The award-winning Robert Westall is a fine writer with an enviable ability to entrance and enthral, and the in the stunning A Walk on the Wild Side he again proves that he is a master at capturing mood and atmosphere with just a few well chosen words, making the spine tingle and the small hairs on the back of the neck bristle with anticipation.

This collection of stories about cats cleverly confirms what true cat-lovers have always known about their feline friends while at the same time totally validating what cat-haters have always suspected. From the cute and cunning Buttons--the most adorable of kittens--to the eerie and dangerously beautiful Rama, Westall captures the essence of the cat as friend, opportunist and predator, with a fluidity of language that brilliantly echoes the obvious affection, respect and deep mistrust mere humans have of these multi-faceted, strangely mysterious creatures. --Susan Harrison