What do you think?
Rate this book
C.T. Ferguson #11
Dead Cat Bounce: A C.T. Ferguson Crime Novel
C.T. Ferguson goes many extra miles for his latest client.But it's a threat closer to home which might kill him.
When a widow hires C.T. to investigate her husband’s suspicious death, he never thought he’d end up taking the man’s old database job. A corporate executive wants to get to the bottom of things, so C.T. joins the company undercover.Not everyone is thrilled by his presence, however.Two ambushes can’t deter him. Both the widow and the executive still want answers. Despite concerns about his cover being blown, C.T. stays on the case and learns some shocking details about the company.When he’s abducted from the streets of Baltimore, he thinks he knows who’s behind it. He’s wrong, and he quickly learns a shady corporation in Frederick isn’t the only threat to his life. Can C.T. free himself and get justice for his client?Dead Cat Bounce is the compulsively readable eleventh mystery novel in the C.T. Ferguson crime fiction series.
When a widow hires C.T. to investigate her husband’s suspicious death, he never thought he’d end up taking the man’s old database job. A corporate executive wants to get to the bottom of things, so C.T. joins the company undercover.Not everyone is thrilled by his presence, however.Two ambushes can’t deter him. Both the widow and the executive still want answers. Despite concerns about his cover being blown, C.T. stays on the case and learns some shocking details about the company.When he’s abducted from the streets of Baltimore, he thinks he knows who’s behind it. He’s wrong, and he quickly learns a shady corporation in Frederick isn’t the only threat to his life. Can C.T. free himself and get justice for his client?Dead Cat Bounce is the compulsively readable eleventh mystery novel in the C.T. Ferguson crime fiction series.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 21, 2021
22 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Tom Fowler
35 books106 followersTom Fowler was born and raised in Baltimore and still resides in Maryland. He is an unabashed homer for Baltimore sports teams. His full-time job is in the field of computer security.
At about age seven, polite young Tom wrote a "murder mystery" in which no one died. The story gave him the writing bug, however, and he's been putting pen to paper and fingers to keys ever since.
When not working or writing, Tom enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, sports, movies, and writing brief bios in the third person.
At about age seven, polite young Tom wrote a "murder mystery" in which no one died. The story gave him the writing bug, however, and he's been putting pen to paper and fingers to keys ever since.
When not working or writing, Tom enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, sports, movies, and writing brief bios in the third person.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 6, 2021
C.T.Ferguson, my favorite Private Investigator, finds himself with a kind of 'crazy' man in his office,
talking about a 'frozen' dead man in a tech company that was 'not' a tech company. Okay, as his secretary calls the cops, C.T. thinks of what this 'Irish' is trying to tell him. And he is not particularly surprised when a widow hires him to look into her husband's death, at a tech company with a similar story to the maybe Not so crazy man! The CEO wants to get to the bottom of what happened so 'hires' C.T. and sets him up at a desk. Besides C.T. not liking this arrangement, it seems there are others not too happy either, as he is ambushed twice and lucky to make it through!
Soon he is grabbed off the streets Baltimore, and finds he has another serious problem to deal with, one who runs an Italian restaurant and can bring danger to everyone he loves. As if having to go to a Job working for someone else every day is not enough, he has to figure out both of these problems quickly before it ends him!! A fun, action story with laughs, love and family, and a proud man trying to do the best for his client while keeping everyone safe. C.T. Ferguson will Not let you down!!
talking about a 'frozen' dead man in a tech company that was 'not' a tech company. Okay, as his secretary calls the cops, C.T. thinks of what this 'Irish' is trying to tell him. And he is not particularly surprised when a widow hires him to look into her husband's death, at a tech company with a similar story to the maybe Not so crazy man! The CEO wants to get to the bottom of what happened so 'hires' C.T. and sets him up at a desk. Besides C.T. not liking this arrangement, it seems there are others not too happy either, as he is ambushed twice and lucky to make it through!
Soon he is grabbed off the streets Baltimore, and finds he has another serious problem to deal with, one who runs an Italian restaurant and can bring danger to everyone he loves. As if having to go to a Job working for someone else every day is not enough, he has to figure out both of these problems quickly before it ends him!! A fun, action story with laughs, love and family, and a proud man trying to do the best for his client while keeping everyone safe. C.T. Ferguson will Not let you down!!
December 5, 2021
C.T. has been cut of financially by his parents after he was shot, but wouldn’t leave his P.I. job. A strange man comes into his office, confused and stressed because he thinks he has seen a murder, but really hasn’t got any details. Worried, his new Secretary calls the police, who escort the stranger out. Then a widow comes in to hire C.T. to find out who killed her husband. The mystery man’s description, and Amy’s information about her husband’s death lead to the conclusion that they are one and the same. C.T. goes undercover to find the killer. During his search he is attacked three times, the most brutal by mafia guys working for his old friend Gabriella. An action packed story, couldn’t wait to finish it. ENJOY!
