One of our Books of the Year 2013 The clever reformed cat-burglar turned detective cat Atticus Grammaticus Cattypus Claw is back for a delightfully witty new adventure. This time, Atticus Claw gets involved in an adventure that takes him on some wild travels to find a very special Egyptian book that has been stolen from the British Museum. Can Atticus keep his cool and stay ahead of the dastardly criminals? Atticus Claws’ adventures are very funny indeed!
Atticus Grammatticus Cattypuss Claw, the world's greatest POLICE cat, is back. When the kittens at the local cats' home are wrongly suspected of a knitting crime spree, Inspector Cheddar is baffled. Atticus must step in to find the real culprits. In an adventure that takes him from Littleton-on-Sea to the sands of the Egyptian desert, Atticus has to use all his tabby talents to keep one paw ahead of Ginger Biscuit and Jimmy Magpie and his gang. Can Atticus reach the lost city of cats and save the priceless treasure from the villains before it's too late?
With the peculiar balance of humans involved (it's notable just how little the human children, who you might think would be the easy way in to the story for the target audience, have to do and say) and the increase in the bizarre, we're on very different ground. In the end, as well, there is almost a pastiche side to things, which brings a greater edge to proceedings, serving to make the book more amusing perhaps for the curious older reader. Not too old, I would suggest, for there is a side to the author's style which will exclude the more literate and discerning. Nobody says anything - instead they vocalise in the most dramatic way possible. The bickering magpies aren't that great fun, even when using a book of spells, and the human/cat relationship is almost cloying in its use of hugging and complete understanding. But I do think this series has some oomph and panache to it. The second book, concerning the Crown Jewels and the Tower of London, was but a stepping-stone to ancient Egypt, it seems - who knows where Atticus might end up in the future? These are books designed purely for entertainment, and at that they're very successful, so I assume we will get as many as Ms Gray can find rhyming titles for. -- John Lloyd Bookbag
Author
About Jennifer Gray
Jennifer Gray is a lawyer and writer. Jennifer's other work includes the Guinea Pigs Onlineseries for younger readers, and a new series for 7+, Chicken Mission. Her Atticus Claw books have been shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and received numerous great reviews - especially from children! She lives in London and Scotland with her husband and four children, and of course Henry, a friendly but enigmatic cat.
