Richard Osman knows what he’s doing. This thing is sharp, quick, and funny. Very funny. Not cute funny—actual laugh-out-loud funny. Jokes land. Dialogue snaps.
The pace? Fast. But not chaotic. It moves. England. Ireland. America. Dubai. It hops around. You always know where you are. You always want to see what’s next.
The story’s solid. Twists, reveals, secrets. One mystery leads to another. Never drags.
Main guy is Steve Wheeler. Ex-cop. Haunted by grief. Dry sense of humor. Keeps things close to the chest.
Then there’s Amy Wheeler. His daughter-in-law. Professional bodyguard. Tough, sharp, no-nonsense. Their dynamic works.
And Rosie. She’s the client. Big energy. Total wildcard. She makes everything more complicated—and more fun.
Side characters? Weird. Memorable. No filler. Everyone’s got a line, a look, something strange. Osman makes it all work.
The tone? Stylish. Clever. Never smug. Cool without trying too hard. It’s also got heart. Hits when it needs to.
This is the start of a new series. You want in now. Ground floor. No question.
This book starts with a pitch – and not the baseball kind. A screenplay with a sinister twist sets the stage for a spine-chilling tale. Elevators, yeah, those metal boxes we ride every day? Well, brace yourself 'cause they ain't so safe anymore. Terrorists are hacking 'em, causing chaos and fear in big cities. Makes my fur stand on end just thinking about it.
Barclay's got a knack for dialing up the tension. Every floor, every button press, is a heart-pounding moment. You'll be gripping the pages tighter than a mouse in a cat's claws, trust me.
The technological twist? Genius, if you ask me. Elevators turned into weapons? It's a cat-and-mouse game with high stakes and no room for error. You'll think twice before stepping into that metal box again, mark my words.
This ain't your run-of-the-mill thriller. Barclay's got a knack for keeping you on the edge of your seat, and "Elevator Pitch" is no exception. Highly recommended for adrenaline junkies who love a good scare. A novel idea for a novel? You betcha!
So, strap in, folks. You're in for one heckuva ride.
Zorro here with a rapid-fire review of "The Wrong Track" by Carolyn Keene. It's book 64 in the Nancy Dres Files series.
This one's a blast from the past, copyright 1991. Grab your ski gear, 'cause Nancy's hitting the trails.
Action-packed? You bet. Nancy's at a cross-country ski resort, undercover as a ninja teen reporter. Except without the ninja part. Nostalgia hits hard with VCR tapes and fluorescent ski suits – totally rad.
Nancy's not lounging in a cozy cabin. Nope. Sauna lock-in, a whack on the head, she even gets poisoned and she's back on her feet in no time. She's tougher than a nails, no "paws" for a breather – get it? Cat humor, there
Fast-paced like a laser dot. Nancy’s on a mission, no time for catnaps. Perilous situations, twists, and turns. You're in for the thrill ride with this one.
Enjoyed it for what it was – a quick, action-packed Nancy Drew mystery. Nan-tastic!
You love our reviews of Nancy Drew books, so here's another one!
What could a book called Flying Too High be about, you might be asking. Well, you'll be thrilled to hear that Nancy goes undercover as a trainee fighter pilot!
Hard to believe? Not a bit! It's established early on that Nancy Drew is already a great pilot, so why shouldn't she fit right in among the other air force cadets?
Flying Too High is a real stunner. If you like your mysteries action-packed, this is the Nancy Drew for you!
Nancy's been called in by the admiral to investigate the death of one young pilot. Was it an accident? A technical malfunction? Or was it sabotage (aka MURDER!)?
We all know Nancy Drew is up to any task, but this one puts her through the ringer. Boy howdy, does it ever! I lost track of the number of explosions that took place over the course of the story. Exciting stuff!
Here's a line from the book, to give you a feel for what Nancy goes through:
"In the couple of days since she'd arrived at Davis Field, she'd been knocked out, her plane had been sabotaged, and she'd had a computer screen blow up in her face."
And you know what? That's not the half of it! There are even more explosions to follow! Lots of action in the air! It's non-stop!
If you're looking for a Nancy Drew novel that's all action (and even a hint of romance), you got it here. Dive right in!
Great cast of characters in this one. So much personality. There's nothing worse than dull characters in a murder mystery, and you won't find any here. Young Tom loves Hardy Boys mysteries and detective novels, but he's no kid genius. There are a number of clues an adult reader picks up on that Tom doesn't notice. This builds tension. You're sitting there going "That's a clue, Tom! It's a clue!"
He gets there eventually, I should mention. Kid's not a total dope. In fact, he does a better job at solving this murder than I would have, as a kitten. I shouldn't be so hard on Tom.
There's a great action sequence toward the end of the book, as well. Something to look forward to.
Murder on the Canadian is a fun read. I honestly wasn't prepared for how much I would enjoy this one. Big personality, lots of fun suspects, a smattering of jokes, and a physical struggle that could mean the difference between life and death. What more could a cat ask for?
