More Mystery Cats: Feline Felonies

by Cynthia Manson (Editor), Lilian Jackson Braun, Ellis Peters

A collection of mystery tales starring cats from the pages of Ellery Queen's mystery magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's mystery magazine, featuring contributions from Lilian Jackson Braun, Ellis Peters, Dorothy L. Sayers, P.G. Wodehouse, Sandra Woodruff; A.H.Z. Carr; Phyllis Bentley; Edward D. Hoch; and Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

Catspaw / by Sandra Woodruff
The sin of Madame Phloi / by Lilian Jackson Braun
Call to witness / by Nancy Schachterle
Case of catnapping / by A.H.Z. Carr
Miss Phipps and the Siamese cat / by Phyllis Bentley
Cat burglar / by Gene DeWeese
Cat of dreams / by Frances & Richard Lockridge
Death at the Excelsior / by P.G. Wodehouse
Spectre in blue doubleknit / by Bruce Bethke
Animals / by Clark Howard --
Cat and fiddle murders / by Edward D. Hoch
Cyprian cat / by Dorothy L. Sayers
Trinity cat / by Ellis Peters
Little miracles / by Kristine Kathryn Rusch.

Genres: Mystery, Cats, Animals, Anthologies, Fiction

253 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Cynthia Manson is a literary agent, formerly Director of Marketing at Davis Publications, publishers of Ellery Queen and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazines. She has also edited several anthologies.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another 'Mom Book'. You will notice that I tend to read those as soon as I get home from my trips north, because there are usually quizzes along the lines of "Have you read that book yet?" and I like to be ready. Also I don't want to forget to read them since Mom usually wants her books back, even ones snapped up at the used book sale like this one was.

This is a 1993 collection of fourteen stories that had been previously printed in those delightful publications Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. I used to read a lot of those years ago, maybe that is why I burned out a little on the mystery genre, who knows.

Anyway, each story in this book features a cat or cats in some way. Maybe they are just the oddly named multiple companions of a little old lady (in Catspaw we meet the cats by name only, Furpants being my favorite) or the actual do-ers of the foul deed (exactly what was The Sin Of Madame Phloi?). They might need rescuing or do the rescuing themselves, but in every story a cat is involved.

Naturally some tales (and cats) are more appealing than others. My favorites were Death At The Excelsior by P.G. Wodehouse, although I was beginning to wonder when the cat would show up there; and Little Miracles by Kristine Kathryn Rusch, a fairly gruesome look at how a certain policeman was able to solve a crime and start feeling like himself again, with the unexpected help of a stray cat.

Thanks for the book, Mom! I'll get it back to you in November. :-))

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, I am slightly embarassed, but this was a thrift store find and I won't make apologies for scoring cheap mystery books. Even if cats are the the characters or play a role in the stories. There is absolutely no reason for you to go seek this out, none at all. Still, there are a couple good mystery shorts and who doesn't love cats? I don't want to know you if you don't. Okay?

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as a teenager

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good compilation murder mystery book. I good way to see if you like a certain mystery writer. Bonus if you love cats.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book included 14 short stories, in the area of mystery. Of them, I rated 3 3's (Siamese, Cyprian and Trinity), 3 4's (Witness, Dream, Miracles, and the rest 5's! I enjoyed the variety of writing styles. This book is a winner!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A broad range of stories.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

many stories-some good, some not

[Danielle Siel-Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

meh

[Evelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just didn't appeal to me, which is why it took me forever to read. Some stories were better than others, but overall they were just not great. The mysteries were not well written at all.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

meh