Conrad the Cat Detective: Book 1
Publication Date: October 10, 2023
Meet Conrad. Conrad is a cat. You’ve never met a detective like him before.
Neither has Lulu Lewis, until he walks into her life one summer’s day. Mourning the recent death of her husband, the former police detective had expected a gentle retirement, quietly enjoying life on her new canal boat, The Lark, and visiting her mother-in-law in a nearby care home.
But when her mother-in-law dies suddenly in suspicious circumstances, Lulu senses foul play and resolves to find out what really happened. And a remarkable cat named Conrad will be with her every step of the way . . .
Author L T Shearer’s The Cat Who Caught a Killer is a cozy mystery set in small-town England, where some politics and police procedures are sprinkled throughout.
Lulu, a widow, lives on a boat, and a cat named Conrad adopts her as his person. Conrad and Lulu have conversations throughout, and he often knows what she’s thinking without any words.
A cute premise to the story that has some darkness due to several deaths, or are they murders? Lulu’s brother-in-law Richard has always been doted on by his parents, but his mother’s purse strings weren’t always open after she got Alzheimer’s. He’s a dreamer who starts businesses that always go under and need a monetary infusion. He’s also a follower and has a disastrous history in relationships. His current wife, Maria, is no exception.
When Emily unexpectedly dies, only Lulu thinks there can be something afoot and doesn’t believe her death is from natural causes. But is she right? As a retired police detective, she still has connections in the department and doesn’t hesitate to use them.
As Conrad and Lulu set out to find the killer, we are taken through their small town to various locales favored by Emily. We also get to meet her friends as Lulu methodically searches for clues. There is some heartache, along with vivid descriptions. There are also secrets, lies, anger, suspects, and more.
As Lulu and Conrad ultimately help the police solve the crimes after many twists and turns, we can feel their satisfaction. There was closure, and it was interesting to note that this is the first book in the series, Conrad the Cat Detective. I plan to be back for more.
The Cat Who Caught a Killer was a charming, cozy mystery read based in a small English town. Although some of the author’s politics should have been avoided, the overall mystery was well done. I look forward to reading more from this author.
L T Shearer has had a lifelong love of canal boats and calico cats, and both are combined in The Cat Who Caught a Killer, a one-of-a-kind debut crime novel.
