by L T SHEARER;
An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©, International Book Reviewer.
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AUTHOR: L T SHEARER
Cover art by: Not stated.
Published by: Pan MacMillan
Publication date: Hardback on 27 October 2022
Publication date: Paperback on 22 June 2023
Paperback ISBN: 978 1529097993
Cover price for Hardback £10.09, Paperback £8.99
Pages: 400.
Age range: Adult
Any
dogs or cats? Oh yes, Conrad the talking cat!
SPOILER ALERT
Some as to plot direction and characters.
Thank you to...
We are exceedingly grateful to Pan MacMillan Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege of getting to Read & Review this much-anticipated book before publication.
As ever, our views are our own, and we only share reviews of books we like and feel our readers deserve to know about and that we hope they will enjoy.
The plot
This delightful modern cosy mystery is set just before and after the death, seemingly from dementia, of Emily Lewis, who had been in a care home of outstanding repute.
The book opens with Lulu Lewis, Emily's daughter-in-law, looking out the galley window of her canal boat, moored at Little Venice, not far from Maida Vale in London. She moved there two months earlier after her husband's death, and since Emily went into the care home.
A calico-coloured cat, unusual as its a tomcat where most calicos are female, strides purposefully by the window and jumps aboard. Welcoming her first visitor to the barge, she casually asks the cat if he would like a saucer of milk. Much to Lulu's surprise, the cat answers quite matter-of-factly that he's not one for milk. He goes on to say that most cats aren't due to lactose intolerance. Not unsurprisingly, Lulu is aghast and thinks she's dreaming. Which of course, she isn't, and the cat, Conrad, is a 100% talking, thinking, rational cat, though the glass of wine he then asks for is purely in jest.
With Conrad neatly wrapped around her shoulders for comfort and safety, Lulu heads to see Emily. Conrad senses Emily is a good person and the two bond. One of the nurses takes a picture of the three, so it can be placed on Emily's wall to help her remember. Taking a chocolate from Emily's box, Lulu and Conrad leave. It is the last time either will see Emily alive, for when Lulu arrives the next day, Emily has passed away. But why wasn't she informed?
Now, cosy mysteries being as they are, things start to unfold. As Lulu is a retired police detective, a first-rate detective, she starts to question the suddenness of it all. As Conrad points out, Emily's aura was one showing good health and a person at ease. She definitely wasn't sick. Yet, the doctor has stated her cause of death as old age and dementia.
From here on in, we get into the thick of family arguments, wills, missing evidence, and some shady characters. With little to go on, save a visitors list at the care home, and some pictures taken by the nurse, Lulu and Conrad set off to investigate, calling in favours from pals still on the force.
So, what did we think?
I have to say I loved this mystery. More so than many other feline-based cosy mysteries. It may be considered by some a cosy mystery, but it has a much bigger feel, worthy of the Morse of Colin Dexter, Danny Boyle, or even Agatha Christies's Hercule Poirot!
Conrad's arrival on the scene is pure magic. The dialogue in the opening pages is fluid and just what one might expect from a feline encounter of the talking kind. I found myself laughing at the retorts and hoping the story would continue in the same vein, which I am happy to say it does, without the feeling of ever getting old or worn.
The book also deals very well with the subject of dementia for those left behind and those afflicted. I found this hard as this has touched my family, like many others. There was never any sense of the subject being given anything other than due respect.
There is a lot going on, investigation-wise, which is why I haven't gone into too much detail. The ending is, however, satisfying.
So . . . .
Crunch time.
All in all, I desperately want to see this detective due, placed wonderfully in the heart of London and uniquely on a barge, go from strength to strength and on to equally as interesting new cases.
Undoubtedly a MUST BUY 5 Star book for lovers of mysteries with a modern flavour and compelling characters and storyline.
Want to buy a copy?
To get a copy, please sail or saunter down to your local independent bookshop. Of course, a feline on the shoulders is optional. There are plenty out there (both book shops and cats), and each shop is just waiting to serve up whatever kind of mystery, fun and adventure you desire.
To read our review of LT Shearer's second book, The Cat Who Solved Three Murders, please click this link HERE.
Pan MacMillan's Author web page can be found HERE or type this: https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/l-t-shearer/44065
I shall leave you with a picture of Erin, from before the 'catnapping'! 🙂 🙂
Till laters!
ERin
