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Nela Farley #1
What the Cat Saw
National bestselling author Carolyn Hart presents an original new novel about a woman with a curious ability that drops her headfirst into a world of intrigue and murder...
Ever since the death of her fiance, Nela Farley has found herself plagued by a sixth she understands the thoughts of cats when she looks into their eyes. Nela knows that what she's experiencing is completely irrational and tries to convince herself that she is simply transferring her own thoughts that she doesn't want to face.
When her adventurous sister, Chloe, goes on a trip and asks for a favor, Nela welcomes the distraction and agrees to substitute at Chloe's job at a charitable foundation. Chloe has arranged a place for her sister to stay, but when Nela shows up, she encounters the previous tenant's cat and gets a flash of ." . . dead . . . dead and gone . . . She loved me . . . board rolled on the second step . . ."
Nela wants to ignore what the cat saw, but the idea that the death of former tenant Marian Grant wasn't an accident is something she can't ignore. As Nela begins to do some research into Marian's life, strange events begin to occur, all seeming to lead back to the Haklo Foundation. But when a detective becomes suspicious of Nela's sister and a second murder occurs, Nela realizes she'll have to make the most of her unwanted ability to figure out what's really going on, before she meets her own untimely end...
Ever since the death of her fiance, Nela Farley has found herself plagued by a sixth she understands the thoughts of cats when she looks into their eyes. Nela knows that what she's experiencing is completely irrational and tries to convince herself that she is simply transferring her own thoughts that she doesn't want to face.
When her adventurous sister, Chloe, goes on a trip and asks for a favor, Nela welcomes the distraction and agrees to substitute at Chloe's job at a charitable foundation. Chloe has arranged a place for her sister to stay, but when Nela shows up, she encounters the previous tenant's cat and gets a flash of ." . . dead . . . dead and gone . . . She loved me . . . board rolled on the second step . . ."
Nela wants to ignore what the cat saw, but the idea that the death of former tenant Marian Grant wasn't an accident is something she can't ignore. As Nela begins to do some research into Marian's life, strange events begin to occur, all seeming to lead back to the Haklo Foundation. But when a detective becomes suspicious of Nela's sister and a second murder occurs, Nela realizes she'll have to make the most of her unwanted ability to figure out what's really going on, before she meets her own untimely end...
303 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2012
31 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn G. Hart
126 books944 followersAlso writing as Carolyn Hart.
An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29
The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.
Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.
Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.
www.CarolynHart.com
And for cat lovers:
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart
I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.
In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.
Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;
. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.
A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.
. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.
And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.
Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers
An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29
The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.
Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.
Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.
www.CarolynHart.com
And for cat lovers:
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart
I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.
In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.
Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;
. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.
A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.
. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.
And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.
Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
April 21, 2013
I've never written a review on here before but felt compelled to comment on this book, which might tell you something! I also might add that I love cheesy Lifetime movies and "light" murder mysteries a la Mary Higgins Clark. This book, however, was so repetitive, boring, and downright boring that by halfway through, I knew the only reason to keep reading was to be able to write this review!
Here are a few highlights:
-The cast of characters/suspects in this tale are so dull. The author kept listing them, describing them, describing their offices, over and over. Even so, I couldn't seem to keep them straight and honestly, I really didn't care to try. I felt like I was at work - if I were to work at a really boring foundation. Such a terrible setting for what could have been an interesting premise (being able to read a cat's mind).
-Even the main characters weren't well developed. And some of the plot points involving them were just ridiculous. Chloe is such a "free spirit" that she fails to even mention all of the serious crime and vandalism that has been going on at her place of work when she asks her sister to take over her job? (Seriously, what workplace would even let an employee bring in a random relative to take over her job while she is on vacation in Tahiti? How long is Chloe planning to be in Tahiti anyway?). And the idea of Chloe writing such a long and descriptive letter but not having the time to actually talk to Neela? About anything?? And when Neela finds out that she and her sister are the number one suspects in a major theft, she doesn't even try to reach Chloe to discuss it with her? (Steve was able to reach her when he tried). I'm just not buying any of it!
-This is random but at least three times the author used an unusual word/phrase twice within a short amount of time. So odd. Examples: the words "sardonic" and "ebullient" - when you see it once, okay. When you see it again within a chapter or two - weird. The worst was the phrase "halfway across a continent" to describe Oklahoma relative to California. Used not once but twice. I get that Neela was feeling far from home - but she was in Oklahoma, not Australia! Oklahoma is only a few states away from California!
I feel badly writing a negative review but this book is definitely not worth your time. :(
Here are a few highlights:
-The cast of characters/suspects in this tale are so dull. The author kept listing them, describing them, describing their offices, over and over. Even so, I couldn't seem to keep them straight and honestly, I really didn't care to try. I felt like I was at work - if I were to work at a really boring foundation. Such a terrible setting for what could have been an interesting premise (being able to read a cat's mind).
-Even the main characters weren't well developed. And some of the plot points involving them were just ridiculous. Chloe is such a "free spirit" that she fails to even mention all of the serious crime and vandalism that has been going on at her place of work when she asks her sister to take over her job? (Seriously, what workplace would even let an employee bring in a random relative to take over her job while she is on vacation in Tahiti? How long is Chloe planning to be in Tahiti anyway?). And the idea of Chloe writing such a long and descriptive letter but not having the time to actually talk to Neela? About anything?? And when Neela finds out that she and her sister are the number one suspects in a major theft, she doesn't even try to reach Chloe to discuss it with her? (Steve was able to reach her when he tried). I'm just not buying any of it!
-This is random but at least three times the author used an unusual word/phrase twice within a short amount of time. So odd. Examples: the words "sardonic" and "ebullient" - when you see it once, okay. When you see it again within a chapter or two - weird. The worst was the phrase "halfway across a continent" to describe Oklahoma relative to California. Used not once but twice. I get that Neela was feeling far from home - but she was in Oklahoma, not Australia! Oklahoma is only a few states away from California!
I feel badly writing a negative review but this book is definitely not worth your time. :(
October 26, 2017
Initially, I wasn't sure I'd want to finish this one. The basic premise, Nela is there to work at her sister's job while her sister is gone on vacation - was just so silly I wasn't sure I could suspend disbelief long enough to roll with it.
But I decided to just assume Nela was like a new employee and just move on. Of course, I loved Jugs and his addition to the story. I thought the mystery was cute and obvious but still fun to sort through. I was entertained with this audio book and I'm glad I finished it.
But I decided to just assume Nela was like a new employee and just move on. Of course, I loved Jugs and his addition to the story. I thought the mystery was cute and obvious but still fun to sort through. I was entertained with this audio book and I'm glad I finished it.
December 20, 2012
Okay, where to begin? Well, first of all, I received this book in exchange for review from the author via NetGalley. It sounded like a slightly quirky/paranormal mystery, and it involved a cat. Seemed like a win/win in my book when I decided to try it.
What the Cat Saw made it to 3½♥'s. Why didn't I round up to 4♥'s, you might ask... I think because it had potential. It was a unique, if unexplained idea of 'hearing' cats inner thoughts and using that to solve a mystery. So the novelty of the premise seemed so ripe to just run with the idea and make this stellar mystery out of it. But everything just came out short. The romance, while I knew it was not going to be a feature of this book, barely offered even additional flair. The mystery itself I had figured out by about 33% into the book, maybe even sooner. And let me tell you, I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box when it comes to solving mysteries in books. I also must mention the paranormal edge to the book is sadly downplayed and not nearly as important to the story as the blurb lead me to believe.
