Probable Claws

I have loved everything Simon has written, and this mystery, starring fascinating feline Musetta and set against the Boston music scene is just fabulously entertaining. While Theda wrestles boyfriend problems, she begins to suspect someone is poisoning pets at the local animal shelter run by her friend. The plot thickens into a delicious stew, the characters are quirky and alive, and the writing just shines.

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).

I love reading murder mysteries that feature cats, and this series is one of my favorites. "Probable Claws" is the fourth in the series, the other three are "Mew is for Murder", "Cattery Row" and "Cries and Whiskers". All feature cat and rock and roll loving freelance writer Theda Krakow and her black and white tuxedo cat Musetta. In "Probable Claws", Theda finds herself the prime suspect for the murder of a shelter veterinarian, with Musetta as the only witness to what really happened. Theda is released on bail thanks to the connections of her former cop boyfriend Bill. Now she has to find the real killer before she and Musetta become the next victims. The plot is exceptionally well-crafted, the characters are multi-dimensional and likeable, and you find yourself wanting to savor the story while at the same time wanting to race to the finish to find out who did it. You might want to consider reading the entire series from start to finish. One of the things I enjoyed about all four books, almost more than the actual plot lines, was the character development. By the time you're into the second book, you feel like you're reconnecting with old friends. I sure hope that "Probable Claws" won't be the last in this series.

This is another good entry in this dependable series. Theda takes Musetta in to get her teeth cleaned, and when she goes to pick her up, finds the vet in a pool of blood on the floor. Theda's the obvious suspect, and Musetta's not talking. Don't worry-- the cat might have witnessed the murder, but female intuition, not feline, is involved in the solving. Clea Simon always takes on some social issue in human-animal interaction, and this time is the "no kill" shelter vs. the traditional pound. Readers won't be disappointed.

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