Parrots Prove Deadly: A Pru Marlowe Pet Noire, Book 3

Pru Marlowe #3

by Clea Simon

Parrots will repeat anything. They don’t talk sense—or do they? When Pru Marlowe is called in to retrain a foulmouthed African gray after its owner’s death, she can’t help hearing the parrot’s words as a replay of a murder scene. But the doctor on call scoffs at the idea, and the heirs just want their late mother’s pet to stop cursing.

The only other possible witnesses being an evasive aide, a blind neighbor, and a single-minded service dog, Pru is stuck with what may be a featherbrained theory. Even her crotchety tabby Wallis doesn’t buy it, although Wallis would be more than willing to “interrogate” the bird up close.

Meanwhile, Pru, the bad-girl animal psychic, is also called on to deal with drugs, jealousy, and a potential rabies outbreak.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Animals, Cats, Mystery Thriller, Suspense

Audible Audio

First published March 31, 2013

About the author

Boston Globe-bestselling author Clea Simon is the author most recently of The Butterfly Trap, a sinister slow-build "he said/she said" that will definitely surprise you.

This follows Bad Boy Beat a fast-paced amateur sleuth mystery featuring a novice crime reporter with a nose for news who is convinced a series of street-level killings are connected.

In a different mood, Clea's most recent cozy is To Conjure a Killer, the fourth in her "Witch Cats of Cambridge" series.

She is also the author of the psychological suspense novels, Hold Me Down and World Enough, both named "Must Reads" by the Massachusetts Book Awards, as well as the dystopian Blackie and Care black cat series (The Ninth Life), the Dulcie Schwartz feline/academic mysteries (Shades of Grey), the Pru Marlowe pet noir mysteries (Dogs Don't Lie), and the Theda Krakow cats & crime & rock & roll mysteries (Mew is for Murder), as well as three nonfiction books: Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadow of Mentally Ill Siblings; Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads; and The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats.

The recipient of multiple honors, including the Cat Writers Associations Presidents Award, she lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with her husband, Jon Garelick, and their cat, Thisbe. Find her at Clea Simon.com

Reviews

[Larraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third in Clea Simon's Pru Marlowe Pet Noir series introduces us to a parrot that swears like a sailor. Pru is an animal behaviorist although not fully certified. She also does dog walking and other pet care as needed. She's not your standard cozy heroine. There's no sweater with contrasting skirt here, thank goodness as well as no bobbing pony tails or cuteness.

Pru drives a muscle car, has a checkered past involving sex, drugs and, probably, rock and roll and can "hear" animals' thoughts. So when someone has a troublesome pet, they call her. She's also seeing a cop which makes for some conflict now and again.

Pru is called in to see if she can "fix" the parrot which was living with Polly, an elderly woman in a retirement home. The woman passed away. Now her daughter is trying to deal with her apartment while her money-grubbing brother has no interest in anything other than what's in it for him.

This was a fun book although it dragged a little in spots. I would have liked to know more about the dead woman. Did the parrot learned his salty language from her? When Pru meets Rose, Polly's neighbor and friend, she also meets another animal: Buster, a mixed breed mostly German Shepherd who is also a female despite the name. It soon becomes obvious that there is something "off" about the retirement home. There's also something "off" about an upscale condo development that isn't selling.

This is definitely a cozy series although with an edge. However, it doesn't surprise me because Ms. Simon's previous character, Theda Krakow, definitely was edgy. This is not a book for someone who is expecting nothing but reality. Pru communicates with animals especially with her cat, Wallis. So you definitely have to stretch, but it's a fun stretch. I wouldn't mind figuring out what my cats are thinking although I'm betting that there would be times I wouldn't want to know!

[Nora-adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parrots Prove Deadly
By: Clea Simon
Copyright: April 2013
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Parrots will repeat anything – they don’t talk sense. Or do they?
When Pru Marlowe is called in to retrain a foul-mouthed African gray after its owner’s death, the bad-girl animal psychic can’t help hearing the bird’s words as a replay of a murder scene. But the doctor on call scoffs at the idea, and the heirs just want their late mother’s pet to quit cursing.
With the only other possible witnesses being an evasive aide, the blind neighbor, and a single-minded service dog, Pru is stuck with what may be a feather-brained theory. Even her crotchety tabby Wallis doesn’t buy it, although she’s more than willing to “interrogate” the big bird, as Pru deals with drugs, jealousy, and a potential rabies outbreak….

