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Trixie Dolan & Evangeline Sinclair Mystery #6
The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog
Dame Cecile Savoy was chewing the scenery. In her carefully programmed grief, she demands that her co-Thespian friends (actually more "rivals") accompany her to the taxidermist, where she is perpetuating the body of her ancient Pekinese, "that revolting little floor mop she was so attached to," according to Trixie. Finding the shop owner dead on the floor of his office was the first shock, finding the shop suddenly enveloped in flames was the next, but the final blow to Dame Cecile was discovering that instead of rescuing the remains of the expired Fleur de Lys, Trixie had snatched up a very much alive Japanese bobtail cat named Cho Cho San.
Triple shock is only the beginning for our harried friends Trixie and Evangeline. In their own lives, as opposed to those of the troublesome people who keep popping up, they are about to open in a play written specially for them. But they are thrust into a whirlpool of trials and catastrophes involving other people, all of which seriously cut into their time. A woman, whose houseguests they are, battles with her much younger stepmother over their father/husband's legacy. Their hostess's housekeeper goes missing, and is found dead in the cellar. Evangeline inadvertently plies the guest who discovered the body with much more brandy than she can handle just prior to her interview with a detective. And Martha, Trixie's daughter, is in a state of panic about turning in the cookbook she is writing on time.
And then there's Cho Cho San. Somebody has to feed the poor beast standing in for the deceased Peke (and there's hardly any food in the house for the human guests). Somebody has to reassure her when she is frightened, find her when she is hiding,and give her the attention a nice cat deserves.
6 pages, Audiobook
First published January 1, 2003
96 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Marian Babson
62 books87 followersMarian Babson, a pseudonym for Ruth Stenstreem, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, but lived in London for the greater part of her life.
She worked as a librarian; managed a campaign headquarters; was a receptionist, secretary, and den mother to a firm of commercial artists; and was co-editor of a machine knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can’t knit, even with two needles.
A long sojourn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club, and even a visiting superstar.
She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers’ Association. She became a full-time writer whose many interests included theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, and, of course, cats, which feature in many of her mystery books. Her first published work was 'Cover-Up Story' in 1971 and 'Only the Cat' (2007) was her 44th novel.
The publisher's tagline for her style is "Murder Most British," a style reflected in each of her novels. Any violence is not graphically described and the sleuths are usually amateurs.
She re-used certain characters, such as the publicity firm Perkins & Tate, and a couple of ageing actresses, her books all stand-alone and can be read in any order.
Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010
She worked as a librarian; managed a campaign headquarters; was a receptionist, secretary, and den mother to a firm of commercial artists; and was co-editor of a machine knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can’t knit, even with two needles.
A long sojourn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club, and even a visiting superstar.
She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers’ Association. She became a full-time writer whose many interests included theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, and, of course, cats, which feature in many of her mystery books. Her first published work was 'Cover-Up Story' in 1971 and 'Only the Cat' (2007) was her 44th novel.
The publisher's tagline for her style is "Murder Most British," a style reflected in each of her novels. Any violence is not graphically described and the sleuths are usually amateurs.
She re-used certain characters, such as the publicity firm Perkins & Tate, and a couple of ageing actresses, her books all stand-alone and can be read in any order.
Gerry Wolstenholme
September 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 23, 2021
2021 bk 55. Marian Babson was a favorite author of mine in the late 1990's and this book escaped me at that time. Well, didn't escape so much as was published after I had moved on to other reading interests. The Trixie and Evangeline mysteries were a delight - and this one - well - all my favorite characters to love and hate are back. The maturing actresses are 'resting' until the right play is ready for them but are supporting Dame Cecile in her revival of Arsenic and Old Lace. This mystery involves several cats, a recently deceased dog, mentions of food created in times of poverty, along with a murder or two, smuggling, and overbearing step parent. Personally - this one could and should transfer to the movies. But the actresses I would wish for are all dead unfortunately. I could just see Helen Hayes as Trixie, possibly Ava Gardner as Evangeline, Joan Crawford as Soroya, Cary Grant as Eddie, Clark Gable as Nevil and multiple stunt cats and pekinese. Loved the book, love picturing the scenes as movies clips.