December 1, 2021
Another stellar story involving C.T. ferguson. A man walks into his office who appears to be off mentally. C.T. is ready to dis regard him but later a widow shows up asking for his help to finding out who murdered her husband. C.T. Has to go undercover at great risk. If that is not enough on his plate the daughter of a former Italian mafia head and owner of a restaurant takes an active part in not believing him when he states how her father died. It looks like C.T .may have jumped from the frying pan into the fire. Full of twists and turns with C.T. in the middle. Well worth reading. As usual there is the small humor which makes the reading more interesting.
December 21, 2021
What can I say besides wow! I just love this series and this book is no exception. A little romance, a little, angst, a lot of witty dialogue and plenty of action. The characters are multifaceted particularly the main protagonists. The storyline is well written and the mystery complex and well plotted. This was a book I didn't want to end and a very satisfying read.
C. T. is at it again. He's taken on an investigation of a young man's murder. But he's in the crosshairs from more than one direction and there's no one he can bring in to watch his back!
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
C. T. is at it again. He's taken on an investigation of a young man's murder. But he's in the crosshairs from more than one direction and there's no one he can bring in to watch his back!
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
May 7, 2023
The C.T. Ferguson Series:
The Reluctant Detective #1 – This is my first read by this author and I like it. This story fits into one of my all-time favorite genres with plenty of humor, action and investigations. The storylines are good and realistic, and I like that the PI is a privileged person instead of a Mickey Spillane stereotype. C.T. also has an interesting past that plays a large part in this introduction. Add in his parents, his older police Detective cousin and a good supporting cast, which all make it difficult to put the book down. The pace is steady without any boring bits. This is one of the better edited books I’ve seen from an Indie author. 4*
The Unknown Devil #2 - Another difficult to put down fast paced pages full of intrigue, suspense and action. Unfortunately, this is my fourth read, instead of my second, but that did not detract from the meshing of previous storylines with the current lines. This book is well thought out in plot and character development along with realistic dialogues, realistic fight scenes and a smart mouthed character full of himself with plenty of good humor. There is infrequent use of vulgar language considering the criminal elements involved. Interesting information about the hacking of cellphones and other electronics. There is a bit too much detailing of insignificant information: clothing; cooking; etc., but still a worthy read. 4*
The Workers of Iniquity #3 - Even with the relaxed pace, this is another hard to put down book. There are multiple storylines happening and if that is not enough to hold your interest, here are a few more added. The characters are interesting and they have good dialogues and work in their roles. C. T. has been a PI for almost a year at this point. The solutions and the way problems are handled are entertaining; some have a good revenge edge and others bring rewards. The crime topics are more than loan sharking. 4*
Already Guilty #4 – I could not put this book down. Well written, fasted paced, and intriguing with great storylines and characters, a real page-turner. Bits reminded me of Lithgow and Denzel’s revenge movie, but the author does well making this his work. There are plenty of good characters, old and new, and the storylines merge well with the story’s plot and the past books. Of course, there is always something or someone to mess up the flow, but that is what makes the series interesting. C.T. is C.T. and you cannot help but respect him and his efforts, and he has a hard row to hoe this time with his special case. I do not know how the previous books flowed since I have only read the first of this series. 5*
Daughters and Sons #5 - I enjoy reading this series. Even though I have not read all of them, I have not missed anything due to the author's talent for storytelling. The past is not thrown at the reader to figure out or reminisce over. C.T. continues to develop as more of his personality appears. He has good supporting characters, which is perfect to go along with the intriguing and interesting storylines. There is enough detail to make the reader a fly on the wall without the Hollywood dramatics or the usual stupidity found in this genre. Realistic with storylines, dialog and actions while immersed with good humor and quite a bit of smart mouth from C.T. 5*
A March From Innocence #6 - This story picks up a couple of weeks after Daughters ended. Well thought out storylines; good action scenes; intelligent dialogues; well developed characters on both sides of the law; and good humor with some romance. Clean but the topic is disgusting. Young children. Older men. Add some interesting ways that C. T. handles things makes this a difficult book to put down. 5*
Inside Cut #7 - Oh, dear. My first C. T. book that did not work for me. It felt incomplete, like not everything was there, no enthusiasm on Mr. Fowler's end. True, I do not care much for college sports so the topic was not my cup of tea. I did like a past method coming to play; never think if something (or someone) is outdated that it cannot work in the present or future. Lack of education and experience is easy to beat. The storylines dragged a bit for me but the characters were good, like always. I disagree with the outcome on Eddie, the old family friend should have his due. Although, the way the storyline went on involving Bruno in the first place did not work for me. C. T. came through and did his usual good work helping others and correcting the outcome of an uncovered crime. While this story is not on par with the others in this series, it is still an OK read. 3*