The agonizing sound of a woman's scream hurls Tom Austen into the middle of a murder plot on board the sleek passenger train The Canadian. Who is responsible for the death of lovely Catherine Saks? As Tom investigates the strange collection of travellers who share Car 165, he gets closer and closer to the truth . . . and then without warning, he is suddenly face to face with the killer, and his own life is threatened in the most alarming possible way.
Last year KitKat inspired me to read a Hardy Boys mystery for the first time. When The Charmed Bracelet showed up on the Mystery Cats' desk, I swiped it too. (Sorry, KitKat. You can read it next.)
Why did Zorro, your action/adventure cat, want to read a Nancy Drew mystery? Easy answer. Just flip through this graphic novel and the first thing you'll notice is all the car chases and squirming around in air ducts. Nancy Drew is a total ninja in this graphic novel. Early on, she saves her boyfriend from being struck down by a murderous motorcycle. Okay, the motorcycle itself wasn't murderous. The guy riding it was. But wouldn't that be cool if the motorcycle was a sentient being intent upon Ned's ultimate demise?
Maybe I should be writing Nancy Drew graphic novels!
As you might have guessed by my description, the Nancy Drew in this graphic novel is a contemporary version of the character. She's a kick-ass super-heroine, for the most part.
Bess and George are no delicate doilies either. While Bess is interpreted as a bit of a femme fatale, George is her usual tomboy (KitKat's type, I'd venture to guess) and self-proclaimed "Girl Computer Whiz."
There are two mysteries to be solved in The Charmed Bracelet. One involves a stolen computer chip. The other is more personal: Nancy's boyfriend Ned is being framed for crimes he didn't commit.
Despite the dual mysteries, The Charmed Bracelet is a quick read. Maybe too quick? I'm not a big reader of graphic novels, so I'll be the first to admit I'm not overly familiar with how the pacing usually works in this style of book. I'll pass it along to KitKat, but I don't think she's a huge reader of graphic novels either, so the Mystery Cats probably can't provide an expert opinion. But, heck, we never claimed to be experts! We're just cats who like mysteries. And, as a cat who likes actiony thrillery tales, I thought it was a neat little read, but with an emphasis on "little." This glossy paperback has a total of 112 pages, and a whopping 24 of those pages are bonus materials and ads for other books!
If you're a Nancy Drew aficionado, you'll surely want to investigate this graphic take on the franchise.
A small island and killers everywhere. No communications. No boats. A hurricane closing in. Rogan Bricks alone against an army.
Former FBI agent and Marine Rogan Bricks once uncovered a shadow government and took down a drug cartel, so he's looking forward to his next assignment to infiltrate a laid-back meeting with financial wizards on a Caribbean island. Nothing dangerous this time, all he has to do is listen and report.
Yeah, right. It's just his luck when ruthless commandos sneak onto the private island and start killing everyone.
At the risk of blowing his undercover mission, Rogan must find a way to rescue the survivors and discover why these assassins are here... in the middle of a hurricane!
Standalone action novel following the best-selling thrillers The President Killed His Wife and Counterblow.
Title: Catch a Killer Author: George Woods Genre: Action / Thriller / Police Procedural Status: Read Cats?: Zero
Zorro Says:
After reading that Hardy Boys mystery a couple months back, I've kept an eye out for other nostalgic action/adventure type books written for young people. That's why I picked up Catch a Killer by George Woods.
That Hardy Boys I read had a copyright date in the 1920s. Catch a Killer isn't that old. It hails from 1972. A quick Amazon search tells me this book isn't easy to get your hands on. There's no ebook version available, as far as I can tell. If you want to read this book, you'll have to buy a used copy of the hardcover or paperback.
The reason I figured this was juvenile fiction is that the copy I picked up was an educational edition printed specifically for a school board. It comes complete with follow-up activities and questions for students.
I half understand why a school board might pick this book for young people: the main character is twelve years old. But just because you've got a kid in your book doesn't make it a kids' book. Catch a Killer doesn't strike me as a juvenile fiction so much. Reminds me more of a police procedural TV series from the 1970s in the vein of Columbo. Except a lot of it takes place in the woods.
Andrew, the aforementioned 12-year-old, ends up witnessing a crime. His bad luck, because that crime is the murder of two police officers. The killer immediately takes Andrew hostage and leads him on a night hike through the wilderness.
They're on the run.
Since the only police on-scene are now dead, will investigators think it was young Andrew who killed them?
The way this book was written is very effective. You get one chapter about Andrew's experience, one about the investigators trying to solve the double homicide, yet another about the killer's childhood and upbringing. Instead of vilifying the young man, the author shows the reader what drove him to kill. By then end of the book, even the boy he takes hostage feels empathy toward him.
Since we know who the killer is, the two main mysteries in this book are: 1) what made the killer kill, and 2) will Andrew be blamed for the crime?
