What do you think?
Rate this book
Joe Grey #10
Cat Cross Their Graves
The Barnes & Noble Review
Shirley Rousseau Murphy's popular mystery series features quick-witted cats who are also expert investigators. This installment finds the quiet town of Molena Point, California, devastated by the murder of local celebrity Patty Rose: A former actress famed for her WWII-era Hollywood musicals, Patty was beloved for her many acts of kindness and generosity in the town she'd called home since her retirement. First on the scene after her famous friend is killed, the extraordinary young tortoiseshell Kit takes the lead in this investigation. Trained by one of the finest feline detectives in town, the large gray tomcat named Joe Grey, Kit puts her every instinct to work, following the perpetrator and gathering at great risk all the evidence humans will need to see justice done. Sentient felines Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit soon discover that this brutal crime has far-reaching ties and is more complex than anyone -- human or animal -- suspects.
Shirley Rousseau Murphy's popular mystery series features quick-witted cats who are also expert investigators. This installment finds the quiet town of Molena Point, California, devastated by the murder of local celebrity Patty Rose: A former actress famed for her WWII-era Hollywood musicals, Patty was beloved for her many acts of kindness and generosity in the town she'd called home since her retirement. First on the scene after her famous friend is killed, the extraordinary young tortoiseshell Kit takes the lead in this investigation. Trained by one of the finest feline detectives in town, the large gray tomcat named Joe Grey, Kit puts her every instinct to work, following the perpetrator and gathering at great risk all the evidence humans will need to see justice done. Sentient felines Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit soon discover that this brutal crime has far-reaching ties and is more complex than anyone -- human or animal -- suspects.
As usual, the humans who are lucky enough to share the lives of these curiously clever cats do their part -- including a frightened child who's taken refuge in a hidden room with only Dulcie to offer her company and comfort and the first faint hope of freedom. Sue Stone
385 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
46 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
About the author
Shirley Rousseau Murphy
62 books515 followersShirley Rousseau Murphy is the author of over 40 books, including 24 novels for adults, the Dragonbards Trilogy and more for young adults, and many books for children. She is best known for her Joe Grey cat mystery series, consisting of 21 novels, the last of which was published when she was over 90. Now retired, she enjoys hearing from readers who write to her at her website www.srmurphy.com, where the reading order of the books in that series can be found.
Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. After attending the San Francisco Art institute she worked as an interior designer, and later exhibited paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows. "When my husband Pat and I moved to Panama for a four-year tour in his position with the U. S . Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write," she says. Later they lived in Oregon, then Georgia, before moving to California, where she now enjoys the sea and views of the Carmel hills.
.
Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. After attending the San Francisco Art institute she worked as an interior designer, and later exhibited paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows. "When my husband Pat and I moved to Panama for a four-year tour in his position with the U. S . Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write," she says. Later they lived in Oregon, then Georgia, before moving to California, where she now enjoys the sea and views of the Carmel hills.
.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 9, 2019
Kit and the Greenlaws are at Party Rose Hotel enjoying being together. Kit hears voices and looking out she finds the body of Party. Kit tracks the killer and manages to get trap in his house. Meanwhile Dulice and Joe aren't speaking. Digging in there garden the Senior Ladies find a skeleton. Does Kit get out, Joe's problem with Dulice and who are buried answers are twisted into one story.
October 25, 2016
Actually anti-Christian. Not just not mentioning it, or anything like that... but actually clearly against how Christians believe. The focus of this book was asking where will we go when we die. Was disappointed that she offers various possibilities except for anything that has to do with Jesus or God. She even has one of the characters say that to believe, basically how Christians believe, is wrong.
I have so enjoyed these well written books. I seem to almost love the cats as if I know them. So, this was quite a disturbing thing for me.
Also, after hearing the one before this and then this one.. made me wonder why she puts Kit through so much suffering. I don't care for that.
I have so enjoyed these well written books. I seem to almost love the cats as if I know them. So, this was quite a disturbing thing for me.
Also, after hearing the one before this and then this one.. made me wonder why she puts Kit through so much suffering. I don't care for that.
