The Cat Saw Murder

Rachel Murdock Mystery #1

by Dolores Hitchens, Joyce Carol Oates (Introduction)

When Rachel Murdock and her sister Jennifer receive a call for help from their favorite niece, Lilly, in Breakers Beach, CA, they quickly hop a train from Los Angeles to see her — but not before collecting their prized cat Samantha in a picnic basket and bringing her along for the ride. Samatha, it turns out, is an heiress, the inheritor of a fortune left by a wealthy relative, and so the attempt at the cat’s life, made right after they arrive, comes as a shock. The cat survives, but unfortunately, Lilly, murdered soon thereafter, is not so lucky.


By the time the police arrive, the clues are already falling into place. The source of Lilly’s trouble is revealed to be a gambling debt incurred during an attempt to cheat at bridge, and the suspects in her slaying quickly pile up. But then another corpse is discovered, buried in the nearby sand, and it becomes clear that the killing spree concerns more than just the young lady’s personal money trouble. With the authorities distracted by lurid details, it’s up to Rachel and her furry friend to uncover the subtleties containing the solution to the puzzle.


A prototypical early “cat mystery,” written before the subgenre became a staple of cozy mystery fiction, The Cat Saw Murder is an entertaining and endlessly surprising whodunit with a focus on felines. Reissued for the first time in over half a decade, the book, written pseudonymously by the author better known for her hardboiled and suspense novels, is the first in the long-running Rachel Murdock series.


Includes discussion guide questions for use in book clubs.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Cozy Mystery, Classics, Thriller, Animals

239 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

Julia Clara Catharine Dolores Birk Olsen Hitchens, better known as Dolores Hitchens, was an American mystery novelist who wrote prolifically from 1938 until her death. She also wrote under the pseudonyms D.B. Olsen, Dolan Birkley and Noel Burke.

Hitchens collaborated on five railroad mysteries with her second husband, Bert Hitchens, a railroad detective, and also branched out into other genres in her writing, including Western stories. Many of her mystery novels centered around a spinster character named Rachel Murdock.

Hitchens wrote Fool's Gold, the 1958 novel adapted by Jean-Luc Godard for his film Bande à part (Band of Outsiders, 1964).

Reviews

[lise.charmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ambientato a Los Angeles nel 1938, il romanzo narra di Miss Rachel che riceve un'inquietante telefonata dalla nipote Lily e decide di andare a trovarla per aiutarla a risolvere i propri pasticci, portando con sé l'adorata gatta Samantha. Ma Lily verrà brutalmente assassinata e Miss Rachel, col suo acume e la sua ironia aiuterà l'ispettore Mayhew a risolvere il caso.
Le critiche che ho letto parlano di un romanzo lento e devo dire che mi trovo d'accordo: ci mette un sacco ad avviarsi e i pezzi vanno posto un po' alla volta. Ma questo per me non è un difetto, è una caratteristica come un'altra e secondo me è controbilanciata dall'ottima prosa di Hitchens.
Non mi trovo invece d'accordo con chi sostiene che non ci sia approfondimento psicologico: Miss Rachel e l'ispettore vengono fuori in maniera sfaccettata per quello che fanno e non per quello che l'autore ci dice che pensano (vivaddio!) e anche la personalità della vittima è ben chiara per il lettore.
Più che per la storia lo promuovo per lo stile di scrittura, per la capacità di creare immagini vivide e originali, lo trovo superiore ai gialli che mi capita abitualmente di leggere.

[Andrea Milano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐
-----
Mi lectura de #cozymistery elegida para el mes de marzo es esta novela ambientada en la costa oeste de Estados Unidos, en 1938. Una historia con los ingredientes típicos del género: un policía rudo y concienzudo, una anciana solterona a quien le gusta meter las narices en todas partes, una muerte siniestra, una desaparición extraña y un variopinto abanico de sospechosos que ocultan muchos secretos. Y en medio de todo ese repertorio detectivesco, sobresale Samantha, una gata negra que se convierte en la protagonista, no solo porque parece ser testigo involuntario de un crimen, sino también porque podría haberse convertido en la víctima del asesino.
Una novela entretenida, que te lleva a atar cabos y a sospechar de todos. Tiene un final inesperado, que creo, es lo mejor de la historia.

[Mighty Aphrodite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quando la nipote Lily la chiama per passare insieme qualche giorno al mare, Miss Rachel approfitta dell’occasione per allontanarsi dalla monotonia della quotidianità, nonostante le perplessità della sorella Jennifer.