January 11, 2021
I've read other books by Marian Babson, and have enjoyed all of them. This is the sixth book in the seven book series featuring Trixie Dolan and Evangeline Sinclair, semi-retired actresses from the USA, now living in London.
One of Evangeline's very long-time friends, Dame Cecile Savoy, calls Evangeline for emotional support after her elderly dog passes away. Dame Cecile needs Evangeline and Trixie to go with her while she takes her dog to the taxidermist.
When they arrive, the door is unlocked, but no one answers the bell. They wander through the store looking for someone, and Trixie wanders into an office, where she spies a cat in a cage waiting for the taxidermist's art. She is surprised when the cat moves and isn't actually dead, and then is even more surprised when the taxi driver, Eddie, yells to get out he found a dead body, and then fire comes out of the file cabinet and the wastepaper basket. She grabs the cat's cage and throws Dame Cecile's cape, which she was carrying, over the cage and runs out.
All four of them jump into the cab and take off, with Dame Cecile totally upset when she discovers that Trixie saved a cat instead of the remains of her dog. They find a pay phone to call in an anonymous tip, thinking they are well out of it.
They are wrong. They become involved when their long-time cab driver, Eddie, is held by the police as his vehicle was spotted driving away from the taxidermy when it caught on fire. While coming to Eddie's assistance, another body is discovered at a home they are visiting.
This wasn't my favorite in the series, as Evangeline and Trixie don't seem to be as involved in solving the murders as usual.
This is number 8 in my ATY in 52 Books challenge.
One of Evangeline's very long-time friends, Dame Cecile Savoy, calls Evangeline for emotional support after her elderly dog passes away. Dame Cecile needs Evangeline and Trixie to go with her while she takes her dog to the taxidermist.
When they arrive, the door is unlocked, but no one answers the bell. They wander through the store looking for someone, and Trixie wanders into an office, where she spies a cat in a cage waiting for the taxidermist's art. She is surprised when the cat moves and isn't actually dead, and then is even more surprised when the taxi driver, Eddie, yells to get out he found a dead body, and then fire comes out of the file cabinet and the wastepaper basket. She grabs the cat's cage and throws Dame Cecile's cape, which she was carrying, over the cage and runs out.
All four of them jump into the cab and take off, with Dame Cecile totally upset when she discovers that Trixie saved a cat instead of the remains of her dog. They find a pay phone to call in an anonymous tip, thinking they are well out of it.
They are wrong. They become involved when their long-time cab driver, Eddie, is held by the police as his vehicle was spotted driving away from the taxidermy when it caught on fire. While coming to Eddie's assistance, another body is discovered at a home they are visiting.
This wasn't my favorite in the series, as Evangeline and Trixie don't seem to be as involved in solving the murders as usual.
This is number 8 in my ATY in 52 Books challenge.
December 18, 2014
Obwohl ich Katzenfreund bin, bot diese Geschichte nur sehr laue Unterhaltung. Der erste Krimi, den ich gelesen habe, bei dem sich der Fall ohne jegliches aktives Zutun der Protagonisten auflöste. Bei den Hauptfiguren selbst handelt es sich neben der Katze um Damen fortgeschrittenen Alters aus dem englischen Schauspielermilieu, die alle einen ähnlich unerträglichen egozentrischen Charakter aufweisen und somit als Identifikationsfiguren komplett ungeeignet sind, es sei denn, man gehört vielleicht selbst diesem Milieu an. Die Ich-Erzählerin ist derart begriffsstutzig, dass es die endlich begriff, wer sich gegen die arme Katze verschworen hatte. Was es mit dem Tod des Tierpräparators und der Haushälterin auf sich hatte, löste dementsprechend auch nicht sie oder eine ihrer Freundinnen auf (kein Wunder, sie waren ja hauptsächlich mit Essen beschäftigt), sondern der Kommissar (eine Nebenfigur), der sieben Seiten vor Ende des Buchs in zwei knappen Absätzen Tathergang und Motive verkündet.
Auch der typisch englische Humor, von dem die (amerikanische) Autorin angeblich geprägt sein soll, ist mir zu keinem Zeitpunkt offenbar geworden.
