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Midnight Louie #1
Catnap
When Temple Barr, five-feet-zero of feisty redhead, goes in hot pursuit of a stray black cat streaking through a publishing convention exhibit hall, she stumbles over a big-time NY editor lying dead. While Temple and Midnight Louie are on the case, the famous publishing mascots, a pair of Scottish Fold library cats named Baker and Taylor, are kidnapped for ransom. The pair must sniff out a murderer before Murder by the Book describes their fates.
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1992
59 people are currently reading
2,234 people want to read
About the author
Carole Nelson Douglas
153Ìýbooks562ÌýfollowersCarole Nelson Douglas is the author of sixty-four award-winning novels in contemporary and historical mystery/suspense and romance, high and urban fantasy and science fiction genres. She is best known for two popular mystery series, the Irene Adler Sherlockian historical suspense series (she was the first woman to spin-off a series from the Holmes stories) and the multi-award-winning alphabetically titled Midnight Louie contemporary mystery series. From Cat in an Alphabet Soup #1 to Cat in an Alphabet Endgame #28.
Delilah Street, PI (Paranormal Investigator), headlines Carole's noir Urban Fantasy series: Dancing With Werewolves, Brimstone Kiss, Vampire Sunrise, Silver Zombie, and Virtual Virgin. Now Delilah has moved from her paranormal Vegas to Midnight Louie, feline PI's "Slightly surreal" Vegas to solve crimes in the first book of the new Cafe Noir series, Absinthe Without Leave. Next in 2020, Brandi Alexander on the Rocks.
Once Upon a Midnight Noir is out in eBook and trade paperback versions. This author-designed and illustrated collection of three mystery stories with a paranormal twist and a touch of romance features two award-winning stories featuring Midnight Louie, feline PI and Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator in a supernatural-run Las Vegas. A third story completes the last unfinished story fragment of Edgar Allan Poe, as a Midnight Louie Past Life adventure set in 1790 Norland on a isolated island lighthouse. Louie is a soldier of fortune, a la Puss in Boots.
Next out are Midnight Louie's Cat in an Alphabet Endgame in hardcover, trade paperback and eBook Aug. 23, 2016.
All the Irene Adler novels, the first to feature a woman from the Sherlock Holmes Canon as a crime solver, are now available in eBook.
Carole was a college theater and English literature major. She was accepted for grad school in Theater at the University of Minnesota and Northwestern University, and could have worked as an editorial assistant at Vogue magazine (a la The Devil Wears Prada) but wanted a job closer to home. She worked as a newspaper reporter and then editor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. During her time there, she discovered a long, expensive classified advertisement offering a black cat named Midnight Louey to the "right" home for one dollar and wrote a feature story on the plucky survival artist, putting it into the cat's point of view. The cat found a country home, but its name was revived for her feline PI mystery series many years later. Some of the Midnight Louie series entries include the dedication "For the real and original Midnight Louie. Nine lives were not enough." Midnight Louie has now had 32 novelistic lives and features in several short stories as well.
Hollywood and Broadway director, playwright, screenwriter and novelist Garson Kanin took Carole's first novel to his publisher on the basis of an interview/article she'd done with him five years earlier. "My friend Phil Silvers," he wrote, "would say he'd never won an interview yet, but he had never had the luck of you."
Carole is a "literary chameleon" who's had novels published in many genres, and often mixes such genre elements as mystery and suspense, fantasy and science fiction, romance with mainstream issues, especially the roles of women.
Delilah Street, PI (Paranormal Investigator), headlines Carole's noir Urban Fantasy series: Dancing With Werewolves, Brimstone Kiss, Vampire Sunrise, Silver Zombie, and Virtual Virgin. Now Delilah has moved from her paranormal Vegas to Midnight Louie, feline PI's "Slightly surreal" Vegas to solve crimes in the first book of the new Cafe Noir series, Absinthe Without Leave. Next in 2020, Brandi Alexander on the Rocks.
Once Upon a Midnight Noir is out in eBook and trade paperback versions. This author-designed and illustrated collection of three mystery stories with a paranormal twist and a touch of romance features two award-winning stories featuring Midnight Louie, feline PI and Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator in a supernatural-run Las Vegas. A third story completes the last unfinished story fragment of Edgar Allan Poe, as a Midnight Louie Past Life adventure set in 1790 Norland on a isolated island lighthouse. Louie is a soldier of fortune, a la Puss in Boots.
