Clea SimonBesprekingen

I like the premise, but the writing style was a bit sugary for my taste. Also, not sure why the main (human) character often sounds like a fairly dim bulb even though she’s a researcher by profession.

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatboook.com.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

The Queen of Pet Noir is back! BUNNIES is a little darker outing this time, with Pru choosing to do most of the work herself, with minimal input from Wallis. It also seemed that everyone was untrustworthy – whatever things seemed to be on the surface turned out to be the opposite.

Author Simon has a lot going on in this tale, and at times I felt it took a while for the plot to advance. Pru struggles with understanding the “why” and “who”, despite a seemingly simple murder. In the beginning, things appear to be just another murder. But just as snow will melt away, uncovering more detail underneath, the murder turns into two, Pru’s cop beau is taken off the case, and a mysterious gentleman gangster keeps showing up.

For those that haven’t read the first few installments of the Pru Marlowe story, things may not make sense quickly. However, as you read, you will see Pru become more aware of where she is in her life, and what she has become due to her dubious “gift” of being able to communicate with animals.

She learns to accept that things don’t always go as they should; and becomes even closer in a way to those animals that identify as prey. Gangster Benazi continues to keep Pru off balance as he continually alludes to her “gift” – and refers to it openly, much to her dismay. She is terrified of anyone finding out the truth about her, and through these thoughts Pru understands how prey animals must feel.

It takes a strong person to let your vulnerability show – and Simon shows us Pru in all her incarnations. We see not just a cute story about a woman who can talk to animals; we can see the character evolving and growing into someone more aware of her place in the bigger picture of the world.

Enjoyable as always are the regulars: Growler, Frank, and of course Wallis. We also meet a sweet spaniel who just wants to be next to the man he loves – if only Pru could figure out who he is!

Simon dangles some interesting things in front of us at the end, leaving things open for another book. I know her many fans will be grateful for this, including me!

This review originally appeared on my blog at www.gimmethatbook.com.

Thanks to the author for this review copy! When I met her at BookCon 2015, she was signing copies of two books. Fans got to pick which one they wanted and Ms Simon graciously shared a few words with each person as she inscribed their copy. I was intrigued, since I never heard of “pet noir”, and knew right away I wanted to review this book.

Pru is an animal trainer who just happens to be able to “hear” thoughts in her head, thoughts that come from the animals around her, wild or tame. She’s also hovering on the edge of misanthropy, a trait that has carried her through dark times in her past. The author alludes to Pru’s past with tantalizing bits here and there, and the reader must put everything together, like a puzzle with a few missing pieces.

Pru’s tabby cat Wallis, is a typical feline: reticent, self centered, and slothful. She sneeringly communicates with Pru in such a way that her comments seem disingenuous, until Pru makes the connection and it all makes sense. This was a bit hard to get used to in the beginning, until I realized it was being written intentionally in that fashion–I wasn’t missing things due to lack of brain cells.

Simon’s attention to detail in writing about Wallis’ behavior is a joy to behold. She truly describes a cat’s attitude, movements (Wallis “delicately splays a toe” while grooming herself) and complete disinterest; exactly like every cat I’ve ever known! Some of Simon’s best writing is done as she leads the reader into the mind of various critters, such as ferrets, dogs and birds. It was so easy to believe their conversations and mannerisms were true renditions. Every little quirk of dogs sniffing trees or the flock mind of starlings was rendered perfectly. Perhaps this story written in a different way would have seemed surreal or silly. Not so here. I seamlessly moved through the story in a state of belief that yes, Pru could hear these thoughts and the animals could pick hers up as well. No cartoonish Dr Doolittle thing going on here—-this is excellent writing.

The author can render people well too: the tippling town gossip, the sweet talking bad boy, the vapid gum snapping kennel attendant are all easy to picture. And let’s not forget about the plot. There is drama, suspense, and lots of red herrings. Absolutely delightful.

I had a fun time reading DOGS DON’T LIE. It sounds like Ms Simon had a fun time writing it too. I’ll be picking up more of her work in the future.

Pretty decent mystery though Theda, despite her experience as a journalist, seemed peculiarly willing to trust what many people told her.

Sex Drugs and Rock & Roll!

Being a lover of rock music, I was excited to read this novel about a female rockstar! I was expecting a Daisy Jones vibe, but this was way more grittier and darker…which I dig.

A suspense filled book that was spoken by the protagonist, Gal, in dual timelines from today and when she was living that rockstar lifestyle! I loved this character.

She begins having flashbacks of suppressed memories that slowly reveals the darkness of that lifestyle and how it can affect her moving forward.

I would say not to go into this book expecting a strong thriller/mystery. It read more like a suspenseful woman’s fiction novel.

Pru Marlowe, animal behaviourist and pet psychic, has just been given a high maintenance spaniel to care for. What should be a simple job becomes complicated when Pru finds the dog drawing her into a case of theft and murder.

A recent art heist brings on the feds, who are searching for the thief and the missing art. Also some local shady types and a mysterious man, with some high up shady contract are on the same hunt.

