Published by: Ingrid King. Last Updated on: February 1, 2023 by Crystal Uys
The first book in the brand new series by Clea Simon, Shades of Grey features Harvard grad student Dulcie Schwartz, who is fascinated by 18th century Gothic novels. Dulcie is not having a good summer. She recently lost her beloved pet cat Mr. Grey, her best friend and room-mate has gone away for the summer, and she has sublet her apartment to an unpleasant business school student. One day, Dulcie comes home from her boring temp job at an insurance agency and is about to enter her apartment when she sees a cat that looks just like her beloved Mr. Grey, and she clearly hears a voice in her head warning her “I wouldn’t go in just now, if I were you.” Is it he spirit of her pet? Dulcie ignores the warning, and finds her room-mate murdered with her own kitchen knife.
This sets up a multi-layered plot in which our heroine deals with murder, someone hacking into computers at the insurance agency she temps at and at Harvard, and research for her thesis on Gothic novels. Throughout all of this, the ghost of her cat continues to appear, offering his cryptic advice. Is it a ghost, or a spirit guide? You’ll have to read this extremely well-crafted and enjoyable mystery to find out for yourself. This book has everything a mystery (and cat) lover could want: a great story, a likeable heroine, a spirit cat, a little bit of romance, exceptional story telling and multi-dimensional secondary characters. I can’t wait for the next book in this series.
For more information about Clea Simon and her other books, visit her website at www.cleasimon.com.
About the author
Ingrid King is an award-winning author, former veterinary hospital manager, and veterinary journalist who is passionate about cats.
