Shirley Rousseau Murphy

It's been quite a week for Joe Grey. First the large, powerfulfeline discovers that, through some strange, inexplicable phenomenon, he now has the ability to understand human language. Then he discovers he can speak it as well! It's a nightmare for a cat who'd prefer to sleep the day away carefree, but Joe can handle it. That is, until he has the misfortune to witness a murder in the alley behind Jolly's Deli -- and worse, to be seen witnessing it. With all of his nine lives suddenly at risk, Joe's got no choice but to get to the bottom of the heinous crime -- because his mouse-hunting days are over for good unless he can help bring a killer to justice.

A Joe Grey Mystery

Cat on the Edge

A striking new reissue of an epic fantasy by popular Harper author Shirley Rousseau Murphy, featuring a princess's dangerous quest to reclaim her throne...and, of course, cats! There is a door in an artist's garden: an elaborate carved passageway into a realm ruled by a dark sorceress queen. There entities strange and wondrous roam the Netherworld––yet none as astonishing as the shape–shifting Catswold... Raised by the oldwitch Mag, Melissa discovers a perilous secret. She has more than one form––human girl and magical cat––and once inhabited two worlds. And it is her destiny to return to a mystic realm of wonder and terror, to do battle for her people's liberation and the crown that is rightfully hers. A man beset by tragedy, painter Braden West is intrigued by the calico cat who has charmed her way into his studio. But his "guest" is more than she seems, and Braden's very existence will be radically altered as he follows Melissa from the Hell Pit into the dread perils of an evil ruling court, thrust into the heart of a magical conflict with more at stake than he could possibly have imagined.

The Catswold Portal

A big, powerful, gray feline, Joe Grey is perfectly content with his remarkable ability to understand and communicate with humans -- especially now that he has company. A mysterious accident similar to the one that enabled him to speak and read has transformed his friend Dulcie as well. The trouble is, the cute tabby female not only hears human words, she believes them. Now she's convinced the man who was jailed for murdering a famous local artist and burning down her studio is innocent -- simply because he says so -- and she's willing to do whatever it takes to dig up the evidence that will exonerate the accused. Joe would much prefer just lazing around the house doing kitty things, but the lady cat is determined. And Joe must admit that he is curious ... though everyone knows what that can lead to!

Cat Under Fire

Joe Grey can't believe his human housemate Clyde would even consider volunteering him for the Animal Therapy program at the local nursing home, just when Joe was on the verge of solving the string of burglaries that has Molena Point residents shaking in their collective boots. But it turns out it's Dulcie, Joe's pretty little cat-friend, who came up with the idea of subjecting Joe to the cooing attentions of a bunch of doddering old coots. Dulcie believes there's more going on at the old folks' home than the care and feeding of lonely seniors. And she needs Joe's help in getting to the bottom of a conspiracy ... and a very suspicious set of deaths.

Cat Raise the Dead

To complete her evil plans, Siddonie needs to find Melissa, who was once Queen of Faerie before she was spirited away to safety at the cost of her childhood memories. Melissa, in the guise of a calico cat, is returning to claim her rightful crown.

The catswold portal

"Why is it, Joe, that you are always the one to find the body?" On a lovely moonlit night, while carrying a gift of mice to a litter of kittens, Joe Grey stumbles upon a murder scene. Behind an empty house, in an empty swimming pool, there's blood, the smell of human death, and drag marks. But there's no victim—and it's hard to prove a crime without a corpse. Driven by stubborn feline curiosity, Joe Grey sets out to investigate. With Dulcie and Kit following him along a killer's trail, Joe discovers evidence of conflict among the residents of this seemingly peaceful neighborhood—multiple signs of breaking-and-entering, with nothing of value stolen. And they find something far worse: hints of violence yet to come . . . and more planned murder. With the help of two local ferals, Joe, Kit, and Dulcie must now thwart a killer using the most unorthodox means at their disposal: a criminal's unnatural yet powerful fear of cats.

Cat Striking Back

Left all alone in the world after the death of her aunt, Soonie sets out to seek her fortune and finds it by rescuing three different princesses who had been stolen by a dragon.

Soonie and the Dragon

Cat to the Dogs is the latest entry in Shirley Rousseau Murphy's acclaimed, uniquely charming mystery series featuring a pair of cats who discovered one day that they have the amazing ability to read, speak, and solve crimes. "For your information," said Joe Grey, "if that wreck turns out to be a murder, I'm the one who put the cops onto it. Me. The cat you are booting out into the cold for no reason!" Joe Grey kicked out of the house? Ever since the earthquake, things have been going from bad to worse in Molena Point. There was the car "accident on Hellhag Hill, which looked--well--fishy, to Joe's night-wise eyes. And there was the suspicious but not unwelcome death of the town philanderer, Shamas Greenlaw. Soon the little coastal California town was filled with greedy relatives and Shamas's brazen young mistress, all looking to share the widow's grief--and her rumored gold. Every earthquake has its aftershocks, and now even Dulcie, the library cat, is getting weird. She's going to the dogs, literally. She's taken to mothering two orphaned pups discovered at the scene of the crash. And worst of all, there's Clyde, Joe's erratic but lovable human. He thinks cats should stay out of police work (as if humans could handle it on their own!), and to make his point, he's locking Joe and Dulcie out of the house when Officer Harper come over to play poker. Clyde is afraid the two will give away their secret--that a few select cats can not only talk, but read--and even use the telephone. (Where does Harper think those anonymous tips are coming from after all?) But Joe is not about to give up the chase. Not until the "ghost" of Hellhag Hill is tracked down and brought to justice. Mice are nice, but what cat can resist the chance to stalk a real killer?