What do you think happens when you take one foul mouthed parrot, a service dog with issues, a neighbor who is a major yenta, and a dead woman’s daughter who appears to be slightly OCD? You get Pru’s latest adventure in murder.
It all began with an early morning of Sept. 3rd. when Polly Larkin AKA “room 203” was found dead on the floor of her room. Pru checked her messages and found a mail from a woman “I need your help, it’s or death”. Pru was being asked to retrain a foul mouth parrot into one more kid friendly so that Mrs. Larking’s son could bring him home to his house.
I could write a page or so of my thoughts of each chapter, but I won’t! I’m not that talented or I’d have my own books on the market. (insert laugh) As the story progresses, Pru meets the aid, the neighbor and her support dog. She also gets to find out how creepy the director of the Nursing home is. As her questions pile up along with the body count… It’s a race to find out how Polly died, who done it, and why so many people not involved with the home are interested.
Clea Simon is one hell of a talented writer and never fails to keep my interested in her books. She is the author of three mystery series. The Theda Krakow Mysteries, The Pru Marlowe Pet Noir, and the Dulcie Schwartz Mysteries. Each one a mystery which will entertain you and keep you involved till the last page.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher who only requested a fair and impartial review.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pru is an animal behaviorist. She has a special gift when it comes to animals. She understands them, she can talk to them and she can hear their answers. She doesn’t always know exactly what they are trying to tell her but give her some time and she will figure it out.

Pru owns a classic muscle car and knows how to drive it, likes to put away a drink or two and in her younger days hung around with a fast crowd. She says she’s reformed now, but not everyone believes her. She hasn’t entirely given up living on the edge and doesn’t mind breaking a few laws if she feels it’s necessary to get to the truth.

This was a fun book to listen to and an easy read. No complex mystery, just an entertaining cozy. I had a very good idea who the ‘bad guy’ was but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story. The conversations between Pru and the animals were a hit with me. Pru’s cat and the parrot were instrumental in solving the mystery but there were other helpful animals too… a guide dog and a raccoon that she rescued, illegally, from animal control.

The novel’s pace was fast and at only nine hours the story moved along quickly. Tavia Gilbert’s narration was delightful. She did a great job on the many characters plus created unique voices for each of the animals. Especially memorable was Wallis, Pru’s snarky cat, and Randolph, the foul-mouthed African Gray Parrot.

This is the third novel in the Pet Noir series but the first one I’ve read. It has no trouble as a stand alone so feel free to jump in here with number three for a fun break from the heavy books and a good summer read.

[Nancy Rogan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series and a big disappointment. Every character, both animal and human, is grumpy, dysfunctional and unhappy. Pru is not very good at her job (she is supposed to be retraining a parrot's use of foul language and never did the first meaningful thing toward that end); she is irresponsible (running around for days after possible exposure to rabies); she has no grasp of her "gift" (she communicates with animals but doesn't understand one thing they tell her); and she is totally under the control of a cat at home - even worse than those protagonists who are under the control of their mothers. She also doesn't have any skill at solving murders (didn't pick up on clues right in front of her). I have attended a class led by a person who makes a living communicating with animals for their owners. It was impressive and this series could be phenomenal. Instead it is boring and the biggest mystery of all is how Pru can be so dense. Probably my last for this series.

[John Geary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mystery novel with an African grey parrot in it. One would think I’d love this book, but I can’t say that I did. It was okay; the protagonist is an animal behaviourist who communicates psychically with animals, and it helps her solve mysteries that she becomes embroiled in. This was the third book in the series, published in 2013. It was the only book to feature a parrot; I won’t be reading any more of her books - not just because there’s no more with parrots, there’s just not enough interesting story there for me. The book just did not really hold my interest much. Also, having lived with African grey parrots myself since 1994, I know how well they can communicate nonverbally, so it was a little hard for me too understand how a psychically-endowed animal behaviourist would have so much difficulty in communicating with the bird in this story. All in all, rather disappointing.
If it were possible, I would have given this book 2 1/2 stars rather than two – but this site doesn’t give you that option. It just wasn’t good enough for three stars, though.

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love cozies. Really. This is my first book by Clea Simon so perhaps it's me- but I didn't just love it. It had cute parts- and the cat really did grow on me- but at times it was just a bit further out there than I care for. However, the mystery is not bad- the interactions with the cop boyfriend cute at times- and some of the talking with the animals is funny.

Will I read another Clea Simon book? Possibly.

