3.5 stars

Dulcie is a grad student, attempting to find a topic for her English literature thesis. She is having a really bad summer - her cat died; the class she was supposed to teach was cancelled, so she's doing temp work; worst of all, when she comes home one day, she finds her new (not very likeable) roommate dead on the floor, murdered. It seems the ghost of her cat is keeping watch over her, and is able to keep her safe. Things get worse at work, as someone is tampering with the computer system, and later the computer system at her library is hacked. What is going on!?

It was good. Nothing really special, I didn't think, but it was good. It went into a little more detail than I was interested in with the English lit thesis stuff, but other than that, I liked it. I guess it's the first in a new series, and I probably won't seek out the next one, but if I come across it or it works for a group read or game, I might pick it up. ( )

This is the second book I've read by Clea Simon and I have to say I am hooked. I really liked this book not only because it has a ghost cat, but it also has an academic atmosphere. I love books and I love books that includes books. I loved the fact that Dulcie was doing her thesis on an old Gothic novel. It was an enjoyable read. ( )

Having read and enjoyed author Clea Simon's Theda Krakow series, I looked forward to trying her new series featuring Dulcie Schwartz, a doctoral student specializing in gothic literature at Harvard University. Besides, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet a ghost cat, could I?

In order to help pay the bills, Dulcie has sublet her roommate's room in their apartment to another college student, a rather obnoxious man who likes the ladies. Dulcie isn't too fond of him, but she would never have wished him dead, which is exactly how she finds him one evening after a long day at work. He's been stabbed to death with her own knife. A cat that looks an awful lot like her former companion, Mr. Grey, tried to warn her not to enter the apartment, but Dulcie dismisses the voice in her head, and goes in anyway.

Besides finding herself a suspect in her roommate's murder, things aren't going so well at Dulcie's workplace either. Someone has been hacking into the computer system at the insurance company and suspicion seems to have fallen on Dulcie, whose temp position began not to long before the trouble began. She cannot afford to lose her job, at least not before the school year starts and her grant money comes in.

As to that grant, she may lose that if she cannot come up with a thesis topic. She's drawing a blank and with the drama unfolding around her, is it any wonder? Could someone be trying to frame her for both crimes? Dulcie is not sure who to trust, even amongst her friends.

I took an instant liking to Dulcie. She lives and breathes gothic literature. And is it any wonder with a name like Dulcinea straight out of the gothic novel, Don Quixote? She is bookish and good hearted. Some may find Dulcie’s penchant for day dreaming to be distracting, but I found it endearing. Dulcie was not the only character who won me over in Shades of Grey, and I look forward to discovering more about those I hope will become regulars in future books.

The author was very subtle in her handling of the supernatural element of the novel. While Mr. Grey clearly is a spirit, his few appearances in the novel are understated, and, as a result, come across as quite natural. It suited the novel well.

There are several bookish references for the booklover within the pages of Shades of Grey. My favorite location in the novel was the Widener library. I would have loved to venture down into the lower floors of the library along with Dulcie, losing myself in the pages of some old gothic novel.

Shades of Grey was a pleasure to read. There’s plenty of mystery, a bit of thrill and even some romance. There was something about the tone--the atmosphere--that I found especially appealing. Perhaps a hint of that gothic flare coming out in Simon’s own tale? Looks like I have a new series to add to my must read list. ( )

The first in the Dulcie Schwartz mystery series ( )