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Felidae #2
Felidae on the Road
Francis the cat detective, whose first case featured in Akif Pirinçci's international bestseller Felidae, enjoys a comfortable bachelor existence with his human companion and 'tin-opener' Gustav, until one day disaster strikes. Gustav is invaded by a live - in lover who aims to reform his life-style - and his cat's. Francis decides to go on the road, and sets out one stormy night to try his luck in the country.
However, perils lurk in the country too. Soon the corpses are coming thick and fast. A serial killer is slaughtering the farmyard cats. The strange, blind tribe of cats who live in the sewage system, rescuing and adopting unwanted kittens, commission Francis to bring the murderer to justice. But who is the murderer? Are the sewer cats right to suspect Crazy Hugo, formerly one of their number, and his mastiff accomplice? Could the real culprit be the mysterious creature known to Francis as Monster Paw? What about the seductive Alcina and her family of forest-dwelling wild cats - how are they involved? What is the true secret of the satellite dish once tended by Diana the ecologist and her cat the ESP enthusiast Ambrosius? And why is a human hunter out to shoot Francis himself?
Reluctantly dabbling in the paranormal, Francis brings his logical brain to bear on the case, until all is made clear in a denouement with surprises to spring until the last.
Once again, Akif Pirinçci has written a gripping and witty crime story which at the same time faithfully reflects feline behaviour.
Praise for
'A tough and unsentimental detective story told the way cats see things. I wish my cat could read it.'
- Patricia Highsmith
'The plot is ingenious, the movement lively ... Altogether there is never a dull moment.'
- Julian Symons, Sunday Times
'The most unusual thriller of the year ... Takes the prize for black humour, too.'
- Mail on Sunday
'Orlando the Marmalade Cat playing Inspector Morse, with a dash of James Bond thrown in.'
- Independent on Sunday
'Has all the twists and terrors of a good Ruth Rendell.'
- Country Living
However, perils lurk in the country too. Soon the corpses are coming thick and fast. A serial killer is slaughtering the farmyard cats. The strange, blind tribe of cats who live in the sewage system, rescuing and adopting unwanted kittens, commission Francis to bring the murderer to justice. But who is the murderer? Are the sewer cats right to suspect Crazy Hugo, formerly one of their number, and his mastiff accomplice? Could the real culprit be the mysterious creature known to Francis as Monster Paw? What about the seductive Alcina and her family of forest-dwelling wild cats - how are they involved? What is the true secret of the satellite dish once tended by Diana the ecologist and her cat the ESP enthusiast Ambrosius? And why is a human hunter out to shoot Francis himself?
Reluctantly dabbling in the paranormal, Francis brings his logical brain to bear on the case, until all is made clear in a denouement with surprises to spring until the last.
Once again, Akif Pirinçci has written a gripping and witty crime story which at the same time faithfully reflects feline behaviour.
Praise for
'A tough and unsentimental detective story told the way cats see things. I wish my cat could read it.'
- Patricia Highsmith
'The plot is ingenious, the movement lively ... Altogether there is never a dull moment.'
- Julian Symons, Sunday Times
'The most unusual thriller of the year ... Takes the prize for black humour, too.'
- Mail on Sunday
'Orlando the Marmalade Cat playing Inspector Morse, with a dash of James Bond thrown in.'
- Independent on Sunday
'Has all the twists and terrors of a good Ruth Rendell.'
- Country Living
228 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
16 people are currently reading
516 people want to read
About the author
Akif Pirinçci
39 books76 followersAkif Pirinçci (pronunciation: [piːʁɪntʃi]) is a German writer of Turkish origin who is best known internationally for his novel Felidae.
Pirinçci was born on the 20th October 1959 in Istanbul, Turkey, but emigrated to Germany together with his parents in 1969. He began to write fiction at a young age, and published his first novel Tränen sind immer das Ende (literally, "tears always are the end") in 1980, at the age of 21. His next literary work, published in 1989, was the novel Felidae, a work of crime fiction with cats as the main protagonists. The novel has been translated into 17 languages and became an international bestseller. Due to the enormous success of the novel, Pirinçci expanded his concept of "cat crime fiction" and published several sequels to Felidae, out of which two, namely Francis (Felidae II) and Salve Roma, have been translated into English. An animated movie based on Felidae, the script of which had been co-written by Pirinçci, was produced in Germany in 1994, and was also dubbed in English. Pirinçci has published several other novels which were not set in the fictional reality of the Felidae series. Of these, his novel Die Damalstür -- based on which a movie was produced in Germany as well, and which is currently also under consideration for screen adaptation in Hollywood -- was recently translated and published in English under the title The Back Door.