I have to mention as well... the repetition. There were certain ideas, or speech, etc. that just reached a point of, "OK, we get it already. Can we move on?" Seriously, at least 20% of the book could have been cut out and would have made it move along faster, in my opinion. And maybe it's just me, and what I'm used to... but I have NEVER, ever heard of someone going away on vacation and calling their sister to act as a temp at their job. That's like the basic idea behind why everything happens... and yes, I get that her job may have required a temp for her to leave and maybe she didn't have money for a temp or something. The basic situation that 'creates' the book just rubbed against my grain.
The 'hero' of the book was likable, and I have a thing for red hair so that was a bonus for me. Unless I'm missing something, I don't think we got a single kiss. Not one. Not one single solitary smooch. That's sad. I know this isn't billed as a romance, the romance is more of just an after-dinner mint to the 'meal' of the book. But come on... not just one little pucker up?
Overall it just left me with a very 'average' feeling. It wasn't horrid, wasn't even bad; it also wasn't great or really good. Just middle of the road good, maybe a hair over the middle since I did give it 3½ rather than just the three hearts.
What the Cat Saw made it to 3½♥'s. Why didn't I round up to 4♥'s, you might ask... I think because it had potential. It was a unique, if unexplained idea of 'hearing' cats inner thoughts and using that to solve a mystery. So the novelty of the premise seemed so ripe to just run with the idea and make this stellar mystery out of it. But everything just came out short. The romance, while I knew it was not going to be a feature of this book, barely offered even additional flair. The mystery itself I had figured out by about 33% into the book, maybe even sooner. And let me tell you, I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box when it comes to solving mysteries in books. I also must mention the paranormal edge to the book is sadly downplayed and not nearly as important to the story as the blurb lead me to believe.
I have to mention as well... the repetition. There were certain ideas, or speech, etc. that just reached a point of, "OK, we get it already. Can we move on?" Seriously, at least 20% of the book could have been cut out and would have made it move along faster, in my opinion. And maybe it's just me, and what I'm used to... but I have NEVER, ever heard of someone going away on vacation and calling their sister to act as a temp at their job. That's like the basic idea behind why everything happens... and yes, I get that her job may have required a temp for her to leave and maybe she didn't have money for a temp or something. The basic situation that 'creates' the book just rubbed against my grain.
The 'hero' of the book was likable, and I have a thing for red hair so that was a bonus for me. Unless I'm missing something, I don't think we got a single kiss. Not one. Not one single solitary smooch. That's sad. I know this isn't billed as a romance, the romance is more of just an after-dinner mint to the 'meal' of the book. But come on... not just one little pucker up?
Overall it just left me with a very 'average' feeling. It wasn't horrid, wasn't even bad; it also wasn't great or really good. Just middle of the road good, maybe a hair over the middle since I did give it 3½ rather than just the three hearts.
November 3, 2012
I found this book frustrating in that it did much more explaining than was necessary. Some of it was repititious and some would have been better off being 'shown' rather than told. The main character's feelings had to be told, though, because for me they didn't feel real. None of the characters seemed more than two-dimensional. I liked the cat, of course, and the fact it could communicate with the main character was interesting but even that wasn't explored very well.
It was okay and I read it to the end but probably won't read any more if it's a series.
It was okay and I read it to the end but probably won't read any more if it's a series.
February 26, 2013
Nela Farley is filling in for her free-spirited sister, Chloe while she takes a trip to Tahiti. Along with filling in at the Haklo Foundation, she is caring for Jugs, cat whose owner, an employee of Haklo, recently died. Nela is grateful for the change of scenery, as she is still reeling from the death of her boyfriend. However, the tragedy of Bill's death has left her with a strange ability...she can understand a cat's thoughts. When Nela encounters Jugs, she senses the loss he feels for his mistress. She also feels the cat telling her that the fall that killer her owner, was caused by a "sliding board".
After falling alseep in the guest room, Nela is awakened by the noise of an intruder in the living room. The police are summoned, but not before the intruder gets away. The police dismiss the break-in as a burglar taking advantage of an empty residence.
When Nela reports to work Monday, she learns that a necklace belonging to the head of the foundation had been stollen the previous week. But that isn't all...There have been several minor vandalisms leading up to the theft. Something is amiss at the foundation.
The police take a hard look at Nela and her sister, but newspaper reporter Steve Flynn thinks they are innocent. Nela and Steve work together to ferret out the truth behind the arson, vandalism, theft..and murder.
Carloyn Hart's book was fast paced and had enought twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages. I hope we see more if Nela and Steve.
After falling alseep in the guest room, Nela is awakened by the noise of an intruder in the living room. The police are summoned, but not before the intruder gets away. The police dismiss the break-in as a burglar taking advantage of an empty residence.
When Nela reports to work Monday, she learns that a necklace belonging to the head of the foundation had been stollen the previous week. But that isn't all...There have been several minor vandalisms leading up to the theft. Something is amiss at the foundation.
The police take a hard look at Nela and her sister, but newspaper reporter Steve Flynn thinks they are innocent. Nela and Steve work together to ferret out the truth behind the arson, vandalism, theft..and murder.
Carloyn Hart's book was fast paced and had enought twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages. I hope we see more if Nela and Steve.
December 3, 2012
I used to read everything Carolyn Hart wrote. There were two things that should have led me to skip this one, but I ignored them. 1. It was published by Berkley Prime Crime, not her usual William Morrow (Step down? Right? I don’t really know publishing) and 2. “Ever since the death of her fiancé, Nela Farley has found herself plagued by a sixth sense: She understands the thoughts of cats when she looks into their eyes.”
It was awful. Really awful. Besides the whole cat thing, it was just a bad book all around. The mystery was boring and the love story was ridiculous.
“If you were smart” – her voice caught in her throat – “you’d stay away from me.”
“Not,” he said quietly, “in this lifetime.”
COME ON.
It was awful. Really awful. Besides the whole cat thing, it was just a bad book all around. The mystery was boring and the love story was ridiculous.
“If you were smart” – her voice caught in her throat – “you’d stay away from me.”
“Not,” he said quietly, “in this lifetime.”
COME ON.
October 28, 2012
Good book. Story keeps you interested, fast-paced, suspenseful. Doesn't stretch reality toooo much.
Ever since the death of her fiancé, Nela Farley has found herself plagued by a sixth sense: she understands the thoughts of cats when she looks into their eyes. Nela knows that what she’s experiencing is completely irrational and tries to convince herself that she is simply transferring her own thoughts that she doesn’t want to face.
When her adventurous sister, Chloe, goes on a trip and asks for a favor, Nela welcomes the distraction and agrees to substitute at Chloe’s job at a charitable foundation. Chloe has arranged a place for her sister to stay, but when Nela shows up, she encounters the previous tenant’s cat and gets a flash of thought: “. . . dead . . . dead and gone . . . She loved me . . . board rolled on the second step . . .”
