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The Cats and Curios Mystery #1
How to Wash a Cat
Two cats are better than one... First in an adorable new series! A deceased uncle and a surprising inheritance propel a woman and her two very curious cats into the mystery surrounding his death. An investigation that starts amid the curios and novelties of a San Francisco antiques shop follows a twisted trail of dangerous deception that leads all the way back to the days of the Gold Rush itself.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 8, 2008
64 people are currently reading
1492 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca M. Hale
14 books156 followersNY Times bestselling author Rebecca M. Hale lives in Western Colorado with her feline writing associates - when she’s not off researching future books set in San Francisco, the Caribbean, or wherever else her wandering spirit takes her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
June 5, 2011
NO...just no. Seriously, there was so much wrong with this. You can't just throw a bunch of history (which was the best part) in with some characters that barely make sense and seem hardly tolerable, and wrap up a mystery in two pages with explanations that explain nothing and mystery people in disguise. AND THEN....the protagonist who has remained nameless is you?!? No. Nope. Unh uh. Not having it. Seriously, don't waste your time.
May 30, 2010
In this book, the owner of the Green Vase antiques shop dies in mysterious circumstances and leaves the shop to his niece who moves in with her two cats. She is immediately latched onto my Monty Carmichael whose nosiness helps her with the mystery. It turns out that the fate of her uncle is intricately linked with the fate of William Leidesdorff, a man who was influential in the early days of San Francisco and the gold rush.
It was only when I went to make notes for this review that I realised that I never knew the name of the main character. When I visited the author’s website it is revealed that the anonymous narrator is a cunning way to indicate that “she is introverted and shy” and to reflect the “ongoing struggle to find out who Uncle Oscar was”. In reality, the book held my attention so poorly that I didn’t really notice that the main character didn’t have a name. Sorry, all of that cleverness was lost on me and I think that most readers felt the same way too.
I found the San Francisco and gold rush history tedious (maybe this is because I am not American?) and I felt that the author got carried away with the historical side to such an extent that the mystery part of the book was lost. It seemed that the author was trying to be a little too clever for her own good and probably as a historical novel, the writing style would have worked well, but as a mystery – well, I wasn’t so convinced. Clues that were meant to be subtle stood out like a sore thumb and when it came to the climax, it was so rushed that even when I re-read the last chapters there were a host of question marks over what happened. Maybe this is to leave things open ended for the next books, but instead of it piquing my interest, I just felt *meh*.
It seemed like such a promising book, but all I wanted to do was to finish it as soon as possible so I could read a book that I actually enjoyed.
It was only when I went to make notes for this review that I realised that I never knew the name of the main character. When I visited the author’s website it is revealed that the anonymous narrator is a cunning way to indicate that “she is introverted and shy” and to reflect the “ongoing struggle to find out who Uncle Oscar was”. In reality, the book held my attention so poorly that I didn’t really notice that the main character didn’t have a name. Sorry, all of that cleverness was lost on me and I think that most readers felt the same way too.
I found the San Francisco and gold rush history tedious (maybe this is because I am not American?) and I felt that the author got carried away with the historical side to such an extent that the mystery part of the book was lost. It seemed that the author was trying to be a little too clever for her own good and probably as a historical novel, the writing style would have worked well, but as a mystery – well, I wasn’t so convinced. Clues that were meant to be subtle stood out like a sore thumb and when it came to the climax, it was so rushed that even when I re-read the last chapters there were a host of question marks over what happened. Maybe this is to leave things open ended for the next books, but instead of it piquing my interest, I just felt *meh*.
It seemed like such a promising book, but all I wanted to do was to finish it as soon as possible so I could read a book that I actually enjoyed.
February 10, 2010
Several times as I was reading this book I stopped and thought "what is the mystery?" in this book. I found the book somewhat confusing and even now as I have finished it I don't feel like I really "got" the story. I even went back this morning and reread the end. Maybe I'm trying to make too much of it, but I just feel confused. I would be interested to hear from others that have read the book and hear what they thought.
April 2, 2015
Sorry about it, but no to this one. No, every noun does not need two adjectives. No, I don't appreciate that the cats are better characterized than the characters. (I find that true enough real life.) And no, I will not spoil the ending for you because I have no idea what happened.
This has the potential to be a solid beach read, but stylistic problems got in the way. It's one of those books that makes you think "The next one might be better." So maybe it is. I will tell you later.
This has the potential to be a solid beach read, but stylistic problems got in the way. It's one of those books that makes you think "The next one might be better." So maybe it is. I will tell you later.
June 16, 2021
I hope this series gets better. I went on the reviews of several others. I enjoyed the cats, but did not see the humour in many of the scenes. I have purchased a few of the next books in the series already. I hope I am not disappointed in the further adventures of Rupert, Isabella and Rebecca.
