The Cat Next Door

The plot of this one was sedate to the point of soporific--literally. I found myself dozing off within a couple dozen pages every time I tried to read it. The characters were so bland I couldn't keep them straight, nothing happened but talk for the first 130 pages (of a 190 page book), and the ending--when I finally stayed awake long enough to get there--was rather silly. Recommended for people who like their mysteries slow paced and squeaky-clean.Although there were a few points that stood out: [...]

I really wasn't thrilled with this book. I bought it because I read another one of Babson's books, "In the Company of Cats," and I loved it. This one, however, was very much lackluster in comparison. It just seemed to drag on forever, especially with needless details. Do you really need to know what the coffee tastes like, down to the very last milliliter? Or what color every flower in the garden is? Are these clues supposed to help the reader solve the crime? It just felt like the story was tru [...]

Marian Babson is one of those authors that I tend to forget how much I enjoy her books until I read them. They are not usually very long, but there is a great deal of plot in the slim volumes.This one was no different. The Cat Next Door was a really minor, but important character, and I think it would have been better had the title not been changed for the US market. The original title was Deadly Deceit, which was a more descriptive title. I think the US market needs a catch to hang the "series" [...]

Fun book, quick read. The lead character Margot is by far the most interesting character. The description of the book /book/show/17 says "Margot decides it's up to her to investigate." But this overstates the situation. Really the characters are mostly drifting.Very hard to keep up with all the aunts and uncles and cousins. Watching the reactions of various family members to the events is very interesting and a little sad. Because Margot's illness was never explained and because there was some q [...]

This is probably closer to a three star but I am feeling generous so what the hell. Apparently the author has done a whole series of 'feline mysteries,' a new one for me, and the reason I picked it up off the library shelf is because it has a cat on the cover. At first I did not like the story, too many characters and an ill defined mystery, and I thought the author was trying too hard to channel her inner Agatha Christie. However, by the second or third chapter I was engrossed, and it was, even [...]

I'm currently in the middle of the book and seriously, it's gotten nowhere. The only reason I'm finishing it is because I need something to read right now. Other than that, the book is a complete disappointment, as is every other book by this author. She gives too much detail in the pointless beginnings and not enough detail in the conclusions. Plus her characters are obnoxious and annoying. She almost makes Stephanie Meyer look like a real author. Almost.

Lackluster. This was my first Babson book, and it may be my last. The narrative focused mostly on the emotional effects of tragedy on the family, which is a point well taken; but it isn't until the last chapter or two that it becomes at all a mystery. Even when a confession of sorts comes, there address plenty of questions left unanswered. Babson tries to portray a once-happy family brought down by unspeakable events, but none of it is particularly believable. Pass.

This is one of the cat mysteries by Ms Babson that does not involve Trixie and Evangeline. Margot has returned to England because one cousin is on trial for the murder of her twin sister. The entire book takes place at the family home with a few courtroom scenes. The daughter of the victim is an "invalid" due to the trauma and stays in her bed with a bell to ring constantly. Milly who is the mother of the twins has disappeared into romance novels. The cat has moved next door.

Most of the characters in this book are certifiable: a depressive, a sociopath, and assorted narcissists. The protagonist suffers from some debilitating health problem that is never accurately disclosed. No wonder the cat left. I'm surprised I stuck with it to the end.

Predictable and exasperating. The author holds secrets from us when there's really no reason or influence on the story. The characters were unrelatable, and I feel like she used Margot's ME as an excuse to not write dialogue. It was clunky, and needed more cats.

This must be close to the dumbest book I've read. I'm still trying to figure out why I bothered to finish it. The plot could have been completely covered in three pages. Too many characters, too much whining, too repetitious. I could go on, but why?

interesting story. a bit jumbled around in bouncing between conversations and past-present happenings.

It was OK. I found it kind of draggy, and the plot wasn't clear until half way through the book. Plus, the author gave the heroine a mysterious illness, but never explained it. Irritating.

Quick read, engaging characters.

This is obviously not the first of the series; perhaps I would have given it a higher rating if I already knew the characters. But as it was, I found the plot thin and disjointed.

Fluffy and enjoyable.

pretty good, cats incidental

An easy quick read but not that much about cats. Too bad Lilian Jackson Brauns's latest "Cat Who " have not been up to par.

Amusing, light entertainment. Nothing to keep you reading late into the night but a bit of fun.