Nela wants to ignore what the cat saw, but the idea that the death of former tenant Marian Grant wasn’t an accident is something she can’t ignore. As Nela begins to do some research into Marian’s life, strange events begin to occur, all seeming to lead back to the Haklo Foundation. But when a detective becomes suspicious of Nela’s sister and a second murder occurs, Nela realizes she’ll have to make the most of her unwanted ability to figure out what’s really going on, before she meets her own untimely end…
Ever since the death of her fiancé, Nela Farley has found herself plagued by a sixth sense: she understands the thoughts of cats when she looks into their eyes. Nela knows that what she’s experiencing is completely irrational and tries to convince herself that she is simply transferring her own thoughts that she doesn’t want to face.
When her adventurous sister, Chloe, goes on a trip and asks for a favor, Nela welcomes the distraction and agrees to substitute at Chloe’s job at a charitable foundation. Chloe has arranged a place for her sister to stay, but when Nela shows up, she encounters the previous tenant’s cat and gets a flash of thought: “. . . dead . . . dead and gone . . . She loved me . . . board rolled on the second step . . .”
Nela wants to ignore what the cat saw, but the idea that the death of former tenant Marian Grant wasn’t an accident is something she can’t ignore. As Nela begins to do some research into Marian’s life, strange events begin to occur, all seeming to lead back to the Haklo Foundation. But when a detective becomes suspicious of Nela’s sister and a second murder occurs, Nela realizes she’ll have to make the most of her unwanted ability to figure out what’s really going on, before she meets her own untimely end…
February 7, 2013
A young woman, Nela Farley, is trying to make sense of the tragic death of her fiancé, Bill by an IED. To add to her pain, her job at a small southern Californian daily newspaper has been eliminated. When Nela's sister, Chloe phones and begs that she take her job for two weeks in Oklahoma, Nela can't see any reason as to why not.
Nela arrives in Oklahoma and finds keys to an apartment previously owned by a Secretary of a charity foundation that has suffered death from a misadventure. Only thing is...Jugs, Ms. Grant's cat says differently...yes, Nela has the ability to hear the thoughts of cats. Jugs, says Ms. Grant was murdered.
Since Nela was an investigative reporter, she has to discover what is the truth. The search is made more desperate when the apartment is broken into her first night staying there.
With help from the local newspaper editor/owner, Steve, the mysteries of Haklo Foundation will be disclosed.
This was a great book to cuddle up and read. I do not quite know if it is a stand alone and I've missed the first or if it may become the first in a new series. I kind of hope a series is coming. I love the character and adore Carolyn Hart's works.
Nela arrives in Oklahoma and finds keys to an apartment previously owned by a Secretary of a charity foundation that has suffered death from a misadventure. Only thing is...Jugs, Ms. Grant's cat says differently...yes, Nela has the ability to hear the thoughts of cats. Jugs, says Ms. Grant was murdered.
Since Nela was an investigative reporter, she has to discover what is the truth. The search is made more desperate when the apartment is broken into her first night staying there.
With help from the local newspaper editor/owner, Steve, the mysteries of Haklo Foundation will be disclosed.
This was a great book to cuddle up and read. I do not quite know if it is a stand alone and I've missed the first or if it may become the first in a new series. I kind of hope a series is coming. I love the character and adore Carolyn Hart's works.
September 6, 2014
Quite good. The story involves a grieving woman who can hear the thoughts of cats. She travels to help her sister out and ends up deep in a murder among people she has never met before. Who is guilty, what is going on at the company, and how will she keep her and her sister from being judged just because they are newcomers?
Love the cat communication, the writing and the story.
Love the cat communication, the writing and the story.
October 29, 2013
Carolyn Hart begins a new paranormal cozy mystery series, with her book, What the Cat Saw. Hart's trademark style and character development draws readers into the story of a C.O.O (corporate operating officer) and a fill in employee who gets some information from an unlikely source... the woman's cat. Hart's brand of lighthearted mystery is full of surprises. With an interesting paranormal theme and a great new protagonist in Nela Farley, Hart's new series is bound to strike a cord with readers, from mystery fans to cat lovers!
Let me start by saying that Carolyn Hart has had an outstanding career as a mystery writer. From her Death on Demand series to Bailey Ruth, Hart has thrilled readers from start to finish. She has a way of writing characters that makes them companionable and allows them to turn into old friends that readers want to visit again and again. Her straight forward style and elegant simplicity, lend a sophistication to her books that is not often present in the cozy sub-genre. She is a legend in the mystery community and readers are quick to pick up any new book she releases.
What the Cat Saw is Hart's newest series starter and I for one was really excited to see her starting something new. This book is departure from some of her other books in that it is a little more concentric. The protagonist comes full circle before figuring out the clues that lead to the murderer. Hart starts out with a young grieving woman who takes a chance opening as a fill in for her sister, at a charitable organization in hopes of finding a new start. She recently lost her job as an investigative reporter and her fiancee to an IED in Afghanistan. Nela Farley is a character after my own heart and Hart endears her the reader quickly with her sad memories and her love for her scatter brained sister. This character has a ton of potential with her unusual gift reading the minds of cats she comes in contact with.
One of the things I really enjoyed early on in this book is the heroines skepticism at her own abilities. This is paranormal ability that seems to have originated with the death of her fiancee, and she wonders if she isn't going crazy. I liked the fact that she didn't just accept it out of turn. That would have been too unbelievable. Also I enjoyed the way Hart wrote the thoughts that Nela was gleaning from the felines she came in contact with. The were short spurts of thought, not altogether coherent or fully realized. Exactly what I would expect from a cat. That was a nice touch.
Jugs is an interesting character in his own right, but I felt he was sorely underused. Readers will meet him in the beginning and learn what he has to offer Nela, but then he shifts into a background role. I would have liked to have seen Hart, really allow Jugs to become more than just a filler. There is a lot of potential for Jugs in this book, that I don't think was fully realized. But I also understand that he will not be a character that will be a focal point in the series, just in this particular book, so that may have been the reason of this.
There were other secondary characters who had a lot of potential as well. Steve, the local newspaper writer and even the curmudgeon of a police detective, but none of these other characters really got a lot of time in the story. Hart is known for her great characters and I felt like these were not as developed as the usual for Hart. Readers may feel a little cheated because of this. I would have enjoyed getting to know more about other people who worked for Halko beyond just a cursory scene here and there.
There were several things about this book that didn't quite add up to the normal Carolyn Hart novel. That's not to say that it was a horrible book. It just wasn't what readers have come to expect from Hart. There is still plenty of potential for the series and subsequent books may counter some of the issues with this one. Another issue that stood out for me was the lack of setting and scene. Usually in a cozy mystery the setting is very important. In this novel the action centers around Halko and does not go into great details about the Craddock, Oklahoma town or it's residents beyond the police detective and the newspaperman. I wanted to know more about the area and the people, though I realize that this series is more character concentric than setting dependent.
The characters seem to rehash the facts of the case not once or twice but even three or four times in some cases. That made the book seem somewhat redundant and full of more filler than story line. There was so many ways this story could have gone that I believe would have been much more successful. The author is great storyteller and this book is good, but it's not great. I will definitely be looking to see if the sophomore effort in this series, can redeem it. I think it can and I believe it will. Hart is too good a writer not to rebound from this one.
Some readers may be able to look beyond the cons and see the pros in this one. The great main character, the interesting paranormal twist, the realistic portrayal of the thoughts of a feline. There are good things here, just not enough to pull off the first in this new series book.
