The Cat Who Went Bananas

The Cat Who... #27

by Lilian Jackson Braun

The merry atmosphere in Pickax is dampened by the death of an out-of-town actor and the theft of a rare book. Qwill finds himself distracted from the events by his finicky pal Koko, who's been acting more fishy than feline. Has Koko gone bananas, or is he trying to let the cat out of the bag to solve the dual mysteries?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Cats, Animals, Cozy, Mystery Thriller

292 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Lilian Jackson Braun was an American writer. She is well-known for her light-hearted series of The Cat Who... mystery novels. The Cat Who books center around the life of former newspaper reporter James Qwilleran, and his two Siamese cats, KoKo and Yum Yum in the fictitious small town of Pickax located in Moose County, "400 miles north of everywhere." Although never formally stated in the books, the towns, counties and lifestyles described in the series are generally accepted to be a modeled after Bad Axe, Michigan (located in the "Michigan Thumb") where she resided with her husband for many years until the mid 1980's. Many also believe that the culture and history of the Upper peninsula of Michigan are represented in the series as well, which is quite possible as it is indeed a fictitious location.

Lilian Jackson Braun began her writing career as a teenager, contributing sports poetry for the Detroit News. She later began working as an advertising copywriter for many of Detroit's department stores. After that stint, she worked at the Detroit Free Press as the "Good Living" editor for 30 years. She retired from the Free Press in 1978.

Between 1966 and 1968, she published three novels to critical acclaim: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern and The Cat Who Turned On and Off. In 1966, The New York Times labeled Braun, "the new detective of the year." The rising mystery author disappeared from the publishing scene for 18 years. The blame came from the fact that mystery novels were starting to focus on sex, violence, and foul language, and Braun's light-hearted books were not welcome in this new territory. It wasn't until 1986 that the Berkley Publishing Group reintroduced Braun to the public with the publication of an original paperback, The Cat Who Saw Red. Within two years, Berkeley released four new novels in paperback and reprinted the three mysteries from the sixties. Braun's series became an instant best seller once again. In January 2007 the twenty-ninth novel in the series, The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, was released in hardcover by the Penguin Group.

Not much was really known about Braun, as she prefered to keep her private life that way. For years, publishers have given inaccurate accounts of her year of birth, which has remained unknown until she openly acknowledged her age in an interview for the Detroit News in January 2005.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review
2+ of 5 stars to The Cat Who Went Bananas, the 27th installment in the "Cat Who" cozy mystery series, written in 2004 by Lilian Jackson Braun. This was my least favorite of all the books in this series. It had the potential to be so much stronger, given it was about a rare book. But I think the publisher got caught up in the money, people loving the series and a rush to push it out the door. The ending was vague, the story was disconnected and the voice of several characters seemed to shift a little. That said, Qwill and the cats are always fun. It's a nice and relaxing adventure when you jump into the town of Pickax and feel the cozy charm all around you... I'd love to visit the town, have coffee with a few characters. I think I might turn into Qwill in about 30 years... minus the cats. Love cats, but have dogs these days.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.

[Lee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read "The Cat Who..." books for mystery or thrills. I read them for their charm and warmth, to visit old friends again, to walk down the streets of Pickax and browse the shops, to admire Quill's reserved intelligence and thoughtfulness, and to play with Yum Yum and Koko as they race up and down the ramps in the apple barn. By that measure, "The Cat Who Went Bananas" is a wonderful and thoroughly enjoyable addition to Braun's series.

Some reviewers have criticized the ending as vague or unclear, but I found it more realistic than endings where everything is wrapped up neatly. In real life, nothing is wrapped up neatly. If you view these books as character studies of idealized small town life, then the ending was more appropriate, more fitting, and more satisfying.

If you're looking for a comfortable, stress-reducing, cozy reunion with your friends in Moose County, you'll enjoy this book.

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear…

I’ll start by saying I have read all 26 previous novels in this series. The first three were solid mystery novels taking place in “the City” (probably Detroit or Chicago) with a crime reporter (Jim “Qwill” Qwilleran) acting as the sleuth. They were OK but not spectacular. Then 18 years passed before the next book of the series was published. Qwill had now inherited a ton of money and was able to move to Pickaxe in the northern part of the state of Michigan. That provided a pretty cool mystery location: small town filled with quirky characters and an amateur sleuth with time to kill because he didn’t have to work for an income. There were some very nice mystery novels in there.

