Cries and Whiskers [Hardcover]

The third book in Clea Simon's Theda Krakow mystery series is a treat for cat lovers, as well as those of us waiting for further developments in Theda's life. Over the course of three books, Theda has matured and developed important relationships.

Those relationships with friends, and her boyfriend, are threatened in this book, in which Theda feels as if her friendships are going "horribly wrong." Even her strongest relationship, that with her beloved cat, Musetta, is threatened when Musetta disappears.

Once again, Simon has injected a dose of reality into a mystery featuring a cat. Unlike many mystery writers, Simon understands the relationship between a human and their cat, and doesn't try to introduce cats that solve mysteries. Instead, her cat plays an important role in the life of the character, and, in this case, in the mystery itself. Simon's character, Theda Krakow, is thrown into two confusing situations, one involving the world of animal protection, and the other the world of a music. Simon masterfully combines the two into a fascinating mystery.

It is a holiday treat that the intrepid Theda Krakow is back in another feline mystery from Clea Simon. This time Theda takes on the drug culture and animal rights activist in this fast paced, suspense filled story.

The Top Ten category of who should read this book:
1. Anyone who likes a mystery with a well written, strong, female main character.
2. Anyone who likes a mystery with varied plot lines that are deftly meshed into one seamless story.
3. Anyone who likes well thought out suspense that keeps building to an ending that is compelling and complete.
4. Anyone who likes a work that looks at relationships- human, feline, men and women.
5 Anyone who would enjoy the setting of the Boston music scene.
6. Anyone who would enjoy a carefully developed mystery that entertains and enlightens.
7. Anyone who would enjoy a good book.
8. Anyone who feels strongly about animal rights or welfare (the issue of feral cats is interestingly explored.)
9. Anyone who is a cat lover.
10. All mystery lovers!

Clea Simon has written the third entry into the Theda Krakow series starring the cat loving journalist. It is another testament to her talent as an author that she can make a unique mark in the crowded cat mystery market. She should not be mixed with the cozy crowd. This mystery has fangs and teeth, more like the feral cats it describes than any domesticated house cat.

It's hard to know where to begin with the plot summary here since there are so many things taking place. The centerpiece is the death of an animal rights activist, an apparent victim of a hit-and-run accident. The activist was trying to trap feral cats to remove them from a warehouse site for their own protection, and Theda Krakow, a devout ailurophile herself, realizes that if there are cats in the normally humane traps, those cats might well die in the bitter Boston winter. So Theda and her friend Violet go in search of traps that might have been left behind.

At the same time, there is a new band on the scene. Somewhat superciliously named Swann's Way, the band is scheduled to perform at a prominent venue but does not have the track record to justify this show. Theda, as a music critic, is scheduled to interview the band and review the show. The problem, though, is that the band seems averse to publicity, and Theda's questions only grow. What is the mystery behind this band, and why is it so darned hard to get an interview with them?

At still the same time, a new designer drug seems to be making the club rounds. This drug, an apparent variant on GHB, the "date-rape drug," is causing a variety of problems. As an habitué of the clubs where she reviews many of the local bands, Theda is worried about this drug and starts asking questions there, too. Then there is the ongoing relationship with her cop boyfriend, who is laid up in his apartment with a broken leg. Add to this a friend who appears to have had a minor car accident and then told two contradictory stories about what happened, and now you have pretty much all of the plot elements in the story.

With so much going on, it is not surprising that there are hits and misses. Among the hits is Theda's career as a reviewer and her knowledge of the music and club scenes. It's no surprise that this part of the story works so well; the author herself has been a Boston music critic for quite some time, and she generously lends her expertise to her protagonist. The cat element of the mystery is both a hit and a miss. Unlike Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who..." series, "Cries & Whiskers" does not delve into woo-woo elements. The cat here is just a cat--an integral part of Theda's life but just a cat nonetheless. Theda's devotion to her pet is understandable but perhaps a bit overdone, at least for my tastes. A cat-lover myself, I thought that too much of Theda's life revolved around her cat. At the same time, I would make the same criticism of Robert B. Parker's characters and their dogs. These are minor criticisms.

The true strength of "Cries & Whiskers" is Theda's passion. Her cat is family. Her career is a vital part of who she is. Her love of animals is real. (One senses these statements are true of the author, as well.) Thus, since her actions are motivated by her passions, they are legitimate. She searches for the animal traps because the idea of a cat being trapped and exposed to the elements is intolerable to her. She probes the music scene because it is essentially her home. She keeps poking around about the new drug for the same reason. Finally, she keeps us reading because passion is contagious, and we--or I, at least--end up caring about what she cares about.

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