# What's a good mystery series with a cat as the protagonist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [July 7, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580 "2022-07-07T21:37:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/1 "2022-07-07T21:37:12Z")
In the mood for a “cozy mystery” book with a cat as a protagonist, however looking through my options on Amazon none of them seem to be what I want. 1. Has to star a normal cat. The cat can “think” but I don’t want it to star an anthropomorphic cat or a cat who can vocally talk to a human. 2. Cat has to be main character, don’t want it where it’s labeled as a cat mystery series but there’s actually a human behind the cat who does all the detective work. 3. Preferably on Audible or Kindle since I have free Kindle and audible credits there already. Thanks for your help! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/2 "2022-07-07T21:38:46Z")
I haven’t read them, but here’s a list: > **[6 Cozy Mysteries Told From a Cat’s Purr-spective](https://crimereads.com/6-cozy-mysteries-told-from-a-cats-purr-spective/)** > > It’s no secret that cozy mysteries often feature cats. They’re the trusty side-kicks, the comic reliefs, the silent partners with noses dewy for crime. Rarely are they the protagonists though. That… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/3 "2022-07-07T21:40:31Z")
The only one I know of is the Cat Who series. But the cat supplies clues to help the detective. It is a pretty good summer book series. Light reading. Cozy mysteries. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/4 "2022-07-07T21:46:46Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Has to star a normal cat. Well, that rules out my series-that-I-never-wrote called _Manx Grey_, a noir full of awful cat puns. ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/5 "2022-07-07T21:47:55Z")
I came to say the “Cat Who” series by Lilian Jackson Braun as well. It’s as close to what you’re asking for as you’re likely to get. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/6 "2022-07-07T22:07:41Z")
Miranda James cat in the stacks series. Eva gates lighthouse mystery. ---
**Author:** ![betonbill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@betonbill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betonbill)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/7 "2022-07-08T00:54:35Z")
Rita Mae Brown has a detective series starring a corgi and a cat. Can’t remember any titles offhand, but she is a good author and they are popular. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/8 "2022-07-08T01:11:57Z")
> [@tofor](#): > > I came to say the “Cat Who” series by Lilian Jackson Braun as well. It’s as close to what you’re asking for as you’re likely to get. I read most of these over the years (there are 29 of them). But after Braun died in 2011, someone(s) else wrote them and they really went off the rails. I finally gave them up but there are still close to a couple dozen that are highly entertaining. These are told from the human’s perspective. His cats are smart and he trusts their instincts and they invariably lead him to the killer. Closer to what you are looking for might be the Midnight Louie mysteries by Carole Nelson Douglas. There are 28 of them. The stories are told from the cat Louie’s perspective. He fancies himself a hardboiled detective and “helps” his owner investigate crimes in Las Vegas. This series also suffered in the end when the author apparently decided she didn’t need an editor. I did finish this one because there was an underlying story throughout the series and I wanted to know how it ended. But the majority of the series was a lot of fun. All of these appear to be available on Kindle. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/9 "2022-07-08T08:07:31Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > All of these appear to be available on Kindle. Speaking of cat puns. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/10 "2022-07-08T11:14:37Z")
The fact that this is a genre is mind blowing. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/11 "2022-07-08T13:20:46Z")
hundreds of books moriarty, hundreds! most of the cozy cat mysteries have a supernatural aspect to them. asuka asked for those with a normal cat. that narrows things down a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/12 "2022-07-08T14:09:01Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > The fact that this is a genre is mind blowing. I was thinking the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/13 "2022-07-08T14:22:45Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > The fact that this is a genre is mind blowing. You’re just scared that Purrlock Pawlmes is going to come after you ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/14 "2022-07-08T16:23:07Z")
> [@tofor](#): > > I came to say the “Cat Who” series by Lilian Jackson Braun as well. It’s as close to what you’re asking for as you’re likely to get. And, I dare say, much better quality than any of the genre “Cozies where the pet is the narrator”. Now, there are some good “Animal helps solve crime or just accompany the sleuth” books. David Rosenfelt got involved in dog rescue and his taut thrillers immediately changed to “Plucky lawyer and dedicated dog solve crimes.” They’re well-written and the audiobooks are excellently read (as is the Cat Who books… I much prefer George Guidell’s perfect voice for Jim Qwilleran to the print versions). But I’ve read some horrible books like “I’m a cat who has no patience for my human, but for some reason I care intensely about this murder…” Pfft, it’s hard to buy a cat protagonist who would care about anything that much… and wouldn’t wander away in the middle of the book for a couple of chapters. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/15 "2022-07-24T12:38:04Z")
My first thought were [Felidae](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felidae_(novel)), which was translated from German into english and pretty much invented the genre in 1989. It appears the author has gone all right wing nowadays, so it becomes hard to find now but none of that sort of nonsense is in the original first book. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/16 "2022-07-24T12:50:31Z")
The Cat Who books started in the sixties. I don’t think Felidae invented the niche genre. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-good-mystery-series-with-a-cat-as-the-protagonist/967580/17 "2022-07-24T18:34:50Z")
Ok, fair enough, it inferred it in the wiki. I’m no expert on the genre. Felidae is a good book, despite the author going wrong later in life.