Cat Among the Pigeons - Julia Golding

Julia Golding's Cat Among the Pigeons is the second book in her historical Cat Royal series. In this adventure, Cat's friend Pedro, a violin-playing slave boy, is wanted by his former owner, the nasty Kingston Hawkins. Hawkins claims that Pedro was sold by a man with no ownership rights over him, and therefore Pedro's apprenticeship to Signor Angelini is invalid. He wants Pedro back and isn't interested in what Pedro wants. Cat steps in to attempt to save her friend, telling Hawkins that the boy he's just seen playing Ariel isn't Pedro at all because Pedro died of a fever the week before. The celebrated actor, Mr Kemble arrives and backs up Cat's story, but Hawkins doesn't believe them. He threatens them with the law before stomping off. Cat and Pedro go to their friends Frank and Lizzie, the children of the Duke of Avon, for assistance and are introduced to the local Abolitionists. They decide to get the public who go to the Theatre Royal on Pedro's side, and print fliers for just that reason. In the meantime, Cat is sent to Brook's club with some tickets and finds herself trapped by Hawkins and his cronies. They put her up on the billiard table and start inspecting her as if she was a slave too. Cat escapes, but in doing so she causes a lot of havoc and soon she finds herself wanted by the Law.

Will Cat escape a prison sentence ? Will Pedro be dragged back to Jamaica by Kingston Hawkins ? And where do three sisters from the Society of Friends fit into everything ? Read this book and find out !

Golding has created some lively and engaging characters who will keep you entertained with their wild adventures. This book is highly recommended.