Let me start by saying that Carolyn Hart has had an outstanding career as a mystery writer. From her Death on Demand series to Bailey Ruth, Hart has thrilled readers from start to finish. She has a way of writing characters that makes them companionable and allows them to turn into old friends that readers want to visit again and again. Her straight forward style and elegant simplicity, lend a sophistication to her books that is not often present in the cozy sub-genre. She is a legend in the mystery community and readers are quick to pick up any new book she releases.
What the Cat Saw is Hart's newest series starter and I for one was really excited to see her starting something new. This book is departure from some of her other books in that it is a little more concentric. The protagonist comes full circle before figuring out the clues that lead to the murderer. Hart starts out with a young grieving woman who takes a chance opening as a fill in for her sister, at a charitable organization in hopes of finding a new start. She recently lost her job as an investigative reporter and her fiancee to an IED in Afghanistan. Nela Farley is a character after my own heart and Hart endears her the reader quickly with her sad memories and her love for her scatter brained sister. This character has a ton of potential with her unusual gift reading the minds of cats she comes in contact with.
One of the things I really enjoyed early on in this book is the heroines skepticism at her own abilities. This is paranormal ability that seems to have originated with the death of her fiancee, and she wonders if she isn't going crazy. I liked the fact that she didn't just accept it out of turn. That would have been too unbelievable. Also I enjoyed the way Hart wrote the thoughts that Nela was gleaning from the felines she came in contact with. The were short spurts of thought, not altogether coherent or fully realized. Exactly what I would expect from a cat. That was a nice touch.
Jugs is an interesting character in his own right, but I felt he was sorely underused. Readers will meet him in the beginning and learn what he has to offer Nela, but then he shifts into a background role. I would have liked to have seen Hart, really allow Jugs to become more than just a filler. There is a lot of potential for Jugs in this book, that I don't think was fully realized. But I also understand that he will not be a character that will be a focal point in the series, just in this particular book, so that may have been the reason of this.
There were other secondary characters who had a lot of potential as well. Steve, the local newspaper writer and even the curmudgeon of a police detective, but none of these other characters really got a lot of time in the story. Hart is known for her great characters and I felt like these were not as developed as the usual for Hart. Readers may feel a little cheated because of this. I would have enjoyed getting to know more about other people who worked for Halko beyond just a cursory scene here and there.
There were several things about this book that didn't quite add up to the normal Carolyn Hart novel. That's not to say that it was a horrible book. It just wasn't what readers have come to expect from Hart. There is still plenty of potential for the series and subsequent books may counter some of the issues with this one. Another issue that stood out for me was the lack of setting and scene. Usually in a cozy mystery the setting is very important. In this novel the action centers around Halko and does not go into great details about the Craddock, Oklahoma town or it's residents beyond the police detective and the newspaperman. I wanted to know more about the area and the people, though I realize that this series is more character concentric than setting dependent.
The characters seem to rehash the facts of the case not once or twice but even three or four times in some cases. That made the book seem somewhat redundant and full of more filler than story line. There was so many ways this story could have gone that I believe would have been much more successful. The author is great storyteller and this book is good, but it's not great. I will definitely be looking to see if the sophomore effort in this series, can redeem it. I think it can and I believe it will. Hart is too good a writer not to rebound from this one.
Some readers may be able to look beyond the cons and see the pros in this one. The great main character, the interesting paranormal twist, the realistic portrayal of the thoughts of a feline. There are good things here, just not enough to pull off the first in this new series book.
June 6, 2017
This was a good book. Nela's character had me full of sympathy. Her flighty sister left her in a mess, even though she knew nothing about it.
November 8, 2012
Quote:
Steve liked Nela's voice. Not high. Not low. Kind of soft. A voice you could listen to for a long time. She looked small in an oversize chintz-covered chair, dark hair still tangled by the wind, face pale, dark shadows beneath her eyes. Bu she no longer seemed remote as she had in his first glimpse at Hamburger Heaven.
His eyes slid from her to a photograph on the table next to her chair. A dark-haired laughing man in a tee and shorts stood near an outcrop of black rocks on a beach, the wind stirring his hair. Across the bottom of the photograph was a simple inscription: To Nela-Love, Bill. A red, white and blue ribbon was woven through the latticed frame.
Steve was accustomed to figuring from one fact to another. The picture had to belong to Nela. To carry the photograph with her as she traveled meant that the man and place mattered very much to her. He was afraid he knew exactly why the ribbon was in place and that would account for the undertone of sadness that he'd observed.
But tonight, she was fully alive, quick intelligence in her eyes, resolve in her face, a woman engaged in a struggle to survive. The brown tabby nestled next to her. One slender hand rested on the cat's back. As she spoke, she looked at him with a direct stare that said she was in the fight for as long as it took.
Bea's Thoughts:
When I first read the blurb for this book I thought, "This could be really good or really awful." Hearing cat's thoughts? That's sci fi or paranormal, depending on how it's handled. Would she anthropomorphize the cat? I hadn't read Hart before but I knew she had a good reputation so I took a chance and agreed to review it. I'm glad I did and I'll read the next book in this series and seek out some of her other books.
Nela is grieving the death of her fiance and also the loss of her job as an investigative reporter. When her sister Chloe goes on a vacation, Nela flies in to cover her at her job; while that sets up the story, I had a hard time finding it believable. Chloe works for a reputable philanthropic foundation, how likely is that they'd agree to this arrangement? Surely there's someone who could fill, or they could use a temp agency. That bothered me on and off throughout the story.
The first night Nela is at Chloe's apartment, someone breaks in and trashes the place. The police investigate and believe Nela did it herself. In the meantime, Nela has heard the cat's thoughts and this isn't the first time it has happened. What she hears, combined with what she learns about Marian's death, lead her to believe that Marian was murdered. Meanwhile, there are problems at the foundation where she's filling in and soon she's investigating Marian's death and the problems at Haklo while dealing with the police, who are investigating her. In the midst of all this, she meets Steve, a reporter for the local paper. There's mutual interest, though there are trust issues and both have been hurt emotionally, Steve by his ex-wife and Nela by her fiance's death.
I had some qualms about how the psychic part of the book would be handled. The story is basically a straight contemporary story with just a hint of paranormal. Nela doesn't know how or why she can pick up cat's thoughts; at first she thought she might be having mental problems and she still isn't completely sure she's not but she becomes more willing to give credence to what she hears. Hart doesn't try to have cats think in full human fashion. Nela does pick up words but it's scattered words, not complete sentences, and the cats don't seem to be able to read Nela's thoughts. Hart doesn't give us an explanation for Nela's thoughts, which works in this book, but could get annoying if the series continues. Overall, I thought she handled it well.
I liked "What the Cat Saw". Nela and Steve are likable, flawed but decent people. The mystery is tightly written and the story flows, my only gripe about it was the implausibility of Nela filling in for Chloe. The book is as much as about Nela coping with all of the changes in her life as it is about the mystery and Hart blends the two seamlessly for an emotional, gripping story.
I received a hardcover for review from Bab's Book Bistro.