With help from her animal creatures, due to her ability to communicate, she manages to put the puzzle pieces in order and complete the whole picture.

A fun, light read with action, humour and a dash of romance.

Just too twee

3.5 stars

Ducie is a grad student working on her thesis. Just after she meets with her advisor, she comes out of the building only to stumble upon a murder victim, another man in the English department. In her personal life, she is feeling lonely as her boyfriend is spending almost all his time working; her best friend/roommate has a new boyfriend; her beloved pet cat, Mr. Grey, had recently passed away, although his ghost visits her, still, and she has a new black and white, still unnamed, kitten.

Like with the first book in the series (this is the 2nd), there was more academic-speak in the book than I would have liked. I wasn’t necessarily all that excited to hear, in so much detail, about Dulcie’s thesis. I wasn’t sure initially if I would continue the series after this one (primarily) because of that. Not a big fan of ghost-cats talking, either. But as the end came around, I decided I like it enough that I would try the next book, as well.½

What is it with women and cats? The Feline Mystique is the first serious examination of the intense relationship between woman and their cats and of the repercussions that bond can have on others. Richly researched and searchingly personal, The Feline Mystique uses history, science, art, and literature as touchpoints to explain and explore contemporary women's lives with their cats.

3.5 stars

Dulcie is a grad student, attempting to find a topic for her English literature thesis. She is having a really bad summer - her cat died; the class she was supposed to teach was cancelled, so she's doing temp work; worst of all, when she comes home one day, she finds her new (not very likeable) roommate dead on the floor, murdered. It seems the ghost of her cat is keeping watch over her, and is able to keep her safe. Things get worse at work, as someone is tampering with the computer system, and later the computer system at her library is hacked. What is going on!?

It was good. Nothing really special, I didn't think, but it was good. It went into a little more detail than I was interested in with the English lit thesis stuff, but other than that, I liked it. I guess it's the first in a new series, and I probably won't seek out the next one, but if I come across it or it works for a group read or game, I might pick it up.½

THE NINTH LIFE is the first book in a new series by Clea Simon. This is the first book I have read by her. When I first saw the book was I intrigued by the lovely cover and the blurb. I felt this was a book for me, and I was looking forward to reading it.

READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!

Pretty good mystery. Liked Pru Marlowe. Lots of bunnies and all bad.

An Incantation of Cats (Witch Cats of Cambridge #2) by Clea Simon This is about magical cats and a witch detective. I found it interesting but I don't know if I want to continue the series. I struggled at times to continue and other times it was very good.

Clea Simon’s latest suspense thriller, Hold Me Down, is set in a world I’m really fond of: the Boston local rock scene of the previous century. It was loud, and filled with all kinds of misfits and savants, and Clea has accurately and enthusiastically captivated the spirit of “la rock d’antan.”

Her protagonist, Gal, is a formerly-star-bound singer/songwriter who was nearly done-in by the lifestyle. But she comes out of her self-imposed exile to attend the funeral of a beloved bandmate. And that’s where the mystery begins. This is a richly detailed suspenseful thrilled with strongly developed characters, a shifting point-of-view (the ‘90s and the present).

Gal is a sturdy protagonist, curious and rough-edged. She’d spent her post-musician years away from urban life in the northern woods with an understanding boyfriend met at rehab. However, once Gal is back in the mix, figuring out the murder, she dives back in to the most compelling parts of her life as a musician. As she unravels the murder mystery, she finds new opportunities to understand her own demons and angels as a singer/songwriter.

Many chapters of Hold Me Down end with a cliff-hanger, and the growing cast of characters who may have been responsible for the murder are well-drawn and realistic. And Gal struck me as a character who could definitely sustain another storyline. Well done!

Pretty good. I did figure out part of the mystery fairly early on, but not all of it. It had cats. And it's free on the Kindle today.

Very slow plot that includes unnecessary scenes.

Becca Colwin wanted to pursue a library science degree, but circumstances intervened. She had a job using her research skills, and a boyfriend, Jeff Blakely. She also had three cats--three littermates she adopted from a local shelter, Harriet, Laurel, and Clara.

Then Jeff broke up with her, and entirely too soon after, she lost her job. This leaves Becca with two things to do--find a new job, and pursue her new interest of studying witchcraft. Discovering an ancestor was one of the executed Salem witches sparked her interest and moved her to join a coven; now she has lots of time for it.

What she doesn't know is that her cats are the real witches. When Harriet, one of her cats, decides she wants a pillow and doesn't want to get up to go to one, she summons one out of the ether. Becca at that moment had been attempting a summoning spell; the appearance of the pillow convinces her she succeeded.

This is very exciting for her coven. It's even more exciting, in a far less positive way, when Becca goes to meet one of her fellow witches, and finds the woman dead, killed with the knife previously used to cut the cake served at the last meeting of the coven.

A series of events that really might convince you that Cambridge, MA really is, as one of the characters says, a small town, Becca is scrambling to solve the murder herself because she believes the police have decided she's the prime suspect.

