Customer Reviews

When the Cat's Away (Jacques & Cleo, Cat Detectives, No 3)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There's a cat show in town and Cleo's an entrant. Jacques is wondering why the judges just give him the prize automatically. Kate is trying to juggle between relationships with Bev and Jake. Jake is now guardian to his best friend's estranged rebel daughter. Ocie has become a Christian and is eager to tell the world about it. Rhiannon's grandfather is very ill and needs a new heart. In the midst of all this, with the cat show in the background, someone keeps stealing all the cats!

Ok the last time I reviewed a book in this series, my main gripe was that Jake was an annoying character. He was very chauvinist, rude and insensitive. He would always look down on others for not agreeing with him and pretty much keep making snide remarks at Kate. However in this book, he lessens up on all that almost making him likable. He finally comes through in this book with not being snobby, controlling or forcing others to give up non quality food. I really liked Ocie's conversion scene. I thought was Kate said was very true and it was quite moving to watch someone who kept running away from God finally trust in him. It's also cool how it got taped for national airplay. He does get a bit over enthusiastic about trying to convert others but it's nice to see that he's really excited about being a Christian. I was worried at first that Sarita's character would be a complete retelling of past characters from Morris's series that have been in that same situation. It never fails with the best friend dying, the guy promising him that he'd take care of the estranged daughter, daughter is rebel and then tries to hit on guy, eventually becoming good. Rhiannon becomes more dimensional in this book as she actually shows feelings by being worried about her grandfather. Before she just seemed very one dimensional with big words and weird ways. It was touching to see her friendship with the one time gangster. Jacques is very narcissistic while Cleo is more friendly giving the right balance of power between the two cats. The mystery plays second fiddle to everything else that's happening but it doesn't lose your interest either. IMO best book of the series, and I hope that there's more!

I loved this book! I read this book on my lunch breaks at work and I was wrapped in the story and suspense I didn't want to put it down! I really enjoyed the way the characters have developed and we've learned more about them as their relationships have progressed. Now that I've finished the three books, I feel like they are friends I miss.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about the series as a whole is that though the book is a faith based fiction story, it's not 'preachy.' I feel I could pass these books on to someone of a different faith and they could enjoy them the same way I have.

I am such a fan of Gilbert Morris and his books. This latest of the "Cat Detective" series, "When the Cat's Away", Book 3, is just as good as the two that it follows, "What the Cat Dragged In", Book 1 and "The Cat's Pajamas", Book 2. Gilbert Morris never ceases to write books that keep you wondering what is coming next. I would encourage reading not only these 3 books, but all the many others he has written.

This book had more of the cats in it. The ending was very touching. I enjoy the characters, but can do without them trying to save everybody.

I have never read this author before. The plot has been well-summarized by other reviewers, so I won't get into those details. I was NOT expecting the extensive use of Evangelical Christianity throughout the book (and in the 1st and 2nd books in the series); in fact, I found it very heavy-handed. The books came across as blatant evangelism hiding (not very well) behind an animal mystery facade. The mystery parts are OK, but I don't think I'll be reading any more from this author. Being a somewhat lapsed mainstream Protestant who doesn't regularly attend church, I found that I can't stand the preachy characters, and the characters who start out skeptical about religion (often "bad guys" who are just about to "see the light") invariably "get Jesus" by the end of the book. I think the stories would be more appealing to the general population without religious references. If you're not uncomfortable with all the religious references, the books are relatively well written and are "clean" without being unbearably Victorian.

Another "could not put down" book that includes Jacque, the full of himself know it all and Cleo the sweet, gentle caring lady. There are kidnappings of the cats at the cat show. Several suspects emerge and the mystery is on. The characters are interesting, the stories hold your attention and the conversations between the cats entertaining. As you read the series you see the characters personalities come out more and more. Jake is rough and gruff, but as you get to know him, you see that he really cares about the others around him....Kate, her son, Ocie the drunk who has become a Christian and wants to convert the world,Rhiannon and her grandfather. Rhiannon is an old soul in a child's body. Her relationship with her grandfather is a very protective one that goes both ways. She does not hold back and says what she thinks, but in a way that imparts much wisdom. I loved her realtionship with the hoodlum in this book. Bev, the southern gentleman who is after Kate's heart. I have read all three books in the series and cannot wait for the next one...oh, please let there be a next one.

What a ripe-off. I was delighted at first to see books about cat detectives and foolishly purchased all three in the series. Imagine my surprise when I was treated to an unending barage of religion. If I had wanted books that are about "Born Again Christians", I would have gone to the religious section to purchase same, but I was looking for some light enjoyable reading.
How Mr. Morris could take the time to develope some excellent characters, both human and animal and then spend page after page shoving religion down the readers throat is beyond me. I have NEVER met a 10 year old and a 12 year old discussing the Bible and quoting chapter and verse. Also, The author is so intent on making a "feel good" book, that he is really out of touch with reality. Guess what, Mr. Morris, bad things do happen to good people and prayer doesn't always make it right!!!
Will I purchase any future books in the series, I think not!
I certainly wouldn't be encouraging my grand daughter to read this book either.

This is a relaxing read - what you call an on the beach read, which I
was looking for - something lite but interesting. It is really a cute
book and I now have all three of Gilbert Morris Cat Detective Books

I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK, THE 3RD IN THE CAT DETECTIVES SERIES. AFTER READING ALL 3 BOOKS, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AND FIND THEM VERY LIKABLE PEOPLE. I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS BOOK DID NOT CLEAR UP ALL THE LOOSE ENDS IN THE CHARACTER STORIES. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT GILBERT MORRIS PLANS AT LEAST ONE MORE BOOK IN THE SERIES. TOO MANY QUESTIONS LEFT UNANSWERED. WILL KATE AND JAKE GET MARRIED? WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO SARITA?
WILL BEVERLY FIND A WIFE? WILL JACQUES THE RIPPER EVER LIKE JAKE? MORRIS ALWAYS CREATES MEMORABLE CHARACTERS WHETHER IN HIS HISTORICAL NOVELS, OR IN HIS MORE WHIMSICAL FUN READING BOOKS LIKE THE CAT DETECTIVE SERIES.
I RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR TASTE IN NOVELS MAY BE.
IT IS BEST TO READ THE SERIES IN ORDER, TO GET THE BEST UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CHARACTERS.

Gilbert Morris's series of feline mysteries comes to a rather abrupt ending with this third volume, which unfortunately leaves several important issues up in the air (Will Jake and Kate ever get it together? What will become of Rhiannon and her grandfather?), not least of which is that involving Jake's newest responsibility, the daughter of an old war buddy who names him as her guardian. Like the other books in the series, it's fairly discreet about its Christianity, with only 32 overtly religious references by my count. When White Sands, Alabama, is chosen to host a major international cat show, Kate Forrest is delighted--and even persuaded to enter her beautiful ragdoll, Cleo. Jake, who barely gets along with Cleo and her ferocious friend Jacques, is much less enthused--but, as a former police detective, it's natural for him to be hired by the show's producers when valuable contenders for the "Best in Show" ribbon begin disappearing. Then Cleo joins the ranks of the missing, and the perp suddenly has a new detective on his trail: the outraged Jacques wants his housemate back, and he's not letting anything--including murder--stop him. It's unfortunate that Morris apparently doesn't plan any further ventures into cat detection (this one was published in 2007), but at least he leaves the field in style.