Bücher von Nic Saint

Canceled AnonymousAn epidemic swept through Hampton Cove, and even though I wasn't one of those infected, it still filled me with dread, since several of our nearest and dearest were amongst those taking a hit. The name of the disease was cancelation, and the symptoms were being fired from one's job, banned from one's social circles and generally being turned into an outcast. The victims were many, and the solution hard to come by, especially when our very own human Chase was suspended. Tough to investigate a crime when you're the victim!I have to admit at first I was a little hesitant to take this whole business seriously, but when Kingman was canceled, and then Shanille, cat choir's conductor, and eventually the entire cat choir, it became obvious that if we didn't take a stand, our entire way of life would be a thing of the past. But who was behind this pernicious campaign, and what could possibly be its objective? Suffice it to say we had our work cut out for us!

Max's ArkAs a rule I'm a very hospitable sort of cat, but when the storm of a century descended upon Hampton Cove and animals from all around started flocking to our home in search of shelter from the elements, it took some adjustment on my part. And then of course there was the string of murders that suddenly shook our neighborhood, with a serial killer using the storm to cover his tracks. So it wasn't long before it was all paws on deck and we were battening down the hatches to save women and children first. Though I could be mixing my metaphors.

Just the facts, ma'amIt isn't often that tragedy strikes close to home, but when Charlene Butterwick was kidnapped, that got all of our attention. Snatched in broad daylight in front of Town Hall, it wasn't long before the entire Hampton Cove police force organized a dragnet and went all out to find the mayor. And since in a sense Charlene is our mayor also, as well as our human's aunt by marriage, we volunteered for the search. It soon transpired that whoever was behind this spectacular abduction had also been involved in a home invasion gone wrong, with the homeowner not having survived his ordeal. So it wasn't too much to say that the pressure was on to find Charlene before it was too late.

Ghost From The PastThe ten-thousand-step craze had descended on my family, and while all around me everyone was busy putting their steps in, I decided that dreaming of ten thousand steps was enough exercise already. So when suddenly a woman who looked exactly like Odelia turned up at the house, the victim of a vicious attack, I was probably the only one rested enough to realize this was a portent of bad things to come. Especially when we discovered what she really wanted.The most surprising thing of all was that Gran seemed to play a pivotal part in all of this. Our very own human had so many skeletons in her closet that at one point we were starting to wonder if we really knew her at all. And it all began with a love affair gone horribly wrong.

For Skingle and CountryChristmas had come and the four of us were looking forward to a fun time spent warming up to the fire crackling in the hearth, enjoying plenty of delicious snacks and the company of our humans. Unfortunately this was not to be, for an urgent royal summons arrived that whisked us away to Liechtenburg, a small country located in the Swiss Alps. One of Europe's oldest royal houses found itself besieged by a pernicious thief eager to divest its residents of their most prized possessions. But of course this was before a string of murders rocked the nation and plunged us headlong into a Christmas mystery.

Read in Order to DieA wedding between Chief of Police Alec Lip and Mayor Charlene Butterwick has been announced and will soon be taking place in the cozy little hamlet of Hampton Cove. Unfortunately the groom seems less than overjoyed at the prospect of plighting his troth, and even the bride has second thoughts.And then of course there is the murder of Vernon Langridge, member of a local writers' group found dead in The Mighty Pen, a bookstore known for hosting frequent author signings and high-profile events. It doesn't take long for Detective Chase Kingsley to make an arrest when a valuable first-edition book is discovered in the possession of an ex-convict. But when a series of poison-pen letters starts arriving that point to the other members of the writers' group, revealing their dark secrets, it soon transpires that a lot of people had good reason to want Vernon dead.Now it's up to Max, that formidable feline sleuth, to figure out what's going on. Will the blorange detective be able to save an innocent man from being convicted for a crime he didn't commit? Will the society wedding of the decade go off without a hitch? And will Harriet write her autobiography and become the star she knows in her heart she truly is? Find out in Purrfect Bookshop, the cleverly plotted new installment in the popular Mysteries of Max series.

Going to the DogsWhen a screenwriter was found dead in the dog park, it soon transpired that a lot of people had an excellent reason to want him dead. Unfortunately they also had excellent alibis. And so it's safe to say we had our work cut out for us, especially when we learned that the dead man had discovered the secret to eternal life. A pill he had developed that would make people live forever. But was he for real or a fraud? And was this Infinity pill the reason he was killed?I would have given the case my full attention if Marge hadn't decided to take us all to the pet salon, figuring we were in need of a beauty treatment. She demanded I receive the 'full package' and so I did. If only I had known what was in store for me I would have refused in the strongest possible terms. And then there was the fact that our home was being invaded by no less than two pets: a French poodle and an anole lizard. It was enough to make any detective despair!

Cats Versus GhostsWhen a vagrant was murdered right around the corner from where we live, I felt that trouble had hit a little too close to home. And then when our local park was being overrun with homeless people, preventing us from engaging in our favorite pastime of cat choir, it soon transpired that both incidents might be connected. But how? Before long, we suspected that something was brewing in our neighborhood, with neighbor turning against neighbor in a vicious feud. At least there was something to look forward to: our first investigation into the presence of a ghost! Now that we had more or less mastered the art of catching thieves and murderers, we were moving into the ghost hunting business.

The Spy Who Killed Me They say that all good things come in threes, but also that misfortunes never come singly, so I'll let you decide which of these proverbs applies to the following situation: first we discovered that a thief had been stealing our litter, thereby preventing us from doing our business the way we like to do it. And then one of our country's most beloved actors was found murdered aboard his private yacht, with plenty of suspects likely to have done the deed. And if that wasn't enough, Gran and Scarlett decided to reform the Neighbor¿ hood Watch Committee and actively insert themselves into the investigation, wreaking havoc and mayhem at every turn. In other words: troubled times lay ahead in Hampton Cove, that peaceful little town on the East Coast that always seems to teeter on the verge of disaster.

Keeping up with the PoolesIt isn't often that a distant cousin you didn't even know existed decides to leave you five million dollars, so when Odelia's cousin Beatrice passed away, and was gracious enough to include Odelia in her will, it was the start of a new adventure for all of us. Because one of Cousin Beatrice's stipulations was that we should take over her Alaskan zoo, which housed no less than three hundred cats. And also, camera crews had to film the process. Which is how we became the stars of our own reality show, with cameras filming our every move.This wouldn't have been such a big deal, if we didn't also have a triple homicide to solve. Three members of the same family had been killed, and the only witness to the crime had mysteriously disappeared without a trace. And since there was no evidence and plenty of suspects to choose from, we had our work cut out for us.

All Aboard!I know I promised never to set foot aboard another cruise ship, but when Marge and Tex decided to celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary by taking a cruise, and invite the rest of their extended family to join them, we couldn't possibly stay home at some pet hotel. Which is how we found ourselves on board the Ruritania for a ten-day Caribbean cruise.And I think I may have finally started enjoying myself to some extent, if not a murder had been committed, and Odelia's dad was being fingered by the ship's detective as one of the possible killers. As it was, we soon were roped into the investigation, interviewing suspects, gathering clues and generally traipsing all over the giant cruise liner in search of a killer.

Dead End StreetWhen Odelia and Chase are called to the scene of an apparent murder-suicide, the conclusion seems pretty straightforward. The Römers were facing serious financial difficulties brought on by their son's illness. But when a second and a third tragedy take place at walking distance from the cul-de-sac where the Römers lived, things suddenly aren't as obvious as they first appeared. And as the investigation progresses, the fractious relationship between the neighbors quickly becomes the focus. A lot of bad blood existed in what at first looked like the perfect suburb. So who killed the Römers? Find out in Purrfect Impasse, the latest installment in this blorange feline sleuth's chronicles.

The Taming of the ShrewsWhen our beloved town of Hampton Cove found itself the target of a pair of unscrupulous drug dealers selling drugs to school kids, a task force was set up to bring these criminals to justice. The task force consisted of myself, Max, my best friend Dooley, and of course our humans Odelia and Chase. And since this all happened against the backdrop of the upcoming cat show, for which we had all been signed up, you can probably imagine the strain we were under.As if that wasn't enough, we had also been tasked with no less than two separate investigations: one to find a man's fiancée who had mysteriously gone missing, and a second one dealing with a cat owner suspected of gross neglect. As it was, Odelia decided to temporarily adopt the man's cat, so our band of four suddenly became five.All in all it was an interesting week, especially when I came face to face with my doppelganger at the cat show. So did I win 'Best in Show' or not? Find out in Purrfect Show, the latest installment in this blorange feline's chronicles.

Of Mischief and MiceIt was a dark and stormy night when our house was visited by a mouse, requiring our urgent assistance in a matter of life and death. The thing is that it's not easy to garner sympathy for the plight of mice, who are not a popular species, so we had a hard time convincing Odelia to do something. But soon a special committee was formed to look deeper into the matter. Unfortunately the committee members were too busy battling their inner demons to bother with saving a colony of mice. And so in the end it was up to us to put our best paw forward and show them how things are done.

Ezra finds himself in the impossible situation that he must be married with kids within a year. So when his roommate suggests he rent a wife and borrow a baby the plan doesn't seem as crazy to him as it sounds. But what woman in her right mind is going to marry a guy like him?Sylvie hates her boss, which is funny, since her boss hates her too. And then there's Julie, the fortunate result of an unfortunate marriage. Sylvie wants to turn her life around, but doesn't even know where to begin. Until she gets an unusual offer.Sarah's kleptomania lands her in hot water when she is caught stealing an expensive diamond ring. Within a week she loses her job, her apartment and her boyfriend. With nowhere else to turn, she asks Odelia Kingsley to help her get her life back on track.Barnaby runs a successful flower shop in the heart of Hampton Cove. His only regret is that he never found love. What he does have is a belligerent mother who likes to run his life. Barnaby knows he should probably make some changes, but how?Before long the paths of these four people will cross, leading to some unexpected situations. But one thing is for sure: their lives will never be the same again.

Tis the Season to be MollyI would like to say that Christmas is my favorite holiday but it's not. It's not the day itself, it's the season. Too cold, too wet and way too much snow. Cats aren't in the habit of wearing shoes, you see, so all this snow and ice plays havoc on our poor paws. Now if they would simply schedule Christmas in the summer, or even the spring, I'd be all for it. But then we all know that the powers that be don't consider a cat's opinion valid, so I won't even go there.Okay, so all this simply to say that this latest installment in my chronicles deals with Christmas, Christmas stores, in fact all things Christmas. The good part is that even in the middle of winter Tex decided to drag his barbecue set from the shed and cook us up some delicious goodies. But before that happened-and I guess this is the bad part-there were a bunch of murders being committed and I had to tax my brain-my big brain as my friend Dooley never fails to point out-to try and figure out who was behind it.