Die zwei Punkte sind nur auf meine Sypmpathie für die beiden Katzen zurückzuführen. Ohne diese hätte ich wahrscheinlich spätestens im zweiten Kapitel die Lektüre abgebrochen.
Auch der typisch englische Humor, von dem die (amerikanische) Autorin angeblich geprägt sein soll, ist mir zu keinem Zeitpunkt offenbar geworden.
Die zwei Punkte sind nur auf meine Sypmpathie für die beiden Katzen zurückzuführen. Ohne diese hätte ich wahrscheinlich spätestens im zweiten Kapitel die Lektüre abgebrochen.
October 16, 2023
Listened on Audible (Included).
Silly, but kinda fun to listen to.
Silly, but kinda fun to listen to.
April 5, 2020
Actresses Trixie and Evangeline are requested to support Dame Cecile Savoy, their acting rival, to lend their support in her “hour of need.” Fleur-de-Lis, Cecile’s Pekinese and treasured pet has died and Cecile needs Trixie and Evangeline to escort her on the pet’s final journey — to the taxidermist.
They arrive at “Stuff Your,” and things aren’t quite right. In fact, things are quite wrong and only get worse with a dead body and a fire. And that is just the beginning of things!
This cozy mystery involving stage actors, jealousies and rivalries, a cat named Cho-Cho-San, a stage performance of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” a dead body in the basement, and some late night comings and goings at “Stuff Yours” present a fine tangle that Trixie and Evangeline are determined to untangle.
This is a fun, light read along the lines of the old madcap movies. A good pace, crazy situations and characters all add up to good entertainment to me.
They arrive at “Stuff Your,” and things aren’t quite right. In fact, things are quite wrong and only get worse with a dead body and a fire. And that is just the beginning of things!
This cozy mystery involving stage actors, jealousies and rivalries, a cat named Cho-Cho-San, a stage performance of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” a dead body in the basement, and some late night comings and goings at “Stuff Yours” present a fine tangle that Trixie and Evangeline are determined to untangle.
This is a fun, light read along the lines of the old madcap movies. A good pace, crazy situations and characters all add up to good entertainment to me.
January 24, 2023
1.0 stars. This book does what no book should, it was boring. Truly boring. I knew who did the killing immediately. The whole book read like a badly written episode of Golden Girls. Let me set a chapter up. Two people talking then someone comes in screaming or being hysterical. . . Then!!!!! Someone rushes in or knocks on a door. Riveting. I even skipped a chapter to see if I would miss something. . Nope fuck all happened. Hate it.
August 21, 2021
I am kind of middle of the road on this book. If I had read them in order, maybe I would have liked it better. There isn't a lot of who done it in this book, it is solved by the police outside of the story line. It was just an okay read. It seemed to have more comedy than mystery. It was a quick read but didn't quite scratch my cozy mystery itch.
July 7, 2023
Totally uninteresting plot and the characters were shallow. The most interesting character was Cho Cho San the cat. I kept reading hoping there would be a plot twist and it never happened. I can say the book was easy and fast to read so not a lot of time wasted on it.
July 11, 2023
very cute, light cozy mystery amongst theater people
Helps if you like cats. Cleverly written and fun. It also probably helps if you are familiar with the characters and the series, but I caught on…
Helps if you like cats. Cleverly written and fun. It also probably helps if you are familiar with the characters and the series, but I caught on…
February 14, 2024
Cute. A nice change of pace from cozy mysteries where the heroine/detective has a romantic love interest with the local sheriff/law enforcement. My first in the series. Not really fond of Evangeline. Maybe if I’d started at the beginning I would like the characters more.
August 14, 2025
Very English narration of this story of a woman going to a taxidermist and her friend and somewhere along in the story there is a cat that come into their lives with no owner at the time and one of the women treats it like a dog because of the way it looks.
November 3, 2017
A quick, fun read, with a cast of zany characters...the cat was the sanest of the bunch.
April 23, 2018
Fairly uninspiring mystery type novel which feels like if it were a movie it would be a midday TV movie.
