Delilah goes to visit Mrs. Walker to see whether Mavis' allegations hold any truth and finds Mrs. Walker dead, presumably bashed in the back of the head with a candlestick. She calls the police to report the murder, and resolves to concentrate on her job of locating the missing cat. Her friend, Evie suggests Delilah consult a "pet psychic" to try and find the missing feline. Coincidentally, the pet psychic has been seen talking to the dead woman shortly before her death. The psychic then vanishes. Through a series of remarkable coincidences, Delilah manages to not only find the missing cat, but also unmask Mrs. Walker's murderer.

This book probably fits into the category of the "Amateur Sleuth" mystery. In order to enjoy this type of mystery, one must be willing to believe that the police will allow non-professionals to assist them in their business. If one believes that is true, the story is entertaining and somewhat humorous.

In order for Delilah to have the information she needs to unravel the mystery, many coincidences occur. While driving in rural San Diego county in a rented van to retrieve two missing Malamutes, Delilah takes a wrong turn and ends up in a small town. Here she meets a character she recognizes as being involved in her case obviously leading a double life. This character not only talks to Delilah, but she tells her entire life story. It could happen, but...

The author does make a strong case for being a responsible pet owner. She offers a lot of good advice on caring for dogs and cats, as well as suggestions for providing a means of identification of pets by others should they become lost or stolen.

A supporting cast of characters, both human and animal, which reappear in all books of this series are amusing. While one does not feel any depth of understanding of their personalities, they seem like they would be interesting to meet in real life.

--Andy Plonka