The Cat Who Caught a Killer: 1 (Conrad the Cat Detective, 1)

Product Information

I absolutely loved this book! Conrad was a wonderful character who I would love to encounter again' – 5* reader review While this was easy to read, it was a real struggle for me to get through and unfortunately I DNF'd it at about 75%. The Cat Who Caught a Killer might be a good fit for audiences that agree with author's nostalgia for the "good old days" when there were less consequences for your bad actions, and those who don't mind long-winded descriptions and having their hand held through every step - but it certainly wasn't a good fit for me and not one I'd recommend to anybody I know. The Cat Who Caught a Killer is a delightful cozy mystery, made so by the entertaining conversations between Conrad the talking Calico cat and Lulú, the widowed, retired police detective. From the very first chapter the banter between the two is engaging and fun to read, and it remains so throughout the novel. I was intrigued by the title of this book and when I read the blurb, I thought I’d give it a go. I’m so glad I decided to read this book as it’s a quirky, cosy crime story.

The second thing, and what made me decide I couldn't finish this book, is the author's decision to insert their grievances about the "politically correct" modern world and how everyone is just too sensitive these days. A serving Met police officer complaining about the Professional Standards Unit stopping them being racist (it's okay, he only wants to be a little racist, as a treat) was the proverbial straw for me. There was no indication from the author or the text that these were bad takes from the characters.This was such a charming tale and a genuine mystery that had me glued to my e-reader from start to finish' – 5* reader review Meet Conrad. Conrad is a cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before. Neither has Lulu Lewis, until he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law in a nearby care home. But when her mother-in-law dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .’ But a brutal murder and a daring art theft means her plans are shattered – instead she and Conrad find themselves on the trail of a killer . . . Oh, and dear author, if you don't like there being no police stations open anymore maybe stop voting Tory. Just a thought. What a conundrum this book has presented me with! I enjoyed the story, and Conrad the Calico Cat is a wonderful character and a fine detective, although to be honest he is more of a psychologist. I found some of the writing heavy handed with ideas being repeated over and over again (yes, Lulu we know that you have enough money already!) and the, what feel like, lectures on canal life and how not to poison your cat with chocolate, mint, or lilies are a bit annoying. Plus, sometimes Conrad weighs nothing more than a wafty scarf and then, a few chapters later, Lulu is 'getting used to his weight'. Careful editing required.

Lulu is in mourning due to the recent death of Simon, her beloved husband. She is retired though had served for thirty years in the Metropolitan Police, rising to the rank of Superintendent. She currently is adjusting to life on her new canal boat, The Lark, as well as visiting her mother-in-law in a nearby care home. After the incidents, which lasted from October 2018 to June 2019, he was finally captured on CCTV set up by an owner of a dead cat.

Disappointing, because I would have liked to read the next book in the series but I would rather not fund the disintegration of our society and the demonisation of the poor. I absolutely loved this book! Conrad was a wonderful character who I would love to encounter again'

This was just such a unique book. I loved the concept of giving Conrad a voice for Lulu. It was cute, catchy, and gave a nice spin on the traditional furry friend cozy mystery. A charming, off-beat story with some great characters and wonderful London locations. I’m sure it will make readers long for their own canal boat, and quite possibly - if they don’t already have one - their own talking cat. Conrad is a delightThis book feels like it's setting the scene for a series (which I think it is). There feels like there is a lot of scene setting and building a relationship between Lulu and Conrad. The death of Lulu's husband is dangled like a carrot in front of the reader, with neon lights flashing that this is important. There feels like that is a lot of fishing and the wham, things fall into place, the suspects(who are quite obvious all along) confess etc voila, there we are. I found that the killer was actually signposted early on. The author introduces a lot of other characters, mostly just to add red herrings and pad out the book. They mostly served as filler, reminding us constantly (and repetitively) how lovely Emily was and what a shame it is she is gone. Having recently suffered a bereavement, I know that this is a sentiment that is often expressed, especially about older people who have died, but it still read a bit repetitively in the book. So let me start this review by saying, this book wasn't for me, which was a shame as the premise of a cat-solving mysteries sounded really interesting. Cosy mysteries aren't generally my thing, but this one jogs along at quite a pace and although it is fairly predictable, the interaction between Conrad and other characters made me smile. I'm not quite sure whether people would be as generally welcoming to a cat as they seem to be, although I would like to think they are. I guess part of me now wants to try and take my cat into my lawyer's office! But then this is fiction and if I was prepared to accept a talking cat why quibble about people's reaction to him? Conrad is quite a character - he doesn't miss a thing and can be quite hilarious, as well as very empathic. He's definitely the strongest character in the book.

But what really needed careful editing were the frequent, and unnecessary, references to politics, leaving me with the impression that I was reading a book by a Thatcher admiring, Brexit loving, Covid denier. Whilst that wouldn't be a reason not to read a book in itself as I am more than willing to read books with views different than my own, I would rather not be in the midst of a 'cosy mystery' only to find myself mired in a soliloquy on the sweet nature of that lovely Margaret Thatcher, nor do I enjoy the main character's visit to another character's home being used as an excuse to criticise Labour councils, or being sideswiped by unrequired comments about people with piercings. The characters, Lulu and Conrad, were so cute and the banter was quirky, yet loveable. The early on character building allowed the reader to fall in love with the characters and the plot. The cozy, quirky mystery makes the reader feel warm and fuzzy while following Lulu and Conrad through their journeys of solving crime.Although Emily Lewis is suffering from dementia, her general health is good and so when Emily dies overnight, Lulu has a sense that there’s something suspicious about her death. Assisted by Conrad she undertakes a discreet investigation. Charming and original. This book is the cat’s whiskers." — Anthony Horowitz, author of The Twist of a Knife Telling the story of how a local community in Brighton came together to help stop their notorious cat killer Steven Bouquet is a documentary airing on ITV. How to Catch a Cat Killer airing Wednesday, June, 8 will show how they stopped the cruel cat killer.