Street cat Blues by Alison O'Leary - BLOG TOUR and review
Today I am thrilled to join in the Blog Tour to launch the new title from Crooked Cat Books - Street cat Blues by Alison O'Leary.
My Review
You had me at cat! Honestly, who can resist a book with a cat as the lead character?
The main protagonist is a big tabby cat called Aubrey, he’s been around a bit and is pretty streetwise. He was locked up in the Stray cats home for a while, after his shopkeeper owner is killed. But now he has found his forever home with young couple Molly and Jeremy.
He’s loveable but a tad aloof, as most streetwise cats are. He is quirky and lively and pretty realistic, even if he’s telling the story, he can’t talk to humans or anything daft like that. The story is told as it runs through his mind as he observes what’s going on. He can, of course, communicate with other cats and there are plenty of them in the book and the cat narrative is fun and lively.
He still hangs around with all his feline chums who patrol the streets, they reminded me of Top Cat and his cronies. But this isn’t a children’s cartoon this is a murder mystery, when a serial killer begins to target local folk, some of whom Aubrey considered his friends (and one or two he’s not going to miss)
Being a cat he can hang around unnoticed, so he makes the perfect amateur sleuth. But being a cat, although he is bright and has a good take on humans, he doesn’t always cotton on to what’s going on, as quickly as a human would but he makes a really good attempt to figure out what’s going on.
When one of the ensuing murders is too close to home for young Carlos, a pupil at the school where owner Jeremy teaches, Aubreys adoptive family become embroiled in events and begin to fear for their own safety with a murderer on the loose. Aubrey grows fond of this young lad who’s a bit of a misfit just like him and the pair develop a tentative friendship.
Aubrey’s not about to let another friend get murdered if he can help it, though he knows being less than 2 feet tall means he has limitations, nevertheless he’s a tough cookie, he’s had to be, scrapping with other bigger cats for his territory, leaping swiftly from guttering to rooftop.
The deeper issues covered are of course murder, also a bit of bullying and illegal immigration.
The book is obviously aimed at adults but could be enjoyed by all ages as its quirky and fun and the murders although horrid aren’t described too gruesomely, I think it’s what you’d call a cozy mystery.
I thoroughly enjoyed my forays through the streets with Aubrey and his chums.
My only gripe is – why not have a cat on the cover? Even a silhouette of a cat on one of the rooftops to catch the eye of many cat lovers who will be drawn to this super book.
Don’t let that put you off though, Aubrey is so well rounded as a character you will soon picture him and want to give him a little rub behind the ears as you read his story.
The Blurb
A quiet life for Aubrey?
After spending several months banged up in Sunny Banks rescue centre, Aubrey, a large tabby cat, has finally found his forever home with Molly and Jeremy Goodman, and life is looking good.
However, all that changes when a serial killer begins to target elderly victims in the neighbourhood.
Aubrey wasn’t particularly upset by the death of some of the previous victims, including Miss Jenkins whom Aubrey recalls as a vinegar-lipped bitch of an old woman who enjoyed throwing stones at cats, but Mr Telling was different.
Mr Telling was a mate…
Released on 24th September 2018 it can be ordered via Amazon
The Author - Alison O'Leary
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alison was born in London and spent her teenage years in Hertfordshire.
She has also lived in Somerset and Gloucestershire.
After studying Law she decided to teach rather than go into practice and for many years taught Criminal Law to adults and young people.
Since moving to the south coast, Alison has been involved in qualification and assessment development for major awarding bodies.
When not writing, she enjoys crosswords, walking by the sea and playing Scrabble on her iPad – which she always sets to beginner level because, hey, why take chances?
Alison lives with her husband John and cat Archie.
Find her on Twitter @alisonoleary81
