The Man Who Understood Cats is Dr. Jack Caleb, a psychologist whose patient, a quiet accountant, suddenly commits suicide. Jack doesn't believe it for a minute...neither does John Thinnes, the homicide detective assigned to solve the case. And once John gets over the notion that Jack could be the killer, the cop enlists the shrink into reluctantly helping him.

Things are still uneasy between the two men; not only is John used to working with his longtime partner, Jack is an openly gay man. And while John isn't homophobic or anything, he still isn't sure how he feels about that. As for Jack, he's not happy about the situation either; he definitely doesn't want to get involved in a murder investigation...especially one headed by John, who is driven by personal demons stemming from a troubled marriage.

What follows is not only an intriguing mystery, but a deep psychological portrait of two men whose tormented personal lives are as dangerous to them as the murder they are trying to solve. As the two get closer to finding the killer, they find themselves facing great physical danger and bonding emotionally as they are drawn deep into one another's lives.

What's best about all this though is that while there is a rather neat (but violent) solution to the mystery, their personal relationship is just beginning. They aren't enemies like at the start of the book, but neither are they buddies. Their friendship is starting slowly and warily just like it would in real life. Furthermore, there is much untapped about their domestic troubles and we are as eager to read more about them as the next mystery they solve together.

Still, I could've done without the cats, even though they were only background pieces in the novel. After reading the book, I could've sworn there was cat hair on the furniture.

--Anthony D. Langford