April 15, 2017
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January 26, 2016
This is one of my favorite genres, so I was left feeling completely disappointed that I didn't like ANYTHING about this book. The characters, the setting, the language, the writing. Hell, I'm not even sure I liked the cats! (WHAT?)
Basically most of the language felt like the author had picked up a thesaurus for every second word. A good example is using the word 'callous' to describe the wind. In a modern mystery novel, described from the POV of a mystery character that never gets a name, it just seemed...wrong. On the other hand we have "He told people he couldn't bare to destroy the lovely, old building.' Couldn't bear or bare? -_-
Those characters...grrrr. Monty is a noisy bothersome character that could have been killed off and I would have been happy. The unnamed protagonist was beyond terrible, but I could never work out why. She was spineless, yes, but there was zero connection as well.
The flattest read I've had all year. I won't be going back to this series again.
Basically most of the language felt like the author had picked up a thesaurus for every second word. A good example is using the word 'callous' to describe the wind. In a modern mystery novel, described from the POV of a mystery character that never gets a name, it just seemed...wrong. On the other hand we have "He told people he couldn't bare to destroy the lovely, old building.' Couldn't bear or bare? -_-
Those characters...grrrr. Monty is a noisy bothersome character that could have been killed off and I would have been happy. The unnamed protagonist was beyond terrible, but I could never work out why. She was spineless, yes, but there was zero connection as well.
The flattest read I've had all year. I won't be going back to this series again.
Read
August 5, 2011 Well, this book had a lot of potential for a good mystery ... but it just didn't quite get there for me. I spent most of the book wondering what the real mystery was. The main character (what was her name? are we ever told?) lacked definition and other characters were not well-developed either which caused me to confuse a couple of them. The main character (I don't know what to call her) didn't trust Monty but never had the backbone to stand up to him, which I found annoying. The story line itself was not cohesive enough to build any suspense and I thought the ending was weak and inconclusive. The cats were the best thing in the book for me :) This appears to be the author's first book so I'm sure this series will hopefully improve as it continues.
January 25, 2012
I wanted to like this book. I did enjoy the cats, they were amusing and mostly acted like cats, except when they did things like smile. I own two cats. I've volunteered at the humane society socializing cats. They do not smile. However, the crazy cat lady in me still loved both Rupert and Isabella.
Beware, the rest of this review contains many many spoilers.
As for the rest of the book? Right from the start I was put off by the red stain on the floor of the antique shop where her uncle died. From a stroke. I'm not a doctor, but even I know that you do not bleed from a stroke. In fact, I'm still not sure exactly how he died. Or how he died and was buried without anyone doing an autopsy on him since the police department claimed they didn't. And if there was enough of the poison on the floor to stain the floor, shouldn't his clothes have been suspiciously stained when they came to remove his body? Because presumably that happened since she saw him in a casket, whether or not he was truly dead and all that?
The protagonist (who is apparently the author. Yeah. Not clever) is apparently a spineless wimp (but apparently this just means she's shy and timid. Again, no.) who has no problem running off into scary places all by herself (not shy and timid, right?). But then again, once there she has ridiculous panic attacks, or hallucinations, or waking nightmares? Or something. Or else she momentarily grows a spine only to have it again turn to jello after pushing Monty into the muck. She is also too stupid to say, "hey, why is there an apparent blood stain on the floor if my uncle had a stroke?"
She was also someone without friends prior to the start of this story or at least that's what we're lead to believe by her complete lack of contact with anyone from her prior life at all, including former coworkers and family members. Then again, we're really told nothing about the main character, and are left to infer everything we know about her from her actions - which are inconsistant.
Many people were irritated by Monty. I was irritated that the author turned him into a ridiculous caricature. In fact, I felt quite certain that Monty and Miranda were the good guys because they were the only characters ever really developed. Unfortunately, they were developed by beating you over the head with their character flaws. Monty reminded me quite a bit of the magician villain in the first Frosty the Snowman cartoon. Yet that wasn't what his character should have been. First, he was Rebecca's only friend (apparently). He really did seem to genuinely be concerned about her safety. We were told that he was a ridiculous snoop and gossip, but were never SHOWN that, just told - repeatedly. We were shown that other people disliked him, but no real reasons given. However, in the end, you learn he's about the only good guy, so it's quite likely they didn't like him because of that.
Getting back to SHOWING. When writing, the general rule is SHOW don't tell. This author tells. A lot. I found the excessive use of adjectives in this book did not draw me into the book, instead, it yanked me out of the narrative quite harshly at times. Too often inanimate objects were given human characteristics. Some metaphors just didn't make sense ("his eyes squirrelled" for example).