But then, gradually, the series morphed once again. Less and less focus on solving murders and more and more focus on small town happenings and the interactions of Qwill with his friends (and his two Siamese cats). The stories were still mostly interesting, even if the mysteries weren’t, and it was fun to wonder how I would live my life if unencumbered by the need to earn a living.

And then the series morphed one more time. Speculation is rampant that the author (well into her 90’s by that point) may have died or been unable to continue writing and the novels became mere shadows of themselves. The last 5 or 6 books have been horribly written.

I would have stopped reading them by now except for that small bit of nostalgia for Qwill and the townies. My mom loved these books and so I continue to read one each September to honor her.

Which brings me to this book. I have to say this is the worst one yet. There is a mystery or two here (sort of) but nothing is solved and the book ends with mere speculation by Qwill, wondering if we’ll ever know what actually happened.

So don’t read this thinking it’s a mystery novel.

Also, don’t read this novel if you’re looking for quality writing. It’s as if the book was whipped out by at least four different authors (and I use that term loosely) who never compared notes. Several times Qwill relates new information to us, the reader, except that it isn’t new. He had just told us that factoid two chapters previously. The folksy repertoire with Qwill's myriad of friends has gotten out of control. Everybody Qwill encounters is always happy and loving life in Pickaxe. Efficiency is certainly not their watchword though. When one townie calls up with some hot news, they can’t just relate it over the phone. They constantly use that as an excuse to come by for a visit and a shot of Squunkwater with Qwill. Maybe that’s just the way life is when you’re a super-rich person and the people you know treat you like royalty, but the constant stalling of anything actually happening in the plot is tiring. Thankfully this is a very fast read due to less than 300 paperback pages of fairly large print and wide margins, so the pain doesn’t last long enough to require a tranquilizer.

So I would grant 1 star for the writing but will award an extra star for the nostalgia factor and the fact that a large part of the plot, such as it is, revolves around the opening of the new bookstore in town. That subject will usually keep me reading no matter how poorly it is written.

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed visiting again with Koko and Yum Yum, Jim Qwilleran's precocious Siamese cats. While this wasn't one of my favorite Cat Who books, I did enjoy Koko's antics during the storm. It reminded me of my new kitten racing across the tops of all the furniture in the living room.

[Joy Gerbode · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an enchanting story, wonderful characters, and a lovely little town ... but the mystery kind of got lost. Although I thoroughly enjoyed all the story of the town growing and rebuilding, I missed the actual mystery being solved. In the end it kind of left me hanging.

Didn't realize I had just read this a year ago, but I thought it seemed quite familiar as I read it again. Enjoyed it, perhaps a bit more this time, because I do love the characters and the town. I again felt the mystery is a bit lost, nor do the cats get quite as much attention as they do in some of the other books in the series.

[Sadistic · Rating 1 out of 5]

If it was possible, I wouldn't give this book ANY stars. I have no idea how people think this series is good. I couldn't get into this book and it took me longer than expected to actually read this book. It was utterly boring, pointless and there was no solving of mysteries nor anything related to mysteries. It didn't even answer any questions that were put into the book. I still don't know why Violet married that guy, but at the same time I didn't care.

The characters just didn't get formed and I didn't care for the writing structure. The book was supposed to be about a cat going bananas which a cat did. The cat would take banana peels and make it so a certain person would fall on them. Huh? But why did the cat do this? I've got no clue and they didn't explain further.

The only reason that I kept reading is because I like cats and its all about cats. They talk about cats from time to time because everyone in the book has a cat. They ended up it off with more unanswered questions. I guess this series is better if you read the whole thing instead of just one in the series. I think they should have at least brought a person up to date on what is going on with the series. They shouldn't have just went into it thinking every reader has read all the other books in the series.

