Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0061015601, Mass Market Paperback)
What's the perfect read for fans of New York Times bestselling mystery authors Lilian Jackson Braun and Rita Mae Brown? This delightful ninth Joe Grey Mystery from award–winning author Shirley Rousseau Murphy.
When antiques and valuables begin to disappear from residents' homes, Joe Grey, Feline Detective, knows that something is very wrong in sleepy Molena Point, California. Lost are a five hundred thousand dollar painting, a diamond choker, and most shocking to Joe, his owner Clyde's vintage Packard roadster. But even a seasoned tomcat like Joe isn't prepared for the return of a yellow–eyed, sinister black cat who had terrorized him and his girlfriend Dulcie years before. The acid–tongued Azrael had paired with an old crook to loot the town and spread fear among the unsuspecting residents. Could Azrael and his partner be connected to this new set of crimes? But when a local waiter dies mysteriously at the art opening of one of Joe and Dulcie's closest human friends, the pair know that someone much more powerful and evil than Azrael's aging human friend is involved. And when miles away in San Francisco the cats' friend Kate––a woman with a mysterious, troubling secret––is followed by a stranger and robbed, the cats dig in their claws and investigate. Along with their tattercoat friend Kit, they pass clues to the police, and under the often sceptical eye of Clyde, slowly begin to sniff out the truth.
(retrieved from Amazon Wed, 20 Apr 2011 01:06:13 -0400)
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I've gotta say...I didn't really get into this one. It is competently written, but still at times seems amateurish. My main problem is the central conceit of this series -- intelligent, talking cats that interact with their human companions. I'm betting that if you can get past that outrageous premise, you'd probably enjoy this light mystery. Unfortunately, I never did get past that roadblock, so this was more an exercise in "getting to the end of the book so I can discuss it with the group."
I think I'll leave this series to the real fans. I didn't hate it, but I won't be reading any more Joel Grey novels! (