Babson’s Murder Mystery Is The Cat’s Meow

I’ve enjoyed the books by veteran murder mystery author Marian Babson. Her best novel is “Nine Lives to Murder.”

Dashing actor and ladies man Winstanley Fortescue happens to be standing on a stepladder in the theater of his latest play when someone rams an electric cattle prod into his back. He falls, onto the theater’s resident mouser, Monty. Their heads collide and both are knocked unconscious.

Upon regaining consciousness, Win finds he has been transferred into the cat’s body. Monty is now in Win’s body in the intensive care unit of the local hospital.

Desperate to get back in his old body, Win sneaks into the hospital and finds himself in an uncomfortable situation - his wife, ex-wife and all his former girlfriends are there, discussing him. One woman even comments on the squirming cat.

Unable to communicate with anyone without purring, even his beautiful wife Miranda, the once-powerful leading man must now suffer such indignities as using a litter box.

Eventually, Monty (in Win’s body) comes to. At first awkward (purring, using all the accents Win used in his plays), Monty gradually becomes used to his human status and is prepared to take full advantage of his new power.

Poor Win bears the brunt of his revenge (look for a great scene when Monty strains to come as someone calls “Here kitty kitty kitty!”).

But the person who tried to kill Win isn’t through, and that’s where the story takes off. Is it Win’s vengeful ex-wife, Antoinette? Or play director Rufus Tuxford? What about theater critic Oliver Crump? Whodunit?

If this book sounds good, check out Babson’s “Death Besides the Sea,” or the dental murder mystery, “In the Teeth of Adversity.”