The Next Girl #8 - C. T. is back again with new storylines that move at a fast pace through the frustrations, the investigations and the pain of his newest case. Well thought out and vividly told, this is a difficult story to put down. The new characters run the gamut while the old do their jobs. It is easy to figure out the who and the why, but it is still an interesting, intriguing read. 5*
Dead Cat Bounce #11 - I missed a few books in this series but it was easy to get back in the groove. While I think some of the previous books were better, which may be due to the missing books gap, this story is still a good read. Interesting. Good storylines and good characters. TJ is a good addition to the mix. It was easy to finish the book without interruptions. 4*
Don't Say Her Name, C.T. Ferguson #12 - This is one of my favorite characters and series. There is plenty of interesting characters, an interesting writing style and interesting story lines. It is best to start with the first book since there is a continuous building of new onto the old, BUT it is not necessary. Fortunately, Fowler does not rehash the past in great detail in his books, he keeps the present book interesting. There is action, romance and humor. Language is mostly clean; a very minimum on the vulgar, which is character-related. The romance is clean without the stupid arguments and ridiculous mind sets that other authors add for drama, but mischievous and adult dialog between the two lovers. There is the mysterious disappearance of a client's father but C.T. has to figure out the who of why he and his family are targets. Another in one sitting read. 5*
Night Comes Down, C.T. Ferguson #13 - Interesting. I like that this book is about hacking and revenge. Well written with interesting story lines, a good blending of old and new, along with some intense bits made this another hard to put down read. 5*
Concrete Angels, #14 - Pretty interesting with a bigger role in the narration and duties for TJ. The good story lines kept me involved in the book and some of the characters are doozies. 5*
Novellas:
Hong Kong Dangerous, prequel - This is an interesting introduction to C.T. and his cousin Rick. The events in this short, quickly read novella lays the path to C. T. becoming PI. C.T. is in HK hacking and being a nuisance to the Chinese government. He and his cohorts are arrested and C.T. finds himself in prison. Rick is a sergeant in the Bmore police force working hard to become a detective. A few of the other repeat characters are mentioned but not in detail. 4*
3.5 Red City Blues - This is an interesting read perfect for quick getaway. The timeline is a year after he starts his PI business. A basic well told story with none of the usual detailed cooking or running scenes. 4*
The C.T. Ferguson Series end.
The Reluctant Detective #1 – This is my first read by this author and I like it. This story fits into one of my all-time favorite genres with plenty of humor, action and investigations. The storylines are good and realistic, and I like that the PI is a privileged person instead of a Mickey Spillane stereotype. C.T. also has an interesting past that plays a large part in this introduction. Add in his parents, his older police Detective cousin and a good supporting cast, which all make it difficult to put the book down. The pace is steady without any boring bits. This is one of the better edited books I’ve seen from an Indie author. 4*
The Unknown Devil #2 - Another difficult to put down fast paced pages full of intrigue, suspense and action. Unfortunately, this is my fourth read, instead of my second, but that did not detract from the meshing of previous storylines with the current lines. This book is well thought out in plot and character development along with realistic dialogues, realistic fight scenes and a smart mouthed character full of himself with plenty of good humor. There is infrequent use of vulgar language considering the criminal elements involved. Interesting information about the hacking of cellphones and other electronics. There is a bit too much detailing of insignificant information: clothing; cooking; etc., but still a worthy read. 4*
The Workers of Iniquity #3 - Even with the relaxed pace, this is another hard to put down book. There are multiple storylines happening and if that is not enough to hold your interest, here are a few more added. The characters are interesting and they have good dialogues and work in their roles. C. T. has been a PI for almost a year at this point. The solutions and the way problems are handled are entertaining; some have a good revenge edge and others bring rewards. The crime topics are more than loan sharking. 4*
Already Guilty #4 – I could not put this book down. Well written, fasted paced, and intriguing with great storylines and characters, a real page-turner. Bits reminded me of Lithgow and Denzel’s revenge movie, but the author does well making this his work. There are plenty of good characters, old and new, and the storylines merge well with the story’s plot and the past books. Of course, there is always something or someone to mess up the flow, but that is what makes the series interesting. C.T. is C.T. and you cannot help but respect him and his efforts, and he has a hard row to hoe this time with his special case. I do not know how the previous books flowed since I have only read the first of this series. 5*
Daughters and Sons #5 - I enjoy reading this series. Even though I have not read all of them, I have not missed anything due to the author's talent for storytelling. The past is not thrown at the reader to figure out or reminisce over. C.T. continues to develop as more of his personality appears. He has good supporting characters, which is perfect to go along with the intriguing and interesting storylines. There is enough detail to make the reader a fly on the wall without the Hollywood dramatics or the usual stupidity found in this genre. Realistic with storylines, dialog and actions while immersed with good humor and quite a bit of smart mouth from C.T. 5*
