I’m not saying I blame the kitten. It’s such a cute little thing, with it’s multicolored “tortoiseshell” coloring and bright green eyes! But, really, everything was fine until that little furball came along. For once, Becca, my human, was not involved in any kind of nefarious activity. And my two older sister cats – Laurel and Harriet – were being nice to me, despite the fact that I’m the baby of the litter and a calico to boot.
“Give it up, Clown.” That’s Laurel. She knows I’m writing about the kitten, which for better or worse is now locked up in Becca’s pantry. I wish Laurel wouldn’t use that nickname for me. It’s not my fault that one of my ears is black and the other tan, or that colored patches cover both my eyes. I keep my fur clean and smooth, and while I may not be as sleek as she is – as tan and stylish as a Siamese – both Becca and her best human friend Maddy often tell me I’m a pretty kitty. “That kitten is just that… a dumb feline.” Laurel is positively snarling!
I’m not going to argue. Not while Laurel and Harriet, whose fluffy marmalade sides are now gently heaving as she naps on the sofa, are so convinced. They think it’s pure coincidence that that tortoiseshell kitten darted across the street when Becca was leaving work. Both my sisters know that Becca shouldn’t have followed the kitten into an alley, where it led her to a dead body. But neither one thinks that the little tortie had anything to do with the murder – or with the police who nearly blinded Becca with their bright lights and impertinent questions.
Me? I don’t know. I do know that my sisters and I are descendants of Egyptian royalty, magical cats gifted with special powers – and a particular responsibility to help Becca. Our person styles herself a “witch detective,” but in truth we’re the ones who are constantly working to keep her out of trouble. This time, however, she’s in deep. Turns out she knew the victim… Used to date him, in fact, and that the police have good reason to suspect her involvement. In fact, the only creature who might be able to help her out is that kitten. And while Laurel and Harriet think the kitten is just that – a dumb cat, incapable of magic – I’ve seen the spark in the tiny thing’s eyes. I think she’s holding out. Maybe even testing us, before she lets us in on everything she knows.
I only hope I can get through to her before Becca is arrested. Or before whoever came for her old flame decides that she’s a problem and that they should get rid of her too!
To Conjure A Killer, A Witch Cats of Cambridge Mystery Book #4
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: November 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
It’s kitten season in Cambridge, and the results can be murder.
Becca Colwin is coming home from her job at Charm and Cherish when she sees a tortoiseshell kitten run down an alley – leading to a dead body.
As a connection between Becca and that corpse is confirmed, Becca comes under suspicion — and is dragged into a cyberware scandal, thanks to her cheating ex, Jeff. The unfaithful computer geek and his high-power investor were working on stealth software designed to record and transmit personal data – a new form of spyware that would be of interest to everyone from the police and security agencies to cybercriminals. And when Jeff’s former friends and colleagues approach her, Becca finds the police aren’t the only ones watching her.
Meanwhile, Becca is sheltering the little tortie, who seems to have some powers of her own, much to the dismay of her three resident cats. These powers may help Becca discern friend from foe, solve the murder, and clear her name – with the help of her mystical feline friends.
About the author
Clea Simon is the author of more than two dozen mysteries, most of which involve cats, and three nonfiction books, including the Boston Globe bestseller, The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats. A former journalist and New York native, she now lives in Massachusetts, the setting of To Conjure A Killer, the fourth in her “witch cats of Cambridge” series. She can be found at CleaSimon.com.