Murder Past Due

Charlie Harris, a librarian in Athena, Mississippi, works with his Maine Coon cat Diesel while overseeing a college archive collection. When a famous author and former classmate returns to town to teach a writing course, Charlie becomes entangled in investigating the writer's murder. The investigation leads Charlie through the small college town's network of academics, students, and locals who all seem to have connections to the victim. His cat Diesel accompanies him as he pursues leads and uncovers long-buried secrets from his own college days. The novel combines elements of academic life, small-town dynamics, and traditional mystery plotting while featuring the unique partnership between Charlie and his intuitive feline companion. The academic setting provides context for exploring rivalries, ambitions, and the impact of the past on present-day relationships.

Readers consider this a light, cozy mystery that delivers on its cat-and-librarian premise without breaking new ground in the genre. Readers appreciated: - Diesel the cat's realistic feline behavior - The academic library setting details - Strong male protagonist (uncommon in cozy mysteries) - Clean content without graphic violence - Small-town Southern atmosphere Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Predictable plot twists - Too many secondary characters introduced quickly - Limited character development - Some found the protagonist "bland" Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (8,400+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (580+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Perfect for cat lovers who enjoy mysteries without gore" - Amazon reviewer "Takes too long to get to the actual mystery" - Goodreads reviewer "Charlie's personality never fully comes through" - LibraryThing reviewer "The cat steals every scene" - Barnes & Noble reviewer

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🐱 "Murder Past Due" features a Maine Coon cat named Diesel as a major character - Maine Coons are known as "gentle giants" and can weigh up to 18 pounds. 📚 Miranda James is actually a pen name for Dean James, who holds a Ph.D. in Medieval History and has worked as a medical librarian. 🏛️ The book's setting of Athena, Mississippi, is inspired by Oxford, Mississippi, home of William Faulkner and the University of Mississippi. 📖 The novel launched the "Cat in the Stacks" mystery series, which has become one of the most successful cozy mystery series featuring a male protagonist. 🎓 The main character, Charlie Harris, works as an archivist in a college library - a profession that draws from the author's own background in library sciences.