Traveling With T

[Renae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a first reads goodreads giveaway.

I've not read any other book by Clea Simon but after being as impressed as I was with this novel, I most certainly will. This book, while being suspenseful and full of twists, was really cute. I enjoyed the dialogue between Pru and her cat, Wallis. Even if you haven't read the first two books in the series, you can read this one and not be at a loss. All in all, a good book.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not really big on mysteries, however what drew my attention to this book was a commentary that the protagonist could communicate with animals and it had both a cat and a parrot in the plot. So I was pleasantly surprised when Clea Simon pulled me into the story to the point I was hard pressed to put the book down. It was a quick and entertaining read and I may just want to check out more Clea Simon books.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book by Clea Simon is well wort the time it takes to read. It is a good mystery by my standards because you are not able to figure out the plot. The plot keeps evolving and keeping your interest. You will enjoy how the parrot tries to tell who the murderer is.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" and "Wesley's Wars"

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pru Marlowe is called LiveWell to retrain a foul mouth African Grey parrot after its owner died Pru is helping Albert with a raccoon problem. Featured are Wallis her cat, Randolph, the parrot and Buster a service dog. Other animals from earlier books are mention throughout the story. The subplots are skillfully brought together for satisfying end.

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros: The first hundred pages were quite fun, of the undemanding, cosy-mystery standard. The protagonist was acceptable and unexceptional (probably her character had been established in previous books, so the author did not bother with it here). Her cat was witty and verbose; not unexpected considering that this was a book with the byline of "...animal psychic can't help hearing the bird's words..." and there is another animal or two.

It is a neat concept, well and professionally written and pretty well edited.

Cons: The title is cute, but misleading, there is no deadly parrot and in fact there is remarkably little about the parrot in the entire book. This is disappointing when it was the parrot that made me reach for the credit card in the case of this book. When there IS parrot, there is an appalling lack of understanding about the African Grey Parrot: Psittacus erithacus the most intelligent, conversational parrot we have yet researched, terrifyingly intelligent. I would LOVE to get a chance to visit with one of these birds, but our ' almost animal behaviourist' barely spends five minutes with it then goes around worrying that she got nowhere with it.

There are minimal characters with no development and several pot holes in the plot, which I can live with, generally.

Now I complain
As I said, the first hundred pages were fun but pretty much plot Lite and even then I was pretty disappointed about how little parrot was there compared with protagonist and her cat.
Pru talked to her cat - a lot - and the cat said the sort of things one would expect from cat people writing about cats. Wallis was rather arch and very twee and won all their verbal sparing as you would expect, if you were a cat lover

Pru talked to dogs all the time too, fine, I like dogs. But remember the title? To the parrot, Pru talks barely at all. I guess there is a silver lining in that; the anthropomorphism of the cats and dogs is significant and annoying, but I would probably have found it more objectionable if it had been done to the parrot as well. But I was still unimpressed by how little she was interested in the parrot which was meant to be her job.

By 120 I was getting sick of her know it all cat. Cat lovers will probably adore this,  at least if they know nothing about animal behaviour. But with a degree in animal behaviour I'm irate by the extent to which Wallis is basically an annoying human.  The ongoing assumption parrots are dumb was really and truly infuriating: Parrots are intelligent African Grey parrots are scarily intelligent,  far more human in intelligence than cats are because they are social and verbal in a way that felines are not. Saying a parrot can think 'after a fashion' just makes me lose all respect for the author and her research capacity.

On page 166 I was horrified at Pru, our alleged animal trainer patting a service dog on duty! I was shocked.... but then just resigned when by page 215 Pru suddenly knows you are not meant to do this.

I had to skim read all of Pru's repetitive ruminations on animals because they were so.... sorry... stupid.  There are pages of them.  A thirteen year old who watches discovery channel knows more about animal behaviour than Pru does. As well as her supernatural power of mind reading animals, she is meant to 'almost' have a qualification and I guess the 'almost' is probably to excuse her lack of knowledge about animal behaviour but it was painful to read her continually misinterpreting and misunderstanding animal behaviours and appalling how the parrot gets treated in this book! It is downright animal abuse and I hope it does not give anyone who reads it ideas.

Pru's incessant restating 'the case' for pages and pages also required skim reading; her sleuthing abilities are just... not great... and she can't read reading people or events at all. She has poor observation skills and seems absolutely incapable of seeing anything in front of her. This meant that the great expose from page 259on was just embarrassing, because, seriously, could anyone except Pru have failed to figure it out?

