In the world of fictional mysteries and thrillers, cats are more than companions, they are detectives. Portraying the natural cleverness and hunting instincts of the species, mystery writers have sold hundreds of millions of stories in which the lead investigator is a cat. To cite one example, Lillian Jackson Braun has sold more than 80 million copies of her popular The Cat Who series featuring the Siamese sleuth KoKo. Most Cat Who stories take place in Pickaxe City, Michigan - 400 miles north of everywhere.

Other detecting kitties include: Mrs. Murphy (and her faithful animal companions Tee Tucker, a Welch corgi and Pewter, a plumb feline friend). The author, Rita Mae Brown, even features a cat co-author: Sneaky Pie. Ms. Brown’s cat detective lives in a small Virginia town.

And then there is Midnight Louie solving crimes in Las Vegas, Big Mike in Empty Creek Arizona, and Joe Grey in Molena Point, California. Cat sleuths are so popular they even have their own genre on Books and Bytes.

Posted by Barbara.