I was thrilled and intrigued when Fanny over at Prelude Books approached me (via email) to take part in this blog tour for the second instalment of Mandy Morton’s Feline Detective Agency series that is Beyond The Gravy. So welcome to my blog on the day of this cattish tour.. it’s published in paperback and e-book format TOMORROW! You can pre-order here!!
Mandy Morton began her professional life as a musician. Her song-writing formed the 
basis of six albums during the 1970s and early 1980s, when she toured extensively with her band. More recently, she has worked as a freelance arts journalist for national and local radio, specialising in making music and theatre documentary. She is the co-author of a non-fiction theatre book, In Good Company, and lives with her partner in Cambridge and Cornwall, where there is always a place for an ageing long-haired tabby cat.
The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency is her first novel, and begins a series of books inspired by her first cat, Hettie.
Follow Hettie on Facebook: Facebook.com/HettieBagshotMysteries
Psychic cat Irene Peggledrip is being visited by a band of malevolent spirits who all claim to be murderers. Not only is their message disturbing, but they cause chaos with indoor snowstorms, flying books and the untimely demise of a delicious Victoria sponge. Irene calls in Hettie and Tilly of the No. 2 Feline Detective Agency to help, but they’re not sure how far their skills reach into the spirit realm.
Meanwhile, Lavender Stamp, the town’s bad-tempered postmistress cat, has some good news to deliver to Tilly: she has won a competition to take afternoon tea with renowned mystery writer Agatha Crispy at her Devon home, Furaway House.
Will Hettie and Tilly finally lay the ghosts to rest? Can Molly Bloom’s new café survive the seance? And will the moving claw give up its secrets before the gravy congeals? Find out in this latest adventure of our favourite feline sleuths.
What a lovely, quirky mystery read! The storyline revolves around the feline detective agency run by Hettie the mature and tabby and her employee Tilly. Agency run by cats you say? Yes I do, who wear cardigans, solve ghostly occurrences, drives around with a side car and who read Agatha Crispy. Beyond The Gravy is a novel that is suited to readers who enjoy a light read, that’s sprinkled with some dark humour. I enjoyed this innovative read, it’s clear that the author loves cats, especially as she’s named the main cat-racter (see what I did there?) after her own feline bestie! I think Beyond The Gravy makes a perfect calm Sunday afternoon read; coffee and blankets with rain tap – tapping at the windows!
As you may have already picked up on, this is the second in a series but can be read as a stand alone, as I have. The read made me chuckle, I loved the character Hettie Bagshot who hasn’t had an easy life, but rather a poverty stricken one. She has been homeless, left starving and fighting for her next meal. Although this is an anthropomorphic read, Mandy has provided feline characters with identifiable personified characteristics that are believable and layered. My eight year old would very much enjoy this read with all its humour, although I was slightly (only slightly) taken aback by stereotypical human dialogues of the cats in terms of accents, but it was done in a subtle manner that didn’t affect the read at all for me. An overall light – hearted read, I’m quite looking forward to book three of the Feline Detective Agency!
Thank – you again Prelude Books for providing me with an electronic copy of Beyond The Gravy! Thoroughly enjoyed my moi!
Let me know if you’ve read any of Mandy Morton’s previous feline reads, what was your favourite?
The Reading Closet 