Pirinçci currently lives in Bonn, the former capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Pirinçci was born on the 20th October 1959 in Istanbul, Turkey, but emigrated to Germany together with his parents in 1969. He began to write fiction at a young age, and published his first novel Tränen sind immer das Ende (literally, "tears always are the end") in 1980, at the age of 21. His next literary work, published in 1989, was the novel Felidae, a work of crime fiction with cats as the main protagonists. The novel has been translated into 17 languages and became an international bestseller. Due to the enormous success of the novel, Pirinçci expanded his concept of "cat crime fiction" and published several sequels to Felidae, out of which two, namely Francis (Felidae II) and Salve Roma, have been translated into English. An animated movie based on Felidae, the script of which had been co-written by Pirinçci, was produced in Germany in 1994, and was also dubbed in English. Pirinçci has published several other novels which were not set in the fictional reality of the Felidae series. Of these, his novel Die Damalstür -- based on which a movie was produced in Germany as well, and which is currently also under consideration for screen adaptation in Hollywood -- was recently translated and published in English under the title The Back Door.
Pirinçci currently lives in Bonn, the former capital of the Federal Republic of Germany.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 10, 2020
Videorecensione: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD08l...
June 9, 2012
This was an interesting approach to mystery. It was fun to read and I loved the uniqueness of the idea. I actually don't remember how long ago I read this book so I'll just put it down as now because the book has been in storage. Anyone who loves cat stories, and/or cats, and mysteries will appreciate this book. I think even those who don't like cats will appreciate this unique point of view.
March 5, 2017
I read this book immediately after finishing Felidae, which in retrospect might have been my mistake. It's a good book, Akif's writing style is just as elegant as before and again we learn about cats, wild and domesticated, while being entertained.
The downside was it closely mirrored the first book and it was easy to figure out the mystery as it was virtually a template of the story I had just finished.
It's a book full of philosophy, ethics and the relationship between humans and other animals. The characters are well drawn and if it was this book I had read first I am sure I would have ranked it higher. Worth a read, but with a long gap between it and the previous tale.
The downside was it closely mirrored the first book and it was easy to figure out the mystery as it was virtually a template of the story I had just finished.
It's a book full of philosophy, ethics and the relationship between humans and other animals. The characters are well drawn and if it was this book I had read first I am sure I would have ranked it higher. Worth a read, but with a long gap between it and the previous tale.
July 13, 2020
This is the only Felidae book I have read, so I have no prior knowledge or attachment for this character. Now, normally I enjoy books from the POV of creatures or animals, but there was nothing enjoyable about this reading experience for me. Everything was so very unnecessary. While the extensive rambles of Francis the cat were mostly unnecessary, they did not bore me and some of his snide thoughts were relatable or slightly funny. My issue remains with the sex and gore.
Brutally graphic descriptions of maimed cats are not for me, but I suppose I can understand why they'd appear in a feline murder mystery such as this. However, I did not appreciate he descriptions of 2 rancid humans doing the Devil's Tango from this cat's point of view! There is even a sex scene of cats mating. It is grossly uncomfortable and there for no good reason.
My negative feelings while reading this book were too strong, and the other aspects of the story weren't heartful or appealing enough to make up for it. I do not think it is an objectively bad creation, so I gave it 2 stars because I can tell that the author is skilled as well as nimble at describing things. Even so, my life would be just the tiniest bit more pleasant if I hadn't drained part of it reading this book.
Brutally graphic descriptions of maimed cats are not for me, but I suppose I can understand why they'd appear in a feline murder mystery such as this. However, I did not appreciate he descriptions of 2 rancid humans doing the Devil's Tango from this cat's point of view! There is even a sex scene of cats mating. It is grossly uncomfortable and there for no good reason.
My negative feelings while reading this book were too strong, and the other aspects of the story weren't heartful or appealing enough to make up for it. I do not think it is an objectively bad creation, so I gave it 2 stars because I can tell that the author is skilled as well as nimble at describing things. Even so, my life would be just the tiniest bit more pleasant if I hadn't drained part of it reading this book.
