Review of Cat Striking Back

Book by Shirley Rousseau

Review by Rose Booker

Dried blood at the bottom of an empty pool, a series of unexplained break-ins with nothing stolen, and an oversized drainage ditch turned into a tomb: what is one talking tomcat to do? Tom Grey and company discover these and many more troubling signs of murder and mischief in Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s Cat Striking Back.

While on his way to deliver a meal of mice to some hungry kittens, Tom Grey stumbles upon a murder scene. Immediately, he dives into the case to help the police. The premise of the mystery is established by his discovery: no one knows who the murderer or the victim was.

Murphy’s style is engaging and thought-provoking. She lures the reader into believing they have solved the mystery early on in the book. I was so sure of whom the murderer and the victim were that I almost stopped reading. What egged me on were the small clues that the cats stumbled upon. What was that smell that resembled catmint? What in the connection between the murder and the break-ins?

Moreover, I wanted to learn more about each character. Murphy has a way of bringing character’s to life. From Clyde, Tom Grey’s housemate, to sweet cat-loving Charlie, each character feels like someone we all have met at the PTA or football game. These characters are familiar, despite being surrounded by talking cats.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in puzzle-solving, complex characters, or who simply loves cats.

This review first appeared on Writer Advice’s website.