I was a bit hesitant to read because it’s the 9th book of a series. But it turns out that you don’t have to have read the rest of the books to read this.
I loved the characters, the story line, the plot twists and everything about this book!

I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery. When a house in the neighborhood catches fire, Cat enters the empty house to rescue a litter of kittens. When the smoke clears a long buried skeleton is found. Cat and Moses are asked by police to discover the identity of the victim. Their investigation leads them to uncover some long buried family secrets of a prominent Cincinnati family. I really liked the characters. The mystery was interesting with lots of twists and turns. The solution did surprise me. It was a quick fun read. I look for word to reading more by this author. Enjoy

Nine Lives is the ninth Cat Caliban cozy mystery by D. B. Borton. Released 15th Oct 2022 by Boomerang Books, it's 274 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well written, genuinely funny murder cozy set in Cincinnati with a feisty protagonist who's survived raising a family, the breakup of her marriage, a move, and a new late-midlife career change, and isn't inclined to put up with anyone's crap. She's salty, down-to-earth, and kind and loyal to her friends. The mystery itself, the plotting, and the pacing are very well done. The author definitely has a solid handle on her writing style. I found myself engaged in the story and never felt it dragged or raced. The dialogue is superlative. It flows naturally and believably. It has a delightful retro vibe being set in the 1980s and the author's references to cultural icons of the time will make those of us who remember the 1980s smile, or maybe wince. Writing humor is challenging. This one actually surprised a bark of laughter out of me a couple times. That happens very very rarely. There are also positive (admittedly stereotypical) depictions of people who are LGBTQIA+ in the book, as well as a warm fuzzy theme of "found family". Slight warning for rough language (sort of Bea Arthur Golden Girls level snark here). Her protege/sidekick Leon has a terrible stutter which is rendered organically in the text which I found distracting, but it's written respectfully and with verisimilitude (he uses AAVE in his speech patterns which also distracted a bit, but on the other hand, he's an 80s black kid from urban Cincinatti....).I'm not at all sure how well the stutter will translate to audiobook narration, so proceed forewarned.

With 9 books in the series, it would be a great candidate for a long binge/buddy/readathon read.

Four and a half stars. Tone perfect, very entertaining. Fans of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton will almost certainly enjoy this series.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is book 9 in the Cat Caliban series. I have read a couple of them, not all and I had no trouble following the story. Cat is out walking when she sees a mother cat carrying babies out of a burning house. She follows the mother cat back in and rescues the rest of the litter plus a skull near by. Now police are trying to determine if the skull is old or the missing heiress that owns the property. Cat and her partner and mentor Moses are also looking into the mystery. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to pet lovers who are cozy readers.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. I have not read any of the other books in this series but it didn't detract at all from my enjoyment or understanding of what was happening. There was enough exposition throughout to thoroughly bring you up to speed. It really didn't go the direction that I thought it was going and I love a book that keeps me on my toes. I will probably go back and read more of this series.

While rescuing kittens from a burning building, PI trainee, Cat Caliban, a senior woman, uncovers some bones. The bones are soon found to be human and decades old. The cause of death is found to be murder. When the woman who owns the house, a wealthy heiress, is nowhere to be found, Cat and her PI partner, Moses, are hired to find her as well as to shed some light on the identity of the body.

Nine Lives is the ninth in the The Cat Caliban Mysteries by D,B. Borton. It is a fast easy mystery with a cast of quirky characters. Set in the 1980s, Borton doesn't shy away from the politics of the period or social issues that are still very relevant today. A very enjoyable read less for the mystery which becomes pretty obvious fairly quickly but for its heart. This is the first book in the series I have read but it won't be last.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Boomerang Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

Finally, another fun cozy mystery I can enjoyed when I need good mystery to read relaxly. Nine Lives is the ninth book in the series but I still capable to enjoyed it as standalone. This book following a senior named Cat who spent her time become PI after her life duties are done. When save some kittens from fire she also found old human bones and she make it her mission to solve.

