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Cait Morgan #1
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue
In the south of France, where hatred simmers in the heat, a man seemingly admired, and certainly feared, drops dead at a dinner party. All of the guests fall under suspicion, including Welsh-Canadian professor Cait Morgan. A criminologist who specializes in profiling victims, Cait sets out to solve the murder - and clear her name. Add to this the disappearance of an ancient Celtic gold collar said to be cursed and there you have the ingredients for a Nicoise salad of death, secrets, and lies.
Will Cait find the killer before she too falls victim to a murderer driven by a surprising and disturbing motive?
Will Cait find the killer before she too falls victim to a murderer driven by a surprising and disturbing motive?
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2012
134 people are currently reading
811 people want to read
About the author
Cathy Ace
48 books388 followersCathy Ace migrated from her native Wales to Canada at the age of 40. She is the award-winning author of the traditional Cait Morgan Mysteries featuring her Welsh Canadian criminology professor sleuth who travels the world tripping over corpses, which have now been optioned for TV. She also writes the cozier WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries featuring a quartet of female PIs who run their business out of a Welsh stately home. Both series have been well-reviewed. Her award-winning standalone, THE WRONG BOY, is a gripping novel of psychological suspense, set in Wales, and has also been optioned for TV.
"Ace is, well, an ace when it comes to plot and description.” The Globe and Mail
Cathy's work has won the prestigious Bony Blithe Award for best Canadian light mystery, an IPPY and an IBA Award, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story.
Her short story "Dear George" appeared on the UK's O Level English Language syllabus and, together with another story, "Domestic Violence", has been produced for BBC Radio 4. You can find out more about Cathy, her books, and events she'll be attending, at www.cathyace.com
"Ace is, well, an ace when it comes to plot and description.” The Globe and Mail
Cathy's work has won the prestigious Bony Blithe Award for best Canadian light mystery, an IPPY and an IBA Award, and has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best Short Story.
Her short story "Dear George" appeared on the UK's O Level English Language syllabus and, together with another story, "Domestic Violence", has been produced for BBC Radio 4. You can find out more about Cathy, her books, and events she'll be attending, at www.cathyace.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
May 11, 2025
“… he was dead before his face hit the garlic butter.”
Welsh Canadian criminologist Cait Morgan is in Nice to present a paper at a conference on behalf of an ailing colleague, where she encounters Alistair Townsend, a former boss she soundly despised from the bottom of her heart. When he invited her to attend his wife’s birthday party that weekend, she could hardly refuse. But when Townsend keels over during dinner and it is later proven that he is the victim of digitalis poisoning, Morgan finds herself on the suspect list. She would obviously agree with Sherlock Holmes’ oft-spoken adage that the game was afoot!
Cait Morgan is an exceptionally well-developed and very likable character. She’s forty something, moderately attractive, definitely overweight and in need of a bit of exercise. Gifted with an eidetic memory, she sees but, like Sherlock Holmes, she observes, she remembers and she draws logical inferences and clever deductions. She’s a good friend to the handful of people who fall within that circle. Her libido, like her body, is healthy but also under-utilized and in need of being taken out and let loose for a run! She’s clever but she’s politically savvy and, indeed, self-deprecating enough to hide such lights as she has under a bushel to avoid making enemies by flouting that cleverness. If you like your laughs to fall on the wry, sarcastic side of the humour spectrum, then you’ll definitely find Morgan to be funny and subtly amusing!
THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE is definitely a cozy mystery – no sex, no thrills, no chills, no chases, no blood, no guts and no gore. It’s not quite a locked room mystery in that the murder doesn’t take place inside an actual locked room. But like Agatha Christie’s MYSTERY ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS or AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, the list of suspects is limited and the reader knows from the earliest pages that one of them is guilty. It’s only a matter of who, how and why.
Definitely entertaining and definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
Welsh Canadian criminologist Cait Morgan is in Nice to present a paper at a conference on behalf of an ailing colleague, where she encounters Alistair Townsend, a former boss she soundly despised from the bottom of her heart. When he invited her to attend his wife’s birthday party that weekend, she could hardly refuse. But when Townsend keels over during dinner and it is later proven that he is the victim of digitalis poisoning, Morgan finds herself on the suspect list. She would obviously agree with Sherlock Holmes’ oft-spoken adage that the game was afoot!
Cait Morgan is an exceptionally well-developed and very likable character. She’s forty something, moderately attractive, definitely overweight and in need of a bit of exercise. Gifted with an eidetic memory, she sees but, like Sherlock Holmes, she observes, she remembers and she draws logical inferences and clever deductions. She’s a good friend to the handful of people who fall within that circle. Her libido, like her body, is healthy but also under-utilized and in need of being taken out and let loose for a run! She’s clever but she’s politically savvy and, indeed, self-deprecating enough to hide such lights as she has under a bushel to avoid making enemies by flouting that cleverness. If you like your laughs to fall on the wry, sarcastic side of the humour spectrum, then you’ll definitely find Morgan to be funny and subtly amusing!