Next out are Midnight Louie's Cat in an Alphabet Endgame in hardcover, trade paperback and eBook Aug. 23, 2016.
All the Irene Adler novels, the first to feature a woman from the Sherlock Holmes Canon as a crime solver, are now available in eBook.
Carole was a college theater and English literature major. She was accepted for grad school in Theater at the University of Minnesota and Northwestern University, and could have worked as an editorial assistant at Vogue magazine (a la The Devil Wears Prada) but wanted a job closer to home. She worked as a newspaper reporter and then editor in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. During her time there, she discovered a long, expensive classified advertisement offering a black cat named Midnight Louey to the "right" home for one dollar and wrote a feature story on the plucky survival artist, putting it into the cat's point of view. The cat found a country home, but its name was revived for her feline PI mystery series many years later. Some of the Midnight Louie series entries include the dedication "For the real and original Midnight Louie. Nine lives were not enough." Midnight Louie has now had 32 novelistic lives and features in several short stories as well.
Hollywood and Broadway director, playwright, screenwriter and novelist Garson Kanin took Carole's first novel to his publisher on the basis of an interview/article she'd done with him five years earlier. "My friend Phil Silvers," he wrote, "would say he'd never won an interview yet, but he had never had the luck of you."
Carole is a "literary chameleon" who's had novels published in many genres, and often mixes such genre elements as mystery and suspense, fantasy and science fiction, romance with mainstream issues, especially the roles of women.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
December 5, 2020
I seldom favour multiple narratives but as human protagonist, Temple, did not click with me; leniency fell to Las Vegas alley cat, Midnight Louis. I have always cringed at gritty language mimicked for old-fashioned detectives, smart aleck blue collar men, New Yorkers, Jews, or Italians. Streetwise Americans don't universally have poor, aggressive grammar. However, I was game to let this duo tell â€�Catnapâ€� their way. I am touched that these stories are crafted after °ä²¹°ù´Ç±ô±ð’s cat from years ago. It must be tricky to develop histories over a series, while needing to excite readers immediately.
Our 30 year-old career woman lived with Max, a magician, whose family she does not know. Casual boyfriend material, maybe: not a live-in mate! She deemed it a quirky characteristic, that he didn't explain taking off! It becomes important to jive with Temple some other way. We do, after she cares about Louis and champions the self-worth of authors duped by their agent. The novel pressed so hard to establish a business environment, that we were more immersed in fingernails, attire, and curt mannerisms than mysteriousness. Everyone loathed the deceased and cared about the mascot cats. Interest improved but fizzled with a nonsensical ending.
It seemed common knowledge that Las Vegas had a pound, in 1992, that killed! In 30 hours! No one checked there? The famous cats had no tattoos? Pound staff noticed no promotional posters? After Temple is told she has half an hour to look, she runs an errand in the convention centre? Let's please dispense with disbelieving police officers, irritating colleagues serving no purpose, and past boyfriends readers don't give a fig about. Max will probably be dangled as a future mystery but I will try the second novel. The Las Vegas setting is unusual and secondary characters are very likeable.
Our 30 year-old career woman lived with Max, a magician, whose family she does not know. Casual boyfriend material, maybe: not a live-in mate! She deemed it a quirky characteristic, that he didn't explain taking off! It becomes important to jive with Temple some other way. We do, after she cares about Louis and champions the self-worth of authors duped by their agent. The novel pressed so hard to establish a business environment, that we were more immersed in fingernails, attire, and curt mannerisms than mysteriousness. Everyone loathed the deceased and cared about the mascot cats. Interest improved but fizzled with a nonsensical ending.
It seemed common knowledge that Las Vegas had a pound, in 1992, that killed! In 30 hours! No one checked there? The famous cats had no tattoos? Pound staff noticed no promotional posters? After Temple is told she has half an hour to look, she runs an errand in the convention centre? Let's please dispense with disbelieving police officers, irritating colleagues serving no purpose, and past boyfriends readers don't give a fig about. Max will probably be dangled as a future mystery but I will try the second novel. The Las Vegas setting is unusual and secondary characters are very likeable.
December 1, 2015
This is the first Midnight Louie mystery series in an ambitious 28 novel serialisation but unfortunately the other 27 will have to ever remain a mystery for me as I have no interest in continuing to read the others.
Midnight Louie is a male feline an unofficial house detective who fancies himself the cat equivalent of Sam Spade/Philip Marlowe which I found just plain annoying rather than endearing. Temple Barr deals with PR for the convention centre in Las Vegas and is adopted by Midnight Louie as his "owner". Midnight Louie discovers the dead body of Chester Royal, head of publishing imprint Pennyroyal Press. And from there Temple takes it upon herself to investigate.
