“Murphy’s series is top-notch...a real treat.” —Cats magazine The acclaimed mystery writer whom Kirkus Reviews praises for having “raised the stakes of the feline sleuth genre,” Shirley Rousseau Murphy brings back cat detectives Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit in Cat Striking Back. Arguably the most unusual sleuth in contemporary crime fiction, Joe Grey is at his curious best when he pads across evidence of a heinous crime but with no victim in sight. Cat Striking Back is a treat for readers of Lillian Jackson Braun, Rita Mae Brown, and Carole Nelson Douglas—for cat people and anyone who loves a good whodunit—a bravura display of the mastery that has won Murphy an unprecedented seven straight Muse Medallions from the national Cat Writers Association.

In the 15th book in the Joe Grey mystery series, the feline P.I. and his friends thwart a clever killer who is seeking to destroy the lives of the cats' human companions.

In this cozy mystery, a talking cat and his four-legged friends investigate cat trappers and murder in smalltown California. The fur starts flying—the fur of Joe Grey, Feline P.I., that is—when a gang from L.A. comes up to tranquil Molena Point, California, and begins breaking into the village’s quaint shops. After all, Molena Point has been his home since he was a kitten eating scraps from the garbage behind the local delicatessen, and he doesn’t take well to marauding strangers. Joe even wonders whether the blonde who’s moved in next door to human companion Clyde could be a part of the gang—she’s been acting pretty suspicious lately. But when the strangers start trapping and caging feral cats—speaking cats, like Joe and his girlfriend Dulcie—it proves too much for the intrepid four-footed detective. And when one of the gang is murdered, and a second mysterious death comes to light, he has no choice but to try to stop the crimes. Joe, Dulcie, and Kit, who used to be a stray herself, are deep into the investigation when they are able to release the three trapped felines. But as Kit leads them away to freedom, will she herself return to that wild life? In this marvelous book that once again opens the door to the spectacular world of Joe Grey, meet three new cats—winning cats drawn from among hundreds of their owners’ entries and chosen at random to appear in this book—and join old friends and new in this ambitious and enjoyable entry in the series. Praise for Cat Breaking Free “Murphy’s 11th Joe Grey cat cozy . . . offers the usual winning blend of suspense and whimsy. . . . A complex, well-crafted plot and lively, credible characters will leave fans purring with pleasure.” —Publishers Weekly “[An] action-filled plot. As usual, the three cats are true to both their feline and sentient natures. This eleventh entry in the Joe Grey Mystery series . . . continues to enhance characterizations, both feline and human, all the while providing an intriguing whodunit for series fans.” —Booklist

In this cozy mystery, a cat pounces into sleuth mode when a cold case interrupts a wedding in a California seaside town. It took Joe Grey’s human, Clyde, nearly forever to pop the question to Ryan Flannery, and what more romantic time to tie the knot than on Valentine’s Day? But dark secrets from the past, uncovered by Joe and his feline pals, threaten to ruin the happy union. First, a body discovered many miles away reopens a ten-year-old cold case involving a man who disappeared days before his own wedding. The jilted bride is back in town and eager to find the truth . . . or to hide evidence of her own wrongdoing. Trouble is, she’s soon involved with Ryan’s father, who is house-sitting and preparing meals for Joe Grey while Clyde and Ryan are on their honeymoon. Then another body is found closer to home on the grounds of a ruined estate, deserted save for a band of unusual feral cats. Around the wrist of the corpse is a bracelet bearing the image of a rearing cat, and the cats discover a rare literary volume hidden nearby that divulges their own secret: their special ability to speak. But as the police investigate the two murders, located more than five hundred miles apart, only Joe Grey suspects that the crimes are related. It takes a chase from which the tomcat wonders if he’ll emerge alive for anyone to hone in on the connection between the murders. Finally, feline perception and cop sense combine to bring a killer to justice in this delightful new tale involving Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s three amazing cats. Praise for Cat Playing Cupid “Murphy's gentle blend of fantasy and mystery includes revelations about her unusually verbal cat detectives sure to please series fans.” —Publishers Weekly “Murphy’s feline-loving fans will enjoy the latest in her long-running series.” —Kirkus Reviews

Feline P. I. Joe Grey and his friends pounce on three investigations that may connect to one larger mystery—including one case that is very personal—in this hair-raising installment in Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s beloved, award-winning series. Joe Grey and his partner, Dulcie, are frantic when Courtney, their pretty teen-kitten goes missing. Aided by their two- and four-legged friends, they hit the streets of Molina Point in search of their calico girl. Has Joe Grey and Dulcie’s only daughter been lured away by someone and stolen? Is she lying somewhere hurt, or worse? Courtney has no idea that everyone is desperately looking for her. Locked in an upstairs apartment above the local antiques shop, she’s enjoying her first solo adventure. When she first met Ulrich Seaver, the shop’s owner, Courtney was frightened. But the human has coddled and pampered her, winning her trust. Sheltered by her parents, her brothers, and her kind human companions, the innocent Courtney is unaware of how deceptive strangers can be. She doesn’t know that Ulrich is hiding a dangerous secret that could threaten her and everyone in this charming California coastal village. With his focus on finding Courtney, Joe Grey has neglected his detective work with the Molina Point Police Department. Before his daughter disappeared, Joe found a viciously beaten woman lying near the beach. Now the police investigation has stalled, and the clever feline worries his human colleagues may have missed a vital clue. Joe is also concerned about a family of newcomers whose domestic battles are disturbing the town’s tranquility. Loud and abrasive, the Luthers’ angry arguing, shouting, and swearing in the early hours of the night have neighbors on edge and the cops on alert. One of the couple’s late-night shouting matches masked the sounds of a burglary, and now a criminal is on the loose. Though the crimes are as crisscrossed as the strands of a ball of yarn, Joe Grey’s cat senses tell him they may somehow be linked. It’s up to the fleet-footed feline and his crime-solving coterie to untangle the mysteries before it’s too late.