Cat in the Flock

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ever wonder what other people dream about? Cathedral Grace McCormick ("Cat") does not, because she already knows.

Cat and her grandmother, Granny Grace, have an ability called "dreamslipping" that allows them to enter other people's dreams. Instead of denying her abilities, Granny Grace honed them and established a private investigator firm in Seattle. As Granny Grace's reputation for solving mysteries grew, she became an influential member of the P.I. community; a legacy which she now wants Cat to take over.

Cat accepts Granny Grace's offer to join the firm and undergo training to hone her own abilities. During her flight to Seattle, Cat inadvertently enters the dream of one of the passengers and later discovers that the dream holds the key to solving her first case as a private investigator.

Cat In The Flock (Dreamslippers Book 1) by Lisa Brunette is a unique and compelling detective story that has an interesting take on dream interpretation. Cat must not only pay attention to physical clues, but she has to interpret other people's dreams from a first-person and third-person perspective to solve mysteries. I found this premise fascinating and was captivated by the strong and realistic female protagonists from the first page.

Brunette's portrayals of Cat and Granny Grace are nothing short of genius. Both characters are strong, vulnerable, flawed, and genuine; I found it easy to suspend my disbelief of Granny Grace's and Cat's abilities because the characters seemed so real. It would have been so easy for Brunette to make Cat and Granny Grace larger than life, but she chose to make them down-to-earth and practical.

It is not every day when I become so involved with the characters in a book that I view them as friends. I found that the further I delved into the storyline, the more attached I became to these two strong and genuine women. If I had a physical copy of Cat In The Flock, it would be on the top shelf of my bookcase; the shelf that I reserve for old friends that I enjoy revisiting frequently.

5 stars - what a treat! Who would've thought that a whodunit could incorporate a superpower? And also that, in the best tradition, the superpower is as much a weakness as a strength? Well, obviously - Ms. Brunette. The dreamy powers of the heroine come across as totally believable, needing to be learned and often slipping beyond control. This makes for a rich character with real life situations and interactions, making for a gripping "what comes next?!" read! Indeed, as someone who lives there, I loved the little details of Seattle, Tacoma, and the pacific northwest overall. It adds a load of realism that grounds the story. Did I mention the racy bits? Tasteful and candid - nice combo! Can't wait for more from Cat, Granny Grace and Buddha!