August 27, 2009
Plot a little more scattered than usual with lots about death and the hereafter; lots about family & friends in Molena Point. Kit is a little too emotional & crazy for me at this stage- I wish the book would have focused more on Joe with a little more straightforward sleuthing. Feels like author is slowly bringing us back around to Catswold Portal.
February 27, 2020
It missed on most levels but did manage to have some likeable details here and there (a bunch of aging women who look after each other being one).
Firstly, it's not a mystery. You know who the "bad guy" is straight away and the plot evolves along predictable lines. There's some bad profiling of a guy we are supposed to believe is a cult leader although he has no charisma whatsoever shown in any part of the book. Somehow this unlikeable, scuttling man manages to inspire unquestioning loyalty in others? That could benefit from a little bit of opening up.
Then there is a sense that "good men's" violence is legitimated by how dangerous a world is with bad men in it. This is such a dangerous right-wing ideology even (or maybe especially) when advanced in an apparently gentle way.
The cats are too anthropomorphic and lose much "catness" in the trade-off. They are special cats, other cats not only cannot talk but are not "sentient" which makes this a fail in post-human terms. Joe and Dulcie's relationship is stereotypically heterosexual without any of the narcissim that is a trade-mark of actual cats (Dulcie in particular). They're just middle-class people who happen to be short and furry. There's no cat agenda, there's little details of cat life, they follow humans around obsessed with human problems, relationships and solving human mysteries. Kit too is just a well-meaning but babyish human teenager.
The lack of realism is not a crime, it's just disappointing reading as a cat lover.
The things I did like were that out of the overly-large cast of humans (you are possibly meant to read these in order so you get familiar with them) the women seemed to be into building houses and driving big cars and the men seemed to be into cooking which was a bit refreshing considering how many of cosy mysteries are all 1950s about gender. The feminism was mild and diluted but there were hints of it, also in the way the older women were such a vibrant and important community and took care of each other.
So I'd like a bit more mystery, a bit more cat and much better psychology but this was certainly not as bad as a lot of what's out there.
Firstly, it's not a mystery. You know who the "bad guy" is straight away and the plot evolves along predictable lines. There's some bad profiling of a guy we are supposed to believe is a cult leader although he has no charisma whatsoever shown in any part of the book. Somehow this unlikeable, scuttling man manages to inspire unquestioning loyalty in others? That could benefit from a little bit of opening up.
Then there is a sense that "good men's" violence is legitimated by how dangerous a world is with bad men in it. This is such a dangerous right-wing ideology even (or maybe especially) when advanced in an apparently gentle way.
The cats are too anthropomorphic and lose much "catness" in the trade-off. They are special cats, other cats not only cannot talk but are not "sentient" which makes this a fail in post-human terms. Joe and Dulcie's relationship is stereotypically heterosexual without any of the narcissim that is a trade-mark of actual cats (Dulcie in particular). They're just middle-class people who happen to be short and furry. There's no cat agenda, there's little details of cat life, they follow humans around obsessed with human problems, relationships and solving human mysteries. Kit too is just a well-meaning but babyish human teenager.
The lack of realism is not a crime, it's just disappointing reading as a cat lover.
The things I did like were that out of the overly-large cast of humans (you are possibly meant to read these in order so you get familiar with them) the women seemed to be into building houses and driving big cars and the men seemed to be into cooking which was a bit refreshing considering how many of cosy mysteries are all 1950s about gender. The feminism was mild and diluted but there were hints of it, also in the way the older women were such a vibrant and important community and took care of each other.
So I'd like a bit more mystery, a bit more cat and much better psychology but this was certainly not as bad as a lot of what's out there.
October 30, 2012
I really liked this one. Definitely looking for another "Joe Grey" book next time I go back to the library.
May 3, 2021
This tenth entry in the Joe Grey mysteries takes steps forward in many ways including improved writing and storytelling. Cat Cross Their Graves was complex with many plot lines crossing each other more than once. The end was a wonderfully satisfying climax tying all the loose ends.