Quello che Miss Rachel non ha detto a sua sorella è che Lily le è parsa particolarmente preoccupata, desiderosa del parere della zia per chissà quale intrigo. Il passato di Lily certo non depone a suo favore, con un matrimonio fallito alle spalle e un marito deciso a estorcerle tutto il denaro possibile.

Quando Miss Rachel arriva alla residenza sulla spiaggia dove Lily abita, non può fare a meno di notare lo squallore che aleggia nei corridoi e nelle stanze e lo sguardo feroce della padrona di casa, Mrs Turner, che le pare stranamente familiare. Cosa ha spinto sua nipote a vivere proprio lì, tra gente ambigua e dall’aspetto sospetto?

Nonostante cerchi di spingere Lily a confidarsi con lei, a cercare il suo aiuto, la donna mantiene il più assoluto riserbo sui problemi che la affliggono, quasi tenesse più ai suoi misteri che alla loro risoluzione. E allora perché ha chiamato sua zia, perché l’ha spinta a raggiungerla se non vuole confidarsi?

Continua a leggere qui: https://parlaredilibri.wordpress.com/...

[Raquel San Martín · Rating 4 out of 5]

El primero de una serie de misterios "felinos", protagonizado por la señorita Rachel Murdock, nuestra intrépida detective aficionada. A la señorita Rachel siempre le ha gustado leer novelas de misterio, pero nunca, en sus más de 70 años, se ha visto involucrada en algo misterioso. La señorita Rachel recibe una inquietante llamada telefónica de su sobrina Lily y decide visitarla para ayudarla a resolver sus líos, llevándose consigo a su querida gata Samantha. Pero Lily será brutalmente asesinada y la señorita Rachel, con su perspicacia e ironía, ayudará al inspector Mayhew a resolver el caso.

Rachel decide dar rienda suelta a su amor por las películas de detectives y resolver el caso... pero sus métodos tranquilos y gentiles pronto entran en desacuerdo con los métodos bruscos y sin tacto del teniente Mayhew. Mayhew es un hombre corpulento al que no le preocupa en absoluto romper las reglas, o la costilla de alguien, para resolver un caso. A pesar del choque de actitudes, Rachel y Mayhew trabajan juntos para resolver el crimen. Pero el asesino tiene más sorpresas truculentas reservadas para los residentes de Surf House...

En conclusión, ya sabes mi adoración últimamente por todo lo que tenga que ver con los cozy mistery, así que ya podrás imaginar lo que he disfrutado de este libro que ya estoy deseando que salgan más casos de esta intrépida “ancianita”

[Carla Remy]

From 1939
An elderly spinster, Miss Rachel, and her cat, Samantha, solve mysteries. Miss Marple started in 1930, so the old lady sleuth is already a thing. Is this the first of the "cozy" mysteries featuring cats?

[Alan (on December semi-hiatus) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First Ever Cat Mystery?
Review of the Penzler Publishers - American Mystery Classics paperback edition (June 1, 2021) of the Doubleday hardcover original (1939).

The first in a series of mysteries by D.B. Olsen, one of the pseudonyms of bestselling Dolores Hitchens (1907-1973), The Cat Saw Murder (1939) inaugurates what has become a curious publishing phenomenon - the "cat mystery," now a multi-million-dollar-a-year industry. (Given the mythology of cats, originating in ancient Egypt where cats were allegedly worshipped as gods, it is not surprising that the cat, of all animals, is imagined as the Doppelgänger of amateur detectives.) - from the Introduction by Joyce Carol Oates.

I'm not necessarily a devotee of the cat mystery sub-genre, but when something is identified as being the first ever creation of anything, I'm always curious to find out how it began. The Cat Saw Murder is actually a bit more noirish and bloody than the supposed cozy mysteries which are usually associated with the tag.

Miss Rachel Murdock, along with her sister Jennifer, is the caregiver for Samantha, an heiress cat endowed by a relative. Miss Rachel is 70 years old and quite feisty and spry, even shockingly so in a few scenes in this book. Rachel answers a plea for assistance from her niece Lily and travels from Los Angeles to Lily's beach town where she is living in somewhat downtrodden circumstances after a failed marriage.

