Cries and Whiskers by Clea Simon, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert

Cries and Whiskers
Clea Simon
Tavia Gilbert                                        
Blackstone Audiobooks
4 hours 54 minutes

Cries & Whiskers by Clea Simon

Narrator Tavia Gilbert

Another great narration by the lovely Tavia Gilbert. I just enjoy listening to her so much. Her voice is young, fresh, and upbeat, providing a fascinating and embracing listen. Ms. Gilbert, just gets it, she puts so much feeling into what she's reading you are completely absorbed into the story.
Excellent renditions of each character and her cat meows are a riot. They are sure to put a smile on your face if not a full out laugh, wow. Definitely a professional reader of the highest calibar. She makes Cries and Whiskers so much more interesting. You don't have to wonder or check when you see her name as narrator, you can rest assured it is going to be a good listen. Ms. Gilbert is a fluid and articulate narrator and her voice is so lovely, so sit back and enjoy.

Author Clea Simon

I have listened to some other books by Clea Simon and they were all excellent, so I was a little disappointed with Cries and Whiskers. I loved the Dulcie Schwartz Mystery Series, and also Dogs Don't Lie from the The Pru Marlowe Pet Noir Series.

 I should have read the reviews more carefully because I kept waiting for her to talk to her cat Musetta, or I should say waiting for the communication between her and any cats. Without that perk the book was a bit of a let down. Tavia Gilbert does make it a lot more palatable with her awesome narrating skills, but the story is just a bit bland. I know it may sound like an interesting story but, but,...  Perhaps my disappointment stems from the lack of kitty chatter on the psychic level. That is so fun. No cat, or ghost cat, mouse or chipmunk to help Theda solve the murder. A big bust for me.

Theda Krakow, an avid music fan is drawn into participating with a group of animal rights activist, when an activist is killed by a hit and run driver. Theda's boyfriend is a police detective, who discerns quickly that it was not an accident but a murder. Honestly, the detective boyfriend is over used today as is the policeman boyfriend or the F.B.I. boyfriend. It is clearly very stale. The cutest part of the book are the scenes with Musetta, Theda's kitty. I am a big animal lover, so the animal rescue parts of course are more interesting.

The club scene and music were less interesting to me. It seemed to jump from participating in saving feral cats, to finding time to write her articles on music and go to music gigs at night, and placating  between Musetta and the boyfriend, who is laid up with an injured knee. I vote for the cat since said boyfriend is enthralled with the sports channel and the clicker. I felt Theda was more interested in her cat than the boyfriend. But then, he didn't seem all that charming and she needs a new love interest that will love her cat as much as she does.

I will say that Clea Simon is an excellent writer, she fills out her characters very well, her sentence structure is well done and expressive, giving a fast moving flow so easily followed. she covers all the bases of smell, taste, sound and so forth. So although I wasn't wild about the overall story, it was not a total blow out.

She finesses the unlikely connection between Theda's journalist activities in the music industry with the animal rights activities and even throws in some real estate. Granted the book was written in 2007, and the third in the Theda Krakow Mysteries. Thus, some of the earliest works from Ms. Simon. She finds her niche with the Dulcie Schwartz Series, and The Pru Marlowe Pet Noir Series.

If your interested in music, especially non mainstream music you may find this interesting, if you are a cat lover you will enjoy the feral cat bits and Musetta, if you like murder mysteries you'll enjoy that part although it's not up to par with many other murder mysteries. Perhaps Ms. Simon tried to cover too many topics in one book. I also bought Probable Claws. Sigh.. the saving grace will be the talented and fabulous narrator, Tavia Gilbert. Clea Simon is an outstanding writer, I highly recommend listening to her Dulcie Schwartz Series, also narrated by Tavia Gilbert and her Pru Marlowe Series, which are also a fabulous listen. I don't recommend starting with this series, just go right on to her many other excellent  books that are brilliant, and amusing.