So I did NOT enjoy it, but it might be the right book for some people. Probably best suited for people who enjoyed the first two novels and have the established characters already in their mind. Also for lovers of the cosy mystery genera, books that are light on content and provide that level of comfortable entertainment with no demands on the reader. Or, obviously, inveterate cat lovers.
 
Not suited for parrot owners or people with animal behaviour backgrounds.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pru is dating a police officer, living in her mother's home (that she inherited) and caring for other people's animals. She helps the animal control officer deal with animals that he catches and are misbehaving. Her police officer beau asks her to help him find out who is bringing in drugs to their area and she has been hired to retrain an African Grey Parrot to stop its continual cursing. As she works with the parrot, she suspects that the owner was murdered and asks her beau to help her prove it. She starts to ask questions of her own, which leads to people telling her what she is doing wrong - hiding a raccoon at the animal control office or trespassing on condo property or even stealing from the woman whose parrot she is retraining. When the parrot becomes ill, she takes it to the vet and then to her home. When she asks if there is somewhere she can keep the parrot, the woman's friend, a blind woman with a guide dog, takes on the challenge. When she becomes ill and is rushed to the hospital, Pru gets the parrot and the dog!

I liked the story, but the "talking" to animals part was distracting from the story and I tended to tune out for some of the story.

[Imjussayin · Rating 2 out of 5]

b>Parrots Prove Deadly: Pru Marlowe 3
Chronological order, not necessary but recommended.

In A Nutshell: Pru Marlowe, a pet behaviourist with a psychic touch, is tasked to retrain a ribald African grey. His owner has died. So, without retraining, the parrot might have to rejoin his owner. But among the vulgarity, the parrot also sounds like he is repeating a murder scene. A novel approach to murder mysteries with biting sarcasm from the animals. Entertaining and hard-boiled.

The Protagonists: Pru prefers animals to people and not just because she can 'talk' to them. Pru is working on accepting her psychic gift. It nearly sent her insane. She has a chequered past, unapologetically falls in lust, drives a big bad classic and can handle being in her own space. What's not to like?

The Plot:Randolph Jones says that Polly Larkin was murdered. Pru believes him but who else will believe a parrot?

Another entertaining read with Pru and her fascinating supporting cast. Wallis the cat, Frank the Ferret and Growler the gay Bichon Frise are joined by a teenage racoon, a support dog and two interesting humans. Not to mention the very colourful Randolph.

The story is particularly dark and sad because the plots are a frightening reflection of reality. However, elements of the racoon's tale border on irresponsible and there are no repercussions. I find that stretches the plot too far. It's also disappointing that Pru is not more on point with her gift. I am minded to say she is becoming regressive! Too much pizza? And a little more light relief is needed.

A page-turning hard-boiled pet noir that stretches belief.


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Book Rating

Sexual Content: U
Language: U
Violent: U
Would I read the next one or reread ?: Yes

My rating system (* = star)
0* Could not finish this book (waste of time)
1* Finished the book but didn't like it.
2* Finished the book it was okay.
3* A good read worth your time.
4* An excellent read often with a novel concept or unusual plot.
5* A magnificent read. A prominent example of the genre.

[Marseydoats · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this. I felt sorry for Randolph and Buster, but I didn't like any of the people at all. I don't understand why Pru stays on in a town she doesn't like. She could have sold her Mother's house and left. And for someone who is supposed to have a connection with animals, she did really stupid things. If you're responsible for animals, you don't forget them. Doubt I'll read any more of this author.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pru is an animal behaviorist with an edge--she can telepathically connect with the animals! Humans are the tough stuff. She gets called in to clean up the language of a pet parrot whose long time owner has died. Was it as simple as the medical examiner thinks or did a beneficiary help things along? The characters certainly are and there is lots of situational and verbal humor to keep things going. Loved it!
Tavia Gilbert always adds good things to her narrations.
Bought on Chirp.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audio book. The reader did an excellent job with her voice speaking for the various animal characters. Driving for two days in my car, this book was quite cute and enjoyable.

[Malia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takes awhile to learn cast of characters, Hilarious animals. Thats one of the reasons I love this writer.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Pru's "special ability" with animals was more of an annoying distraction than a positive aspect of the story, but other than that I got a kick out of it

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took a bit to get into this book, but loved the ending.

[Lois Gaudard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a really fun book.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light and breezy mystery. It's too bad Pru Marlowe is such a ditzy mess, but it was cute, especially if you like animals.