A March From Innocence #6 - This story picks up a couple of weeks after Daughters ended. Well thought out storylines; good action scenes; intelligent dialogues; well developed characters on both sides of the law; and good humor with some romance. Clean but the topic is disgusting. Young children. Older men. Add some interesting ways that C. T. handles things makes this a difficult book to put down. 5*
Inside Cut #7 - Oh, dear. My first C. T. book that did not work for me. It felt incomplete, like not everything was there, no enthusiasm on Mr. Fowler's end. True, I do not care much for college sports so the topic was not my cup of tea. I did like a past method coming to play; never think if something (or someone) is outdated that it cannot work in the present or future. Lack of education and experience is easy to beat. The storylines dragged a bit for me but the characters were good, like always. I disagree with the outcome on Eddie, the old family friend should have his due. Although, the way the storyline went on involving Bruno in the first place did not work for me. C. T. came through and did his usual good work helping others and correcting the outcome of an uncovered crime. While this story is not on par with the others in this series, it is still an OK read. 3*
The Next Girl #8 - C. T. is back again with new storylines that move at a fast pace through the frustrations, the investigations and the pain of his newest case. Well thought out and vividly told, this is a difficult story to put down. The new characters run the gamut while the old do their jobs. It is easy to figure out the who and the why, but it is still an interesting, intriguing read. 5*
Dead Cat Bounce #11 - I missed a few books in this series but it was easy to get back in the groove. While I think some of the previous books were better, which may be due to the missing books gap, this story is still a good read. Interesting. Good storylines and good characters. TJ is a good addition to the mix. It was easy to finish the book without interruptions. 4*
Don't Say Her Name, C.T. Ferguson #12 - This is one of my favorite characters and series. There is plenty of interesting characters, an interesting writing style and interesting story lines. It is best to start with the first book since there is a continuous building of new onto the old, BUT it is not necessary. Fortunately, Fowler does not rehash the past in great detail in his books, he keeps the present book interesting. There is action, romance and humor. Language is mostly clean; a very minimum on the vulgar, which is character-related. The romance is clean without the stupid arguments and ridiculous mind sets that other authors add for drama, but mischievous and adult dialog between the two lovers. There is the mysterious disappearance of a client's father but C.T. has to figure out the who of why he and his family are targets. Another in one sitting read. 5*
Night Comes Down, C.T. Ferguson #13 - Interesting. I like that this book is about hacking and revenge. Well written with interesting story lines, a good blending of old and new, along with some intense bits made this another hard to put down read. 5*
Concrete Angels, #14 - Pretty interesting with a bigger role in the narration and duties for TJ. The good story lines kept me involved in the book and some of the characters are doozies. 5*
Novellas:
Hong Kong Dangerous, prequel - This is an interesting introduction to C.T. and his cousin Rick. The events in this short, quickly read novella lays the path to C. T. becoming PI. C.T. is in HK hacking and being a nuisance to the Chinese government. He and his cohorts are arrested and C.T. finds himself in prison. Rick is a sergeant in the Bmore police force working hard to become a detective. A few of the other repeat characters are mentioned but not in detail. 4*
3.5 Red City Blues - This is an interesting read perfect for quick getaway. The timeline is a year after he starts his PI business. A basic well told story with none of the usual detailed cooking or running scenes. 4*
The C.T. Ferguson Series end.
June 24, 2025
Tom Fowler has a knack of changing the way CT has to investigate. This time he has to undercover to work out why a client's husband was murdered. So CT replaces him in the company with some interesting results.
Add in a few problems with the daughter of the deceased Rizzo and things get very awkward indeed.
Another blindingly good novel!
Add in a few problems with the daughter of the deceased Rizzo and things get very awkward indeed.
Another blindingly good novel!
December 19, 2021
“Simply Brilliant”
C.T is asked to take on a case by a man called ”Irish” who claims he has witnessed a murder at a Tech company of a frozen man being carried out? With little else to go on or information given C.T and TJ his secretary not sure how sane he is but agree to take a look pro bono as no other cases exist. Just when all leads go cold and they believe “Irish” is just mad until widow Amy Napier asks C.T. to take on a case of her husband’s murder as police had come up with nothing. “He was frozen to death!”
Her dead husband apparently worked in IT at a “Research & Technology Partners” and with the agreement of their CEO Devon Knott C.T goes undercover.
Things slowly happen and C.T presence is obviously not welcomed and several ambushes and threats confirm C.T is on the right track. But unfortunately for C.T someone else has grievances against him which complicates things.
This story has everything and you really can’t put it down until you have read it to the very end!
I highly recommend you read this one despite being book 11 it is just as enjoyable as a one off, however you’ll get hooked and will want to read more maybe from the beginning.
C.T is asked to take on a case by a man called ”Irish” who claims he has witnessed a murder at a Tech company of a frozen man being carried out? With little else to go on or information given C.T and TJ his secretary not sure how sane he is but agree to take a look pro bono as no other cases exist. Just when all leads go cold and they believe “Irish” is just mad until widow Amy Napier asks C.T. to take on a case of her husband’s murder as police had come up with nothing. “He was frozen to death!”
Her dead husband apparently worked in IT at a “Research & Technology Partners” and with the agreement of their CEO Devon Knott C.T goes undercover.
Things slowly happen and C.T presence is obviously not welcomed and several ambushes and threats confirm C.T is on the right track. But unfortunately for C.T someone else has grievances against him which complicates things.
This story has everything and you really can’t put it down until you have read it to the very end!
I highly recommend you read this one despite being book 11 it is just as enjoyable as a one off, however you’ll get hooked and will want to read more maybe from the beginning.
December 23, 2021
C.T. goes undercover; no felines involved
This book is fraught with tension as C.T. goes undercover and has also drawn the ire of a former friend and new mob boss, Gabriella Rizzo. His usual backup is unable to help in this one but he does have a new secretary who proves she is perfect for the job. I adore T.J. as she can match C.T. attitude-wise but is also eager to learn and is picking things up very quickly. C.T. is not happy he has to actually do the desk job in his assigned cubicle — oh the horror! —as he works the case. As usual, there is plenty of action, menacing goons, twists and turns with humour woven in throughout. It’s time C.T. gives his amazingly supportive girlfriend, who has grown steadily since they got together, an engagement ring. The only negative is that I figured out who was behind it early in the book and am deducting a star for that. Otherwise, another stellar addition to the series.
This book is fraught with tension as C.T. goes undercover and has also drawn the ire of a former friend and new mob boss, Gabriella Rizzo. His usual backup is unable to help in this one but he does have a new secretary who proves she is perfect for the job. I adore T.J. as she can match C.T. attitude-wise but is also eager to learn and is picking things up very quickly. C.T. is not happy he has to actually do the desk job in his assigned cubicle — oh the horror! —as he works the case. As usual, there is plenty of action, menacing goons, twists and turns with humour woven in throughout. It’s time C.T. gives his amazingly supportive girlfriend, who has grown steadily since they got together, an engagement ring. The only negative is that I figured out who was behind it early in the book and am deducting a star for that. Otherwise, another stellar addition to the series.
December 22, 2021
CT Ferguson is back in this latest novel from Tom Fowler and I for one couldn’t be happier. I’ve become a huge fan of Tom Fowler’s writing and love CT with his sharp wit, dogged determination as well as his ability to handle the attention of muscle bound goons. CT is never one to back down and this is evident again as he goes undercover at a tech company. Working nine to five in an office is not something he’s particular good at but he is determined to find out how, and why, a man may have been murdered. To add to CT’s troubles he has an old friend pushing hard to find out how her gangster father died. It seems CT is threatened from all sides over the course of this story. This is part mystery, part action thriller but full entertainment with a character that we’d all like to have on our side if things get tough. Another great read from a top author.
January 11, 2022
CT seems to be facing some growing pains, in more ways than one, now that he is no longer working for the foundation run by his parents
The addition of former prostitute TJ as his assistant adds some nice humor and big brother- little sister repartee and dynamics to his daily work life. She seems bright, eager to learn, and quite capable
His aggression levels seem a lot higher since his recent injuries- and it is interesting to see how he coped with s new sense of vulnerability
relationships with some former friends have changed markedly, and not all in positive ways.
CT and Gloria seem to be moving into more grown up roles with each other, but no rings yet in sight
I really enjoyed the balance of action, self reflection and new and evolving elements as CT moves ahead with his PI career in his less well funded state
The addition of former prostitute TJ as his assistant adds some nice humor and big brother- little sister repartee and dynamics to his daily work life. She seems bright, eager to learn, and quite capable
His aggression levels seem a lot higher since his recent injuries- and it is interesting to see how he coped with s new sense of vulnerability
relationships with some former friends have changed markedly, and not all in positive ways.
CT and Gloria seem to be moving into more grown up roles with each other, but no rings yet in sight
I really enjoyed the balance of action, self reflection and new and evolving elements as CT moves ahead with his PI career in his less well funded state
December 14, 2021
A crazy man walks into C.T’s office talking nonsense. When a widow walks in shortly after to hire him to find out why her husband was murdered :the facts coincide with what the crazy man was saying. Unable to find the crazy man he starts to work on the windows case. Her case becomes complicated and twisted with plenty of suspects. C.T is placed in a lot more danger this time. Adding Gabriella having him kidnapped and beaten to find the truth about her fathers demise C.T gets quite a few beat downs!
This is another great book by this amazing author. All his stories are fresh and full of drama and intrigue ! I did miss that his cousin wasn’t in this book as much. But I am loving his new secretary!
This is another great book by this amazing author. All his stories are fresh and full of drama and intrigue ! I did miss that his cousin wasn’t in this book as much. But I am loving his new secretary!
