Review by Booklist Review
For fans of this series featuring Siamese cats Yum Yum and the clairvoyantoko, there are no surprises in the twenty-sixth installment. The felines' owner,ames Qwill Qwilleran, is just as rich and listener friendly as ever, his place of residence, Pickax, in Moose County, is still 400 miles north of anywhere else, and people are still murdered with astounding regularity, thoughoko, who can sense a homicide a mile a way, is never surprised. Those who love the series appreciate Braun's attention to detail as she describes Pickax and the surrounding area, which while magnificently rural also boasts many fine dining establishments, places to buy the New York Times, and an abundance of cabs, as well as a limousine service. The citizenry, laconic, timidly happy, or in the case of Qwill's librarian lady friend, stupefyingly boring, would feel right at home in Lake Woebegone. The several murders committed here are really beside the point--in fact, except for the cat screeching you might miss them entirely. More attention is paid to Qwill's radio reenactment of the Great Blizzard of 1913 (the audience, of course, must pretend radio existed in 1913), which takes up a number of the book's pages. Loyal readers find the series' inconsistencies and idiosyncrasies charming, but even they, at times, must wish for less of Qwill and more of the cats. --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2003 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Like other recent books in Braun's best-selling series that began with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (1966), this loosely plotted novel, the 26th to feature Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum and Moose County journalist Jim Qwilleran, isn't quite up to the standard of earlier entries, but it still provides plenty of escapist fun. The shooting death of a well-dressed gentleman in the woods on Qwill's property is nearly neglected in the fuss and excitement engendered by the neighboring town of Brrr's bicentennial. On the trail of a story for the celebration, Qwill interviews Edythe Carroll, a wealthy widow who has retired to Ittibittiwassee Estates from the magnificent mansion she plans to leave to her granddaughter, Lish (short for Alicia). Little does Edythe know that Lish and her boyfriend, Lush, have already trashed the place. After dozing off in his gazebo after a busy day, Qwill is startled awake by strange noises, including some coming from Koko. Enter an entire family of wild turkeys. If this all sounds like a bit of a ramble, it's quite in keeping with the story, which wanders pleasantly around Moose County, surveying its eccentric citizens as they go about their idiosyncratic business. In spite of two murders and a pair of villains, the tale is as cozy as an hour spent cuddling your favorite cat. Agent, Blanche C. Gregory. (Jan. 5) FYI: Braun is also the author of The Private Life of the Cat Who (2003) and two other story collections in the series. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Braun's "Cat Who" novels are growing shorter and their mystery plots are growing ever thinner. Nevertheless, the books continue to entertain. In this 26th in the series, the greatest mystery is what the mystery is. A murder occurs on Jim Qwilleran's property, but no one knows the victim, and next to no one-aside from the psychic Siamese cat Koko-seems to care. Moreover, the case virtually solves itself. No matter. The true charm of these works is the marvelous sense of place that Braun evokes. The real story revolves around Qwilleran's involvement in the bicentennial being celebrated by Pickax's neighboring town of Brrr. As always, George Guidall's warm reading brings the characters alive and ensures that Braun's devoted listeners will welcome another visit to Moose County. No point in recommending this; if your library has "Cat Who" devotees, you must acquire it.-Kent Rasmussen, Thousand Oaks, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
