Now that retired cop Moses Fogg has his P.I. license, aspiring P.I. and senior sleuth Cat Caliban can now work towards accruing enough experience for a license of her own. Caliban and Fogg's first customer is a concerned grandma who wants the duo to investigate the suspicious death of her grandson Peter.

Soon, Cat and Moses discover strange connections between Peter's death and the cases of other missing children in Cincinnati. How do these cases, an evangelical ministry, and a chimpanzee named Evie fit together? You'll have to read this book to find out!

I've always loved how unique and well-written this series is. It features well-rounded and interesting characters. There are prominent characters of colours, LGBTQ characters, and neurodivergent characters. The mysteries are realistic and well-researched, yet engaging and suspenseful. The books explore social issues with reflective thoughtfulness. What else can a girl ask for in a mystery?

I especially appreciate how Borton balances different tones in this mystery. Some parts of the book are hilarious and laugh-out loud, but others are more serious and sometimes even heartbreaking. It's not a 'one-note' book by any means. The book does feature a bittersweet ending, but I found it to be very appropriate for the plot. It's a reminder of the human impacts of crime, and of how life's problems don't always resolve neatly.

And as a side note: it's 2021, and I still haven't read many cozy mysteries where computers - or even technology in general - play a role in the plot! I was pleasantly surprised when this novel, which is set in the 1980s, incorporated computers and the Internet into the mystery-solving process. It added an interesting, and sometimes hilarious, layer to the book. Let's just say that Cat is not exactly a computer-savvy lady...

If you're looking for a well-written mystery with engaging characters and unique plots, I'd absolutely recommend this book and the Cat Caliban series as a whole.

Readers should note that this book includes some violence and some foul language. Thank you to D.B. Borton for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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