Kit, a sentient tortoiseshell cat, is finally living with Pedric and Lucinda Greenlaw, plans for which had been put on hold until they returned from traveling the west coast in their special RV. When they returned to the small village of Molena Point, California, Pedric and Lucinda stay at the luxurious inn owned by former country singer Patty Rose. Kit spends time with her feline friends - Dulcie and Joe Grey – sitting in the Inn’s bay window with a view of town. They and their human friends are planning a high tea honoring Patty Rose as well as one of the senior ladies who had been friends with Patty for many years. The fun is cut short when Kit hears gunshots aimed at Patty and sees the small, thin man running away from the scene. Kit is convinced he is Jack Reed, but she needs proof. She manages to find some crucial material in the Reed’s home, but she has great difficulty getting out leaving the items she’d found accessible to the police without needing a warrant.
Dulcie is secretly helping 12-year-old Lori Reed who had run away from her father because he locked her into their home with boarded windows and nailed doors. There was simply no way out other than the front door which was under her father’s control. Lori made her way out and was now hiding in a small cubbyhole in the wall in the library’s basement where she’d brought peanut butter and jelly, a blanket, and a few articles of clothing. She’d been gone two weeks and her food was running out.
In the meantime, the senior ladies who had set up their own retirement home were working in their garden when they discovered the bones of a small child. They called MPPD Captain Max Harper who then called anthropologists to study the grave and unearth what it held. Only there was more than one set of bones. They felt it was especially peculiar since their senior home had once belonged to Jack Reed, which meant that Lori and her mother lived there as well. Sadly Lori’s mother died of cancer, but that wasn’t when Jack turned bad.
Will Lori Reed return home or be forced into foster care? Will Jack Reed change back into the caring man he once was? Will the town still hold high tea in honor of Patty? Will the man who shot Patty end up in jail? I found myself tugged in all sorts of directions by the end of the book. Another question that kept coming up for each character was their view on what happens when one dies -- Is there a heaven, or is there nothing? It was fascinating to read all the different opinions and the short philosophical conversations that followed some of those revelations.
Cat Cross their Graves is an exceptional entry in the Joe Grey series. It is a captivating cozy mystery full of depth, emotion, and complex storylines that intertwine in many ways. I highly recommend it.
Merged review:
This tenth entry in the Joe Grey Mysteries rates five stars from me. This book takes more steps forward in many ways including improved writing and storytelling. Cat Cross Their Graves was complex with many plot lines crossing each other more than once. It took my heart strings and twisted them through to the end which was a wonderfully satisfying climax of all of the storylines.
Special sentient tortoiseshell cat Kit is finally living with Pedric and Lucinda Greenlaw, plans for which had been put on hold until they would return from traveling up and down the west coast in their special RV. When it was stolen and crashed, Pedric and Lucinda escaped before the RV went up in flames but scared all their friends, especially Kit, by hiding for a few days so the kidnapper would not follow them. He had already tried to steal the special jewelry the Greenlaws owned.
When they arrived back in the small village of Molena Point, California, Pedric and Lucinda rewarded themselves with a stay at a luxurious inn that allowed pets owned and run by former country singer Patty Rose. Kit was spending time with her feline friends - Dulcie and Joe Grey – sitting in the bay window that gave them a view of the main part of town. They and their human friends were all planning a high tea honoring Patty Rose as well as one of the senior ladies who was terminally ill who had been friends with Patty for many years. The fun was cut short when Kit hears gunshots aimed at Patty and sees the small, thin man running away from the scene at the Inn toward the parking garage where he escapes all but Kit who follows his trail.
Dulcie had a secret no one knew of. She was helping a 12-year-old girl named Lori Reed who had run away from her father because he locked her into their home with boarded windows and nailed doors. There was simply no way out other than the front door which was under her father’s control. Lori made her way out and was now hiding in a small cubbyhole in the wall in the basement of the library where she’d brought peanut butter and jelly and a blanket and a few articles of clothing. She’d been gone two weeks and her food was running out.
Kit was after information on the small, thin man who she saw leaving the scene when Patty was shot. She was certain it was Jack Reed, but needed proof. She managed to get into the house and found some crucial material, but she was having great difficulty getting out leaving the items she’d found accessible to the police without needing a warrant.
In the meantime, the senior ladies who had set up their own retirement home were working in their garden when they discovered the bones of a small child. They called MPPD Captain Max Harper who then called anthropologists to study the grave and unearth what it held. Only there was more than one set of bones. They felt it was especially peculiar since their senior home had once belonged to Jack Reed, which meant that Lori and her mother lived there as well. Sadly Lori’s mother died of cancer, but that wasn’t when Jack turned bad.