Plain and simple I just didn't care about Temple or any of the characters and even Midnight Louie. The story is somewhat written tongue in cheek, if it was suppose to be humorous it didn't hit my funny bone. There were constant references to the mysterious disappearance of 'Mystifying Max', Temple's boyfriend which happens off stage so to speak but if you are expecting a resolution to that plot thread forget it you'll have to wade yourself through the other 28 novels I imagine if you can be bothered. Another thing I found annoying was the author's constant use of similes sometimes several in each paragraph.
A far better alternative author I would suggest if you want to read a book with a cat as a character would be the Shannon Hill ebooks starring Boris and her owner Sheriff Lil Eller set in Crazy, Virginia much more fun.
Midnight Louie is a male feline an unofficial house detective who fancies himself the cat equivalent of Sam Spade/Philip Marlowe which I found just plain annoying rather than endearing. Temple Barr deals with PR for the convention centre in Las Vegas and is adopted by Midnight Louie as his "owner". Midnight Louie discovers the dead body of Chester Royal, head of publishing imprint Pennyroyal Press. And from there Temple takes it upon herself to investigate.
Plain and simple I just didn't care about Temple or any of the characters and even Midnight Louie. The story is somewhat written tongue in cheek, if it was suppose to be humorous it didn't hit my funny bone. There were constant references to the mysterious disappearance of 'Mystifying Max', Temple's boyfriend which happens off stage so to speak but if you are expecting a resolution to that plot thread forget it you'll have to wade yourself through the other 28 novels I imagine if you can be bothered. Another thing I found annoying was the author's constant use of similes sometimes several in each paragraph.
A far better alternative author I would suggest if you want to read a book with a cat as a character would be the Shannon Hill ebooks starring Boris and her owner Sheriff Lil Eller set in Crazy, Virginia much more fun.
October 12, 2019
2019 bk 325 Ah, the late 1980's and early 1990's a time period where there was great excellence in cozy mystery writing, brand names flourished, and the settings became even more important to the tale. Catnap remains one of my favorites of the time period and Midnight Louie still one of my favorite of the animal detectives. Set at the ABA conference in Los Vegas and involving both the death of cruel publisher and the abduction of Baker & Taylor (Publishing cats with whom I have had my own picture taken at the first AASL that I attended, and then pictures with the giant humans in B & T costumes, and the collection of bags I have showing the awesome duo.) this remains my favorite of that series. There are a lot of insider mini-stories going on here. I've always enjoyed this, but had none bookworld mystery fans not quite get it. Ah well, I love it and even after all these years, still rate it as a ten stars in my collection - alas, we can only give 5 stars here.
March 4, 2019
3.5 stars. I enjoyed the premise of this book a lot. I loved the character of Midnight Louie. I also thought the plot and the motivation behind the murder were great.
The one problem i had with this book, and I admit I may be obsessive about this, is that when the two cats, and then later Midnight Louie go missing, why didn't Temple Barr check the animal shelter. I know it sounds crazy, but that is what I kept thinking. Temple Barr wrap up at the end was wonderful, she sounds intelligent, so why this hole in the plot about the shelter. Of course Midnight Louie pointed her in the right direction at the end, but when animals go missing, you check at the shelter to see if they had been turned in.
Anyway I admit it may be just me about this matter. A good book, I will definitely read more by this writer.
The one problem i had with this book, and I admit I may be obsessive about this, is that when the two cats, and then later Midnight Louie go missing, why didn't Temple Barr check the animal shelter. I know it sounds crazy, but that is what I kept thinking. Temple Barr wrap up at the end was wonderful, she sounds intelligent, so why this hole in the plot about the shelter. Of course Midnight Louie pointed her in the right direction at the end, but when animals go missing, you check at the shelter to see if they had been turned in.
Anyway I admit it may be just me about this matter. A good book, I will definitely read more by this writer.
May 24, 2010
I guess I'm missing something, judging from the large number of 4 and 5* ratings for this book, but I just couldn't get into it. Full of cliches, not really that amusing and the parts in Louie's voice were just too coy and trying too hard to be clever. Not my cup of tea, I'm afraid.
