This is the second book in the series.. I enjoyed this book.. It was a nice cosy read.. Who knew that a cat could talk let alone help solve murders!! I love the little friendship that Lulu and Conrad have formed.. I will definitely be keep my eye out for more in this series if there is any..

Thankyou to Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for sending me this book to review..

“Lulu had come to accept that Conrad could talk, but there were times when she still thought that perhaps she was dreaming and that one day she would wake up. Cats didn’t talk, obviously. That was a fact of life. Except that Conrad did.”

My thanks to Pan Macmillan for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Cat Who Solved Three Murders’ by L.T. Shearer.

I adored the first book in this series of cosy mysteries, ‘The Cat Who Caught a Killer’, that introduced Conrad, an unusual Calico Cat. Conrad can talk, though he does so only when he and his human, Lulu, are alone. When other humans are around he is still quite vocal, though only with meows.

Lulu Lewis had been a Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police. Following her retirement and the death of her husband, she now lives with Conrad on her narrowboat, The Lark.

In this second novel, Lulu has driven her narrowboat to Oxford to visit her old friends, Bernard and Julia Grenville and to attend Bernard’s lavish sixtieth birthday party. In recent years they have done very well for themselves.

As she and Conrad arrive at the Greenville’s opulent Georgian mansion, she sees police vehicles outside and learns there has been a break-in and a number of artworks stolen. Both Bernard and a visitor were attacked and the visitor had died of his injuries . Yet as the title indicates, this isn’t the only murder that Lulu and Conrad will be confronted with during their stay.

The investigation is led by Inspector Tracey Calder of the Thames Valley Police. Given that Lulu had been a senior police officer, Tracey welcomes her unofficial assistance on the case as it becomes increasingly complex. No further details to avoid spoilers.

This was another delight of a mystery that was well plotted and engaging. Lulu is a strong lead and don’t get me started on how wonderful Conrad is. A calico cat with the heart of a lion.

Given some of its darker themes, including coming to terms with ageing, death and bereavement, I would class ‘The Cat Who Solved Three Murders’ as a semi-cosy mystery. There’s certainly lighter moments, mainly provided by Conrad’s witty observations.

I do hope that L.T. Shearer will be continuing with this entertaining series. A must read for cat lovers and those who enjoy cat-themed mysteries.

Lulu and Conrad go to Oxford on the Lark to see Julia and Bernard for Bernard's 60th Birthday party.
When they get there they find that Bernard was attacked the day before and the man he was with was murdered. As in all these cases, things are not what they seem and it appears the past is coming to bite people on the bum.

An enjoyable tale.

I enjoyed the first book and was looking forward to reading this one. It was a very easy read and once again I loved Conrad the talking cat. I did guess the killer quite early so the second half of the book was fairly predictable.

I was really disappointed with this book, especially as I enjoyed the first one.

It is a fun concept but I found the plot so unbelievable as to be annoying, and the characters were two-dimensional. Take for example the ex-detective Lulu, who meets the leading detective, Tracey, for the first time at the site of the murder of her friend. Immediately Tracey consults her on everything, invites her to interviews and asks for advice with the caveat "don't tell Juliet" (her friend and wife of the murdered man). I don't think it's likely an active police officer will involve someone in the investigation who is potentially involved.

The other issue was Juliet's reaction to two murders in her home, including her husband. She just eats and sleeps in the house, doesn't seem frightened or upset. She doesn't seem to be grieving in anyway at all.

These two aspects really ruined the book for me as it came across as poorly written.

An excellent second book by LT Shearer featuring Conrad and his human companion Lulu. As a committed crazy cat lady I cannot get enough of these books. The characterisation of Conrad is perfect - even down to his emphatic meows when protesting at the daft observations of others. A great fun romp - can we have more please?

I'm torn between 2 or a 3 stars in this book. I did read it very easily and quickly, so it definitely had something engaging about it. But there were quite a few things that bothered me. My number 1 thing was the same issue I had with the first book...the cat, Conrad, does not solve the murders! In the first book, I'd thought perhaps Conrad still needed to grow into his role. But still, he doesn't actually unravel the truth - he did, at least, spot some clues this time that helped, and he does play a rather more active role in one scene, but he also spent a lot of time just listening to what was happening around him. I still want a cat detective, rather than an ex-detective who carries a cat around on her shoulders!
I was also cross with the ending. I don't want to give any spoilers, but it was a bit of a whitewash, and it left me feeling worse about Lulu as a person, which bothered me.
The other thing that grated was the largesse throughout the book. I know lots of people will love all the vast riches of the house Lulu is visiting, and the label clothes, and the endless wine and M&S food...but I found it quite uncomfortable reading, and it didn't endear the characters to me. They do spend an *awful* lot of time eating and drinking, and place value on things of monetary value. I missed Lulu's barge, and wished the focus was more there than in the enormous mansion.