Will Lori Reed return home or be forced into foster care? Will Jack Reed change back into the caring man he once was? Will the town still hold high tea in honor of Patty? Will the terminally ill senior lady make it to the tea? Will the man who shot Patty end up in jail? I found myself tugged in all sorts of directions by the end of the book. Another question that kept coming up for each character was their view on what happens when one dies -- Is there a heaven, or is there nothing when we die? It was fascinating to read all the different opinions and the short philosophical conversations that followed some of those revelations.
Cat Cross their Graves is an exceptional entry in the Joe Grey series. It is a captivating cozy mystery full of depth and emotion and complex storylines that intertwine in many ways. I highly recommend it.
Kit, a sentient tortoiseshell cat, is finally living with Pedric and Lucinda Greenlaw, plans for which had been put on hold until they returned from traveling the west coast in their special RV. When they returned to the small village of Molena Point, California, Pedric and Lucinda stay at the luxurious inn owned by former country singer Patty Rose. Kit spends time with her feline friends - Dulcie and Joe Grey – sitting in the Inn’s bay window with a view of town. They and their human friends are planning a high tea honoring Patty Rose as well as one of the senior ladies who had been friends with Patty for many years. The fun is cut short when Kit hears gunshots aimed at Patty and sees the small, thin man running away from the scene. Kit is convinced he is Jack Reed, but she needs proof. She manages to find some crucial material in the Reed’s home, but she has great difficulty getting out leaving the items she’d found accessible to the police without needing a warrant.
Dulcie is secretly helping 12-year-old Lori Reed who had run away from her father because he locked her into their home with boarded windows and nailed doors. There was simply no way out other than the front door which was under her father’s control. Lori made her way out and was now hiding in a small cubbyhole in the wall in the library’s basement where she’d brought peanut butter and jelly, a blanket, and a few articles of clothing. She’d been gone two weeks and her food was running out.
In the meantime, the senior ladies who had set up their own retirement home were working in their garden when they discovered the bones of a small child. They called MPPD Captain Max Harper who then called anthropologists to study the grave and unearth what it held. Only there was more than one set of bones. They felt it was especially peculiar since their senior home had once belonged to Jack Reed, which meant that Lori and her mother lived there as well. Sadly Lori’s mother died of cancer, but that wasn’t when Jack turned bad.
Will Lori Reed return home or be forced into foster care? Will Jack Reed change back into the caring man he once was? Will the town still hold high tea in honor of Patty? Will the man who shot Patty end up in jail? I found myself tugged in all sorts of directions by the end of the book. Another question that kept coming up for each character was their view on what happens when one dies -- Is there a heaven, or is there nothing? It was fascinating to read all the different opinions and the short philosophical conversations that followed some of those revelations.
Cat Cross their Graves is an exceptional entry in the Joe Grey series. It is a captivating cozy mystery full of depth, emotion, and complex storylines that intertwine in many ways. I highly recommend it.
Merged review:
This tenth entry in the Joe Grey Mysteries rates five stars from me. This book takes more steps forward in many ways including improved writing and storytelling. Cat Cross Their Graves was complex with many plot lines crossing each other more than once. It took my heart strings and twisted them through to the end which was a wonderfully satisfying climax of all of the storylines.
Special sentient tortoiseshell cat Kit is finally living with Pedric and Lucinda Greenlaw, plans for which had been put on hold until they would return from traveling up and down the west coast in their special RV. When it was stolen and crashed, Pedric and Lucinda escaped before the RV went up in flames but scared all their friends, especially Kit, by hiding for a few days so the kidnapper would not follow them. He had already tried to steal the special jewelry the Greenlaws owned.
When they arrived back in the small village of Molena Point, California, Pedric and Lucinda rewarded themselves with a stay at a luxurious inn that allowed pets owned and run by former country singer Patty Rose. Kit was spending time with her feline friends - Dulcie and Joe Grey – sitting in the bay window that gave them a view of the main part of town. They and their human friends were all planning a high tea honoring Patty Rose as well as one of the senior ladies who was terminally ill who had been friends with Patty for many years. The fun was cut short when Kit hears gunshots aimed at Patty and sees the small, thin man running away from the scene at the Inn toward the parking garage where he escapes all but Kit who follows his trail.
