Customer Reviews

The Company of Cats

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Multimillionaire tycoon Arthur Arbuthnot mistakes professional gossip monger Annabel Hinchby-Smythe for an interior decorator and hires her to redo his flat so it will be worthy of Sally. Sally, it turns out, is his beloved tabby cat. Arbuthnot is found dead in his office, and his will leaves the lion's share of his estate to Sally. (No wonder, since she's far and away the most pleasant member of the family!) Fearing for the feline heiress' safety, Annabel kidnaps her and takes her home with her. Complications ensue: There's another suspicious death, and numerous impostor tabby cats enter the picture. Like all of Marian Babson's cat mysteries, "The Company of Cats" is a light, witty, amusing story that feline fanciers who like cozy mysteries will enjoy.

This is a very good book. I couldn't put it down. The writing is fast, the characters interesting, the cats most lovable. I enjoyed the main character, Annabel. She was clever and a push over for a cat (cats) in distress. I will add this writer to my list of favorite mystery writers.

First there was one tabby, then two, then three and before long there are going to be cats everywhere. Why? Because one very special kitty has just become heir to the vast fortune of millionaire Arthur Arbuthnot.

Gossip maven Annabel Hinchby-Smythe has been mistaken for an interior decorator by Arbuthnot and hired on the spot to liven up his dreary mansion. Short on cash, she plays along and decides she can do what he wishes. Alas, murder is afoot and before long the millionaire is dead and a motley crew of relatives and hangers-on are fighting over a fortune that has been left to Arbuthnot's pet kitty, one he rescued from a life in the alley. Now all the cat-haters have become cat-lovers and each wants to win the heart of the feline heiress, Sally. But Annabel feels duty-bound to protect the rights of the true Sally and defend her against those who intend to use her for their own benefit.

But where is Sally? And who are these impostor cats? The laughs are definitely for cat lovers as the cats take center stage in this light and breezy tale. If you love a cat and are fascinated by their mannerisms, you will find much to love about this book and these cats. Sally, Salvatore, and Sassy are as lovable a trio of cats as one will find and their definitive mannerisms will ring especially true for those who share life with a cat. The mystery is average, but the fur people make it a delight.

Marian Babson's The Company Of Cats turns a gossip column informant into an interior decorator for an eccentric multimillionaire. The subsequent murders and line up of suspects lacks the usual flair of Miss Babson's best work. The ingredients for a good light-hearted read are all there, but somehow the unexpected will, thoroughly unpleasant suspects, hidden money stash, missing cat and the subsequent parade of impostors just didn't jell. The only memorable characters were the three cats- Sally, Salvatore and Sassy. Unfortunately, this mystery just wasn't the "cat's meow."

Excellent choice for reading! If you love cats and cat stories then these series of books are for you. This author really knows how to get and keep a readers attention! Funny and serious at the same time, Babson books are worth reading!

I enjoyed this title quite a bit, for both the adorable title characters and the incredibly neurotic cast. Ms. Annabel Hinchby-Smythe meets at a gathering a wealthy tycoon who needs his house redecorated, and thinks she'd be perfect for it after he mistakes her from an interior designer. His relatives all have different ideas about the design, until he ends up dead and everything goes insane. The cat inherits all and soon Annabel is doing everything she can to save the original and several imposters!

The first few chapters were simply pure gold, and the rest always stayed solidly interesting. Watching the constant verbal and unspoken power struggle between willful people used to getting no gruff is fascinating, from the conservative Zania to the forward Tara. Even the cats, indignant and demanding, are part of it; they were born to play politics. The constant bickering is more exciting than dull, and breathes life and personality into the large cast.

There isn't much tension, but the fare is light enough that it doesn't need much. There are plots and counterplots, and genuine uncertainty about the outcome; since every finger is dipped in the honeypot, any could be the hand that struck death. False clues about, with the culprit of choice changing every few chapters but the evidence still adding up to the conclusion in hindsight.

And of course, the cute Sally, Sassy, and Salvadore are simply grand in their roles. Take a look if you have the chance and enjoy fluffy mysteries.

THE COMPANY OF CATS is just the right length for a very enjoyable quick-reading cozy. Her style reminds me of Lydia Adamson's. So, if you like this one, check out Adamson's "cat" books. This one is all plot -- it has almost no sense of place. In fact, a couple of times I lost track of where everybody was. And the many characters were rather cartoonish and not too deeply drawn. But that's O.K. It was still a lot of fun. Babson's books are NOT a series -- each stands alone, so you can start with any one of them. I'm really enjoying them.

This is a light entertaining story good for reading when you don't want to think a whole lot and just want something to occupy your thoughts. Its nice and short which is good because if the book had been much longer it would have become tiresome. As it is the book is amusing while you're reading it but there's nothing remarkable enough about it to make you remember it once you've put it down.

This is a classic Babson book, murder, evil relatives and cats, what more could you want?

Babson is one of my favorite authors, and a new book by her is always a delight. A Company of Cats is terrific. The bad guys get their just punishment, Annabel manages to save the day, and the good guys win for a change! My only regret is that it was not a great big fat book, so that my pleasure would last longer.