January 3, 2021
A just about perfect mystery with aging actresses Trixie and Evangeline and a lovely Japanese bobtail cat.
February 21, 2021
mysterious arson and death of taxidermist!
July 3, 2023
Funny times!
This book is serious and so funny!! Mostly, women taking care of each other and so close! Good book tells a lot about feelings and crazy thoughts!!
This book is serious and so funny!! Mostly, women taking care of each other and so close! Good book tells a lot about feelings and crazy thoughts!!
February 21, 2017
Lovely. And an eminently satisfying conclusion.
December 13, 2012
Dieses Buch in einem Wort: holterdipolter.
Das Besondere an diesem Buch: Das Genre der gemütlichen Krimis mag ich eigentlich sehr gern - und auch hier ist es nicht wirklich blutig geworden, es gab eine Gruppe älterer Damen und knuddelige Haustiere. Die Geschichte rund um die Katze Cho-Cho-San fand ich auch sehr kurzweilig, aaaber:
Das nicht ganz so Atemberaubende an diesem Buch: ...der Rest war mir zu gemütlich. Es gab so viel Drumherum, dass der eigentliche Krimi darüber in Vergessenheit geriet. Und eben dieses Drumherum war für mich auch nicht wirklich fesselnd - das sieht vielleicht bei treuen Leserinnen der Serie anders aus - ich hatte einfach keinen soengen Bezug zu den Figuren, als dass mich die klitzekleinen Problemchen interessiert hätten. Die beiden Todesfälle schienen zwar interessant (ein ermordeter Tierpräparator und eine holterdipolter die Kellertreppe heruntergefallene Haushälterin), wurden aber in dem Buch kaum untersucht und auf den letzten paar Seiten wird auf einmal holterdipolter die Lösung präsentiert. Für mich absolut nicht nachvollziehbar: Die beiden Damen Trixie und Evangeline lösen die Fälle überhaupt nicht, am Ende kommt ein unsympathischer Polizist daher, der alles schwuppdiwupp aufdeckt. Und ein weiterer Minuspunkt: Mir hat es vor gealterten Diven zu sehr gewimmelt.
Wer sollte dieses Buch lesen? Liebhaber von kleinen Rassekatzen und Mini-Hunden, die sich nicht von ausgedehnten Einkaufsbummeln mit den Protagonisten, hysterischen Mutter-Tochter-Gesprächen oder bedenklichem Alkoholkonsum abschrecken lassen (oder Trixie, Evangeline und ihre Freunde schon kennen) und gerne mal einen wirklich gemütlichen Krimi lesen wollen.
Das Besondere an diesem Buch: Das Genre der gemütlichen Krimis mag ich eigentlich sehr gern - und auch hier ist es nicht wirklich blutig geworden, es gab eine Gruppe älterer Damen und knuddelige Haustiere. Die Geschichte rund um die Katze Cho-Cho-San fand ich auch sehr kurzweilig, aaaber:
Das nicht ganz so Atemberaubende an diesem Buch: ...der Rest war mir zu gemütlich. Es gab so viel Drumherum, dass der eigentliche Krimi darüber in Vergessenheit geriet. Und eben dieses Drumherum war für mich auch nicht wirklich fesselnd - das sieht vielleicht bei treuen Leserinnen der Serie anders aus - ich hatte einfach keinen soengen Bezug zu den Figuren, als dass mich die klitzekleinen Problemchen interessiert hätten. Die beiden Todesfälle schienen zwar interessant (ein ermordeter Tierpräparator und eine holterdipolter die Kellertreppe heruntergefallene Haushälterin), wurden aber in dem Buch kaum untersucht und auf den letzten paar Seiten wird auf einmal holterdipolter die Lösung präsentiert. Für mich absolut nicht nachvollziehbar: Die beiden Damen Trixie und Evangeline lösen die Fälle überhaupt nicht, am Ende kommt ein unsympathischer Polizist daher, der alles schwuppdiwupp aufdeckt. Und ein weiterer Minuspunkt: Mir hat es vor gealterten Diven zu sehr gewimmelt.
