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

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Overall, a fairly light read, however the author does have a habit of over explaining things that really could have been left out. Seriously, I didn’t need to read the full recipe of how Lulu made her dinner. Following the death of her mother-in-law, retired police superintendent Lulu and her newly acquired friend Conrad the talking calico cat suspect that all is not what it seems and investigate further. This is marketed as a cosy crime mystery, and it’s definitely a gentle story that’s easy to follow as it unfolds with no explosive or unexpected twists. The Cat Who Caught a Killer by L T Shearer is a charming cosy crime read, set in West London, for fans of Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club and S. J. Bennett’s The Windsor Knot. Recipes for Murder: 66 Dishes that Celebrate the Mysteries of Agatha Christie (2023) by Karen Pierce It’s fast paced, has lovely descriptions of food and a few red herrings (no pun intended!) along the way.

I pretty much fell in love with this delightful mystery from the moment that Conrad, the Calico Cat, walked into Lulu Lewis’ life. 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. The Cat Who Caught a Killer by L T Shearer is a great cozy mystery that combines some of my favorite subjects: cozy mysteries and cats! 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 . . .This was an absolutely charming and lovely read which drew me in right from the start, and that was of course because of Conrad. Conrad is a wonderful and loveable cat—intelligent and fun—and not the typical sarcastic cat that stories often portray. He literally walks into Lulu’s life one fine day, and I loved how they instantly form a bond even though Lulu hasn’t had a cat before (Conrad in fact, gives her a few tips on looking after cats). They take to each other immediately and form a nice easy friendship with him accompanying here everywhere, whether it is her investigations, restaurants for a meal, or the ‘pilgrimage’ she makes all over town as a tribute to Emily. Conrad also is great comfort to many of the people they visit, and to Lulu both a much-needed friend and partner in her detective work. The fantasy element is restricted to Conrad being able to actually talk to Lulu (and share his instincts and thoughts) but for the rest they must work within the usual parameters. 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. Mynott is supporting the RSPCA’s Cancel out cruelty campaign. “All I can do is put my energy into helping other animals,” he said.

A terrific read - murder, arson and a cat who is so much more than he seems!' – J. M. Hall, author of A Spoonful of Murder 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 delight." — SJ Bennett But for all of those good things, it felt quite basic. The writing was very simple, nothing felt woven together and the villain might as well have been wearing a cloak and twirling a moustache for how obvious it was. The plot is awful and horribly predictable. Of course it’s the gold-digging Europeans to blame, rather than the sadly gullible but otherwise very proper Englishman. The Indian doctor is a fraud, because of course he is. I’m surprised that the Hungarian girl, Ildi (whom Lulu somehow just “knows” is Hungarian), didn’t turn out to be terrible - although I suppose she was basically just helping herself to a dementia-ridden pensioner’s expensive chocolates. I’m sure an English nurse would never have done that! #eyerole I absolutely loved this book! Conrad was a wonderful character who I would love to encounter again' – 5* reader reviewThe 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. Further evidence was that Steven had a photo of a dead cat on his phone, analysis of his computer showed Steven had watched videos of dogs killing cats and a knife with feline blood on the blade, and Steven's DNA on the handle was found in his home. There were a few things that made this book very much not for me, the first being the writing itself. It was extremely rudimentary with every detail over-explained - every outfit change, every drink made, even the washing up. Her travel routes are detailed step by step in more depth than Google maps directions, and as someone who lives just around the corner from where it's set I can tell you it really isn't interesting enough to warrant that! All of this extensive detailing just made it harder to get through without adding anything to the plot or character development.

Steven denied responsibility for the crimes but failed to show up to his trial and was convicted in his absence. Bouquet was jailed for five years and three months at Hove Crown Court last July after being found guilty of 16 offences of criminal damage in relation to the cats, as well as possession of a knife. I'm also not really sure what the point of the talking cat was - perhaps this was revealed in the last 25% that I couldn't face. I'm a big cat lover, which is why I was drawn to this book, but even I couldn't warm to Conrad. Charming and original. This book is the cat’s whiskers." — Anthony Horowitz, author of The Twist of a Knife Firstly, I felt like the writing was a bit fractured and sometimes took me out of the story. It felt like I was constantly reading the same conversation, but with different characters. I felt like the story itself was dragged out, and I became bored in the middle, as it became repetitive. 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.

Neither has Lulu Lewis when 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 Emily in a nearby care home. Emily’s mother in law passed away suddenly and Lulu is convinced she did not die of natural causes. Proving this is easier said than done though. Between October 2018 and June 2019 he murdered and injured many cats in the Brighton area and in July 2021 he was sentenced to prison for his crimes. He was found guilty of 16 offences of criminal damage, in relation to the cats, and possession of a knife.