Because of the Cats (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries) (Inspctr Van Der Valk) [Paperback]

Nicolas Freeling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2006 | Series: Inspctr Van Der Valk

Bloemendaal aan Zee, that smugly prosperous little seaside town, has more television sets per capita than anywhere else in Holland. Its houses are uniformly tidy and sparkling clean. Even its drunks are polite. But there's something very wrong with the kids. The most teenagers have formed a gang that is preying, with increasing viciousness, on nearby Amsterdam - Inspector Van der Valk's patch. Van der Valk has no love for chilly, yuppified Bloemendaal. But in his curiosity is as voracious as his appetite for good food. And while his colleagues just want the attacks stopped, Van der Valk can't help asking what it is about the town that has turned Bloemendaal's children into monsters. NO CATS ARE HARMED ANYWHERE IN THE BOOK.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Freeling can only be compared to Simenon at his very best --New York Times

One of the most gifted and original writers of crime fiction --The Weekly Standard

About the Author

Nicolas Freeling is the author of over 35 highly acclaimed crime novels including Some Day Tomorrow and The Janeites. He is the winner of the Edgar Alllan Poe Award of the Mystery Writers of America. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 201 pages
• Publisher: Felony & Mayhem (August 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933397489
• ISBN-13: 978-1933397481
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,004,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another sterling book by Freeling, January 12, 2003

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Because of the Cats: A Case for Van der Valk (Eurocrime) (Paperback)

Freeling's second novel, published in 1963, is up to the standards of his best books (King of a Rainy Country, Gun Before Butter, etc.). Well-written and well-conceived, Freeling remains one of my all-time favorite mystery writers.

In this book, Van der Valk uncovers the very unlikely fact of a youth gang from the rich town of Bloemendaal. These teenagers are carrying out particularly vicious robberies in Amsterdam and leave their victim with only the mysterious words "the cats won't like it." To solve this particular mystery, Van Der Valk needs to get beneath the skin of a seemingly sleepy Dutch town to get at the rot that lies beneath.

If you're a fan of Simenon or Durrenmatt, you should consider trying Nicolas Freeling.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Because of the cats, indeed, October 1, 2009

By 

Owen Hughes (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Because of the Cats (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries) (Inspctr Van Der Valk) (Paperback)

Nicolas Freeling, who regrettably passed away in 2003 while still writing, has left us with some of the most intriguing crime novels ever written. For reasons best known to himself, but which have ended up delighting his readers, this English-born novelist chose to write stories based on the cases of a Dutch chief inspector called Van der Valk, or a French policeman named Henri Castang. Because of the Cats is a Van der Valk novel set in Amsterdam and the nearby suburb of Bloemendaal.

As always, the novel concentrates on Van der Valk's thought processes as he muddles through to the solution of the crimes in his unorthodox fashion. As he does so, Freeling is quite happy to have him also examine certain facets of modern society such as, in this case, the effect of wealth on the children of busy, well-to-do parents. With his earthy approach to life on and off the streets and his innate understanding of some of the darker sides of human nature, Van der Valk not only never fails to "catch his man" (as is natural), but he also never fails to entertain us grandly, leaving us with much food for thought. That being said, he is not the easiest author (or detective) to read, and the level and intricacy of the language used provides yet another level of enjoyment for those willing to follow along. And by the time you reach the end of the book, you will understand that it was, indeed, because of the cats!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars because of the cats is great, May 19, 2008

By 

Sandy A. Campbell (Indiana, usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Because of the Cats (Felony & Mayhem Mysteries) (Inspctr Van Der Valk) (Paperback)

As someone who visits Amsterdam fairly often, this is a great way to soothe my homesickness for a place I truly love. Also a pretty damn good mystery!