Review of 'The Cat Who Caught A Killer'

The Cat Who Caught A Killer by L. T. Shearer

Mourning the loss of her husband Simon, Lulu Lewis is unexpectedly joined on her narrowboat “The Lark” by an unusual cat, Conrad - Unusual, in that he talks, albeit, only to Lulu. When her mother-in-law Emily dies in mysterious circumstances at a local seniors home Lulu looks into the matter using her contacts from her career in the police and, of course, Conrad. Her brother Richard and his wife are quick to swoop in to the situation, but are they the killers? Could it be the doctor at the home with a deadly secret? Perhaps it is the sticky-fingered orderly? Perhaps it is Emily's old estranged friend seeking revenge? Perhaps it is someone else entirely?

A fun, light caper that entertains with a number of surprising twists as we learn of Lulu's troubled family history sprinkled with animosity and acrimony. Very easy to read with a flowing style and takes you smoothly from place to place, event to event. The talking cat angle is fun and serves as a handy way to provide exposition for the story so the reader can figure out what is going on as Lulu explains things to Conrad. The characters are fleshed out quite a lot though they are slightly stereotypical meaning that the eventual resolution to the crime is perhaps not as surprising as it could have been (most readers will see it coming early on).

Set in London (Lulu's boat is moored in “Little Venice”, very close to Paddington station) I found the references to the city quite amusing and allowed me to easily follow the story, providing another layer to my enjoyment of the book.

Fun and easy to read if not entirely unpredictable, “The Cat Who Caught A Killer” is worth spending a few hours on.

Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2026-01-25

Genre: General Fiction

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: 2022

ISBN: 9781529098013