Missing

by Wolfgang Parker (Author, Illustrator)

Cats are missing in the neighborhood. Jonas Shurmann discovers he can hear cats talk. With his two cat detective friends, he sets out to find the missing felines.

149 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Wolfgang Parker is the accidental author and illustrator of the "Crime Cats" children's mystery series. He wrote the first volume, "Crime Cats: Missing," as a gift for his nineteen nieces and nephews and soon found people of all ages enjoyed reading the adventures of the Chicken-Boy of Clintonville and his cat detective partners.

Wolfgang has been previously known as a music pioneer. His debut album "Hep City Swing" (1998) was the first Punk-Swing album ever recorded. After its release, his band went on to record three full-length albums, an EP, and a couple of vinyl 7" singles. Then, during a creative lull, Parker picked up a camera and his artistic journey suddenly changed direction.

The rocker spent a short stint being published as a fashion and art photographer before burning out on the grueling process. However, he walked away with love of visual storytelling rekindled.

Parker parlayed that love into a graphic novel titled "1888: Deklin Skurlock Investigation Casebook, Vol. I.," which was successfully funded by private backers via Kickstarter and is currently in production. The campaign's success spurred him to pursue writing prose while he coped with the loss of his band of nearly two decades.

Parker was voted one of Columbus' best authors in the 2015 ColumbusUnderground.com reader's poll. He currently occupies duel roles as fiction writer and singer/bassist of a new band, Weedhaven Laughing Academy--both with releases due out in 2016.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wave of feline disappearances, a haunted mansion, two crime-solving cats, a somewhat dorky sixth-grade boy in a chicken suit who wants to be a hero, a mysterious beast, and--if that weren't enough--it is set in a fictionalized version of my very own neighborhood of Clintonville in Columbus, Ohio! I don't often read chapter books for children, but--tell me--with all of this cool stuff in it, how could I not read it?

This well-paced, very quick read is whimsically illustrated by the author, who has donated a portion of each book sale to a private charity which helps with the medical expenses of Clintonville area cats. If you need one more good reason to purchase it, you should know that it has some wise things to say about bullies and bullying, and isn't the least bit preachy--at all.

Gee, I wish I lived in this imaginary Clintonville, where my kid could be a student at George Clinton High School. Do you think the football team might be called the Funkadelics? And--if so--what would their mascot look like? Would feathers and sunglasses be involved?

Perhaps these questions are answered in the second book in the Crime Cat Series, The Dusenbury Curse. (Both books are now available from Amazon.)

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me open with the fact that the author (and the editor for that matter) are friends of mine. I got very excited when I saw that Wolfgang Parker had published a book and I sent away for a copy. I am aware that it's intended for a much younger age group, but I couldn't put the book down. Jonas, our hero (though in the end, I'm not sure he'd agree), is a very well written character. He's smart, not exactly shy, a little mature for his age and yet still wants what all kids (and most adults) want: to be liked. His friends, Neil Higgins and CatBob are great in that they aren't sidekicks, nor do they lead Jonas but the three of them together are an equal team right from the start. Jonas learns more than a few lessons during his adventure, and they're all things that kids these days could stand to learn from too. Honestly, a few parents could learn from this too and I sincerely hope that this book read by families together. I would also like to note that I want to live in a world where my child can attend George Clinton Elementary School.

The illustrations throughout the book are great, they reminded me of the books I read when I was little. Things like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, where the pictures are both detailed and simple. You can tell a lot of work was put into them, but they aren't so detailed as to be overly scary for the younger audience. I'm an especially big admirer of the skull on the front cover, it's perfectly creepy.

Mr. Parker has built a wonderful little town and I cannot wait to explore it further. You can expect to find me at the head of the line for the next book.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up Crime Cats: Missing, partly on a whim; and partly because I know the author and illustrator, Wolfgang Parker. It is a fun children's book about a boy with the ability to talk with cats. With this new found ability, he joins a pair of cats and solve the mystery of missing cats. I was impressed with the author's writing ability developing a great plot line with interesting characters (even if most of them are cats). Another fun part of the book is that it is set in the Columbus, OH neighborhood of Clintonville. Cat lovers young and old will enjoy it. I know I did. I will be waiting for the next installment of Crime Cats.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jonas reluctantly dons the chicken costume that his father has bought for Halloween--he wanted to be a hero--and finds that he can speak to cats while wearing it. That's lucky, because a lot of cats are missing, and the two cats Jonas befriends--CatBob and Neil Higgins--are trying to find out why. As Jonas takes a hand, he learns more about cats, more about being a hero, and more about himself.

[susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun kids book about talking cats in the Clintonville neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. Written and illustrated by Wolfgang Parker, cat lovers of all ages will enjoy this mystery of missing cats and a boy in a chicken suit.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This honestly was a cute book and I loved reading it with my kids in Y Club. They were hooked and wanted to know more about Jonas, Neil Higgins, and Catbob. Definitely a wonderful book for school aged children and a great way to introduce them to the mystery genre and how to treat animals with kindness.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because it was fun to read it and it is just easy to read for fun. The author was very descriptive and the book was very enjoyable.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grade-schooler cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
Met the author at the Cat Expo and was so kind, it truly shows in his work.
Keep more Crime Cats coming please!

[Michael Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't judge me for reading this.

You can judge me for mildly enjoying it.

So I came upon this book because the author is local and I'm one of those jerks who try and support local business. He seemed nice enough, for a writer, so I bought the book.

So the story is about a young boy who learns that he is able to talk to cats (and takes that revelation remarkably well). Jonas (the boy) stumbles into a mystery of disappearing cats and picks up two cat detectives Catbob and Neil Higgins. Cat detectives are detectives that deal primarily with cat based crimes... Because of course they are. I feel like overspecialization has become a crippling issue in this world's economy. Jonas and crew investigate what's been happening tot he cats while dealing with a monster, a ghost and bullies...

So the thing I like about this book is that Jonas is not dumb. That sounds like soft praise, but I remember reading other books like this where the main character just is not quick on the uptake. Jonas is intelligent, but never to the point where I doubt that he is a kid. The cat interactions, while occasionally grating, are typically spot on.

There is also one thing that I can say about it. It is very cute. It's very genuine. It's almost pure really. It's disgusting honestly, but still enjoyable

It is very much for kids in the 8-12 demographic. I can appreciate that fact, but it's not my thing anymore, which drags my rating down.

So long story short, if you have a kid they'll probably like it. If you really like cats you'll like it. If you just want to give to a cat charity but don't want to do it directly for some reason, this is also a book for you.

[Cassie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Wolfgang Parker this past weekend at a book signing. I previously had never heard of Crime Cats, but was immediately drawn to his table as soon as I noticed what the books were about. My children are 7 and 10, so I knew these would make the perfect gifts for them! He suggested I read the books before gifting them, and I am terribly grateful for that advice. Even as an adult, 'Missing' was captivating and entertaining. I read it entirely in one sitting; I just couldn't put it down! I cannot wait to start Books 2 and 3.

The story is set in the neighborhood of Clintonville around Halloween time. Jonas, the main human character in the series, works part-time after school at the local vet's office. After an unusually high amount of neighborhood cats goes missing, Jonas enlists the help of two unlikely detective friends to find what may have 'got' them! When you are all finished reading, the last few pages of the book contain an awesome resource for kids with advice on meeting new cats and what to do if your cat friend goes missing. Throughout the book, it's clear that the author has an excellent understanding of both the minds of cats and children alike.

I live in Columbus, OH and enjoyed being able to picture the actual neighborhoods in Clintonville as I read. I also love how a portion of the profit from every copy of Crime Cats goes to help community cats from Clintonville - where the real CatBob and Neil Higgins truly live! I feel these books are an excellent gift for any elementary-aged kids and will recommend them to all of my friends and family!

[Jaymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a review copy of this from the author). I don't generally read "Halloween" books, but Halloween anchored the story in the calendar year and gave it some "color" but it wasn't a major party of the story or so creepy that it would turn off more sensitive readers.

The story itself - the characters, the mystery- was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved Jonas' evolution through the story from bully-bait to hero. Great friendship story. Great animal story. I would read more from this author and more in this series.

[Elizabeth Nordquest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found out about this book from a co-worker. Missing is a cute children's (chapter) book set in the Columbus neighborhood Clintonville. It was fun to read about familiar places, changed just enough to add drama. I'd definitely read another!

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book for my niece, but as a cat lover, of course I was going to read it first! It is absolutely entertaining. I suspected that I would enjoy it, but was surprised by my adoration of nearly every character. By far, the most charming book I've read in years.

[Damion · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kind of book I would have liked as a kid: a mystery, sleuthing, and the strange magic of Clintonville. A fun way to help kids understand the importance of kindness to cats and empathy for all animals.

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

very cool book that I ordered for my daughter and ended up loving as well. I love the characterizations and the author's tone. can't wait for volume two...and I don't even like cats!

[Niheala Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun.. It really captured the felines and kids without talking down to either.
I look forward to more adventures in Clintonville!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very well written and interesting. I loved how it had tips at the end to help with cats.

[Annika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. It is a great kids chapter book, or a fluffy read for an adult.