Wer sollte dieses Buch lesen? Liebhaber von kleinen Rassekatzen und Mini-Hunden, die sich nicht von ausgedehnten Einkaufsbummeln mit den Protagonisten, hysterischen Mutter-Tochter-Gesprächen oder bedenklichem Alkoholkonsum abschrecken lassen (oder Trixie, Evangeline und ihre Freunde schon kennen) und gerne mal einen wirklich gemütlichen Krimi lesen wollen.
February 19, 2010
I grabbed The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog by Marian Babson while doing a quick walk through of my local library's mystery section. I liked the cover and title. The book is actually the last of the Trixie and Evangeline mystery series.
Trixie and Evangeline as far as I can tell are old theater stars like Miss April Spink and Miss Miriam Forcible of Coraline and I have to admit to picturing them in my head like Neil Gaiman's pair. While trying to get Dame Cecile Savoy's Pekinese stuffed at a local taxidermist's they run into a dead body and a very much alive Japanese bobtail cat.
While trying to sort out who Cho-Cho-San belongs to and what's happened to a missing housekeeper Trixie and Evangeline end up embroiled in one more mystery. The way the mystery unfolds and the focus on the domestic aspects of day to day life make it a cozy mystery reminiscent of the Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie. In that regard, I liked the book.
Coming though at the end of a series, I have a feeling that many of the relationships in this large cast of characters has already been well established. Not much time is spent explaining who is who or expanding on their personality traits. After a while many of the characters started blending together in my head and I had to take notes to keep track of who was who. I think if I had started earlier in the series I would have found The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog a light and easy read.
Trixie and Evangeline as far as I can tell are old theater stars like Miss April Spink and Miss Miriam Forcible of Coraline and I have to admit to picturing them in my head like Neil Gaiman's pair. While trying to get Dame Cecile Savoy's Pekinese stuffed at a local taxidermist's they run into a dead body and a very much alive Japanese bobtail cat.
While trying to sort out who Cho-Cho-San belongs to and what's happened to a missing housekeeper Trixie and Evangeline end up embroiled in one more mystery. The way the mystery unfolds and the focus on the domestic aspects of day to day life make it a cozy mystery reminiscent of the Miss Marple series by Agatha Christie. In that regard, I liked the book.
Coming though at the end of a series, I have a feeling that many of the relationships in this large cast of characters has already been well established. Not much time is spent explaining who is who or expanding on their personality traits. After a while many of the characters started blending together in my head and I had to take notes to keep track of who was who. I think if I had started earlier in the series I would have found The Cat Who Wasn't a Dog a light and easy read.
September 9, 2012
This novel is short and filled with our sleuths, Evangeline, Trixie, Taxi-Cab Driver, Eddie and long suffering daughter, Martha. In this edition, Evangeline and Trixie heed the call of actress Dame Cecile to rush to Brighton upon the death of her cat, Fleur De Lys.
As Dame Cecile wails (literally,) our intrepid duo find themselves off to a taxidermist, "Stuff Yours." Eddie doesn't like the place and rightly so as they find themselves at the sight of a murder and in the midst of an arson attack. Trixie finds a 'live' specimen, a lovely cat, Cho Cho San.
The Ladies go into sleuth mode as Eddie gets arrested for both the arson and murder of the owner. Now to prove Eddie was a victim not the criminal.
This story rambled a bit but it is done, I feel on purpose by the Author as the characters are well in their 80's. Also a new character was introduced, Jocasta, a culinary editor trying to write a cookbook with Martha geared to single thespians on the road.
The book was easy to read and a true cozy.
As Dame Cecile wails (literally,) our intrepid duo find themselves off to a taxidermist, "Stuff Yours." Eddie doesn't like the place and rightly so as they find themselves at the sight of a murder and in the midst of an arson attack. Trixie finds a 'live' specimen, a lovely cat, Cho Cho San.
The Ladies go into sleuth mode as Eddie gets arrested for both the arson and murder of the owner. Now to prove Eddie was a victim not the criminal.
This story rambled a bit but it is done, I feel on purpose by the Author as the characters are well in their 80's. Also a new character was introduced, Jocasta, a culinary editor trying to write a cookbook with Martha geared to single thespians on the road.