Also pulling me out of the story was the sheer amount of adjectives. And inappropriate description. I couldn't really tell you what Ivan looked like outside of a mullet (should've tipped me off that he was the bad guy, really), yet I could describe in minute detail areas of San Francisco that she walked through. This is an issue. Ivan was a major character in the book. He was there almost as much as Monty was, yet I haven't a clue what he looked like. But the area she and Ivan walked through to get to the construction site? Fully described with paragraphs descibing a single block.
The climax. First, there's no real build up of tension in the book. The protagonist (yep, nameless until the final page) just kind of wanders around with no real motivation for what she's doing. There's no urgency. There's no sense of danger (how could there be when the bad guys are barely described cardboard cutouts?). There's no attachment to the characters. There IS an interesting bunch of history, but you can't hang a cozy mystery on history. So when the end of the book came (hello? why on earth would you drink something that isn't the same color as the rest of the punch being served to guests? STUPID) I was really kind of shocked. People cared? People were shocked that there were real diamonds in the cat jewelry (yes, jewelry for cats to wear. Because cat owners are crazy like that)? People really believed in rumors from over a hundred years ago?
And why did it matter that the two cats looked like 2 cats that lived over a hundred years ago? Completely irrelevant to the story and not worthy of the shock displayed by the protagonist.
And finally, what, exactly, happened in the tunnel? Bats? That was all I could think of, but then she ended up with a cockroach on her that flirted with her (um, really???) and then talked to her (huh, what?) but then she wasn't in the middle of the tunnel, she was listening to Monty and Dilla talk! And just had to climb through the trap door into a broom closet that Harold just went through. Only he did it without Monty and Dilla seeing him. But then Monty was hiding from Dilla - with no reason given.
I just wasted a few hours of my life on this book. So glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it. Paying money for that crap would've made me angry.
Beware, the rest of this review contains many many spoilers.
As for the rest of the book? Right from the start I was put off by the red stain on the floor of the antique shop where her uncle died. From a stroke. I'm not a doctor, but even I know that you do not bleed from a stroke. In fact, I'm still not sure exactly how he died. Or how he died and was buried without anyone doing an autopsy on him since the police department claimed they didn't. And if there was enough of the poison on the floor to stain the floor, shouldn't his clothes have been suspiciously stained when they came to remove his body? Because presumably that happened since she saw him in a casket, whether or not he was truly dead and all that?
The protagonist (who is apparently the author. Yeah. Not clever) is apparently a spineless wimp (but apparently this just means she's shy and timid. Again, no.) who has no problem running off into scary places all by herself (not shy and timid, right?). But then again, once there she has ridiculous panic attacks, or hallucinations, or waking nightmares? Or something. Or else she momentarily grows a spine only to have it again turn to jello after pushing Monty into the muck. She is also too stupid to say, "hey, why is there an apparent blood stain on the floor if my uncle had a stroke?"
She was also someone without friends prior to the start of this story or at least that's what we're lead to believe by her complete lack of contact with anyone from her prior life at all, including former coworkers and family members. Then again, we're really told nothing about the main character, and are left to infer everything we know about her from her actions - which are inconsistant.
Many people were irritated by Monty. I was irritated that the author turned him into a ridiculous caricature. In fact, I felt quite certain that Monty and Miranda were the good guys because they were the only characters ever really developed. Unfortunately, they were developed by beating you over the head with their character flaws. Monty reminded me quite a bit of the magician villain in the first Frosty the Snowman cartoon. Yet that wasn't what his character should have been. First, he was Rebecca's only friend (apparently). He really did seem to genuinely be concerned about her safety. We were told that he was a ridiculous snoop and gossip, but were never SHOWN that, just told - repeatedly. We were shown that other people disliked him, but no real reasons given. However, in the end, you learn he's about the only good guy, so it's quite likely they didn't like him because of that.
Getting back to SHOWING. When writing, the general rule is SHOW don't tell. This author tells. A lot. I found the excessive use of adjectives in this book did not draw me into the book, instead, it yanked me out of the narrative quite harshly at times. Too often inanimate objects were given human characteristics. Some metaphors just didn't make sense ("his eyes squirrelled" for example).
Also pulling me out of the story was the sheer amount of adjectives. And inappropriate description. I couldn't really tell you what Ivan looked like outside of a mullet (should've tipped me off that he was the bad guy, really), yet I could describe in minute detail areas of San Francisco that she walked through. This is an issue. Ivan was a major character in the book. He was there almost as much as Monty was, yet I haven't a clue what he looked like. But the area she and Ivan walked through to get to the construction site? Fully described with paragraphs descibing a single block.
The climax. First, there's no real build up of tension in the book. The protagonist (yep, nameless until the final page) just kind of wanders around with no real motivation for what she's doing. There's no urgency. There's no sense of danger (how could there be when the bad guys are barely described cardboard cutouts?). There's no attachment to the characters. There IS an interesting bunch of history, but you can't hang a cozy mystery on history. So when the end of the book came (hello? why on earth would you drink something that isn't the same color as the rest of the punch being served to guests? STUPID) I was really kind of shocked. People cared? People were shocked that there were real diamonds in the cat jewelry (yes, jewelry for cats to wear. Because cat owners are crazy like that)? People really believed in rumors from over a hundred years ago?