Awkwardly, Lily is at first hesitant to explain what her problem is. But once Rachel encounters some of the various suspicious characters living in the same boarding house as her niece, it slowly becomes clear where the danger lies. Then there are attempts on the life of the cat Samantha! And then the niece herself is murdered while Rachel herself is drugged unconscious. The cat is a witness and lives up to the title. Will Rachel solve the crime with the help of Samantha the cat? Of course she will! 🐈

Note: Samantha the cat is described as being of a marmalade colour. This apparently didn't suit the marketing and design staff for the book series, where a black cat constantly appears in the titles and the book covers. 🐈‍⬛

Soundtrack
See Bonus Track below.

Trivia and Links
This edition of The Cat Saw Murder is part of the Otto Penzler American Mystery Classics series (2018-ongoing). There is a related Goodreads Listopia here with 57 books listed as of early April 2024. There are currently 71 titles listed at the Mysterious Press online bookshop. The official website for the series at Penzler Publishers seems to show only the most recent and upcoming titles.

Bonus Track

Not the soundtrack for The Cat Saw Murder, but when I saw that Dolores Hitchens was also the writer of Fools' Gold (1958) which was adapted as the Jean-Luc Godard film Bande à part (Band of Outsiders) (1964), I couldn't resist looking up the completely charming version of the Madison Dance scene which was edited with the recording of "Dance With Me" (orig. by Lords of the New Church) by the covers band Nouvelle Vague which you can see here. French band Nouvelle Vague usually perform covers of English language songs from the 1970s & 1980s punk / glam / new wave rock era, but with bossa-nova arrangements 💃🏻🕺🏻🎶

[Mike Finn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to try an American Golden Age mystery, to see how they differ from the English Golden Age Mysteries. 'The Cat Saw Murder' caught my attention because it has a gorgeous cover and the amateur sleuth at the heart of the story is a seventy-year-old maiden aunt. My curiosity was piqued when I checked the details and found that this kicked off a thirteen-book series of Rachel Murdock mysteries with cats in the title that ran from 1939 to 1956, which must make both the cat and Rachel Murdock long-lived.

From the publisher's description, I'd expected that the amateur sleuthing would be done by the Murdoch sisters but only Rachel, the more adventurous of the two sisters, responds to her niece's call. Still, at least the publisher was consistently inaccurate. The cat plays no part in the sleuthing (except leaving its pawprints in unexpected places) and the Miss Murdock and the local police investigator, Detective Lieutenant Stephen Mayhew work in close partnership.

I was happy to find that Rachel Murdock wasn't Miss Marple with an American accent. She's kinder and gentler than Miss Marple and does her best not to think the worst of people even when the people she's surrounded by are far from nice. Even so, Miss Murdock is no pushover. She notices things and she observes people as acutely, if a little more kindly, than Miss Marple does. Where Miss Marple pretends to be a harmless old lady, almost too timid to voice her opinions as she pokes and prods and analyses, Miss Murdock really is a harmless old lady, of the sort who looks and acts like the grandmother many people wish they had, but she also puts her point of view to Inspector Mayhew clearly and simply and with every expectation of being listened to. Perhaps the biggest difference between Miss Murdock and Miss Marple is that Miss Murdock doesn't hesitate to get involved in the investigation in ways that place her in danger.

The plot unfolds in a beachside boarding house of a kind that didn't survive World War II and is populated with a wide variety of people, almost none of whom are who they appear to be. I loved the details of this shoddy, slightly disreputable house and its occupants. It gave me a window into an earlier, down-at-heal-but-unexceptional America. Of course, pretty much everyone becomes a suspect at some point. Even, Lily, the niece Miss Murdock has travelled so far to help, is hiding secrets and living a little outside the lines.

To me, the story and the storytelling felt modern, almost as if it was written for a TV market that did not yet exist. I slipped into the narrative easily and had a good time.

Although this was a very accessible story, the way in which it was told was quite unique. It was told in the third person but it had the flavour of someone sharing a much-loved and often-told reminiscence from two old friends. It took me a little while to get used to the style but it ended up being one of the things I liked most about the book. I'll share the opening paragraphs of the book to show you what I mean. If these work for you, then I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest of the novel.

"Detective Lieutenant Stephen Mayhew has been heard to complain that the murder of the Sticklemann woman was the damnedest case that he ever met up with; that solving the thing was like working a jigsaw puzzle upside down and backward; that it got progressively worse as it dragged along; and that it set him at such insane tasks as pulling hairs out of Miss Rachel’s cat and forcing a timid fat woman to scream. He has said, with embellishments, that he hated the thing from beginning to end.

