Monday, April 22, 2019

Review: Cat Chase the Moon by Shirley Rousseau Murphy





Genre:
Mystery

Format:
E-ARC

Publisher:
William Morrow

Release Date:
April 23, 2019







Synopsis from Goodreads:

Feline P. I. Joe Grey and his friends pounce on three investigations that may connect to one larger mystery—including one case that is very personal—in this hair-raising installment in Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s beloved, award-winning series

Joe Grey and his partner, Dulcie, are frantic when Courtney, their pretty teen-kitten goes missing. Aided by their two- and four-legged friends, they hit the streets of Molina Point in search of their calico girl. Has Joe Grey and Dulcie’s only daughter been lured away by someone and stolen? Is she lying somewhere hurt, or worse?

Courtney has no idea that everyone is desperately looking for her. Locked in an upstairs apartment above the local antiques shop, she’s enjoying her first solo adventure. When she first met Ulrich Seaver, the shop’s owner, Courtney was frightened. But the human has coddled and pampered her, winning her trust. Sheltered by her parents, her brothers, and her kind human companions, the innocent Courtney is unaware of how deceptive strangers can be. She doesn’t know that Ulrich is hiding a dangerous secret that could threaten her and everyone in this charming California coastal village.

With his focus on finding Courtney, Joe Grey has neglected his detective work with the Molina Point Police Department. Before his daughter disappeared, Joe found a viciously beaten woman lying near the beach. Now the police investigation has stalled, and the clever feline worries his human colleagues may have missed a vital clue. Joe is also concerned about a family of newcomers whose domestic battles are disturbing the town’s tranquility. Loud and abrasive, the Luthers’ angry arguing, shouting, and swearing in the early hours of the night have neighbors on edge and the cops’ on alert. One of the couple’s late-night shouting matches masked the sounds of a burglary, and now a criminal is on the loose.

Though the crimes are as crisscrossed as the strands of a ball of yarn, Joe Grey’s cat senses tell him they may somehow be linked. It’s up to the fleet-footed feline and his crime-solving coterie to untangle the mysteries before it’s too late.

My Review

The Joe Grey series was the first cat mystery series I ever read. I fell in love with Joe Grey immediately. I always anxiously awaited each book as it was released. They never sat on my TBR for long. Eventually I got away from reading the books, but continued to add them to my TBR. Not because I didn’t like them, but it was a case of too many books, too little time. When I saw a new one was being released now, I couldn’t resist.

This is book #21 and previously the last one I read was #10. Quite a bit happened during that time frame. Joe has a family and children by now. I definitely need to go back and read the books I missed, but I quickly managed to catch up with my favorite characters, both feline and human.

This book centers around Joe’s teenage kitten, Courtney. She is catnapped by Ulrich Seaver, owner of an antique shop. His reasons are not good ones and puts the young cat in grave danger.

The humans in Molena Point are going through some of their own problems. Joe Grey found a woman who had been beaten up. Although his attentions turn towards his daughter, he also wants to help the police uncover the truth about the attack on the mysterious woman.

The Joe Grey series might not be for everyone as there is a touch of paranormal involved since the cats do speak. I have always found this series to be intriguing, exciting, and cleverly written. I still feel that way. It makes me happy to read about Joe and his family. I always wonder if my cats could speak, what would they say? LOL

I do recommend that this series be read from the beginning. It gives the reader a chance to get to know Joe Grey and see how this series grows with each book.


For reading challenges:
The Purrfect Reading Challenge 2019
What An Animal Reading Challenge 2019
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2019

FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Edelweiss and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.


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