CAT OF THE CENTURY

Murder, interesting characters, funds missing from a university, and amateur pet detectives should present all the ingredients required for a cozy listen. Instead, the addition of incongruous passages of political opinion that serve no purpose in developing the plot result in a disjointed listen. Kate Forbes’s warm reading style creates subtle characterizations, including those of Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, the pets who enjoy a bit of amateur sleuthing. Forbes's skilled and well-paced narration helps to soften the political digressions and moderate the feeling of being lectured to. Forbes’s confident narration creates a pleasant listen; however, more from the pet detectives and faster plot development would have been welcome. K.J.P. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2011]