But Miss Rachel from the wisdom of her seventy years thinks otherwise. Though she admits Mayhew’s pose of truculence, she thinks that it was a camouflage for happiness. She says that Mayhew’s eyes shone and that his step was springy in spite of himself. She has an idea that he ate well during that time, and slept like a top. She is as sure of his grin at finding the pin at the window as she is of putting it there. It was a small and ordinary pin but it set awry the first careful intrigue of the murderer. It must have pleased the lieutenant.

As for Rachel herself: there was shock and grief, and a time when the cold fingers of death had almost clutched her. There was the puzzle of the crime, which allured her mathematical mind as would a problem in algebra. At only one time was she really desperately afraid and that was during the night that she spent in the attic listening to the murderer search her room below. The attic was windy and chill, and so black that Miss Rachel felt disembodied in darkness. Until she sneezed. Then she became very much present in the flesh—a breathless thing all ears to hear if the person below had caught the sneeze and were coming up after her. The wind blew on her through the musty attic; the black pressed like a fist into her eyes; and she didn’t dare stir for fear of making a sound.

A minute ticked away. Perhaps two. The whispering rustle below continued as someone went through her belongings. Miss Rachel breathed again.

Then the cat opened her mouth with a small wet sound in the dark and Miss Rachel was struck anew with terror. Was the cat getting ready to yowl—or just to yawn? Miss Rachel waited.

But Lieutenant Mayhew would object that the story shouldn’t begin there—not properly. It should start at the beginning, before even he had barged into the picture.

So the scene fades back and back, until … The Misses Murdock were having breakfast."

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Rachel Murdock is a great example of the little old lady as sleuth. This is the first book in which she's featured, and if I recall the others accurately, it has a more sordid and unpleasant cast of characters than most. She lives with her disapproving sister Jennifer on the remains of the family fortune. The only other person in the family is her step-niece, a sore disappointment to the old ladies, with a divorce and a lot of unsuccessful engagements behind her. But when she asks for help, Miss Rachel travels to the small beach town where Lily is living in a run-down boarding house with a rather peculiar clientele, taking her late sister Agatha's cat along. When Lily is murdered, Miss Rachel convinces the tough local policeman to trust her, and participates in solving the crime.

The introduction is by Joyce Carol Oates. To my taste, she gives away too much of the plot details, so you might want to read it after the culprit has been unveiled.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Oscar Lozano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dolores Hitchens nos trae una historia donde nada es lo que parece y nos pone en perspectiva las diferentes personalidades de los seres humanos.
El argumento de la novela gira en torno a la investigación del asesinato de Lily, la sobrina de la protagonista Rachel Murdock, quien junto al detective Mayhew tratarán de resolver el misterio.
Así, en primer lugar, observamos cómo todas las personas tienen distintas aristas, que según las circunstancias nos hacen actuar de una manera u otra. En concreto, como se lee en la novela, siempre intentamos escaparnos de cualquier adversidad a la que tengamos que hacer frente. Nos muestra también que existen muchos motivos para cometer un acto (crimen), sea cual sea.
A su vez, indica la importancia de tener una mente ágil y despierta para enfrentar un reto de cualquier índole. Indicando que, aunque todo apunte en una determinada dirección, no se debe perder de vista ninguno de los otros posibles caminos para resolver un asunto.
En otro orden de cosas, la novela también pone de manifiesto las diferentes personalidades que se pueden encontrar dentro de un grupo de personas. En el caso de esta lectura, encontramos a la típica persona que ejerce el control sobre los demás y/o el observador que analiza los actos de los demás para conseguir ventaja sobre ellos.
Con todo, y con esto, en la novela también vemos que ninguna acción queda impune, por muy bien planificada y ejecutada que nos creamos que esté. Es decir, no existe el crimen perfecto, tal y como nos enseñaron las películas de suspense. Y, en este caso concreto, también se ve como todos tenemos algún tipo de secreto que no queremos que salga a la luz, aunque sea uno sin importancia.
En resumen, la novela recuerda a las mejores películas de cine negro de la época dorada de Hollywood y es una lectura muy interesante y recomendable.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

see review other edition

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a series of "cat" mysteries, featuring Miss Rachel Murdock, our intrepid amateur sleuth. Miss Rachel has always enjoyed reading mysteries, but has never, in her 70-odd years been involved in anything the least bit mysterious. Then one day she and her sister Jennifer receive a phone call from their niece Lily Stickleman. She sounds frightened and asks if her aunts can come and help her with some "trouble"--but won't elaborate over the phone. Miss Jennifer is a homebody and doesn't want to venture a small California beach town, so Miss Rachel sets out with their cat Samantha (who won't eat if Miss Rachel isn't there) to see what's up with Lily.

