The Rainbow Bridge is the wonderful place that pets visit after they die. Is someone planning a one-way, all-expense paid trip there for cat detectives Yoshi and Gatsby? Things are getting tense for the world’s greatest cat detectives. Wild coyotes are roaming the streets, a fast talking cat psychic claims he can speak to the dead and the neighborhood is being plagued by robberies committed by literal cat burglars. All of that is nothing compared to what might be the biggest challenge of Yoshi and Gatsby’s careers: their humans have just adopted a dog!
Before the mysteries are solved there will be a thrilling rooftop chase, encounters with animal villains and a ghostly visitation. Humor, action and mystery combine into a story that both pet lovers and mystery readers will love.
Yoshi and Gatsby of the Petectives books have stopped by to shameless plug their latest book:
Mudpie: Hi guys! It’s been awhile since you’ve visited us.
Gatsby: But now we’re back and better than ever! And Mudpie, may I say that you’re just as sweet as the dessert whose name you share.
Mudpie: Gatsby, didn’t you use that same line on Truffles the last time you were here?
Gatsby: Uh…
Mudpie: Maybe we should just stick to my questions, and not bother with old pick-up lines.
Yoshi: Fire away. I’ll do my utmost to answer while Gatsby tries to think of some new pick-up lines.
Gatsby: Hey! I should do the talking. After all, I narrate our stories.
Mudpie: You can both answer. As I was saying, it’s been awhile since you’ve been here. Can you reintroduce yourselves?
Gatsby: Absolutely. My name is Gatsby. I’m an orange, stripey cat who loves making fun of my owner, being mean to dogs and eating lasagna.
Yoshi: Wrong orange cat. You just described Garfield. You are definitely not Garfield.
Gatsby: Am I Heathcliff?
Yoshi: Not unless someone’s changed the title of our book to ‘Wuthering Heights’.
Gatsby: Is that a literary joke? Nobody’s going to get that.
Mudpie: Actually the visitors to my site are very intelligent, well-read people. I’m sure that they all got it.
Gatsby: Well that’s great but we’re not here to talk about good literature; we’re here to talk about the Petectives books. Wait, what did I just say?
Yoshi: Perhaps I can get back to Mudpie’s question. His name is Gatsby. He’s an orange cat who’s outgoing, reckless and not nearly as funny as he believes he is. My name is Yoshi. I’m an erudite black cat who enjoys books, naps and using my intellect to solve the difficulties that arise in our neighborhood. You see, Gatsby and I act as private investigators for the other pets in our area.
Mudpie: What kinds of difficulties?
Gatsby: Our neighborhood is a hotbed of animal crime! We’ve had to deal with everything from cat nappers to attempted dogicide!
Yoshi: I don’t believe that our neighborhood is any different than the average American suburb. But from time to time, mysteries crop up that we need to investigate.
Mudpie: So what mysteries crop up in your newest book?
Gatsby: Well our latest book is called Petectives: Rainbow Bridge. In it our neighborhood is being beset by cat burglars.
Mudpie: You mean some guy dressed in black who sneaks into the upper stories of buildings?
Gatsby: Nope. Actual cats are somehow getting into people’s homes and stealing premium cat food and cat toys.
Mudpie: That’s much worse.
Yoshi: Indeed. But that’s not the only problem plaguing the area. Feral coyotes also seem to be wandering our streets looking to prey on house pets. And Gatsby has an encounter with them.
Mudpie: That’s horrible!
Gatsby: It’s not all heavy. We also have to deal with an old friend of mine who’s come into town claiming that he’s a psychic and can communicate with the dead. For the right price, of course.
Mudpie: Seriously? That’s not for real, is it?
Yoshi: Ah well, that’s where we come in.
Mudpie: Well at least no one gets murdered.
Gatsby: Not at first, but you never know where these things are going to go.
Mudpie: Does someone get murdered?
Gatsby: We’re not giving out spoilers! You’re going to have buy the book to find out!
Mudpie: No I’m not. I have a review copy, I’ve already read the book. I was just trying to help generate interest.
Yoshi: And we thank you. Do you have any other questions for us?
Mudpie: Yoshi, I know that you’re a reader. Have you read any good books lately?
Yoshi: Well, I just finished Poirot: The Greatest Detective in the World by Mark Aldridge. It details the history of Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective, who’s celebrating his hundredth anniversary this year. I found it to be an excellent read. Highly recommended.
Mudpie: I’ll have to check that out. Is there anything else you guys would like to say?
Gatsby: Yes. Buy Pectectives books! There’re five of them now! Collect ‘em all! Old people love them! Middle-Aged people love them! Kids love them! There’s mystery! There’s action! There’s humor! It’s sorta like a cozy mystery without any annoying humans. You all should stop reading this nonsense right now, go to Amazon and search for ‘Petectives’!
Yoshi: Hmm. I think I see why it’s been so long since we’ve been here. Thank you, Mudpie.
Mudpie: Thanks, guys.
As you can see, Mudpie really had her paws full with these guys, but we just love Yoshi and Gatsby to pieces and have ever since their very first adventure a number of years ago. Each of the cats' unique purrsonalities shines through once again as Yoshi, the brains behind the operation (who solves mysteries in between naps), and Gatsby, the impulsive risk taker who constantly finds himself in hot water, are on the case of a pair of mysteries as a gang of cat burglars have invaded their cozy little neighborhood and a face from Gatsby's past arrives claiming he can communicate with the dead. This isn't even the full extent of their problems, because even as the book begins poor Gatsby is recovering at the vet after nearly putting one paw over the Rainbow Bridge himself!
Each and every one of the stories in the Petectives series is an absolute delight, and the best part...NO PEOPLE! If you prefer characters with fur and four legs, these are the books for you. I for one don't miss human involvement a single bit because these kitties prove they can take care of things themselves. Four paws up!!!
GIVEAWAY! The author has generously offered to give away paperback copies of Rainbow Bridge and the short story The Fourth Cat to one lucky winner. To enter, simply leave a comment below by midnight eastern one week from today, 10/21/21. (US entries only, please.)
