Six Tails at Midnight

The No.2 Feline Detective Agency #15

by Mandy Morton

Hettie, Tilly, Bruiser and the Butter sisters set out across the snowy fens to spend Christmas at The Fishgutter’s Arms. Snowed in with no hope of rescue, they find themselves sharing Christmas with some unwanted guests.

Will the ghosts of Christmas Past wreak vengeance on the present? Can our feline detectives dig themselves out of a spooky festive fiasco? And will the sausage rolls and sherry last until midnight?

Jump on board for a cat-a-strophic sleigh ride into a snow drift full of Christmas spirits.

PRAISE FOR THE NO. 2 FELINE DETECTIVE AGENCY

'I loved it. The whole concept is just so “real”!’ Barbara Erskine

‘Mandy Morton’s Feline Detective Agency instigates a new genre, both wonderful and surreal’ Maddy Prior

‘The world that Morton has created is irresistible’  Publishers Weekly

‘Witty and smart. Prepare to be besotted' M.K. Graff

‘Mandy Morton’s series is both charming and whimsical’ Barry Forshaw

‘Hettie Bagshot might be a new face at the scene of a crime, but already she could teach most fictional detectives a thing or two’  The Hunts Post

112 pages, Hardcover

Published September 25, 2025

About the author

Mandy Morton began her professional life as a musician. Her songwriting formed the basis of six albums during the 1970s and early 1980s, when she toured extensively with her band. More recently, she has worked as a freelance arts journalist for national and local radio, specialising in making music and theatre documentary. She is the co-author of a non-fiction theatre book, In Good Company, and lives with her partner in Cambridge and Cornwall, where there is always a place for an ageing long-haired tabby cat. The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency is her first novel, and begins a series of books inspired by her first cat, Hettie.

Reviews

[Neus · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Claire Smith-Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up in my local library as a quick read. It's my first time reading anything in this series.

It follows Hettie, Tilly and Bruiser who have agreed to spend Christmas with their friends the baking Butter sisters at a local pub in the Fens. They set out together as the snow begins to fall and make it to their destination The Fishgutters Arms but things don't seem quite right. With the snow falling heavily they have no choice but to seek shelter in this very unpromising establishment which wasn't at all what they'd been expecting. As the night wears on they try to sleep but find there are other unwanted guests. A spooky night leads them to a mystery to be solved.

This was a fun, quirky read for me.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not every day you get three of your favourite things all wrapped up in the perfect package is it? Six Tails at Midnight had it all...cats, ghosts AND Christmas!

It's the fifteenth book in the No.2 Feline Detective Agency series and was an absolute delight to read. I now want to read the rest of the series. I loved the world building, adored the characters and enjoyed the story immensely.

Coming in at eighty-eight pages it's a fairly short read that would be a delight for the younger reader at Christmas.

The perfect stocking filler!

[Christine& David. Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, as usual!

I have read the whole series and I can't pick a favourite. This book should be read, or re-read on Christmas eve with a glass of something festive and a plate of sandwiches and a mince pie or.two. X

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Six Tails At Midnight' by Mandy Morton.

This may be the first book I have read by this absolutely incredible author but it most certainly will not be my last!! It is also the fifteenth book in Mandy's 'The No.2 Feline Detective Agency' series and what an absolutely brilliant introduction to a promising series it is (for myself)!! I cannot wait to read more books by this amazing author, especially the previous and future books in this series! Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.

Wow!!!! Just flipping wow!!!! What an absolutely epic page turner!!! Well done Mandy Morton!!! How on Earth have I never read any of your books before especially considering this amazing series has CAT DETECTIVES!!!? Absolutely smashed it!!!!!!! If you are a fan of love cats and Christmas then THIS book is an absolute must read for you!! Absolutely LOVED it!! If you don't like cats then you don't deserve this epic read anyway so there :P

CAT DETECTIVES, CHRISTMAS, GHOSTS!! THE PURRFECT READ!!! DONT WASTE YOUR TIME READING ON JUST GRAB YOUR COPY OF THIS EPIC PAGE TURNER NOW AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!! YOU CAN THANK ME LATER!!

