Do you fancy a cosy crime reading series that involves a talking cat and a canal boat? Then look no further!

I’ve been exploring L T Shearer’s series featuring Conrad, a crime-solving moggy who chooses retired police detective Lulu Lewis as his partner.

The first book, The Cat Who Caught a Killer, introduces Lulu, who is mourning the recent loss of her husband, but looking forward to a quiet retirement on her new canal boat in London’s Maida Vale. Her routine includes visiting her mother-in-law, Emily, at a nearby care home, but everything changes when Emily suddenly dies under highly suspicious circumstances. Believing it wasn’t natural causes, Lulu decides to dust off her old detective skills to investigate.

Then strolls in Conrad, a calico cat who walks right into her life, or rather, walks right onto her canal boat. Together, this duo uncovers a web of secrets within the care home, using Lulu’s police intuition and Conrad’s uncanny ability to sense people’s true colours to track down the killer.

Next is The Cat Who Solved Three Murders, which takes Lulu and Conrad up the canal system to Oxford to attend a lavish birthday party at a country mansion owned by wealthy friends. What was supposed to be a relaxing trip turns into a classic whodunit, complete with a brutal murder and a significant art theft. Because the local lead detective is young and inexperienced, Lulu steps in to help. Of course, Conrad assists with the investigation by sniffing out clues that tie three separate murders together, proving he’s much more than just a bougie cat who refuses to drink anything but Evian water.

Then we have The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case, which is easily my favourite of the three. Lulu and Conrad travel to Manchester to visit her old friend Jane. Upon arrival, Lulu reads a local news report about a string of bodies found across the city, and the details are chillingly similar to an unsolved cold case she investigated years ago in London. Realising the killer might have resurfaced in the North, Lulu joins forces with a local Manchester police and calls in a former colleague from London. Together with Conrad, they piece together the missing links, leading to a much darker revelation.

At first glance, a talking cat on a canal boat might sound like a children’s book, but it’s far from it. I loved how the fun mystery elements balanced against the darker details of the cases, which kept reminding you that this is a proper crime story. Conrad completely steals the show with his charm, and the books are a total joy if you don’t take them too seriously.

If you’re looking for gritty, hard-hitting police drama, this probably won’t be your cup of tea. But if there is any such thing as a light-hearted murder mystery, this is it. Honestly, have you seen those Cozy Crime Scene colouring books for adults? It is that exact same energy level and I am here for it!

And there is more…

The series continues with two seasonal instalments! The most recent release, The Cat and the Christmas Kidnapper, and we can expect The Cat and the Halloween Murder to come out later this year (which is currently on pre-order). I’ll definitely be purchasing both, but I’m going to make myself wait until the actual seasons they’re set in to read them!