Library Cat Magical Mysteries

Francie Vespertine has lived all her life in a supernatural town full of powerful witches, but her own magic is lackluster at best. The only place she fits in is the Magical Archives. Head librarian (and bookworm extraordinaire) might be a boring job . . . if it wasn't for the ghosts of fictional characters haunting the shelves. Between stopping Captain Ahab from wreaking havoc on aisle three and keeping her fussy feline familiar satisfied (he only eats wild-caught Pacific Salmon, thank you very much), Francie's established a comfortable routine-which is just how she likes it. Until a historian is found dead in the Non-Fiction section and Francie's life goes from cozy to mystery. Half the town saw Francie argue with the man only hours before he was murdered. The Werewolf Law Enforcement Brigade is eager to close the case, and with Francie as the prime suspect, she has to find the real killer or trade her beloved library for a jail cell. She's got a lot on her plate. Fortunately so does Kongressman Kittles. But maybe if Francie keeps his piled high with Lobster Thermidor, then he'll get off his silk pillow and lend a paw . . .

Small town librarian (and accidental dark magic user) Francie Vespertine would prefer her new magic to be fueled by rainbows and butterflies, but you can't always get what you want. Neither can her feline familiar, Kongressman Kittles. When his favorite brand of cat litter is discontinued, he's in a mood-and if the cat's not happy, no one's happy. When a visiting author winds up dead at a book signing, Francie's best friend Penny is accused of the crime. Now she's got to find the real killer before they strike again. And to make matters worse, another one of the cursed books is being read somewhere in town, but Francie can't find it. It's pure evil and drives whoever reads it insane. But in a town as nutty as Hell's Birth canal, how will she even be able to tell who's reading the book? Plus the ghost of Frankenstein (Victor, not his monster) is lurking in the Archives and he's on the verge of a major scientific breakthrough. Maybe he can resurrect Francie's love life, too . . . Jump back into the story and spend some time with Francie, Kong, and the gang as they catch the killer and send another one of the cursed books back from whence it came.

A creature from another dimension disguised as someone you know and love. How will Francie and the gang catch a killer who's hiding in plain sight? A mysterious portal has opened up in town . . . and for once, Francie isn't the one responsible. It's just a run-of-the-mill portal to an alternate dimension, right? Nothing to worry about. Except when a rare book dealer turns up dead and Lizzie is the number one suspect. Despite an ironclad alibi, there's a hundred witnesses who swear they saw Lizzie at the scene of the crime. Just who-or what-is coming out of that portal? And can Francie stop it before it invites more of its friends to cross over? Meanwhile, there's a catnip dealer out in the alleyways, harming the cat community with his ultra-strong new product. Good thing Kongressman Kittles is hot on the trail and ready to bring the scoundrel to justice. And if that wasn't enough, Francie and Hortensia have their hands full bringing a secret vampire plot into the light of day, keeping the Jibbleson Sisters from blowing up the town, and repairing all the books damaged by the ghost of Don Quixote as he wages battle against bookshelves and card catalogues . . .

It's Halloween in Hell's Birth Canal, but when someone's killed at a costume party, Francie's determined to unmask the killer… When a fellow partygoer is poisoned while bobbing for apples, Francie needs to get justice for her friend. But just days after the crime, she gets devastating news: the Jibbleson sisters' fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. Even though most (okay, all) of their inventions explode, Francie knows they'd never commit murder. She promises to get them out of their jail cell and back to their workshop faster than you can sing the Monster Mash. Knee-deep in the investigation, she gets a surprising card in the mail. A wedding invitation. Kong's wedding. He met a stray alleycat days ago, but they're ready to tie the knot. Her familiar is blinded by love, but Francie's never seen things more clearly. This innocent little alleycat isn't what she seems, and Francie's got to save Kong before he vows 'til death do you part'… because that's exactly what the feline fatale has in mind. To make matters worse, Hortensia tracked down one of the most dangerous of all the cursed books--the Eldertide Almanac. But the literary ghost of Mr. Hyde (Dr. Jekyll's alter ego) got to it first--and he's about to make this Halloween one for the record books. Can Francie reveal the killer, save Kong and destroy the cursed book? Or will this Halloween be all tricks and no treats?

During a tour of the legendary, whimsical Winky Whiskers cat food factory, the Tuna Surprise dinner isn't the only thing that's fishy… The reclusive genius Winky Whisker is the creative force behind Kong's favorite brand of kibble. When he opens up his factory to the five lucky cats that find the Silver Tickets, Kong is determined to get one. But right away, Kong and Francie sense something dark hiding behind the factory's cheerful surface. There are grudges and rivalries going back decades… and when Winky Whisker is found dead, drowned in a vat of salmon gravy, Kong vows to avenge his death. Francie can't resist a case, even if-at 8 months pregnant-all she wants to do is go home and rest. Rend Redclaw has the perfect wedding planned for the next full moon, but she's not sure the baby will wait that long. And neither will Hortensia. When people start to get sick in Hell's Birth Canal, she's convinced that one of the cursed books is responsible-and the only doctor they have to help is the ghost of Doctor Moreau…

Join Francie and the gang one last time as they team up to fight their most savage enemy of all: Kong's fleas… Yes, they've got to find the Baron and his sixth cursed book before untold horrors are unleashed on the town. Of course a wealthy widow was poisoned at the first annual poetry slam competition. And by now you shouldn't be surprised to learn that an avant-garde performance art troupe has moved into Francie's backyard and rehearsals consist of bongos, glitter and panda costumes. But none of that will matter if the Jibbleson Sisters' Flea-B-Gone Gamma Zapper Ray has malfunctioned and mutated fleas take over the whole world… Author's Note: I've shamelessly and gleefully indulged the deepest depths of absurdity in this book. Whether you consider this a promise or a warning is up to you.