Steve liked Nela's voice. Not high. Not low. Kind of soft. A voice you could listen to for a long time. She looked small in an oversize chintz-covered chair, dark hair still tangled by the wind, face pale, dark shadows beneath her eyes. Bu she no longer seemed remote as she had in his first glimpse at Hamburger Heaven.
His eyes slid from her to a photograph on the table next to her chair. A dark-haired laughing man in a tee and shorts stood near an outcrop of black rocks on a beach, the wind stirring his hair. Across the bottom of the photograph was a simple inscription: To Nela-Love, Bill. A red, white and blue ribbon was woven through the latticed frame.
Steve was accustomed to figuring from one fact to another. The picture had to belong to Nela. To carry the photograph with her as she traveled meant that the man and place mattered very much to her. He was afraid he knew exactly why the ribbon was in place and that would account for the undertone of sadness that he'd observed.
But tonight, she was fully alive, quick intelligence in her eyes, resolve in her face, a woman engaged in a struggle to survive. The brown tabby nestled next to her. One slender hand rested on the cat's back. As she spoke, she looked at him with a direct stare that said she was in the fight for as long as it took.
Bea's Thoughts:
When I first read the blurb for this book I thought, "This could be really good or really awful." Hearing cat's thoughts? That's sci fi or paranormal, depending on how it's handled. Would she anthropomorphize the cat? I hadn't read Hart before but I knew she had a good reputation so I took a chance and agreed to review it. I'm glad I did and I'll read the next book in this series and seek out some of her other books.
Nela is grieving the death of her fiance and also the loss of her job as an investigative reporter. When her sister Chloe goes on a vacation, Nela flies in to cover her at her job; while that sets up the story, I had a hard time finding it believable. Chloe works for a reputable philanthropic foundation, how likely is that they'd agree to this arrangement? Surely there's someone who could fill, or they could use a temp agency. That bothered me on and off throughout the story.
The first night Nela is at Chloe's apartment, someone breaks in and trashes the place. The police investigate and believe Nela did it herself. In the meantime, Nela has heard the cat's thoughts and this isn't the first time it has happened. What she hears, combined with what she learns about Marian's death, lead her to believe that Marian was murdered. Meanwhile, there are problems at the foundation where she's filling in and soon she's investigating Marian's death and the problems at Haklo while dealing with the police, who are investigating her. In the midst of all this, she meets Steve, a reporter for the local paper. There's mutual interest, though there are trust issues and both have been hurt emotionally, Steve by his ex-wife and Nela by her fiance's death.
I had some qualms about how the psychic part of the book would be handled. The story is basically a straight contemporary story with just a hint of paranormal. Nela doesn't know how or why she can pick up cat's thoughts; at first she thought she might be having mental problems and she still isn't completely sure she's not but she becomes more willing to give credence to what she hears. Hart doesn't try to have cats think in full human fashion. Nela does pick up words but it's scattered words, not complete sentences, and the cats don't seem to be able to read Nela's thoughts. Hart doesn't give us an explanation for Nela's thoughts, which works in this book, but could get annoying if the series continues. Overall, I thought she handled it well.
I liked "What the Cat Saw". Nela and Steve are likable, flawed but decent people. The mystery is tightly written and the story flows, my only gripe about it was the implausibility of Nela filling in for Chloe. The book is as much as about Nela coping with all of the changes in her life as it is about the mystery and Hart blends the two seamlessly for an emotional, gripping story.
I received a hardcover for review from Bab's Book Bistro.
January 16, 2016
Nela Farley can't really understand what that cat is thinking, can she? Nela knows that what she’s experiencing is completely irrational and tries to convince herself that she is simply transferring her own thoughts that she doesn’t want to face.
Nela is doing her sister Chloe a huge favor by filling in for her at her job while she goes off on vacation. Chloe has even arranged a place for Nela to stay. A woman she worked with has recently passed away and Chloe has been taking care of her cat. When she arrives she meets the cat and immediately she has “. . . dead . . . dead and gone . . . She loved me . . . board rolled on the second step . . .” pop into her head. She then realizes the previous tenant's death may not have been an accident as everyone had thought.
Nela just can't ignore the feeling she has. Was Marian Grant murdered? As Nela looks into Marian's life and starts work at the Haklo Foundation she realizes she has more questions than answers. When another body is found and the police start to point fingers at Chloe Nela realizes she needs to figure out "what the cat saw" before anyone else takes a not so accidental fall.
Dollycas's Thoughts
Carolyn Hart is one of the master's of the cozy mystery. This new series debut is classic Hart, a tight plot with great characters in an interesting setting and don't forget Jugs the cat.
I am not sure if knowing or thinking you know what a cat is thinking really can be classified as paranormal. Cats and humans just have a way of communicating. They can cut you with a certain look, bring you joy with just the right "chirrup", and their purrs say so much. Well probably not as much as "board rolled on the second step" but cat lovers will know what I mean.
Nela and Chloe are as different as two sisters can be. Nela's life is in flux at the moment but she seems to be a very orderly and structured person. Chloe is much more carefree, going from job to job as the mood strikes. She was on vacation in this installment so I look forward to learning more about her in the future. The best characters evolve at the perfect pace so they readers catch the nuances and the traits they carry forward book to book.
The groundwork has been well laid and I know this series will be a successful as all her others. Whenever in doubt about something to read just pick up something by Carolyn Hart, you can't go wrong with this wonderful author.
Nela is doing her sister Chloe a huge favor by filling in for her at her job while she goes off on vacation. Chloe has even arranged a place for Nela to stay. A woman she worked with has recently passed away and Chloe has been taking care of her cat. When she arrives she meets the cat and immediately she has “. . . dead . . . dead and gone . . . She loved me . . . board rolled on the second step . . .” pop into her head. She then realizes the previous tenant's death may not have been an accident as everyone had thought.
Nela just can't ignore the feeling she has. Was Marian Grant murdered? As Nela looks into Marian's life and starts work at the Haklo Foundation she realizes she has more questions than answers. When another body is found and the police start to point fingers at Chloe Nela realizes she needs to figure out "what the cat saw" before anyone else takes a not so accidental fall.
Dollycas's Thoughts
Carolyn Hart is one of the master's of the cozy mystery. This new series debut is classic Hart, a tight plot with great characters in an interesting setting and don't forget Jugs the cat.
I am not sure if knowing or thinking you know what a cat is thinking really can be classified as paranormal. Cats and humans just have a way of communicating. They can cut you with a certain look, bring you joy with just the right "chirrup", and their purrs say so much. Well probably not as much as "board rolled on the second step" but cat lovers will know what I mean.
Nela and Chloe are as different as two sisters can be. Nela's life is in flux at the moment but she seems to be a very orderly and structured person. Chloe is much more carefree, going from job to job as the mood strikes. She was on vacation in this installment so I look forward to learning more about her in the future. The best characters evolve at the perfect pace so they readers catch the nuances and the traits they carry forward book to book.
The groundwork has been well laid and I know this series will be a successful as all her others. Whenever in doubt about something to read just pick up something by Carolyn Hart, you can't go wrong with this wonderful author.
October 2, 2012
What The Cat Saw is the first in, what I hope, is a new series from the wonderful storyteller, Carolyn Hart.