July 2, 2018
je n'ai pas lu le premier opus sans que cela me dérange Vu du point de vue félin, notre société a bien des défauts certes et cela vaut la peine de les mettre en lumière Cependant, le côté "moralisateur" et le ton général m'a agacé : Francis est trop humain dans sa manière de penser
Cela reste un moment de lecture distrayant par le fond et la forme et un exercice sortant de l'ordinaire même si l'enquête menée par Francis ne m'a pas embarqué
Cela reste un moment de lecture distrayant par le fond et la forme et un exercice sortant de l'ordinaire même si l'enquête menée par Francis ne m'a pas embarqué
May 31, 2020
Макар да страда от синдрома на продължението, което бледнее пред оригинала, Felidae on the Road e сама по себе си майсторски написана история с умни котки, която си струва да се прочете от всички любители на литература за животни с антропоморфни черти.
Ревю на линка:
https://citadelata.com/felidae-on-the...
Ревю на линка:
https://citadelata.com/felidae-on-the...
February 8, 2024
While largely a rehash of several plot beats from the first book, I actually liked this one a bit more. The pacing was better, aside from a very rambling beginning, and the reader suffers fewer internal Francis monologues. I did prefer Felidae’s overall tone though. Maybe I’m just easily swayed by quest stories.
January 18, 2018
Miluji kočičí knihy. Tato ze začátku vypadala krásně. Dobře se to četlo, bylo to vtipné, vypráví to kočka.. Ale postupem času to začne být trochu ... hnusné. Pro milovníka koček. Jako.. knížka výborná, ale číst o zmasakrovaných kočkách není nic moc.
January 30, 2018
Great sequel to 'Felidae'. Francis travels to the country-side and the story has more Gothic/Romantic themes. Still the dark and realistic style is the same as in the first book. Again we see how many awfull things humans do to animals and nature in general.
January 23, 2020
Vorrei tanto poter dire che mi è piaciuto quanto "La società dei gatti assassini" ma purtroppo, fatte salve le riflessioni filosofiche schopenhaueriane e l'attualità pensiero ecologico di Pirinçci, il romanzo è abbastanza noiosetto.
January 23, 2020
Vorrei tanto poter dire che mi è piaciuto quanto "La società dei gatti assassini" ma purtroppo, fatte salve le riflessioni filosofiche schopenhaueriane e l'attualità del pensiero ecologico di Pirinçci, il romanzo è abbastanza noiosetto.
October 2, 2023
das leben durch die neugierigen augen eines klugscheißerischen katers. ein kriminologisches abenteuer wie aus einem LSD-trip. fernab von allem, worüber ich sonst nachdenke, komisch, einfallsreich und erfrischend.
November 19, 2016
I love Francis. This book made me think more about the world i'm living in. Great one, i really enjoyed it :)
January 16, 2019
The sequel to Felidae is just as excellent as the first. I really loved the main character, Francis, and will greatly miss him. This book and the first are books I can see rereading.
January 27, 2019
Während ich überlege wie ich das Gelesene beschreiben soll, blicke ich zu meiner Katze. Sie schaut mich an und gähnt, diese Katzen.
February 25, 2020
one of my fav
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2021
Well, what about.
I was expecting something different, but not for that better.
In the end it is a pure Fantasy. Beautiful setting, not always obvious, even if...
Enjoyable.
I was expecting something different, but not for that better.
In the end it is a pure Fantasy. Beautiful setting, not always obvious, even if...
Enjoyable.
April 18, 2021
For some reason, this book reminded me of the movie "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom".
May 6, 2022
The writing style was phenomenal, but the storytelling structure and the amount of grotesque cat sex was not appealing.
December 31, 2022
Okunmasa da olur
April 7, 2025
Een 3,5 van mij! Ik vond vooral het einde heel mooi. Wel een heel uniek concept, een katten detective. De pacing had van mij iets sneller gekund..
March 15, 2020
I had a couple of problems with this book. First of all, it is quite sexist. Most female characters in here are portrayed as either crazy or sexual objects. And why the author felt the need to describe a sex scene between two cats is beyond me. Secondly, it was slow and I was bored for most of the book. It IS interesting to read a story from a cat's point of view for a change, but that's all the positive I can say about this book.
