Synopses & Reviews
The cats who saved Christmas . . .
The charming seaside village of Molena Point, California, leads one to expect a quiet traditional Christmas surrounded by family and friends—but not this holiday season. Instead of singing carols and climbing into Christmas trees, Joe Grey, feline P.I., is faced with his most difficult case yet—and that's saying a lot for a wily tomcat who for years has been solving crimes the police can't even crack.
At midnight in the deserted gardens of the shopping plaza, a stranger lies dead beneath the village Christmas tree; the only witness to the shooting is a little child. But when the police arrive, summoned by an anonymous phone call of feline origin, both the body and the child have disappeared. As police scramble for leads, the grey tomcat, his tabby lady, and their tortoiseshell pal, Kit, launch their own unique investigation.
Together Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit face their most heartbreaking case yet as they care for the child who may be the killer's next target. Trying to sort out perplexing clues amidst the happiness of the season, they shadow a cast of colorful characters. But neither the police nor their unknown feline assistants are aware that they might have stumbled over the murderer and never known it, until an electrifying final scene when the killer's identity is revealed.
For years Shirley Rousseau Murphy has written tales that have delighted readers and critics alike. With her lyrical prose and fast-paced plotting, Murphy has created another delightfully absorbing trip to a magical place populated by unforgettable characters whom readers have come to think of as friends.
Review
“savor the finely crafted suspense set against the backdrop of holiday feasts and festivities... ” Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
The beautiful, serene village of Molena Point, California is the type of place that evokes images of a quiet, traditional Christmas with family. But instead of singing carols and climbing into Christmas trees, the talking tomcat Joe Grey, Feline P.I., is faced with his most heartwrenching case yet, and it comes with a deadline. He employs the help of his girlfriend, Dulcie, and their tortoiseshell coated friend, Kit, to follow the trail.
Kit has found a man shot dead beneath a Christmas tree, and the only witness is the child found clinging to his body. But there are no clues when the police finally arrive and the child is rendered speechless from shock. The police worry that they have hit a dead end. Luckily the cats have an advantage over the police in that they can follow suspects without being a detected threat. But Joe, Dulcie, and Kit have their paws full with a series of break–ins, robberies and Christmas parties. The saavy feline dectectives find that everything is not as it first appears, after all, in small villages like Moreno Point, everything is connected...
About the Author
In addition to her popular Joe Grey mystery series for adults, for which she has received ten national Cat Writers' Association Awards for best novel of the year, Shirley Rousseau Murphy is a noted children's book author who has received five Council of Authors and Journalists Awards. She and her husband live in Carmel, California, where they serve as full-time household help to two demanding feline ladies.