December 21, 2021
in this latest story, C.T. is now dealing with paying clients only since his family's foundation has pulled the plug. C.T. has a client come in who wants him to find out who killed her husband. As part of this assignment. C.T. takes a position in the company where her husband had worked. As the case goes on, C.T. makes several discoveries and winds up being attacked in addition to other things. As C.T. closes in on the responsible party, things get bleak for both his client and himself.
To learn who the killer was and what C.T. had to overcome, then you need to read this book.
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
To learn who the killer was and what C.T. had to overcome, then you need to read this book.
I received an ARC and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
December 21, 2021
Bounce right over to read Dead Cat Bounce
C.T., the unluckiest lucky PI, is still struggling to find his way in the new normal he is living. As the story progresses a new case seems to appear, a more solid case arrives, and knowing you are probably going into the lion’s den does not mean you are fully prepared. Tom Fowler made this reader want to bounce right over to read Dead Cat Bounce again. Poor C.T. and crew are finding their way in this new situation while still trying to build up the business. If only he wasn’t so unluckily gifted when solving his cases.
I received a free copy of the book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.
C.T., the unluckiest lucky PI, is still struggling to find his way in the new normal he is living. As the story progresses a new case seems to appear, a more solid case arrives, and knowing you are probably going into the lion’s den does not mean you are fully prepared. Tom Fowler made this reader want to bounce right over to read Dead Cat Bounce again. Poor C.T. and crew are finding their way in this new situation while still trying to build up the business. If only he wasn’t so unluckily gifted when solving his cases.
I received a free copy of the book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.
December 18, 2021
Tom Fowler just keeps getting better! This time, C.T. Has some (crazy?) guy come into his office talking about a dead guy. C. T. passes him off to the police and then tries to forget about him. It doesn’t work, because C. T. starts thinking “what if?” Then a woman comes into his office asking him to look into her husband’s death. Are the cases related? And off we go! The action never stops. Add in a side story of revenge from an old friend, and we have another classic from one of today’s best detective authors.
This is an honest review after receiving a free copy from the author.
This is an honest review after receiving a free copy from the author.
May 17, 2022
C.T.'s business is not booming!! A crazy man named Irish comes into his office and tell him he saw a dead frozen man!! C.T. doesn't think much of this and just about ignores Irish until later in the day a woman comes in the office to hire C.T. to find out how her business died, seems she and Irish are talking about the same man. C.T. takes her on as a client and gets to work. He goes undercover to investigate, what happens while he is undercover makes a for a great mystery. Why was he killed and of course, who did it. Loved the book!!
December 21, 2021
A client saying you can call me Irish
I think I saw a murder, not around here
His answers were vague, was it even real
A widow comes saying husband was murdered
Worked for a tech company, double dipping
Curiosity, to look into it, not working on a case
If paid good, he had monthly bills.
Parents offer a win win working deal for CT
A good plot shows more of who the person of CT is
Enjoyed this well written story. Given ARC for my
voluntary review and my honest opinion
I think I saw a murder, not around here
His answers were vague, was it even real
A widow comes saying husband was murdered
Worked for a tech company, double dipping
Curiosity, to look into it, not working on a case
If paid good, he had monthly bills.
Parents offer a win win working deal for CT
A good plot shows more of who the person of CT is
Enjoyed this well written story. Given ARC for my
voluntary review and my honest opinion
December 21, 2021
As C.T. takes on another dangerous case Fo”wler continues to develop his characters. I received an advance readers copy and am leaving this review voluntarily because I liked the book. A delightful read where you can see C.T.’s lifelong friendship with the mob Queen tested. His girlfriend maturing as well as a partial thawing of his relationship with his parents. There plenty of action and dangerous situations to keep you turning the pages (or swiping the screen).
December 21, 2021
Even at the worst of times, the wit and charm of C.T. bounces off the page and hits you smack in the gut. Yes, belly laughs throughout - along with tense and violent situations. A marvelous cast of characters and perfectly placed scenes make for a flawless reading leaving you wanting more. Mr. Fowler knows how to write an interesting, engaging, informative, and spellbinding book.
Very Highly Recommended.
Very Highly Recommended.
December 21, 2021
It’s good to have C.T. Ferguson back. He is one tough character. In Dead Cat Bounce he goes undercover and has to deal with some fishy financial dealings. He has to deal with some stressful physical violence as well.
The book is exciting and well written. I can’t wait for his next adventure 😊
J.B.
The book is exciting and well written. I can’t wait for his next adventure 😊
J.B.
January 2, 2022
As Good AsThe Rest
I love this series. The characters as well as the situations keep you turning the pages. The humor is great too. This author is one of my favorites and can’t wait for the next in the series.
I love this series. The characters as well as the situations keep you turning the pages. The humor is great too. This author is one of my favorites and can’t wait for the next in the series.
