The Culprit

by Martin Sasek

This first in a Two-Part book series is not just the tale of a witty Bengal Cat that turned Diane and Martin’s empty nest upside down, but a too often hilarious Memoir of the author and his wife’s crazy life experiences as they journey to find out just who the Culprit really is. A cleverly crafted read brimming with sarcastic and self-deprecating humor that will surely leave you laughing and loving the Culprit from start to finish.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Cats, Humor

230 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2020

Reviews

[Shelley Simmons-Reynolds · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not understand how this book gets such high ratings.

You read about the cat up until page 85, then you jump back in time to hear about the author's early years and working experiences. You finally pick up the main story again on page 163 and rush through to a terrible end. Too many times, while reading this book, I was asking myself "What does this have to do with anything?"
I didn't enjoy the writing style. Often, it felt like sentences were written in backwards order and, when they were long, required multiple readings.

[Samantha Reilly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note: Very mild spoilers ahead

The best part about The Culprit is the cover, as soon as you open the book things begin to go downhill quickly. Honestly the book has promise as a first draft but he probably should have had an editor work on it before he published. The stories about the cat are kind of cute but the book loses focus in the second half and derails with some interesting but unrelated horse stories that really didn't make sense. There was an attempt at a cliff hanger at the end of the book but it was not enticing enough to make me want to suffer through another book of similar caliber (especially since if he hadn't wasted half the book on unrelated horse stories he could have completed the story about the cat).

General Pro/Con Summary:
Pro
-Cute cat picture on the cover
-Some of the individual stories are cute in theory

Con
-Not enough cat pictures
-Stories read like hastily written reddit stories
-Poor to no editing
-Basic grammar and sentence structure is missing
-Word choices read like he was using a thesaurus for every word possible
-Flashbacks happen without transition or warning
-Half of the book isn't even about the cat. The author goes off on a strange tangent about horses his family owned. The horse stories were interesting but entirely unrelated to the cat

[Rachel Reilly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I disliked this book. The awkward asinine abuse of alliteration was distracting and made me wince. The author did not write much about his cat. Much of the book is about his horses, his soccer endeavor, and his health. The book is directionless. Is it about cats, animals, the author? In the end this book is about the author, as that is the only common thread - however there is no growth, no moment for readers to connect.

He seems to be afraid to let us see who he really is, so instead, he tries to be the 'funny guy' or 'the hero' of every tale. He comes off as entirely unlikable, shallow, sexist (women are described as being 'hot', 'beautiful' ,'wholesomely attractive', 'bombshell' - continuously - an example pg 189 "Her attractive expression, slightly more Arabic than Indian, beautifully complimented a slender build and prodigiously bounding breast-line -- which provided a perfect framework for building the bombshell!").

His perspective often makes me wonder if he grew up under a rock - or maybe stole the book from a parent who grew up in the 1930s (for example, he is in wonder at the alcohol and dietary restrictions of his Muslim friends and when an alarm goes off to call them to prayer, he is all 'what is this call to prayer you speak of??? I have never heard of such a thing!! Your food will get cold!!!') .

At times his juvenile attempts at creating uproarious chaos take a turn towards racist. When his new Muslim friends come to their house with their extended family - he describes the husband as wearing 'Aladdin' pajamas, describes the cat seeing the "...incoming train of jewel-twinkling, tassel-trailing rainbowed sarees" as "just a line of walking Christmas trees for her amusement --". Upon seeing the cat apparently everyone is terrified and starts screaming - "I'm talking, horror-filled, terror stricken, Vishnu's angry face popping our from the clouds screaming as if I had leapt from the house donning a hockey mask and wielding a revving chainsaw at them!" After over a page describing all his guests abject terror at just seeing a cat - he goes on to say Zahra (aka Kitten) was "Undeterred by all the Bollywood bedlam" and continued to go for the tassels of one of the guests. Cringe worthy is the only adjective comes to my mind to describe this work. He manages to rescue the guests from the cat - but not before portraying them as clownish and foolish.

This book suffers from a serious lack of editing, an author who has a desperate desire to be funny/cool and a total lack of any growth of the characters or any common thread to hold on to.
He frequently uses incorrect words, awkward phrasing, tends to tell instead of show. I commend him on starting and finishing a book - but would highly recommend he learns from this endeavor and finds a good editor and decides what story he is trying to tell!

[kimberly curtsinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointment. Outrage!

