by James Barrie (Author), Mat Dawson (Illustrator)
In the outbuilding of a terraced house in Clementhorpe, York, the body of pigeon-fancier Peter Morris lies waiting to be discovered. In the grey light of dawn a large grey fluffy cat enters the yard - just because the gate has been left open. The cat is called Theodore.
Theodore looks at the dead body with the same interest he would a dead moth. Murder, he thinks, and goes to alert his owner Emily. Within the hour Theodore is accused by the newly-widowed Wendy of eating one of Peter's pigeons. He resolves to clear his name and unmask the Clementhorpe Killer.
Suspects include Wendy; Craig Foster - a red-haired loner; Ahmet and Zeynep - the Turkish couple up the street; artist Michael and his boyfriend Philip; divorcee Diane, and then there's Emily's new boyfriend Jonathan.
The First of Nine is Theodore's first foray into crime investigation. It is a cat's take on the murder mystery novel. It is the first of his nine lives.