October 13, 2024
Temple Barr, relative Las Vegas newcomer, is running her first big PR event, a major book fair, when two events conspire to derail her new life and career. First, a body is discovered in one of the booths. Second, the body was initially discovered by an enormous black cat, who winds his way into Temple's care. Both Temple and Midnight Louie set themselves to solving the murder before the book fair closes shop and the suspects all leave town.I picked this up at a library book sale, off a shelf called "Animal Mysteries." The combination of book fair and cat sleuth sounded promising, and I was not disappointed! This was very well-written, with a wry sense of humor that made me laugh at least once on just about every page. The story is mostly from Temple's POV, with intermittent chapters from Midnight Louie, and both were very entertaining. In addition, the mystery was excellent. The clues were all there, and the motive was understandable. How was I unaware of these books (written in the 1990's) before now?
The one thing that threw me a tad was that this felt like the second book about Temple, as her backstory includes the disappearance of the boyfriend who brought her to Las Vegas, and familiarity with the detective assigned to the murder case. (And speaking of the detective, the author pulls a sharp sleight-of-hand that I'm embarrassed to admit worked on me 30 years after this book was published!) And yet, looking over the author's book list, it doesn't look as though there was a previous book ab0ut Temple, which is a bit disappointing.
I really enjoyed this! I just recently returned this one to the same shelf at the next library book sale, and grabbed the second book in the series.
May 28, 2011
‘Midnight Louie� is an 18 lb black tom cat who lives in Las Vegas. While roaming the American Booksellers Association convention, he discovers a hidden corpse, and leads PR woman Temple Barr to it. Soon they both find themselves trying to solve the murder mystery-and a possibly associated catnapping- in their own ways. Both end up with attempts made on their lives before the murder is solved.
The story is told in alternate sections: Temple in the third person and Louie in the first. Louie sounds like Sam Spade, going on about dolls and his own prowess- mental, physical and sexual. Temple’s sections are interesting, although they dwell on her shoes an awful lot.
The book is the first of a series, and truly reads like a first novel. I was surprised to find that Douglas was an established author of other types of books. ‘Catnap� could have used some editing- although given that the murder victim in the story is an editor, that might have been rather daunting! I assume the author settled into the characters in later books and things became smoother and more mature, and so I will give another book in the series a try.
The story is told in alternate sections: Temple in the third person and Louie in the first. Louie sounds like Sam Spade, going on about dolls and his own prowess- mental, physical and sexual. Temple’s sections are interesting, although they dwell on her shoes an awful lot.
The book is the first of a series, and truly reads like a first novel. I was surprised to find that Douglas was an established author of other types of books. ‘Catnap� could have used some editing- although given that the murder victim in the story is an editor, that might have been rather daunting! I assume the author settled into the characters in later books and things became smoother and more mature, and so I will give another book in the series a try.
October 9, 2008
I really wanted to like this book. I mean, it's Vegas and a talking detective cat. Sure-fire recipe for brilliance, right? Wrong. Problem is, the plot is not nearly as engaging as you'd be led to believe, and the mystery upon which these characters are laid is pretty flimsy. The best parts are the parts recounted from the cat's perspective (where all cats can talk, apparently) but even these are few and far between. I dunno if this series got any better as time went on. It seems like such a great idea to waste.
August 24, 2015
I think I've been spoiled by Lilian Jackson Braun. I've read 2 of these books in the series, this being the first, and they just don't hold my attention. Louie is a cool cat, but Temple Barr is no Jim Qwillerin! LOL
January 10, 2010
I love animal mysteries but didn't like this one.
June 19, 2016
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Looking forward to reading more in the series.
April 10, 2022
Now I know why I had this as a maybe read. I have read this author in one of the anthologies and thought maybe I should pick it up. I like when animals are the main character. This however is a mix between Louie the cat and the main character - Temple.
This book's writing style didn't work for me. For others maybe it would be great. I didn't like the dialogue. It felt over the top and if it was a TV show, it would have been over acted. The references to Mrs. Fletcher were meh for me. I felt "Murder, She Wrote" to be a different vibe. IF this was to be an homage to that show... well, okay. Missed the mark for me. It was excruciating for me to follow Temple's thoughts and what she was doing. She is beyond annoying for me. The ending of this story is sad and there are no winners. Not going to pick up another book in this popular series.
This book's writing style didn't work for me. For others maybe it would be great. I didn't like the dialogue. It felt over the top and if it was a TV show, it would have been over acted. The references to Mrs. Fletcher were meh for me. I felt "Murder, She Wrote" to be a different vibe. IF this was to be an homage to that show... well, okay. Missed the mark for me. It was excruciating for me to follow Temple's thoughts and what she was doing. She is beyond annoying for me. The ending of this story is sad and there are no winners. Not going to pick up another book in this popular series.
