Cat and Mouse by Christianna Brand
Published: 1950
Book Tropes: Unreliable characters, mysterious letters, remote houses
Recommended for fans of: Agatha Christie // Hitchcock movies // Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier // Gothic literature // Wales
Katinka Jones works with a women’s magazine and starts a correspondence with the lonely Mrs. Amista Carlyon. Amista lives in a very remote village in Wales. Tinka develops a fondness for her and decides to visit her. But surprise, surprise. There’s nobody called Amista living in that old house. So who was writing those letters? And who is this mysterious Mr. Carlyon who seems to hide a desperate secret of his own?
“And in Katinka Jones, the Welsh blood of her father’s family rose up and painted for her mind’s eye, a scene she loved: the grey valley where the brave green struggled through the earth’s scarred surface under the soft Welsh rain: an old house, clinging to its hard-won foothold on the stony breast of the mountain; the river lying like a silver sword between a young girl and the companionship of men — of all men but Carlyon. ”
Did I like this book?
This was so good! I’d never heard of Brand before The Green Capsule recommended her work some time back. Within the first 10 pages, I was totally hooked. There’s something delightfully ominous about the way the plot unfolds. When Tinka finds out her pen pal doesn’t exist, we feel that very real danger with her.
But Tinka persists. For one reason after another, she sticks on in the village to find out more. She also has a knack of jumping to conclusions at the drop of a hat, so she works wonderfully well as one of those unreliable narrators in fiction. She annoyed me, but I also kind of admired her.
Typically, detective fiction books tend to have a grand finale event where the culprit gets revealed or some other secret is exposed. Cat and Mouse, on the other hand, is a series of smaller crisis points. That isn’t to say this structure doesn’t work; there’s constant uneasiness dogging the reader. Like a cat plays with mice, Brand plays tantalizingly with readers’ expectations.
I will say that the twisty ending doesn’t quite sit right. The final reveal of the motives was a bit over-the-top, though I suspect it might have been a satire on some of the prevailing themes in the genre at that time. If you can make adjustments for a slightly less dazzling finish than the captivating first 80% of the book, then all’s well.
Overall
You should definitely give Brand’s books a try if you like Dame Christie’s work. Green for Danger (there’s a 1946 movie adaptation too) is also quite good, but Cat and Mouse is a good gateway book for Brand’s fiction.
Rating: 8 of 10
Have you read Brand’s work before? Have you read Cat and Mouse? What other works did this book remind you of? Tell me!
24 replies on “Cat and Mouse by Christianna Brand”
I’m glad to see that you enjoyed this one. It doesn’t seem to be too widely read, which is a shame. I think many people (myself included) would rate Suddenly at His Residence, Green for Danger, Tour de Force, Death of Jezebel, and Fog of Doubt ahead of Cat and Mouse when it comes to Brand’s work, which is amazing given that Cat and Mouse is so good.
There’s somewhat of a sequel to Cat and Mouse called Ring of Roses, although it’s one of Brand’s most difficult book to find. Not only does it feature some continuity of characters, but the plot has a similar vibe even though it’s a very different story.
Awesome. Thanks for sharing more recommendations for Brand’s work, I am going to check out each one of these. And all thanks to you, that I discovered Cat and Mouse. You’ve made a fan out of me.
From your review I get the feeling that Cat and Mouse is the perfect title for this book
Haha, you’ve hit the nail on the head!
I haven’t read this author before, but I do really love Agatha Christie. The fact that it’s set in a remote village in Wales is an added bonus.
The writing is fabulous. I know you like mysteries/ thrillers, I think you’ll like this book!
Ooh all those tropes and recommended for points appealed to me! I love how ominous it sounds. I may have to look further into this author…
I agree too that Wales is a draw…
Wales was an unexpected surprise! The author really knows her Welsh atmosphere. I was really quite impressed with this book.
This sounds really enjoyable! I enjoy Agatha Christie’s work, so I’ll take a look for Cat and Mouse also.
I knew I wanted to read some new detective fiction / new author, so the recommendation for Brand’s work was a welcome addition to my TBR. I am so glad I gave it a try, and it’s a shame she’s not better known.
This is a new author for me, but one I definitely need to pick up, even if the ending isn’t great.
Definitely a must read for all mystery lovers!
I have always heard her mysteries are good and own one or two but I really disliked the first book of hers I read, a historical called Court of Foxes, so have never got around to the others. This sounds like one I would enjoy, however!
It’s great that you’d heard of Brand before! I am a newbie to her work. It seems she wrote several historical romance books on the side, but her mysteries are better regarded. Green Capsule recommended Suddenly at His Residence, Green for Danger, Tour de Force, Death of Jezebel, and Fog of Doubt — so I’m passing on these recs to you.
Ooooh yea! A new author to try! I know I will definitely enjoy this one. Great review and you have me hooked for sure.
Hope you are having a good weekend!
Elza Reads
I remember you talking about Mary Higgins Clark and Christie before. Think Brand’s work would qualify as readalikes.
How come I had never heard of this author!! Thanks for presenting this book
If you like Christie, Brand seems to be a good author to follow.
Oh I love the idea of the mysterious letters. I’ve never heard of this author but I think I would enjoy her books.
It was a short book, but it packed a punch. The ending could have been better, but I’d never have guessed it, so all’s well there too.
I think I would enjoy this book — and she’s definitely an author I need to know more about!
It’s such a shame she’s not better known. Cat and Mouse seems to be one of her “lesser” works, and yet it grabs the reader and is absolutely engrossing. Give this a try if you like mysteries!
This definitely sounds like something I would enjoy
It was brilliant — and a very quick read.