THE CORPSE WITH THE SILVER TONGUE is definitely a cozy mystery – no sex, no thrills, no chills, no chases, no blood, no guts and no gore. It’s not quite a locked room mystery in that the murder doesn’t take place inside an actual locked room. But like Agatha Christie’s MYSTERY ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS or AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, the list of suspects is limited and the reader knows from the earliest pages that one of them is guilty. It’s only a matter of who, how and why.
Definitely entertaining and definitely recommended.
Paul Weiss
March 5, 2017
Although I realized that many will not agree with me I have to admit that I did not especially like the main character, she irritated me a number of times and it really brought me out of the story. I think that the author wanted a unusual, maybe a not quite loveable character and it shows really how well Cathy Ace CAN write that Cait rubbed me totally the wrong way.
As I said, the author can write well, the storyline really flows. I did figure out "who did it"but not until almost the end. If I wasn't a person that the characters are the most important part of the book I definitely would have given this story a better rating. It wasn't just the main character (the most important) that I didn't like, but almost all of the characters. Except for some people mentioned slightly throughout the story, I disliked almost everyone...
As I said, the author can write well, the storyline really flows. I did figure out "who did it"but not until almost the end. If I wasn't a person that the characters are the most important part of the book I definitely would have given this story a better rating. It wasn't just the main character (the most important) that I didn't like, but almost all of the characters. Except for some people mentioned slightly throughout the story, I disliked almost everyone...
August 9, 2012
Disclosure: The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is published by TouchWood Editions, which publishes my mystery novels. So I have been extra-critical….)This review is from my blog: www.stephenlegault.com/writing/blog.
Reading The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is like having a conversation with a charming, slightly quirky, and highly intelligent aunt that you heard stories about when you were a kid, but never spent much time with. The aunt in this case is Cait Morgan, a criminologist by training with a specialty in victim profiling. She’s middle-aged, a little on the heavy-side and alluring. She loves to eat, enjoys good wine, and has a couple of extraordinary talents that make her a great amateur sleuth. First, she has the ability to profile not only people, but things, which she does in this debut novel from Cathy Ace. Cait also has a photographic memory: she can recreate a scene that she has only witnessed very briefly in startling detail.
These traits come in very handy when Cait finds herself in Nice, France, to present a paper on behalf of a sick colleague, where she runs into a former employer, Alistair Townsend. Before Cait became a victim profiler and University professor, she used her skills at understanding people at the ad agency run by Alistair. She, along with most of the rest of the world, hated the man. So when she’s invited to celebrate Townsend’s young wife’s birthday, she reluctantly accepts. Alistair does a face-plant into his escargot at the dinner table, and we soon learn he was poisoned.
This is a perfect set-up for a “closed room” murder. The setting is the Palais du Belle France, a grand old residence that during the Second World War was the headquarters of the Gestapo. The suspects are the remaining dinner guests celebrating the evening. The likely motive: the Celtic collar, a birthday gift from Alistair to his trophy-wife; a piece of ornate golden jewellery with a mythological history of killing those who wear it if they are not of Celtic blood.
What I liked about The Corpse with the Silver Tongue the most was the confined setting. We got to know one place, and its occupants, very well. There were just enough suspects in the murder investigation to keep me both guessing, and from becoming confused (something that happens much too often for my comfort). There were just a pair of clear possible motives. And the physical setting was both complex (I love underground tunnels in a mystery!) and confined. It brought to mind several of Agatha Christie’s classic who-dunnits, including Ten Little Indians and Murder on the Orient Express. When a second person dropped dead, I was delighted. Oh good, I thought, more mayhem!
I enjoyed getting inside the protagonist’s head. Cait is whip-smart, and professional, but also human. She smokes (it’s never even occurred to me to have a character light up a butt) and over-indulges and maybe spends a little too much time thinking about pastry for my liking, and she’s got plenty of flaws. But that’s what makes her identifiable. You could imagine your aunt, who happens to be a criminologist and busy-body, getting into this sort of trouble.
The solution to the mystery wasn’t particularly intricate, though I didn’t guess who the killer was. But then, I seldom do. I read mystery novels for insight into the protagonist, and the antagonist, and rarely trouble myself with trying to solve the riddle. Cait is going to return, and I was also reading to see what sort of set up would take place for the second book in this series, The Corpse with the Golden Nose. No doubt about it, Cait Morgan is going to have her hands full, and with Cathy Ace penning her life’s story, readers are in for a grand time.
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is published by Touchwood Editions. Follow Cathy Ace on twitter @AceCathy.
Follow me on twitter @stephenlegault.
Reading The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is like having a conversation with a charming, slightly quirky, and highly intelligent aunt that you heard stories about when you were a kid, but never spent much time with. The aunt in this case is Cait Morgan, a criminologist by training with a specialty in victim profiling. She’s middle-aged, a little on the heavy-side and alluring. She loves to eat, enjoys good wine, and has a couple of extraordinary talents that make her a great amateur sleuth. First, she has the ability to profile not only people, but things, which she does in this debut novel from Cathy Ace. Cait also has a photographic memory: she can recreate a scene that she has only witnessed very briefly in startling detail.