And why did it matter that the two cats looked like 2 cats that lived over a hundred years ago? Completely irrelevant to the story and not worthy of the shock displayed by the protagonist.
And finally, what, exactly, happened in the tunnel? Bats? That was all I could think of, but then she ended up with a cockroach on her that flirted with her (um, really???) and then talked to her (huh, what?) but then she wasn't in the middle of the tunnel, she was listening to Monty and Dilla talk! And just had to climb through the trap door into a broom closet that Harold just went through. Only he did it without Monty and Dilla seeing him. But then Monty was hiding from Dilla - with no reason given.
I just wasted a few hours of my life on this book. So glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it. Paying money for that crap would've made me angry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2017
I quickly found myself being drawn into this book. I love the mix of history and mystery. The author takes a different approach to the typical cozy. Having read Ms. Hale’s Mystery in the Islands series, I knew her writing would not disappoint me. In looking at other people’s reviews, you either love this book or you hate it. For me, it was a success. I really liked the combination of story lines and eclectic characters. Rupert and Isabella are adorable feline sidekicks. The mystery of the lead characters name never even dawned on me until I got to the end of the book. I’m excited to continue this series and see what other antics are in store.
December 19, 2023
How to Wash a Cat (The Cats and Curios Mystery #1) by Rebecca M. Hale is a novel I spotted at a library book sale and thought it sounded cute even thought cozy mysteries aren't usually my thing. Honestly, I came for cats and stayed for the cats. Definitely not worth returning for the rest of the series in my opinion in regards to the near non-existent mystery.
September 3, 2015
"How to wash a cat" is surely a title created to lure cat lovers, and it worked for me, a diehard cat fancier. There are two cats in this novel, promising twice the enjoyment. A cozy mystery by a first time author, this book was certain to succeed and it placed on the New York Times bestseller list.
The nameless protagonist of the story is a female accountant and niece of Oscar, the owner of an antiques store in historic San Francisco. The setting holds promise and the historical references to the Gold Rush and the people of that era are an entertaining and interesting back story to the plot.
When our amateur sleuth inherits the antiques store, The Green Vase, upon the death of her uncle Oscar, she is almost at once plunged into intrigue when she discovers a trap door in the floor of the store. Although I think the author intended them to be charming and entertaining, her quirky and eccentric neighbors are more creepy than the myriad of insects she finds in the cellar. When they are not being creepy, they are vapid and annoying. Her uncle's death is not as straight forward as she was led to believe...but surely these characters will not contribute to finding out the mystery?
The two cats of the story, Rupert and Isabella, are unlike any cats I have ever known or loved. They willingly enter their cat carriers to go on noisy streetcar excursions, they daintily step into cat costumes and parade on cat walks, don't try to escape when the door is opened, visit strange places with little to no curiosity, and obey their owners every whim. They aren't cats, they are cat androids.
A first novel in the Cats and Curios mystery series by author Rebecca M. Hale, this cozy mystery holds little promise in this reader's opinion. (Although the presence of the novel on the New York Times' bestseller list would prove that I am in the minority.)
The plot could have been a good one if the author was not quite so fanciful in her descriptions. She used words that were surely inventions of her own imagination. (porcupined, woozing). The authors' obsession with describing sounds detracts from the writing's flow. I would not recommend this novel and definitely will not be reading the sequel Nine Lives Last Forever.
My grandmother once told me you should never wash a cat. They are naturally clean and they dislike water. However, I realize that sometimes it is necessary. It is a chore that few cat owners relish. That is pretty much how I felt about reading this novel.
The nameless protagonist of the story is a female accountant and niece of Oscar, the owner of an antiques store in historic San Francisco. The setting holds promise and the historical references to the Gold Rush and the people of that era are an entertaining and interesting back story to the plot.
When our amateur sleuth inherits the antiques store, The Green Vase, upon the death of her uncle Oscar, she is almost at once plunged into intrigue when she discovers a trap door in the floor of the store. Although I think the author intended them to be charming and entertaining, her quirky and eccentric neighbors are more creepy than the myriad of insects she finds in the cellar. When they are not being creepy, they are vapid and annoying. Her uncle's death is not as straight forward as she was led to believe...but surely these characters will not contribute to finding out the mystery?
The two cats of the story, Rupert and Isabella, are unlike any cats I have ever known or loved. They willingly enter their cat carriers to go on noisy streetcar excursions, they daintily step into cat costumes and parade on cat walks, don't try to escape when the door is opened, visit strange places with little to no curiosity, and obey their owners every whim. They aren't cats, they are cat androids.
