Remarkably clever creatures

After her husband's death, Tova starts working as a cleaner at the aquarium. Employment has always helped her cope with difficulties, ever since her eighteen-year-old son Erik mysteriously disappeared more than thirty years ago. Tova meets Marcello, a giant Pacific octopus. Shy Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine, but he wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight tentacles for his human captors - until he befriends Tova. Marcellus, who is actually a great detective, deduces what happened the night Tov's son went missing. And now he must use every trick his old invertebrate body is capable of to uncover the truth for her before it's too late. This story of friendship, acceptance and hope will not only entertain but also move you. Quotes / exclamations from the book cover: For fans of the bestselling A MAN NAMED OVE, here is a charming novel about an unlikely friendship. "Shelby Van Pelt has done the impossible. She has created a perfect story with imperfect characters that is warm, suspenseful, and utterly absorbing."-Jamie Ford, bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Happy "A deep and surprising book featuring one of the most interesting and lovable characters, Marcellus the octopus."-Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, author. "Octopus tells a feel good story." - The Washington Post. SHELBY VAN PELT lives with her husband and children in the Chicago suburbs, but grew up in Seattle, not far from the fictional town in which this book is set. She also drew inspiration from her favourite Water World, which she often visited as a child. Remarkably clever creatures is her literary debut. OLDŘICH VLACH, after his studies at the Academy of Performing Arts, has been performing at the Theatre on the Balustrade since 1966, where he has played many prominent roles, for example in Macbeth and King Ubu. From there he moved to the Vinohrady Theatre in the 1990s. He has starred in a number of films and TV series, such as in the films In the Woods, My little resort village, The death of the beautiful deer, The Price of Honey, or the TV series Wonderland, Candy store, Devil's trick, Life is a dance. He also dabbles in dubbing and reading audiobooks. PETR ČTVRTNÍČEK, after his studies at the Prague SUPŠ, performed in the amateur theatre Vrata and then in Divadlo Na zábradlí. He became known to viewers for his original TV parodies Česká soda, Čtvrtníček, Šteindler and Vávra Introduce, TV show Tom and Dan, Čobolkoviny and Gynekologie. Television viewers also know him from the series The Harbour, Autobazar Monte Karlo, Světlu vstříc and Krejzovi. He starred in a number of cult Czech films such as Smoke, Eliška likes the wilderness, Cunning Philip, I Served the King of England and others. Last but not least, he also reads audiobooks. HELENA ČERMÁKOVÁ after studying acting at JAMU joined the Municipal Theatre Zlín. She has staged dozens of roles in it, both dramatic, both comedic and musical in performances such as Žítkovské bohíny, Oresteia, Her stepdaughter, Judith, for which she won the Thalia Award in 1999, or the Death of Hippodamia. She has also been a guest in theatres such as the National Theatre Brno, the Theatre in Dlouhá, HaDivadlo and Švandovo divadlo. Outside the theatre, she appeared in the film Ark for Vojta, and the TV series Ranch at the Green Seven, Chetnik Humoresky. He regularly collaborates with radio and is dedicated to loading audiobooks. LUKÁŠ PŘÍKAZKÝ He studied acting at the Brno Conservatory and then at the DAMU. While still a student, he performed at the Prague City Theatres, then he was engaged at the Vinohrady Theatre and currently he works at the Dejvice Theatre. He has acted in many films as Sheidrem, Sophie and the Stolen Treasure, Rhythm in the heels, If there were fish, Seven ravens, The case of the dead dead man, Life for Dummies and TV series such as The Fourth Star, Invisible, Rapl, Don't worry about me, Volga, Midnight Confession, Agrometal. Besides that, he is into reading audiobooks. Audiobook: Shelby van Pelt: Remarkably clever creatures | Read by Helena Čermáková, Lukáš Příkazký, Oldřich Vlach and Petr Čtvrtníček | Directed by Alexandra Bauerová | Sound, editing and mastering by Vladimír Srb | Music by Kittchen | Recorded in Mixing Studio. Today | CD graphics adapted from the book cover by Michal Holík