These traits come in very handy when Cait finds herself in Nice, France, to present a paper on behalf of a sick colleague, where she runs into a former employer, Alistair Townsend. Before Cait became a victim profiler and University professor, she used her skills at understanding people at the ad agency run by Alistair. She, along with most of the rest of the world, hated the man. So when she’s invited to celebrate Townsend’s young wife’s birthday, she reluctantly accepts. Alistair does a face-plant into his escargot at the dinner table, and we soon learn he was poisoned.
This is a perfect set-up for a “closed room” murder. The setting is the Palais du Belle France, a grand old residence that during the Second World War was the headquarters of the Gestapo. The suspects are the remaining dinner guests celebrating the evening. The likely motive: the Celtic collar, a birthday gift from Alistair to his trophy-wife; a piece of ornate golden jewellery with a mythological history of killing those who wear it if they are not of Celtic blood.
What I liked about The Corpse with the Silver Tongue the most was the confined setting. We got to know one place, and its occupants, very well. There were just enough suspects in the murder investigation to keep me both guessing, and from becoming confused (something that happens much too often for my comfort). There were just a pair of clear possible motives. And the physical setting was both complex (I love underground tunnels in a mystery!) and confined. It brought to mind several of Agatha Christie’s classic who-dunnits, including Ten Little Indians and Murder on the Orient Express. When a second person dropped dead, I was delighted. Oh good, I thought, more mayhem!
I enjoyed getting inside the protagonist’s head. Cait is whip-smart, and professional, but also human. She smokes (it’s never even occurred to me to have a character light up a butt) and over-indulges and maybe spends a little too much time thinking about pastry for my liking, and she’s got plenty of flaws. But that’s what makes her identifiable. You could imagine your aunt, who happens to be a criminologist and busy-body, getting into this sort of trouble.
The solution to the mystery wasn’t particularly intricate, though I didn’t guess who the killer was. But then, I seldom do. I read mystery novels for insight into the protagonist, and the antagonist, and rarely trouble myself with trying to solve the riddle. Cait is going to return, and I was also reading to see what sort of set up would take place for the second book in this series, The Corpse with the Golden Nose. No doubt about it, Cait Morgan is going to have her hands full, and with Cathy Ace penning her life’s story, readers are in for a grand time.
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is published by Touchwood Editions. Follow Cathy Ace on twitter @AceCathy.
Follow me on twitter @stephenlegault.
February 15, 2018
Cait Morgan has traveled to Nice to present a paper for a sick colleague when she runs into her former boss, Alistair Townsend. Unable to say no, she finds herself at a birthday party for Alistair’s wife that night. Dinner is ruined when Alistair drops dead at the table and the other guests start feeling sick. With the police looking at Cait, she needs to figure out what is really happening.
Cait is an interesting character because she has an excellent memory but a habit of judging others quickly. I did find myself annoyed by her at times, but that never lasted for long. The suspects make a strong cast as they have layers to them that Cait has to peal back before she can solve the crime. And the plot heads into some areas I wasn’t expecting that I found interesting. I had a couple of niggles with the climax, but they were minor.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Cait is an interesting character because she has an excellent memory but a habit of judging others quickly. I did find myself annoyed by her at times, but that never lasted for long. The suspects make a strong cast as they have layers to them that Cait has to peal back before she can solve the crime. And the plot heads into some areas I wasn’t expecting that I found interesting. I had a couple of niggles with the climax, but they were minor.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
April 28, 2018
Cait Morgan is a criminology professor who is in Nice presenting a paper for a colleague when she runs into a former acquaintance who invites her to his wife's birthday dinner. She goes, someone is murdered, and she investigates.
I thought at first the book would be alright, although I was disappointed when it mentioned cholera in the Roman era (as part of a conversation). Then I got fed up with how Cait was going on and on about the hot Italian from dinner who kept hanging out with her. And then the plot hinged on her randomly drinking a beer sitting out on the counter. Did I mention she's about 40 pounds overweight and obsessed with food (she salivates at foie gras) and has a quasi-photographic memory that she can access while humming to herself? Yeah, so...this book was obviously trying to set up a character with enough background for a series but did so at the expense of the actual mystery. The solution of which was revealed at the very end well after she realized it herself and emailed it to various people when she decides not to flee immediately and find the police but instead hides.
I do not recommend this book. Maybe the series gets better, but I wouldn't count on it.
I thought at first the book would be alright, although I was disappointed when it mentioned cholera in the Roman era (as part of a conversation). Then I got fed up with how Cait was going on and on about the hot Italian from dinner who kept hanging out with her. And then the plot hinged on her randomly drinking a beer sitting out on the counter. Did I mention she's about 40 pounds overweight and obsessed with food (she salivates at foie gras) and has a quasi-photographic memory that she can access while humming to herself? Yeah, so...this book was obviously trying to set up a character with enough background for a series but did so at the expense of the actual mystery. The solution of which was revealed at the very end well after she realized it herself and emailed it to various people when she decides not to flee immediately and find the police but instead hides.
I do not recommend this book. Maybe the series gets better, but I wouldn't count on it.
March 2, 2013
Cait Morgan, a criminology professor in Canada, travels to France to present a paper for a colleague unable to attend a conference. She happens to run into an old boss and can’t escape an invitation to his wife’s birthday party. She can’t stand the man but decides to attend anyway. When the guy drops dead in the middle of dinner and the necklace he brought his wife as a birthday present disappears her quick trip to France turns into a real nightmare. Her French is not that good but knowing she is a main suspect is not lost in the translation. She wishes her friend Bud was there to help her out of this mess but he is back in Canada up to his neck in an investigation of his own.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Ace’s first Cait Morgan mystery has that Agatha Christie feel and I was quickly caught up in the mystery. Plenty of suspects seated around the table but who would kill this pompous man and why?
I really enjoyed the location and the travels through the compound where many of the suspects resided. The gardens – beautiful, the underground tunnels – scary and revealing of secrets. The links to the past and the provenance of the necklace was so interesting.
The characters unique, from the gold digger wife to the American writer that lives upstairs. Even Bud back in Canada was easy to connect with through just the phone calls. Cait is an intriguing protagonist with her criminology background and her unusual observation skills. The detectives in France were not sure what to make of Cait Morgan but I thought they were excellent characters. Moreau did not speak much English so Bertrand had to translate. Both stayed as objective as possible until finally realizing Cait may be able to help them but by then it was almost too late.
This was a captivating debut and look forward to reading more about Cait, Bud, and hopefully Bertrand in the future.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Ace’s first Cait Morgan mystery has that Agatha Christie feel and I was quickly caught up in the mystery. Plenty of suspects seated around the table but who would kill this pompous man and why?
I really enjoyed the location and the travels through the compound where many of the suspects resided. The gardens – beautiful, the underground tunnels – scary and revealing of secrets. The links to the past and the provenance of the necklace was so interesting.
The characters unique, from the gold digger wife to the American writer that lives upstairs. Even Bud back in Canada was easy to connect with through just the phone calls. Cait is an intriguing protagonist with her criminology background and her unusual observation skills. The detectives in France were not sure what to make of Cait Morgan but I thought they were excellent characters. Moreau did not speak much English so Bertrand had to translate. Both stayed as objective as possible until finally realizing Cait may be able to help them but by then it was almost too late.
This was a captivating debut and look forward to reading more about Cait, Bud, and hopefully Bertrand in the future.
April 4, 2013
If you’re looking for a book that will pull you into the story, put your thinking caps on, get involved with the characters, the history, and the colorful landscape surrounding a good mystery while the hours fly by… then you have come to the right place. You will get to know Professor Cait Morgan’s interesting character traits as she unravels and exposes the details that lead her to solving a mystery. While visiting the south of Frances Cait bumps into her old lying ex-boss Alistair Townsend. He invites her to his wife’s birthday party. Unfortunately for Cait, let’s just say, she couldn’t leave the party or the country! The drama begins on page one and keeps you guessing till the end.
This is the first book in the Cait Morgan mystery series, but it won’t be my last. A thoroughly good choice!
This is the first book in the Cait Morgan mystery series, but it won’t be my last. A thoroughly good choice!
December 23, 2020
Somewhat in the style of Agatha Christie, our detective, Cait Morgan - who is really a criminologist rather than a pure detective - happens to be in the south of France when an old acquaintance (a smooth talking former ad man whom Cait used to work for and now loathes) drops dead at the dinner table. As with many good mysteries, and this is a fine one, one death is never enough. Cait is then plunged headlong into the mystery surrounding an ancient Roman necklace that disappears almost exactly at the moment its owner meets his maker. Thus the crimes, suspense, and story all build.
The strongest aspect of this novel is the plot. At its height, it's a gripping page turner, the outcome of which will not wait to be known. Unfortunately, Cait Morgan detracts from the story. I found our criminologist/detective to be overly present, to the point of distracting from the story. This is especially true where the reader is privy to her private thoughts (such as the incessant refrain that she must lose weight or quit smoking - but probably won't). Worse is Ace's over-reliance on italics to emphasize a word or point. On certain pages I couldn't help but count the number of italicized words, to the point of needing to go back and re-read the page to focus on what I'd missed with all my counting.
Worse than either of these faults is Cait's naivete, nay recklessness, at a key moment in the story. At that moment, she lost all credibility with me as either a criminologist or a detective and my patience - and interest - waned.
The strongest aspect of this novel is the plot. At its height, it's a gripping page turner, the outcome of which will not wait to be known. Unfortunately, Cait Morgan detracts from the story. I found our criminologist/detective to be overly present, to the point of distracting from the story. This is especially true where the reader is privy to her private thoughts (such as the incessant refrain that she must lose weight or quit smoking - but probably won't). Worse is Ace's over-reliance on italics to emphasize a word or point. On certain pages I couldn't help but count the number of italicized words, to the point of needing to go back and re-read the page to focus on what I'd missed with all my counting.
Worse than either of these faults is Cait's naivete, nay recklessness, at a key moment in the story. At that moment, she lost all credibility with me as either a criminologist or a detective and my patience - and interest - waned.