A first novel in the Cats and Curios mystery series by author Rebecca M. Hale, this cozy mystery holds little promise in this reader's opinion. (Although the presence of the novel on the New York Times' bestseller list would prove that I am in the minority.)
The plot could have been a good one if the author was not quite so fanciful in her descriptions. She used words that were surely inventions of her own imagination. (porcupined, woozing). The authors' obsession with describing sounds detracts from the writing's flow. I would not recommend this novel and definitely will not be reading the sequel Nine Lives Last Forever.
My grandmother once told me you should never wash a cat. They are naturally clean and they dislike water. However, I realize that sometimes it is necessary. It is a chore that few cat owners relish. That is pretty much how I felt about reading this novel.
August 19, 2010
I really wanted to like this book. It was originally a self-publication that was picked up by Berkley, so I was definitely rooting for the author. It has a great title and a considerable amount of charm in the premise. However, it's very over-written, particularly in the first few chapters. She reminded me of students I had when I taught freshman English who felt they needed to use obscure adjectives to impress me - I wasn't impressed. As the book continued, the plot meandered and never seemed to get anywhere. When I realized I was probably more invested in figuring out what was going on than the main character, I decided to call it quits. I was three quarters of the way through. There are too many books in the work to waste time on one's that aren't good.
Basically, this is a great first draft that needs substantial editing and rewriting. The author thanks no one in the book, so either she didn't ask anyone to read it and give feed back or she's downright rude. You do really need feedback even if you're doing self-pub. What's really shocking though is that Berkley put this out seemingly without significant editing. Shame on them. This could have been really great.
Basically, this is a great first draft that needs substantial editing and rewriting. The author thanks no one in the book, so either she didn't ask anyone to read it and give feed back or she's downright rude. You do really need feedback even if you're doing self-pub. What's really shocking though is that Berkley put this out seemingly without significant editing. Shame on them. This could have been really great.
March 9, 2016
Despite some intriguing premises, this mystery seems to miss the mark.
The plot flailed. There was too much going on, and it did not, in the end, come together in a coherent way that made sense of the previous events.
Like most "cozy" mysteries, this one had a full cast of eccentric characters. I wish they had been more coherently depicted.
And the cats. Sigh. I read this because of the cats. These cats, while at least they do not speak English, are all to anthropomorphic- tiny humans in fuzzy coats as much or more than they are CATS. I mean- cats WANTING to model JEWELRY on a RUNWAY??!! REALLY??!! Not only is that unrealistic, it is arguably insane.
Not to mention someone able to identify real diamonds at a glance, when it normally takes very high magnification and various tests to tell the difference between the real thing and fakes.
I will add that washing cats was in no way intrinsic to the plot.
I wish Hale had done a better job at exploring an intriguing premise. As it is, I will not be reading more of the series.
The plot flailed. There was too much going on, and it did not, in the end, come together in a coherent way that made sense of the previous events.
Like most "cozy" mysteries, this one had a full cast of eccentric characters. I wish they had been more coherently depicted.
And the cats. Sigh. I read this because of the cats. These cats, while at least they do not speak English, are all to anthropomorphic- tiny humans in fuzzy coats as much or more than they are CATS. I mean- cats WANTING to model JEWELRY on a RUNWAY??!! REALLY??!! Not only is that unrealistic, it is arguably insane.
Not to mention someone able to identify real diamonds at a glance, when it normally takes very high magnification and various tests to tell the difference between the real thing and fakes.
I will add that washing cats was in no way intrinsic to the plot.
I wish Hale had done a better job at exploring an intriguing premise. As it is, I will not be reading more of the series.
February 15, 2014
Loads of potential mostly unrealized.
Uncle Oscar did not deserve to die, nor did we readers deserve to be subjected to Monty and his interfering & prattling. The bits of history about San Francisco (if they aren't real history the writer missed their calling!) were intriguing.
There were some interesting personalities beginning to be characters...but the pace of development was glacial at times. I kept hoping I would detect the purpose for the mystery and the eventual 'flourish' was only loosely related to most of the rest of the storyline.
I would be upset at the time I spent reading this IF I had not had a warm lap-seeking senior kitty performing her very own OCCUPY non-movement.
Uncle Oscar did not deserve to die, nor did we readers deserve to be subjected to Monty and his interfering & prattling. The bits of history about San Francisco (if they aren't real history the writer missed their calling!) were intriguing.
There were some interesting personalities beginning to be characters...but the pace of development was glacial at times. I kept hoping I would detect the purpose for the mystery and the eventual 'flourish' was only loosely related to most of the rest of the storyline.
I would be upset at the time I spent reading this IF I had not had a warm lap-seeking senior kitty performing her very own OCCUPY non-movement.
