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"What happened? You're ready to claw the world apart."
The fur starts flying when a criminal gang from L.A. invades tranquil Molena Point, California-the fur of Joe Grey, Feline P.I., that is. Joe's called Molena Point home since he was a tiny kitten scrounging garbage scraps, and he doesn't take kindly to marauding strangers breaking into the village's quaint shops. And, he wonders, is the blond bombshell who recently moved in next door to his housemate Clyde-and who's been acting suspiciously-a part of the crime wave?
But when the felonious strangers start trapping feral cats&#8212speaking cats, like Joe and his girlfriend Dulcie-the intrepid four-footed detective decides to pounce. Then a gang member is murdered, a second member dies in an unusual accident, and Joe, Dulcie, and former stray Kit know they are the only hope for their wild, imprisoned brothers-and perhaps, for the whole village.

Customer Review: A first-rate Joe Grey adventure. 4+ stars
This is #11 in this long-running fantasy cat-detective series, and I'm pleased to report that it's another winner. There are plenty of plot-summaries nearby, so I'll simply report that CPI Joe Grey, his girlfriend Dulcie, the delightful young tattercoat Kit, and their humans are all in fine form here, defending Molena Point, CA (a thinly-disguised Carmel) from the forces of evil, eating rich food and fixing up their houses -- Joe Grey now has an amazing tower lookout, and Kit acquires a delightful treehouse at story's end. Kit steals the show this time.... If you're new to the series, you'll want to go back to the earlier ones to catch up with our furry little detectives. Fine rainy-day reading -- I read this one with alternating cats-in-lap, including our own Joe Grey, a Russian Blue who's always on the case. Happy cat-detecting-- Peter D. Tillman
Customer Review: Talking cats in trouble with thieves who know too much
Joe Grey and the other talking cats of Molena Point, California, are suspicious when beautiful Chichi moves next door to Joe's person and starts making moves on him. Chichi had stolen five hundred dollars from him earlier--was she interested in stealing more now? Or did she have some other motive--one connected with the obsessive way she watched the Molena Point shops, taking notes on who left when, and what guards were available? Joe's life gets a lot more complicated when he learns that someone is trapping wild cats--specifically the wild cats that made up the pack (clowder) that Kit, one of the three Molena Point talking cats, had once belonged to. The Molena Point police are used to getting tips from unnamed informants who seem to observe things no human could observe, but this time, it's the cats who might need help from the cops, rather than the other way around. Because the thieves planning a major crime spree in Molena Point are the same criminals who are capturing sapient cats, planning on selling them for some television show or Hollywood movie. And they aren't going to limit themselves to just wild cats--Joe, Dulcie, and the Kit are targets as well. Author Shirley Rousseau Murphy delivers another of her charming talking-cats stories. Despite Chichi's interference, the romantic lives of the human characters are settling down. Charlie is newly married to Chief of Police Max Harper, and Clyde is dating Ryan. The lives of the cats are in more of a disarray. The Kit longs for the wildness of her youth, despite the attraction that human love offers--along with the human food she craves. Joe Gray and Dulcie feel a responsibility for the wild sapient cats who have been captured, and of course, the need to learn what secrets Chichi is hiding. Fans of this series will enjoy CAT BREAKING FREE. I don't recommend starting with this book if you're new to the series, though. Too much of the enjoyment comes from seeing how characters you've grown to love are adjusting to the happiness in their lives.


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