Cat Cross Their Graves

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's 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 naïve 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. In the end, the little girl's abduction leads them to Patty's killer, and the feline friends are all united––but they all must mourn a departed friend as they stand beside the newly laid grave of Patty Rose.

In this cozy mystery, a talking cat and his four-legged friends investigate cat trappers and murder in smalltown California. The fur starts flying—the fur of Joe Grey, Feline P.I., that is—when a gang from L.A. comes up to tranquil Molena Point, California, and begins breaking into the village’s quaint shops. After all, Molena Point has been his home since he was a kitten eating scraps from the garbage behind the local delicatessen, and he doesn’t take well to marauding strangers. Joe even wonders whether the blonde who’s moved in next door to 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—speaking cats, like Joe and his girlfriend Dulcie—it proves too much for the intrepid four-footed detective. And when one of the gang is murdered, and a second mysterious death comes to light, he has no choice but to try to stop the crimes. Joe, Dulcie, and Kit, who used to be a stray herself, are deep into the investigation when they are able to release the three trapped felines. But as Kit leads them away to freedom, will she herself return to that wild life? In this marvelous book that once again opens the door to the spectacular world of Joe Grey, meet three new cats—winning cats drawn from among hundreds of their owners’ entries and chosen at random to appear in this book—and join old friends and new in this ambitious and enjoyable entry in the series. Praise for Cat Breaking Free “Murphy’s 11th Joe Grey cat cozy . . . offers the usual winning blend of suspense and whimsy. . . . A complex, well-crafted plot and lively, credible characters will leave fans purring with pleasure.” —Publishers Weekly “[An] action-filled plot. As usual, the three cats are true to both their feline and sentient natures. This eleventh entry in the Joe Grey Mystery series . . . continues to enhance characterizations, both feline and human, all the while providing an intriguing whodunit for series fans.” —Booklist

A feline P.I. and his four-legged friends investigate murder, robbery, and an evil cat in California in this cozy mystery. When antiques and valuables begin to disappear from residents’ homes, Joe Grey knows that something is very wrong in sleepy Molena Point, California. Could the thief be a local or, even worse, is it the old crook who may be connected to Azrael, the sinister, yellow-eyed cat who terrorized Joe and Dulcie years ago, and whose return has Joe’s fur standing on edge? Even seasoned tomcat like Joe isn’t prepared for the shock that awaits Molena Point residents at the opening for artist Charlie Harper. While guests are dining on hors d’oeuvres and fine wine at the celebration, a young, healthy waiter drops dead at Charlie’s feet. Meanwhile, just north of Molena Point, in San Francisco, the cats’ friend Kate, a woman with a troubling secret, is followed by a stranger and robbed. Her apartment is then gutted, with claw marks and black cat hair leading her to suspect the vicious tomcat Azrael. In the most dramatic investigation of their lives, Joe Grey, Dulcie, and Kit, following diverse leads, scratch out the truth and, with cunning feline skills, restore a distraught village to its usual cozy tranquility. Praise for Cat Fear No Evil “[A] superior cat cozy. . . . As usual, the relationships between the lively human characters and the talking cats in whom they confide their problems provide as much interest as the crime solving. The intricate and absorbing plot keeps the reader in suspense throughout.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “The fast-paced story involves sophisticated burglary, murder, and the bizarre secret of Kate's own nature. Once again the delightful mix of humans, sentient cats, mystery, and humor remains true to the preceding books in the series, only this time with a larger dollop of fantasy, which should extend the audience beyond the usual cat-mystery buffs.” —Booklist

A striking new reissue of an epic fantasy by popular Harper author Shirley Rousseau Murphy, featuring a princess's dangerous quest to reclaim her throne...and, of course, cats! There is a door in an artist's garden: an elaborate carved passageway into a realm ruled by a dark sorceress queen. There entities strange and wondrous roam the Netherworld––yet none as astonishing as the shape–shifting Catswold... Raised by the oldwitch Mag, Melissa discovers a perilous secret. She has more than one form––human girl and magical cat––and once inhabited two worlds. And it is her destiny to return to a mystic realm of wonder and terror, to do battle for her people's liberation and the crown that is rightfully hers. A man beset by tragedy, painter Braden West is intrigued by the calico cat who has charmed her way into his studio. But his "guest" is more than she seems, and Braden's very existence will be radically altered as he follows Melissa from the Hell Pit into the dread perils of an evil ruling court, thrust into the heart of a magical conflict with more at stake than he could possibly have imagined.

