Archive for 'Simon, Clea'
Cries and Whiskers by Clea Simon
ISBN 1590584643
Poisoned Pen Press – Dec. 07
Hardcover
CRIES AND WHISKERS is Clea Simon’s third book in the Theda Krakow series. Theda is a freelance writer whose main gig is writing about club bands for the local paper. She is a little older than the usual club patron but she knows all the players, loves the music, and feels at home in the atmosphere. Theda is fun and outgoing and has an active social life with lots of friends around her. Theda is also loyal to her friends, so when Violet calls her to help rescue some feral cats in the dead of winter, Theda goes along to assist. The two of them are taking over the job from an animal rights activist who was the victim of a hit and run accident before she could round up all the cats at a building that will soon be demolished. While Theda didn’t much care for the extreme views of the animal rights activist, Gail, she does love cats and is disappointed when they can’t capture all of them. When Gail dies and the building becomes the center of a neighborhood controversy, Theda tries to figure out just what is going on at that location.
I really liked CRIES AND WHISKERS. Theda is surrounded by just the kind of eclectic and eccentric people you find in cities – people who seem more than a little odd if you have to explain them to the hometown folks. Theda is smart, funny, has a cool job, and is plucky and resourceful. My only issue with the book is that Theda comes unglued when her cat goes missing. While many devoted pet owners will surely relate to this, it seems a little extreme to the rest of us. Extreme behavior without suitable motivation (or what the reader feels is proper motivation) can pull the reader out of a story. But bear with Theda, because she gets her act back together in the end.
Favorite character? There are several good ones, but Bunny the witch may be my favorite. Did I guess it? Parts. Will I read another? Yes. Simon has seeded this book with some real gems that are a delight to discover and I look forward to checking out the other books in the series.
Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007
Posted: December 6th, 2007 under Reviews by Author, Simon, Clea.
Comments: 1