Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter

Such an entertaining read! I loved every word!

“Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter” is a stand alone novel by Heather Fawcett (so far at least). It is an alternate world fantasy that is set in Montreal, Quebec. However, this is not our Montreal, as there is magic, and magicians who practice it. There is also electric lighting, but there are horse drawn vehicles. So, it seems somewhat in the past, but isn’t medieval. Having set the scene, it’s time to introduce our protagonist, Agnes Aubert. She is a widow who has an inordinate fondness for cats, and for organization. She’s a big fan of checklists and bookkeeping. She and her sister have established Les Amis des Chats which is the titular cat shelter. They travel about Montreal catching feral kittens, taming them, and then offering them for adoption. They sometimes end up with older cats, who have been abandoned, or must be surrendered for various reasons. These cats and kittens are as much characters in the story as the people. The story begins with Agnes visiting prospective locations to rent in order to move the cat shelter. The building that it is currently in has been badly damaged when magicians had a magical duel in the street in front of it. With winter coming, a new place must be found. She is having trouble finding a location when she checks into a place that has previously been a scarf store, and before that a bakery. The owner’s agent offers this property for a very low rent given its size and location, and Agnes jumps on the offer. This is where the story really gets underway. As things progress, strange visitors show up at the shop. Agnes begins to suspect the secretive owner might be involved in magic, and the trade of illegal magical artifacts. She tries to overlook this as she has finally found a safe and spacious location for her beloved cats, and indeed the shelter prospers. However, she is soon drawn into the realm of magicians, and especially the one known as the Witch King! This is a cozy fantasy, with a tasteful touch of romance. It involves people who love cats, and baked goods of surprising origin. It’s a nice read, and will give you warm feelings by the end. Definitely recommended.

Warm, funny, entertaining- not at all the kind of book I usually read. Loved it!