Клеа Саймон - An Incantation Of Cats

“So… you’ve been helping me?” Clara nearly squeaked. So much began to make sense—the failures of her shading, Laurel’s aid. Even Harriet’s magical grooming, which had healed her wounds. A warmth that could not be attributed only to her sleeping person’s proximity began to fill her, and she could feel the purr begin to start, deep in her chest. “Both of you?”

“Of course we’ve been helping you.” Laurel focused on her bootie and refusing to meet Clara’s eye, even as Becca sighed in a dream and nestled closer. Harriet, by her feet, was once more sound asleep. “We’re family.” Laurel’s distinctive yowl, softer now. “ And that means we love you, Clown.”

Acknowledgments

It may take three cats to help one witch detective, but many more are required to get a book out. Readers like Karen Schlosberg, Brett Milano, Lisa Susser, and Chris Mesarch; editor and Polis publisher Jason Pinter, who took a chance on my quirky cats; Frank Garelick, Lisa Jones, and our beloved Sophie Garelick for boundless support and encouragement; the Sisters in Crime/Mystery Writers of America community, and all the readers who have reached out over the years. Gratitude and love as well to my friend and longtime agent Colleen Mohyde and her wonderful spouse John McDonough, himself a source for all things police procedural, for your continued, sustaining belief. And always, always my beloved Jon S. Garelick, without whom none of this would be any fun, if it were even possible at all.

About the Author

A former journalist and music critic, Clea Simon wrote three nonfiction books, including the Boston Globe bestseller The Feline Mystique , before turning to a life of crime (fiction). Her more than two dozen mysterious usually involve cats or rock and roll, or some combination thereof, including the first Witch Cats of Cambridge mystery, A Spell of Murder.

A native of New York, she moved to Massachussetts to attend Harvard and now lives nearby in Somerville.

Visit her at www.CleaSimon.com or at @CleaSimon.