Well this book was predictable but perfect for light fast read and provide alot entertainment. I found my self
laughed alot and enjoying at one sitting.

Thank you Netgalley and Boomerang Books for provided my copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Although this is only the third book I have read in the Cat Caliban series, one thing I have come to realise is that the mystery is never straight forward and the twists and turns continue right till the end. Also, for a series that is based in the 1980s the plot and characters don't seem outdated at all. The writing is so fresh, fun and witty! It's only when you seriously put your mind to it that you realise that no modern crime solving techniques and gadgets are used by Cat and her sleuthing gang because it's still the 80s!

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Boomerang Books and the author D. B. Borton for the e-Arc of the book.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Nine Lives is the ninth book in the Cat Caliban Mystery series by D.B. Borton. This time Cat helps a mama cat save her kittens from an empty, burning house. But, it’s not so empty. The subsequent investigation reveals a body among the wreckage and it appears to have been in the house for a while.

These humorous mysteries are set in the 1980s and I enjoyed some of the references made concerning the political climate then as well as mentioning some of the personalities and incidents that have since played out in this century. Ms Borton has developed a variety of characters for her series. Some are just plain quirky but almost all are also very relatable. She also manages to touch on social topics as they were viewed forty years ago and that is somewhat unusual for a cozy mystery. These topics blend into the story and the mystery proves to be well-developed, with nice twists here and there.

Even though I’ve only read the first Cat Caliban book, Nine Lives was easy to read and proved to be an entertaining way to spend an afternoon.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I love Cat Caliban stories and throughly enjoyed this cozy mystery that made me smile and kept me guessing.
The likeable characters are fleshed out as usual and the plot is fast paced and well developed.
A solid mystery with no plot hole.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Princess Fuzzypants here: The reader might surmise from the opening of the book that cats would play a major role in the book. The various animals certainly do make an impact in the story, more to tell you about the human characters than anything else. But do not be disappointed. It is still a cracking good story.

Cat, not the feline variety but our heroine, is a senior unlike any other senior. After her children have all grown and started their own families and her husband has died, she decided to reinvent herself. She decided to become a private investigator. Turns out she is very good at it. It helps that her partner, Moses, is a retired cop. And she gets lots of assistance from the various residents and visitors to the apartment building she runs. One is a cop named Rap who hires Cat and Moses to find out whose bones were discovered in a trunk in an attic of a house that has just burned down. It is only after Cat meets the owner of the home, Freddy, that things really start to “heat up”.

Freddy’s very rich and important family have more than a few skeletons in their closet. The house had been built by the grandfather who began the family fortune and Freddy has been a very good steward of it over the years. But neither Cat nor Moses, nor the reader, could imagine the machinations and deceptions that have been rife in that family for generations. Some of them have been done with the best of intentions and some of them are downright nefarious. I do not want to give anything away. The reader should have the pleasure of finding out the truth at the same time as Cat.

At its heart, which it has a great deal of, is family and love and devotion. You cannot help but love Cat and her motley crew of associates. But you also have to love Freddy and the people closest to her. But it is the kids that really brighten things up. Cat’s grandson Ben and Malcolm, Freddy’s charge are delightful. And talk about smart and inventive. I enjoyed the entire book. Five purrs and two paws up.

Somewhat predictable but nevertheless enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. I was drawn to this book by the front cover and it didn't disappont. It is well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that I loved.

Whilst rescuing some kittens from a house fire, Cat also discovers human bones.
The burning house is owned by Freddy Armitage who is strangely elusive when the police try and track her down.
Cat and Moses are tasked with tracking her down. When they find her, she is unable to throw any light on who the bones belong to. All they know is that the person was murdered and the bones are several decades old.
Slowly but surely, more details are discovered and a strange tale emerges.

The book was very enjoyable. About half way through at least part of the ending was predictable but the other part I never would have guessed. It has great humor as well and I definitely laughed and it loud in some places

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boomerang Books for an advance copy of Nine Lives, the ninth novel to feature trainee PI Cat Caliban, set in Cincinnati in 1987.

Cat goes in to a burning building to rescue some kittens and comes out with the kittens and a skull. With the police declaring it murder Cat and her partner Moses Fogg go looking for the elusive heiress who owns the house. Once they find her she can’t shed any light on the victim’s identity, so their hunt for justice continues.

I thoroughly enjoyed Nine Lives, which is a quick fun read with a most unexpected storyline. The novel is told entirely from Cat’s first person point of view and that is the source of much of the humour. She is 62 and feeling it, so if it’s not her arthritis bothering her, it’s the fear of osteoporosis and broken bones. Nevertheless, she has a distinctive voice and a game attitude to life, only deciding to become a PI 2 years earlier when she was widowed. She’s fun and doesn’t take life too seriously- I love her attitude to family dinners, but can still put a case together through life experience and clear thinking.

I don’t even know where to start with the plot, which is so much fun in its ridiculousness. It does have its serious points with some major crime, not least murder, but on the whole it’s a caper. An absorbing caper to be sure, as I was glued to the pages, but still not intended for believability. Highly entertaining.

As ever with the author there is a theme to the novel. In this case it is sexuality and what it means to be different. This is highly topical in the States, so perhaps this novel will sway some minds through its humour and sensible attitudes.

Nine Lives is an entertaining read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

She found a human skull in a burning house while rescuing kittens. This leads to a murder investigation.
In the newest book in The Cat Caliban Mysteries, detective-in-training Cat Caliban rushes into a burning house to save a litter of kittens and escapes with an armful of kittens and a charred skull. The experts say it’s murder, but who was the victim? To answer that question, Cat and her partner Moses Fogg go looking for the homeowner, an heiress who was once a show jumper and race car driver, but when they find her, they are still in the dark. They must search the past to give this nameless victim a name, and then, they must learn her story. The question remains, however, whether they can find what they seek at last: justice.
I haven't read any books by this author before.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

In the newest book in The Cat Caliban Mysteries, detective-in-training Cat Caliban rushes into a burning house to save a litter of kittens and escapes with an armful of kittens and a charred skull. The experts say it’s murder, but who was the victim? To answer that question, Cat and her partner Moses Fogg go looking for the homeowner, an heiress who was once a show jumper and race car driver, but when they find her, they are still in the dark. They must search the past to give this nameless victim a name, and then, they must learn her story. The question remains, however, whether they can find what they seek at last: justice.
I enjoyed this mystery it was a fun and fast mystery.
#NineLives #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and D. B. Borton for offering the ARC of this book.

I’ve had the opportunity to read everything in this series and have become very fond of Cat Caliban, her band of friends and cohorts. This group can be very tenacious, to say the least, and depended upon to get to the heart of some very unusual crimes and incidents. Nine Lives being no exception.

Although I found the story caught my eye and interest, I thought it fell short of some of the other installments. First, it seemed too long and drawn out at points. It might benefit from a sharper knife in the hand of the editor. Secondly, the cast of characters, unique to this book, was much too exaggerated. I had a lot of difficulty tracking who was who and their place in the plot.

Overall, a decent read.

private-investigators, situational-humor, verbal-humor, widow, seniors, series, cats, Cincinnati, arson, murder, murder-investigation, skeleton, forensics, forensic-medicine, ex-cop, missing-persons, 1980s, law-enforcement, cold-case, horses, inheritance*****

This is set in the 1980s.
Her role models are Mrs. Pollifax and Colombo.
Cat Caliban had decided to change her life. At 59 she is a widow with grown children. She sold her house, bought a small apartment building in a dodgy part of town and decided to become a private investigator. But to get a license she needs two years of experience! Well, that began when she found a murdered woman in one of the apartments.
Now the saga continues with this ninth book which involves a house fire, a skeletal body that probably belongs to the owner who has been pretty much invisible for the previous forty years. The characters are engaging as well as interesting. The sleuthing takes due diligence to an extreme and the plot twists/red herrings are not only inventive, but truly diabolical! I had my nose stuck to the (virtual) page from start to finish!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Boomerang Books/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!