October 10, 2010
This book tried to do too many things—offer a mystery, discuss San Francisco and gold rush history, create a cast of wacky characters, and start a series. It didn't do any of them very well, except perhaps offering interesting tidbits of California history. It's a first novel, so I should probably give the author a bit of a break. I'm sorry she didn't have a more helpful editor.
July 17, 2015
Just a cozy little read one should not give too much thought less you find all the holes in the plot. The historical part was interesting for what it was worth, some characters quite annoying and two cats whose lineage I would question.
October 20, 2017
This was a nice mix of history and mystery. Unfortunately, at the end I was left asking who killed Oscar? Did someone kill Oscar? Any great mystery should present a clear resolution and not the reader with questions.
August 1, 2025
The title caught my attention because every cat owner at one point in time has tried to give their cat a bath.
So other than the history which I loved I was just left confused….sorry but that’s all I can say
So other than the history which I loved I was just left confused….sorry but that’s all I can say
March 21, 2020
2 1/2 stars. The mystery is ok. The cats are cute. The real drawback for me was there were too many people in on the know and it made it too unrealistic.
August 18, 2021
I thought this would be funny and a good mystery. The mystery part is there but not a lot of humor. Certainly the two cats are part of the story, but not very much.
August 20, 2013
(Warning: Horrific play on the cat factor coming up...)
Know how when you move in with your boyfriend, you think it's the world's BEST IDEA EVER to get a pet together, and then you go to the shelter and pick out the kitten with the biggest eyes and the fluffiest fur. And you take that kitten home, and it is just the most adorable thing ever. And then a week passes. Then a month. Then a year. And now this sweet baby creature has morphed into a shedding mound of angry meows whose only true purpose in life seems to be shitting in a box and making you clean it up.
THAT was this book for me.
I LOVE cats. LOVE them. And I LOVE reading. LOVE it. And I LOVE historical mysteries. LOVE them.
I. Did. NOT. Love. This. Book.
The book cover and the plot description were mega appealing (ie. kitten at shelter.) I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first few chapters (i.e. cute playing kitten.) But as the book went on, I kept thinking, "And your point is...?" And I never really got an answer. Maybe I am dense or addle-minded, but even after re-reading the final chapters, I have no effing clue how this book actually ended. Who was the bad guy? Was Oscar actually dead? Was Mr. Wang actually Oscar? Why was the lawyer portrayed as a bad character throughout to be the emerging savior who "tells" the truth of it all?
See what I mean? This book just shit on me, and now I'm stuck cleaning up the pieces, wondering what the hell happened.
(Also, GIVE YOUR NARRATOR A NAME! If you are writing an artsy Pulitzer-type novel, fine, be all experimental. But you are writing a book about CATS and MURDER. This isn't "Invisible Man." Ugh.)
All of this being said (and I know it was a long, rather churlish rant), it had some promise, as parts were completely entertaining and lovely. But the complete package failed to deliver.
Know how when you move in with your boyfriend, you think it's the world's BEST IDEA EVER to get a pet together, and then you go to the shelter and pick out the kitten with the biggest eyes and the fluffiest fur. And you take that kitten home, and it is just the most adorable thing ever. And then a week passes. Then a month. Then a year. And now this sweet baby creature has morphed into a shedding mound of angry meows whose only true purpose in life seems to be shitting in a box and making you clean it up.
THAT was this book for me.
I LOVE cats. LOVE them. And I LOVE reading. LOVE it. And I LOVE historical mysteries. LOVE them.
I. Did. NOT. Love. This. Book.
The book cover and the plot description were mega appealing (ie. kitten at shelter.) I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first few chapters (i.e. cute playing kitten.) But as the book went on, I kept thinking, "And your point is...?" And I never really got an answer. Maybe I am dense or addle-minded, but even after re-reading the final chapters, I have no effing clue how this book actually ended. Who was the bad guy? Was Oscar actually dead? Was Mr. Wang actually Oscar? Why was the lawyer portrayed as a bad character throughout to be the emerging savior who "tells" the truth of it all?
See what I mean? This book just shit on me, and now I'm stuck cleaning up the pieces, wondering what the hell happened.
(Also, GIVE YOUR NARRATOR A NAME! If you are writing an artsy Pulitzer-type novel, fine, be all experimental. But you are writing a book about CATS and MURDER. This isn't "Invisible Man." Ugh.)
All of this being said (and I know it was a long, rather churlish rant), it had some promise, as parts were completely entertaining and lovely. But the complete package failed to deliver.
January 9, 2012
I only give this three stars because of the inventiveness of the setting, opening layout of the mystery and the quirkiness of the characters. Even that may be a little generous, because I felt that there was so much more potential that was ignored by the author. The resolution of the mystery was not very satisfying in that it still left unanswered questions in my mind and I thought, while reading the "reveal" near the end, that I had already picked up on those things as the story had progressed.
