Shirley Rousseau Murphy's Joe Grey Mysteries are always excellent, and CAT TELLING TALES is no exception. The mystery involves a burned building, a homeless women, a family rift, and webs of deceit, as befits all good mysteries. However, other issues lurk beneath the surface: one involving where the son of a feline friend of Kit, Joe, and Dulcie might be, and if the old cat will ever see his son again. As always, Joe has no need for the tales of far- gone lands and talking cat mythology, but the tales provide a sense of community and mystery beyond the mundane for the rest of the talking cats.

Although CAT TELLING TALES is a great book on its own, reading all of the way through the series is extremely satisfying: watching the different feline police informants help solve the mysteries and seeing the relationships of the ever-expanding circle of people who know the cats' secrets is delightful and rewarding.