Miss Rachel knows Lily's flaws--she likes to be all mysterious and coy about her affairs; she's probably in need of money; and she isn't the most honest or intelligent young woman--but she's family and Miss Rachel knows her duty. When she gets to boarding house (and what a run-down, ramshackle place it is!), Lily, as expected, goes all coy. Trouble? Oh, well, it wasn't really much. And she's sorry she dragged "Dear Auntie" all the way down here for nothing. But she's so glad to see "Dear Auntie!" Eventually Lily drops enough hints that Miss Rachel is sure that it's the same old trouble men and/or money. But before she can really get Lily to share everything, Miss Rachel is drugged with morphia and Lily is brutally murdered. She winds up working with Detective Lieutenant Mayhew to discover what the near-poisoning and then bathing of Samantha, Lily's gambling debts, the missing Mr. Malloy, and the boarding house's attic have to do with the murder.

In this first mystery with Miss Rachel, I feel like Hitchens had some falls along the way, but overall, like the titular cat, she nearly always managed to land on her feet. Our spunky heroine (Miss Rachel...not Samantha) is just getting the hang of this amateur detective business, so she doesn't spot clues quite as quickly as she has in the two books I've read previously, but she does know when Mayhew is going astray. He is all set to arrest someone (twice!) and she manages to convince him that the solution still isn't quite right. She might have come to the final conclusion as soon as I did (yes, I did spot the murderer before Miss Rachel)...if she had been privy to all the mentions of a certain something that the reader was.

I do find it amazing that a 70-something old woman (whom we have no evidence of having been particularly active/physically strong) can climb about in the attic crawl space and up and down through attic access points in the various rooms. Her two nights of such ramblings make me tired and I'm a good twenty years younger....And things get quite exciting at the end when she and Mayhew make a mad-dash car chase to prevent the murderer from polishing off one more victim. A good solid beginning to a series that I have enjoyed (as I'm able to find titles...). ★★★ and 1/2 (rounded up here)

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me erase one misconception. You see a book cover with a pretty, attentive cat and the word murder and you think "typical cozy mystery", right? That's what I thought, and I am so happy to be wrong. This is a cozy mystery, but it lies at the very edge of that genre. Think Miss Marple meets Sam Spade, and you have a grasp on The Cat Saw Murder.

This book introduces three series characters: elderly sisters Rachel and Jennifer Murdock and Detective Lieutenant Stephen Mayhew. Rachel receives a telephone call from her niece Lily, who not-so-subtly hints that she is in trouble...again. Lily, who was a charming child, has grown into something of a colossal disappointment for her aunts. She is prone to flights of fancy, a lack of self-awareness and is unwise with finances. Jennifer stays behind, and Rachel - along with beloved cat Samantha - heads to Breakers Beach in California to join Lily at the depressing and rundown Surf House.

Rachel meets the sordid group of tenants at Surf House and is appalled at the state of the place. That state gets even worse after a violent and bloody murder takes place. Rachel decides to indulge her love of detective films and solve the case...but her quiet, gentle methods are soon at odds with the gruff, tactless methods of Lieutenant Mayhew. Mayhew is a burly man who isn't at all worried about breaking the rules - or someone's rib - to solve a case. Despite the clash of attitudes, Rachel and Mayhew work together to solve the crime. But the killer has more gruesome surprises in store for the residents of Surf House...

Dolores Hitchens has a very sharp writing style, mixing deep suspense with crisp detail of scene and setting. I so appreciate authors who realize that mood very much enhances a plot. I have already begun to track down additional books in this series. Recommended!

[Clara Ciampi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Non mi ha conquistata per vari motivi. I personaggi non sono ben caratterizzati e le dinamiche tra loro appaiono goffe e improbabili. L'ambientazione è piuttosto squallida e priva di fascino e atmosfera. Gli espedienti narrativi sono spesso pigri e l'indagine procede in modo molto casuale, per congetture e sensazioni. La rivelazione del colpevole è davvero poco soddisfacente.