Nela is only too happy to help her sister out on the spur of the moment, as Nela has lost her job as an investigative reporter and her boyfriend was recently killed in the war overseas. She needs a change in her life to sort out her problems. Her sister Chloe is one who often speaks in half sentences and tells half a story. Chloe has asked Nela to fill in for her at her job with the Haklo Foundation and says that she will be staying at her late bosses apartment above a refurbished carriage house and take care of Jugs, the cat, that lives there. Chloe's boss, Marian Grant, had fallen down the stairs at her apartment and died just a few days before Nela arrived. As Nela is settling in for her first night in Grant's apartment she looks Jug in the eye and gets the message: "Dead, board on second step". this isn't the first time she has gotten these messages form cats. As Nela starts to settle in for the evening she hears foot steps on stairs and barricades herself in the bedroom. Someone breaks in and seems to be looking for something. The police are called, but by the time they arrive the burglar is long gone. The police feel it is just a prowler that knew that the resident had recently died.
Upon arriving at Haklo Foundation the next morning she is begins to understand that something is definitely wrong at the foundation and that the death was more than likely murder. There have been several minor vandalisms in and around the foundation, disgruntled employees, and the head of the foundation had a very valuable necklace stolen. Who at the foundation would commit these act and murder, too.
With the help of Steve Flynn, a local newspaper reporter, Nela is able to avoid death herself.
A very exciting new series from the very talented Carolyn Hart. Definitely looking to see where Nela is headed next.
Nela is only too happy to help her sister out on the spur of the moment, as Nela has lost her job as an investigative reporter and her boyfriend was recently killed in the war overseas. She needs a change in her life to sort out her problems. Her sister Chloe is one who often speaks in half sentences and tells half a story. Chloe has asked Nela to fill in for her at her job with the Haklo Foundation and says that she will be staying at her late bosses apartment above a refurbished carriage house and take care of Jugs, the cat, that lives there. Chloe's boss, Marian Grant, had fallen down the stairs at her apartment and died just a few days before Nela arrived. As Nela is settling in for her first night in Grant's apartment she looks Jug in the eye and gets the message: "Dead, board on second step". this isn't the first time she has gotten these messages form cats. As Nela starts to settle in for the evening she hears foot steps on stairs and barricades herself in the bedroom. Someone breaks in and seems to be looking for something. The police are called, but by the time they arrive the burglar is long gone. The police feel it is just a prowler that knew that the resident had recently died.
Upon arriving at Haklo Foundation the next morning she is begins to understand that something is definitely wrong at the foundation and that the death was more than likely murder. There have been several minor vandalisms in and around the foundation, disgruntled employees, and the head of the foundation had a very valuable necklace stolen. Who at the foundation would commit these act and murder, too.
With the help of Steve Flynn, a local newspaper reporter, Nela is able to avoid death herself.
A very exciting new series from the very talented Carolyn Hart. Definitely looking to see where Nela is headed next.
January 14, 2013
I don't know why I had trouble getting into this book. I had heard great things about Carolyn Hart, so I was excited to get her new book, especially since it had someone who communicate with cats in it!
Nela (Cornelia) is a grieving and unemployed investigative reporter who agrees to fill in at her sister Chloe's job (not knowing at all what it is) at a philanthropic organization while her flighty sister takes off with her boyfriend to Tahiti. She also ends up staying at the apartment of a recently deceased employee of foundation to cat-sit, something else Chloe was supposed to do. When Jugs, the cat she is to care for, communicates with her she tries to ignore it, just as she tried to ignore her deceased fiance's cat's comments. Jugs thoughts, however, do raise the question of whether Miss Grant's death was really an accident, as is commonly held, and Nela begins to wonder whether the acts of vandalism and the theft of an very expensive necklace are linked to the murder. When the apartment she is staying in is broken into, with Miss Grant's office also being vandalized, suspicion of the theft of the necklace is cast upon her and her absent sister Chloe, which necessitates her doing some investigating of her own. She is helped in her endeavors by Steve, the owner of the local newspaper, and some romance may be in the air.
I just really didn't connect with or feel like I understood any of the characters - they just all seemed rather wooden to me. Nela really didn't use her gift very much at all, just in passing, which was a disappointment. And finally, the book really reminded me of Clea Simon's "Cats Can't Shoot," except that at least in the Pru Marlowe mysteries the way Pru uses her gift to communicate with animals is entertaining and somewhat humorous.
I'm sure someone else would like this, but it wasn't really to my taste.
Nela (Cornelia) is a grieving and unemployed investigative reporter who agrees to fill in at her sister Chloe's job (not knowing at all what it is) at a philanthropic organization while her flighty sister takes off with her boyfriend to Tahiti. She also ends up staying at the apartment of a recently deceased employee of foundation to cat-sit, something else Chloe was supposed to do. When Jugs, the cat she is to care for, communicates with her she tries to ignore it, just as she tried to ignore her deceased fiance's cat's comments. Jugs thoughts, however, do raise the question of whether Miss Grant's death was really an accident, as is commonly held, and Nela begins to wonder whether the acts of vandalism and the theft of an very expensive necklace are linked to the murder. When the apartment she is staying in is broken into, with Miss Grant's office also being vandalized, suspicion of the theft of the necklace is cast upon her and her absent sister Chloe, which necessitates her doing some investigating of her own. She is helped in her endeavors by Steve, the owner of the local newspaper, and some romance may be in the air.
I just really didn't connect with or feel like I understood any of the characters - they just all seemed rather wooden to me. Nela really didn't use her gift very much at all, just in passing, which was a disappointment. And finally, the book really reminded me of Clea Simon's "Cats Can't Shoot," except that at least in the Pru Marlowe mysteries the way Pru uses her gift to communicate with animals is entertaining and somewhat humorous.
I'm sure someone else would like this, but it wasn't really to my taste.
December 12, 2012
What The Cat Saw
by
Carolyn Hart
My " in a nutshell" summary...
A crime occurs, a cat sees it and sends sort of mental messages to Nela...who is there helping her sister.
My thoughts after reading...
Fascinating...complex...yet cozy...this mystery was hard for me to get into but once I did...I was caught up in it!
It seemed to be an odd beginning...a sister calls her sister to live in someone's apartment and take over the sister's job while she is away for a week? And the apartment owner has just mysteriously died...there is a break-in the first night...a message sending cat named Jugs...and more and more unsettling things for Nela...who has issues of her own...to ponder over.
A missing necklace, computer files, frozen pipes, skateboards, ruined Indian baskets...there are lots of things gone awry! Nela can't resist thinking about everything.
And...unfortunately...all of these things occur just after Nela's sister Chloe comes to town!
And suddenly goes off on a trip with her boyfriend...me oh my...suspicious behaviors! Enter Steve...local newspaperman...and a real investigation ensues!
Now...you know this is a mystery...fun would be spoiled if I said another word!
What I loved about this book...
I didn't at first but I slowly grew to really like Nela...and Jugs!
And the ending was quite a delicious surprise...a truly good...who done it?
What I did not like...
This was a slow moving mystery for me...I am not saying it wasn't lovely...but I had a bit of a hard time getting into it.
Final thoughts...
Cozy mystery lovers will adore this sparkly mystery!
by
Carolyn Hart
My " in a nutshell" summary...
A crime occurs, a cat sees it and sends sort of mental messages to Nela...who is there helping her sister.
My thoughts after reading...
Fascinating...complex...yet cozy...this mystery was hard for me to get into but once I did...I was caught up in it!
