Christmas in the charming seaside village of Molena Point, California, has always been a traditional affair--but not this holiday season. Instead of singing carols and climbing into Christmas trees, Joe Grey, feline P.I., is faced with his most difficult case yet--and that's saying a lot for a wily tomcat who for years has been solving crimes the police can't even crack.

A stranger lies dead beneath the village Christmas tree, with a little child the only witness to the shooting. As the police scramble for leads, the grey tomcat, his tabby lady, Dulcie, and their tortoiseshell pal,...