Great start to a series. Love stories with cats and this one hangs with the best of them ( )

The "Fantastic Fiction" website shares that, "Claire Donally is a pseudonym for the author of many other critically acclaimed cozy mysteries." I can only say that I hope some day the author will reveal himself/herself! Until then as a "wannabe" sleuth, I will keep my suspicion under wraps. Without a doubt, the author is very attuned to cat behavior and catitude and has spent time imagining what a cat may be thinking as he/she enjoys his/her daily life. I was captivated, charmed, amused, and marvelously entertained!

I am very thankful to Lyn Anderson (member of the Fans of Jenn McKinlay FB group) who posted covers of the 1st four (4) books in the series that she had discovered at her local used bookstore and to all the members who joyfully commented their own delight in reading the novels. I've only read the opening novel in the series and I can't wait to read more about Shadow's adventures. I absolutely purred in my human reading pleasure way for the wondrous names that charismatic Shadow has for humans, the things humans do, the things human say, etc.

I often don't agree with tagline reviews on the back cover of paperbacks but in this case I'll make an exception as Susan Wittig Albert said it purrfectly, "Applause for paws---Sunny and Shadow take Best in Show!" ( )

Meant to hit 3 stars not 2, but I cannot change it. This is a decent start to a series that I found at my local library. By the time I finished the second book, I wanted more, so I bought them and will donate them to the library when I am done. ( )

I just love Shadow. ( )

The Big Kitty is the first book in the A Sunny and Shadow Mystery series.

Sunny Coolidge has returned to Kittery Harbor, the town where she grew up, to take care of her father. Ada Spruance, the elderly cat lady of Kittery, asks Sunny if she could help her look for the winning lottery ticket that she has lost. The deadline for turning in the winning tickets coming up very soon. As Sunny is getting ready to head home after this meeting, Sunny finds a large grey cat on sitting on her car. Shadow, as the cat is known, pretty much forces Sunny to take him home with her. On Saturday, Sunny and Shadow head over to Ada's house to help look for the ticket, only to find Ada has apparently fallen down the basement stairs and has died from the fall. The town constable tends to agree with Sunny that Ada must have been pushed. The sheriff is saying it is an accident. With the help of Shadow and the constable Sunny is able to piece together who the killer was.

I, for one, think that our animals are a lot smarter than some people think. It was fun watching Shadow "help" Sunny with the investigation.

A very enjoyable story. ( )