October 8, 2023
Slow start, but as I got cozy on the couch, by chapter 5, there was no way I was putting this book down
March 16, 2013
It took me a while to get used to the voice that Ms. Douglas uses for her main characters. It is very intelligent, quick witted and sarcastic. The two main characters have an ongoing discussion within their own heads. Ms. Temple Barr is a young freelance PR (Public Relations) expert who is hired by various and sundry casinos and hotels. Her job is to make sure their business is seen in the best light possible. That is hard to do when people drop like flies all around you and Temple is in the middle. Then there is Midnight Louie, Ms. Barr's 18 lb all black alley cat that decides to stay with Temple for a little while and he also fancies himself to the the Phillip Marlow of the Cat set. He aides Ms. Barr in all the investigations and fully believes that he is responsible for the solving of the murder.
In this case, Temple is asked to Pr for a Book convention at one of the hotels, but just before it opens she sees a huge black animal running through all the displays. She gives chase and almost immediately fall over a body. She regards this as an embarrassment and vows to solve the murder. At the same time, she makes friends with the black cat named Midnight Louie who comes and goes as he pleases from one of the hotels.
I am enjoying the entire series. Don't let the convoluted rhetoric turn you away. Keep reading and you will soon be in tune with the characters. All in all a good read.
In this case, Temple is asked to Pr for a Book convention at one of the hotels, but just before it opens she sees a huge black animal running through all the displays. She gives chase and almost immediately fall over a body. She regards this as an embarrassment and vows to solve the murder. At the same time, she makes friends with the black cat named Midnight Louie who comes and goes as he pleases from one of the hotels.
I am enjoying the entire series. Don't let the convoluted rhetoric turn you away. Keep reading and you will soon be in tune with the characters. All in all a good read.
July 28, 2015
SUMMARY: Catnap is the first book in Carole Nelson Douglas's delightful Midnight Louie mystery series where we meet that fabulous 20-lb black cat-about-town and his sometimes roommate/owner cutie Temple Barr. Together they solve crimes and find love in Las Vegas.
REVIEW: I have read many of the Midnight Louie mystery series but somehow never read the first book. I have always enjoyed the mysteries as told from the point of view of bothTemple Barr, the crime solver, and Midnight Louie, her cat assistant. It was nice to find out how they became a twosome working together to solve mysteries. Overall a clean read and enjoyable plot with twists, turns and a couple of surprises. . Love the setting for the majority of it at an American Booksellers Convention taking place in Las Vegas.
REVIEW: I have read many of the Midnight Louie mystery series but somehow never read the first book. I have always enjoyed the mysteries as told from the point of view of bothTemple Barr, the crime solver, and Midnight Louie, her cat assistant. It was nice to find out how they became a twosome working together to solve mysteries. Overall a clean read and enjoyable plot with twists, turns and a couple of surprises. . Love the setting for the majority of it at an American Booksellers Convention taking place in Las Vegas.
January 29, 2016
This is the first book of a series of cozy mysteries that I both liked and disliked. I like that there are not just one, but several strong women characters. I was ok with the cat being anthromorphed (rather like Garfield). His schtick is a bit detective noir, which I enjoy. I also liked that she threw in some Minnesota references, (her being a former Minnesotan and me being a current one). But together, it was just a good book, not a fabulous book. I will likely read more of this series in the future. This book was my first read on my new Voyage.
If you like cozies, I do recommend reading this.
If you like cozies, I do recommend reading this.
July 4, 2012
What do you do with a 20 lb black cat that wants to come and go as he pleases. YOU LET HIM. Especially if he helps you solve crimes in Sin City. Midnight Louie is a "player- playboy" cat who rules the city of Las Vegas. He has VIP access to 1000's of places that humans couldnt enter even if they were the biggest, richest, most famous person in the world. So Louie has the world as his oyster and can do all sorts of things to help his human. It's a gret premise, and with a shoe obsessed female heroine, as his caretaker, I love these books!
January 9, 2016
This is a book and a series for all independent women who understand what it is like to suddenly have your life turned upside down, and have to figure out how to make ends meet and a new life for yourself. Along with that you get a delightful mystery and a cat who reminds us of the Vegas and PI's of old.
September 14, 2011
I got spoiled with Lilian Jackson Braun's Cat Who series and was disappointed with this book.