It seemed to be an odd beginning...a sister calls her sister to live in someone's apartment and take over the sister's job while she is away for a week? And the apartment owner has just mysteriously died...there is a break-in the first night...a message sending cat named Jugs...and more and more unsettling things for Nela...who has issues of her own...to ponder over.
A missing necklace, computer files, frozen pipes, skateboards, ruined Indian baskets...there are lots of things gone awry! Nela can't resist thinking about everything.
And...unfortunately...all of these things occur just after Nela's sister Chloe comes to town!
And suddenly goes off on a trip with her boyfriend...me oh my...suspicious behaviors! Enter Steve...local newspaperman...and a real investigation ensues!
Now...you know this is a mystery...fun would be spoiled if I said another word!
What I loved about this book...
I didn't at first but I slowly grew to really like Nela...and Jugs!
And the ending was quite a delicious surprise...a truly good...who done it?
What I did not like...
This was a slow moving mystery for me...I am not saying it wasn't lovely...but I had a bit of a hard time getting into it.
Final thoughts...
Cozy mystery lovers will adore this sparkly mystery!
July 23, 2014
Carolyn Hart is starting a new series with What the Cat Saw. In this first book of the series Nela Farley has left her home in California to substitute for her sister at her job at a foundation and to babysit the cat of one of her sister's recently deceased coworkers so that her sister can go off to Tahiti with her boyfriend. Nela is free to come to Oklahoma because she was recently downsized from her job at a newspaper, and since her husband had previously been killed in action while in Afghanistan, there was really nothing to prevent her from coming.
Since her husband died, Nela had become aware of reading cats' thoughts and thought she might be about to go crazy. But when she gets to the apartment where she was going to stay (the apartment of the recently deceased coworker), where she was going to take care of the cat, she hears this cat's thoughts in her mind, and he understands her thoughts. She really freaks out when the cat seemed to be trying to tell Nela that his former companion had been murdered and was not just an accident as the police judged it.
Even before she starts work at the foundation, Nela gets sucked into the mystery surrounding the death of this person, and makes a new friend along the way.
Since her husband died, Nela had become aware of reading cats' thoughts and thought she might be about to go crazy. But when she gets to the apartment where she was going to stay (the apartment of the recently deceased coworker), where she was going to take care of the cat, she hears this cat's thoughts in her mind, and he understands her thoughts. She really freaks out when the cat seemed to be trying to tell Nela that his former companion had been murdered and was not just an accident as the police judged it.
Even before she starts work at the foundation, Nela gets sucked into the mystery surrounding the death of this person, and makes a new friend along the way.
December 28, 2012
I really liked the clear, easy to read, logical, compelling writing.
The setting is described early on and the heroine is fleshed out: Nela, sad young woman who lost fiance is now substituting as a temporary staffer on behalf of her sister who is off on a tropical jaunt. Local cat seems to transmit emotions or thoughts, to her doubtful mind.
An intruder attempts to rifle through her garage apartment upon her first night. Then as she starts work at the local foundation office, more incidents are revealed or occur. Nela becomes involved willy-nilly in order to help police dispel suspicions about her own sister. She meets local newspaperman who is recovering from heartbreak himself, and who lends her a clear, logical mind to organize the sequence of events.
This is one of the few mystery thrillers that I could easily follow: cast and possible motives were very well laid out, and I actually figured out the killer all by myself before the ending climax, ha, ha!
The setting is described early on and the heroine is fleshed out: Nela, sad young woman who lost fiance is now substituting as a temporary staffer on behalf of her sister who is off on a tropical jaunt. Local cat seems to transmit emotions or thoughts, to her doubtful mind.
An intruder attempts to rifle through her garage apartment upon her first night. Then as she starts work at the local foundation office, more incidents are revealed or occur. Nela becomes involved willy-nilly in order to help police dispel suspicions about her own sister. She meets local newspaperman who is recovering from heartbreak himself, and who lends her a clear, logical mind to organize the sequence of events.
This is one of the few mystery thrillers that I could easily follow: cast and possible motives were very well laid out, and I actually figured out the killer all by myself before the ending climax, ha, ha!
April 4, 2013
Periodically, I make a stab at reading the mystery genre. These types of books really seem like a nice escape, especially when you just want something light and fun. But I must keep choosing the duds.
Ok, I admit it, I picked up this one because the main character could read the minds of cats, a lifetime secret desire of mine. I really tried, but the writing was killing me and new, flat characters were introduced on almost every page. After plodding through 150 pages, I finally just read the last 2 chapters, where all mysteries were solved. No need to read the middle part!
Seriously, if you like mysteries, please give me guidance!
Ok, I admit it, I picked up this one because the main character could read the minds of cats, a lifetime secret desire of mine. I really tried, but the writing was killing me and new, flat characters were introduced on almost every page. After plodding through 150 pages, I finally just read the last 2 chapters, where all mysteries were solved. No need to read the middle part!
Seriously, if you like mysteries, please give me guidance!
November 3, 2012
Not up to Hart's usual writing. The "talking to cats" premise was weak - maybe I expected more being a fan of Rita Mae Brown's Mrs. Murphy series. The mystery plot was weak and the blossoming romance between the two main characters felt forced and too quick.
December 1, 2012
I got taken in by the adorable tabby cat on the cover, who looks like our cat Katie, who died this summer. The cat had almost no role in the mystery, the writing was pedestrian, and the characters were not particularly well drawn. But it passed some time when I was too tired to read for class.
August 22, 2013
Initially I wasn't a big fan, as I was having a hard time keeping the characters straight. When I relaxed and didn't worry about every detail, I found this to be a much more enjoyable book.
September 18, 2024
SPOILERS
This book was not good. It felt like it jumped around too much. The characters felt one dimensional. And there was SO MUCH exposition about the characters: literally more than one list of each character’s attributes instead of finding it out through dialog or interactions.
The part with her hearing the cat’s thoughts: I had to reread the first scene three times because I didn’t realize a cat had entered the room. And then it becomes a secret between her and the love interest but is never questioned or revealed. “How did you know that info?” “Oh I can’t tell you.” “ oh ok.”
Towards the end there were some comments that felt like it was narrowing down the suspects, like talking about one guy being very suspicious. But then the end of that passage it named three guys who were on the suspicion list. And then two pages later everyone was suspicious again! I couldn’t even keep straight a couple of the characters.
There was a comment by a sexist cop at the beginning that the car fire (which was before the story starts) was the work of jealous women because the car owner was hot. I brushed it off as just a sexist character. Nope. That was actually what happened. 🤦♀️
And the end the main character and the love interest get together I guess because he says “you’re not moving back to California.” Uh ok… nothing about their relationship starting? Or him asking her to join his newspaper since she’s a reporter? Nothing?? Really???
This book was not good. It felt like it jumped around too much. The characters felt one dimensional. And there was SO MUCH exposition about the characters: literally more than one list of each character’s attributes instead of finding it out through dialog or interactions.
The part with her hearing the cat’s thoughts: I had to reread the first scene three times because I didn’t realize a cat had entered the room. And then it becomes a secret between her and the love interest but is never questioned or revealed. “How did you know that info?” “Oh I can’t tell you.” “ oh ok.”