Wow!!!! Just flipping wow!!!! What an absolutely fantastic page turner!!! Well done to the incredible Mandy Morton!! How on Earth have I never read any of your books before? I am a MASSIVE animal lover and even run my own cat rescue called Golden Oldies Cat Hospice And Rescue so any books with animals in are a HUGE bonus for me. Therefore, I am genuinely baffled that this is my first time meeting the fantastic No 2 Feline Detective Agency gang!!!! Thank God I have found you now as I cannot wait to read the rest of your books and meet them over and over again!! What a group of epic and unique cats!! Absolutely smashed it!!!!!! I would not typically recommend reading books in a series out of order but nobody could blame you for grabbing this book with it's brilliant cover, Christmas ghosts and hello TALKING CAT DETECTIVES!!! If you have started this book before reading the previous books then there is no need to worry. There is a silver lining of reading later books in a series first and that is that after you have finished this brilliant page turner, fallen in love with this series and found a new favourite author, just like I have, you can go back and read the previous fourteen books in this epic series while, very impatiently, waiting for the next book in this promising series, just like I will be!! I have never come across anything like this book and series and I doubt I ever will again. Talking cats running a detective agency?! Who would have thought it? Well Mandy clearly did and I am so glad that she did and brought her imagination and stories out into the world for us to read!! I read the hardback copy of this book and it is perfectly pocket sized so you can carry it around and read it on the go! With the Hardback copy being just 112 pages and the kindle version having just 112 pages this is the purrfect sized novella to disappear into for a couple of hours. I absolutely love a good old cosy murder mystery and this has just shot straight to my favourite cosy crime series, yes even after just reading just this one book. I cannot see it being beaten on this either as it is just lush. I mean, you cannot beat a cat detective agency!! I really cannot wait to get my hands on the previous and next books in this series! One thing I have got to get in before getting into my review is clear your schedules as once you start this book you will not be able to put it down! This book is brilliantly written with vivid evocative descriptions which bring the storyline, characters an surroundings to life perfectly in the readers mind. I absolutely loved the unique storyline and I will tell you now you may as well stop wasting your time reading this and grab your copy of this book now! You seriously need to grab your copy of this addictive cosy crime today and I can GUARANTEE you will not regret it!!! With a storyline absolutely packed full with mystery, Christmas, TALKING CAT DETECTIVES, drama, feline spirits, humour, festivity, fantasy, friendship, history, hauntings, entertainment, a grumpy cat, the paranormal and so so much more. I mean, seriously, What are you waiting for?! There is nothing more you could ask for or want in an absolutely brilliant cosy page turner. Except, perhaps for the next book to be brought out sooner!! Mandy's absolutely fantastic evocative writing skills sucks the reader straight into the storyline with the characters and surroundings coming to life around them. This book truly is an absolutely addictive, humorous, cosy, page turning and compelling storyline in what promises to be an absolutely amazing series!! The plot was unique and realistic and Mandy really brings absolutely everything to life in front of your eyes from the characters to the mystery to the surroundings. Well done Mandy you did absolutely purrfectly!! I completely devoured it in one sitting as I just could not put it down and I cannot wait to read more books in this series!!!

Before you start this make sure you clear your schedule because once you pick it up you are not going to want to put it down!!!!

The characters were TALKING CAT DETECTIVES with some feline spirits thrown in. I mean, you really cannot ask for better characters than what Mandy brings you in this book!! Every cat had their own unique personalities with individual flaws, quirks, histories, strengths and weaknesses!! I absolutely LOVED meeting and getting to know them all and I cannot wait to meet them and other characters in the previous and future books in what really does promise to be an absolutely addictive series!! Each of the characters were well developed, unique and thanks to Mandy's fantastic evocative writing skills they all came to life before my eyes.

Congratulations Mandy on an absolutely fantastic success in this brilliant page turner!!! . Here's to the next addictive and unique book in this absolutely epic series!!! This is exactly why I would like to welcome you to my favourite authors club and I cannot wait to get stuck in to the previous books in this brilliant series!!!

