There has been a serious misunderstanding.
Sir Whiskers has recently become aware that some readers believe his role in The Thimblewick Mysteries is largely decorative.
He has therefore asked – quite firmly – for an opportunity to correct the record.
By asked, I mean he sat directly on my notebook, stared into my soul and refused to move until I agreed.
According to Sir Whiskers, he is not merely the resident cat of The Stitchery.
He is:
Senior Investigator.
Head of Security.
Official Inspector of Parcels.
Keeper of the Windowsill.
And Assistant Manager of Anything Containing Tuna.
None of these positions have been approved by the Thimble family.
This has not discouraged him.
His Investigative Methods
Sir Whiskers approaches every mystery with a set of techniques developed over many years.
These include:
- sitting on important documents;
- knocking small pieces of evidence onto the floor;
- entering rooms immediately after someone has said, “Whatever you do, keep the cat out”;
- staring meaningfully at completely irrelevant cupboards;
- and falling asleep at the precise moment his assistance is required.
He claims this is all part of a sophisticated investigative process.
Nobody else understands the process.
That, apparently, is because nobody else is qualified.
Sir Whiskers is particularly skilled at detecting suspicious behaviour. Unfortunately, his definition of suspicious behaviour includes closing a door, eating chicken without offering him any and moving from one chair to another when he was planning to sit there later.
He also believes that every visitor to The Stitchery should be thoroughly inspected.
This usually involves sniffing their shoes, examining their bags and deciding whether their lap is suitable for immediate occupation.
His Contribution to Village Life
The residents of Thimblewick have mixed feelings about Sir Whiskers.
Some find him charming.
Some find him unnerving.
Several local shopkeepers have asked that he stop appearing behind their counters without explanation.
He maintains that he is conducting routine security checks.
The fact that these checks happen most frequently in shops selling fish, cream or sliced ham is entirely coincidental.
At The Stitchery, however, he considers himself indispensable.
Auntie Needle says he gets underfoot.
Grandpa Bobbin says the cat knows more than he lets on.
Uncle Seam Ripper has attempted to train him.
Sir Whiskers has not noticed.
Granny Thimble understands him perfectly, although neither of them will explain what they are plotting.
This concerns everybody.
A Natural Detective
Despite all evidence to the contrary, Sir Whiskers may occasionally be useful.
Cats notice things.
They enter places they should not be able to enter.
They hear sounds nobody else hears.
And they have an extraordinary ability to appear in the middle of important events while behaving as though everyone else has interrupted them.
This makes Sir Whiskers surprisingly well suited to life in Thimblewick, where secrets are rarely where they ought to be and peaceful afternoons have a habit of turning into investigations.
Whether he solves mysteries deliberately is another question.
Sir Whiskers insists that he does.
He also insists that the books should be renamed The Sir Whiskers Mysteries, with the Thimble family described as supporting characters.
Negotiations are ongoing.
An Official Message from Sir Whiskers
Sir Whiskers would like readers to know that he appears in both:
Book One — The Poisoned Cup
Book Two — The Vanished Sampler
He would also like it recorded that every successful investigation was largely his work.
Any scenes suggesting otherwise were, he says, written by an unreliable author.
He has now returned to his current assignment: lying across the warmest part of the room while everyone else gets on with the actual work.
A demanding position, but somebody has to do it.
Poppy x
