Cries and Whiskers (Theda Krakow Mysteries, No. 3)

When an animal rights activist is killed by a hit-and-run driver, music critic Theda Krakow can't get too upset. The victim cared more for wild animals than for people or for domesticated pets, such as the black-and-white cat Musetta that Theda adores. But when she learns that the victim was defying her own radical group to rescue feral cats from the ferocious winter storm, Theda decides to investigate. As Theda and her buddy Violet race to save these half-wild felines from the freezing New England winter, they realize the activist's death was more than an accident. When the threats become more personal and Musetta goes missing, Theda risks her reputation, and possibly her life, giving a whole new meaning to the word "deadline." Clea Simon is the author of three Theda Krakow mysteries: Mew is for Murder, Cattery Row, and Cries and Whiskers. She lives in Cambridge, MA, with her husband, Jon Garelick, and their cat, Musetta. www.cleasimon.com