[Fab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un giallo di vecchio stampo, non troppo rivoluzionario ma scorrevole e interessante.
Mi ha fatto venire voglia di leggere più spesso i gialli!

[Caterina Cincis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questo libro è un'indagine di quella che definirei una "gattara Miss Marple", semplicemente adorabile! Giallo degli anni '30, ben scritto, leggero e perfetto per immergersi nelle atmosfere vintage dei classici.

[Tania tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un bel libro, a tratti noioso e lungo, però per essere il mio primo giallo, approvato🙃

(Spoiler: l’ho letto solo per la gatta)

[Lucia Nieto Navarro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este es el primer libro de una serie de D.B. Olsen, uno de los seudónimos de la escritora Dolores Hitchens, publicado en 1939 y que se convirtió en un curioso fenómeno editorial. Como digo, aquí comienza una serie de trece libros donde la gran protagonista y el gato estarán presentes en todos.
No soy yo muy devota de este tipo de subgénero de estos apodados como “acogedores”, pero tenia curiosidad por este libro y tengo que decir que finalmente me pareció una historia entretenida, ágil y totalmente de desconexión.

La señorita Rachel y su hermana Jennifer son las cuidadoras de Samantha, una gata que heredaron gracias a un pariente. Rachel tiene 70 años, aunque a decir verdad no lo parece por la gran agilidad que tiene en algunas escenas.
Rachel viaja ayudar a una sobrina junto con Samantha y por una serie de circunstancias ocurren ciertos atentados, incluido el de la propia sobrina siendo la gata testigo de lo que pasa (de ahí el título del libro), realmente el gato no juega ningún papel en la investigación ( excepto dejar sus huellas en lugares inesperados).
La trama se desarrolla en una pensión junto a la playa poblada de gran cantidad de personas, donde ninguna es quien parece ser, asique casi todos en algún momento de la historia parecen sospechosos.
A pesar de ser escrito hace años, la narración y la historia me han resultado “modernas”, y hace que te metas bastante bien en la historia. Contada en tercera persona y con un estilo peculiar.
Una novela ágil, entretenida y al mas puro estilo de Agatha Cristie con Miss Marple que te hará pasar una buena tarde de desconexión.

[Stven · Rating 3 out of 5]

From 1939, this mystery set in Southern California stars the perspicacious 70-year-old Miss Rachel Murdock and her cat Samantha. It is competently written and a little bit cleverly framed, with the opening chapter telling us how suspenseful the whole escapade felt to Miss Murdock while on the trail of the murderer and foreshadowing a couple of intriguing details. It's far from being a great story, neither the most mysterious of crimes nor the most brilliant of investigations, but it's fine if you enjoy the genre and don't mind being carried along in the conventional ways. It's a little bit better, perhaps, than the Nancy Drew stories from the same era.

And now this edition: one of the many attractive volumes currently marketed under the banner "Otto Penzler Presents American Mystery Classics." I like the graphic design of these covers and have had my eye caught more than once by them on the library shelf. I do question their choice to have presented this book as being by "Dolores Hitchens," when it was originally published under the pseudonym "D. B. Olsen." You wouldn't put Mildred Benson's name on the cover of a Nancy Drew book or Eric Blair's on the cover of Animal Farm.. I'd be okay with "Dolores Hitchens, writing as D. B. Olsen," or "Donald Westlake, writing as Richard Stark," or "Agatha Christie, writing as Mary Westmacott," but I'm not okay with just having the original byline disappear.

And now the "Introduction" by Joyce Carol Oates. In the first place, this should not be in the first place in the text. It contains multiple spoilers and is thus entirely inappropriate as an introduction to the reading of the novel. If it had to be included at all, it should have appeared at the end of the book in the usual "Afterword" location. I hope most readers are already savvy enough to know to skip any so-called "Introduction" and go straight to the novel itself.

In the second place, Ms. Oates for some reason takes it upon herself to explain to us what the mystery genre is. Ms. Oates, I suspect that we would not have picked up the book at all if we didn't already know what the mystery genre is, and your condescension about it makes me sad that you were asked to write about it. In the third place, Ms. Oates makes the ludicrous declaration that "In genre crime literature nothing precedes the crime: there are no significant 'back-stories'...." This is so stunningly incorrect that I do not understand how any editor allowed it into print.

