Mew is for Murder (Theda Krakow Mysteries, No. 1)

When freelance writer Theda Krakow goes to interview a woman she suspects to be a "cat hoarder", she finds her dead in the house with dozens of cats. The woman next door wants the cats gone and is anxious to sell the house out from under Lillian's son. A funky haired bartender and a handsome beau add diversion to the story as the cats rule. I enjoy stories about cats, especially when they are active in solving a crime and look forward to more about Theda.

Theda Krakow is a freelance writer. She goes to interview cat lady Lillian and finds her dead. Everything points to her death being an accident except for the fact that someone keeps breaking into Lillian's house. It is rumored there is hidden treasure in the house. Theda is determined to get to the bottom of things and prove Lillian was murdered and why. There are quite a few suspects including the real estate neighbor, the schizophrenic son, and a waitress who helped Theda with the cats. Can Theda find out who the killer is without putting herself in jeopardy? I really enjoyed this first novel. I can't wait to read another one in this series. I am not fond of the many cat mysteries, but even though this was is billed with a cat, the cat is not prominent and does not solve the crime. The characters and setting were well written. The plot was well crafted and there are plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. I highly recommend this book. Check out www.mysteryloverscorner.com

Clea Simon has a winner! This is a mystery that cats are really cats; and that is so refreshing. Theda Krakow a freelance writer decides to write about a cat hoarder in her neighborhood. Only to discover that the woman in question is lying dead in her kitchen on the day she goes to interview her. Is the cat lady's death an accident as the police have reported it? Theda not quite ready to adopt a cat yet so soon after the death of her own cat, but she rescues a limping kitten. The other cats in and about the house are rounded up and taken to the shelter. Somehow, she cannot see the kitten going into such an uncertain future. Something keeps drawing Theda back to the house and she begins to suspect murder. Is it the young girl who has a punk band and sneaks in to take car of some of the cats left behind? Is it the woman next door who is a real estate dealer and wants to see the large house sold to someone who can take care of the property and raise the property values around the neighborhood? Some Theda is not sure she is comfortable with as she lives in the same neighborhood and gentrification will put her and many of her neighbors out. What about the prejudice behavior towards the cat lady's mentally ill son? Would someone have killed her to keep him away from the neighborhood? To hunt for a supposed hidden treasure that he would not be able to handle. Why are people so nasty about her son? Who are the other characters that show up at the house off and on and what are they looking for? Why is everyone interested in the cat lady's house and was she a true cat hoarder or was she someone who really took care of the cats and rescued them? Read this book for a great mystery with real cats that do not talk or read books. You may find yourself rethinking your views on gentrification, mental illness and thankful that Clea Simon has provided the information in a great story with interesting characters. I can't wait to read about Theda, Musetta, and hopefully Violet again. Liz Straw

This is a sharp, funky mystery with a well-turned plot, lots of surprise twists and yes, an adorable kitty or two. But it's notable most of all for introducing us to a most appealing heroine, Theda Krakow. If you've spent time with young, creative types in the city, you've met Theda: She's a struggling journalist with one foot in the rock'n'roll world, with talents for investigative writing and for getting herself into trouble. Theda's ability to manage her love life, catch her favorite band, nearly get herself killed and save the day-- all while making sure to meet her deadlines-- gives the story its zing and its charm.

I absolutely loved this. The heroine, Theda, is smart and full of surprises and most importantly, so real I swear she lives in my neighborhood. The plot twists and turns, plus it has cats and rock and roll--what could be a better combination? Simon's a great, great writer, with prose as easy and cool as a guitar riff, and I think she's done something new here with mysteries. I can't wait to see her next mystery.

It hasn't been a very good year for Theda Krakow, copy editor for the Morning Mail in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She and her boyfriend broke up when he took a job out of state and even more devastating her beloved cat James died. She quits as a copy editor to become a freelance writer for the Morning Mail. When she sees a kitten near a house in her neighborhood, she finds herself charmed by her. The kitten Mussetta belongs to Lillian Helmhold who has a house full of cats that people dump on her. Theda decides to do a story on Ms. Helmhold but on the day she approaches her she finds her dead in the house. The police think Lillian tripped and a resulting head injury caused her death but the victim's friend Violet Hayes thinks she was murdered. Theda believes it is a possibility and starts investigating even while she thinks someone is in the house illegally, looking for something. Clea Simon has a definite talent for writing investigative mysteries and her love for felines shine through on almost every page. Theda is gutsy, independent and totally likeable. The who-done-it is well crafted and readers will have a good time trying to figure out who the killer is and why it was necessary to kill an elderly lady who hurt no one. MEW IS FOR MURDER is a delightful start to a new series. Harriet Klausner