The Cat, the Sneak and the Secret

By: Leann Sweeney

Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson

Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the latest from the author of The Cat, the Vagabond and the Victim, a feline with a penchant for pilfering ends up unearthing a deadly mystery....Jillian Hart and Tom are finally tying the knot, but first they need to make sure Tom's stepson, Finn, is as comfortable as possible in the lake house they will all call home. So when it becomes clear that Finn has fallen for a pretty cat from the Mercy Animal Sanctuary, Jillian and Tom readily agree to make room for one more - even though the tortoiseshell kitty is a notorious kleptomaniac. So far, the cat has sneaked out of the adoption center time after time, bringing back trinkets, shoelaces, and socks. But when she brings back an antique locket, Finn enlists Tom's and Jillian's sleuthing skills. They hope to return the treasured item to its owner, but their search for answers is sidetracked when a body is found. Still, their sneaky cat's find may just lead them to a killer....

©2015 Leann Sweeney (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Very good.

I enjoyed The Cat, The Sneak and and the Secret. True, there are 2 murders, but the lack of violence and sex is refreshing. The story concentrates on human relationships and the comfort animals give, not to overlook solving the mystery.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

As always, a great listen!

Leann Sweeney has the gift of creating characters that you love and weaving them into mystery after mystery without anything seeming artificial or impossible-- even the ghost of "The Cat, the Mill, and the Murder." The mysteries are always intriguing and without obvious resolution, and I have become an absolute devotee. I also highly appreciate the lack of coarse language and smoky sex scenes; her success despite their absence proves how unnecessary these thing are to a good read.

Vanessa Johansson IS the voice of Jillian, and portrays the heroine's sweet spirit perfectly.

In addition to her delightful writing skills, I especially appreciate Leann's perseverance in crafting these stories despite struggling with ill health-- it is amazing what she has accomplished so far!
I hope Jillian won't be living so happily ever after that she stops getting involved with the Mercy's many mysteries. Thank you, Leann Sweeney!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

They just keep getting better and better!

Any additional comments?

Leann's Cats in Trouble series is one of my top three favorite cozy mysteries. I have never been disappointed by any of the books in this series, and this latest book is no exception. The plot keeps your attention from beginning to end - and I was sorry when it was over. The characters in the book are so familiar that I felt like I was visiting with old friends. I fall in love with each new "cat in trouble" (like Clyde, Isis, Boots etc.), and in this book we meet Magpie, the adorable little clepto tortie. Sometimes when a series continues past the first few books, it can get stale. But these books are always fresh and entertaining. I won't detail the plot here, as I don't want to slip and include a spoiler, but there is a major event that was totally unexpected for those of us who have read the prior books in the series.

I have this book (and all the others in the series) in both Audible and Kindle, and I will read and listen to this over and over - it is that good. I would absolutely recommend this book - and the entire series - to anyone. I would also recommend Leann's Abby Rose series. (which I also have in ebook and audio)

Keep the awesome books coming Leann!!!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Loved It

This is a very entertaining series. Jillian, Tom and Candace are back with the other favorites and the cats. The book is fast paced with several twists and turns that will keep you interested. I especially enjoyed Tom's new job. I want to see how this new development evolves in the next book.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Cats

Liked that you did not know who did it till the end of story. Keep you thinking about all the characters. Would recommend this to all cat loves. I like that it a series and can get more stories with the Cartor,s.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Best in series, far!

This narrator is the perfect voice for Jillian. She def makes one love both the cats and protagonist, enforcing the author's words. And def a great cozy mystery! Cats do rule!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

story is good, love the cats

Excellent series. Good addition to the series. Looking forward to the next one. 😊😺. Enjoy.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Breathtaking book

I love this book! Fantastic narrator, and super creative author, awesome book for cat lovers.Great mystery!

A cat that helps solve a murder

In The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret by Leann Sweeney, Jillian is preparing for her wedding to Tom when Tom's step-son from his first marriage, Finn, who works at the Mercy Animal Sanctuary, has fallen in love with a cat who keeps escaping from the shelter and bringing back loot. But this time the cat seems to be stuck under an ugly love seat in front of the donation box for a charity thrift shop. When they get her out, Jillian discovers that the cat is covered in blood and also has an antique locket wrapped around her paw. Upon arriving at the scene, Candace, Jillian's best friend and police forensic specialist, finds that the blood is human. The locket contains a picture of a baby. Something bad has happened, but what?

Finn adopts the cat, whom they name Magpie for her kleptomaniac habits, and she joins Jillian's three cats in her lakeside home, where Finn has moved into the basement. Jillian gets back to the job of dealing with wedding preparations with her step- daughter from her own first marriage, Kara, the owner of the local newspaper and the woman who has taken over the job of wedding planner. But then Kara gets a call that a body has been found in a construction site. They rush to the site and find that a body has been buried beneath soil and rebar, where the construction company is about to pour concrete.

The book goes through a series of dramatic episodes involving two middle aged women and their families. The whole community of Mercy gets affected, and we get to see many of the people we have met in previous books. The book contains genuine emotions that pull at your heart as you see the suffering and redemption of the people of Mercy. The mystery plot is intricate and full of details that blend together to create a solution. The cats play significant roles in the book and help to provide a resolution to the case.

One of the greatest strengths of this series is the way Sweeney draws the characters. Jillian, the main character, comes across as such a real, likable person. People open up to her in a way that would seem fake in most books, but Jillian has a nature of giving to those around her that makes it seem perfectly natural for people to share their lives with her.

This book also includes a 19-year-old woman named Lindsey who really seems like a genuine character. She has an outer shell formed by hurt that pushes away people, but we get glimpses of the real woman with a heart under the mask she holds up to the world. Lindsey is one of the best written characters in this book, as we can see her gradually peel back her shell as she begins to heal under the love and friendship with Jillian. The love of the cats adds to her inner healing.

It is also exciting for those of us who have followed this series to get to see Jillian finally marry Tom. She has traveled a long journey from being widowed six years earlier to getting healing and being able to open up her heart to love again.

Vanessa Johansson continues to do a fantastic job of narrating this audiobook. She has a voice that seems to fit Jillian really well. She just sounds so nice, which is how I picture Jillian as being.

I really loved The Cat, the Sneak, and the Secret. Its depth and use of characters is incredibly strong, making this book one of Sweeney's best. I happily listened to the whole book as fast as I could because I was eager to learn what would happen, yet I was afraid to let it end and be over. I give this book five stars!

Really Good, Intriguing Whodunnit

Being a big fan of cats (I currently have 3) and mysteries, I naturally love this series. What I think is extraordinary is that rather than the series kind of petering out, like most of this length do, it is actually building momentum. Each story is a little more gritty and interesting than the one before it. A few more books and this may no longer be considered "cozy mystery" (whatever that means...).

Anyway, as always, I eagerly await the next book!