Even if I had read the other books in the series, I am still not impressed. The writing, structure, style of writing, the way that it is written as well as the way that she talked the characters was so dry and I didn't feel apart of them. In books, you should get a feel of a person who they truly are and what they truly know. Blah, if I could I wouldn't have given any stars at all but then I couldn't review it.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another disappointment. Again the murder mystery is remote and justice comes by divine intervention. Qwill undertakes no real interest in researching what could have been a delightful romp through people's lives to solve the 3 mysteries that arose in the book.
Did Alden Wade kill his second wife? Did he kill her first husband? What happened to Ken/Wesley? What happened to the baby kidnapped so long ago, a mystery never investigated?

It seems Braun has become bored with mysteries and only wants to write about the wonderful folks and cats who live in PickAxe City.

Secondary characters are two-dimensional and fleeting. New locations, buildings, etc are described with less interest than in the past, as though Braun doesn't care if people want to see these places. It seems Braun's interest is more with discussing and reveling in books. I'm beginning to see why her publisher cancelled publication of her latest book. I'm beginning to wonder if I want to read the last two books. Hmmmmm. Yes. I enjoy the antics of the cats and the interactions of the residents who live in a small town 400 miles north of everywhere. I just won't expect it to be a mystery any more.

[Steve Chaput · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's be honest, I don't believe that many folks pick up this series for the 'mystery'. Many of the crimes take place "off camera" and the case is often solved with little assistance from James Qwilleran, and his feline companions. The real reason to read these books is to find out what is happening in Pickax and the surrounding communities in Moose County. What's going in in the new bookstore? Is the city having another celebration of one of the tragedies or other events that took place earlier in the town's history?

If you are looking for hard-boiled investigations or a police procedural, this it not the series for you. If you like cats, discussions of literature and a look at life in a small rural community, on the other hand, this is the perfect place.

[Destiny Cejka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book that got me intrigued with the whole series as my dad told me the premise. We then began collecting the whole series for me to read and fall in love with. This cozy mystery series is like having coffee with an old friend. You know what's gonna happen, you just get surprised at how it does. There's always a murder, quirky characters, 2 adorable and clue finding Siamese cats, and the beloved mustached detective/reporter; Qwill. Nothing remarkable happens in this one, just a missing rare book and the death of an actor.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qwilleran always sounds like an older proper woman in her seventies. LOL.

[Penandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't read the reviews for this book until I was already half way through the book . . . would I have still checked it out of the Library? Perhaps not. Do I regret reading it? Hmmm, the jury is still out. It is time I will never get back, but since I was on vacation and read in bed before falling asleep, it's not time I would have used except to read another book.

I'm just wondering who is now writing the Cat Who books --- The inside cover of this book says "Lillian Jackson Braun is the author of twenty-seven Cat Who novels and three short story collections." Okay. Then I go to the Fantastic Fiction page for LJB and see that there were TWENTY-NINE Cat Who books published . . . doing the math (29-27) and also knowing that LJB was born in 1913 . . . well, let's just say that could explain alot for THIS reviewer.

LJB has never been great literature. Sitting down with one of her books has been like visiting a crotchety old uncle who repeats his stories and talks about a place far, far away (except for those of us who grew up in the U.P. ;-) But this Banana book was like visiting an uncle with dementia (or perhaps, since LJB is 97 at the time of this writing, perhaps an old aunt)

Spoiler Alert - As other reviewers have said, where are the chapters to wind up the "mystery" and why, if his mustache tingles has Qwilleran not followed up on what happened to Kenneth or the sniping murder of Kenneth's mother, or the suicide of Kenneth's father, and there's no investigation of Violet's death and is Alden Wade really gone or did he make an escape under the guise of saving Tasso . . . but then I get to the real bottom line --- given the quality of the writing in this book, do I really care?

And there's the rub. I read the whole book and I don't care what happened . . . I will miss some of these old friends, but cannot slog through whatever may or may not follow in this series. In a way that's sad, but on the other hand, it frees me up to visit with the characters that are in the books by other authors . . . the good news is that when I return this book to the library this afternoon, another book that I've requested is on the hold shelf for pick up . . .

[Lynne Tull · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yea! I finally reached my goal. I have now read 1-27 of "The Cat Who..." books. As I read "....Went Bananas", I thought it seemed to be back on track. However, toward the end one character disappeared and we never heard of him again. Is he dead or did he fear for his life and run? The supposed villain died and we never knew if he was a villain or just wrongly accused. A man and his wife died before the story began and there was no solution on this front either.

This is my stopping place. I will imagine my own ending for the series. Qwill and Polly continue their relationship; he continues his newspaper column and life-long friendship with its editor; and Koko and Yum-Yum live to a ripe old age before going to their reward in "pet" heaven.

There is a #28: "The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell". I found it to be completely out of sync with the rest of the series. It seemed that someone was trying to wrap the series up and did so with horrific endings, in my opinion. I read on Wikipedia:Lilian Jackson Braun that the publisher had canceled the next book: "The Cat Who Smelled Smoke". Also, found a good blog with info about Ms. Braun, the series and the publisher. There was a place on the blog for comments. Several people shared theirs..
http://plattekilllibrary.wordpress.co...

I can't promise, but I think this will be my last reading of "The Cat Who..." Never say "Never"!

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Read: This is one of at least 28 novels of the "Cat Who . . ." series. The story is set in Pickax City, "400 miles north of everywhere." maybe Michigan or someplace close. Pickax City is populated with the usual array of amusing, offbeat characters and Jim Qwilleran. Qwill, as he is known to all and sundry, inherited a vast fortune, most of which he used to set up a foundation to do good works in Pickax City. Indeed, the city seems to depend utterly on the foundation for everything but sewage disposal. The citizens respond with gratitude and affection. Qwill lives with two Siamese cats who provide him with crucial insights in solving mysteries. KoKo and Yum Yum and two delightful cats that make the book a lot of fun, and they have a much more discriminating palate than I do.

Second Read: Qwill and his clever cats have their work cut out for them in this New York Times bestseller when the Theatre Club's new play does not continue past opening night because a member of the cast is suspiciously killed and a rare book is stolen.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know Braun's writing has become disjointed at times as she had gotten up in years, but I believe that the questions the reader was left with in this particular book was intentional. I come to this conclusion with the last entry in Qwill's journal where he brings up the same questions most readers probably had. It was almost like Lilian Jackson Braun was reminding her readers that we don't always get the answers we want or need and maybe a reflection of her own life and failing health.

It might not be her best work but as a writer myself I can only hope I sound half as coherent as she was when I reach my 90ies and am able to still write.

[Nathalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The usual great Qwill/Koko/Yum-Yum mystery except for one thing which prevented me from adding the fifth star---The mystery remains a mystery! There are speculations but nothing definite. I even listened to the last bit twice to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Sure, life is often like that but this seems a baffling departure for the author. Please enlighten me if I completely missed the boat, which in this seasonal allergy time, is a plausible explanation!

[Eyehavenofilter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cat who is finally losing its cuteness for me but I still read them because I can't help myself. An out of town actor and bananas? I think the term is called " grasping at straws". But what the hell it has cats.

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jammer, maar dit is toch wel het minste boek uit de reeks. Er gebeurt niet zo veel, al doet hoofdpersoon Qwill wel erg druk, en er gebeurt geen moord want Koko slaakt zijn doodskreet niet.
Enkele nieuwe personen maken hun opwachting, maken al dan niet een goede indruk, vaak allebei, en 1 ervan verdwijnt weer. Waar in de vorige boeken Koko minstens 1 moord aankondigt, aanvankelijk onbegrijpelijke aanwijzingen achterlaat, Qwill voor raadsels staat maar op het einde alle aanwijzingen bij mekaar optelt en dan de oplossing duidelijk voor ogen ziet, is hier geen sprake van deze rode draad door alle vorige boeken.
Qwill schrijft een boek of beter, hij laat anderen al het werk doen. Hij verhuist weer eens naar zijn winterverblijf en brengt een lezing. Er wordt natuurlijk nadrukkelijk op restaurant gegaan, maar veel oppervlakkiger dan vroeger, er zijn bezoekers, en zijn relatie met Polly staat nog altijd op een laag pitje. Er is wel veel aandacht voor boeken.
Doorheen het boek verschijnen overal losse eindjes die mogelijk met mekaar verband houden en de geroutineerde lezer zit natuurlijk te puzzelen. Maar... op het einde blijven dat losse eindjes, is er geen moord die moet opgelost worden, blijven vermoedens juist dat: vermoedens. En Qwill neemt dan ook nog eens de romantiek weg van de piratenkoffer door dit verhaal naar de mythes te verwijzen. Het hoogtepunt zijn een aantal anecdotes die verteld worden en een aangekondigde brand. Een groot onweer maakt een beetje indruk maar in Moose County zijn de weersomdandigheden altijd zo extreem dat het niet als zo bijzonder wordt ervaren.
Het boek leest even vlot als de vorige delen uit de reeks maar op het einde blijft de lezer met een onvoldaan gevoel achter. Geen enkel mysterie wordt opgelost.
En de titel heeft weer eens totaal niets met de inhoud te maken.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this latest from Lilian, we find Pickax in the midst of their opening of the theatrical production, the town is celebrating the opening of the new bookstore that is replacing the old one. Polly is the new owner and this causes a rift in Qwill's and Polly's relationship. There is much ado about the new marmalade cat, Dundee, that is the bookstore's new mascot. Koko keeps flipping banana peels to the floor, Qwill is frustrated about this monstrosity of an old wooden mansion on top of a hill, but is bewitched by the owner of the mansion and has help with getting stories to write on about this mansion. With the weather turning colder and the high cost of heating his 4 story (40 ft. ceilings) apple barn, Qwill makes plans to move to his condo next to Polly and other friends for the winter. He is suscpicious of the mysterious death of an actor in the play and some other unexplained deaths in Lockmaster. I thoroughly enjoyed this offering and highly recommend this one. It's much better than the two previous I just read. And, if you're wondering how many Cat Who books there are, there are two more with a new one on its way next month.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another day, another Cat who book. This one deals with the building of the new Pickax bookstore, The Pirate's Chest. Polly is too busy to have her usual evenings with Qwill, so he dines with Violet Hibbard and decides to write the text for a photo book of her home. But all isn't right in Hibbard house, and a younger man has married Violet. Suspecting a ploy for her money, Qwill begins a quiet investigation, but it all comes to an end with her death and the destruction of Hibbard house. Koko as usual knows who the bad guy is, and shows his dislike by leaving banana peels in his way so he slips. Add in your usual Pickax and surrounding area characters, and you have another good Cat Who book, although I warn this one is not as good as the first couple in the series. But considering the author's age, and how many were written before this, if you're a longtime fan you forgive these things.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

These are seriously the weakest mystery novels I've ever read. The cat yowls when someone dies wrongfully. No one investigates, everyone continues with their gossipy lives and eventually the murderer dies in an unrelated accident. I'm kind of flabbergasted by the series in general. Now I want to read the first one to see if it's any better. So far, the two books I've ready are basically about a caricature of small town life with a mildly unsympathetic protagonist and opening a new bookstore and crap like that and then someone dies, and it doesn't alter the story, and then the person who killed them dies randomly and everyone kind of shrugs. It's very strange.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years and years ago....just wanted to put a positive review for the "Cat Who" books. Great mystery where Quill (retired newspaper reporter) solves the mysteries with the help of his two Siamese cats. Really the male cat did the most solving, his name is KOKO. The cat doesn't speak like the Sneaky Pie Brown mystery series does. The cat does pick a page in a dictionary and touch a word sometimes. But sometimes it just cries when the phone is about to ring.

This was reading I shared with my Aunt, Lynn Jones. I own all the books of this series due to her and her collection of books. I miss her.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying becoming reacquainted with this series. My mother read 1 - 12 and maybe 13/14 before she died and loved the mystery series ensconced in literary references and cats who enjoy gourmet food. This is one of the later ones written 2 years before Lilian Jackson Braun died. The author plays with a break up of Qwill and longtime girlfriend Polly - not sure where that will lead. This one leaves some loose ends, but it was a fun, end of the year, Christmas break read.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good mystery and am a fan of The Cat Who novels. Hope to read all of them.

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all the other Cat Who Mysteries, this was fun to read also.

My dad got me started on this series when I was in my late teens early 20’s. I liked it so much I named one of my cats Yum Yum and she was a very special kitty. Devastated me when she died. I think I’ve read every single book in this series and if my dad was still alive he’s be happy know that I kept up with the series.

Just love KoKo and Yum Yum

[Lynnette · Rating 3 out of 5]

If there were half stars I'd back this one down to two and a half. This is the first book in which I recall noticing the author being repetitive and it also is further and further away from the mystery series it started out as. The Cat Who has evolved into a series of quaint stories about life in Moose County. Still an enjoyable read, though.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book as much as many of them in the series. It was somewhat anticlimactic, in my opinion. It was still a good read, and I still recommend it to people who love the series, but it certainly wouldn't be a good starting place to try to get people hooked.

[Sharon Bruder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once I finally got into it I enjoyed the characters. Not your typical mystery, would have like a more definitive ending.

[Karen Brady · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t even know what I just read. This was just…strange.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this 27th book in the 'Cat Who' series, newspaper columnist (and sometime amateur detective) Jim Qwilleran is thinking about a play, a bookstore, and an old mansion.



*****

Background: Jim Qwilleran (Qwill) was a crime journalist in Chicago when he inherited billions of dollars from his mother's friend Fanny Klingenschoen. To receive the money Qwill had to move to the city of Pickax in Moose County, which is '400 miles north of everywhere.' So Qwill and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, relocated to Pickax.



There Qwill used his inheritance to set up the Klingenschoen Fund, which supports projects that benefit the community.

In Pickax, Quill had a huge apple barn converted into a unique home for himself and his felines.....



......and also bought a condo in 'The Willows' for winter, when the barn couldn't be kept warm.



The majority of the 'Cat Who' books are mystery stories, in which Qwill solves crimes with the help of his cat Koko - who has a supernatural ability to detect crime and criminals. Koko communicates by yowling, snubbing people, licking photographs, knocking down books, ripping up papers, tripping people with banana peels, and more.



There are two minor mysteries in 'The Cat Who Went Bananas': one involves a road accident, and another revolves around the theft of a valuable book. However these are minimal parts of the story, and the book is more 'a slice of life in Pickax' tale than a suspense novel. For the most part, we follow Qwill as he goes about his everyday activities.



For instance, Qwill writes a twice-weekly column called 'The Qwill Pen' for the 'Moose County Something' newspaper. Qwill spends a good bit of time researching topics for the column, and interviewing people with interesting stories. For example, Qwill speaks to hunters about ducks and their habitats, and asks the town historian about iconic old buildings.



Quill also feeds, grooms, and reads to his cats; collects old books; writes limericks; shops for groceries for his busy girlfriend Polly Duncan; enjoys beverages, snacks, and meals with various friends and acquaintances; and is writing a book about Pickax's historic 'Hibbard Mansion'- a large wooden structure now used as a guesthouse.



I'll give examples of a couple of storylines, to provide a feel for the book.

✿ The Pickax Community Theater is putting on a production of 'The Importance of Being Earnest', and actor Ronnie Dickson, who lives 60 miles away, has a major role.



Shortly after opening night, Ronnie is driving home and has a fatal accident. Qwill suspects foul play, and invites Police Chief Andrew Brody to the barn, to discuss the matter over drinks and a cheese board.



✿ Qwill's ladyfriend Polly, formerly a librarian, is now opening a bookstore called 'The Pirate's Chest'.



The shop is on the premises of a used bookshop owned by the late Eddington Smith, and Quill is planning a tribute to Eddington, who was a beloved member of the community.



Opening 'The Pirate's Chest' bookstore means Polly has little time to spend with Qwill, since she's making decisions about the shop's interior, choosing inventory, acquiring a bookstore cat, hiring personnel, etc.



One of Polly's new employees is handsome Alden Wade, who's also acting in the town play, and Qwill worries Alden has turned Polly's head.



To add to Qwill's concerns, Alden is living in 'The Hibbard Mansion' guesthouse, which is owned by rich Violet Hibbard. There's scuttlebutt about a relationship between forty-year-old Alden and sixty-year-old Violet, and gossips suggest Alden is 'up to something'.



✿ In an annex to 'The Pirate's Chest' bookstore, literary ladies will sell first editions and other rare books that have been donated to raise money. After the valuable books are mentioned in the news, a volume goes missing, and Qwill has suspicions about whodunit.



I no longer expect these novels to be mysteries, and I was pleased to wander around Pickax with Qwill, and see what the residents are up to. If you're in the mood for a quiet human interest story, you'd probably enjoy this book. But if you're searching for a mystery, this isn't it.

You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story just dropped off without any resolution. I don't understand.