Touch Not the Cat

Don’t Read This One First

I first read this several years back because I’d found Mary Stewart kept getting recommended to me by readers with common tastes and this was the only one available in my local library. I was disappointed by the supernatural element the book emphasizes in the beginning and I’m afraid I skimmed through most of it and shelved Mary Stewart as “someone to try another day”. Then I found a vintage copy of ‘Madam, Will You Talk?’ a few years ago and devoured every Mary Stewart I could find after that. Listening to this audio, I was pleased to find that I completely enjoyed it. However, I would tell a first time reader of Mary Stewart’s novels to stay away from the fantasy (unless that’s why you’re here) and the books with fantastical elements and stick with one like ‘Nine Coaches Waiting’. Even ‘Airs Above the Ground’ (a book I enjoyed less than this one) would be a better introduction to Stewart’s forte. I think it is because once you have the general curve of Mary’s style you can handle the mind-reading element no problem. Kind of like reading Agatha Christie’s Westmacott novels after you’ve read a few typical Christies, if you will. Anyway, great narrator and I feel the villains of this plot are more thoroughly believable than any other Stewart I’ve read so far, or at least on par with the best. As a last note, I appreciate the portrayal of Americans in this novel. In so many books from British novelists Americans are crass, loud, obnoxious, primarily concerned with money, etc., etc. This book portrays Americans like the ones I’m surrounded by, and I’m glad to feel Mary Stewart would approve of my friends.