And now we come to the thing that rather put me off this seemingly charming cozy mystery. The youngest and smallest of the three cats, Clara, the calico, is determined to use her skills, magic and otherwise, to help Becca solve the case, and keep Becca safe. The other two, Laurel and Harriet, have no interest. They just want Becca to stay at home, and feed them their meals and treats. For most of the book, it's not even clear to me that Harriet and Laurel even like Becca, or consider her anything more than a convenient servant.

Which, to be clear, for all the stereotypical depiction of cats, is not how any of my cats, over several decades, have ever behaved. Their affection for me was always obvious. This book almost seems to have been written by someone who doesn't like cats, which, to be clear, I know isn't true.

I like Becca. I like Clara. I like some of Becca's friends. The other cats and most of the other people, not so much.

There are other problems. We're never told what Becca was trying to summon with her summoning spell, but it probably wasn't the soft, golden, tasseled pillow that Harriet summoned. It's not at all clear why Becca accepts this as proof of her own success, rather than at least being puzzled by the weird result of her apparent success. There are other, similar problems, things that just don't make the sense they're supposed to make. People do things that don't make sense at all, or don't make sense given how they're portrayed.

I really wanted to like this audiobook, a lot. Instead, I'm left frustrated and annoyed.

I bought this audiobook.

The first thing that caught my attention is the cover of this book. What a beautiful black cat! And then the premise of the series pulled me in the rest of the way..... Carrie "Care'' Wright is a private investigator. She solves cases for those in need with the help of her cat, Blackie. Blackie isn't just a cat....he's special. The story is told from the cat's point of view.

Cross My Path is the third book in this series. Usually I am picky and prefer to read a series starting at book 1. When I chose this particular book for review, I didn't realize it was part of a series. As I started reading, I was a bit confused at first....having no previous knowledge of the characters or their background. But I quickly figured things out. Blackie is a very, very special cat.....and I immediately loved him! Such a creative and interesting character! But, I think it would have been best -- and less confusing -- to start this series at book one. I'm going to backtrack and start over....beginning with The Ninth Life and As Black As My Fur before re-reading this book. Even with the slight confusion over prior events, I enjoyed this story and will definitely be reading more from Clea Simon!

This is the first book by Clea Simon that I have read. I like her story and writing style. And I definitely liked the characters in this series. It has a very gritty, noir feel. Fun and enjoyable read!

Ordered a copy of The Ninth Life -- I have to read this series from the beginning!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Severn House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. All black cats encountered during the reading of this book had their ears scritched and tummies rubbed, as required by Cat Law.**

3.5 stars

Theda is a reporter and has an idea for a story on cat hoarders after she comes across an older lady in her neighbourhood who seems to have an abundance of cats. She may or may not be a hoarder, but the neighbour sure doesn’t like the woman or her multiple cats. When Theda comes around again, she discovers the woman dead. The police think she just fell, so it was an accident, but Lillian (the old woman)’s young friend and helper (and musician) Violet, doesn’t agree. She insists Lillian must have been murdered.

30-some years old and Theda’s still a bit of a partier, so I wasn’t crazy about that (I thought she acted way younger than her age). Wasn’t as interested in the bar hopping and the music, but loved the cats! So, it was up and down for how interested I was in certain parts of the book, but overall, I liked it enough to look into the next in the series. If it has more focus on animals, I’ll continue; if it’s more focus on music, it’s unlikely. (Another one with a cat title, so I will continue on.)½

Fun little serious of book. Just a good get away stories. Nothing earth shattering just a fun and entertaining.

nostalgic tale of a rock journalist turned corporate drone who gets back into her old life after a friend dies under shady circumstances. brings the old Boston rock club scene to life.

Didn't think I'd enjoy a cat mystery, but this was a blast!

Pru is an animal behaviorist with an edge--she can telepathically connect with the animals! Humans are the tough stuff. She gets called in to clean up the language of a pet parrot whose long time owner has died. Was it as simple as the medical examiner thinks or did a beneficiary help things along? The characters certainly are and there is lots of situational and verbal humor to keep things going. Loved it!
Tavia Gilbert always adds good things to her narrations.
Bought on Chirp.

Pretty decent mystery though Theda, despite her experience as a journalist, seemed peculiarly willing to trust what many people told her.

There is no denying that this is simply a fun book. It isn’t great literature, but reading this story is a great way to relax. It certainly kept me turning the pages.

Our heroine, Becca Colwin, has lost her job and decided that she would become a detective who helps members of the local witchcraft community. Two clients show up at her door on the same day. Becca ultimately decides that she can work for only the first one as they are both connected to the same event. Unbeknownst to her, Becca’s three cats have special powers and do their best to try and steer her in the right direction.

There are many creative twists both in the human and feline sides of the story. Some of the things Becca does defy common sense, but the cats see to it that everything works out. As a reader, I found it hard to guess just how the story will end. However, I was pleased with how things worked out. This book has a touch of potential romance, moments that made me laugh as the cats fight as if they were human siblings, and just enough tension to keep me wondering about how things will ultimately be resolved.

This is a new to me author and my advance copy was provided through NetGalley. Any opinion provided is strictly my own.