August 20, 2021
8/10
(I don't own this book, I own it in its combined version with Felidae, but there is no way to rate them separately!)
Francis, the follow up to Felidae, tries to bring the titular protagonist back into action with a new case of crimes against his kind. This time, Francis escapes home after his companion Gustav has a new girlfriend, and he winds up in the forest near town. There, he finds new challenges and murders to unveil, all apparently linked to a black rider on top of a black dog. More dead cats washed up in the canalization and when he first almost gets shot and then attacked, the hunt is on!
A nice new story of Francis the cat detective, not as good as Felidae, but still a really nice read! I can definitely recommend it!
(I don't own this book, I own it in its combined version with Felidae, but there is no way to rate them separately!)
Francis, the follow up to Felidae, tries to bring the titular protagonist back into action with a new case of crimes against his kind. This time, Francis escapes home after his companion Gustav has a new girlfriend, and he winds up in the forest near town. There, he finds new challenges and murders to unveil, all apparently linked to a black rider on top of a black dog. More dead cats washed up in the canalization and when he first almost gets shot and then attacked, the hunt is on!
A nice new story of Francis the cat detective, not as good as Felidae, but still a really nice read! I can definitely recommend it!
July 17, 2012
Ich fand den zweiten Teil der Felidae Reihe im großen und ganzen gut. Auch war es ein guter Nachfolger zum ersten Teil. Die teilweise recht plastische Schilderung der Grausamkeiten auf Francis' Weg und seine coolen Sprüche fand ich wieder mal sehr gelungen. Lediglich einige abgedrehte Szenen (Träume/Visionen) emdpand ich als etwas zuviel des Guten.
Ich weiß nicht ob ich es nochmal lesen würde, aber innerhalb der Felidae Reihe ein passabler zweiter Teil
Ich weiß nicht ob ich es nochmal lesen würde, aber innerhalb der Felidae Reihe ein passabler zweiter Teil
October 26, 2012
Diesmal is Francis der Klugscheißer von Zuhause ausgerissen und landet auf dem land und in Wäldern. Auch dort gibt es Mörder wie er feststellen muss und seine Detektiv-arbeit beginnt wiedereinmal mit einem spannenden Fall ;)
Ich fand es schon recht gut und spannend, nur hat es sich ab und zu etwas langgezogen, haha.
Besonders gut gefällt mir (das war auch im ersten Buch so), dass da viel auf Tierquälerei eingegangen wird und dass der Mensch Natur und Tierarten zerstört...
Ich fand es schon recht gut und spannend, nur hat es sich ab und zu etwas langgezogen, haha.
Besonders gut gefällt mir (das war auch im ersten Buch so), dass da viel auf Tierquälerei eingegangen wird und dass der Mensch Natur und Tierarten zerstört...
August 14, 2013
I didn't spot any major flaws in the book, but the premise a bit boring, and the payoff not at all worth it.
I also felt that the ending was a tad rushed and the author was just trying to incorporate so many issues into one book.
I also felt that the ending was a tad rushed and the author was just trying to incorporate so many issues into one book.
July 22, 2012
The first book I've read written from the perspective of a cat. While I applaud this approach, at times this feline who-dunnit is a bit graphic, especially for a cat lover like myself. Also it seems that the author attempts to solve too many big issues, especially toward the end of the book. Nonetheless, glad I read this quirky book.
March 18, 2011
Das zweite Felidae Hörbuch mit Joachim Witt als Sprecher. Muss ich dazu nach was sagen?! Ich liebe es wegen Joachim Witts Stimme. Die Geschihte ist spannend und ich habe sie gerne angehört, nicht zuletzt wegen Joachim Witts Stimme. Ich hätte so gerne mehr Hörbücher mit diesem Sprecher.
May 17, 2015
What once was funny and intriguing in the first part, now turned annoying. The freshness of what is Akif Pirincci's writing style does not change the fact that Francis' voice now is annoying and boring.
I couldn't finish this book. Huge disappointment.
I couldn't finish this book. Huge disappointment.
August 19, 2025
This book is much more depressing than the first book and takes a bit longer to get going. However, the tone of the book saves it as it is the perfect tale of tragedy. Francis is still a great arsehole.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews