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The Ninth Life

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

"Forget everything you think you know about 'cat mysteries'—a rescue cat is the unique narrator of this "dark and gritty" urban noir mystery series debut (Joseph Finder).

Three figures, shadowy against the light. That's all I remember from my past life, as I am dragged, dripping and half-drowned, from the flood. My savior, a strange, pink-haired girl, is little help. She can barely care for herself, let alone me, or the boy she loves. And although she has sworn to avenge the murder of her mentor, she must first escape the clutches of drug dealers, murderers, and thieves. I would repay her kindness if I could. But we are alone in this blighted city—and I am a cat.

The past is an enigma to Blackie, the voice of Clea Simon's dark mystery series. Combining elements of feline fantasy and cozy whodunit, this book introduces our unusual hero and his human companion, a street child named Care: Two small creatures in a nightmarish urban landscape, fighting for survival, and for the lives and memories of those they love.

"Told from the unique point of view of a narrator who sees things humans can't. It's one I won't soon forget." —Joseph Finder, New York Times–bestselling author of The Fixer and Suspicion

"Noir fans who are fond of felines will find a lot to like." —Publishers Weekly

"A wonderful reading experience." —Breakaway Reviewers

"An exciting, compelling, and utterly unique adventure." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author

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    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 25, 2016
      Cozy author Simon (When Bunnies Go Bad) takes a turn to the dark side with this edgy first in a series introducing Carrie “Care” Wright, a homeless girl in her early teens who lives on the streets of an unnamed city. Care rescues a drowning cat, naming him Blackie, and the two have an instant affinity, but Blackie, who narrates the tale, is an unusual feline. Care and her foster brother, Tick, who’s about 10, live in the clutches of a gang leader, AD, but Care has been mentored by a private detective and has a chance to get out of the life until her mentor is murdered. Determined to find his killer and get Tick away from AD, Care soon finds that a pernicious drug known as scat is at the center of frightening events, including the murder of a pawn shop owner. Meanwhile, Blackie knows more than any cat should, but can’t tell Care, so he does his best to keep her safe. Noir fans who are fond of felines will find a lot to like. Agent: Colleen Mohyde, Doe Coover Agency.

    • Library Journal

      March 1, 2016

      Care rescues Blackie after he is almost drowned. Our feline protagonist and narrator, who has used up nearly all of his nine lives, does not remember much beyond three shadowy figures who held him underwater. Now he must save the pink-haired Care from herself and the men who seek to use her to deliver their drugs, including heroin-addicted boyfriend Tick, or frame her for murder. VERDICT With this new cat series, the author of the "Dulcie Schwartz" books (Code Grey) takes on a darker tone. Blackie is an enigmatic hero, trying to keep Care safe and lamenting his inability to communicate with her. Care is a troubled child attempting to do right. Where they go from here remains to be seen. A delight for anyone who relishes cat mysteries.

      Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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  • English

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