January 6, 2022
CT Ferguson is back! Love this novel. Currently still reading, but wanted to start my review to let others know about this author. Haven't read much of his before, but he is becoming a fav already. No spoilers as I'm not finished yet!
January 10, 2022
Dead Cat Bounce
As usual CT and friends had a great nail biting adventure and I really liked the story but Damn for a pretty sharp investigator he sure needs to sharpen his skills on watching his back!
As usual CT and friends had a great nail biting adventure and I really liked the story but Damn for a pretty sharp investigator he sure needs to sharpen his skills on watching his back!
March 26, 2022
C.T. Ferguson keeps evolving thanks to Tom Fowler
I've read all 11 C.T
Ferguson crime novels and they keep getting better and better! I was hooked from book one and am anxiously awaiting #12.
I've read all 11 C.T
Ferguson crime novels and they keep getting better and better! I was hooked from book one and am anxiously awaiting #12.
July 3, 2023
Terrific, and also illustrative.
I didn't know one hundredth of the twists in economic cons.
I learned about some with this book.
Also, as always, I enjoyed the hacker's abilities of C.T.
Thank you, Mr. Fowler!!
Monica Beltrami. Montevideo, Uruguay.
I didn't know one hundredth of the twists in economic cons.
I learned about some with this book.
Also, as always, I enjoyed the hacker's abilities of C.T.
Thank you, Mr. Fowler!!
Monica Beltrami. Montevideo, Uruguay.
December 21, 2021
Once again a great book. I always look forward to a new one and don’t want to put it down. CT is at it again and just keeps getting more likable. Definitely add to your to read list
December 23, 2021
As always, enjoyed the characters, plot, and storytelling abilities of Mr. Fowler. CT's sense of sarcastic humor, especially when up against the bad guys never gets old.
January 5, 2022
The eleventh C.T. Ferguson mystery-thriller, Dead Cat Bounce, was released the Tuesday before Christmas, and I’m grateful that I had preordered the Kindle version so it was queued up for immediate reading.
I was lucky to find the C.T. Ferguson series from its beginnings and managed to keep up with all of the stories. They are all strong stories and have good, absorbing action along with personal and professional challenge for protagonist C.T. Ferguson. Author Tom Fowler writes in a literate and absorbing style, and manages to build relationships with and between characters, and also fractures some of those relationships in realistic ways.
As Fowler explains in his newsletter, in this book the title refers to a financial term related to corporate valuation in trying times. Before I read the explanation, I had first enjoyed a little eye-roll, thinking Tom was getting a little cutesy, but he brings it all together in a believable manner.
Dead Cat Bounce opens with a mystery that comes at C.T. from three different directions. One of these is an evidently unhinged man seeking an answer for a problem he cannot seem to articulate. Almost back-to-back, a distraught woman comes looking for the answer to her husband’s murder. This leads to the CEO of a company who also wants an answer to the man’s death – a former employee who was well-liked but seems to have found some sketchy goings-on in the company.
C.T. hires on to the company to seek inside answers and is almost immediately targeted by employees from a division which doesn’t seem to fit the company’s mission.
To complicate and further threaten C.T.’s life, he is also attacked by a duo who might at first seem to be related to the murder but soon turns out to be coming after him from another direction - one of those fractured relationships we’ve seen previously in the series.
Like real people, C.T. hurts and bleeds when he is cut and broken. Without going too deeply into clinical details, Fowler makes us feel for our hero and believe he suffers and will (again) have to heal to move on.
I like the way Tom brings C.T. forward through the physical and emotional challenges with his P.I. work. I also like the character of C.T. and his emotional and moral balance. C.T. reveals a little wackiness and some thoroughly enjoyable insights to his thinking and feelings.
I’ve read all of the C.T. novels, prequel, and novelettes, and now a new series centered on lead character John Tyler, equally likable in a different way. I especially enjoy how Fowler has blended the common universe of the two, even bringing them together – once so far – and allowing some of the supporting characters in the mix as well.
I recommend both series thoroughly. Readers may find the occasional rare “damn” or even more rare stronger language, but don’t need to fear rabid clinical sex or lurid violence. Fowler manages to make relations – both positive and not-so – realistic without resorting to gratuitous extremes.
No pulling punches, though; some people suffer, some die, and the wounded need time to heal. But loving relationships grow, and the reader comes to enjoy the people and their lives.
If you would like to find a new, and now mature series, I recommend this without reservation. Begin anywhere, but if you like, as I do, to see the full development of the arc of the series (and maybe tie into the John Tyler series as well), the prequel Hong Kong Dangerous lays the foundation. It has been available frequently as a freebie and allows one to test drive the writer and his characters. Watch out, though: you may well find yourself buying into the whole universe of C.T and John Tyler. But you will enjoy the ride.
I was lucky to find the C.T. Ferguson series from its beginnings and managed to keep up with all of the stories. They are all strong stories and have good, absorbing action along with personal and professional challenge for protagonist C.T. Ferguson. Author Tom Fowler writes in a literate and absorbing style, and manages to build relationships with and between characters, and also fractures some of those relationships in realistic ways.
