Kim M. Watt

Callum's past comes back with sharp teeth in Gobbelino London and a complication of Unicorns the third book in the Gobbelino London, PI series by Kim M. Watt. Turns out that unicorns, presumed extinct, are very much not-extinct (un-extinct?) and a former friend from Callum's past has had his herd stolen. Unable to turn down an old friend, no matter how much of a bad idea it is, Callum and Gobbs are off to see if they can track down where the herd has disappeared to.

These are not your typical story-book unicorns Callum and Gobbs are off to rescue! They are pathologically bad tempered and utterly hilarious when we finally meet them. I'm glad we also got some insight into Callum's past, his family and friends (all varying degrees of horrible), as well as being introduced to the idea of a "pocket" where magical folk can live in relative peace. Usually. Sometimes. Ok, not this time but that would be spoilers. The situation that Gobbs and Callum uncover add to the lore of the world as there is obviously something rotten going on in a larger scale than just this little area.

The author has quite a talent for chaotic and hilarious final climax scenes. I'd love to see all that action in the warehouse on the big screen.

This series is so much fun. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Gobs and Callem get into next.… (meer)

My favorite feline PI and his trusty human sidekick are back in Gobbelino London & a Contagion of Zombies, the second entry in the Gobbelino London, PI series by Kim M. Watt. The story opens with Gobbelino and Callum walking through a local cemetery when a dog wanders over carrying an arm in it's mouth like a stick, looking to play. Callum wants to investigate where the recently unearthed limb has come from and return it to the owner while Gobbelino thinks taking a job without pay is a bad idea. Bad idea or not, it's not long before the detective duo are immersed in a problem with slightly whiffy body parts that don't belong to them and going to any lengths to prevent the end of custard as we know it. It's a cat thing.

This follow up to Scourge of Pleasantries is just as enjoyable as the first. While I'm not normally a big fan of zombie stories, Callum and Gobs make solving the problem so darn fun that I didn't mind all the highly questionable meal choices. Gobs continued inability to get human idioms correct, as well as his unique view of the world, are a delight. I may have to start using his saying of "no baby goats" haha! Adding to the enjoyment factor are the new characters Callum and Gobs meet along the way. I hope Gertrude becomes a recurring character in the series. Gobs needs to keep his flow of super tasty cat treats flowing.… (meer)

Gobbelino London & a Scourge of Pleasantries is the first in the Gobbelino London, PI series by Kim M. Watt. The story is told entirely from Gobbelino's point of view. Gobbelino is a cat detective who, as we learn as the story progresses, is attempting to keep a lower profile so he doesn't have any other run in's with this world's magical police, the Watch. Still, a cat's got to eat. Gobbelino along with his human, Callum, run a private investigative agency as a way to make ends meet. Cases have been sparse lately so when a mysterious woman wearing Doc Martens and too much perfume offers them a paying job, the detective duo really aren't in a position to turn the work away. The job: recover a stolen book from the woman's ex-husband.

I really enjoyed having the story told from the cat's perspective. I like how the author didn't make it easy for Gobs, being realistic about the difficulties his size and lack of thumbs provides. And the advantages a cat has too. The snarky humor was right up my alley as I found myself chuckling many times as I read. Gobbelino has a poor grasp of human idioms. Callum is a good partner for Gobs, being a genuinely nice guy and has the thumbs that a cat lacks. Callum has a history I hope we learn more of as the series progresses. They make a great duo.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the shenanigans that ensue shortly after our crack pair of investigators take the case so I'll keep it brief. The book features a snarky feline humor, a dubious client, a dentist, a feral book, pastel rats, reality bending buildings, a horribly pleasant old lady and a kraken in a sink. This book was right up my alley. I look forward to continuing the series.

Thank you @sakerfalcon for the BB.… (meer)