Cat on the Edge: A Joe Grey Mystery

by Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Book Overview

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...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061056006
• ISBN13: 9780061056000
• Release Date: December 1998
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

in suspence

You wouldn't believe that cats talked,thought, or had feelings like humans. Joe grey has that, and now he's solving a murder mystery in one of the most normal towns you would ever have heard of; never any big problems, just the mischeif of all the neighborhood cats. Joe was the only witness, he thought, to the murder, and the person who did it is after him because he knows Joe's secret. Hiding in the shadows was Dulcie. The second of the three witnesses, whom also walked on four feet with the mysterious talent. Dulcie and Joe both discover they are one of the same, and work together to find the victims killer. This movie was a very suspesful and some parts breath holding. I highely recommend it to people who love murder mysteries. Even if you aren't much for animal stories, this is one to at least pick up. It changes your perception on animals and opens your mind to a whole new different world of thoughts. The book leaves you wanting more.

If You Like Rita Mae Brown...

then you can't afford not to sample the Joe Grey mysteries, of which this is the first. Joe, a tough, stump-tailed tomcat, lives in the arty little California coastal village of Molena Point with Clyde Damen, who repairs and restores high-end and antique cars for a living, and Clyde's two dogs and three other cats. For several weeks he has felt a "strange identity change" taking place in him: he has gained the ability to understand human speech in all its nuances, then to speak it; he's also begun to think on a human level, analyzing, appreciating natural beauty, planning his day, speculating on metaphysical subjects. He's even, inexplicably, suddenly become able to read! On top of this shock comes another: he witnesses a murder in the alleyway behind a local deli. And the killer seems to realize that Joe could be a threat to him, since the very next morning he tries to break into Clyde's house. Forced to go on the run, Joe teams up with Dulcie, a charming little brindle female belonging to retired parole officer Wilma Getz, who is a long-time friend of Clyde's; Dulcie too has just realized that she shares Joe's talent. Trying to preserve their own lives, they realize, requires that they help the police nail the murderer--which, in turn, draws them into a stolen-car ring and a counterfeiting scheme. Meanwhile, Kate Osborne, a friend of Clyde's, has discovered that she can change from human to cat shape and back again... The twists and turns of the plot, while complex, are so well drawn that the story flows easily from point to point, and the cats, apart from their fantastic abilities, are recognizably felines who behave just as any housecat might, yet at the same time are distinct and well-delineated characters. The fact that Joe and Dulcie have to do their maneuvering behind the scenes--only their own people, and Kate, are allowed to learn about their new talents--adds a fresh angle to the so-often-repeated "amateur detective" motif. I've gone on to read the second book in the series and it maintains, if not exceeds, the quality of the first. Lovers of cats, mystery, and fantasy are sure to find this book a thorough delight. (Note: Murphy is also the YA fantasy novelist Sylvia Engdahl.)

Pure, sheer enjoyment cover to cover!

Cat on the Edge is clever and whimsical. This is not great literature, but the "fun factor" is high! I loved it and have ordered every book in the series.Joe Grey is a typical tomcat who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He witnesses a brutal murder, and is seen by the perpetrator. The murderer seems to know something about Joe Grey that the tomcat hasn't even discovered himself yet--that he can talk.The "characterization" of humans and felines is darn good, and the story is engaging if not believable. If you're ready to kick back and just enjoy a creative journey through the imagination, then this book will delight you.

Oh Happy Day - A new series to love!

What a wonderful day when a new series of books is found which guarantees hours of reading pleasure ahead. such is the case with this delightful mystery series. I have just completed two of the books and am totally delighted. Cat on the Edge was my first and I unexpectedly loved it and had to have the rest of the series. I am more of a dog person but loved these cats! The author obviously knows cats well as Joe and Dulcie behave exactly as you would expect a cat to behave except......they find themselves having human feelings about various situations, and the ability to talk, read and understand human speech. Add mystery and murder to all of the above and you have a delightful, light reading adventure. I felt like the characters in this book were old friends when finished reading and could hardly wait to begin reading their next adventure.

Joe Grey and Dulcie are utterly charming!

Somehow, to his surprise and horror, Joe Grey has learned to speak, read and understand English. And to make matters worse, he's on the run from a murderer who will stop at nothing to kill the small grey tomcat. You see, Joe saw the killing, and he can identify the murderer. So Joe has had to leave his comfortable home, and hit the road in an effort to get the goods on the murderer and save his own skin. On the lam, he meets up with Dulcie, a female cat with the same mysterious talents as Joe, and a taste for soft human garments like sweaters and underthings. Dulcie, the other witness to the murder, is also on the run from the fiend trying to kill Joe. The two cats team up with a spurned wife who also has a few tricks up her sleeve to save the day and catch a killer.This is a charming and interesting novel. Other than their amazing linguistic abilities (which are never really explained, but don't let that keep you from enjoying the story. Just go with the flow!), the cats are very true to life in every other respect. Dulcie is a particularly winning "cat"racter, I just fell in love with her from the moment she appeared on the page. If you like cats and cat mysteries and enjoy an element of fantasy in your reading, you'll have fun with Joe and Dulcie.