A Lily Dale Mystery

Cats are thought to be extremely intelligent, but can a cat travel 400 miles to lead a family to a new home? In Nine Lives by Wendy Corsi Staub, Isabelle Jordan and her son Max leave their New York City home after the death of her husband.

Before they leave Max finds an obviously pregnant cat with distinctive markings outside their house. He naturally wants to take the cat along with them, but when they are ready to leave, the cat is nowhere to be found.

Driving for more than seven hours, Bella is nearly exhausted as she searches for the Summer Pine Campground. Ten miles from the campground they spot a cat in the middle of the road, remarkably with the same markings as the cat in New York City. That can't be possible, Bella thinks.

After a quick visit to the local vet, Bella discovers the cat's name

is Chance and she belongs to Leona Gatto from nearby Lily Dale. The vet assures Bella she will be able to find a room in Lily Dale, so she heads there.

What she discovers is a town brimming with quirky psychics and mediums, but with a warm and welcome atmosphere. She also discovers Leona Gatto recently passed away. Feeling dejected and exhausted, Bella jumps at the chance to stay in Leona's hotel as temporary manager.

The longer they stay in Lily Dale, the more it feels like home. When Bella discovers Leona was murdered, she doesn't want her idyllic life to end, so she is determined to find the killer.

This is a charming, entertaining book and I look forward to others in the series. For my review of another Lily Dale mystery, click here.  For more books by Wendy Corsi Staub, click here.