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Shirley Rousseau Murphy
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Cat Pay the Devil: A Joe Grey Mystery Kindle Edition

by Shirley Rousseau Murphy (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 291 ratings
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The award-winning author of Cat Breaking Free delivers “an irresistible mix of riveting action and purr-fectly marvelous two- and four-footed characters” (Monterey County Herald).

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 her human companion—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. Joe, Dulcie, and their tattercoat friend Kit—an 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.

“As usual, the felines and their human coterie are appealing (at least to cat fanciers), and the virtually nonstop action will keep the series’ fans whipping through the pages.” —Booklist

“Engaging . . . Murphy’s surefire plotting makes this more than just another cute cat cozy.” —Publishers Weekly
Previous page
  1. Book 12 of 21
    Joe Grey Mystery
  2. Print length
    336 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    HarperCollins e-books
  6. Publication date
    October 13, 2009
  7. File size
    1154 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Talking tomcat Joe Grey and his fellow feline sleuths, Dulcie and Kit, track an escaped convict in their engaging 12th adventure (after 2005's Cat Breaking Free). Just as the cats fear, Cage Jones kidnaps Dulcie's human housemate, a retired U.S. probation officer, Wilma Gertz, who testified in Cage's probation hearing to prevent his release. The crime rate rises in Molena Point, Calif., with the murder of several area women and the return of Cage's former partner-in-crime, Greeley Urzey—back to reclaim stolen ancient artifacts he and Cage believe Wilma took. As the cats go wild trying to save Wilma, their chatty, anthropomorphic shenanigans might raise eyebrows, but Murphy's surefire plotting makes this more than just another cute cat cozy. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In Murphy's latest Joe Grey cat mystery, there is plenty to keep the three sentient feline sleuths--Joe, Dulcie, and the Kit--busy: three women in the small California town of Molena Point are murdered; Wilma and her niece, Charlie, have been kidnapped by an escaped con bearing a grudge; and that old scoundrel Greeley Urzey is back in town and up to no good. As usual, the felines and their human coterie are appealing (at least to cat fanciers), and the virtually nonstop action will keep the series' fans whipping through the pages. Sally Estes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000W93AM4
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins e-books (October 13, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 13, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1154 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 291 ratings

About the author

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Shirley Rousseau Murphy

Shirley Rousseau Murphy

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Shirley Rousseau Murphy is the author of over 40 books, including 24 novels for adults, the Dragonbards Trilogy and more for young adults, and many books for children. She is best known for her Joe Grey cat mystery series, consisting of 21 novels, the last of which was published when she was over 90. Now retired, she enjoys hearing from readers who write to her at her website www.srmurphy.com, where the reading order of the books in that series can be found.

Murphy grew up in southern California, riding and showing the horses her father trained. After attending the San Francisco Art institute she worked as an interior designer, and later exhibited paintings and welded metal sculpture in the West Coast juried shows. "When my husband Pat and I moved to Panama for a four-year tour in his position with the U. S . Courts, I put away the paints and welding torches, and began to write," she says. Later they lived in Oregon, then Georgia, before moving to California, where she now enjoys the sea and views of the Carmel hills.

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
291 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Liz
5.0 out of 5 stars good story
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
Verified Purchase
Love the characters in this story- it’s a quick read and of course talking cars are the best! Wish mine could talk😀
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Philip L. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book with a very complicated plot and lots of ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2015
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A great book with a very complicated plot and lots of evil stuff going on. Shirley Rousseau Murphy is a talented author and she has the ability to weave an extremely complex plot and develop all the different evil deeds happening in Molena Point little by little and then wrap everything up beautifully at the very end of the novel.
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Beverly Kelly
4.0 out of 5 stars Love the "Cat Who..." mysteries?
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2014
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If you are a fan of Lillian Jackson Braun's "Cat who... novels you will truly enjoy these. Writing style is different and there are a few typographical errors which may only bother me, ie, for instead of from, but the story , plot, mystery and cats are great. Mine talk but only cat, not human. Will definitely get more to follow the adventures of Joe, Dulcie, Kit, et all.
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Robyn M. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Author Shirley Rousseau Murphy skillfully creates a web of interesting characters and situations in a manner of writing that flo
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2017
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Cat Pay the Devil is the 12th in the Joe Grey series. Author Shirley Rousseau Murphy skillfully creates a web of interesting characters and situations in a manner of writing that flows along easily. It's worth it to start the series at the beginning (Cat On The Edge) because the characters develop in each book. She does offer some review and repetition where needed just in case you have not read previous books. The violence in these books is necessary to the plots and is not overdone. Some people don't like the parts where Joe and his friends are hunting, but this provides some perspective about the feline characters. I am nearly through the entire series of Joe Grey and I have enjoyed every book, left wanting more.
2 people found this helpful
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CC
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read.
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2019
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Love the cats and humans in the stories. Having read many leading to this book, now waiting to read the next.
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Betty Louise
5.0 out of 5 stars Wilma In Trouble
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2014
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Dulcieis worried that Wilma is not back from her visit to San Francisco and shopping. Joe is more concerned about the murders of local women. On one trip while checking out her home Dulcie finds two men rummaging throughout it and appeared to be looking for something. She calls for help and Max and Garza arrive and start a to chase for the men
who.manage to escape. Clyde and Joe take of for Gilroy to see if Wima ever arrive there.
The feral cats are living in the ruins and see when Wilma is brought into an old building tied up. After watching for the scene Cotton leaves saying he is going hunting. Willow and Coyote wonder how to help Wilma. Who kidnapped Wilma and what to they wanted.
One person found this helpful
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Ms. C
5.0 out of 5 stars These books are great for the busy person as you can put them ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2014
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Shirley's usual read....entertaining,light reading but keeps your interest. These books are great for the busy person as you can put them aside then pick up at a later date and not be lost or have to back track. I, of course, am prejudice as i have read all her Joe Gray books. happy reading
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Meg
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this series
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2014
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Cat Pay The Devil is the 12th book in this wonderful mystery series. If you love cats and fast moving mysteries, you’ll love this series. I recommend you read them in order because each story has references to past stories. You’ll also know how and when each character entered Joe’s life. The stories all have some ‘ahhh’ moments, some sad moments, and lots of ‘edge of the seat’ fast moments. I am thoroughly enjoying them.
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Top reviews from other countries

Anon
5.0 out of 5 stars Cat Pay The Devil
Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2012
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This book was received in excellent condition and within the time limits. The nature of this series, with its talking cats, is fun, this book is a little spooky.
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M. Turner
4.0 out of 5 stars Long series of books based on sentient cats
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2013
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The idea for this series appears to be losely based on Welsh myths and legends, I am Welsh, and familiar with these from school, especially The Mabinogion, although the author isn't really, and in the later books refers more vaguely to Celtic legends. The whole premise of the stories is certain rare cats being able to speak and understand human speech. If this doesn't appeal, you won't enjoy them, if it does, then you probably will. I relish the California setting, and descriptions, and the author's knowledge of art, which does come through. I'm not reviewing this series separately, as I read several over a few days on holiday, and feel I might muddle details. Each book involves the cats helping their human friends and allies solve crimes and mysteries, helped by being able to eavesdrop and observe the bad guys. They phone in tips to the local police station. As in most such series, there has to be a certain amount of repetition of descriptions, and the good guys all do seem to be tall and slim to an unbelievable degree, given what they are described as eating. However, a strength is the mix of ages, even the eighty-pluses can find romance. Pleasant reading, and might result in you watching cats a bit more closely.
One person found this helpful
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