There's Something Wrong with the Cats

Mousebane & Red Mist #1

by C.J. Powell

Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, it mutated it into a vigilante crime fighter.

Dan's cats are acting weird. One has grown into a strength powerhouse, the other wants to communicate... verbally. And now other kitties have begun to go missing from his quiet suburban street. Could the man in the parka that haunts a nearby industrial estate have answers? Or perhaps it’s something to do with the strange disappearing woman in the woods? Can our hero figure out the conspiracy before it turns into a catastrophe?

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Cats, Thriller, Animals

ebook

Published March 1, 2025

About the author

Hi, I'm Chris. I write fun science fiction mysteries and thrillers set in the real world with lots of humour.

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A little about me...

I enjoy authors such as Jeff Vandermeer, Blake Crouch, and P G Wodehouse.

My favourite films are Alien and The Fifth Element.

I live with my wife and daughter and enjoy retro computer games, pretty much all science fiction movies, and if I ever get the opportunity I love to rock climb. I also play bass most weeks in a rocking wedding band.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 Completely and utterly unhinged… the whole book is like a fever dream with crime fighting cats.

I don’t think I need to say anything else really

[Hoilo1122 · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A hilarious sci-fi/fantasy for fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and John Scalzi"

Yeah, no.

Based on that line I expected I was in for a funny, lighthearted, silly book. It wasn't. But, I still enjoyed the read overall. So let's dig into why.

The first 100 pages of this 300 page book is character exposition. The author really wants to drive home that the main character is an awkward man. We go through many instances where he fumbles interactions, gets himself in trouble and has very 'out there' reasoning. I think we were also supposed to see that he loves his wife, but for me it more so felt like proof that they aren't on equal footing. I personally really didn't like this part, though it might be your cup of tea if you aren't as prone to second hand embarassement. Beyond some clothing description and a moment of slapstick with a gate, I didn't really spot any funny bits. Definitely not anything that would count as 'hilarious' or humor like that of Pratchett or Adams (I am not familiar with Scalzi, so I won't go into that comparison).

Then in the rest of the book we dive into a high paced, action filled adventure. I really enjoyed this part, though it felt like all of the main character's awkwardness that was set up in the first 100 pages disappeared. I'm grateful for it, but then why set it up so extensively in the first place? The latter part was very intense and gets very dark, which I enjoyed. But once again, I'm lost on the promises given in the quoted line of the synopsis. I think that it severely set the wrong expectations, and thus set me up for disappointed. If it had been something along the lines of "An intense sci-fi/fantasy for fans of superheroes, star wars and more" I probably would have been very satisfied.

Overall I think this book has a great concept and engaging action scenes. Some tweaks to the initial pacing and the synopsis would turn it into a great book.

[Kathy Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this story immensely!

I wasn't sure about it when I first picked it up, but it had cats so it already had 1 thing going for it. The way the author laid out his story was quiet but never slow. It was like he was playing with a piece of string, dragging it through the pages with little flick to keep you caught up in the story. He didn't need a lot of flash and bang to keep things moving forward. He wrote it with delicate touch and just told a great story. I certainly hope there will be a sequel. I've found a new author to follow.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy Cats

Dan was just a guy who married a beautiful woman and played in a band. He wasn’t a rock star, but he had dreams that he would one day do great things for his wife. Dan and Amy had two cats, one name Flash and one called Catman. Dan had a thing for superheroes.

One day Dan’s cats disappeared and didn’t come home for days. Oddly enough, his cats weren’t the only ones missing. Then, as if they had never been gone, Catman and Flash showed up sneaking into the neighbors house like… well, cat burglars. There was something different about his cats and Dan wasn’t going to rest until he found out what it was.

With the help of his bass student, Andrew, Dan followed a trail that led him to an adventure reminiscent of a fever dream. No one was ever going to believe the things they had seen and done, and the cats would never tell.

Five stars of crazy feline fun. If you love cats and adventure, you don’t want to miss this one!

[A.N.G. Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wish my cat could read this book, he would absolutely love it.

[Rachel Warf · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a crazy book! I knew it was a sci-fi going into it but wasn't expecting it to get stranger and stranger as I went! Being a fan of cats and sci-fi I enjoyed it! I think any cat loving sci-fi can would enjoy it!

[Jennifer Haughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

The writing style gave me the same feeling as reading A Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy. The Voice of Dan, the main character, feels very casually British. Not chav British, or posh British or the weird not real British that Americans tend to use but just an ordinary, every day British guy living his life.

At least until his cat's start acting weird...

