The Michaelmas Murders

The No.2 Feline Detective Agency #5

by Mandy Morton

As the town’s annual Michaelmas Flower and Produce Show approaches, it is doom and bloom on the allotments as a dead body is found on Bonny Grubb’s onion patch. Baronial landowner Fluff Wither-Fork is beside herself and calls in the No. 2 Feline Detective Agency.

Hettie Bagshot and her sidekick Tilly begin questioning locals and uncover plenty of secrets, but will they ever get to the bottom of this murky compost heap? With a killer cat on the prowl amid the binder twine and the allotment community shaking in their wellington boots, everyone wonders who will be next??

Genres: Cats, Mystery, Crime, Cozy Mystery

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

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

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return to form, I enjoyed the silly names, spending time with the cat detectives again and the details of cardigans. The plot kept me guessing who done it.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, so yet another cosy mystery with cat detectives. After thinking it terrible on my first read of this series, I now quite like it. You just have to accept that it's an easy read and everyone is a cat. Cats solving crimes in a world without law enforcement.

Probably the best book that I've read in the series (I'm not reading them in any order), with the best plot, a good mix of 3D characters and an enjoyable allotment and manor house setting.

I have two niggles:
Am I missing a load of political things in every book or is the communist Jerimiah Corbett thing a one off?
The damaging stereotypical mental health portrayal isn't something I expected to find in a light, cosy mystery and that disappointed and irked me.

[Helene Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review - This series is really growing on me, the more of it I read. The play on words that happens throughout is very clever like Mash Wither-Spoon is "mash with a spoon". The characters are all completely individual and they all add something to the story. There isn't anything in the story that doesn't add something to the overall effect. The mystery itself is intriguing and I didn't see the solution coming in the end. Every book that I've read in this series is thoroughly engaging to read and really funny, which is good in this strange situation we find ourselves in at the moment.

Genre? - Cosy Crime

Characters? - Hettie Bagshot / Tilly Jenkins / Bruiser / Micks Wither-Spoon / Mash Wither-Spoon / Fluff Wither-Fork / Beryl Butter / Betty Butter / Gertrude Jingle / Bonny Grubb

Setting? - Furcross (England)

Series? - No. 2 Feline Detective Agency #5

Recommend? – Yes

Rating - 15/20

[Grace Grimsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was surprising for me in many ways. The first being that it was set in a world where cats were the primary mammals of intellect. Having not read the previous books in the series, I originally thought it would be human detectives that would be investigating cases involving murdered cats. However, this was not the case as the cats were also detectives and I feel that just made it more curiouser but ultimately cuter. Therefore the book itself, even though it contained murders, I would class as a cute, cosy mystery that's easy to read. I do recommend this book as I did enjoy it and will probably seek to read other books within this series. It probably helps that I'm a little bit of a crazy cat lady myself 😻

[Linda Amos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A body is found at one of the allottments in the grounds of the local landowner, Fluff Wither-Fork. Hetty's investigtions prove fruitless as the cat is unknown to the area and there is nothing on the body to identify them. That's not all: prizewinning vegetables go missing days before the annual flower and produce show which is to be held within the same grounds. Is someone trying to sabotage the show? Will the killer strike again?
Cosy crime, with a light touch of violence. An easy read, fun and full of laughter.

[Szustalke · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of cozy crime that feels like guilty pleasure- but could be sprinkled with way more sugar for my taste. At the current form it's a little blunt. Characters were not memorable enough for me; I could sincerely not tell a difference between various cat detectives, they all blend into one. Suspects have a bit more defined characters but still, it didn't feel like I am participating in the unrevealing of the crime story- there were not enough crumbles left for me to pick up the trace and try to guess for myself. Overall, non-demanding, average read that wasn't horribly unpleasant.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of this series that mixes fantasy and cozy mystery elements.
I started to read this book as soon as I downloaded it and I found it gripping and entertaining.
It's sometime a bit gruesome but also full of fun moments.
It's a gripping and entertaining read and I loved the well thought cast of cat characters, the solid mystery that kept me guessing and the lovely setting.
Highly recommended.

[Jean Walton · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried to read this book but I couldn't really get into it. I like cats but I don't really like the premis of cats acting as humans, much the same as I don't like to see people dressing their pets up as humans. I think it destroys the animal's dignity. You should love them for themselves not try to turn them into something they're not. I didn't think the book was funny. I thought it was ridiculous and gave up on it.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

found this a nice, cozy style murder mystery set in the world of cats. might be my second favourite of this series so far.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy pleasant read

[S.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Just borrowed the rest of the series from the library!

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novel series. This is the first book I have read of the series and I enjoyed it!

[LE Eastman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting characters. The mystery keeps you guessing until the very end.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cosy mystery. A light fun read

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Might have enjoyed this more it's I was a "cat person", but did enjoy the story.

[ursula williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely stories

Can't get enough of Hetty and Tilleys adventures 😺
I have enjoyed every one of stories and hope
there will be another one soon!!

[Lost Vegas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. I fell in love with the Chit family and their house. Micks and mash were quite complex too!

[Sarah Eley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as the others in the series so far. I wanted to give 3.5 stars as it’s better than 3 stars in my opinion!

[Richard Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving this great cosy feline mystery series. Great writing and characters

[Amanda Kingston · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dis enjoy the story, but like the others in the series, they're quite graphic with gory details. The characters also never stop eat!

[Barbara Brabiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

these viscous cat themed murder books are brilliant