contract kills, but then this one gets all messy, with the realization that she can't carry it out and why, yeah, I couldn't put it down!

This is a novella, but I loved how basically every line, every throwaway line, came together for this story. Those one off comments that kept building, and when added together, helped form this story. And oh, what a great story it was!

We're thrown into this world right at the deep end, so it took a minute to get oriented and feel things out. As the story progressed and we learned what it was like-and why what was happening shouldn't have been, I was entertaining more and more! The idea of someone wanting revenge on you, so they reach into the past to pull a young version of yourself, and take a hit out on that young self, and have present day you be the one to do the killing? Yeah, that's just a wild plot!

By the end, it was pretty mind-boggling, the lengths and depths of the plan, both against Eveen, and the one that she came up with. Watching all the legal machinations, and the gods, it all came together were wall, and was just so satisfying to read!

This was a fantastic read and I can't wait to read more by P. Djèlí Clark!

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins follows Eveen, a skilled assassin, as she works to complete an unbreakable contract. This book has rich world building despite its relatively short length. The narrator enhances this experience with their fantastic reading and intonation throughout. I was immediately drawn into the story and action. The mystery unfolds at just the right pace to keep you guessing and invested. I highly recommend this story to my audience.

5 ⭐!!
Thank you RB Media and Netgalley for this audiobook arc!!

I love, LOVE P. Djèlí Clark's works so much. The way he world builds without giving up character work, and vice versa, really makes his characters feel alive and his worlds lived in.

The narrator of this audiobook truly brings these characters to life. Each character had their own voice and way of speaking. This might be my favorite audiobook read of the year.

This was my first book from this author and it probably won’t be my last. It was fun and fast paced and I’d like to read more books like this.

"Aeril's fiery, f!cking tendrils!"

Gah! This was so good.

I loved the world-building, with its goddess lore, and the setting of the carnival-celebrating city. The characters were vivid and complex, and the dialogue crisp and quippy.

I appreciated that the violence wasn't super descriptive. I mean, I'm fine that they played Real Life Operation with The Patriarch, but I'm equally fine with not having to hear the squelching in my head, you know?

This was my second from this author - Ring Shout was also excellent - and I'm looking forward to his next offering.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing, and RB Media for this deadly ARC.

Really fun novella about a great concept, the narrative voice was so good, and the plot was propulsive. The central action constantly kept me.guessing. The ending was a bit lackluster.

thank you netgalley and RB media for an AALC of this book!
in terms of audiobooks, i was excited to request a p. djèlí clark book because i have already read "ring shout" by the same autor and i was amazed how good that audiobook was. the production quality of this was also excellent and the narrator did a fantastic job with it. i truly think i would have enjoyed it less if not for the audiobook! so if you like this author and you like experiencing fantasy via audiobooks, i say give it a shot!

in terms of the story, i do not really have that much to say other than it did not blow me away. it is a novella but it took me some days to read and while it was not bad in any way it was not something i actively wanted to pick up. i think the concept of it is definitely interesting especially how it was resolved (even though to me the direction of it was quite obvious). generally speaking novellas are always hit or miss because you have limited time to get attached to the characters or the plot and sadly this did not work that well for me. i think we would have benefited more from getting to know the characters a bit better. instead this felt episodic and conveniently solved - sort of like a comic book or a superhero movie which CAN work when you are more attached to the characters and their adventures, which was not the case.

Uhhhhh I hoped, I really thought I was going to like this book more than I did. The concept was interesting, but the execution was a bit all over the place, too many random little things, too much jumping around, and a sense of humor that doesn't match mine. It all made it very hard to focus or care for anything. It's still not a bad choice for a quick fall read, but it's not something I'll probably ever reread or even remember for long.

“But what about your God?”

“Fuck her and her firey tits!”

The personality put into this audiobook is 10/10. It was so entertaining! The story is interesting and unique. The MC is an undead/good looking zombie hired assassin. She’s given a mark she can’t bring herself to take care off. It’s a relatively short, interesting read. I highly recommend the audiobook for this one!

Thank you NetGalley, P. Djèlí Clark, RB Media, and Tor for ARCs of this book.

This was y first foray into the unique universe that Djèlí Clark's novels are all interwoven in. . The spooky atmosphere, credible characters and fast-moving plot made for a unique experience albeit a confusing one in places (parallel universes or different time lines are not exactly up my alley). Although I only read this novel on the strength of Modern Mrs Darcy'S warm recommendation, I have to say this was so unexpected and well written, that I'm sure I'll give other books a chance.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC.

A fun book filled with gore, adventure, and a special kind of dark humor. Though I enjoyed the concept of this book, I wasn't as captured by the characters and lore as I expected.

The narrator of "Dead Cat Tail Assassins" was exceptionally impressive. As someone who listens to audiobooks exclusively, I can confidently say she is one of the best narrators I’ve ever heard. Although I initially expected the book to have a certain tone or style, it didn't turn out that way. Her skillful use of different voices truly immersed me in the story, making it easy to get lost in the narrative. Despite the story's straightforwardness, the narrator's performance significantly elevated the experience, making it engaging and easy to follow.

Honestly a 3.5 stars. The premise and the plot was absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed the world building. The writing just sadly was not for me which is a shame. The narrator was good and I like her voice, but ...something about it didn't quite sit right with me. I gave it the additional .5 because I appreciated the plot.

I'm not going to write a plot summary, because the story is too good to spoil.

P. Djeli Clark has been an auto-buy author for a while, and Cat Tail Assassins does not disappoint. The world building is masterful with very little awkward exposition. The plot is tight and the characters are delightful. It was great seeing the pieces of the puzzle come together at the end.

The narrator, Lynette Freeman, did an excellent job with a book with many different voices.

I think that for me it felt hard to connect to the characters, but otherwise I found the plot interesting as well as the world building fantastic. I think that we did spend too much time on subtle details of other characters that slowed down the book for me but overall an exciting read.

Clark is back with a style he absolutely slays: a fantasy with a wickedly smart FMC who excels at witty banter and takes no crap. I fell in love with these characters, and the world building is exceptional as always. You’ll get hints of Nevernight and a whiff of buddy cop vibes. So fun and enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this audiobook!

This is the second book I've had with this narrator and she really is wonderful at bringing the characters to life.

I loved this novella! The world, the assassins, all the characters were so wonderfully and dynamically created. The side character entrances and backstories were presented without detracting from the plot moving along. Would love this as an ongoing series!

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark is a wild and unique ride. The concept of undead assassins who have no memory of their past lives is intriguing, and the story is fast-paced and full of action with a touch of dark humor. It can get a bit gruesome, given the nature of the characters, but it's definitely an interesting listen.

The main character, Eveen, faces a major dilemma when she recognizes her target as her past self, which adds a nice twist to the plot. While the world-building isn't as detailed as in some of Clark's other works, it still offers a fascinating backdrop for the story.

Lynnette R. Freeman's narration really shines here. She brings a lot of energy to the story, and her ability to voice different characters makes it feel like there’s a whole cast narrating. If you’re thinking about picking this one up, I’d definitely recommend going for the audiobook!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book as an audio to listen to on my way to and from work . I loved every moment of it . Imagine being dead assassin with no memories and then one day you recognize someone. Not just anyone , someone incredibly significant to you and you are tasked with ending her life. Will you ? Won’t you ? I was completely surprised up til the last moment . You will be too . Go grab this book ASAP!

I really like everything else I've read by P. Djeli Clark, but this was disappointing. The plot was interesting, but the characters and humor felt immature for an adult book.