February 25, 2016
I am not sure why I finished this book. I immensely disliked the narrator/'protagonist' in the story, Cait Morgan. This character was gratuitously snarky, snide, judgmental, and sarcastic. She seemed to wear all like some badge of honour, believing (as she repeatedly tells the reader throughout the book) that she is better and smarter than all around her. And yet, she is then a bit wistful that she has no real friends (beyond one couple back home). No friends?!? Really?!? Maybe your personality has something to do with that! I am not sure why I finished this book. I feel like I need to do some type of cleanse now to rid myself of all the bad energy that was generated by the main character. It seemed often that the author was creating scenes just so Cait could make horrible comments. Who needs that type of thing in their life?
I am not sure if the following is a spoiler or not; I write generalities rather than the details. But, just in case, I am hiding it.
I will not be reading other books in this series. I just do not need that type of pollution in my spirit.
I am not sure if the following is a spoiler or not; I write generalities rather than the details. But, just in case, I am hiding it.
I will not be reading other books in this series. I just do not need that type of pollution in my spirit.
January 30, 2013
Canada-based criminology professor, Cait Morgan, doesn’t mind presenting a paper in Nice, France. After all, the cuisine and warm sunny weather are certainly worth the trip. Bumping into a disliked former employer, however, dampens the idyllic setting, especially when he insists she attend his wife’s birthday party that evening. When her host keels over and dies at the dining table, this is just the start of a nightmarish weekend.
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue is Cathy Ace’s debut whodunnit and this book encompasses everything I love in a mystery: a puzzle, the potential for romance, humor, and an exotic setting. The protagonist’s superb memory and professional background make her a natural for crime solving. It was a treat to read about Nice, a city I hadn’t visited for over thirty years.
There wasn’t an overly long list of suspects, and as the list grew shorter, the culprit’s identity wasn’t a complete surprise, or maybe I’m getting better at spotting cleverly placed clues. The suspenseful pages leading up to the climax had me staying up late. I look forward to seeing what trouble Cait finds herself in next!
March 29, 2016
This is a good book. The characters are vivid and interesting. Cait, the protagonist, seems to have a fascinating and rich past. She is fat and smart, with a sharp tongue and a big appetite. She's also a smoker.
The mystery is a classic "there is a dinner party and someone is murdered. Who in the group is guilty?" mystery. This means it is familiar, comfortable, and not gory or terrifying.
The whole thing takes place in France. Different nationalities are represented in the cast of characters: French, Italian, American, Canadian. Due to this AND the dinner party set-up, it is reminiscent of Agatha Christie.
The mystery is a classic "there is a dinner party and someone is murdered. Who in the group is guilty?" mystery. This means it is familiar, comfortable, and not gory or terrifying.
The whole thing takes place in France. Different nationalities are represented in the cast of characters: French, Italian, American, Canadian. Due to this AND the dinner party set-up, it is reminiscent of Agatha Christie.
October 16, 2012
A really good debut mystery novel! The story was good, and the setting was terrific (Nice is one of my favorite places in the entire world). The main character was well-written, even if her specialness was a bit exaggerated. The only thing I didn't like was the tacked-on romance at the end.
August 20, 2022
Is Cait Morgan the most unintentionally unlikable protagonist of all time? Maybe not, but she's definitely in the running. Her entire personality consists of being a very specific 50 to 80 pounds overweight, still being incredibly sensitive about other people's views of her based on her size despite the fact that she's pushing 50, and her almost sexual enjoyment of food. (A couple of the eating scenes were straight-up uncomfortable 😬) . She's also a member of Mensa and has a photographic memory, which are more plot devices than anything. She's also really unpleasant, constantly thinking mean, judgemental, self-righteous things about the people around her. Seriously, it's all just food and "other people are stupid but I'm going to pretend to be nice and polite to them because my conflict management skills are non-existent."
Oh, and she says "tummy" a lot. Which I hate. It's a pet peeve, though, so. I cringe when anyone, especially adults, uses that word. You're a middle aged academic, use your grown-up words. Ugh. Gross.
I think that's a big part of what bothered me. She's supposed to be a highly regarded 47 year old academic, specializing in behavioural profiling, but she acts like a difficult teenager.
It's a shame, because the writing is actually not terrible. The plotting was a little thin and it relied a bit too heavily on MacGuffins, but the writing itself wasn't bad.
Except for how she ends up with her friend the ex-cop two weeks after his wife died. Because of course she does.
Oh, and she says "tummy" a lot. Which I hate. It's a pet peeve, though, so. I cringe when anyone, especially adults, uses that word. You're a middle aged academic, use your grown-up words. Ugh. Gross.
I think that's a big part of what bothered me. She's supposed to be a highly regarded 47 year old academic, specializing in behavioural profiling, but she acts like a difficult teenager.
It's a shame, because the writing is actually not terrible. The plotting was a little thin and it relied a bit too heavily on MacGuffins, but the writing itself wasn't bad.
Except for how she ends up with her friend the ex-cop two weeks after his wife died. Because of course she does.