In order to find out, you'll have to track down a copy of the book and read it for yourself. I enjoyed it, and any reader nostalgic for adventure novels from the 70s should like it too. The book's a product of its time. Very reminiscent of police procedurals from that decade, but also delving into the psychology of the killer.
If you want to Catch a Killer for yourself, you can find copies at Amazon.
Title: Counterblow: A Rogan Bricks Thriller Author: Steve Richer Genre: Maritime / Conspiracy / Thriller Status: TBR Cats?: Unknown
Zorro Says:
Bestselling thriller author Steve Richer has been making headlines again with Counterblow, his follow-up to The President Killed His Wife.
I haven't dived into this beauty yet. Kind of nervous. All that sea adventure and me a cat. Not saying I'm afraid or anything. I'm no scaredy-cat. Just not a fan of water. You know how it is.
But I wanted to tell you Counterblow is on my radar, and maybe it should be on yours too. Especially if you're not a cat. And not creeped out by water.
Their reach is vast. Their resources, unlimited. Their target... is an army of one. FBI Special Agent Rogan Bricks is called in to investigate a brutal attack on a fishing boat in the frigid and dangerous Bering Sea. It's no ordinary fishing boat, as it turns out. It was smuggling a deadly cargo and now Bricks must keep the sole survivor of the attack – the only living witness – alive. Soon he finds himself caught in the middle of a far-reaching conspiracy that may have been borne of his own past, a dark past that's about to catch up with him. In a desperate game of cat and mouse, Bricks discovers there are powerful players involved... players that want Bricks not just dead, but completely destroyed. This standalone novel follows the best-selling thriller The President Killed His Wife.
Title: The Witness Author: Nora Roberts Genre: Romantic / Suspense / Mystery Status: Reading Cats?: No, but there's a BIG dog!
Ginger Says:
I'm only halfway through The Witness, but I wanted to tell you about it because this book sucked me in right from the very first page. You get a real sense of 16-year-old Elizabeth Fitch's personality: highly intelligent, but socially-stunted by an overbearing mother.
When Elizabeth rebels for the first time in her life, terrible things happen. We're talking more than just a bad haircut. Elizabeth ends up witnessing a Russian mafia hit. She winds up in witness protection, and would you believe things go downhill from there?!
Quite a few years later, we meet up with Elizabeth living under another name and living in a small town that has its own cunning and attractive sheriff. She's got herself a giant guard dog that understands at least four languages and is so well-trained it almost makes me wish Doris would get us a dog.
Now, I know what you're thinking: cats and dogs are sworn enemies. But does that necessarily have to be the case? Is it really so wrong for a tiny ginger kitten to read about a big strong canine and wonder what it would be like to cuddle up together in front of a roaring fire?
In any case, if you're looking for a book that starts out action-packed, morphs into a romance, and then I don't know what because I haven't read that far, then The Witness by Nora Roberts is the novel for you!
Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth Fitch finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive.
Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance security systems designer, her own protection is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town.
The mystery of Abigail Lowery and her sharp mind, secretive nature and unromantic viewpoint intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and professional level. And while he suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, Gleason is accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, not the powerful and dangerous men who are about to have him in their sights.
And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.
Need a break from modern-day life? If you're like me, you're craving a simpler time. Well, here's one way of finding it: read a book from your childhood.
And considering The Mystery of Cabin Island (Book 8 in The Hardy Boys series) was first published in 1929, chances are this is a novel that came out long before you were born. If not, congratulations on exercising those nine lives. You must be a cat. Also, way to master the internet!
A lot of kittens grew up reading Hardy Boys Mysteries. Maybe you're one of them. Or maybe you're human--I don't know your life. But if you read this series as a child, this book has the nostalgia factor going for it. If you've never read a Hardy Boys Mystery, aren't you even the slightest bit curious why people are still reading them almost a century after they were written?
I read The Mystery of Cabin Island over the Christmas holidays. Perfect timing because, guess what? That's exactly when it's set. Boxing Day, the boys head out to the eponymous (Butterball's teaching me big words!) Cabin Island. Ice boats! No electricity! Thrills! Chills! (Literally! Did I mention they've got no electricity and it's the dead of winter?)
And of course they've got a mystery or two to solve. Stolen medals. A missing nephew. A missing butler! Non-stop action. If there's one thing the Hardy Boys do consistently, it's suck you in to the next chapter. Bet you can't read just one!
I probably don't need to talk you into revisiting the Hardy Boys. I'm sure just the mention of them has evoked a strong reaction in you, hopefully of nostalgia.
With two mysteries to solve, Frank and Joe must climb aboard their iceboat the Sea Gull to reach Cabin Island, where a belligerent stranger orders them off. Sabotage to the boat, danger to themselves, and a ghostly prowler do not daunt the Hardy boys in their search for Johnny Jefferson and for clues to stolen antique medals. How the teenage investigators outwit a ruthless foe and succeed in solving both mysteries makes for mounting suspense in this brisk-paced adventure.