The book was easy to read and a true cozy.
April 26, 2016
After a promising start this rather petered out.
In the first chapter Trixie saves a live cat from the shop of a taxidermist who is lying there dead. A few chapters later another person is found dead in the house of a fellow actress. Nothing much is done about either corpse, at least not by Trixie and Evangeline, who are supposed to be thespian sleuths and the stars of the series.
Instead, there is a lot of playing with the cat, cooking and trying out recipes, and going to the theatre. The story just meanders along. They do find out who had brought the cat to the taxidermist (the why was rather far-fetched in my view), but in the end .
As I understand, this is the penultimate title in the series. Maybe the earlier books were better plotted and written, but I found this one a bit of a disappointment.
The cat was lovely, though.
In the first chapter Trixie saves a live cat from the shop of a taxidermist who is lying there dead. A few chapters later another person is found dead in the house of a fellow actress. Nothing much is done about either corpse, at least not by Trixie and Evangeline, who are supposed to be thespian sleuths and the stars of the series.
Instead, there is a lot of playing with the cat, cooking and trying out recipes, and going to the theatre. The story just meanders along. They do find out who had brought the cat to the taxidermist (the why was rather far-fetched in my view), but in the end .
As I understand, this is the penultimate title in the series. Maybe the earlier books were better plotted and written, but I found this one a bit of a disappointment.
The cat was lovely, though.
May 6, 2015
I like Babson's story ideas, which are a bit more unusual than many of the murder mysteries I've read this year. I find her writing less polished than that of many other authors in this genre, and the resolution in this novel emerges out of the blue rather than developing gradually out of clues the reader could use to figure out the mystery when the sleuth does. The characters are a bit flat, too, and have the sort of crazy fake names that make them all seem less realistic. I'd give this book a bit less than 4 stars, but it was better than a 3 on account of the story itself, which was entertaining.
September 2, 2017
Yesterday I needed a light, funny mystery to read, so I plucked this book off my door book holder. I LOVE Marian Babson's books! The mystery isn't a challenge to figure out, but her characters are so funny and wonderful to read about, and her books are always page turners for me.
9/2/2017 - I have no memory of reading this back in 2008, and it never did seem familiar. It's now in the bag of books to give away as I'm clearing out all the books in my bedroom, well, almost all of them. Jane Austen and Maud Hart Lovelace books will always stay with me.
9/2/2017 - I have no memory of reading this back in 2008, and it never did seem familiar. It's now in the bag of books to give away as I'm clearing out all the books in my bedroom, well, almost all of them. Jane Austen and Maud Hart Lovelace books will always stay with me.
December 30, 2010
Naja. Ich dachte eigentlich, das sei ein Krimi, aber man bekommt am Anfang eine Leiche präsentiert, dann kümmern sich alle fast das ganze Buch über nicht mehr darum und am Ende wird plötzlich alles aufgeklärt. Dass die Katze mehr weiß, als die menschlichen Protagonisten, erfährt man auch erst relativ zum Schluss. Vom Schmunzelfaktor habe ich auch nicht sonderlich viel mitbekommen. Also ich fand das Buch nicht so toll.
May 7, 2008
I really enjoy light mysteries, and Marian Babson's cat books fit the bill. You won't figure out whodunit, but just sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the atmosphere. ***I have read other books of hers, but have found them slightly more disturbing and less fun than the ones that feature cats.
May 15, 2008
Trixie and Evangeline are back in fine form. This time they are helping a friend of Evangelines take her dog to the taxidermist when they discover the body of the owner, the place is set on fire and Trixie rescues a very much alive cat. Lots of humor though the murderer is fairly obvious.
August 6, 2016
This was a fun mystery. I thought I picked the murderer early (and I was right), but the adventure to get to the end was engaging. Nothing serious or heavy, just a good, fun read. I'm sorry this was the last in the series, because the characters are such fun.
March 1, 2011
I liked the feisty old ladies best. The animals don't talk and the mystery wasn't that complicated either but the ole ladies were funny.
September 12, 2011
Not bad at all, but it doesn't make me want to read M. Babson again.
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December 1, 2012typical English fair
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews