The Ninth Life

by Clea Simon

Overview

Introducing Blackie, an unusual feline hero, and his companion Care in the first of this dark new mystery series.

Three figures, shadowy against the light. That’s all I remember from my past life, as I am dragged, dripping and half-drowned, from the flood. My saviour, a strange, pink-haired girl, is little help. She can barely care for herself, let alone the boy she loves. And although she has sworn to avenge the murder of her mentor, she must first escape the clutches of drug dealers, murderers and thieves. I would repay her kindness if I could. But we are alone in this blighted city – and I am a cat.
The past is an enigma to Blackie, the voice of Clea Simon’s dark new mystery. Combining elements of feline fantasy and cozy whodunit, The Ninth Life introduces this unusual hero and his companion, Care: two small creatures in a nightmarish urban landscape, fighting for their lives, and for the lives and memories of those they love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780727885715
Publisher:	Severn House
Publication date:	03/01/2016
Series:	A Blackie and Care Cat Mystery , #1
Edition description:	First World Publication
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Clea Simon worked as a journalist and non-fiction author before turning to crime (fiction). Best known for her series of cozy mysteries starring cat-lover Theda Krakow, Clea Simon grew up in New York, before moving to Cambridge, Massachusetts to attend Harvard. She fell in love with the city and lives there still with her husband and their cat, Musetta.

Read an Excerpt

At first, they were shadows. Bars before the sun, dark against the light. I could make out three: two brown, or mostly, and – in between – a taller figure, black and narrow. Three vertical lines against a dull white sky. But as I watch, they begin to waver, their outlines rippling and losing shape as the light around them dulls into the dusk. Into the mud. Receding from me as I go under. As I, too, start to fade . . . No! I gasp, choking, and begin to cough, breaking the surface with a desperate effort. Water in my mouth. My nose. Burning my throat as I gag and spit. I can’t see, can’t hear anything but my own ragged breath. I have broken through, but I cannot last. The cold is weighing on me, dragging me down . . . No! I cry in protest, my voice a wordless howl as I fight to stay afloat. Flailing, I gulp in air and swallow water, my last breath exploding from me in another cough. I am going numb. Losing the fight. My own sodden limbs conspiring to drag me down. No! Hands grab me from behind. Pulling at me, hauling me backward – ducking me. I kick and flail. Find purchase beneath my feet and twist, lashing out. The loose gravel beneath me gives way to dirt, and I scrabble for balance as I turn, ripping myself loose from those hands to glare at the person now before me. ‘Whoa.’ He steps back. She – I shake the water from my eyes. Her body slim as a boy’s, but with the hint of curves. Her hair ragged and short. Dripping, a strange shade of pink. ‘Calm down, why don’t you?’ I hiss, my throat too raw for words. I don’t know this person – this girl – but I have felt the awful strength of those hands. Hands that reach for me now. I jump back without thinking – too exhausted for anything but pure instinct – and feel one foot slide back into the icy flood. On all fours like a beast, I pull myself out and shake off what water I can, all the while keeping my eyes on the stranger. This girl who now stares back is pale, her face as bloodless as I feel my own to be. Her cheeks wet from the rain, her eyes red. Who is she, and how did she – how did I – get here?

Editorial Reviews

01/25/2016
Cozy author Simon (When Bunnies Go Bad) takes a turn to the dark side with this edgy first in a series introducing Carrie “Care” Wright, a homeless girl in her early teens who lives on the streets of an unnamed city. Care rescues a drowning cat, naming him Blackie, and the two have an instant affinity, but Blackie, who narrates the tale, is an unusual feline. Care and her foster brother, Tick, who’s about 10, live in the clutches of a gang leader, AD, but Care has been mentored by a private detective and has a chance to get out of the life until her mentor is murdered. Determined to find his killer and get Tick away from AD, Care soon finds that a pernicious drug known as scat is at the center of frightening events, including the murder of a pawn shop owner. Meanwhile, Blackie knows more than any cat should, but can’t tell Care, so he does his best to keep her safe. Noir fans who are fond of felines will find a lot to like. Agent: Colleen Mohyde, Doe Coover Agency. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"If Sherlock Holmes were a cat, this is the sort of cat he would be."

Bristol Public Library Jeanne

"A tour de force of point of view—the talented Clea Simon flawlessly portrays a main character the likes of which we'e never encountered! With skill and style and profound understanding, she entertains readers with an exciting, compelling, and utterly unique adventure."

Hank Phillippi Ryan - Agatha

"Clea Simon has twisted my brain with this book. I have been taken to the dark, damp underbelly of a drug infested, money greedy, mob-like world. My tour-guide, a cat. Normally, this would sound silly to me, but Blackie is amazing. Anyone else telling the story would be all wrong. We would know nothing like we know had she written in a different narrator. My mind is blown by this angle and I love it. Brilliant Clea, just brilliant."

S Booth

"Overall the world woven by the words of this sensible cat create such an immersive sense of tragic melancholy, intrigue and constant fear that I'm far too involved in the story to analyse the style and content. I can only see this 'world of casual violence and retribution' that these children are forced to inhabit. My reviewing abilities are fully compromised by becoming so thoroughly engrossed in a wonderful reading experience."

Breakaway Reviewers

"Forget everything you think you know about 'cat mysteries.' THE NINTH LIFE is a dark and gritty story of life on the streets, told from the unique point of view of a narrator who sees things humans can't. Clea Simon has given us a window into a world of constant and surprising dangers, frustrations and almost unbearable tension, and it's one I won't soon forget."

Joseph Finder

"Clea Simon has clearly spent some time considering what it’s like to be a cat. Blackie (and Care, ultimately) moves through the city as both hunter and prey, vulnerable and dangerous at the same time, depending on who the foe is."

S Andrews

"I loved the writing perspective of this new series. I can't imagine the creativity of Clea Simon. She is amazing. . . Never thought that I would be reading a cozy/thriller strictly narrated by a feline. BRILLIANT!"

P Marks

THE NINTH LIFE is a tour through a criminal wilderness of alleys and gutters, guided by a hunter as canny and fierce as they come. While Care is a smart, tough, and vulnerable young protagonist, narrator Blackie steals the limelight, showing us these dark places through his sharp feline eyes. A good noir tale will reveal a shadowy existence that parallels our own; Clea Simon goes many steps beyond, creating a terrific story that draws us in and makes us relate to a narrator whose life is a world away from our own

Dana Cameron; multiple Agatha

03/01/2016
Care rescues Blackie after he is almost drowned. Our feline protagonist and narrator, who has used up nearly all of his nine lives, does not remember much beyond three shadowy figures who held him underwater. Now he must save the pink-haired Care from herself and the men who seek to use her to deliver their drugs, including heroin-addicted boyfriend Tick, or frame her for murder. VERDICT With this new cat series, the author of the "Dulcie Schwartz" books (Code Grey) takes on a darker tone. Blackie is an enigmatic hero, trying to keep Care safe and lamenting his inability to communicate with her. Care is a troubled child attempting to do right. Where they go from here remains to be seen. A delight for anyone who relishes cat mysteries.

Library Journal

"We found The Ninth Life to be true edge-of-your-seat reading. The story is stark, as is the setting, yet Simon dots it all with moments of insight and small beauties that offer hope. We’re left feeling that as long as Care and Blackie have each other, they’ll somehow be okay. This story isn’t cute and cuddly, but oh, is it good! Highly recommended!"

Miss C - The Cuddlywumps Cat Chronicles

"The Ninth Life is a unique mystery and I am definitely curious to see where the Clea Simon goes with the characters next."

Wendy R

"The Ninth Life is one of Clea Simon's best novels yet, showcasing her talent for creating vibrant characters both human and animal and for developing an unforgettable story. Her books have pioneered a new genre of animal mystery - pet noir. If you love animals and mysteries, you should never pass up the opportunity to read Clea Simon's novels."

S. Sasse

"The Ninth Life is one of Clea Simon's best novels yet, showcasing her talent for creating vibrant characters both human and animal and for developing an unforgettable story. Her books have pioneered a new genre of animal mystery - pet noir. If you love animals and mysteries, you should never pass up the opportunity to read Clea Simon's novels."

Crittermom - muttcafe.com