A Cat's Judgement
Suzanne Stephenson
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)
"There was a brief scrabbling sound and he quickly reappeared with a mouse between his jaws. “You are so good,” she said as he disappeared up the corridor with his tail erect. “Tomorrow, I will bring you a reward.” Nick hardly noticed the lack of his feline friend as he had the return day of a Family Law Act injunction after having waded his way through mountains of family financial boxwork..."
Do you love cats? I do and so when I heard that Suzanna Stephenson had written a crime-procedure-em-up that featured a cat I was curious enough to want to review it. Meet Mr Perkins - the feline star of this tale who shows up and impacts the lives of those around him.
How this black cat can make such a difference is anyone’s guess, but he does!? Suzanne not only writes this but also drew some lovely illustrations too!
Cats don't always get good press, although the ancient Egyptians had a cat 'god' Bastet. Sure in Medieval times cats were often associated with Satan and black magic, but Queen Victoria who was a keeper of cats, and the writer Mark Twain did much to restore the reputation of cats.
There have been several cats who have lived at the seat of government, namely in Downing Street, London. Who is to say a cat could not bring his or her beneficial influence to bear on the judicial system. So here we are with Mr Perkins doing his thing in lives of the people in the courthouse and a nearby bed and breakfast... Who will survive - and what will be left of them? Just kidding - it's not a horror!!
Whether it is pet rescue, support dogs, or help with British Sign Language, this black cat is . Following Mr Perkins’ appearance in the lives of judges, litigants and court staff, the local vet and the people in the B&B, all seem to benefit from the strange cat with the bright yellow eyes. After touching base with Mr Perkins judgements are improved inside and out of the courtroom.
I found the highly detailed writing style took a little getting used up but the concept of a cat having an impact on the British justice system was strong enough to carry it through and I found myself enjoying this slightly odd tale.
Is this cat some stray moggy, or is there a little bit of stardust on his paws?
About the author
Living in the English countryside I already had a couple of careers before I became an author. Having been a Family Lawyer and Family Mediator I became a District Judge in the year 2000 and officially retired from judging in early 2021.Sitting on complex family cases did not leave me much time for my interests of writing and sketching but when I had free-time I tried to visit interesting places .I hope my ancestors helped provide some inspiration as well. My father was a Holocaust survivor and my maternal grandfather a gynaecologist and composer. The people and countryside of Eastern England also are embedded in my psyche .
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(4 - A charming tale - not a cat-astrophe!)
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