The Catalogue
Ty Mitchell
Red Rope Press (2025)
ISBN: 978-1733543620
Reviewed by Demetria Head for Reader Views (11/2025)
The Catalogue: A V.E.N.O.M. Novel by Ty Mitchell opens like a movie scene. In a secluded Catskills home, Jun Li entertains children upstairs with an animated reading of The Story of Hok Lee and the Dwarf, but the warmth of the moment quickly dissolves. Downstairs, he confronts an elderly Chinese couple, Mr. and Mrs. Pei, in a ruthless attempt to obtain a mysterious item known only as The Catalogue. Tension escalates as Jun Li tortures the couple for information, and his henchman threatens violence. The calm breaks when Mr. Pei, moving with surprising precision, fights back and takes out the intruders one by one. But Jun Li ultimately gains the upper hand, making a chilling vow: “I will find The Catalogue and I will restore what you lost. The New V.E.N.O.M. is here, and I am its leader.”
Ty Mitchell deserves high praise for his writing. His words come to life on the pages, with sensory details and atmospheric descriptions. It gives you the feeling that you are right there in the scene that he just painted. The scene transitions are flawless and make the narrative very easy to read. Readers will be able to easily follow the narrative as it moves from different states, such as New York, Florida, New Jersey, and West Virginia.
The pacing isn’t super-fast, but it’s appropriately moderate and doesn’t slow down too much. The narrative moves at the same pace as life when you think about it. I also love a narrative that peppers in conspiracies. When Brian gives Zasha the rundown on the conspiracy behind six bodies being left at a crime scene, but only five showing up at the morgue, plus the NSA getting involved and attempting to conceal evidence, it just made me perk up.
The characters are unforgettable. Starting with Jun Li, who really put on a show in all his menace. He is just as Mr. Pei had always thought of him, reckless and never changing. Mr. Pei, although he had only a small part, remains a significant part of the narrative. His real name is Liang Do Shen. He is mysterious, and it’s later discovered that he had three million dollars in unmarked cash and six different passports.
Then there is Jake, a homicide detective described as “stark and utilitarian,” just like his studio apartment. He’s lost his wife and daughter, Lia and Andrea, and he only has a few pieces of jewelry, drawings, a stuffed rabbit with ashes on it, and his burn scar to remember them. He’s also very observant and good at his job, which is why he was put on the Catskills case to investigate the homicide and kidnapping.
Another important character is Zasha Avery, who is the Lead Investigative Reporter for the Miami Herald in Doral, Florida. She’s won a Pulitzer Prize for her investigative talents covering Cuban affairs. Agent Parker plays a significant role as well because he is with the NSA. He comes off as polished and arrogant, but he’s methodical. He couldn’t care less about Jake and the homicide division, but he’s trying to see just how much Jake discovered in the wall of Mr. Pei’s house besides the money and passports. He’s also attempting to get to the most important evidence that could affect the government on a global scale.
Mitchell really poured his heart and soul into painting the premise for The Catalogue. I could see Jake’s struggles as a homicide detective; drinking his grief and guilt away, struggling to pick up the pieces of his life. Lieutenant Simons is tough with him, but he really sticks his neck out for Jake because he wants to see him prove that he’s ready to take on a big case, even when leadership disagrees.
But as the story continues to move effortlessly, Agent Parker and the NSA are desperate to get their hands on intel before Jun Li and his group of venoms come back for it, and he needs Jake. He gives him the backstory of what this group of mercenaries represented and how Mr. Pei built the organization from the ground up before being taken out by Jun Li. Giving a great backstory to tie everything together is a very smart move, and it helps readers to understand what got the characters here. Zasha added a good balance to the story, especially as she took it upon herself with all her persistence to get an exclusive from Jake on the Wei Pei (Do Shun) case. But her interactions with Jake were gradual, showing that Jake’s trust in her had to be earned.
Thematically, Mitchell has managed to bring out Jake’s addiction to alcohol that trickles in at moments, especially during the anniversary of Lia and Andrea’s deaths. The tearful moment for me was when a photo of his wife and daughter fell, shattering the glass, and he said out loud that he doesn’t know how to go on without them or make a decision, even though he’s always been the planner. It is a touching moment and one that will resonate with readers. The story ties together very well, and there’s so much to unpack from chapter to chapter. I think readers will be satisfied and are in for a thrilling ride as the Wei Pei case blows wide open.
Overall, The Catalogue by Ty Mitchell is a wonderful and gripping thriller with the appropriate amount of action, twists, and turns. Readers who are fans of similar works like The Chimera Syndicate by L.J. Osburn or The Billion Dollar Sugar Cube by Charles Jacobs will equally enjoy this conspiracy thriller.