I loved the POV chapters for Mousebane, I'm sure I am not the only cat owner who has created a voice and persona for their cats and these felt just like one of mine.

I would love a sequel!

[Desirea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly picked this book as part of a book challenge and it was great. I had no idea what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. Sci fi action with some weirdness that will keep you guessing until the end.

[L & J Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goofy, humorous Sci-fi urban fantasy

Definitely not your usual sci-fi or fantasy novel. A bit funny and a lot of revenge in this story featuring a musician, his wife and,most importantly, their two cats, along with another neighbor and his cat, who have started to look for the cats from their neighborhood that have started to go missing.

[Lisi Bee (Beth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The imagination on this guy, I swear! He's funny and descriptive with great observational skills that make you feel like you're there. Great main cast and supporting cast (although I'm not sure if the cats or the humans are the main characters lol). I loved Everyman Dan's bafflement as he worries about his cats and copes with the strange goings-on with dry humor and gentle bravery. Dan's relationship with his cats is both touching and hilarious. So many twists that I didn't see coming, which kept me off-kilter right along with Dan. Read once last year then re-read before reading the next in the series. (This book was even better on a re-read and I'm super excited for the next book!)

[Jim Burianek · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's goofy, silly, and highly implausible. I thoroughly enjoyed it .

I really liked this book. Cat centered science fiction/fantasy with some humor throughout. I will be reading more by Mr. Powell.

[Nicole Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was pretty wild for a concept - something like a feline Watership Down meets X-Men. But strangely, I wanted it to be even wilder.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, but what a great read!

[Mark Lucas-Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s Something Wrong With The Cats

This was so much fun that I read it in one sitting.
Be warned though there are some very dark parts in it.
Dan and Amy’s cats! A lack one named Catman and a ginger Tom named The Flash have been missing for a few days and when they return they seem different to Dan, changed in some way.
What ensues is an adventure replete with cat-napping, glowing frogs, kidnapping, dog-fighting, animal cruelty, human trafficking, weird happenings and some very nasty antagonists. Accompanied by his friend and neighbour Andrew, another cat parent, Dan makes some almost inconceivable discoveries and finds his comfortable so-so life changed in ways he could never imagine.
Written with a twisted sense of humour purveyed throughout “Uurgh! Eew! Well I sautéed mine with some garlic, salt and rosemary.” and some cutting observations on both human and cat behaviour C. J. Powell has written a story that will make you both laugh and squirm, sometimes both at the same time. It is complete as a stand-alone novel but there is definitely room for at least one sequel which I would buy at the drop of a ….. well a dead frog in my lap.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is WILD! I'm not even a sci-fi fan but I was recommended this book somewhere along the way and decided to check it out. As a cat lover, I now must recommend it to all the cat lovers out there.

[Mark Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weirdly wonderful black humour.

I bought this primarily as a cat lover and it fits the bill great although not always with sweetness and light. There are the occasional sad moments.
It was a secondary bonus to find that it had an enjoyable and interesting sci-fi/fantasy theme throughout with the cats featuring prominently.

Overall very entertaining.

[Mary Ann Seidman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a "sucker" for almost any book with cats, especially sci-fi. This book was no exception. It is well written and very engrossing. I actually laughed quite a lot and cringed some too. I am always reading reviews for different books that claim they are funny and I don't see it, but this book really can be funny. Cute story about the book... I started reading it the first time we left our cat alone at home with an automatic feeder and a pet sitter coming in twice a day. We were only down state for 2 days, but still missed our "baby". I told my husband the name of the book I was reading, but he thought I said there was something wrong with our cat and he panicked. I had to reassure him it was just the title of the book! P.S. our cat was fine, she survived the cat sitter with flying colors.Definitely recommend the book and hope for a sequel.

[Brenden Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, now that was a literary roller-coaster.

This book gripped me from start to finish. A very clever story weaved around human/ cat differences and the way each deal with life, death, and fear, but withstrange things in the mix!.
One of the best reads I've had in a long time, a well crafted book and an author I will definitely be following.

[fuzzy.bookdragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Curiosity didn’t kill the cat, it mutated it into a vigilante crime fighter.

I don’t think that I would personally describe this as a fun read, largely because it needs some trigger warnings for details of animal cruelty, injury, and death, but they are relevant to the story. Things do get quite violent and dark in places, and very weird. Think along the lines of ‘The ‘Burbs’ (1989) meets ‘Taken’ (2008) and then throw in some comic book science fiction elements with mutant frogs and cats, and an internal voice reminiscent of ‘Venom’ (2018).

