Most of you probably Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wondercat, the story of Gwen Cooper’s blind cat that became a New York Times bestseller and was translated into 22 languages in 32 countries. When Homer passed away in August of 2013 after a prolonged illness, his legion of fans and cat lovers around the world mourned with Gwen. Homer left quite a legacy, and Gwen kept his memory going through his Facebook page.
And now Homer is back with You Only Live Nine Times, the first in a cozy mystery series featuring Homer and his feline cohorts Scarlett and Vashti and their human companion Rachel Baum, owner of the Title Waves bookstore in Coacoochee, a small town just up the road from South Beach, Florida. When some of Coacoochee’s citizens turn up dead, Rachel begins investigating, unaware that Homer and his friends are already on the job.
I’ve read a number of mysteries over the years featuring cats who solve or help solve mysteries. Most are fun to read, although some are a bit too cutesy for my taste. Gwen’s masterful plotting, combined with her trademark descriptive writing style infused with humor, make You Only Live Nine Lives a unique contribution to the genre.
Set in 1998, populated with an immensely likeable cast of characters, both human and feline, including a tortie named Samkhat who lives in the alley behind Title Wave Books, with the backdrop of a charming small coastal town, this book will keep you turning the pages.
But what really sets this book apart from others in this genre is Gwen’s writing style. “Rachel watched palm trees bend and sway against the gunmetal sky, their fronds thrashing like the tails of angry cats” is just one example of how she uses words to paint pictures and set the scene.
Beautiful writing, a well thought out plot, and cats – what more do you need in a book? This is a thoroughly enjoyable and fun read, and a lovely escape from reality to a simpler time. I had a hard time putting this book down, and I hope it will only be the first of many in a delightful series.
You Only Live Nine Lives is available directly from Gwen Cooper’s website at https://shop.gwencooper.com/collections/a-homer-whodunit-mystery.
I received this book from the author. Receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. All reviews on Purrs of Wisdom will always reflect my honest opinion, or, as the case may be, Allegra’s honest opinion.
This sounds really good. I can’t wait to read it.
I hope you’ll enjoy it!