Timms for criminal trespass; sniping from within her department and from some city council members; and the shooting death of computer store owner Larry Kirk, poorly designed to look like a suicide. On a personal level, Sheila and her new husband, Blackie Blackwell, former Adams County sheriff, are still adjusting to married life. Albert handles the dual voices smoothly as the combined talents of China and Sheila blend to reveal multiple crimes hidden beneath the peaceful façade of Pecan Springs.

March 1, 2012
China Bayles, the herbalist and amateur sleuth, is back, coming to the aid of her friend Sheila Dawson, the first female police chief in Pecan Springs, Texas. Larry Kirk, the local techie, is found dead in his kitchen. It may be suicide, since he was in the midst of a difficult divorce, but China tells Sheila that he had asked her for help dealing with a stalker. When other evidence casts doubt on suicide, Sheila and her staff have lots of work to do. Sheila is also dealing with sexism in her department and a high-profile case involving George Timms, a local bigwig who was caught burglarizing Kirk's computer stores. Could the cases be related? When George disappears, Sheila's investigation uncovers some shocking secrets that could be a motive for murder. She must solve both cases while worrying about her husband, a private investigator who is on his way to the dangerous town of Juarez, Mexico, to find a kidnapped child. Readers will enjoy the small-town atmosphere, the herbal lore and recipes, and the well-crafted puzzle in this mystery featuring two strong women.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)