The cat who tailed a thief - Lilian Jackson Braun

A spate of petty thefts threatens the holiday spirit in Pickax. First it's just a pair of sunglasses and gloves that disappear - but then the entire charity collection of the Indian Village Bridge Club is found missing.
And unfortunately the worst is yet to come...

Ironically, the small items begin to disappear when banker Willard Carmichael moves to Pickax.
Willard has come accompanied by his flashy young wife, Danielle, and plans to restore a few Victorian homes.
But when he's found murdered in an apparent mugging, his wife's cousin appears a bit too eager to pick up where Willard tragically had to leave off.