[Two Envelopes And A Phone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one sort of works like a British Golden Age whodunit I read - Death of a Busybody, by George Bellairs. If that book worked well for you, this one should too. All of this simply means that, to my mind, though the book is quite entertaining throughout, the mystery itself turns out not to be the greatest. There are also some pretty strange and unbelievable developments; for a start, Rachel, a great character for Miss Marple and Miss Silver fans to discover, is very agile and, uh, cat-like, for her age. Meanwhile - the cat herself, Samantha (if that is in fact Samantha, the whole time...!), does not solve the case, thank goodness. That is not the best kind of Mystery for me - crime-solving pets of any kind - but Rachel does pick up a clue, late in the game, from the cat, and this angle to the whodunit aspect is quite clever, along with what is to be made of the murderer (or maybe someone else) returning to the scene of the crime a second time, if someone's hearing, and story, is to be trusted. Other key aspects of the 'how' behind the homicide are a bit underwhelming, but fine as far as decent but unspectacular Mystery novels go - it is fun to see how Rachel, and the copper on the case, Mayhew, suss out the truth, even if the truth - or pieces of it - don't quite dazzle.

The characters are fun, well-defined. Tension is steady; someone always seems to be in danger, especially if they start hinting they know something they haven't told Mayhew yet. And Rachel, once in full snooper mode, knows how to get herself into a tight corner, or attic. She's got some Spider-Man in her, even at her age.

Recommended, with reservations. Especially if you like cats.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably about a 3.8. It's a classic reprint from. . . geez, about 1939. This means that there are going to be some stereotypes, non-PC comments, and sexism; it also means that its true to its era, and by that standard, I find it a winner. I love the senior sleuth, the skewered narration typical.of the time time, and yes, there is a cat. There is also an intro by Joyce Carol Oates which points out every flaw to the point I almost didn't start the book. I actually did give up on another reprint title after reading the intro recently so decided to give it a go. Now, my rating might have been lower without the introduction, but it managed to lower my expectation so much that I found I enjoyed it. Heck, I'd read another in the series. It helps if you picture it as a black and white movie of the era, with tough cops and dames. Do I long for a return to that era? DEFINITELY NOT. But I also think we do ourselves a disservice if we try to pretend that all eras have the same sensibilities-- and moreover, that is downright dangerous.

[Francesca Morelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unica cosa che posso dire che spero vengano pubblicati tutti e 12 gialli attinenti a Rachel Murdock, visto che l'autrice Dolores Hitchens è passata a miglior vita da molti anni ormai. E' il primo di questa serie, mette i mattoni per le successive storie di questa vecchina Rachel (come la miss Marple di Agata Christie) che invece di abitare nella classica campagna inglese si trova a Los Angeles.
All'inizio non riuscivo a capire come fosse stato strutturato il giallo, visto che a descrivere fosse, in alcuni momenti la stessa Rachel, poi la storia è decollata e da lì il classico giallo con i colpi di scena e i sospettati che si susseguono fino al finale con il botto.
Penso che non mi limiterò alla serie di Rachel Murdock, voglio leggere altri gialli pubblicati in italia di questa autrice.

[Alessia · Rating 4 out of 5]

La domestic suspence funziona abbastanza con me. I casi non troppo assurdi o costruiti sono più piacevoli di tante scene infarcite di colpi di scena e incastri meticolosi. Un po' come la buon vecchia Agatha. Scrittura scorrevole e pulita, arguta e ironica. Protagonista amabile e scaltra ma perfettamente umana. Peccato che la gatta Samantha abbia avuto in realtà poco spazio, concentrato più che altro alla fine. Dato il titolo, mi aspettavo un ruolo più decisivo.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a shame—such a lovely cover!

[Eve Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un classico, un giallo dell’età d’oro, dove Miss Rachel Murdock è una protagonista fuori dagli schemi, un’anziana signora dotata di un acume sorprendente, che si ritrova coinvolta in un mistero oscuro dopo una telefonata improvvisa della nipote Lily. Con sé porta l’inseparabile gatta Samantha, una presenza enigmatica quanto centrale nello svolgimento della vicenda.

La pensione in cui si svolge il mistero è uno di quegli ambienti polverosi e carichi di tensione, perfetti per far emergere personaggi ambigui e segreti taciuti. L'autrice dissemina indizi con naturalezza, nascondendoli tra le pieghe della quotidianità.