I wish the book had more uncomment with the cat . there was entirely too much about the family that did not involve the cat in any way. The cover of the book led me to believe the cat was the central character . I am completely outraged that the book ended with "to be continued". I never read a book that ends this way . at least give an idea when the next book will be released . has it even been written? I will probably read the the followup but I doubt I will ever read another book by this author.

[Jill Quinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had trouble staying in this book. Between the author's strange use of words being from Canada, multiple spelling errors, and many chapters being very disassociated with each other, I found myself wondering if anyone actually proofread this book. I found a good bit of it boring and some of it seemed rather exaggerated.

[Katie McCollum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super easy read with some very funny anecdotal stories. I thought the author wandered off topic in the middle of the book and lost track that it was supposed to be about life with the cat, and not his own adventures. The ending was intended to leave you wanting for more, but it fell flat for me. The author has a wonderful way with words, but might want to shoot for a better editor.

[Gracel lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cats keep coming

Okay loved the story except for the fishing bit. Enjoyable read. Cats do it for me every time..
More please

[Shelley Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

I enjoyed the Culprit and chuckled out loud more than once. It lost me a few times when being up past events. Probably just me.🤣 Looking forward you the second book.

[Nance Roepke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rating. This book was funny, particularly if you have a cat, but I felt that the author exaggerated situations a little too much. I don't think that the stories he told were as ridiculous as he made them out to be. Also, this book ends in a big cliffhanger. I was extremely disappointed by that. If I intend to read a series of books, I can handle a little cliffhanger here and there. But this one with too extreme and I hadn't expected to need to read another book. I didn't even know it was a series. So, the book is good and it's funny but I was still disappointed by the things already mentioned.

[Darlene Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh. The antics of the cat and the horses kept me smiling. Zarha is a typical Bengal cat. Being a lifelong cat person I was able to picture her and the things she does. Sit back and enjoy some genuine laughs as you follow her and her family. You will fall in love with her. I know I did.

[James Hecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Culprit by Martin Sasek is a delightfully irreverent and humorous memoir that turns everyday family life into a series of clever, laugh-out-loud observations. With a voice that’s both self-aware and warmly affectionate, Sasek paints a portrait of family dynamics, personal quirks, and the beautiful chaos that comes with adopting a Bengal kitten who quickly becomes the true star of the household.

I found this book in the house among my grandchildren’s things. I asked them, but none of them had read it. This is not at all the kind of thing I would usually read, but it was written in a clever style that it made it a welcome lighthearted break from my normal course of Tolkien, theology, or philosophy.

Rather than a traditional linear memoir, the book feels like a series of witty vignettes—each one revealing the author’s knack for finding humor in the ordinary and charm in the absurd. The arrival of the Bengal kitten is a highlight, providing not just comic relief but a surprisingly heartfelt anchor to the story. With its curious intelligence and mischievous spirit, the cat becomes both accomplice and instigator, giving the family endless material—and the reader endless entertainment.

Sasek’s writing style is dry, satirical, and wonderfully unfiltered, but beneath the humor lies a sincere appreciation for family, companionship, and the joy found in shared misadventures. It’s a memoir that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still manages to leave a lasting impression.
If you enjoy memoirs with bite, humor with heart, and cats with too much personality for their own good, The Culprit is an absolute pleasure to read.

[Andrea Brado · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having been gifted this book, I was down for a quick feel good read. A memoir about a silver bengal and how chaotic they can be. I had for a time wanted such a kitten myself.

It starts strong with some of the normal stereotypes. Empty nesters. No sex. Adult children who - how dare they - are self involved in their own lives. The wife is painted by the husband as weird and kinda crazy. He paints himself as low key but with lots of life experiences / crazed teen years.

You get into their experience of choosing which breed of cat, visiting cat breeders - the odd type of people they are, selecting the kitten, Zahra, and the cute disruptive moments she creates for them.

The whole middle of the book is just about their lives. The young and dumb decisions they made. The being broke but having three kids. The one off “amazing” business venture that turned into a money maker. How they got into horse racing. Blah blah.

Then he circles us back to the cat. But quickly loses our way again with a prostate cancer scenario. Which seems to conclude just fine. Ending the book on a cliffhanger of “omg we let the cat outside and now she’s gone” moment. Somehow that’s supposed to line up the reader for purchasing book two? Which appears to have not yet been published and likely hasn’t even been written… short read but not a feel good one for me. I won’t be keeping an eye out for book two.