August 4, 2018
Midnight Louie is a large, black tomcat. He’s a former stray and even though he’s a house cat in the Crystal Palace hotel, he can come and go at his leisure. He fancies himself an amateur detective and his chapters are written in noir style in first person. When he stumbles upon a body (of a human), he realizes that he must help solve the murder mystery.
Temple Barr is a 29-year old freelance PR woman and this time she works for the American Booksellers Convention set in the huge convention center in Las Vegas. She’s just heard that two very famous library cats, Baker and Taylor, who were supposed to have been on display, have vanished. She thinks that Louie is one of them and chases him. Louie leads her to the murder victim and they start to investigate the murder and the case of the missing cats, both in their own ways.
The victim is Chester Royal, the founder and editor of Pennyroyal Press, an imprint of Reynolds/Chapter/Deuce publishing house. The Pennyroyal Press focuses on medical thriller. The more we find out about the victim, the clearer it becomes that almost anyone who had any dealings with him could have killed him. The three best-sellers from his imprint are the first suspects, along with his ex-wife. Royal was a quite a bastard, keeping the writers firmly under his thumb and he was apparently quite an unpleasant person to be around.
Temple escorts the detective around and tells her about the book business. C. R. Molina is very much focused on her job and doesn’t endear herself to Temple at all. Temple is also a hard-working woman but needs to be charming and personable in her job. She talks with the suspects and other people near Royal while doing her job.
The story is told mostly from Temple’s third POV and a little from Louie’s first POV. Of course, Louie doesn’t talk to any of the people, but he does talk to the other cats. He has nothing but disdain for dogs.
This was a nice and fast read. Because it’s set in book convention it no doubt has a lot of inside jokes which went right over my head. Also, I’ve never been to Las Vegas, so I don’t know how authentic the places are. Louie’s chapters are quite distinct because of his sizable ego. The story has a lot of characters for such a small book, but I had little trouble keeping them distinct.
Temple Barr is a 29-year old freelance PR woman and this time she works for the American Booksellers Convention set in the huge convention center in Las Vegas. She’s just heard that two very famous library cats, Baker and Taylor, who were supposed to have been on display, have vanished. She thinks that Louie is one of them and chases him. Louie leads her to the murder victim and they start to investigate the murder and the case of the missing cats, both in their own ways.
The victim is Chester Royal, the founder and editor of Pennyroyal Press, an imprint of Reynolds/Chapter/Deuce publishing house. The Pennyroyal Press focuses on medical thriller. The more we find out about the victim, the clearer it becomes that almost anyone who had any dealings with him could have killed him. The three best-sellers from his imprint are the first suspects, along with his ex-wife. Royal was a quite a bastard, keeping the writers firmly under his thumb and he was apparently quite an unpleasant person to be around.
Temple escorts the detective around and tells her about the book business. C. R. Molina is very much focused on her job and doesn’t endear herself to Temple at all. Temple is also a hard-working woman but needs to be charming and personable in her job. She talks with the suspects and other people near Royal while doing her job.
The story is told mostly from Temple’s third POV and a little from Louie’s first POV. Of course, Louie doesn’t talk to any of the people, but he does talk to the other cats. He has nothing but disdain for dogs.
This was a nice and fast read. Because it’s set in book convention it no doubt has a lot of inside jokes which went right over my head. Also, I’ve never been to Las Vegas, so I don’t know how authentic the places are. Louie’s chapters are quite distinct because of his sizable ego. The story has a lot of characters for such a small book, but I had little trouble keeping them distinct.
October 27, 2020
I must confess this hardback original somehow never got read, although it traveled around the country with the contents of my bookshelves for a long time. The convention background is familiar to me, and the backdrop worked still, despite this having been written in 1992. I had a lot of trouble getting into it, however. I almost gave up, but I persevered, as I met this writer several times, and had read other books she wrote. I came to like the characters, but with reservations. Why wouldn't anyone with an ounce of common sense check the local pound after 3 cats go missing, regardless of a possible catnapping? I know the protagonist had a lot on her plate, but she managed everything else, so why couldn't she do that a lot earlier in the plot instead of trying to build what seemed like a contrived suspense toward the end of the book? The detective assigned to the murder is inexplicably hostile throughout the entire book, and I could never figure out why, although several possible reasons came to mind, probably more feasible during this millennium than when the book was written. It also took a lot for me to get into Midnight Louie's POV. His speech patterns sounded so archaic that even tongue in cheek, the chapters in his viewpoint grated on my nerves until halfway through the book, when he interacted with other felines of his acquaintance. Temple Barr's name grated on my nerves, too. I kept thinking of her as a Tube station in the middle of London. Overall, definitely a three for this book.