Cat to the Dogs

Cat on the Money

The stakes are higher and more personal than ever for feline investigator Joe Grey when death comes to his beloved coastal California town in this twentieth installment of the enchanting cat mystery series. While new father Joe Grey is overjoyed to teach his three young kittens about the world, he misses his cop work — secretly helping solve crimes alongside his human friends at Molena Point P. D. But when beautician Barbara Conley and one of her customers are found dead in the salon, Joe makes an exception, he heads for the crime scene. He has no idea that the kittens are following him, or how they will complicate the investigation. But this is not the only danger to the kittens. A stranger is lurking around the home of Joe’s tabby lady, Dulcie, where the kittens were born. Both parents’ backs are up and their claws out, ready to protect their babies and to protect Wilma Getz, Dulcie’s human housemate. As the death of the beautician becomes entangled with a gang of thieves working the village, Joe, Dulcie, Kit and Pan are all into the investigation; and they are led to unexpected connections, to the building of the new cat shelter and to a neighbor who becomes suddenly an unexpected part of the tangle. Joe Grey fans will relish this latest installment following their favorite feline detective and his growing group of friends.

Cat Shining Bright

In this latest entry in Shirley Rousseau Murphy's award-winning series, feline P.I. Joe Grey and his four-legged cohorts are plunged into a nightmarish mystery. On the way home from visiting their friend Kate Osborne, tortoiseshell Kit and her elderly housemates, Lucinda and Pedric Greenlaw, are hurt in a terrible car crash. The accident is terrifying enough, but then two dangerous men steal the Greenlaws' Town Car, making off with a secret hoard of jewels and gold—a gift bestowed from Kate's newfound treasure. A badly shaken Kit hides from hungry coyotes in the forested hills above the highway, waiting for Joe, Pan, and their human companions, Ryan and Clyde Damen, to rescue her. Back home in Molena Point, yellow tomcat Misto, discovering a faded photograph of a child living fifty years ago, becomes lost in his memories of that past century—while Joe Grey and his tabby lady prowl an abandoned stone cottage where they've discovered two men hiding. The cats smell mildewed money and soon smell human blood, too. Though the cats know more than the thieves about the unique items stolen, their investigation is still in trouble as they claw their way to justice.

Cat Bearing Gifts

“One of the most entrancing (and effective) detectives in modern cozy mysteries.” —Booklist A celebration for cat lovers and mystery aficionados alike, Cat Coming Home—the 16th appearance of feline detective Joe Gray—is a holiday gift from acclaimed author Shirley Rousseau Murphy. Join tomcat Joe and his furry friends, Dulcie and Kit, as they set out to solve a deadly Christmas mystery in Molena Point with the aid of a lonely prison cat. Superior detective fiction with a purr-fectly delightful twist, Cat Coming Home is a dazzling blend of charm and suspense from nine-time Cat Writers’ Association Award winner Murphy. Fans of Lilian Jackson Braun, Rita Mae Brown, and Carole Nelson Douglas, take note!

Cat Coming Home

Molena Point, California, should be a tranquil place. Nestled quietly on the Pacific coast miles below San Francisco, it's not the kind of town escaped convicts seek out. But if you're a thief named Cage Jones, you've just sprung yourself from the clink, and the woman who turned state's witness and helped put you behind bars lives there––where better to go than Molena Point? Wily Tomcat Joe Grey knows that something sinister is afoot when he hears about Cage Jones––but he doubts that his girlfriend Dulcie's suspicions that the escaped thief is after Dulcie's human companion, Wilma, are justified. But when Jones shoots a federal officer, and the bodies of two peaceful, local residents are found brutally murdered in their home, even the suspicious Feline Detective knows that things are only going to get worse. Paw–in–paw with Dulcie and their tattercoat friend Kit, the indomitable feline trio––with special powers that only a few select humans are privy to––team up to capture the thief, and in one of award–winning author Shirley Rousseau Murphy's most suspenseful and unforgettable books to date, bring peace to the town they love.

Cat Pay the Devil

Romance is in the air in the charming seaside village of Molena Point, California. Everyone is excited about the upcoming wedding of its chief of police to the lovely Charlie Getz, even cool feline detective Joe Grey. But the festivities are interrupted when two uninvited guests try to blow up the church. Then one of the bride's good friends, building contractor Ryan Flannery, lands in a heap of trouble when her philandering husband is found dead. With suspicion falling on Ryan's shoulders, Joe Grey and his pals, Dulcie and Kit, set out to prove her innocence. Soon paw–deep in a tangle of jealousy, greed, and vengeance, Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit find themselves in the biggest cat fight of their lives –– a bare–clawed battle with a prey who is as cunning as he is deadly . . .

