Murder's Out of Tune: An Amicus Curiae Mystery

Henry G. MacLeod teaches sociology at Trent University and the
University of Waterloo.

Murder’s Out of Tune is the second feline mystery featuring Amicus
Curiae (“friend of the court”) of Osgoode Hall, Q.C. (Questing Cat,
not Queen’s Counsel), the narrator of this amusing courtroom drama.

His human companion, Justice Ted Mariner, is also back. After 31 years
of marital bliss, Mariner’s wife, suspicious of his long hours at the
office now that he has a young, attractive law clerk, packs his bag and
tells him to leave. Mariner is joined on the streets by Amicus. The two
are taken in by Jersey Doucette at his Yorkville tavern, the Chicken
Alley, where Mariner worked while in law school.

As the lights come up on the opening night performance of the Billy
Wonder Quartet with Amicus and Ted in front-row seats, the pianist and
leader turns up dead. The sax player Des Cheshire, who is unhappy with
his contract, is arrested and put on trial. Mariner, a long-time fan of
Des’s, recruits a reluctant Leland Gaunt to once again be the criminal
defence counsel.

There is no shortage of suspects for Gaunt to investigate, while
Mariner works on saving his marriage and Amicus has a few close calls
with his fellow cats. Jeffrey Miller has written another light, humorous
whodunit for cat lovers and anyone looking for a fun read.