I am not going to reveal the plot, as it is quite complex and I doubt I'll do it justice. Suffice to say it is really good. So I'll skip stright to ....

What did I think?

Where book one sets the scene for our two lead characters, personalities, location etc., book two is very much about the adventure and the crimes. Don't get me wrong, the new location and crime scene is every bit as appealing.

There is everything to love about these two adventures; neither are clichéd, and both are delightfully different (arguably, poles apart) and addictive.

Of course, Conrad the cat has lost none of his magic and is a most excellent foil for ex-Police Detective Superintendent Lulu Lewis. There are still sage feline replies, but the banter has changed and matured as the two have grown together. One of the great things is the way other humans react and interact to Conrad, and how Lulu manages to avert questions as to who she was talking to.

I have read many cosy mysteries, and the best have a special 'je ne sais quoi', the something extra that elevates them from the slew of similar and frankly repetitive stories. This series start reminds me of the writings of the late great Lilian Jackson Braun. There is the same air of confidence and quiet style. Of course the original cat, Koko, in her books could not talk.

I dearly loved the characterizations in this second book. The secondary characters' depth reflects LT Shearer's observation of life. It provides a suitable twist to the plot, our perception of the evidence we are presented, and our assumptions as readers. I do like that.

So . . . . Crunch time; to buy or not?

Without doubt, it is as masterful a cosy mystery as I have ever read. Ably mixing cosy mystery and detective fiction with a lovely dash of (ex)police procedural.

This is a page-turner that might just have non-cat owners adopting a cat. Those already blessed with a feline may well already be wondering what crime-solving skills they possess.

Whatever your take on cats, we believe this book will have something for the cosy mystery fan and make a perfect Christmas present. Heck, don't wait that long; buy a copy and pass it on!

'The Cat Who Solved Three Murders' by L. T. Shearer.
Retired police detective Lulu Lewis's life changed forever when she met a street cat named Conrad. There's something very special about Conrad, but it's a secret she has to keep to herself. When Lulu takes her narrowboat to Oxford, she is planning nothing more stressful than attending a friend's birthday party. And drinking a few glasses of Chardonnay. But a brutal murder and a daring art theft means her plans are shattered - instead she and Conrad find themselves on the trail of a killer... a killer who may well strike again.
I was really looking forward to reading this because I loved the first one and it didn't disappoint. I love Conrad the cat and I love the partnership that he has with Lulu. I'd call on them if I had a crime to solve.
If anyone is a fan of cozy crime and talking cats then give this series a go.
Thanks to NetGallery UK, the publishers and the author for letting me read a copy in return for an honest review.

Lulu Lewis and her cat Conrad are in Oxford to attend a birthday party for an old friend.
When Lulu and Conrad arrive at the house, they find the police there after a man was killed and Julia’s friend Bernard was injured during a robbery.
Despite what has happened the party is going ahead but it appears nothing is quite as it seems.
Working with the police Lulu, and Conrad, begin to put the pieces together but does Lulu know her friends well as she thought and could more people be in danger.
If you like cosy crime and cats this is perfect for you.

I really enjoyed being back with Conrad and Lulu as they set about solving another murder. I like how the author tells the story and tells the murders and how she describes everything down to the tiny details. I really enjoyed the characters in this book and I like how well all the characters work together and they characters really made this book as there was so many interesting characters though out the book. I really love the relationship between Conrad and Lulu and how well they get on with each other I love reading about how Conrad helps solved the murders as well as all the other people in the book. I really enjoyed trying to solve the murder and who it can be. My only circumstance is that I guessed who the murder was half way though the book as some one the clues in the book gave it away a bit too easy for me to solve the murder it’s the same problem I had with book one as well as I solved the murder half way though that book as well. Overall the plot and the characters of this book are very well written. I really hope there is another book with Conrad and Lulu as I will definitely read it. Thank you net galley and the author for letting me read and review the ARC copy of the

Conrad still being Conrad, the calico cat that he is and able (not really, he is just picking up the signals) to read Lulu's mind.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

With this being the second in a series I had high hopes for this book having previously enjoyed the first one and luckily this was absolutely the case.

As with the first story Lulu, a retired police officer and Conrad the calico cat that adopted her, solve crimes alongside a currently serving police officer, this time our “sidekick” is Tracey, a young woman who feels a bit out of her depth at first, though she certainly grows into her role.

The crime and mystery are never too predictable so that they’re boring but the solution makes enough sense that if you had the desire to, you could solve it.

This is a great continuation of a wonderful cosy mystery series that I’d love to read more from.

Ahhhh I am an official Shearer fan! Another fun and addictive story about Conrad the cat. He is just about the cutest. This is your perfect read if you want to curl up on the sofa on a rainy day.. :)