Dulcie had a secret no one knew of. She was helping a 12-year-old girl named Lori Reed who had run away from her father because he locked her into their home with boarded windows and nailed doors. There was simply no way out other than the front door which was under her father’s control. Lori made her way out and was now hiding in a small cubbyhole in the wall in the basement of the library where she’d brought peanut butter and jelly and a blanket and a few articles of clothing. She’d been gone two weeks and her food was running out.
Kit was after information on the small, thin man who she saw leaving the scene when Patty was shot. She was certain it was Jack Reed, but needed proof. She managed to get into the house and found some crucial material, but she was having great difficulty getting out leaving the items she’d found accessible to the police without needing a warrant.
In the meantime, the senior ladies who had set up their own retirement home were working in their garden when they discovered the bones of a small child. They called MPPD Captain Max Harper who then called anthropologists to study the grave and unearth what it held. Only there was more than one set of bones. They felt it was especially peculiar since their senior home had once belonged to Jack Reed, which meant that Lori and her mother lived there as well. Sadly Lori’s mother died of cancer, but that wasn’t when Jack turned bad.
Will Lori Reed return home or be forced into foster care? Will Jack Reed change back into the caring man he once was? Will the town still hold high tea in honor of Patty? Will the terminally ill senior lady make it to the tea? Will the man who shot Patty end up in jail? I found myself tugged in all sorts of directions by the end of the book. Another question that kept coming up for each character was their view on what happens when one dies -- Is there a heaven, or is there nothing when we die? It was fascinating to read all the different opinions and the short philosophical conversations that followed some of those revelations.
Cat Cross their Graves is an exceptional entry in the Joe Grey series. It is a captivating cozy mystery full of depth and emotion and complex storylines that intertwine in many ways. I highly recommend it.
September 25, 2023
I love cats and I find this genre entertaining.
When a local celebrity is shot and killed, the cats are on the case. Only a select few know that Joe Grey, Dulcie and Kit can actually speak. Kit follows the suspect and ends up trapped in a house herself. Meanwhile Dulcie has discovered a young girl called Laurie living in a room in the basement of the library. She is sworn to secrecy, although Laurie does not know that she can speak, and Joe Grey is aware that Dulcie has a secret and is annoyed that she isn't sharing her troubles with him.
There is a strange man who has been watching the library and snatches Laurie when she leaves one night. Who is the man? What connection does he have to her father who has acted so strangely that it caused Laurie to run away? Will Laurie get away and be able to contact someone who can help?
All of this is addressed and with feline help things begin to make sense......obviously the humans don't know who the strange informants who phone in with tips are.
An enjoyable read.
When a local celebrity is shot and killed, the cats are on the case. Only a select few know that Joe Grey, Dulcie and Kit can actually speak. Kit follows the suspect and ends up trapped in a house herself. Meanwhile Dulcie has discovered a young girl called Laurie living in a room in the basement of the library. She is sworn to secrecy, although Laurie does not know that she can speak, and Joe Grey is aware that Dulcie has a secret and is annoyed that she isn't sharing her troubles with him.
There is a strange man who has been watching the library and snatches Laurie when she leaves one night. Who is the man? What connection does he have to her father who has acted so strangely that it caused Laurie to run away? Will Laurie get away and be able to contact someone who can help?
All of this is addressed and with feline help things begin to make sense......obviously the humans don't know who the strange informants who phone in with tips are.
An enjoyable read.
February 8, 2020
Good suspense, complex enough to be interesting but not so much so that I lost track, which all kept me reading for long blocks of time. One little piece of advice that I don’t think is a spoiler: after Kit gets trapped in the cottage, don’t think you’re going to just read “a little more” to see how she gets out—it takes a while! This book hasn’t got the usual feline hunting in the hills, so a little break from that carnage. It has got more than the usual thinking about the big picture: dying, death, what happens after death.
Spoiler alert:
I just realized they never identified the children’s skeletons that were found. But my only real disappointment is that I wanted Dulcie to grant Genelle’s dying wish & talk with her. The woman was missing her own cat, & that would have brought her comfort.
