Detective Daintypaws: A Squirrel In Bohemia

by Andrew K. Lawston

Justice has a new... collar.

All is not well on the mean streets of Barnes. A double homicide in trendy deli Bohemia is followed by a spate of mysterious thefts across Castelnau's parade of shops. And there are rumours. Whispers of supernatural beings stirring, of dark forces from the dawn of time.

Only one PI can solve this baffling mystery. Only one hero can crack the case. The terror of sparrows. The prodigal snoozer. The esteemed and revered Detective Buscemi Daintypaws Twinklefur.

The crime-solving cat.

With the reluctant help of a sassy streamwise mallard duck, a Lancastrian heron, and 'Ard Ren the fox, Buscemi must reclaim her streets from the forces of darkness. Even at the cost of her soul.

151 pages, Paperback

First published February 18, 2020

About the author

Andrew K. Lawston has at various times been a writer, actor, director, teacher, journalist, academic, salesman, publisher, editor, designer (that was a weird day), cinema manager, film extra and till monkey. His first job was working in an independent bookshop aged 16, and he at least had the foresight to know that it would all be downhill from there.

Andrew writes quirky comedy fiction over a variety of genres. His writing is infused with the kind of worldview that comes from watching a lot of French cinema and Doctor Who (not necessarily in that order), and reading a lot of Pratchett, Dickens and Shakespeare. It's often dark, sometimes disturbing, always unpredictable, and occasionally very funny. Ever wondered what would happen if a small boy got into an abusive relationship with the demonic clown hiding under his bed? So did he, unfortunately.

With a degree in French, Andrew also translates classic French books, most notably Casanova's account of his escape from Venice prison in 1755, and the Chantecoq series of pulp detective novels.

Andrew has now largely retired from acting, but in 2018 he was a finalist in the Arts Richmond New Plays Festival with his short play "Matrexit".

He lives in London with a lovely wife and a crime-solving cat.

Reviews

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little on the twee side for me, and a mixed bag tonally. But there were some nice scenes and characters to make me consider following the series. Plus...cats!

[Kath Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is for you if you enjoy crime fiction, cats, a bit of silliness and a touch of the fantastical. Cat Detective Buscemi Daintypaws is looking into the death of her friend Flollops, a squirrel (oh, and there might have been a dead human too). Her ‘staff’ are always singularly inept and their new puppy, aka Puddles, is totally useless. This is well observed and very funny. It’s a light-hearted break from the serious crime fiction rut we can find ourselves in. Give it a go.
I received a review copy of this book.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fun read, albeit a little bonkers, starring a clever little cat and her band of followers. Highly recommended.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that I didn't know I needed, but I definitely did. Detective Daintypaws truly is the greatest, most adorable, and cleverest little cat detective that ever there was, and this book is laugh out loud funny over and over again. I am quite convinced that Andrew Lawston is a) a cat b) part cat or c) being manipulated by cat mind control to write as he does. I am more than sure that his insights into the inner workings of a cat's head are 100% accurate. Also, there are zombie geese! I am overjoyed.

Detective Buscemi Daintypaws Twinklefur truly is the adorable yet aloof hero we have all been longing for.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dumb and definitely not a 5 star read but also… probably my favourite thing I’ve read all year. It was fun and shocking and everything a detective book from the point of view of an overly confident cat should be!

[Angie Boyter]

A book about a cat who solves mysteries sounds tailormade for me and I opened it eagerly, but I gave up. I got an occasional smile but mostly groans over the downright silliness or entered question marks about things that just did not make much sense. I did not read enough to give it a rating

[Sam Hirst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun surprise. I didn't know what to expect when my friend recommended it but it was a fun story, often funny, and with some unexpected twists. A loving ode to a cat and their imagined adventures is what it reads like. I'd definitely read more in the series.

[Sierra Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a strange but quick and cute read.

[Ying_ko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Buscemi Daintypaws Twinklefur. The crime-solving cat tackles her biggest case. A murder has occurred in the Bohemia bar and the victims are a squirrel and a human. Our cat detective leaves the human's demise to the police but takes on the case of the squirrel from the man who runs the bar. He gives her a badge (a beer cap with a star on it) and she begins her investigation. What ensues is a wonderful series of clues, events, disappearing garlic, and a colorful cast of characters. With lines that could have come from Sam Spade, if he were a cat, the story is a wonderful read.