Some things that would have improved this story for me: I really wanted a happy ending for the dogs, even if it was just a short paragraph describing a hopeful place that they ended up. Also, don’t fridge the cat… don’t even make me think that you’ve done so… it really sours things. I don't really understand why Dan got a camouflage mutation either.

The writing style of the author is engaging, and it is definitely humorous in places but not laugh out loud funny. My favourite moment of dark humour was probably the line: “Find us a spoon. His eyes are coming out.” Trust me that it hits right in that exact moment.

Overall the story was well paced and an interesting read, keeping me invested in finding out what happened next.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There are a lot of superhero tropes but written in such a tongue-in-cheek way that I found them charming instead of groan-worthy. There is a nice balance of what the cats are up to and what the humans are up to and they come together satisfyingly. Dan is relatable, perhaps a little too relatable because I had to double-check that the author wasn't writing about me and my mannerisms, but that just made me like him more. The likable characters are likable. The bad guys are despicable. The background characters have enough substance to make me care for them or wonder what they are up to.
There is a nice mix of humor and tension throughout the whole book which adds some nice levity to what would otherwise be a pretty heavy scene now and then. I hope this turns into a series because there a lot of unanswered questions and enough superhero tomfoolery in the world that this universe could really be expanded. I could imagine the end of this series having a huge Endgame-esque climax that actually feels satisfying because the book doesn't take itself that seriously from the start.

[Sharen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not at ALL what I was expecting! The description called this book “laugh-out-loud science fiction mystery” and called it a “cozy” mystery….NOT true.
Spoiler Alert:
I guess I read a completely different book….because THIS one was certainly not “laugh out loud” nor was it in any universe a “cozy”. The cats were sweet, protective, and loving. But, It was full of animal abuse (dog fighting), experiments on cats, and vast amount of violence, blood, and gore.
There were several points where I wanted to just throw up and stop reading it.
I finished it only because I had to know how it ended. But, I sure won’t be reading any more of his books. If you want Stephen King gone rogue and out of his mind crazy….this is the book for you.

[Stephanie Oldeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy, this was a delightful surprise! Dan’s cats have been missing, but when they finally make it home, he knows there’s something wrong. Catman, his black cat, has grown in size and is much more muscular than he should be. And the orange one, The Flash, has unprecedented intelligence behind his eyes. At first Dan thinks he’s going crazy, because as hard as he tries to keep the cats inside, they always manage to get out. So he decides to start following them and even tries out those pet cams. But what he finds is much worse than even he imagined. Because Dan and his neighbor Andrew stumble upon where the neighborhood cats have been disappearing to: an illegal dog fighting ring. While they don’t make it in time to save every cat that had disappeared, Dan and Andrew, with the help of Catman and The Flash, manage to take down the ring and report it to the authorities. But there is more at stake than just fighting evil. Because Andrew’s cat, Dimitri, is knocking on death’s door, but a mysterious pool of glowing water and radiant frogs restores him to full health. Curious and nervous about being tracked down by the Men in Black, Dan and Andrew return home, only to find that Dan’s wife has been kidnapped. And when he discovers it isn’t the Men in Black who took her, Dan has to make a decision about what he is willing to risk in order to get her back. Because Dan made an enemy the day he called the police on the dog fighting ring, and getting Amy back proves to be much more difficult than he imagined. But with his own newfound powers, and with Andrew, Catman, and The Flash by his side, he knows failure isn’t an option, and he’s determined to save Amy no matter what. The only question is whether he can outsmart and outrun the monster he’s already accidentally created, and whether the guys in lab coats can be trusted. Can regular old Dan save the day? Or will he die trying?

The cover of this book was what caught my attention, and I was not expecting the twists that this book took. The first half was kind of dull and dragged a bit and gave me exactly what I thought this book would be about. I almost thought that Dan had made up these stories about the cats in his head, especially since Amy didn’t seem to see things the way he did. But as soon as the dog fighting ring came into play and he and Andrew discovered the pool with the frogs, I knew it was going to be different. And then when Dan ate that whole frog whole, I couldn’t deny that this book completely outshined my expectations. It was action packed and super gory and honestly really incredible. I was super impressed by the end.

I really loved the writing style in this. The author used some truly amazing similes. I highlighted dozens of them. It made the writing visceral, and the imagery was panoramic. I could see everything clearly as it was happening. I also enjoyed Mousebane’s perspective on things. I really loved that all the cats recognized Amy as The Master. That cracked me up. I also really loved the whole scene at Martin’s farm. It was totally unexpected and gave me the creepy crawlies imagining what had happened there. I loved that Andrew managed to survive despite everything that happened to him, and I loved that he was always in his robe. And I really loved that Dan was just a regular old guy who manages to save his pets and his neighborhood from the evil cat snatchers. It felt like anyone could be Dan, which made him so relatable.