I have to say that the involvement of the two cats owned by the narrator was mostly satisfactory. They were realistically portrayed as cat companions, with some typical cat behavior, without being the amazing super cats as one sees in Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who . . ." mysteries and the Rita Mae (and Sneaky Pie) Brown mysteries. Although one of the cats DOES get washed, the title of the book really has nothing at all to do with the plot, the characters or the purpose of the story. I think it was a title thought up by the publisher in order to snag those readers who like mystery stories that feature cats.
I rather liked the character, Montgomery Carmichael, and possibly that was because he was more completely described than any of the other characters. However, with all of the other characters, I kept hoping for more description and more rationale for the behaviors. It rather felt like tuning in and out on a TV movie in progress without knowing the background of what came before, and having to fill in the blanks yourself in order to get the gist of the story.
I may read sequels in this mystery series, but unless I read some raving reviews about how subsequent books are so much better than the first one, they will be low priority on my to-read list.
I have to say that the involvement of the two cats owned by the narrator was mostly satisfactory. They were realistically portrayed as cat companions, with some typical cat behavior, without being the amazing super cats as one sees in Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who . . ." mysteries and the Rita Mae (and Sneaky Pie) Brown mysteries. Although one of the cats DOES get washed, the title of the book really has nothing at all to do with the plot, the characters or the purpose of the story. I think it was a title thought up by the publisher in order to snag those readers who like mystery stories that feature cats.
I rather liked the character, Montgomery Carmichael, and possibly that was because he was more completely described than any of the other characters. However, with all of the other characters, I kept hoping for more description and more rationale for the behaviors. It rather felt like tuning in and out on a TV movie in progress without knowing the background of what came before, and having to fill in the blanks yourself in order to get the gist of the story.
I may read sequels in this mystery series, but unless I read some raving reviews about how subsequent books are so much better than the first one, they will be low priority on my to-read list.
April 25, 2012
I've given a 3 star rating only because of all the people ,
are hard to keep track of . also there is great California history in this book and although a fiction book I do believe most of the historical stuff to be true .. its not like me not to research the accuracy of historical info while reading . but I mostly just do that while reading books about Oregon and especially books based around Portland Oregon or the Oregon coast ... I love to look up on maps where the author is speaking of and looking up historical events to see if its accurate .
I didn't do it with " how to wash a cat" mostly because there was ' TOO MUCH ' info and with all the info there was it lead me to believe it has to have some truth .. plus I don't live in California so its not my main point if intrest.
this book solely revolves around the history of the gold rush in California which gets confusing and a little boring at times .
main reason for grabbing it at the library ... the title ... cuz I love cats! my main reason for not putting it down , there was enough curiosity and a little action for me to stay entertained ... although I like page turning murderous or helpless hopeless teens. this book is mostly up beat ... reminds me of a " evonivich " book .
the cats in the book are comical and I do plan to read the rest of the series soon.
are hard to keep track of . also there is great California history in this book and although a fiction book I do believe most of the historical stuff to be true .. its not like me not to research the accuracy of historical info while reading . but I mostly just do that while reading books about Oregon and especially books based around Portland Oregon or the Oregon coast ... I love to look up on maps where the author is speaking of and looking up historical events to see if its accurate .
I didn't do it with " how to wash a cat" mostly because there was ' TOO MUCH ' info and with all the info there was it lead me to believe it has to have some truth .. plus I don't live in California so its not my main point if intrest.
this book solely revolves around the history of the gold rush in California which gets confusing and a little boring at times .
main reason for grabbing it at the library ... the title ... cuz I love cats! my main reason for not putting it down , there was enough curiosity and a little action for me to stay entertained ... although I like page turning murderous or helpless hopeless teens. this book is mostly up beat ... reminds me of a " evonivich " book .
the cats in the book are comical and I do plan to read the rest of the series soon.
July 22, 2020
I had high hopes for this book. The author owns cats, so I figured this would be good. Well, it sort of was. The cats are definitely entertaining, but that was the problem. They were also extremely unrealistic. As far as the story, the main character (we never learn her name until the very end) inherits an antique shop from her uncle in San Francisco. The shop is falling apart and filled with a lot of stuff from the gold rush era. My problem is that the book took too long to get going. The characters were annoying. I'd have locked everyone out, especially Monty. The ending made little sense. I've gone back and reread it to see if I missed something. It still doesn't make any sense.