July 22, 2021
Carole Nelson Douglas has the insight into the minds, motives and behaviors of people that Shirley Rousseau Murphy had into the same for cats. I have found myself re-reading passages with a specific mind to going below the surface of what is going on with a character; really stopping to take the time to figure the whys and wherefores. I realize my background as a therapist predisposes me to do this will a lot of books I read but I feel Douglas can at time really hit the nail on the head in an entertaining way.
I feel this combo of insight is entertainment is kept light enough not to interfere with the flow of the story line. I am reading her entire Midnight Louie series and as I go through each book (six so far) I find the same bent. Since I usually prefer cats over people and loved the Shirley Rousseau Murphy emphasis on the cats, I find I have unexpected enjoy the series.
I also love how Douglas ties current events and ambiance into the flavor of each story. Since I am reading books that start over twenty years ago, it is entertaining to "remember when".
Hope you enjoy the series also.
I feel this combo of insight is entertainment is kept light enough not to interfere with the flow of the story line. I am reading her entire Midnight Louie series and as I go through each book (six so far) I find the same bent. Since I usually prefer cats over people and loved the Shirley Rousseau Murphy emphasis on the cats, I find I have unexpected enjoy the series.
I also love how Douglas ties current events and ambiance into the flavor of each story. Since I am reading books that start over twenty years ago, it is entertaining to "remember when".
Hope you enjoy the series also.
February 10, 2024
First, I’d like to point out that this book is clearly a contemporary piece. It cannot be fully enjoyed in 2024. It is very 90s, cliche, and full of outdated references. The author overuses certain descriptors, like overemphasizing the protagonists high heels to show that she is small, but she does this over 6 times through the book. Also, the metaphors are so out of pocket, like there probably was a better way to do them. Also, for a mystery book it took soo long to get me hooked. It moves slow and there’s tons of long, boring conversations. It wasn’t until 3/4 in that I was actually interested. I don’t care for the protagonist and there aren’t any twists (the ending is pretty predictable.)
All that being said, I gave it 3 stars because I understand that this book was clearly not written for me and at this time. If I was a young reader in 1990 I would have loved it. Also, the chapters written in the POV of Louie the cat are adorable, the ending is kind of cute, and as a cat lover it won my heart in those chapters.
Overall, not a page turner, but it was cute to read.
All that being said, I gave it 3 stars because I understand that this book was clearly not written for me and at this time. If I was a young reader in 1990 I would have loved it. Also, the chapters written in the POV of Louie the cat are adorable, the ending is kind of cute, and as a cat lover it won my heart in those chapters.
Overall, not a page turner, but it was cute to read.
April 25, 2023
Positives
I learned a few facts about the publishing industry.
Not-so-Much
I would have abandoned this book if it had not been a book club selection
The writing was completely over-the-top, and not in an amusing way. If one of my students had written this, I would have told them to put the thesaurus away. "(She wore) her Beverly Feldman black leather spikes with furtive touches of jet." Some sentences were so crammed with adjectives and similes I lost what little thread of meaning there was.
I did not care one little bit for ANY of the characters, not even the animals.
The plot was just a mish-mash of things that didn't make sense. If a pet goes missing, the animal shelter should be the first contact. And yet this character was smart enough to solve the mysteries all by herself?
The motive for the murder was disturbing and gruesome. The entire inclusion of women's reproductive rights in the plot was creepy.
I learned a few facts about the publishing industry.
Not-so-Much
I would have abandoned this book if it had not been a book club selection
The writing was completely over-the-top, and not in an amusing way. If one of my students had written this, I would have told them to put the thesaurus away. "(She wore) her Beverly Feldman black leather spikes with furtive touches of jet." Some sentences were so crammed with adjectives and similes I lost what little thread of meaning there was.
I did not care one little bit for ANY of the characters, not even the animals.
The plot was just a mish-mash of things that didn't make sense. If a pet goes missing, the animal shelter should be the first contact. And yet this character was smart enough to solve the mysteries all by herself?
The motive for the murder was disturbing and gruesome. The entire inclusion of women's reproductive rights in the plot was creepy.
May 23, 2022
I picked this up on my last bookstore jaunt. I know there are numerous titles in the series, and I do like cats. I try to balance intense drama with some lightness in my reading, so this cozy mystery was a perfect choice. I think I might give it 3.75, actually. The lengthy descriptions of clothing got a trifle annoying.
Temple does P.R. at a Las Vegas convention center. She is preparing for an ABS ( book) convention, which sounds fairly placid. However, a very large feline is wandering about the premises, and she feels obligated to catch it. That serves the cat’s plans quite well, because he has located a dead body in the center.
The tension between Tempe and the police investigator is amusing. Tempe’s landlady ( who also runs a wedding chapel) is entertaining. I will definitely pick up a few more in the series.
Temple does P.R. at a Las Vegas convention center. She is preparing for an ABS ( book) convention, which sounds fairly placid. However, a very large feline is wandering about the premises, and she feels obligated to catch it. That serves the cat’s plans quite well, because he has located a dead body in the center.
The tension between Tempe and the police investigator is amusing. Tempe’s landlady ( who also runs a wedding chapel) is entertaining. I will definitely pick up a few more in the series.
January 7, 2019
I liked this book okay. The main characters are a cat who is quite sure he's a hard-boiled detective and a young woman who doesn't think she's in that sort of novel (and really isn't). The cat in particular is a very funny dude. The mystery was okay. The whole thing goes down during a book publishing convention, which I know a little about and the stuff didn't clash horribly with what I know so that's nice.
The book as a whole is a little dated, which is unsurprising because it's from the early '90s. The main thing I didn't like was some racist language, like calling someone an "Indian giver." That's not something I've heard anyone use in a long time (probably since the '90s actually) and it shocked me.
The book as a whole is a little dated, which is unsurprising because it's from the early '90s. The main thing I didn't like was some racist language, like calling someone an "Indian giver." That's not something I've heard anyone use in a long time (probably since the '90s actually) and it shocked me.
May 1, 2019
This was cute, though I had to check the publication date when the MC said she passed Charlton Heston in the hallway. (It's 1992, btw). I enjoyed Louie's POV written like a hardboiled detective novel, and there were plenty of cliches in Temple's POV as well. Learned a little about imprints and publishing houses in this, and was reminded that large conventions are not my idea of a good time. The murderer was interesting, running back to an accidental death some decades years past and Temple getting in the way accidentally as she tries to be a good public relations person for the convention. Her holding the "here's the evidence, one of you in this room is the killer" meeting was inspired but also ridiculous.
August 6, 2017
Midnight Louie adopts diminutive Las Vegas public relations expert, Temple Barr, leaving his position as house cat at the Crystal Phoenix Hotel sand Casino. Temple lives in a small 1930's style apartment complex along with other interesting characters, including her neighbor Matt, a former priest, and her eccentric, delightful landlady
This story takes place at the American Booksellers Convention, for which Temple is the PR liaison.
With the help of Temple, her friends, and Midnight Louie, Lieutenant Carmen Molina solves a murder, and is still working on some unsolved ones.
Fast action, fun dialog, interesting characters, all make this an excellent read.
This story takes place at the American Booksellers Convention, for which Temple is the PR liaison.
With the help of Temple, her friends, and Midnight Louie, Lieutenant Carmen Molina solves a murder, and is still working on some unsolved ones.
Fast action, fun dialog, interesting characters, all make this an excellent read.
July 4, 2022
Three or four years ago I was reading a book "The Mysterious West"; Tony Hillerman was the editorof this book. I like Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee books. "The Mysterious West" has about 20 or so short stories by different authors living in California, Arizona, and Nevada. Carole Nelson Douglas had a short story in this book about Midnight Louie. I liked the short story so much, I decided to read the books about Midnight Louie.
I don't like this particular book too much. The story drags on a bit too much. It's hard to keep track of the mystery. Perhaps this is the wrong book to start with. I'll have to give Midnight Louie another chance.
I don't like this particular book too much. The story drags on a bit too much. It's hard to keep track of the mystery. Perhaps this is the wrong book to start with. I'll have to give Midnight Louie another chance.
August 22, 2021
First of all, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ: what’s the point of being able to write notes on the book as I’m reading it if those notes are not accessible to read, & just DISAPPEAR once I say I’ve finished the book???
I just didn’t care for the “film noir�/“Sam Spade� style of Louie’s part. And all the lingo & slang in the other part often felt like the author was trying too hard to be clever. Definitely not a book for someone still trying to learn English!
I just didn’t care for the “film noir�/“Sam Spade� style of Louie’s part. And all the lingo & slang in the other part often felt like the author was trying too hard to be clever. Definitely not a book for someone still trying to learn English!
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