I always enjoy mysteries that have a now and then feel: a mystery in the present is solved while uncovering a mystery of the past. The main character (you don’t learn her name until the book is almost over) and her two cats move into the apartment above her recently departed Uncle Oscar’s antique store, The Green Vase in San Francisco. She doesn’t think foul play was involved, but begins to suspect something is amiss when minor disturbances plague her renovations to the store. It seems that her Uncle was not only obsessed with collecting Gold Rush era antiques, but with solving a Gold Rush era mystery as well, and others may be trying to discover what Oscar was able to uncover.Like in Murder Past Due the cats are present, and become characters in the story, but they are by no means detectives. They are cute, cuddly and mischievous, in very cat-like ways. If you’re looking for a cozy now/then mystery, this is a good bet.
Special Note: You do NOT learn how to wash a cat.