Overall an absolute must read, festive filled, addictive page turning purrfect read for cat lovers!

#SixTailsAtMidnight #TheNo2FelineDetectiveAgency #MandyMorton #hettiebagshot #icloudMandy #HettieBagshotMysteries #Farrago #FarragoBooks #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours

@MandyMorton @hettiebagshot @icloudMandy @HettieBagshotMysteries @Farrago @FarragoBooks @RandomThingsTours @RandomTTours


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[Paterson Loarn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Tails at Midnight by Mandy Morton is an entertaining novella in the genre of animal fantasy. In a world without people, Hettie Bagshot the cat detective and her feline friendship group set out to enjoy a luxurious seasonal break in the depth of the wintry Fens. Snowed in with no hope of rescue, they find themselves sharing the Fishgutter’s Arms Inn with six mysterious and unwelcome guests. Fuelled by an apparently endless supply of sausage rolls and sherry, they must find a way to escape the spooky hostelry and save their Christmas.
I was attracted to this book because the group who have given it positive reviews is so diverse. It is recommended by folk legend Maddy Prior, popular crime novelist Barbara Nadel and crime writing academic Barry Forshaw. Having read it, I understand its wide appeal. The cats have quirky human personalities that belong in a soap opera, and some of their conversations made me laugh out loud. The scary stories told by their midnight visitors appear to reference events from the history of the Fens, which makes the fantastical setting seem more real and exciting.
Many thanks @farragobooks and @RandomTTours for my review copy.

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Tails At Midnight is the first of The No 2 Feline Detective Agency that I’ve read – it’s actually book fifteen. It’s a cross between a cosy mystery with cats, and a ghost story with some pretty nasty bits thrown in – and they are quite gruesome at times. It takes place mainly in an old ruined and deserted pub called The Fishgutter’s Arms, located in the middle of nowhere, during a snowstorm. All that’s missing is someone having a baby (or kitten in this case), as in so many TV dramas, snowed in with the wind howling outside. You know the kind of thing.

The six cats – Hettie, Tilly, Bruiser, the Butter sisters and postmistress Lavender Smith – have booked Christmas at a smart pub-cum-hotel called The Fishgutter’s Arms, but either they’ve made a terrible mistake, got massively lost, or been conned out of their money. However, as the Morris, and Bruiser’s motorbike and sidecar, Miss Scarlet, are virtually buried in the snow, they must make the best of it.

For some bizarre reason, instead of sleeping in the bar area where they have lit a roaring fire, they decide to separate and sleep in the inn’s tiny bedrooms. And this is where it all goes a bit Christmas Carol, as each of the cats is visited by a ghost with a grisly tale, or should it be tail, to tell. We are only missing the clanking chains.

The whole book is a bit weird initially with only cats as characters, and they all act and speak like humans. There is a lot of food and drink involved, from sausage rolls, mince pies and sandwiches with the crusts cut off, to sherry and whatever else they can find in the bar. Lavender in particular is partial to a snifter every now and again … and again.

Once I got into it I found it very funny and entertaining – the inventive names of places like Much-Purring-on-the-Rug and Much-Purring-on-the-Blanket in particular, and characters called Irene Peggledrip and Ruben Catcraft, the executioner. And I love all the feline-based silliness and humour.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 15 in The No 2 Feline Detective Agency Series but my first read. This is just the cutest little novella that I read in one sitting and one I think will be enjoyed by adults and children alike. This is a world inhabited only by felines and no doubt the better for that!

Briefly, Hettie Bagshot the cat detective together with Tilly, Bruiser and the Butter sisters are spending Christmas at The Fishgutter’s Arms. However when the weather gets bad and they are snowed in they find that they are not alone. There are six other residents. Ghostly residents!

I loved our feline characters, they are so bizzare, but as a cat owner I can confirm many of their little foibles and quirks are very real. Parts of this made me smile as I recognised their actions, their conversations were entertaining, and the story itself very enjoyable. Suspend all belief those who enter here, personally I can think of nothing nicer than inhabiting a world full of cats. So much fun, this would make a perfect Christmas present for the cat lover in your life.