Spoiler alert:
I just realized they never identified the children’s skeletons that were found. But my only real disappointment is that I wanted Dulcie to grant Genelle’s dying wish & talk with her. The woman was missing her own cat, & that would have brought her comfort.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2020
This is the best one yet. Yes, I have said that before and each time I meant it. This book was more compelling and such drama included that I just have to say it is creepy, sad, there is a good ending but it took me through such details about the characters, and the interactions. It was an excellent story. The Narrator, I love her voices and inflections. Susan Mallory? Be back after I check to be sure!
August 3, 2024
I have never read a book by Shirley Rousseau Murphy so I wasn't sure what I was in for.
When it starts out with cats talking I had to reread it a couple of times to make sure I was reading it correctly. I wasn't sure if I should continue, but then I got hooked!
The story has some great twists and turns.
I'm not sure if talking cats, solving crime is something I would normally read, but I may pick up another at some point when I want something fun to read.
When it starts out with cats talking I had to reread it a couple of times to make sure I was reading it correctly. I wasn't sure if I should continue, but then I got hooked!
The story has some great twists and turns.
I'm not sure if talking cats, solving crime is something I would normally read, but I may pick up another at some point when I want something fun to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2024
This book was all about murders of small children. A crazy man that was a school teacher, would stalk extra smart children and kill them. He thought highly intelligent children were evil and that is why he would kill them. He even had a cult of adult followers that killed children and buried them in an old church's walls. The cat detectives were hot on this evil mans trail and I'm glad it turned out good.
July 28, 2020
Cat cross their Graves review.
This book is one of the authors best. You are kept glued to each page wanting more. I had actually read this one earlier, out of turn, knew I had missed the story line, so I made a list and read until this came up again. It was even better the 2nd time. One of favorite authors.
This book is one of the authors best. You are kept glued to each page wanting more. I had actually read this one earlier, out of turn, knew I had missed the story line, so I made a list and read until this came up again. It was even better the 2nd time. One of favorite authors.
February 19, 2018
First time I've read a Joe Grey mystery where 3 cats are the unseen detectives. Kind of whimsical and amusing, a little clever, and fun read. I don't think I would read another in the series but it was worth it to experience once.
February 18, 2021
Very good story. Love all the cats and how this one has several threads to pull together the mystery. Well written and enjoyed every bit. I did this on audio and the reader has got these characters down perfect.
November 30, 2021
Shirley Rousseau
This lady has become my favorite author. The way she writes you almost feel as you were there with these charming cats and so friendly people, most of them anyway How these cats help unravel things is wonderful.
This lady has become my favorite author. The way she writes you almost feel as you were there with these charming cats and so friendly people, most of them anyway How these cats help unravel things is wonderful.
January 1, 2025
Joe Grey is back on track in the 10th book in the series. A great story with throwbacks to previous characters in the series plus new dimensions. Cats are snarky. Criminals deserve what they get. Small vacation towns are full of murder.
July 3, 2017
New plots and characters to thirl
characters from previous stories in new plot twists
A buffet of divergent plot twists to satisfy the most ardent mystery reader.
characters from previous stories in new plot twists
A buffet of divergent plot twists to satisfy the most ardent mystery reader.
January 6, 2018
This one is intense. It gave me chills.
October 14, 2022
Charming tale of cats detectives sleuthing for the good guys and got their men to unwind a disturbing saga.
June 19, 2023
I enjoyed the mystery and the unique cats that can talk.
March 3, 2024
Cute series. Good "filler" between other books.
March 7, 2024
Not my cup of tea, or indeed my saucer of milk.
August 26, 2025
I enjoy this series more with each book.
July 11, 2013
AudioBook Review:
Stars: Overall: 5 Narration: 5 Story: 5
This is a deliciously clever story: murders, secrets, runaways and above all the three clever cats that drive the story forward as they work to solve the mysteries. This is my first introduction to this series by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, and it most certainly will not be my last. The mystery was cleverly plotted, if on the darker side as it touched on themes of missing and exploited children all kicked off with the death of an aging film star.
While the human characters are well developed and are developed in ways that serve their purpose in the story, their development in relation to the cats that are the stars of the story. Joe Grey is the ringleader of these sleuths, even if only in his own mind sometimes. His manner is completely well developed with even an eye for the “fantastical imaginings’ of the females he encounters. His romantic attentions are centered on Dulcie, one of the two female felines in his little group, and she is the more centered and grounded of the two, even as she is keeping a massive secret. Kit was the one to witness the first murder, although she never saw the killer’s face. Not unsurprisingly, the humans don’t realize that these cats not only can and do talk, but are working to puzzle out the mysteries that have been unearthed in this story.
Narration is provided by Susan Boyce and the pairing is spectacular. Susan’s voice is perfectly modulated without overuse of vocal manipulations to provide character distinctions, instead choosing pacing and inflection to indicate the characters. Particularly effective is the dreamy quality of Kit’s voice, and the sometimes exasperated tone that emanates from Joe Grey. Her narration was smooth and easily understood, with inflections and moments of tone variation that perfectly suited the text of the story.
The writing is so cleverly done that a listener / reader doesn’t even come close to missing a greater interaction from the humans in the story. There are enough twists and clues to nowhere that keep the mystery alive, this is no simple mystery that is a direct line to the killer. With the clever interjections from the cats, and the humans who exist in their investigations this was a story that flew by, and was wholly enjoyable.
I received an MP3 download from AudioGo via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review for the Heard Word. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Stars: Overall: 5 Narration: 5 Story: 5
This is a deliciously clever story: murders, secrets, runaways and above all the three clever cats that drive the story forward as they work to solve the mysteries. This is my first introduction to this series by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, and it most certainly will not be my last. The mystery was cleverly plotted, if on the darker side as it touched on themes of missing and exploited children all kicked off with the death of an aging film star.
While the human characters are well developed and are developed in ways that serve their purpose in the story, their development in relation to the cats that are the stars of the story. Joe Grey is the ringleader of these sleuths, even if only in his own mind sometimes. His manner is completely well developed with even an eye for the “fantastical imaginings’ of the females he encounters. His romantic attentions are centered on Dulcie, one of the two female felines in his little group, and she is the more centered and grounded of the two, even as she is keeping a massive secret. Kit was the one to witness the first murder, although she never saw the killer’s face. Not unsurprisingly, the humans don’t realize that these cats not only can and do talk, but are working to puzzle out the mysteries that have been unearthed in this story.
Narration is provided by Susan Boyce and the pairing is spectacular. Susan’s voice is perfectly modulated without overuse of vocal manipulations to provide character distinctions, instead choosing pacing and inflection to indicate the characters. Particularly effective is the dreamy quality of Kit’s voice, and the sometimes exasperated tone that emanates from Joe Grey. Her narration was smooth and easily understood, with inflections and moments of tone variation that perfectly suited the text of the story.
The writing is so cleverly done that a listener / reader doesn’t even come close to missing a greater interaction from the humans in the story. There are enough twists and clues to nowhere that keep the mystery alive, this is no simple mystery that is a direct line to the killer. With the clever interjections from the cats, and the humans who exist in their investigations this was a story that flew by, and was wholly enjoyable.
I received an MP3 download from AudioGo via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review for the Heard Word. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
February 12, 2013
This is the tenth Joe Gray, the talking cat , murder mystery. I loved the first one in this series, and definitely want to read more. But I broke a cardinal rule for myself with this book choice. This is the tenth book in this series, but the second one that I read. So unfortunately for me, I felt that a lot of character's introductions and action had happened in the previous books that was referred to in this book, but I was not completely in the loop for this story. Probably for that reason alone, I gave this book 3 stars. Could I have enjoyed it more if I had read them in order? Well, since I liked the first book so much, I'm going to give this book the benefit of the doubt.
The mystery involves the murder of an elderly beloved movie star, and the additional finding of buried children's bones. Once again the antics of the feline "talkers" found clues that they relayed to the police by phone as 'unknown snitches' which lead to finding clues to these intertwined murders. There was also a precocious 12 year old girl that added much heart, intrigue, and thrills to this particular Joe Gray mystery.
I will definitely read more Joe Gray mysteries, starting with the second one---CAT UNDER FIRE. These are definitely unusual, but compelling 'cats' tales!!