Ho apprezzato molto il gioco delle due voci narranti che commentano gli eventi a posteriori: un espediente originale che mi ha tenuta ancora più coinvolta. L’indagine si sviluppa senza fretta, riflessiva, quasi domestica, ma non per questo priva di colpi di scena, anzi, alcuni momenti mi hanno davvero sorpresa. A volte ho trovato la narrazione un po’ lenta, con passaggi lievemente tediosi, ma nel complesso l’equilibrio tra suspense e introspezione è ben riuscito. Miss Rachel e il tenente Mayhew, così diversi e complementari, sono una coppia riuscita: mi hanno tenuto compagnia in notti insonni, con una piacevole ironia di fondo.

E poi c’è Samantha, una testimone silenziosa che aggiunge un tocco originale e poetico a un mystery altrimenti classico. Curiosa di leggere il seguito!

[Llanos Montero · Rating 2 out of 5]

El libro no está mal, pero tampoco bien. Es entretenido, aunque la experiencia se ve bastante empañada por la traducción, que es espantosa y parece hecha con IA y sin una sola revisión: errores por todas partes que te sacan completamente de la historia.
En cuanto a la historia, hay detalles que parecen directamente absurdos. El más grande: no puedes dudar de que tu gata es tu gata. Si la gata actúa igual, se comporta como siempre, ¿cómo vas a pensar que te la han cambiado? Y luego está la idea surrealista de bañar a un gato tranquilamente, como si eso fuera posible.
El final me ha parecido muy precipitado y poco convincente, como si de repente hubiera que cerrar todo deprisa y sin justificar demasiado. Me ha dado la sensación de estar leyendo un capítulo de Scooby-Doo, con el villano explicando su plan y quitándose la máscara porque sí.
En fin, un libro para pasar el rato, que no destaca, pero que con otra traducción quizá habría sido mas disfrutable.

[Maria Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Come dice J.C. Oates nella prefazione all’edizione Sellerio “…il mago geniale è colui che non solo sa compiere la magia, ma sa anche come distogliere l’attenzione dei suoi spettatori dai meccanismi della magia...”. Allo stesso modo, nei romanzi gialli o polizieschi, un bravo autore, come un illusionista esperto, deve sapientemente distogliere l’attenzione del lettore dagli indizi che svelerebbero il mistero troppo presto.
Diciamo dunque che Dolores Hitchens in questo è stata molto brava ma, nell’avvicinarsi al finale, pur non avendo colto tutti gli indizi, il colpevole si intuiva per esclusione.
Mi ha un po' confusa la modalità di “anticipare” la trama: soprattutto all'inizio, sia Miss Rachel che l'investigatore Stephen Mayhew fanno delle riflessioni sul caso, in un tempo futuro non ben precisato.
Nel complesso però il libro mi è piaciuto e non mi dispiacerebbe andare avanti con la serie anche se vedo che Sellerio fino ad ora ha pubblicato solo i primi tre.

[Fabrizio · Rating 3 out of 5]

La gatta ha visto tutto è il primo romanzo della serie scritta da Dolores Hitchens sulle avventure dell’anziana investigatrice dilettante Miss Rachel Murdock e della sua gatta Samantha. Scritto nel 1939, età dell’oro del romanzo giallo, il libro mantiene intatta a distanza di quasi un secolo grazie al suo stile vivace e ironico la sua freschezza garantendo alcune ora di piacevole lettura. Un mistery la cui soluzione arriva grazie a deduzioni logiche e dettagli apparentemente insignificanti, evitandoci le violenze gratuite alle quali ci hanno purtroppo assuefatto i libri contemporanei di genere. Lo consiglio.

[Patrizia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Questo libro è considerato un classico, ma ha quasi 90 anni e si sente. Oltre al lessico, è l'impianto che sconcerta un po': in terza persona, ma seguendo i pensieri dei due personaggi principali, che anticipano spesso quello che accadrà. La storia non sarebbe male, ma non c'è stato un personaggio (dico: uno!) che mi sia un po' piaciuto, anzi molti era davvero antipatici. Peccato.

[Viola Inui · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mi ha leggermente delusa, forse perché mi aspettavo qualcosa in più da Samantha la gatta. Non volevo un gatto con poteri umani ma non é stata usata neanche una strategia felina nota (come ad esempio far cadere per terra oggetti con le deliziose zampine) per mettere in evidenza succosi indizi.

E poi le storie d'amore nei gialli valgono quanto una banconota da 4 euro.