Cat Breaking Free: A Joe Grey Mystery (Joe Grey Mystery Series, 11)

This is a great fantasy book with cats who speak to their house mates. It is fun to read. Joe Grey is a tomcat with a sense of humor, a sleuth, and the ability to help solve crimes. His lady love Dulcie is also intelligent,beautiful, and an ability to take care of herself. You'll love the whimsey as these two wonderful "pets" save the day and sometime the lives of their owners and friends. I bought the whole series after reading one book. I've learned a lot of facts about cats because the author is a cat lover and very knowledgeable about their ways. You can't help but fall in love with the chacters in this book. All cat lovers and even dog lovers will love this book.

I have followed Joe Grey since I discovered him several years ago. Although this book started out fairly slowly, it became as fascinating and enjoyable as his other adventures solving in murder mysteries. I particularly enjoyed the newest addition to the cast of cat characters - Hellhag Hill cast, in fact. And I also enjoyed the discovery that in spite of all of Joe's diatribes, the disreputable lady turned out to be the real thing!

Book review for: Cat Breaking Free By Shirley Rousseau Murphy I had never read any of this authors "Cat" mysteries before. When I read the book description, I was a bit uncertain that I would like this type of book with cats as characters that talk to each other and to some humans! I was very much surprised when I got into this book. Joe Grey is one of these talking cats that has several other "talking" cats around him much of the time. Of course these cats have to be very careful not to speak when other humans are near. Only certain people they know well can know they talk. These are not just "cats" but are real helpers in solving mysteries that occur in their small city of Molena Point, California. The way they go about their helping the police will make you laugh, cry, and stay mystified until the last page. You WILL enjoy this book. Do not be skeptical like I was. I am now a fan of Shirley Rousseau's cat books and will read more of them. Review written by Cy Hilterman January 31, 2006

I've read all the Joe Grey books, and this is one of the best ones. The plot is interesting, as well as the introduction of more of the special cats.

The small and quaint California village of Molena Point is home to very unusual creatures: Joe Grey, Dulcie and Kit. The three cats have human intelligence, the digestive system of a human being and can talk to humans. Joe Grey is not happy that his human companion Clyde has a new neighbor Chicci Barb, a woman he once dated who stole five hundred dollars from him. Spying on her, he notices that she has two rough looking hombres come to her home. The three felines also see her around town, sitting for hours in various restaurants taking notes on the comings and goings of the stores she has under surveillance. Kit sees the notes and thinks Chichi and her company are planning a robbery. It was only four days ago that the school caught on fire diverting the police from a successful jewel robbery. Three feral cats that Kit used to run with when she was a kitten are in a cage in the home of the male criminals that Chichi was entertaining. Joe and Dulcie try to free them but instead get caught. Kit must find them and free them in order to anonymously help the police stop the crooks. The latest Joe Grey mystery is just as exciting as the other books in this purrfect series. The sentient and talkative felines are so realistically portrayed that readers will forget that such cats only exist between the pages of a book. Cat lovers, fans of the Mrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae Brown and anyone who likes a charming and intricately plotted who done-it will definitely want to read CAT BREAKING FREE. Harriet Klausner