A Cat on the Bus: An Alice Nestleton Mystery

Alice Nestleton Mystery #21

by Lydia Adamson

On a crosstown bus, Alice finds herself the witness to a senseless multiple homicide, perpetrated by a bizarre killer who leaves her cat behind.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cats

207 pages, Hardcover

First published December 3, 2002

About the author

Lydia Adamson is the pen name for Franklin B. King who is an author, free-lance writer and copywriter. In addition to the Alice Nestleton series, he is the author of the Deirdre Quinn Nightingale and Lucy Wayles series. He lives in New York City and also wrote under the name 'Frank King'.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actress Alice Nestleton is on a bus when a woman seemingly randomly shoots several passengers. Then she's asked by a branch of the New York Police Department, with whom she's worked before, to link this horrible shooting to what might have been an aborted shooting on a bus that occurred years earlier. There's a lot of turmoil in Alice's life, too, with a new job, a new beau, and success finally on the horizon. I stopped reading this series a few years ago after a number of baroque plots, and Alice's irritating persona, discouraged me, but decided to give it another try. It was better than I'd remembered the series as being, but not that much better.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one disappointed me a bit. The mystery part was fine. It was fairly intricate and very well done, but I, personally, did not resonate with Alice Nestleton. And, from the reviews and synopses I had read of her books, I had really expected far more about cats. I think that cats made an appearance in this book 4 or perhaps 5 times. Alice's cats made a total of perhaps 3 pages, and seemed very flat and one dimensional, and Tulip, the actual "cat on the bus" only made two appearances. Good grief, Alice left her at a shelter and we never even learned what happened to the poor thing!

All in all, this series isn't for me. I like my cozies a little warmer, and my cats a little more intriguing. I may, should another book in the series come my way without my having to purchase it, give this series a second chance, but I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it.

That said, and I repeat, the actual mystery was very well done, and I'm sure that this series will be right up someone's alley!

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw the book at the library. It was on a kiosk with a poster of cats whose humans work at the library. The photo looking back at me was the image of Tibbets, one of our first two cats. How could I leave that face alone. Besides, it was a mystery, my favorite! On the way home, I opened the cover to discover that the book was in large print. I'm thrilled books are in large print, but while blind as a bat without my glasses, I find that large print slows me down. Fortunately for me, this was a short book, I was disappointed. Yes, I know I am often disappointed in grown-up books, but when I want a mystery, I don't want the mystery to be with whom the main character is going to wind up in bed. Read, but didn't enjoy. Next time I'll look past the seemingly familiar face on the cover and keep on walking to the good books.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mystery was a very good one, different from the typical 'cozy' so I found that very refreshing. I did not really care much for the major characters so I probably will not read other books in this series but I will definitely look for other books by this author.

[Kathei]

If you like cats and you like mysteries then this series is for you.

[Kris DeLawter · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute

[Nd · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Cat on the Bus was given to me by a friend for a light, quick something to read during a busy week. I was not aware of Adamson's Alice Nestleton series and was surprised at the dozens of mysteries in it. However, if this is representative of previous books, I don't think I've missed anything. The goofy Alice inspires no empathy, nor was it possible to see her through the eyes of any of the other characters. This was just kind of a disjointed, undeveloped batch of characters backed by a slightly humorous mystery. I don't think this is a series I'll be pursuing.

[Phillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last in the Alice Nestleton series. I'm not sure if the author was trying to end the series by having Alice make some "plans". If he did, the "plans" are ok, if not I'd like to see more Alice. I am not thinking that is going to happen. Too bad.

[Xanthi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series that I have now read. The first was mediocre. This one was less than that. The characters were pretty two dimensional, bordering on stereotypical. The plot flimsy, and nonsensical in places. Thankfully, this book was a brief one.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy the series just because I like cats and mysteries. These aren't the best mysteries ever but they entertain. And since I just realized I've read it before and wasn't crazy about it I guess that proves my point.

[Sharla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last Alice Nestleton mystery ends the series on a satisfactory personal note for Alice. The mystery and plot are a bit bizarre and erratic but I can live with that.

[Fishercat]

Sort of like Cheezits.