Cat Deck the Halls: A Joe Grey Mystery (Joe Grey Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Shirley Rousseau Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Series: Joe Grey Mysteries | Publication Date: October 28, 2008

Christmas in the charming seaside village of Molena Point, California, has always been a traditional affair—but not this holiday season. Instead of singing carols and climbing into Christmas trees, Joe Grey, feline P.I., is faced with his most difficult case yet—and that's saying a lot for a wily tomcat who for years has been solving crimes the police can't even crack.

A stranger lies dead beneath the village Christmas tree, with a little child the only witness to the shooting. As the police scramble for leads, the grey tomcat, his tabby lady, Dulcie, and their tortoiseshell pal, Kit, launch their own unique investigation. As they care for the child who may be the shooter's next target, the cats realize they're facing their most heartbreaking case yet—and that they must catch a cunning killer if they have any hope of saving Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“savor the finely crafted suspense set against the backdrop of holiday feasts and festivities... ” (Publishers Weekly )

About the Author

Shirley Rousseau Murphy has received nine national Cat Writers' Association Awards for best novel of the year, two Cat Writers' President's Awards, the "World's Best Cat Litterary Award" for the Joe Grey books, and five Council of Authors and Journalists Awards for previous books. She and her husband live in Carmel, California, where they serve as full-time household help for two demanding feline ladies.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Reprint edition (October 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006112396X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061123962
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #407,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shirley Rousseau Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. She attended the San Francisco Art institute. Shortly after graduation, she married and worked as an interior designer while her husband attended USC. "When Pat finished school, I promptly quit my job and began to exhibit paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows," Murphy explains. Her work could be seen in many traveling shows in the western States and Mexico. She continues, "But when we moved to Panama for a four-year tour, in Pat's position with the U.S. Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write."

She has published sixteen children's books, a young adult fantasy quintet, the Dragonbards fantasy trilogy, and The Catswold Portal. "It was while working on this adult fantasy that I knew I wanted to explore further the fascinating world of sentient cats. I began to see the gray tomcat, whom I knew well in real life, as a feline detective with a brash attitude--and the die was cast. I launched into the Joe Grey mystery series. I like discovering anew with each book how the three cats interact with their close-knit world of human friends--Joe Grey in-your-face abrasive, Dulcie of a gentler nature, and Kit wildly imaginative."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Joe's thirteenth mystery is heartbreaking., November 4, 2007

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cat Deck the Halls (Joe Grey Mysteries, Book 13) (Hardcover)

In the quaint little village named Molena Point (California), the police department is used to getting anonymous phone calls from a certain voice giving them help on cases. So when the voice reports a man shot dead beneath the village Christmas tree and a little girl in his arms scared and crying, Molena Point PD responds. However, upon arriving there is neither a body, nor a little girl, to be found. There is a space where a body could have once been and even traces of blood though. Searching the area, officers locate a silent and scared little girl around the age of five or six. But who is she? Where did she come from?

Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit are three felines used to secretly cracking the cases too difficult for the humans. After all, cats have much keener senses than people. Together the trio dive into the mystery as they care for the child who may be the killer's next target.

**** This is Joe Grey's thirteenth case. It is a heartbreaking predicament set around the year's busiest season. Humans with cat owners, such as myself, can't help but love these feline heroes since we often wonder just how much our cat companions understand of our language. (MINE certainly act as though they understand my words. So well that it is sometimes creepy!) Mystery fans and/or animal fans will adore this story. Excellent for reading on a silent cold night. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cat Deck The Halls, November 15, 2007

By 

Janet Hill (Otis Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cat Deck the Halls (Joe Grey Mysteries, Book 13) (Hardcover)

I have enjoyed the Joe Grey stories and look forward to each new book.
Ms. Murphy is a wonderful story teller. I collect her books, so I know the intelligent way she uses words to bring the reader into the story be it one of her childrens books or a Joe Grey Mystery.
You will be brought into the world of regular people living and working in a small beach town but some of them have to deal with a secret. If it ever gets out that Clyde, Wilma and only a few others know about Joe, Dulcie and Kit what a mess that would be. Hard to keep the fact that these cats are from a spicial breed. Joe loves to snoop! Joe loves to order food from the local deli and Joe, Dulcie and Kit visit the local police department, slove crime and no one ever knows who the persons are who help the police. Cat Deck The Halls is set at the Christmas season and the cats are looking forward to the Christmas Musical and the seasons treats. Joe is a bit slow in finding out what all is going on when some suspect people move into a house down the road from Kit's house. Maybe kit is skiddish already from finding a man shot to death under the town Christmas Tree, and where is the little girl who was with him?
Great story you will enjoy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shirley Murphy does it again!, December 30, 2007

By 

Faith M. Moeller "faithmm" (Palmer, AK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cat Deck the Halls (Joe Grey Mysteries, Book 13) (Hardcover)

In Shirley Murphy's 'Cat Deck the Halls', Joe Grey and his feline companions have to help solve a Christmas murder and help friends figure out what is going on with their strange neighbors. The warmth of the setting, the unique characters, and the mystery sleuthing done by everyone provides for a short, funny, and entertaining light read. A must read by cat fans everywhere!