On to the next one, maybe the stories will "fill out" as the series progresses. ( )

This the first in the Big Mike Mystery Series, with Mycroft, aka Big Mike, a 25 lb. Abyssinian cat. The owner Penelope Warren finds a dead body on her doorstep and investigates, along with Mike, several friends, and two police detectives she nicknames Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

The characters are interesting, quirky, but believable. The cat is authentic. And the mystery was really a mystery to the end.

Unfortunately, the first half of the book dragged, except for the cat parts which were interesting. Perhaps it was because a lot of background material was included to set up the entire series, or maybe because Penelope's character was a bit one-dimensional, until her sister arrived. Anyway, about half-way through, the book really caught my attention and improved steadily to the surprising end. ( )

I love this series, the characters are goofy, whimsical, and way way out in left field, but they still feel like real people. I know people like the role-playing romance novelist and her laconic cowboy boyfriend. They're strange, but true. This book isn't true, but it's got that quality. The mysteries are enjoyable, with enough clues and no cheap tricks. This book is the first of the series and introduces the characters. Mike is a believable cat, and a charming one, without being cutesy. A book worth owning. ( )