[BooksCoveredHB · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my full sensory review please visit my blog This is the first in the series I have read and I am definitely going to seek out the others! This was just perfect and I can’t wait to read it again next time you my youngest child over the festive season. I love that these books are written as novellas, making them perfect little gift books that you would want to read immediately. My family and I are all in for spooky reads so this particular title was perfect for us all. The series as the cover suggests follows a group of detectives that happen to be cats! In Six Tails At Midnight the detectives investigate a spooky situation at an Inn they are staying at over the festive period. This is a super fun read ideal for children and adults especially for reading over the festive season. I would say it makes an ideal stocking filler but I would want to read this before, therefore for our family this book is perfect to gift for Jólabókaflóð. I highly recommend this delightful book to everyone who enjoys a novella with themes of any of the following, cats, ghosts, Christmas and detectives.

[Dee Groocock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tilly, Hettie, Buster and the Butter sisters head off to The Fishgutter’s Arms to spend Christmas there. With snow coming down heavily, they find the place seems to be abandoned. With plenty of food and fire for warmth, they decide to stay the night while waiting for the snow to settle down.

Once they head off to their rooms for the night, each cat is visited by a ghost who was hung here many years ago. Will the friends manage to get any sleep and leave in the morning?

This is the fifteenth book in the series, and my first book of the series. This can be read as a standalone, and is an enjoyable story.

This is a great story with a wonderful imagination from the author. I enjoyed the pictures I was getting in my head of the cats, especially Bruiser on his motorbike with a sidecar! A story that left me with a smile on my face throughout.

I received a copy of this book from the author.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Tails at Midnight is my first read in this series, but it certainly won't be my last.

We follow feline main characters, Hettie, Tilly and Bruiser, along with The Butter Sisters as they set out on a wintery journey across the snowy fens to spend Christmas at a local Pub. But when they arrive at The Fishgutter’s Arms, they find not all is as it seems, and what follows is a spooky tale full of ghosts, sausage rolls and fun festivities.

A in all, just a wonderful little pocket sized read. At just over 100 pages, I read this in one sitting one blustery afternoon in November, and it got my right into the Christmasy mood.

I loved the concept of Cats as main characters, and the snowy setting was just so wonderful.

It's a quirky read, somewhat surreal, but totally believable at the same time.

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Char Mullarkey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cosy crime book of cat detective main characters?? Count me in!

Hettie, Tilly, Bruiser and the Butter sisters set out across the snowy fens to spend Christmas at The Fishgutter’s Arms. Snowed in with no hope of rescue, they find themselves sharing Christmas with some unwanted guests.

Will the ghosts of Christmas Past wreak vengeance on the present? Can our feline detectives dig themselves out of a spooky festive fiasco? And will the sausage rolls and sherry last until midnight?

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This was so cute. I just loved that the main characters were cats 😂 it was so easy to read, nice short chapters, and was just the perfect festive novella.

Whilst it was a cosy book to me, the obvious haunted element gave it a creepier side, and I really enjoyed reading it. (Neville also approves, as you can see!)

Thank you to @randomthingstours @mandyjmorton for my gifted copy! 🩵💙

[Kate Edmondson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is super cute! 🥰 I am now all in the Christmas spirit!

Will the ghost cats of Christmas past wreak vengeance?

The first couple of pages I realised the characters are cats, so cute I could just imagine them all curled up in their little cat beds gossiping like human old ladies!

The quality of the descriptions was great, I loved this take on a Christmas carol! The cats visiting were perfect for the cats they visited and hopefully taught some of the cats a lesson!

