The Dead Cat Tail Assassins

By: P. Djèlí Clark

Narrated by: Lynnette R. Freeman

Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins—resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories—have only three unbreakable vows.

First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade.

Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark.

The third and the simplest: once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy.

When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.

“One of my favorite authors … I loved this one.”—Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun

©2024 P. Djeli Clark (P)2024 Recorded Books

Delightful and deadly!

Assassins, pulp novels, time travel mischief, political deviousness, and high adventure? This has it all!!

A Modern Pulp Tale

This is not your typical modern fantasy story. This tale has more in common with the great pulp fantasy stories of the early 1900s. Modern dialogue, quirky heroes, swords and nebulous but omnipresent magic up lifted by a modern author. Lots of fun!

He can't miss!

Clark has done it again. This story is thrilling, disturbing, clever, funny and I loved every second. His wit is unparalleled, his characters well rounded and you are fully immersed in the world he built. I find myself wishing to read Asheel the maniac hunter stories...but more stories about Evene would be fantastic as well.

Shout out to my dead cats reading this!

Alright, so boom. The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark is an absolute banger, and as a fan of Clark’s work, I gotta say, he did not disappoint with this one. If you’ve read his other books, you know he’s meticulous with his research, and even though this is set in a fantasy world, that same level of commitment is all over the world-building here. The setting feels alive, like a place where other stories could unfold. It’s immersive and well-thought-out, giving the impression that there’s more history behind the scenes, but we’re just following this one particular tale.

The main character was a standout for me, and what really hit is how Clark moves the story along at a quick pace without sacrificing character development. That balance is hard to strike, but Clark nailed it. His writing style? Witty, for sure. Every character has a unique voice, and even though the book is written in third person, it’s so close to the protagonist that you feel like you’re inside her head. You get the intimacy of first person, but with the flexibility of third person. Clark mastered that, and it definitely enhanced my experience with the book.

The plot kicks off with an assassin on a mission, which could feel predictable, but Clark still managed to surprise me. He answered some of the burning questions right away but introduced even more intriguing mysteries. It’s a classic assassination plot, sure, but the way it unfolds kept me engaged. The back-and-forth between Avin and Skye? Chef’s kiss. I loved their dynamic, and it added layers to the story that I wasn’t expecting.

When it comes to the pacing, everything flowed so well. The action, the twists, and the character moments all hit at just the right time. I was never left hanging or feeling like things dragged. It’s a book you can sink into easily, and for anyone who’s a fan of speculative fiction with Black people at the forefront, this is for you. At times, it felt a bit YA, but in the best way possible—accessible, fast-paced, and fun, but with depth and strong character development.

One major highlight for me was the dialogue. There’s a character who unexpectedly speaks Jamaican Patois, and that just blew me away. The audio version is on point, too—the narrator deserves their flowers for bringing the story to life in a way that had me hooked. Honestly, if anyone else had narrated it, I might not have been as invested, but they made this story sing.

Overall, The Dead Cat Tail Assassins is a must-read. It’s quick, it’s sharp, and it’s full of characters you’ll love spending time with. Clark’s world-building is as solid as ever, and if you’re into witty dialogue, immersive settings, and speculative fiction that centers Black characters, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Slow start with a killer end

The narrator had an outstanding range of voices absolutely love her work. The start of the story seems slow but soon it picks up pace. There’s so many twists and turns I don’t want to spoil the surprises. I recommend the story.

lots of plot twists

great spin on several classic themes yourself from the past, alternate worlds with majic and assasins thrown in! Great plot and windrful narration!

Phenomenal Performance!!!

The Dead Cat Tails Assassins has a quirky title and a bold story concept. I'm talking about a dead female Assassin whose current assignment involves magic, time travel, a multiverse, politics, and sassy Goddesses with sharp tongues and teeth. How would I describe this? Well imagine if John Wick was in a fantasy world with Mages and Gods... and John Wick was a dead, brown-skinned Diva with deadly blades 🤣 That's a good description!

This book was dedicated to the culture... and the culture thanks my dear author 💜

So readers, are you ready to be dropped into a pure fantasy story? There will be no detours into unrequited love stories. There's no stumbling into any genres just for the pretty or dramatic scenery. Nope. And theres none of the usual fluff. Personally, I've become a fan of this type of writing. When you're reading dozens of these novels a year, you get the gist. With that in mind, this may not be for the casual fantasy reader as there is no beach to slowly walk into the depths. The story starts in the middle of something new to characters and the world. We don't get hours of backstory or pages of explanation of how this world functions. As a reader, you catch on as you go.

The main character was well done. Since she doesn't have any memories, the reader doesn't get anything about her past. But as the story progresses, you realize you're following along with someone who is dangerous enough to be feared, sweet enough to be a lover, strong-willed enough to not just do as she is expected, skilled enough to taunt other assassins, and righteous enough to stand up for an underprivileged community. She has the layers of a character that could hold down a series, but I hear this is a stand-alone novel.

One thing that ears didn't care for was some of the dialogue. This is not earth, but characters used earth phrases such as referring to someone as a "Badd B**ch". That's a very much earthy lingo that can break the reality seal for some readers. I would have preferred the author sticking with creating their own lingo as was done with "shipping".

The narrator, Lynnette R. Freeman, was like warm brownies on a cold day good. She was giving out voices, accents, good dialect, and perfect tone for days. I am so excited. I will be searching for audiobooks narrated by her in the future.

So much fun. Totally unique fantasy.

What a unique and well developed world!? This book is less than 7 hr long, yet it has so much mythology and history and unique magic and complex characters. But despite packing so much in a novella it never felt overdone or dense. Fast paced. Funny. Highly recommended.