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What does a former reporter who is now a millionaire have in common with an actress who does cat-sitting between acting
jobs or a bookstore owner in a small town or a fiesty
lady in Las Vegas? Answer: They are all "owned" by some
wonderful cats who like to lend a "paw" and help solve the
crime. Some of the cat lover's mysteries that have helped
keep my TBR stack at the tumbling stage are discussed here.
For mysteries with a cat's point of view do try FELIDAE & FELIDAE ON THE
ROAD both by Akif Pirincci and translated from German. The cat protagonist
has a very definite point of view and the first book has very little to do
with humans.
CAT TRACKS by Gordon Aalborg is told partly
through the eyes of a feral cat and partly through the eyes of an old
Australian bushman. Aalborg worked, fished and bushwalked throughout the
terrain that is the setting for the novel, so Cat Tracks has a
real sense of place.
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By Lydia Adamson When actress and amateur sleuth Alice Nestleton whips up an anniversary meal for her actor friends, the happy couple just die-of food poisoning. The only witnesses are the couple's two little kittens. Definitely cute, but certainly not viable on the witness stand. Which means that Alice is the prime suspect. And while the actor in Alice may love the spotlight, this is not the kind of attention she needs... By Lydia Adamson Alice is catsitting a beautiful Russian Blue at the center of a raging custody battle. But when the doorman at the wealthy couple's apartment building dies-and the contested cat disappears-she must go on a nose-to-the-ground hunt for a catnapper...and maybe...a killer. |
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Written by Lillian Jackson Braun, the series made its debut in 1966 with THE CAT WHO COULD READ BACKWARDS. Jim Qwilleran, who acquired KoKo first and then the playful, affectionate Yum Yum, was a reporter in the Midwest until he inherited a fortune and moved to Pickax City, somewhere 400 miles north of everywher! Qwill has a moustache that tingles when he has a good hunch and a Siamese (KoKo) with notedly physic powers. These are fun reads with no graphic violence or bad language.
Lillian Jackson Braun is from Michigan and once wrote for the Detroit Free Press. She is considered the originator of the "cat craze" in mystery fiction. She wrote the first three books in the 60's then waited almost 20 years to revive the series. She now divides her time between Michigan and North Carolina and is indeed owned by two Siamese cats! Read "The Cat Who Companion" to learn about all her work! |
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CAT IN THE DARK (1999)
Definitely different, Ms. Murphy has created a unique
character in Joe Grey, a cat who understands human speech,
can talk and can read. Naturally, his owner Clyde was
somewhat shocked! It is all explained in the first book,
CAT ON THE EDGE (1996). Joe Grey has a sassy lady friend named
Dulcie, who shares in his adventures. I have read all the books
in this series, with the exception of the latest. I really enjoy them.
Various characters are introduced in each book and, as one reads
the series, we see these people (and animals) come back like welcome
friends. Wilma Getz is the owner of Dulcie and also can communicate
with the cats.
 CATS TO THE DOGS:(2001) There have been earthquakes in Molena Point, the setting for these books. Joe Grey, out hunting, witnessed a car accident in a canyon and saw the cut brake line. Then who should come along but two quite large and cumbersome puppies! Joe reluctantly takes them home and his human Clyde is not thrilled, either with the puppies or Joe's theories on the accident, which resulted in the death of the driver. Joe Grey is mad enough to spit! No matter what Clyde, his irritating human "owner" says, he's not keeping his paws off this case, not when Max Harper's life and the future of law enforcement in the town of Molena Point are at stake. Max Harper is a very likable character, more so to me than Clyde (Joe's human) who continously forbids Joe Grey to help out and never believes Joe despite the fact that it is obvious how helpful Joe and Dulcie have been. Max Harper is accused of a crime and Joe knows Harper is innocent and is hissing to prove it. Finding answers, however, promises to be the biggest challenge Joe and Dulcie have ever faced. They've got to keep their night-eyes sharp and their soft paws moving to avoid both a vicious killer and a hungry cougar prowling around the town's hills. This book brings back the little feral tortie kitty...a most fascinating creature.
CAT SEEING DOUBLE: A JOE GREY MYSTERY |
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Penelope (Penny) Warren owns a mystery bookstore in Empty
Creek, Arizona and a 25 lb cat named Big Mike. The series
is written by Garrison Allen, who lives in California with
his own black cat named Oliver. The stories I have read in
this series center around some "event" in Empty Creek that spawns a murder and an opportunity for Penny to play "sleuth"!
Mystery bookstore owner Penelope Warren and her intrepid feline co-sleuth, Mycroft are on the case, after the discovery of a baby Seismosaurus Rex fossil in Empty Creek, Arizona, leads to the murder of a young scientist. |
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Back in Las Vegas after a holiday trip to the Big Apple, feline detective Midnight Louie witnesses death on the Nile when the battling Egyptian barges outside the Oasis hotel bring a dead body to the surface. The soggy victim is well known to Louie's redheaded, high-heeled human companion, Temple Barr: her two best beaux are closely related to the drowned man, and both have reasons to want him dead.
I recently read a delightful book by Ms.Babson called
WHISKERS AND SMOKE featuring Errol, an over-sized Maine Coon.
Ms. Babson has also written DIAMOND CAT and NINE LIVES TO MURDER.
Ms.Brown writes a popular series, with able assistance
from her cat, SNEAKY PIE, featuring Mary Minor "Harry"
Harristeen and her cat, Mrs. Murphy. Mrs.Murphy has a
doggie friend named Tucker, and the pair are fully rounded characters, playing a large part in the stories. Books
in the series are REST IN PIECES, WISH YOU WERE HERE,
MURDER AT MONTICELLO, PAY DIRT and CLAWS AND EFFECT |
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