[Jesica Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

95. The Culprit by Martin Sasek

This one was recommended to me by someone who saw someone else reading it on a plane and was given to me by my coworker who is continuing her tradition of giving me books about cats. This one started strong, but went off the rails.

Martin and Diane are empty-nesters who decide to adopt a silver Bengal cat. The first third of the book talks about finding the right cat and then goes on to describe the antics of their kitten. And that part was really fun. While I disagree that it was necessary to get a designer cat, anyone who has survived having a kitten would chuckle. But then it goes on and talks about their lives together from meeting and raising their kids and raising horses for about half the book. They do get back to present day and Kitten but it was definitely more of an autobiography than a book about a cat. And the ending sucked. Apparently there is a sequel, but I’m not sure I will read it.

[Keith Alverson · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is hard to write slapstick comedy. This author tried, mostly without success, despite his particular penchant for amusing alliteration. M brought me this book from the library since we are considering getting a cat, and I read it in the hope it might help us make that decision. Turns out the book is only about 50% quasi-believable slapstick cat stories. It is actually a kind of disjoint memoir, jumping around in the author's past, including chapters unrelated to the cat, about raising horses and fishing. Although the author recalls and relates some events from his past, they are not particularly memorable. I guess this book might be interesting to his grandchildren, but for the average reader there is no overarching or interesting message beyond simple reporting of the vignettes. The chapters are mostly unconnected attempts at comedy and mostly didn't really seem all that funny.

[Beverly Lawrence · Rating 1 out of 5]

This guy no doubt sold this book based on its cover. Cute cat. But, on injecting his horse stories into the book; he's listed as the last breeder of the last two foals (which means, he was the last owner of the mare when she produced the foals) out of a TB mare, Press Exclusive. Press E. earned nearly half a million for her racing connections & produced 9 foals, including 3 that earned over $100k. Evidently Sasek acquired the mare sometime between 2010 & 2011. Then, getting a 2011 and 2012 foal from her - it appears he dumped her into the Canadian horse-slaughter world. But, he still got some 'mileage' out of her by using her and other horses in writing his essentially useless book, "The Culprit." I'd say he's the culprit; if the gods are just, he'll meet as hard an end as Press E nearly did; you can read about it here: http://www.horseytalk.net/HorseyInter...

[Diane Stultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I wanted to read about the actual "culprit"... a Bengal breed kitten, the memoir only referred to her for a few chapters. References to how Sasek and his wife decided to adopt this cat were amusing as were the antics of the cat themselves. However, then the author went into his life before being an empty nester. There were lots of accounts of life before the cat... I felt like he was going off on an unrelated tangent.

The writing was trite and descriptions were over done. The cover was the best part! It was what drew me in, but I guess that you cannot judge a book by its cover. (I think I heard that somewhere!)

The book ended with the following line: "TO BE CONTINUED". Not sure if it will continue for me unless I can obtain the book for free from the library. I would not bother...and I really love cats!

[Mary B · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a cat fanatic, I really enjoyed this book & the various antics of 'Kitten'. I was disappointed by how it was promoted as that, as Kitten was a part of it, but in reading the fine print, it was written (& not particularly well, unfortunately) as a look at the life of the author & his family. Interesting, but not exactly what I expected. Lots of humour & sadly, a lot of errors. I also lost track of the timeline, in places. For example, at one point the family was moving to N Canada for work, then very quickly and without any notice that I read, they were back in their home province.
There is promise of a Part 2, and I will likely read it, because of my feline curiosity . . .
I would recommend it if you want a quick light, humourous read, and are a lover of animals, especially cats.

[Nora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely felt misled. I expected this book to focus on the antics of feisty kitten, but that was only about 15% of the story. Had I looked into it more, I would have discovered this is more of a memoir by the writer, and the cat is a nice "hook" to get us to read it. Having listened to the audio book, I will note that the addition of noises (cats yowling, thuds, clangs and such) is extremely distracting to me as an Audiobook fan. Those kind of "background" noises almost always make me stop the book for a second to identify the noise--making sure it wasn't in my own environment. And the way the book ended, I definitely felt cheated.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Culprit was published in 2020.
It ends on such a cliffhanger I can't stand it. If book 2 hadn't been promised five years ago I would have given this book a higher rating.
I went searching for clues, but even a preview of Book 2 chapter 1 that was supposed to have been posted isn't available.
The sections of the book relating to Zahra are hilarious! I expected that most of the book would center on the kitten. A lot of the book covers other family trip-ups and trials. It's all interesting and funny, but the ending, with no book two in sight, has me feeling ticked off.

