Joe Grey

It's been quite a week for Joe Grey. First the large, powerful feline 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 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!

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.

There's a bad new cat in sleepy little Molena Point: a renegade tom with a penchant for robbery, a scorn for his fellow felines, and a disdain for human laws. And he's masterminding a crime spree that's quickly escalating toward murder most foul. Dulcie and Joe Grey both know the score-they've seen Azrael in action. But how can they expose the criminal without letting ordinary, untrustworthy humans in on the secret that certain select cats can think-and talk? Cats like them...

Ever since the earthquake, things have been going from bad to worse in Molena Point, usually the most tranquil little town on the North California coast. It started with that suspicious "accident" on Hellhag Hill. The police might write it off to the night fog, but Joe Grey knows a cut brake line when he sees it-he may be a cat, but he's already solved more murders than your average police detective! Then there's Clyde, Joe's erratic but loveable 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 his lady friend Dulcie out of the house when Officer Harper comes over to play poker. But Joe isn't about to give up the chase. Not until the "ghost" of Hellhag Hill is tracked down and brought to justice.

While Joe Grey has played tricks on Max Harper, Molena Point's head lawman, he's never had anything but respect for the dedicated sheriff. Now Harper's in trouble, suspected of murdering two friends, and the only witness, a young girl named Dillon, has disappeared. Both Dulcie and Joe know Harper is innocent, and Joe is hissing to prove it-and find Dillon. Their sleuthing, however, is hampered by something soft and small-their new "ward," a vivacious kitten whose curiosity could get them all killed. With backs up and claws bared, Dulcie and a spitting mad Joe must use all their cleverness and amazing talents not only to find a killer, save a little girl, and clear their friend's name-but keep their secret safe, too.

Even felines with such amazing talents as Joe Grey and his partner, Dulcie, need some down time. Using their amazing abilities to talk and read, they've helped their unwitting humans put bad guys away. But these clever four-footed detectives can't possibly enjoy a little catnap, not when their lovely seaside village is in an uproar. It's bad enough that Molena Point has been invaded by a famous writer and his suspiciously rude wife. Then the local yard sales set off a host of puzzling thefts. Whiskers twitching and tails up, Joe Grey and Dulcie can't resist pouncing on the case. Helped by their beloved companion, an inquisitive young tortoiseshell kit, Joe Grey and Dulcie soon discover that certain collectibles at those sales hold a secret treasure someone will kill to possess. But before the fur can fly this talented trio will unmask a murderer-and unearth a few other surprises along the way.

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 ...

What's the perfect read for fans of New York Times bestselling mystery authors Lilian Jackson Braun and Rita Mae Brown? This delightful ninth Joe Grey Mystery from award-winning author Shirley Rousseau Murphy. Evil has crept into Molena Point, California, on stealthy cat feet. A rash of brazen burglaries, from antique jewelry to vintage cars, coincides with the unwelcome appearance of yellow-eyed Azrael, feline nemesis of crime-solving cats Joe Grey and Dulcie. But what follows soon after really has Joe's fur standing on edge. A young, healthy waiter drops dead at a reception for local artist Charlie Harper. And when the trail of big-time thefts leads up to San Francisco, the dark beast Azrael is on the scene. Does he have contact with a stalker and a handsome philanderer? If Joe and Dulcie don't get to the bottom of these misdeeds soon, they and all their human friends will have ample reasons to be afraid-very afraid. It's time for the feline sleuths to start sniffing out the truth.

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' 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 naive 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. When the shocking discovery of hidden graves raises the stakes even further, the inquisitive feline trio will have to work quickly to claw out the truth and end the nightmare that has the devastated community reeling.

The fur starts flying when a gang from LA comes up to tranquil Molena Point, California, and begins breaking into the village's quaint shops. Joe Grey, feline PI, has called Molena Point home since he was a kitten, and he doesn't take well to marauding strangers. Joe even wonders whether the blonde who's moved in 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 it proves too much for Grey. And when one of the gang is murdered, and a second mysterious death comes to light, he has no choice but to try and stop the crimes.

Nestled quietly on the Pacific Coast below San Francisco, Molena Point is a quaint hamlet-not the kind of place an escaped convict would choose for a hideout. But it just happens to be the home of a state's witness who put a thief named Cage Jones behind bars-until he broke out, that is. Wily tomcat Joe Grey senses trouble is on the way, but he never expected a federal officer would be shot or that two locals would be brutally murdered. With danger closing in, the feline detective, his girlfriend Dulcie, and their tattercoat friend Kit-an indomitable trio with special powers that only a few select humans are privy to-must put paws and whiskers together to capture a very nasty criminal before he strikes again.

In the thirteenth installment of the award-winning Joe Grey mysteries, everyone's favorite feline PI must solve a mystery and save Christmas. Christmas in the charming seaside village of Molena Point, California, has always been a traditional affair-but not this holiday season. Instead of singing carols and climbing into Christmas trees, Joe Grey, feline PI, 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. A stranger lies dead beneath the village Christmas tree, with a little child the only witness to the shooting. As the police scramble for leads, the grey tomcat, his tabby lady, Dulcie, and their tortoiseshell pal, Kit, launch their own unique investigation. As they care for the child who may be the shooter's next target, the cats realize they're facing their most heartbreaking case yet-and that they must catch a cunning killer if they have any hope of saving Christmas.