October 3, 2016
*spoilers within* I was doing ok with this book for most of it. I didn't mind the main character (though I really hated Monty), the location was interesting, the little bits of info about San Francisco were fun... But as much as I was following the story (I think...) the ending left me thinking "What?". I don't know what happened. I... don't know. Was there a murder? Probably. Why so many people disguised as someone else? They kind of got thrown at me in the end and I still don't really know who was who. And little open boxes to hold spiders came into it for some reason? Ok, you threw in a hint earlier in the book about spiders, but why the little non-cage cages? There was a conversation with Dilla that made it all clear, and you worked out a plan, but despite the fact it was written in the first person I don't think I was privy to that whole thing. Which is not really fair to the reader. Then there was the flipping timeline. OK, flashbacks, fine. But not 90% of the book is a flashback and by the time we catch up you forgot that it was a flashback. I was honestly left with so many questions when I finished I didn't care to go back and try and figure it out. Maybe I am a horribly inept reader but I think it's a bit more probable that this was an ineptly written book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2011
I expected this to be another formulaic cozy…out of depth heroine inherits quirky shop from recently deceased relative, who was said to have died of natural causes. There are clues that seem to say otherwise...heroine investigates and gets in deep water.
How to Wash a Cat is all of THAT but so cleverly written that you won’t care.
Lots of San Francisco history like the Palace Hotel and Hotaling’s Whiskey, scenery like the Presidio and Alcatraz, madcap characters, endearing felines.
Viewed through the eyes and mind of the protagonist, the descriptive passages made me part of the experience. I had to get used to the daydreaming, although it was usually set up ahead of time.
Surprisingly satisfying read. Will read the next.
How to Wash a Cat is all of THAT but so cleverly written that you won’t care.
Lots of San Francisco history like the Palace Hotel and Hotaling’s Whiskey, scenery like the Presidio and Alcatraz, madcap characters, endearing felines.
Viewed through the eyes and mind of the protagonist, the descriptive passages made me part of the experience. I had to get used to the daydreaming, although it was usually set up ahead of time.
Surprisingly satisfying read. Will read the next.
October 14, 2012
I bought this thinking it would be a quick, fun read that I could then share with a couple other cat-lovers in my family. It does have a lot of faults. The cats are ascribed motives and behaviors that aren't the least bit feline, and the plotting was pretty weak. But overall, I've read much worse writing and I'm willing to try another book in the series.
One of the things I liked about the book was the history. I do tend to like historical aspects in mysteries, and I especially liked that her historical background on San Francisco didn't once mention Emperor Norton, the usual colorful San Francisco historical figure. I hope she can keep that up. ;)
I hadn't even noticed that we didn't know the protagonist's name until I read a couple of the other reviews here, so I guess that didn't bother me. But now that it's been brought to my attention it does seem weird, and hopefully Ms. Hale will get over that little conceit.
One of the things I liked about the book was the history. I do tend to like historical aspects in mysteries, and I especially liked that her historical background on San Francisco didn't once mention Emperor Norton, the usual colorful San Francisco historical figure. I hope she can keep that up. ;)
I hadn't even noticed that we didn't know the protagonist's name until I read a couple of the other reviews here, so I guess that didn't bother me. But now that it's been brought to my attention it does seem weird, and hopefully Ms. Hale will get over that little conceit.
November 26, 2012
It would have more appealing to me had the leading lady had an actual back bone and not been a door mat to whatever stranger male character dictated her life.
To be honest, I more than likely have become so pampered by reading loads of stories in which the leading lady is strong and determined, powerful and yet vulnerable at times to that encountering women who are presented as spineless or are like a female Charlie Brown - it rather turns me off from reading what has the potential for a good story. I just couldn't get into a story where I am fed up with the leading character all the time.
The author is talented and has a great way to pull you into the story but I personally couldn't get past Leading Lady's mega flaw.
I had picked up her other two novels and plan on trying to read them at some point with the hopes Leading Lady may be changed.
To be honest, I more than likely have become so pampered by reading loads of stories in which the leading lady is strong and determined, powerful and yet vulnerable at times to that encountering women who are presented as spineless or are like a female Charlie Brown - it rather turns me off from reading what has the potential for a good story. I just couldn't get into a story where I am fed up with the leading character all the time.
The author is talented and has a great way to pull you into the story but I personally couldn't get past Leading Lady's mega flaw.
I had picked up her other two novels and plan on trying to read them at some point with the hopes Leading Lady may be changed.
March 7, 2023
This is one of those series that has improved with re-reading. It's a bit of a departure from many "cozies," in that it does not start with a dead body. Oh, all right. It kinda does. But this isn't the typical "whodunnit." It's more of a, "Why who died dunnit, and just what did they do to begin with?" There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, and OH GOD, RUPERT! If you love unusual mysteries, and you love big, squishy kitties, this series is going to be a favorite!
Six years down the line, I have fallen in love with Rupert all over again! While I adore my feisty tortie girl, Hekitty, I could really use a Rupert in my life...litter box foibles and all!
Six years down the line, I have fallen in love with Rupert all over again! While I adore my feisty tortie girl, Hekitty, I could really use a Rupert in my life...litter box foibles and all!
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