Molly and the Cat Cafe

Molly is a cat and this book is written from her perspective. I'm not a cat person but I enjoyed reading this charming story. (It even gave me confidence to stroke a strange cat and understand that when they arch their backs against your hand, it means they're responding in a good way.)

Molly loves her elderly owner Margery and they live a happy, uncomplicated life together. But it is short-lived. Margery declines into dementia and is moved into a home, leaving Molly alone.

Margery's son arranges for Molly to be taken in by a friend who owns three cat-unfriendly dogs. Eventually Molly has enough of being neglected by the dogs' owner and bullied by the dogs and runs away.

Bedraggled and half-starved, Molly eventually finds Debbie who is a newly-divorced mother trying hard to make ends meet by running a rather run-down cafe. Life is hard; Debbie's teenage daughter Sophie is angry and unsociable and appears to hate Molly.

Outside the cafe, is an embittered old woman who is determined to make life even more difficult for Debbie and Sophie by getting the cafe closed down. But she reckons without Molly, who is an astute feline with a strong sense of justice.

Molly is a lovable and - oddly believable - furry main character. I couldn't help rooting for her in all her adventures. Several times she took me by surprise.

I enjoyed this book and am happy to award it 4*.