Read this for a cute winter evening to feel Christmassy cuddled up with your cats! I think Mo my cat is most like Beryl

[Miki Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick but entertaining read.
Hettie, Tilly and Bruiser have been invited to go away for a couple of days over Christmas with the Butter Sisters. They have booked rooms in the Fishgutters Arms and are looking forward to the comfort and food.
On the day they leave they also discover Lavender Stamp is also coming and this annoys Hettie immensely as she was looking forward to a few days without the bad tempered cudmudgeon.
Their journey to the pub is hampered by a heavy fall of snow and when they arrive they find it deserted but have to break in and build a fire as the weather is so bad.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ghost story for Christmas - what could be better?
Even the best laid plans of mice and cats can go astray, especially when the no 2 Feline Detective Agency is involved.

[Liz Puttock · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and witty short story

[courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute cosy christmas read. I need more books about cats.

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was an adorable book

[Zoe Forever Reading 16 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun festive read following Hettie, Tilly, Bruiser and Butter through their Christmas adventure at The Fishgutter’s Arms.
I would definitely like to read more adventures with these Feline Detectives.
Nothing better than being visited by multiple Ghosts on Christmas Eve. I loved the world building and the backstories of the Ghosts.
I truly think this might become a Christmas Eve reread tradition for me now.

[What-Rian-Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super cosy festive read, or a post Halloween pre Christmas read and it’s the perfect length to read in a single setting whilst wrapped in a blanket in your fave reading spot.

Our feline detectives have been invited away for a Christmas of pampering (or should I say pawwwpurring), luxurious rooms, feasts to fill them to the brim and their closet friends. When heavy snowfall hits, the group are forced to take shelter in the derelict and spooky “Fishgutters Arms”.

Sheltering from the cold, huddled around the fire the friends make the most of their situation, but the closer it gets to midnight and the felines head to bed they find themselves in for a night to remember.

Treacherous of the past and unexpected ghosts leave our felines questioning their surroundings. Can our detective Hettie solve the mystery of the fishgutters arms and its dark link to Christmas?

This isn’t a scary read, it’s a cosy cross into the supernatural, that you can’t help but smile as you read the quirky tale. I will certainly join Hettie and the gang for some more whimsical adventures.

[Zarina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slog to get through even though it was teeny. This author is not for me.

[Emily Pankhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blog Tour Review

The writing was detailed, light and entertaining. I was completely taken into the characters' world and enjoyed joining them on their Christmas adventure.

The chapters were short and each had a title giving us an idea of what we were about to read. There was a good pace to the book meaning that I quite happily sat and read it in one long reading session. There was a good flow between the chapters which moved us through the story well. The story was fairly short, but it was well balanced, with nothing feeling rushed and the ending coming naturally.

The characters were excellent. Whilst this book was part of a series, I felt that I was still able to get a good feel for who the characters were with this book. There were lots of different personalities that worked well together and made for a fun, entertaining read. I loved the supernatural element to the story. I would quite happily read more about all of the characters.

Lastly the settings. I loved all the descriptions throughout the book. They produced a wonderful atmosphere, both spooky and festive. They added a great extra layer to the story, padding it out in the best way.

Overall a great story, making it the perfect Christmas present. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and highly recommended it.

[Georgina Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick neat little mystery in the No2 Feline Detective Agency’s series, set at Christmas but not as straight forward as you’d think. The detectives and their landladies, as well as Bruiser, set off for time away in a country pub for the Christmas break. Unfortunately, the pub isn’t what they were expecting and there are some unwanted guests sharing it with them.

I liked this one, a nice short story catching up with our favourite felines over the Christmas break and learning about the surrounding villages. There was some interesting history to learn about the uninvited guests, really out of the ordinary additions to the story.

Can’t wait to read more of the detectives soon, I don’t imagine this is the last we’ll see of them.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the series that I have read and I absolutely loved it! I loved our characters of Tilly, Hettie, Bruiser and the Butter sisters! I loved the fact that they were going away for Christmas but I don’t think any of them envisioned what the trip would be like!!

I have to mention a couple of the place names that they passed through on their journey:
They did make me laugh out loud!! I thought the storyline was unique and I really enjoyed the escapism that reading this gave me. A fun, lighthearted comedy / mystery which combined cats, Christmas and ghosts! I’m looking forward to going back and reading some others in the series.