Probable Claws (Theda Krakow Mysteries (Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Music journalist Theda Krakow once again proves a feisty and determined sleuth in Simon's lively fourth cat-themed mystery (after 2007's Cries and Whiskers). Theda alternates between the cat world, dominated by her pet, Musetta, and the Boston area music scene, about which she writes for local magazines and newspapers. When her retired policeman boyfriend, Bill, buys into a successful club that's a cop hangout, Theda can't help feeling a little jealous, though she admits she also has a problem with Bill's attitude—he's too patronizing. Meanwhile, contaminated cat kibble at the animal shelter run by her friend Violet may be the work of a poisoner. When Theda, guided by blood on Musetta's paw, discovers Rachel, a shelter vet, lying on the treatment-room floor with a fatal stab wound, she gets arrested for Rachel's murder. Well-drawn characters, a plot with many strings to unravel and plenty of appealing cats make this another winner for Simon. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Music critic Theda Krakow and her now hefty kitty, Musetta, are back in the fourth entry of the cozy cat series. In the running for a staff reporter job, Theda is pressured into investigating the poisoning of several of the cats at a no-kill shelter, which is how she ends up in the back rooms of the city shelter covered in blood, with a scalpel in her hands, and standing next to the body of the shelter vet. An otherwise solid mystery is made somewhat unbelievable when Theda is immediately arrested and charged with murder but has no contact with the cops after she’s out on bail. As usual, Theda uses her investigative-journalist skills to save herself and help the cats of Cambridge, all while keeping in touch with the rock-music scene and negotiating an increasingly serious relationship with boyfriend Bill. With lots of the story framed around Theda’s friends from previous books, this isn’t a great choice for newcomers, but it will please fans of the series. --Jessica Moyer

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press; 1 edition (April 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159058564X
• ISBN-13: 978-1590585641
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #142,323 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Will appeal mainly to women and animal lovers, April 13, 2009

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (12/08)

Theda Krakow is a freelance writer who covers up-and-coming bands to give them much needed exposure. When the newspaper she writes for begins making changes, she must widen her range of subject matter. In order to try to impress her boss, she decides to further investigate a case involving contaminated pet food after a number of cats became ill at a shelter for rescued animals. Adding to the mystery is the fact that this shelter and a nearby animal clinic have each received threatening letters. Unsure whether the threats could be real or if they were sent by crazed protesters, Theda must proceed cautiously. However, she finds herself in the middle of a homicide investigation and must work quickly to solve the case and retain her freedom.

Two relationships are at the heart of this story - the ones Theda has with her cat Musetta and her boyfriend Bill. Musetta is her source for unconditional love and forgiveness, but the author spends too much time describing the cat's actions and attitudes, almost attempting to make the cat seem human. Theda's rocky relationship with Bill, a former policeman who has retired and opened a club, is demonstrated through Theda's insecurities about Bill trying to "move in on her turf." Her jealousy that he has become a part of the music scene that she once claimed as her own are described and documented well.

"Probable Claws" will appeal mainly to women and animal lovers. The plot has a good premise and amateur sleuths such as me will be rabidly seeking more clues to solve the case. The story starts off strong, but the middle of the book becomes somewhat monotonous (i.e., Theda would have a fight with Bill then go home to her cat for comfort). Once the pace picked up again, I was suspicious of just about every character, indicating the author did a good job of keeping the ending unexpected.

The author Clea Simon is obviously a cat lover because "Probable Claws" is her fourth book featuring Theda and her cat friends. She uses this story to provide important information about the lack of adequate funding for animal shelters and the difficulties those who run such facilities face.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun cat caper, April 11, 2009

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Helmhold House for Wayward Cats owners Violet and Caro are stunned when a donated batch of kibble is laced with poison. Neither can believe someone could be that cruel yet they assume it was deliberate. When their pal freelance writer Theda Krakow begs to differ as she assumes it was an accident, they become upset with her for trivializing their concerns; she takes a quick look at the shelter's processes to see what safeguards exists.

When her beloved cat Musetta needs a tooth brushing, she drops her off with the shelter's vet. When she returns she find Musetta soaked in blood and the vet Rachel dead with a scalpel wound. The police suspect Theda who investigates the murder to clear her name and regain her hope of a permanent position at the Morning Mail. She assumes the motive involves an irate sociopath opposed to the shelter combining the poisoned food with the vet's murder

Fans will definitely enjoy this fun cat caper. Musetta is not only the traumatized eye witness to the homicide, the feline wipes clean much of the crime scene as sticky red does not blend well with her tuxedo look. Cat fans will enjoy Theda's inquiry into the PROBABLE CLAWS behind the homicide.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, July 7, 2009

By	M. Owen (Boise, ID) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a long-timer reader of mysteries and look for an engaging lead character; well-crafted major and secondary plots, credible relationships between characters, good pacing, and questions that keep me reading. Probable Claws more than met my expectations. It is fun to read, and refreshing to have a 30-something female (Theda Krakow) on the music club beat as the protagonist. Being a long-time cat owner, I also related to the cat/pet angle and the issues around animal shelters and no-kill policies presented in the book.

It's a "purrrr-fect" read (sorry, I couldn't resist).