Cat Shining Bright by Shirley Rousseau Murphy – a Review

Cat Shining Bright
Joe Grey Mystery series – Book #20
by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
Release Date: August 15, 2017
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Description:
The stakes are higher and more personal than ever for feline investigator Joe Grey when death comes to his beloved coastal California town in this twentieth installment of the enchanting cat mystery series.

While new father Joe Grey is overjoyed to teach his three young kittens about the world, he misses his cop work — secretly helping solve crimes alongside his human friends at Molena Point P. D. But when beautician Barbara Conley and one of her customers are found dead in the salon, Joe makes an exception, he heads for the crime scene. He has no idea that the kittens are following him, or how they will complicate the investigation.

But this is not the only danger to the kittens. A stranger is lurking around the home of Joe’s tabby lady, Dulcie, where the kittens were born. Both parents’ backs are up and their claws out, ready to protect their babies and to protect Wilma Getz, Dulcie’s human housemate.

As the death of the beautician becomes entangled with a gang of thieves working the village, Joe, Dulcie, Kit and Pan are all into the investigation; and they are led to unexpected connections, to the building of the new cat shelter and to a neighbor who becomes suddenly an unexpected part of the tangle.

Review:

Cat Shining Bright by Shirley Rousseau Murphy is the 20^th book in her fabulous & fun Joe Grey series.  I have read every book in this series, and it is one of my favorite go to books when I want a sweet lighthearted mystery with a group of wonderful talking cats, and their humans.  These are magical sentient cats that live in Molena Point, California, but only their humans close to them know, and the cats are the real ones who solve the crimes.   I am amazed that into the 20^th book, Murphy can still win us over each and every time.  I adore our cats, Joe, Dulcie and Kit.  They are awesome, sweet, daring, and clever.  The humans who are a major part of this series, are Clyde and Ryan; Wilma, Charlie (who is married to the police chief, and he does not know about the cats).  They are all an awesome group that makes this series so much fun and exciting.

In Cat Shining Bright, Dulcie has given birth to three kittens, two boys and a girl, and Joe, the proud father, is finally able to get past the stress of Dulcie giving birth.  Joe and Dulcie have always been a team from the start of this series, and we have enjoyed the love they have for each other.  A few books later, we met the wonderful sweet and daring Kit, who found her own love, Pan recently. It will take a few months, with everyone waiting with anticipation, for the kittens to begin to talk.  It was very well written and fun when they did. 

It is Kit and Pan who will discover a car theft ring stealing cars during a storm; this after the death of a beautician found in her salon with a customer.  Though Joe has been spending most of his time with his kittens and Dulcie, he becomes intrigued by the car thefts, and will join Pan and Kit in their investigations.  The Molena Police department has gotten used to Joe entering the station and falling asleep in the Chief’s office’ of course they do not know he listens and learns all the information there.   One day, the kittens became interested in what their father was doing and secretly followed him; Joe will catch them before they are discovered, but their curiosity is now peaked. 

What follows is an exciting mystery, trying to find out who murdered the two people, and who was behind all the car thefts.  There are trying times when Joe, Kit, Pan and even the kittens find themselves in danger.  When Wilma (Dulcie’s human), senses an intruder in her house, she will take Dulcie and the kittens to stay at Clyde & Ryan’s (joe’s humans) house for protection.  Someone knows about the secret book about the magical sentient cats, and their ability to talk; and they want the book.  Besides the cats finding clues, and making secret calls to the police, the humans will also play a big part in solving the crimes.  As I have noted before, I love the characters that have accepted our cats; Charlie, Ryan, Wilma, Clyde, Kate, etc.  We also spend time with the police department characters, such as Max, Dallas, etc, who have no idea about the cats.

This is a fun series, exciting mysteries, and fantastic characters, including cats and humans.  Do not let that fact that these cats can talk deter you into reading this series. It is a fun and awesome series, and so well written my Shirley Rousseau Murphy. Give yourself a chance to read this enjoyable series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher