Casebook of a Private (Cat's) Eye

by Mary Stolz, Pamela R. Levy (Illustrations)

A clever collection of detective cases by the Newbery Honor-winning author of The Noonday Friends and Belling the Tiger, Casebook of a Private (Cat's) Eye tells the story of Eileen O'Kelly, Boston's only female feline detective who has her paws full trying to crack cases involving disappearing lox, a two-timing Siamese, and traffic in stolen catnip. But when a tart-tongued innkeeper hires her to find the murderer of a renowned chef and the valuable cookery book that's gone missing from the scene of the crime, Eileen and the inn's handsome sous-chef must each risk at least one of their nine lives in a dangerous whisker-to-whisker encounter with a felonious Abyssinian. Throughout the book, charming period illustrations evoke turn-of-the-century Boston.

Genres: Mystery, Childrens, Animals, Cats, Historical Mystery

128 pages, Hardcover

First published March 26, 1999

About the author

Mary Stolz was a noted author for children and adolescents whose novels earned critical praise for the seriousness with which they took the problems of young people. Two of her books ''Belling the Tiger'' (1961) and ''The Noonday Friends'' (1965), were named Newbery Honor books by the ALA but it was her novels for young adults that combined romance with realistic situations that won devotion from her fans. Young men often created more problems and did not always provide happy ever after endings. Her heroines had to cope with complex situations and learn how to take action whether it was working as nurses (The Organdy Cupcakes), living in a housing project (Ready or Not), or escaping from being a social misfit by working for the summer as a waitress (The Sea Gulls Woke Me).

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: My office, which I opened early in this year of 1912, is in an old West End brownstone, a block from the boardinghouse where I room.

Premise/plot: Eileen O’Kelly, our heroine, is a private detective writing up her cases. This delightful children’s book—an animal fantasy historical mystery chapter book—is a treat. Some cases are solved within a chapter. Others are ongoing investigations that span multiple chapters. Her work introduces her to many interesting folk.

My thoughts: I absolutely love, love, love, crazy love this one! It was a joy to spend time with the characters. Eileen is such a great heroine. The ending was the best; it made me giddy. The illustrations are just as charming as the text.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

In light of the release of the movie adaption of ALW's Cats, I decided go back and reread my favorite book as a child, which is about anthropomorphic cats in Edwardian Boston solving crime. I'm delighted to announce that it's just as good as I remembered. The mysteries are fun, and the narrative voice is wonderfully wry. Looking back, I'm also pretty sure this was my first introduction to sexism and classism.

Also, the book comes with illustrations, which are beautifully rendered and, perhaps most importantly, will not give you sleep paralysis.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for the illustrations. 3.75 for the story.

[Kit Moonstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beginning chapter book is perfect for kids who are just starting to read chapter books, but there's also enough there that it's enjoyable for adults too. It would be a great read aloud as well. Eileen is a very fun narrator, and it's very easy to get drawn into her world. The mysteries are all pretty episodic with Eileen being the main connective tissues, and they are also pretty engaging if slightly predictable at times. But while an adult might predict what happens in them, a kid probably won't unless they're a really big mystery buff.

The illustrations are fantastic and really add to the atmosphere. The costumes especially are great. I also really enjoyed the slow burn romance that's a minor subplot. Overall this is a really fun read that I think kids would enjoy, especially if they like animals or mysteries. It makes for a great bridge book from beginning readers to chapter books and has the potential to be a really fun read aloud book. Four out of five stars.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book consists of a series of interconnected cases as told by Eileen. The mysteries are fun and interesting, and they are challenging enough to provide surprises in the end. The characters are wonderful, and the illustrations go very well with the story. It makes for a great engaging chapter book for those just starting to read chapter books on their own. It gets four out of five stars.

[Mayda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eileen O’Kelly is a cat of a different ilk – she’s a determined detective who can solve cases using her wits and whiskers. She is clever and tenacious, and sometimes solving one case sheds light on another. A charming combination of tales and illustrations, this book is sure to please young and old alike.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it because the characters were cats. It was a good story, but I wish she'd used people instead of cats. I'd rather have cats act like cats and not people (ie, not dress like people).

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember reading this as a kid when I was completely enamored with cats.