Crow River Mercy

Feral kitten Buddy is back on paw patrol with his crime-busting friends in C. Stewart’s Crow River Mercy. In the congenial follow-up to Crow River Justice, readers rejoin former human lawyer William Hawkins on his journey of “learning to cat” after his death and feline reincarnation—a brilliantly quirky premise that Stewart continues to explore to unexpected ends in this absorbing sequel.

Expanding the parameters of this crime-infested world, Stewart’s twisty page-turner balances murder and mayhem with humour and pathos in a surprisingly tender read. Building upon the emotional foundations of the first novel while raising the stakes, Crow River Mercy finds Buddy’s new-found peace threatened by a troubled housemate and a deadly case of rabies. With his patience—and his past-life legal instincts—put to the test, Buddy must learn to overcome his prejudices and coexist with Mercy, an ex-service dog, and Floosy, his meddling kitten sister, all while death closes its shadowy fist around Crow River once again.

As the trio grows into their respective roles—Floosy as healer, Mercy as protector, and Buddy as investigator—these lines blur and shift in engaging and often unexpected ways. Together with a colourful cast of neighbouring birds and beasts, they find themselves unravelling yet another mystery. Tension simmers throughout as environmental and human tragedies collide: a dead doe, a human corpse discovered in a beaver lodge, and the looming threat of disease all reinforce the precariousness of life in their corner of the world. Crow River may be populated by animals, but its questions about fear, grief, and belonging are deeply human.

Fortunately, Stewart balances these darker elements with plenty of humour. The sibling rivalry between Buddy and Floosy provides some of the novel’s most charming moments. Reminiscent of the playful antagonism between Garfield and Odie, their banter offers boundless entertainment for any animal-lover. This lively dynamic preserves the cozy optimism that made the first novel so enjoyable, carrying readers through deeper discussions of trauma, grief, and violence without ever becoming overly bleak.

While Crow River Mercy successfully builds on the characters from the first novel and deepens the emotional payoffs, there are some moments that could be polished for a stronger follow-up. Stewart’s research and passion for the natural world are evident throughout, though some informational passages feel more inserted than organically woven into the narrative. Still, the story remains clear and intriguing without being hard to follow.

Stewart’s greatest strength lies in making the animal world feel both fantastical and utterly believable. Their distinctive narrative voice offers fascinating insights into animal hierarchies and human social circles alike, while exploring timeless themes of love, loss, prejudice, and redemption in an imaginative and compelling way.

Through one small cat, Crow River Mercy asks surprisingly big questions about morality, community, and what it means to belong. Heartfelt, suspenseful, and wonderfully original, Stewart delivers a mystery that is consistently entertaining, proving there is still plenty of life—and plenty of mystery—left in Crow River.

—CANREADS BOOK REVIEW

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