Just publish book 2 already!!

[Jen Ifer's Inklings · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The stories about the cat were fun and enjoyable. About halfway through the story we jumped back about 25 years to just areas of the narrator's life without any warning. I'm not sure how this related to the first part of the book about the cat. The story was interesting but just felt disjointed. Then we pop back into the story with the cat for about the last 10% of the book. The ending didn't really give any wrap up to the story either. I think it could have been a better memoir if it was more cohesive to one time line or the other.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was sorta disappointed in this book.

At the beginning I was really into this story about Kitten.
When the author stated in on his life long before Kitten
I lost interest real quick. I bought this book cuz I was real
interested in the story of this sweet cat. Three quarters of
the book is about the author and his wife doing soccer
and the schools and horses and such. Now the book ends
with kitten gone. It'll be a year before book 2 comes out.
Hope I'll be around for the end of the story as I'm 70 and
not in good health.

[Seena Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

clever. fun.

Mr Sasek weaves a fun story with wit, charm and humility. His vocabulary, while exceptional, is a refreshing change of pace.
Thinking this story was a tale of kitten and human family, I was a little confused when the story changed direction and took us to a place back in time. Occasionally that pattern left the reader a little confused, but the telling of the story was so entertaining, often to laughing out loud, that it was not a total distraction.
The ending is clever….on to the next book!

[lori huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

An autobiographical, humorous, and heartwarming account of the author's experiences, relationships, and the antics of a cat acquired after he and his wife become empty-nesters. This often alliterative, heavily metaphorical, and cleverly worded account will have you laughing out loud while simultaneously cringing at many of the fantastical situations that occur.

The book is well written and well edited. The cover is fabulous, and is what compelled me to purchase the book. I recommend it highly for a hilarious, moving, and fun way to pass some time.

[Paytence · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have never been super big on memoirs but this book did have some parts that genuinely interested me. I would not say this is a bad book, because it is not, but it is mainly a book to just pass the time. It took about 3 days to read this book, the second day I read only around 2 pages. It is definitely a slow read in my opinion, even though it is a shorter book. The ending of the book said "To be continued", which aI looked up and it has not been continued. I wouldn't read this book again but I would read a second book if he was to write one. I'm curious about the cat.

[Bobbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the first six or seven chapters of this book. Two empty-nesters decide to adopt a cat -- and the cat is quite the character. It made me laugh out loud in numerous places, and I was enjoying it immensely. Then, the author switched gears, left the cat behind (why the title?) and started reminiscing rather randomly about other things in his life. The ending was abrupt with the words "to be continued...." No. I think not. Thanks, anyway.

[Isobel · Rating 1 out of 5]

SO DISAPPOINTED!...

I've never been so disappointed in a book as I was with "The Culprit". This book has been grossly misrepresented by the publisher. I know how smart and mischievous bengal cats are and was expecting to be entertained by her antics only to be handed a biography of someone I've never heard of!! There are some very funny moments at the beginning but are too few to mention. Don't waste your money on this book.

[Lisa E. Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

As other reviewers remarked, I don’t know why this book has such high ratings or why it’s said to be about the cat. Over half the book has nothing to do with the cat and goes into way too much about the author and horses they had/have and their business ventures. To make matters far worse, the book ends with “to be continued” as if readers want to wait for and spend money on another book not about the cat at least part or most of the time.

[Tina Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I adore cats. The individual personalities are the best. Having inherited a Russian Blue/Bengal mix, The Culprit caught my attention. The fact that this book is based on a true story makes it that much more intriguing and funny. Definitely a laugh out loud read. What happens next? I am desperately searching for the sequel:.

Well written and captivating. Hard to put down. Anyone who has experienced kittenhood and lived through it, should enjoy this book.

[Timothy Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read 35% of this book. The story is OK. It kept my interest. I just couldn't take the author's style. I found the constant alliteration annoying. My wife read the whole book and generally enjoyed it. However, there is, or will be, a sequel and she is not sure if she will read that book. I think that sys something.

[Barbara Moher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it a 3 because I absolutely loved the first part about the cat….it was laugh out loud funny…. Then , without explanation it moved on to the farm life and Zahra was barely mentioned and I got bored. I really skimmed the 2nd half, disappointed! This is not to say I would not reread the beginning someday, but I would know where to stop!