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Single,
freelance journalist and cat lover Theda Krakow, wants to write a
human-interest
piece on cat hoarding. Finding Lillian Helmhold, the subject of
her
article, dead on the kitchen floor puts a damper on things. The
old
woman’s helper is convinced it’s murder, but the cops don’t see
it. Theda
has to pay the bills with other articles now that this story has
nowhere to go,
but something about all of it nags at her. A few pieces of the
puzzle
just don’t fit. Lillian’s mentally ill son has had lapses from
his
halfway house, but could he really have done something to his
mother? The
helper, Violet, swears Lillian would never have tripped over one of her
kitty
friends as the cops believe. Time is not on the side of the cats
taken
from the woman’s home and one particularly battered stray seems to know
more
than he can say. Will Theda be able to help figure out the
meaning of
“mew” before its lights out for the kitties?
An
intriguing story is found in Clea Simon’s Mew is for Murder.
There
is some strong language, though not an enormous amount. Some
situations
which would not be recommended for younger readers is also
present.
Overall, I
liked the book and would recommend it as a nice cozy mystery. The
suspense is at a minimum and more of the relational side of life is
shown
giving depth and reality to the characters. Theda is a strong
woman out
to make it in the world using her writing talents. She tends to
fall into
disappointing relationships with the opposite sex, though, and
struggles to
find Mr. Right. Her love of cats makes this story very appealing
since
the reader is able to connect with the emotion one might feel for
animals in
need. Mew is for Murder has a little of everything in
it.
Some humorous moments with the cats bring levity while there is plenty
of drama
just in the day-to-day living of this woman, Theda. Then there’s
the
mystery…was Lillian Helmhold murdered?
I recommend
Clea Simon’s Mew is for Murder.
Reviewed By Allison M.
Wilson for
the Road to Romance
June 9, 2005
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