As Fowler explains in his newsletter, in this book the title refers to a financial term related to corporate valuation in trying times. Before I read the explanation, I had first enjoyed a little eye-roll, thinking Tom was getting a little cutesy, but he brings it all together in a believable manner.
Dead Cat Bounce opens with a mystery that comes at C.T. from three different directions. One of these is an evidently unhinged man seeking an answer for a problem he cannot seem to articulate. Almost back-to-back, a distraught woman comes looking for the answer to her husband’s murder. This leads to the CEO of a company who also wants an answer to the man’s death – a former employee who was well-liked but seems to have found some sketchy goings-on in the company.
C.T. hires on to the company to seek inside answers and is almost immediately targeted by employees from a division which doesn’t seem to fit the company’s mission.
To complicate and further threaten C.T.’s life, he is also attacked by a duo who might at first seem to be related to the murder but soon turns out to be coming after him from another direction - one of those fractured relationships we’ve seen previously in the series.
Like real people, C.T. hurts and bleeds when he is cut and broken. Without going too deeply into clinical details, Fowler makes us feel for our hero and believe he suffers and will (again) have to heal to move on.
I like the way Tom brings C.T. forward through the physical and emotional challenges with his P.I. work. I also like the character of C.T. and his emotional and moral balance. C.T. reveals a little wackiness and some thoroughly enjoyable insights to his thinking and feelings.
I’ve read all of the C.T. novels, prequel, and novelettes, and now a new series centered on lead character John Tyler, equally likable in a different way. I especially enjoy how Fowler has blended the common universe of the two, even bringing them together – once so far – and allowing some of the supporting characters in the mix as well.
I recommend both series thoroughly. Readers may find the occasional rare “damn” or even more rare stronger language, but don’t need to fear rabid clinical sex or lurid violence. Fowler manages to make relations – both positive and not-so – realistic without resorting to gratuitous extremes.
No pulling punches, though; some people suffer, some die, and the wounded need time to heal. But loving relationships grow, and the reader comes to enjoy the people and their lives.
If you would like to find a new, and now mature series, I recommend this without reservation. Begin anywhere, but if you like, as I do, to see the full development of the arc of the series (and maybe tie into the John Tyler series as well), the prequel Hong Kong Dangerous lays the foundation. It has been available frequently as a freebie and allows one to test drive the writer and his characters. Watch out, though: you may well find yourself buying into the whole universe of C.T and John Tyler. But you will enjoy the ride.
December 21, 2021
Words count and Tom Fowler certainly racked up my five star review for Dead Count Bounce! I adore C.T. Ferguson character and how he overcomes hurdles to resolve all issues, but not without making me sometimes laugh my socks off! Unorthodox character for sure. Heart the size of the Grand Canyon and skills to go along with that which sometimes gets him into a few jams. But not to worry because C.T. Ferguson is The MAN!! Very developed characters and that with of course Mr. Fowler’s master over words once again presents a five star winner for the reader. Thank you once again for such a wonderful book Mr. Fowler. Make some time to read Dead Cat Bounce, because it always ends up a NOT PUTDOWNABLE BOOK until you finish.
December 23, 2021
A very twisted tale, with some very sketchy behavior by our hero!
C.T. may not have lost any of his computer hardware and software/network hacking skills, but his people skills—particularly his BS detector—need therapy. This time, he came close, extremely close, to a horrible death. And sussing out the miscreants was so elusive that one must consider perhaps recommending our hero's mandatory retirement. At the very least he needs the supervision of more prudent sleuths. Cousin Rich really should be keeping closer tabs on C.T., else maybe he should move in with mommy and daddy until he can avoid getting into such predicaments. jus' sayin'
C.T. may not have lost any of his computer hardware and software/network hacking skills, but his people skills—particularly his BS detector—need therapy. This time, he came close, extremely close, to a horrible death. And sussing out the miscreants was so elusive that one must consider perhaps recommending our hero's mandatory retirement. At the very least he needs the supervision of more prudent sleuths. Cousin Rich really should be keeping closer tabs on C.T., else maybe he should move in with mommy and daddy until he can avoid getting into such predicaments. jus' sayin'
December 27, 2021
I am familiar with Tom Fowler for his series starring John Tyler. I love John Tyler. So I tried his other series starring C. T. Ferguson. This was Dead Cat Bounce. It was an ok read. I really prefer John Tyler, a lot! But this had some moments. Twists and turns. But some really dumb things happened also. And C.T knew he shouldn’t. He said doing it was dumb. And it was! I wouldn’t have done it without contingency plans. But ole C.T. did it anyway. And it turned out as expected. Also the premise wasn’t really explained properly nor if it was really illegal. The story was ok, but his John Tyler series is OUTSTANDING!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews