Page Updated: 25/02/99
Marian Babson
Marian Babson
The Multiple CatThe Multiple Cat New15 Mar 99
Miss Petunia's Last CaseMiss Petunia's Last Case
There Must Be Some MistakeThere Must Be Some Mistake
About the Author
Bibliography


New First British Edition HarperCollins (1999)
The Multiple Cat
When Annabel Hinchby-Smythe is mistaken for a top interior designer and invited to redecorate a reclusive millionaire's London flat, she little realizes what the deception will lead to. Hoping that her entrée into Arthur Arbuthnot's secret world will provide her with titbits to feed to the gossip columns, Annabel gets into character, soon finding that of all the assorted relatives and hangers-on in his life, the only one Arbuthnot seems to care about is Sally, a stray cat.
As Annabel wrestles with the mysteries of material samples, the tension level within the cavernous flat rises. And when Arbuthnot is found dead in his inner sanctum, all hell is let loose. Especially when it transpires that the main beneficiary of the will is Sally, and that whoever looks after her has control of the fortune. From being a barely tolerated pet, Sally suddenly becomes very popular indeed, and Annabel, all too aware of what this means for her life expectancy, decides to spirit Sally away. But she soon discovers that posing as a designer, running a cat-refuge service and meeting the insatiable demands of Xanthippe's Diary, not to mention solving a murder, means that she has recourse to rather more martinis than usual.
The Multiple Cat is a funny and charming crime novel, which will appeal to cat-lovers and mystery-lovers alike.
`At once blissfully barmy, craftily constructed, and instinct with Babson's bitchery-witchery ' Sunday Times (of Shadows in their Blood)
"Quietly builds to a purrfectly splendid climax" John Coleman Sunday Times (of The Diamond Cat)
"190 pages of nigh-perfect entertainment" Gerald Kaufman, Scotsman (of Even Yuppies Die)
"Engaging and amusingly done" Mike Ripley, Daily Telegraph (of Nine Lives To Murder)
"Tart and gossipy whodunit, with convincing cast of veteran thesps" Philip Oakes, Literary Review (of Shadows in their Blood)
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First British Edition HarperCollins (1997)
Miss Petunia's Last Case
See Review by Phyllis Davis
The outcry when Conan Doyle pushed Sherlock Holmes over the Reichenbach Falls and the dismay when Freeling shot Van der Valk are as nothing compared to the chaos that ensued when Lorinda Lucas tries to dispose of Miss Petunia and her siblings, Lily and Marigold. Not only did the lid blow off the fictional village of St Waldemar Boniface, but the literary colony of Brimful Coffers was shaken to its foundations.
Old feuds are resurrected and new feuds are born as a town full of mystery writers begins to wonder if Life has imitated Art or vice versa. Even the cats, Had-I, But-Known and Roscoe, became embroiled and added their share to the motives for murder and frayed nerves of the community.
Another delightfully off-the-wall and witty crime novel from the ever-popular Marian Babson.
'Marian Babson is one of my favourites among the lighter practitioners of the crime writer's craft, and in Miss Petunia's Case she maintains her skill in plotting and with humour' Gerald Kaufman, Scotsman
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Paperback - Null
There Must Be Some Mistake
Karen was feeling as fragile as one of the clay pieces she designed for her husband’s handicraft company. And her husband was why. Gone to Brussels for a business trip, John - and his secretary - had disappeared, leaving Karen gripped by dread.
It didn’t help that John’s co-workers refused to go to the police... that half a million in bearer bonds belonging to the company were missing... and that everyone assumed that John had simply taken the money and run off with another woman.
Karen knew that there must be some mistake. Trying to find out what exactly it was, she would come face to face with two shocking deaths, more lies, and bearer bonds that were all too near at hand. Now Karen had to play a double game: smoke out a very guilty party insider her husband’s own company - and keep her sanity from shattering to pieces. "Using frothy prose, witty dialogue, and humorous situations, British mystery writer Babson serves up first-class entertainment" Library Journal

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About The Author
Marian Babson was born in Salem, Massachusetts, but has lived in London for the greater part of her life. She has worked as a librarian, managed a campaign headquarters, been a receptionist/secretary/ Den Mother to a firm of commercial artists and was co-editor of a machine-knitting magazine, despite the fact that she can't knit, even with two needles. A long sojurn as a temp sent her into the heart of business life all over London, working for architects, law firms, the British Museum, a Soho club and even a visiting superstar. She also served as secretary to the Crime Writers' Association.
Marian Babson is now a full-time writer and her many interests - theatre, cinema, art, cooking, travel, cats, etc. - are reflected in her books.

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Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.

  • The Multiple Cat (HarperCollins, 1999) New Mar 99
  • Miss Petunia's Last Case (HarperCollins, 1997)
  • Break a Leg, Darlings ( 1995)
  • The Diamond Cat (Collins Crime Club, 1994)
  • Even Yuppies Die (Collins Crime Club, 1993) ( Sinclair & Dolan)
  • Nine Lives To Murder (Collins Crime Club, 1992)
  • Shadows In Their Blood (Collins Crime Club, 1991) ( Sinclair & Dolan)
  • Past Regret (Collins Crime Club, 1990)
  • Encore Murder (Collins Crime Club, 1989) ( Sinclair & Dolan)
  • Guilty Party (Collins Crime Club, 1988)
  • Fatal Fortune (Collins Crime Club, 1987)
  • Reel Murder (Collins Crime Club, 1986) ( Sinclair & Dolan)
  • Death In Fashion (Collins Crime Club, 1985)
  • Weekend For Murder (Collins Crime Club, 1985) a.k.a. Murder on a Mystery Tour
  • A Trail Of Ashes (Collins Crime Club, 1984)
  • Death Swap (Collins Crime Club, 1984)
  • A Fool For Murder (Collins Crime Club, 1983)
  • The Cruise Of A Deathtime (Collins Crime Club, 1983)
  • Death Beside The Seaside (Collins Crime Club, 1982) a.k.a. Death Beside The Sea
  • Death Warmed Up (Collins Crime Club, 1982)
  • Bejewelled Death (Collins Crime Club, 1981)
  • Dangerous To Know (Collins Crime Club, 1980)
  • Queue Here For Murder (Collins Crime Club, 1980) a.k.a. Line Up for Murder
  • So Soon Done For (Collins Crime Club, 1979)
  • The Twelve Deaths Of Christmas (Collins Crime Club, 1979)
  • Tightrope For Three (Collins Crime Club, 1978)
  • Murder, Murder, Little Star (Collins Crime Club, 1977)
  • The Lord Mayor Of Death (Collins Crime Club, 1977)
  • Untimely Guest (Collins Crime Club, 1976)
  • Murder Sails At Midnight (Collins Crime Club, 1975)
  • There Must Be Some Mistake (Collins Crime Club, 1975)
  • The Stalking Lamb (Collins Crime Club, 1974)
  • Unfair Exchange (Collins Crime Club, 1974)
  • Pretty Lady (Collins Crime Club, 1973)
  • Murder on Show (Collins Crime Club, 1972) a.k.a. Murder at the Cat Show ( Perkins)
  • Cover-up Story (Collins Crime Club, 1971) ( Perkins)
  • In the Teeth of Adversity (St Martin's) American Editon ( Perkins)
  • Tourists Are For Trapping (St Martin's) American edition ( Perkins)

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