Love-and murder-are in the air. It took Joe Grey's human, Clyde Damen, nearly forever to pop the question to his girlfriend, Ryan Flannery, and what more romantic time to tie the knot than on Valentine's Day? But dark secrets from the past soon threaten to destroy everyone's happiness. First, a body discovered many miles away reopens a ten-year-old cold case involving a man who disappeared days before his own wedding. Then another body is found closer to home, on the grounds of a ruined estate, deserted save for a band of unusual feral cats. Though the police investigate, only feline sleuth Joe Grey suspects that the crimes are related. And when he barely escapes alive from a deadly chase, Joe and his friends, Dulcie and Kit, know they'll need to use their powers of feline perception to bring justice to the small town of Molena Point-and save Valentine's Day!

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 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.

Escaping Los Angeles and the ugly memories of her son's recent murder, Maudie Toola returns to her childhood home of Molena Point, bringing her orphaned grandson, whom she must now raise, with her. Mourning for her son, she's not looking forward to the holidays but feels she must make them positive for the child. But Maudie is unaware that the killer has followed her-and that the small seaside village is dealing with a series of brutal assaults. A team of criminals is stalking single women, hiding their attacks behind spectacular break-ins to divert the cops. And this time there's not even a phone call from the four-footed snitch to give the cops a lead. Meanwhile, a new tomcat appears on the scene, a wise and elderly wanderer who bears an important message from a state prisoner for the chief of police. But this cat has a personal agenda too-as does Maudie, who harbors her own secret about her son's killer. As the lonely prison cat provides the link between the mysteries, Joe Grey and his pals, in turn, help him find a surprising new home, a safe retreat in time for the holidays. With a story both enchanting and suspenseful, Shirley Rousseau Murphy shows once again why her trio of feline sleuths is so beloved by her fans and why the Joe Grey mysteries should be at the top of every cat lover's Christmas list.

Even the bright seaside village of Molena Point has been hit hard by the economic downturn. Sadly, former residents haven't just left their homes; they've abandoned their pets, too. Luckily, Joe Grey's human friends have joined together to care for the animals. But just as one problem is solved more arise. A suspicious fire leaves a twelve-year-old boy homeless when the body of his alcoholic elderly guardian is discovered in the smoldering ruins. Then, a woman with two children appears on the Damen doorstep, claiming to have no money and nowhere else to go. The experienced Joe Grey smells a rat, and will work his paws off to prove it. Scratching out clues, he and his PI posse follow a trail that lead to a scam involving a group of shady real estate agents. When a realtor goes missing, Joe suspects the mysteries are connected. And just when the Damen household is filled to capacity, another stray arrives with answers … and the possibility of true love for the adventurous tortoiseshell Kit.

A car crash, a missing treasure, a dead thief, and a suspicious blond divorcee have feline PI Joe Grey and his four-legged cohorts clawing for justice in this lively new entry in the beloved, award-winning series. Kate Osborne, a divorcee, reappears with a fortune and a strange story about how she obtained it. Meanwhile, a terrible car crash involves tortoiseshell Kit and her elderly housemates, Lucinda and Pedric Greenlaw. The accident is terrifying enough, but then two mysterious men steal the car-and the secret treasure hidden inside its doors. When one of the thieves ends up dead, Joe must discover if the events are connected-and why. With the investigation in trouble, will they find the killer ... or be left chasing their tails?

Feline P. I. Joe Grey and his friends pounce on three investigations that may connect to one larger mystery-including one case that is very personal-in this hair-raising installment in Shirley Rousseau Murphy's beloved, award-winning series. Joe Grey and his partner, Dulcie, are frantic when Courtney, their pretty teen-kitten goes missing. Aided by their two- and four-legged friends, they hit the streets of Molina Point in search of their calico girl. Has Joe Grey and Dulcie's only daughter been lured away by someone and stolen? Is she lying somewhere hurt, or worse? Courtney has no idea that everyone is desperately looking for her. Locked in an upstairs apartment above the local antiques shop, she's enjoying her first solo adventure. When she first met Ulrich Seaver, the shop's owner, Courtney was frightened. But the human has coddled and pampered her, winning her trust. Sheltered by her parents, her brothers, and her kind human companions, the innocent Courtney is unaware of how deceptive strangers can be. She doesn't know that Ulrich is hiding a dangerous secret that could threaten her and everyone in this charming California coastal village. With his focus on finding Courtney, Joe Grey has neglected his detective work with the Molina Point Police Department. Before his daughter disappeared, Joe found a viciously beaten woman lying near the beach. Now the police investigation has stalled, and the clever feline worries his human colleagues may have missed a vital clue. Joe is also concerned about a family of newcomers whose domestic battles are disturbing the town's tranquility. Loud and abrasive, the Luthers' angry arguing, shouting, and swearing in the early hours of the night have neighbors on edge and the cops on alert. One of the couple's late-night shouting matches masked the sounds of a burglary, and now a criminal is on the loose. Though the crimes are as crisscrossed as the strands of a ball of yarn, Joe Grey's cat senses tell him they may somehow be linked. It's up to the fleet-footed feline and his crime-solving coterie to untangle the mysteries before it's too late.