[KyBunnies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the finest novels in the English language, but unputdownable.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure I would've stuck with this book in print format. While not (necessarily) Too Stupid to Live (TSTL), by the end I'd tired of Pru completely. Granted, I haven't read the two previous stories, but this one stood alone so well, without reference to past events or characters, that I can give a brief idea of what to expect ...

Pru has a "gift" that enables her to "hear" the thoughts of animals; at first she tells the reader that it's more of an impression (which makes more sense, if you're willing to buy into the idea at all), but becomes actual words throughout most of the book, as though she's hearing the creatures speaking English. There's an exception regarding her cat, Wallis, with whom she has actual telepathic, full-fledged conversations. Wallis dominates her to such an extent that you'd think she owned the property, not Pru; decisions are centered around whether Wallis will "accept" them or not. At one point, she cannot bring home a well-behaved dog, while the owner recuperates from a hospital stay, as Wallis has specifically vetoed the idea. However one buys into the conceit, or not, that's pretty damned sad.

Partway through the book, Pru is bitten by a wild raccoon, which had been trapped and held in the animal shelter. She agonizes dreadfully that the creature will be beheaded for rabies testing (like Alzheimers in humans, not possible without brain tissue), convincing herself that the animal didn't seem rabid, so that would be murder. So, she proceeds to the end with a nasty, painful poorly-self-treated wound instead. Better rabies should enter her bloodstream than the raccoon should be "murdered"; she delays treatment for quite a while fearing it may lead to the animal's destruction. Her point-of-view is that dogs are quarantined, and released if no signs appear within ten days of a bite, so that should apply to raccoons, but the state has been too "cheap" to fund a study on that, finding execution of innocent animals a cheaper default procedure.

My next question is: does anyone ever have an average-looking boyfriend in these books? In this case, her squeeze Jim is a very hot cop. One whom I feel needs to set some boundaries regarding her behavior.

Finally, I had an issue with Ms. Simon's knowledge of Berkshire County, Massachusetts as a location. Pru refers to I-90 as "the interstate" which just sounds wrong to me. A local would call it either "the Masspike" or "the Turnpike" instead. Moreover, at one point she's trying to get away from Jim, who's after her in his cop car with lights flashing, congratulating herself in zooming onto "the interstate" and losing him - ha ha, sucker! Funny, I had thought one needs to stop and wait for a barrier to be raised after either taking a toll entry ticket, or having one's EZPass registered?

In spite of those issues, I can recommend the audiobook for Tavia Gilbert's outstanding job in voicing the animals, although her humans aren't bad either!

[Lis Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pru Marlowe is still adjusting to being back in her little hometown of Beauville in western Massachusetts, and working to establish her business of walking dogs and working with dogs and other animals as a behaviorist. She doesn't have her degree, yet; she had to cut short her education and get out of New York City for the same reason she has a slight edge over the average animal care professional.

She can communicate with animals mind to mind, sometimes even when she doesn't want to.

Her latest adventure starts when she gets a frantic phone call asking her to come help fix the behavior of a foul-mouthed African Grey Parrot. Randolph's human, the mother of the woman who called Pru, has died, and there is no one willing to take in the bird if his vocabulary doesn't get cleaned up.

Much of what he says seems to indicate that his person, Polly, was getting angry with people she believed were taking her things. Then he livens things further by making the sound of the elderly woman's walker being thrown to the ground.

Pru soon dealing with the dead woman's wishy-washy daughter who has provided most of her care, and her son, who has left the work to his sister but has very decided ideas about How Things Will Be Handled. Meanwhile, she's also handling a small matter of a raccoon trapped near, or in, a new condo development on the edge of town. Albert, the town's animal control officer has trapped it at the request of the condo manager, but has had to do so twice because the first time he didn't move it far enough before releasing it. Now the manager wants the animal destroyed, and Albert is asking Pru for help.

It's not long before Pru realizes there's something very odd going on at the LiveWell assisted living facility where Polly lived, and a little longer before she realizes there's also something odd about the new and not yet inhabited condo development.

It's a bit longer, even with help from her often snide cat Wallis, her grumpy walking client the bichon Growler, the worried and insistent Randolph, and even the raccoon, before she realizes the problems are connected. Being the stubborn, distrustful, ex-bad girl that she is, Pru doesn't really listen to the warnings and indirect information that her boyfriend, Beauville police detective Jim Crichton, is giving her about how dangerous are the things that are going on.