The most current and complete guide to a favorite teen genre, this book maps current releases along with perennial favorites, describing and categorizing fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction titles published since 2006. Speculative fiction continues to be of consuming interest to teens, so if you work with that age group, keeping up with the explosion of new titles in this category is critical. Likewise, understanding the many genres and subgenres into which these titles fall—wizard fantasy, alternate worlds, fantasy mystery, dystopian fiction, science fantasy, and more—is also key if you want to motivate young readers and direct them to books they'll enjoy. Written to help you master a complex array of genres and titles, this guide includes more than 1,500 books, most published since 2006, organizing them by genre, subgenre, and theme. Subgenres growing in popularity such as "steampunk" are highlighted to keep you current with the latest trends. The guide will serve three audiences. Of course, you can turn to it as you help your teenage patrons select the books and genres that will interest them most. Teen readers, whether devoted fans or newcomers, can use it themselves to find titles and subgenres they might like. In addition, the guide will help teachers and parents match students with the right books.

Molena Point, California, should be a tranquil place. Nestled quietly on the Pacific coast miles below San Francisco, it's not the kind of town escaped convicts seek out. But if you're a thief named Cage Jones, you've just sprung yourself from the clink, and the woman who turned state's witness and helped put you behind bars lives there––where better to go than Molena Point? Wily Tomcat Joe Grey knows that something sinister is afoot when he hears about Cage Jones––but he doubts that his girlfriend Dulcie's suspicions that the escaped thief is after Dulcie's human companion, Wilma, are justified. But when Jones shoots a federal officer, and the bodies of two peaceful, local residents are found brutally murdered in their home, even the suspicious Feline Detective knows that things are only going to get worse. Paw–in–paw with Dulcie and their tattercoat friend Kit, the indomitable feline trio––with special powers that only a few select humans are privy to––team up to capture the thief, and in one of award–winning author Shirley Rousseau Murphy's most suspenseful and unforgettable books to date, bring peace to the town they love.

"Of course I worry. What if the cops witness a cat opening a skylight and masterminding a robbery? The tabloids will love it." There's a new pair of thieves in MolenaPoint, California, a renegade yellow-eyedtomcat with a cold disdain for the law,and a scruffy human partner who isno better. The two, clever and silentat their work, are bad news indeedto crime-solving cats Joe Grey andDulcie. But when Joe learns the pair'sconnection to a good friend, and then an innocent couple turns up dead in the library garden, Joe and Dulcie must engage in some fancy paw work to unmask the deceptions and route the real killer -- before his brazen criminal crime spree careens madly toward them.

Providing more than 50 fiction display descriptions, this book identifies themes for the entire year and includes titles for signage, annotated book lists, prop and material ideas, as well as photographs that show how to pull it all together. Proper library merchandising doesn't have to be prohibitively expensive, time-consuming, or constitute a huge headache. Ready-Made Book Displays explains the principles behind effective displays and presents a wide variety of ready-made book displays that can be easily replicated, providing catchy titles, materials and props lists, reproducible hand-outs, and photographs to guide librarians in quickly assembling successful displays. These display ideas can be utilized in several different venues—in-shelf, point-of-checkout, display case, and others—and can be targeted to coincide with events, holidays, and celebrations, as well as for general book promotion. Each of the 55 fiction displays includes a prop idea list, a related Dewey subject list, media tie-ins, and an annotated and reproducible booklist. It's everything the busy librarian needs to create appealing, successful book displays—all contained in one handy guidebook.