Harper Collins, March 2004, 24.95, 336 pp.
ISBN 0066209498
In the small town of Molena Point, just South of San Francisco, live three very special felines who can talk to and be understood by humans. Only six people in the town know the secrets of the cats and since they love Joe Grey, Dulcie and Kit, they will not tell anyone. In the past, these precious felines have solved crimes for the local police and it looks like their help will be needed once again.
Three recent robberies were committed in the area but only one item from each theft was taken. The evil black cat known as Azrael is back in town and since he always hooks up with criminals, the trio of felines believes he is somehow involved. Kate, Lucinda and Pedria Greenlow have some very unusual jewelry in their possession and someone wants it badly enough to kill which gives Joe Grey his first clue on the road to discovering who is responsible for a variety of crimes.
Fans of Rita Mae Brown's Mrs. Murphy series, Carol Nelson Douglass's Midnight Louie mysteries and Richard Bach's tales will purr with pleasure while reading this whimsical amateur sleuth tale. The investigation into a slick cat burglar is fun to follow for those who enjoy personification starring delightful cat detectives and hissing at feline villains. Shirley Rousseau Murphy's Joe Grey mysteries are so delightful; it is hard to for the next one to come to life.
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases - 10% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
Time/era of story:
- present (2000-2010)
Kind of investigator
- dog/cat investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller
Yes
Crime plotlets:
- search for gems/treasure/money
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
General Crime (including known murderer)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- unemployed
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 0 (not a murder mystery)
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