I will say that the pet death and abuse bothered me more than expected. Not that this is a criticism, but it may be something to consider if another reader wants to read this book. It could be triggering. For some reason regular human murder doesn’t bother me, but injured cats and starving dogs break my heart. It is also a rather gory book with lots of blood, so keep that in mind as well.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one. I want to know what other shenanigans Mousebane, Red Mist, and Scratchtacular get up to and whether Dan and Andrew can keep up. Plus I’m interested to hear Amy’s perspective on things. She seemed pretty skeptical at the end! Will she eat a frog too? I guess I’ll have to keep reading to find out! 4.5/5 stars!

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a funny and enjoyable book. I really like these types of sci-fi stories, especially ones that involve cats. The humour in the writing was well done and it was very fast paced. There were moments when the writing felt a little off, but it didn't detract too much from the story. I really liked Dan as a main character - he was awkward, relatable and I liked the whole 'zero to hero' trope with him. The cats were the real star of the show, though. Andrew and Amy were pretty good too, but their characters could have been fleshed out a little more. The plot was ridiculous and stupid at times, which sometimes I love and sometimes I don't. In this case, it was too far into the over the top zone for me. I still loved some elements of the plot, like the weird science experiment stuff. There were some really gross moments which I actually liked. The ending left me intrigued. Overall, I did enjoy this book even with the issues I had with it.

[Chlöe-Louise Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give 4.5 stars. This story had me hooked from the first chapter. Imagine your typical run of the mill ‘missing pets’ plot, but with a sci-fi horror feel and a pinch of comedy thrown in for good measure.

Be warned if you are an animal lover that there are some pretty graphic references to animal cruelty, but our protagonists are here to save the day. It brought me to tears in some points, but I stuck with the story and I’m glad I did.

It’s a VERY strange story, but well worth a read! Be prepared for your mind to unravel, to question reality but ultimately be left thinking ‘I wish I could speak to my cats telepathically’.

[Emmie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tale of adventure!

Really liked this book a lot! A few niggly points meant I didn't give it a full 5 stars but was still a great read of thrills, adventure & relationships both with loved ones and of course, cats!

As a mum, I would say this is suitable for ages 16+ because of the sexual references and on going graphic violence.
I will be recommending this to my son when he's older as I think the underlying storyline is wonderful and I did laugh out loud a few times!

I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with next. Definitely involve cats again!!

[Doc Honour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique characterizations and plots

Never before since Thomas Covenant have I been so enthralled with reading from the POV of a dysfunctional character. Dan has classic symptoms of Societal Anxiety Disorder. And yet, somehow, I found myself drawn into the world where he lives—then cheering him on as he rises above it. Two intertwined plots with very different antagonists, so that it is often difficult to know which evil group is acting. Talking cats, fighting dogs, raw frog dinners, glowing objects? Creative book with more than a bit of humor. Well worth reading. I’ll seek out Powell’s other works!

[Brenna Alisauskas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book as a fun quick read, very unique story that gets a little dark at times, but also delivers on humour and feel good. I really enjoyed C J Powell’s writing style here and the development behind Dan’s motivations as the story progressed- the repressed and awkward hero waiting for his dragon. The relationship between Dan and his cats is so relatable as a cat parent. Overall, this book was really unexpected for me and a favourite for 2023

[SAMMYE R GRIZZARD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ready for a Book 2

Given some of the subject matter in this book is very dark, saying that it is a "fun" read is difficult. That being said, I did have fun with this book. Did I cringe at some of the decisions Dan made? Yes, I did. Having him pull it together, with the help of Catman and The Flash, and come out on top was worth the cringe. I truly would appreciate further adventures of these characters.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

An unusual book with an unusual premise. Dan's cats have gone missing, and when they return, there are changes. Not much will be said to avoid spoilers as going in blind would be beneficial.

I enjoyed certain perspectives better than others. Some plot points become obvious; however, I enjoyed some of the humor. There are some gross descriptions as well as some horrible plot devices.

Overall, not disappointed that I read it. The title drew me in and I'm okay with that.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan noticed that the cats seemed to be acting strangely. One has grown in bulk overnight night to be vert muscular. The other seems to be trying to communicate. As Dan watched, it seemed to him that neighborhood cats were disappearing. He lurked watching his cats sneak around neighbor homes. Just what was going on.when Dimitri disappeared, Andrew joined Dan to find the cats. It wasn’t dangerous. They were only cats.