There are times I want to shake Pru and tell her to stop being a pig-headed idiot, but mostly she's an intelligent and resourceful woman, and she is nothing if not devoted to the welfare of her friends, both human and non-human--even if there are more of the non-human kind!

Recommended.

I bought this book.

[Amy Shojai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of the book prior to publication to read and review. I'm sorry that I delayed reading for so long--this was a delightful mystery adding to Simon's previous successes. In PARROTS PROVE DEADLY nothing is clear, not even to the pet-mind-reading heroine. While at first the "human" voices of dogs, ferrets, cats and other critters takes some getting used to (at least it did me!), pretty quickly the reader buys into the situation.

As a certified animal behavior consultant, nothing irks me more than to have animal "characters" act out of character in a story. Having them actually talk often turns these critters into humans-with-fur (or feathers). Simon treads very close to the edge for me in this mystery and yet...and yet...the writing is so well done, the story intriguing, AND she quashes any of my complaints with the clarification that just because Pru can "hear" the thoughts in ways understandable to a human (so duh, of course they sound like people!), that doesn't mean she always understands what they're telling her.

Bravo!

I did want to slap Pru up-side the head for getting herself bitten by the raccoon, however. But every animal professional I know has had those sorts of "oh-crap" experiences where they know better. It makes the characters all the more human. Highly recommended for mystery lovers and pet lovers alike.

--Amy Shojai, CABC, nonfiction pet books & Thrillers With Bite!

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our heroine behaviorist, Pru Marlowe, is getting better at communicating with the animals she meets, retrains and befriends. It started with her cat, Wallis, and in this adventure extends to a foul-mouthed parrot, a neighbor's little dog, a raccoon, a guide dog and a ferret. I am hopeful she'll do something about that neighbor's pup.
This is an intricate plot, but I figured out the baddie. Perhaps because I'm aware of what can happen to a senior in an assisted living facility. Your worse fears realized for resident and family/friends.
Having just finished another book in a series about birds, I was somewhat primed for this one, so my interest was piqued. I also just read about a Brazilian man who thought he'd bought two toy poodles -- they turned out to be ferrets on steroids.
I enjoy Clea's life lessons (though she's not preachy) her characters have a chance to learn. Pru's pursuit of justice for all is her strong point. She embarks on some extreme measures in her detecting.

[Dewayne Stark · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can be stubborn at times and made it through this book. +Spoiler

Polly's studio is vacant after her death but they leave a parrot in the room. The daughter Jane is trying to package her mother's belongings and does this through out the story and never really finishes. The reason for the murder, the doctor is selling drugs he is stealing from his patients to cover a bad condo investment is pretty lame. Pru has a restored GTO that she loves to drive which would cost a bundle today with current gases prices but is having trouble making ends meet. On page 29: "My car--baby blue and built to get the most out of its 450 cc engine--stood out" The Pontiac GTO series have several different engine displacements changes through the series. Engine displacements are given in either inches, CID (cubic inch displacement or metric liters. Small engines (motorcycle) are given in cc cubic centimeters. Stating that the GTO was 450 cc is very laughable. Pru is incapable of closing a door that will not keep a tabby cat out. The raccoon bite and the rabies shots makes me wonder.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the better series involving a protagonist and her pet (cat, in this case). Some of those are rather precious, but Pru Marlowe is a tough woman with a wild history she's not very proud of but owns up to. Her cat is a crack-up - very sardonic - just what you'd expect from a cat. (No, she can't talk, but Pru can communicate with cats and dogs). In this book, she has her problems because the client's an African grey parrot and she can't figure out how to communicate with it, although her cat can. A raccoon distracts her from the main mission, which is figuring out why the parrot swears like a sailor, but it's OK, because the animal control officer's ferret can and he passes information along. Anyway, I found it engaging and a nice light, fun read.

[Josh Blakney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed it as a light read. I didn't find the mystery overly complex and at times some clues seemed to drag on. That being said I don't feel the main focus was the mystery at all, but rather Pru's communication with the various animals and how that connection was understood.

A few of these moments were actually very clever and satisfying once Pru realized what was really being said. The overall idea was interesting and Pru's character was well developed.

I felt a little unsatisfied with Randolph's (the African Grey) character resolution, but he was hilarious throughout the book. I just wanted a little more from him at the end of the story.

I would read for of Clea Simon if I needed light reading on a rainy day.