Murder Past Due by Miranda James

"Murder past due is first in a series of books about a librarian and his cat. Set in the south in the quiet town of Athena, Mississippi. The book tells the escapades of Charlie Harris, a librarian turned amateur sleuth and his cat, Diesel. Charlie throughout the book expresses that he is a book lover and works three days a week at the college library as a archivist, volunteers the local public library, and frequents the local bookstore in town, his favourite genre being (or course) mysteries. It is a surprise when, local hometown star and famous writer, Godfrey Priest, an old classmate of Charlie's shows up during his latest book tour, to accept an award for his work, and wants Charlie to catalog his papers for the university, which he has donated. Godfrey then doesn't show up to accept this award that the benefit in his honor, and turns up murdered his hotel room..." "The cover of this book hooked me. I mean a cat, books, and well, books in a library! What is not to love? Murder Past Due is set in a small Mississippi town named Athena. Athena is a small, quiet town where Charlie and Diesel live. Charlie had recently moved back and brought Diesel with him. As they walk the streets they make quite a pair. Charlie and Diesel tag team in the library. Charlie works there, and Diesel sleeps there. The perfect setup for the impending trouble. Small town gossip flies as Godfrey, the best-selling novelist, slides into town on a book tour. Then things and life become interesting for Charlie & Diesel.."

구글을 검색하면 작가의 이름이 두 개가 나오는데 Miranda James는 작가의 필명이고 Dean James 가 작가의 본명이다. 지금까지 읽은 코지 미스터리 작품들은 작가가 대부분 여자이고 주인공도 여성이었는데 이 번 작품은 작가도 주인공도 남자다. 코지 미스터리에 고양이가 자주 등장하는데 이 책에서도 Maine coon이라는 큰 종의 고양이가 등장한다. 개처럼 주인과 산책을 하고 덩치에 비해서 애교가 많은 거 같다. 사건 해결에 큰 역할을 하는 건 아니지만 글의 분위기를 좋게 해 준다. 그리고 다른 코지 미스터리 작품들에 비해서 사건 해결이 주인공을 중심으로만 전개되지 않는다는 점도 특이하다. 재밌게 읽은 작품이다.