Cat in an indigo mood Book

Never let anyone tell you size doesn't matter. Size matters. It's one of the reasons I love the heroine of this series, the barely 5 foot (in stiletto heels) Ms. Temple Barr, and owner of the eponymous cat, 20 pound Midnight Louie. Like a soap-opera, this series is best experienced in sequence, even though each book recaps some of the past action. I recommend CAT ON A BLUE MONDAY , although its the third in the series, as a good starting point. The books proceed in alphabetical order by color. Each time I approach a new book in the series, I feel like I'm slipping into a pair of comfortable old slippers.

The Temple-Max-Matt thread is ongoing, and the banter between Midnight Louis and Midnight Louise ignites a comic chemistry, much to my delight. Lieutenant C.T. Molina is given her most prominent part so far. After an evening moonlighting as the chanteuse at the Blue Dahlia club, Molina approaches her car to find an unidentified body propped up next to her vehicle, which has been defaced with the etched scrawl: "She left." Meanwhile, Midnight Louie narrates his own tale. An alluring silvery long-hair persuades him to investigate the disappearance of her neighbor, a tiger-cat named Wilfrid. Meanwhile, Max continues his project, completing the revelatory book his murdered mentor Gandolf the Magician began. Matt is still decompressing from his exit from the Catholic priesthood. He lands a gig as a radio counselor, and joins a support group of ex-priests.

Firmly ensconced in the romance-mystery genre, these CAT books are saved from descending into sappiness by the quick pacing, intertwining multiple plot lines, and a generous sense of humor. The infamous red vintage couch, bought for a pittance at a consignment store, continues as the centerpiece of Matt's modest apartment. Perhaps because he has dogs on his mind, Louie remarks: "Mr. Matt Devine sits down on his long red couch (so like a giant, lolling dog-tongue!), on which I recently reclined to great photogenic effect." Another scene finds Temple pursuing Louis with the sports section of the newspaper, attempting to intercept the inevitable hairball before it can land on her furniture.

As an aside, Roger Loveless deserves praise for the cover art for the series. I love the sinuous silhouette of Louie uncovering the pictorial clip from the current mystery. It was, in fact, what made me pick up my first book off the shelf to peruse.

If you love mysteries with cats as characters be sure to sample this series. It's literary comfort food!