The mystery involves the murder of an elderly beloved movie star, and the additional finding of buried children's bones. Once again the antics of the feline "talkers" found clues that they relayed to the police by phone as 'unknown snitches' which lead to finding clues to these intertwined murders. There was also a precocious 12 year old girl that added much heart, intrigue, and thrills to this particular Joe Gray mystery.
I will definitely read more Joe Gray mysteries, starting with the second one---CAT UNDER FIRE. These are definitely unusual, but compelling 'cats' tales!!
April 1, 2016
I'm a sucker when it comes to cat mysteries (the likes of Sneaky Pie and the Cat who...books) and found this series. This one is Book 10.
Joe Grey, a dark colored cat with white markings, along with Dulcie and Kit are sleuths, and they talk to certain people. And when there is foul play, they find the bad guy and help the police by being "snitches." Most of the police only know that there are two females and a male that tell them where to look.
Kit, the youngest, hears shots and finds the owner of the Inn, Patty Rose, shot. And the cat follows the small man that did the killing. She gets locked in his run down house but while there, finds all kinds of clues.
Dulcie has been disappearing at night and joe is upset. He believes she is seeing another cat. Finally the argument comes to a head and she tells him about a little girl living in the basement of the library.
Are the two incidents related in some way? Between the three cats, they get to the bottom of the story.
I like this kind of story. It comes across as being realistic except for the cats really talking but then it's that, that makes the book a great read. And I really like these kind of reads.
Joe Grey, a dark colored cat with white markings, along with Dulcie and Kit are sleuths, and they talk to certain people. And when there is foul play, they find the bad guy and help the police by being "snitches." Most of the police only know that there are two females and a male that tell them where to look.
Kit, the youngest, hears shots and finds the owner of the Inn, Patty Rose, shot. And the cat follows the small man that did the killing. She gets locked in his run down house but while there, finds all kinds of clues.
Dulcie has been disappearing at night and joe is upset. He believes she is seeing another cat. Finally the argument comes to a head and she tells him about a little girl living in the basement of the library.
Are the two incidents related in some way? Between the three cats, they get to the bottom of the story.
I like this kind of story. It comes across as being realistic except for the cats really talking but then it's that, that makes the book a great read. And I really like these kind of reads.
February 19, 2015
Even though this is the first book I read in this series, I didn’t feel I missed too much back story to get the jest of the characters and their relationships. My problem is with the plotting and the solving the murder. The police never found any hard evidence to show that Fenner killed Patty Rose. It was all based on speculation and “cat snitches”. The author should have had the police find the murder weapon at the very least to show that Fenner committed the murder. This could have been easily done by finding the weapon in the car or on Fenner’s person after he was killed. I think it’s great if an author wants to use cats as main characters and to help/guide the police/sleuth/investigator, however the crime should be solved in a realistic way with hard evidence, confessions, or human witnesses.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2013
In the 10th Joe Grey mystery, Murphy waxes philosophical at several points about death and whether there is life after death. It's enough to make one wonder what might be going in her personal life that she is thinking so much about that. Nevertheless, the mystery is solid, but somewhat uncomfortable. The plot involves the murder of several children for an insane reason, and child abuse by a father who is trying to protect his child from becoming another victim. Even Kit, the just-turned-adult cat, is in mortal peril. The ending is rather somber, as well. Not a cheery book, and not Murphy's best, but not her worst, either. Read it if you like suspense and don't need a cheerful, sunny ending.
July 23, 2010
A former filmstar gets killed and a kid runs away from her dad. At the same time a grave of dead children is found from a garden. Cat Cross Their Graves is slightly all over the place and not as strong a story as some of the other Joe Grey Mysteries.
It took me some time to finish this book. I'm not sure if it's because I wasn't so much into it as I was into other Joe Grey Mysteries or if I just read too many of them in the row.
It took me some time to finish this book. I'm not sure if it's because I wasn't so much into it as I was into other Joe Grey Mysteries or if I just read too many of them in the row.
July 26, 2014
I have always loved these cat stories. They are so interesting and give me a look at a State I have never had the good fortune to visit. Like my area n Toronto it is not flat. We have hills but not mountains and the weather is so different. These books have lots of make believe and would suit anyone who still likes fairy tales.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews