Even the good have to die. A beloved teacher is murdered & left in a ditch beside a country lane. His wife is found beaten & gagged
...
Meet THE BEAR
- a cat who carries the weight of the world on his furry shoulders, & whose wise, owl-like eyes seem to ask, Can you tell me why I am a cat, please? Like many intellectuals, The Bear would prefer a life of quiet solitude with plenty of time to gaze forlornly into space & contemplate society's ills. Unfortunately he is destined to spend his days surrounded by felines of a significantly lower IQ... RALPH: handsome, self-satisfied tabby, terrified of the clothes horse. SHIPLEY: mouthy hooligan & champion mouser, rendered insensible by being turned upside-down. ROSCOE: fiercely independent kitten, tormented by her doppelganger in the mirror. & then there's Tom, writing with his usual wit & charm about the unexpected adventures that go hand in hand with a life at the beck & call of four cats... or three cats & a sensitive poet who just happens to be a foot high & covered in fur.