Cat Seeing Double

Two of local lawman Harper's horseback--riding companions have been murdered on the trail, and the only one who knows Harper is innocent is Joe Grey the cat.

Cat Spitting Mad

The beautiful, serene village of Molena Point, California is the type of place where people go to get away from the harsher realities of life––which is what attracted classic film star Patty Rose to buy the village inn, and settle down to enjoy her golden years. But as the town gathers to celebrate and honor the beautiful, aging actress with a festival of her old films, Patty is brutally murdered––to the horror and shock of this peaceful burg. A gentle tortoiseshell cat, Kit, has been enjoying a retreat to the animal–loving actress's inn, where she's spending time with her feline friends Dulcie, and the slick tomcat sleuth, Joe Grey. But her relaxation is cut short when she hears the gunshots that end Patty's life, and sees her dead body sprawled on the inn's front steps. She glimpses the killer racing into the parking garage, and soon follows his trail. Joe and Dulcie must now follow the naïve Kit's trail, and keep her from getting into serious trouble. To complicate matters, Joe discovers that Dulcie has been hiding a runaway child––one of the lucky humans that these special cats choose to talk to––who has now been kidnapped, likely by the same man who killed their famous friend. In the end, the little girl's abduction leads them to Patty's killer, and the feline friends are all united––but they all must mourn a departed friend as they stand beside the newly laid grave of Patty Rose.

Cat Cross Their Graves

The fur starts flying when a gang from L.A. comes up to tranquil Molena Point, California, and begins breaking into the village's quaint shops. The fur of Joe Grey, Feline P.I., that is. After all, Molena Point has been his home since he was a kitten eating scraps from the garbage behind the local delicatessen, and he doesn't take well to marauding strangers. Joe even wonders whether the blonde who's moved into next to his human companion Clyde could be a part of the gang––she's been acting pretty suspicious lately. But when the strangers start trapping and caging feral cats––speaking cats like Joe and his girlfriend Dulcie––it proves too much for the intrepid four–footed detective. And when one of the gang is murdered, and a second mysterious death comes to light, he has no choice but to try to stop the crimes. Joe, Dulcie, and their tattercoat friend Kit, who used to be a stray herself, are deep into the investigation when they are able to release the three trapped cats. But as Kit leads them away to freedom, will she herself return to that wild life?

Cat Breaking Free

Fans of Lillian Jackson Braun and Rita Mae Brown and cat lovers everywhere will delight in this newest mystery featuring two furry felines on the scent of a killer. Famous novelist Elliot Traynor is temporarily living in Molena Point. He and his wife don't have much to do with the villagers, which is fine with them since no one particularly likes Vivi. But their arrival has coincided with some peculiar happenings in the town, culminating with a botched burglary in the home of 60–something Susan Brittian. Susan is a friend to feline detectives Joe Grey and Dulcie and they aren't going to let this crime go unpunished. With whiskers twitching they investigate the crime and soon find themselves on the scent of a killer.

Cat Laughing Last

The cats who saved Christmas . . . The charming seaside village of Molena Point, California, leads one to expect a quiet traditional Christmas surrounded by family and friends—but not this holiday season. Instead of singing carols and climbing into Christmas trees, Joe Grey, feline P.I., is faced with his most difficult case yet—and that's saying a lot for a wily tomcat who for years has been solving crimes the police can't even crack. At midnight in the deserted gardens of the shopping plaza, a stranger lies dead beneath the village Christmas tree; the only witness to the shooting is a little child. But when the police arrive, summoned by an anonymous phone call of feline origin, both the body and the child have disappeared. As police scramble for leads, the grey tomcat, his tabby lady, and their tortoiseshell pal, Kit, launch their own unique investigation. Together Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit face their most heartbreaking case yet as they care for the child who may be the killer's next target. Trying to sort out perplexing clues amidst the happiness of the season, they shadow a cast of colorful characters. But neither the police nor their unknown feline assistants are aware that they might have stumbled over the murderer and never known it, until an electrifying final scene when the killer's identity is revealed. For years Shirley Rousseau Murphy has written tales that have delighted readers and critics alike. With her lyrical prose and fast-paced plotting, Murphy has created another delightfully absorbing trip to a magical place populated by unforgettable characters whom readers have come to think of as friends.

Cat Deck the Halls

A recent earthquake was only the beginning of the big trouble that plagues Molena Point, California. Joe Grey may be merely a cat, but he's already solved more murders than your average human detective, and he knows the "accident" on Hellhag Hill was anything but. Unfortunately Joe's somewhat erratic, if lovable, owner Clyde thinks cats should keep their paws out of police work, and locks Joe and his feline lady friend Dulcie out of the house when Officer Max Harper pays a social call. But Joe can be a very stubborn tomcat when he sets his mind to it. And he's not about to give up the hunt. A killer needs to be apprehended, and Joe Grey's just the cat for the job -- especially since the humans who should be on the case don't seem to have a clue.

Shirley Rousseau Murphy

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