"Cat Out of Hell" by Lynne Truss / Reviewed by Briana Goodchild
Killer Nashville Book of the Day
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Lynne Truss
Cat Out of Hell by Lynne Truss
Reviewed by Briana Goodchild
“It was the grandest of grand tours. We saw art. We saw architecture. We read books, and learned languages. All this time, the Captain was teaching me to talk, to read, to reason, to memorize.” – Roger, the tabby cat.
Now, you may think to yourself that these are the words of an intelligent, well traveled, and empathetic individual. And, it’s true, only in this case the individual has four limbs and a tail. Yes, my dear readers, this is the story of a talking cat named Roger. A tabby with the voice of Vincent Price, is one of three voices narrating a tale of mystery, murder, and satanic dealings.
If you enjoyed novels by Lynne Truss before, then be prepared for her newest work, an assemblage of voice recordings, emails, and unreliable narration as well as telepathic emails (referred to as e-miaow’s). The setting for these exchanges occur between the Shingle Cottage, where our first narrator, Alec Charlesworth, prepares the reader for a tale of absurdity, and the town of Harville where our second narrator William “Wiggy” Caton-Pines resides. Both are distinguished librarians in the community, yet are the clowns of the story.
Instead, it is Roger (our third narrator) who remains two steps ahead of the game, utilizing every moment to finish telling his story before either the great Cat Master –a human by the name of Prideaux – or Captain, the immortal tabby cat, commits murder.
Raised by Captain, Roger learns how to become an immortal with nine lives and the ability to speak. However, after Captain’s “psychotic possessiveness” leads to the deaths of four humans, Roger realizes how dangerous the game truly is. After being separated for the extent of two World Wars, these relentless felines are finally reunited and freed from servitude via the murder of the Cat Master, a deed done by Roger’s own paws.
Unfortunately, there is no way to describe certain sections of the book without giving away the surprise ending. Suffice it to say, that this comedic mystery story, told through three characters, with unexplainable circumstances, demons, talking cats, and a talking dog named Winston, awaits readers. I urge you to take the road to hell and back.
Briana Goodchild is on the verge of becoming a bibliophile and is currently a student of English Literature and Drama. Like any book reader she enjoys a strong cup of tea and an enticing story to match.
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