July 13, 2013
The Corpse with the Silver Tongue by Cathy Ace is a smart, fun, cozy thriller. Cait Morgan is a professor and ends up having to go to Nice in the south of France to do a presentation in place of a colleague. While there, she runs into an old boss who she doesn't really like, but feels obligated to accept his invitation to his wife's birthday dinner that evening. Cait attends the dinner, though it doesn't turn out at all like she expects. When her old boss drops dead, and everyone at the dinner party is poisoned, including Cait, she has to find out who killed her boss, and why...before she ends up dead. Cait has what is referred to as a 'photographic memory' and she is seasoned in the study of victimology, giving her some much-needed tools to find out 'whodunit'. We're also introduced to Cait's good friend, Bud Anderson, who live in Canada with his wife Jan. He works for the police force, and is who Cait considers one of her only friends. He does what he can to help her from across the globe.
This is a wonderful story. Cathy Ace does an amazing job at painting the picture. I felt transported to France through her descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Cait Morgan is a well developed, likeable character. I felt like I could really relate to her and loved seeing her working on the mystery. If you're looking for an action-packed cozy with well-developed characters, look no further. This is a great start to a series.
This is a wonderful story. Cathy Ace does an amazing job at painting the picture. I felt transported to France through her descriptions of the sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Cait Morgan is a well developed, likeable character. I felt like I could really relate to her and loved seeing her working on the mystery. If you're looking for an action-packed cozy with well-developed characters, look no further. This is a great start to a series.
December 8, 2021
Cathy Ace is not an author I knew but an article about her in CRA newsletter , I think, caught my attention. I downloaded the first book from each of her series onto my already overstretched shelves and on a flip of a coin, started on this one.
Its a story about Professor Cait Morgan of the University of Vancouver whose work as a profiler of sorts has brought her into regular contact with the local police. Her academic life takes a turn when she becomes the last minute stand in for a colleague on a trip to the South of France for a presentation. This simple task is complicated when she meets a local millionaire and ex employer who invites her to a small dinner party where he drops dead.
It is a fairly interesting story and fortunately the author doesnt make the mistake of introducing too many characters. Those she does are clearly defined and easy to picture although it took a long time before I felt them to be real characters and not just people on a page. This and a lull in the action almost caused me to ditch the book but I kept on and reached the excitement and denouement.
To sum up , I suppose that it was alright but nothing more. I dont think that I will be following the series and whether I try the other series is a bit up in the air , rather like the coin that brought me to this one.
Its a story about Professor Cait Morgan of the University of Vancouver whose work as a profiler of sorts has brought her into regular contact with the local police. Her academic life takes a turn when she becomes the last minute stand in for a colleague on a trip to the South of France for a presentation. This simple task is complicated when she meets a local millionaire and ex employer who invites her to a small dinner party where he drops dead.
It is a fairly interesting story and fortunately the author doesnt make the mistake of introducing too many characters. Those she does are clearly defined and easy to picture although it took a long time before I felt them to be real characters and not just people on a page. This and a lull in the action almost caused me to ditch the book but I kept on and reached the excitement and denouement.
To sum up , I suppose that it was alright but nothing more. I dont think that I will be following the series and whether I try the other series is a bit up in the air , rather like the coin that brought me to this one.
April 28, 2015
This mystery is in the vein of the classic holiday whodunit. Cait Morgan, a professor of criminology in Vancouver, Canada, is visiting Nice, France for the weekend. The murder pulls you into the story right away, and discovering who the dinner guests are and the secrets they guard keeps you turning pages.
The setup is ideal for the whodunit mystery – Cait is an outsider, who happens to be at the fatal dinner by a twist of fate. She knows she did not kill Alistair, but one of the five dinner guests must have. To top it off, Cait is considered a suspect by the French police, and cannot travel home until someone is arrested for the crime. Knowing this, she takes matters into her own hands to try and name the killer.
We follow Cait talking to and observing the suspects, picking up clues as we go. She gathers a lot of information – some of it important to the mystery, some of it misleading – but it all does come together in the end. Overall, a fun read with a cast of interesting suspects.
For my full review, visit Hidden Staircase.
Many thanks to TouchWood Editions for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The setup is ideal for the whodunit mystery – Cait is an outsider, who happens to be at the fatal dinner by a twist of fate. She knows she did not kill Alistair, but one of the five dinner guests must have. To top it off, Cait is considered a suspect by the French police, and cannot travel home until someone is arrested for the crime. Knowing this, she takes matters into her own hands to try and name the killer.
We follow Cait talking to and observing the suspects, picking up clues as we go. She gathers a lot of information – some of it important to the mystery, some of it misleading – but it all does come together in the end. Overall, a fun read with a cast of interesting suspects.
For my full review, visit Hidden Staircase.
Many thanks to TouchWood Editions for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2012
A great debut! Cait Morgan, a criminology professor, is presenting a paper in Nice when she runs into her old boss, a man she always detested. Well, who didn't? She reluctantly agrees to go to his party, only to become a suspect when he's murdered. There's a handsome Italian museum curator, a necklace that may be cursed, a dizzy gold digger, rumors of Nazi war crimes--but all Cait wants to do is get back home to her only two friends, a policeman she's worked with in the past, and his outgoing, warm-hearted wife. More Cait, please, Ms. Ace!
October 7, 2022
GREAT start to a series, and I'm looking forward to reading the rest. I listened to the Audible version of the book and it was narrated by the author who did a fantastic job. The mystery was nicely written, the setting was beautiful (the south of France!), and there's room for many more adventures for Cait. Loved it - 5 stars!
September 21, 2014
Prof. Cait Morgan is a character you want to spend time with. She draws you into her world. I love a good cozy and Cathy Ace knows just how to write them.
September 17, 2017
I've had this on my e-reader for a while and kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Here's an author who understands how to present a Christie-style puzzle cleanly and in a most entertaining fashion through the eyes of a not-so-typical, Welsh-cum-Canadian sleuth who sports some unconventional methods of deduction. In fact, I've grown incredibly fond of sleuth Cait Morgan. (I read the whole series of eight books without a break.) In this particular book, an ancient Celtic collar winding up in the South of France makes for both an engaging plot and dinner party conversation, as it turns out, and that's before things really get rolling. So, as you can imagine, international intrigue is an understatement.
I read so much that finding a fresh perspective on the traditional locked room mystery through the words of an author who builds unique and memorable characters--so many and yet all easy to remember so no confusion--and writes so engagingly, is a true treat. Highly recommended for mystery lovers everywhere.
I read so much that finding a fresh perspective on the traditional locked room mystery through the words of an author who builds unique and memorable characters--so many and yet all easy to remember so no confusion--and writes so engagingly, is a true treat. Highly recommended for mystery lovers everywhere.
July 19, 2018
Much of the time, I felt like I was dragging myself through to finish this book. The MC was an obnoxious snotty wretch and I didn't care for her at all at any point in the book. The other characters were equally unlikable, and I didn't really care all that much about the solution for the longest time. Close to the end, I actually started trying to figure out who committed the murders and the book was a bit more readable, but I still didn't enjoy it. The writing itself was good, but I just didn't care for the book.
August 7, 2023
I really enjoyed this book by Cathy Ace! Cait Morgan is relatable, quirky and fun to solve mysteries alongside. I quickly moved on to the second book, and am now diving into book 3.
To make everything that much better, I was having a hard time finding the third book anywhere to be shipped in time for my family holiday, so I contacted the author Cathy Ace by email, and not only did she answer right away, she had the book in her home, she shipped it the same day, and signed at that!
To make everything that much better, I was having a hard time finding the third book anywhere to be shipped in time for my family holiday, so I contacted the author Cathy Ace by email, and not only did she answer right away, she had the book in her home, she shipped it the same day, and signed at that!
June 24, 2023
I gave it 4 stars because of the ending. The main character was a bit irritating at times but it was a good mystery, a well paced book, and and both main characters are older. The writing is sharp and though it sloughed at times, overall it was a good read.
January 4, 2026
What’s meant to be a working holiday turns into a nightmare when Cait Morgan finds herself stuck with a room full of poisonous rich people and one fresh corpse. Can her remarkable memory spot the killer before they cotton on to her?
Fascinating bunch of characters with long memories.
Cait’s internal monologue felt much like my own at times.
Didn’t guess the culprit at all. Proper surprise when it landed.
Glad none of my neighbours are this murderous. 3.5 stars. Decent cosy with bite.
Fascinating bunch of characters with long memories.
Cait’s internal monologue felt much like my own at times.
Didn’t guess the culprit at all. Proper surprise when it landed.
Glad none of my neighbours are this murderous. 3.5 stars. Decent cosy with bite.
May 29, 2023
3.5 rating very Agatha Christie inspired. Interesting new look on criminal psychology
April 27, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Cait Morgan is a forty-eight year old Criminology Professor from the University of Vancouver in Canada. Cait is in Nice, France to present a paper to an international symposium. While attending a dinner at the Palais du Belle, one of the guests, Alistair Townsend, keels over dead.
It turns out that everybody at the dinner party was poisoned, but only Alistair died as a result of the poisoning. To make matters worse, there is a missing necklace - a birthday gift for Tamsin, Alistair's wife. It seems that each member of the party had reason to want Alistair dead, but why steal the necklace? Are the two events related and if so, how? Who killed Alistair and why?
To add to the confusion, a break-in is discovered at the museum where Dr. Benigno Brunetti, one of the dinner guests, is an Administrator and then another elderly member of the dinner party is found dead with a painting from her apartment missing. Are these latest incidences related to Alistair's death?
Fortunately, Cait has almost a photographic memory for sights, sonds, and smells; so she is able to replay many of the scenes in her mind's eye. In Vancouver, she occasionally works with the police to better understand the victim and question suspects. Is her memory and experience enough to solve the mysteries surrounding her in Nice?
Cait Morgan is a forty-eight year old Criminology Professor from the University of Vancouver in Canada. Cait is in Nice, France to present a paper to an international symposium. While attending a dinner at the Palais du Belle, one of the guests, Alistair Townsend, keels over dead.