Towards the end there were some comments that felt like it was narrowing down the suspects, like talking about one guy being very suspicious. But then the end of that passage it named three guys who were on the suspicion list. And then two pages later everyone was suspicious again! I couldn’t even keep straight a couple of the characters.
There was a comment by a sexist cop at the beginning that the car fire (which was before the story starts) was the work of jealous women because the car owner was hot. I brushed it off as just a sexist character. Nope. That was actually what happened. 🤦♀️
And the end the main character and the love interest get together I guess because he says “you’re not moving back to California.” Uh ok… nothing about their relationship starting? Or him asking her to join his newspaper since she’s a reporter? Nothing?? Really???
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2017
No sex
No strong language
No violence
Middle Schoolers - Adults
Lightweight cozy mystery.
Good plot.
I gave it only 4 stars because there were times when I didn't know who was talking to whom. Example: The main character and the newspaper reporter are interviewing people at the same time but in separate places. We get one interview and then another without sufficient clues at the beginning of the paragraph so that we can know who the interviewer is.
Also, thank heaven for Kindle's feature of pressing on a name to get a quick review of who the person is. I had to do that repeatedly.
I guessed rather quickly whodunit. I am rarely able to do that That didn't spoil it for me, so I kept reading.
Last criticism: I have the feeling that Ms. Hart was rolling out a book because she had a contract to write one. The idea of a person being able to hear a cat's thoughts is intriguing, but her heart didn't seem to be in it. Most of the other stories I've read by her are far better crafted.
Plot:
Vandalism at a charitable organization has been followed by a mysterious death. Our main character comes to the organization as a temp for for her sister who is on vacation. More vandalism occurs, and our heroine, who oddly enough has heard the thoughts of the dead woman's cat, realizes something is off. Thereafter she seeks to find who is behind the occurrences, especially since the mysterious death now seems to be murder rather than an unfortunate accident.
No strong language
No violence
Middle Schoolers - Adults
Lightweight cozy mystery.
Good plot.
I gave it only 4 stars because there were times when I didn't know who was talking to whom. Example: The main character and the newspaper reporter are interviewing people at the same time but in separate places. We get one interview and then another without sufficient clues at the beginning of the paragraph so that we can know who the interviewer is.
Also, thank heaven for Kindle's feature of pressing on a name to get a quick review of who the person is. I had to do that repeatedly.
I guessed rather quickly whodunit. I am rarely able to do that That didn't spoil it for me, so I kept reading.
Last criticism: I have the feeling that Ms. Hart was rolling out a book because she had a contract to write one. The idea of a person being able to hear a cat's thoughts is intriguing, but her heart didn't seem to be in it. Most of the other stories I've read by her are far better crafted.
Plot:
Vandalism at a charitable organization has been followed by a mysterious death. Our main character comes to the organization as a temp for for her sister who is on vacation. More vandalism occurs, and our heroine, who oddly enough has heard the thoughts of the dead woman's cat, realizes something is off. Thereafter she seeks to find who is behind the occurrences, especially since the mysterious death now seems to be murder rather than an unfortunate accident.
May 25, 2017
White bread.
Sand.
Tapioca.
In a word: bland. Carolyn Hart's What the Cat Saw never took off for me. The premise that seemed so eye-catching on the back - she hears cats' thoughts! - was nothing more than a sidenote that probably took up half a page when all of it was put together; even worse, the main character never delves into this, just dismisses it as some weird manifestation of grief. If it had been set up as a "is she really reading their minds or is she really just grieving?" kind of ambiguity, that might have been okay, but it's not! She clearly is! But apparently she doesn't even think to question this.
There's a shoehorned romance that was kind of awful, honestly, not least of which because the implication is that the main character, Nela, married her husband, lost him, is in a constant state of grief, then immediately jumps into bed with the next guy and is happy again. Wouldn't it have been better to show her overcoming her grief alone? Why did there even need to be a romance?
The plot is contrived, the characters confusing, and the writing is stilted.
Not worth the read.
Sand.
Tapioca.
In a word: bland. Carolyn Hart's What the Cat Saw never took off for me. The premise that seemed so eye-catching on the back - she hears cats' thoughts! - was nothing more than a sidenote that probably took up half a page when all of it was put together; even worse, the main character never delves into this, just dismisses it as some weird manifestation of grief. If it had been set up as a "is she really reading their minds or is she really just grieving?" kind of ambiguity, that might have been okay, but it's not! She clearly is! But apparently she doesn't even think to question this.
There's a shoehorned romance that was kind of awful, honestly, not least of which because the implication is that the main character, Nela, married her husband, lost him, is in a constant state of grief, then immediately jumps into bed with the next guy and is happy again. Wouldn't it have been better to show her overcoming her grief alone? Why did there even need to be a romance?
The plot is contrived, the characters confusing, and the writing is stilted.
Not worth the read.
July 16, 2017
I enjoyed the book, but then, I’m usually easy to please when it comes to reading material. I liked the cat being able to communicate, wish there had been more of it (like a lot more). That’s the pro part. The con part-why would Nela suddenly develop the ability to hear cats’ thoughts just because her fiancé died? A sixth sense usually comes with some traumatic thing happening to the person themselves. Yes, her fiancé died, that’s sad, but not traumatic enough to set up a psychic ability. Character development was lacking, so much so that things had to repeatedly be ‘told’ so we knew what the people were like. The story did drag a lot, probably because of all the rehashing of people’s character traits and life stories. So, I did eventually enjoy it, but not enough to read it again some day (and I don’t mind rereading good books).
May 4, 2025
I totally can get behind a cozy cat mystery… Which is why I picked this book. It wasn’t terribly written but it could have been so much better without the overuse of physical features and facial expressions’ descriptions and the lame attempts at portraying the characters’ outfits ( who all appeared to come straight out of a 80’s murder series). It makes everything sound phony and hollow. The writers own voice sounds “dated”. She projects in the internal dialogues of her main characters who are in their late 20’s yet sound like an old person stuck in 1985… It puzzles me to no end that no editor would have tried to correct these glaring flows… If writers’ styles had a smell this one reeks of musty bedrooms and mothballs.
August 20, 2024
I am beginning this book with major trepidation. First of all I seldom read cozies, although I have enjoyed this author's Death on Demand series. Secondly I am not a fan of magical realism / parnormal phenomena. Although I am owned by a cat and thus live is a cat-rocentric world, she does speak to me and communicates her needs, but not in actual words. She is my constant reading companion, believes that if I am speaking I must be speaking to her ( she shows up when I am on the phone or a zoom visit ) and disconnects doctor visits. We shall see....... Actually the mystery was pretty good. The psychic cat only played a minor role in assisting the heroine. Kristi & Abby Tabby
July 13, 2017
Apparently "whodunit" is not my genre... couldn't quite get into this book, so I skim-read through it quickly. Had the basic formula: introduce the characters, introduce the crime, lay out all the clues, throw in a little romance, solve the crime, live happily ever after. It intrigued me because of the idea of the cat and ESP, but (spoiler alert) the cat actually thinks (or says) very little. Meh.
December 23, 2017
I wanted to read this book because of the title but it was never explained how Nela could possibly know what the cat was thinking. Also, I think it was way too easy to figure out who the killer was and someone needs a new editor because there were some glaring mistakes. It wasn't a bad read but it wasn't anything great either.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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