It turns out that everybody at the dinner party was poisoned, but only Alistair died as a result of the poisoning. To make matters worse, there is a missing necklace - a birthday gift for Tamsin, Alistair's wife. It seems that each member of the party had reason to want Alistair dead, but why steal the necklace? Are the two events related and if so, how? Who killed Alistair and why?
To add to the confusion, a break-in is discovered at the museum where Dr. Benigno Brunetti, one of the dinner guests, is an Administrator and then another elderly member of the dinner party is found dead with a painting from her apartment missing. Are these latest incidences related to Alistair's death?
Fortunately, Cait has almost a photographic memory for sights, sonds, and smells; so she is able to replay many of the scenes in her mind's eye. In Vancouver, she occasionally works with the police to better understand the victim and question suspects. Is her memory and experience enough to solve the mysteries surrounding her in Nice?
June 22, 2014
Reading the Corpse with the Silver Tongue (or rather, listening to it read by the author), I kept thinking how much I'd enjoy meeting the protagonist, Cait Morgan, in real life. She's a middle-aged, Welsh-Canadian criminologist, 'woman of size' with a brilliant mind who struggles a bit to cope in social situations. She's strong, capable, and opinionated but underneath, just wants to be liked. I think we'd get along famously. I certainly enjoyed tagging along as she followed clues and used her unique abilities to solve the mystery.
I confess to some apprehension about the author's choice to read the audio version of the book herself, but I was quickly won over. Cathy did an excellent job with voicing each of the characters but, for me, she really became Cait Morgan. I'm sure if I read future books in paper format, the voice I hear in my head will be Cathy/Cait.
I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, already waiting in my Audible library, but I'm trying to pace myself a bit. This is a series to be savoured. I've added Cathy Ace to my list of 'must read' authors.
I confess to some apprehension about the author's choice to read the audio version of the book herself, but I was quickly won over. Cathy did an excellent job with voicing each of the characters but, for me, she really became Cait Morgan. I'm sure if I read future books in paper format, the voice I hear in my head will be Cathy/Cait.
I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, already waiting in my Audible library, but I'm trying to pace myself a bit. This is a series to be savoured. I've added Cathy Ace to my list of 'must read' authors.
June 30, 2012
This is a fun read for so many reasons:`the characters, the locations (the south of France, with a side-story in Vancouver, Canada) and, most of all, the storytelling. Some reviews I`ve seen say it`s in the classic tradition of Agatha Christie, and it is. But it`s not a pastiche of that style: the heroine is a modern woman, with a few quirks, and the way the author introduces different periods of history, a little romantic tension, and lots of food, adds different layers that carry the reader through the numerous clues.
The other thing I really liked was the way that all the clues are there for the reader to be able to work through, but the author delivers them so well, that I didn`t work out the whole solution until it was made clear, but when explained, it made sense. And all the red herrings were dealt with. I like the sleuthing criminologist Cait Morgan, she has a good sense of humor, I like the way she looks at the world (even though it`s a bit odd) and I`ll defintely read any more books by this writer, with this character.
The other thing I really liked was the way that all the clues are there for the reader to be able to work through, but the author delivers them so well, that I didn`t work out the whole solution until it was made clear, but when explained, it made sense. And all the red herrings were dealt with. I like the sleuthing criminologist Cait Morgan, she has a good sense of humor, I like the way she looks at the world (even though it`s a bit odd) and I`ll defintely read any more books by this writer, with this character.
December 3, 2012
‘The Corpse with the Silver Tongue’ is the first book in the Cait Morgan Mystery series by Cathy Ace. The main character, Cait Morgan, is a middle aged professor in criminology. Cait is Welsh by birth, but now working at a University in Canada. The story takes place in the south of France where Cait is presenting a paper. While she is relaxing at a bar in Nice, she happens to run into a former employer who invites her to his wife’s birthday party. At the dinner party, her former employer, Alistair, clutches his chest and falls into his bowl of escargots – dead. Since the police have informed Cait that she cannot leave until the exact cause of death is discovered, Cait decides to help investigate.
To read the complete review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...
To read the complete review see: http://www.examiner.com/article/read-...
April 18, 2013
This series is only for those who love classic old-fashioned murder mysteries. And even then, you have to be prepared to like this ironically.
The dialogue consists mainly of awkward exposition, the characters are largely ciphers, key plot points are telegraphed miles away, and our plucky heroine Cait Morgan has intellectual "gifts" that smell of deus-ex-machina.
And Cait isn't the most likeable detective. She's snobby, bossy, quick to judgment and pathologically self-centered. Still, there is something entertaining and even admirable about the way she puffs about solving crimes, acting like a modern-day version of Miss Marple.
The dialogue consists mainly of awkward exposition, the characters are largely ciphers, key plot points are telegraphed miles away, and our plucky heroine Cait Morgan has intellectual "gifts" that smell of deus-ex-machina.
And Cait isn't the most likeable detective. She's snobby, bossy, quick to judgment and pathologically self-centered. Still, there is something entertaining and even admirable about the way she puffs about solving crimes, acting like a modern-day version of Miss Marple.
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