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The Cat Who... #4
The Cat Who Saw Red
Something is amiss at Maus Haus. Not just the mystery of an unsolved "suicide" which hangs over the old mansion, but something ominous in the present-day residence. When Qwilleran moves in to work on his new gastronomical assignment, strange things begin to happen. First it's a scream in the night, then a vanishing houseboy. But when his old girlfriend disappears, something has to be done. Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum set out to solve the mystery--and find a murderer!
249 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 15, 1986
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2494 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Jackson Braun
193 books1,714 followersLilian 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 554 reviews
January 20, 2020
Review
Qwill, KoKo and YumYum are at it again in The Cat Who Saw Red, the 4th book in Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who" cozy mystery series. The interesting thing about this novel, besides my 3 star review (ha!), is that this is the first novel she published after taking a 20+ year hiatus from the series. The last ones were written in the 1960s and this was published in 1986. While she was busy writing it, I believe I was watching the NY Mets with the season championship. But I digress...
For a cozy, this one's a little stronger than usual. A few dead bodies. Interesting ways to dispose of them. Qwill's on a diet, but he is staying at MausHaus where his meals are included and cooked by a famous chef. The cats are becoming explorers. And Qwill's hearing odd noises, or is it his lack of food intake? A fun edition in the story... nothing too different from the others, but it's got the usual charm. The mystery is a little stronger than usual, which helps. Plus I like seeing Qwill try out different places to live. The cats seem to enjoy it, and after all, isn't that what this one is all about?
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. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
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Qwill, KoKo and YumYum are at it again in The Cat Who Saw Red, the 4th book in Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who" cozy mystery series. The interesting thing about this novel, besides my 3 star review (ha!), is that this is the first novel she published after taking a 20+ year hiatus from the series. The last ones were written in the 1960s and this was published in 1986. While she was busy writing it, I believe I was watching the NY Mets with the season championship. But I digress...
For a cozy, this one's a little stronger than usual. A few dead bodies. Interesting ways to dispose of them. Qwill's on a diet, but he is staying at MausHaus where his meals are included and cooked by a famous chef. The cats are becoming explorers. And Qwill's hearing odd noises, or is it his lack of food intake? A fun edition in the story... nothing too different from the others, but it's got the usual charm. The mystery is a little stronger than usual, which helps. Plus I like seeing Qwill try out different places to live. The cats seem to enjoy it, and after all, isn't that what this one is all about?
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. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
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December 14, 2018
These books are like potato chips; they are not terribly satisfying or substantive but you cannot stop with just one. I don't even know what lead me to read the first one and now here I am a few weeks later finishing the fourth book and I have checked out numbers 5 and 6 from the library. I do enjoy the series and like the way each one (so far) has focused on a different form of art. This book centers on culinary art and pottery. I like how the author introduces a bunch of characters that could be the perpetrator and narrows it down slowly until you find out who committed the crime.
I like that the books are pretty clean. Qwilleran has inspired me to begin growing a mustache. I still have not felt any quivers from the roots of my mustache yet. I haven't gone so far as to acquire a Siamese cat...yet.
I like that the books are pretty clean. Qwilleran has inspired me to begin growing a mustache. I still have not felt any quivers from the roots of my mustache yet. I haven't gone so far as to acquire a Siamese cat...yet.
January 28, 2019
Terrific read. Interesting and fun interactions between the newsman & his two cats. Nifty mystery, too. Relaxing read, just what I was looking for.
February 23, 2018
18 years passed between the publication of the previous book in the series and this one. Released in 1986, The Cat Who Saw Red still has kind of a 70's vibe to it.
This time, Qwill's beat was ... gourmet food. Although he's gained some weight and is trying to diet, he is given the plumb assignment of sampling the best restaurants in the area, with the newspaper footing the bill. For his first article, Qwill visits Maus Haus, which is a kind of rooming house/commune for people involved with food; and it also contains a working pottery where, to his surprise, he runs into his former flame. As has been his MO, Qwill moves in to Maus Haus, his fourth home in as many books. Unsurprisingly, there is soon a mystery that needs solving: two of the Maus Haus residents go missing and Qwill and the cats smell a rat.
Braun didn't seem to have as much fun with the pretensions of the gourmet food world as she did with previous subjects (art, interior design, antiques) although this would seem to be a rich area for mockery; and the theme is somewhat diluted by the whole pottery business.
A few more tidbits about Qwill's life were revealed - he is (still!) 46. He grew up in Chicago and almost married a woman named Joy Wheatley, who broke his heart. We learn that his ex-wife was ambitious and came from a wealthy family. A few characters from previous books make brief appearances including Arch Riker and photographer Odd Bunsen who, we learn, is soon to the become the proud father of his 7th child!
We see some promising character development: Qwill has grown. Instead of chasing the cute young woman in residence, he begins dating the lovely Rosemary who is close to his own age, and he seems to appreciate the contentment he experiences with her. Will she make it to the next book? We'll see!
Originally published: 1986
Body Count: 3
Preceded by: The Cat Who Turned on and Off
Next Up: The Cat Played Brahms
This time, Qwill's beat was ... gourmet food. Although he's gained some weight and is trying to diet, he is given the plumb assignment of sampling the best restaurants in the area, with the newspaper footing the bill. For his first article, Qwill visits Maus Haus, which is a kind of rooming house/commune for people involved with food; and it also contains a working pottery where, to his surprise, he runs into his former flame. As has been his MO, Qwill moves in to Maus Haus, his fourth home in as many books. Unsurprisingly, there is soon a mystery that needs solving: two of the Maus Haus residents go missing and Qwill and the cats smell a rat.
Braun didn't seem to have as much fun with the pretensions of the gourmet food world as she did with previous subjects (art, interior design, antiques) although this would seem to be a rich area for mockery; and the theme is somewhat diluted by the whole pottery business.
A few more tidbits about Qwill's life were revealed - he is (still!) 46. He grew up in Chicago and almost married a woman named Joy Wheatley, who broke his heart. We learn that his ex-wife was ambitious and came from a wealthy family. A few characters from previous books make brief appearances including Arch Riker and photographer Odd Bunsen who, we learn, is soon to the become the proud father of his 7th child!
We see some promising character development: Qwill has grown. Instead of chasing the cute young woman in residence, he begins dating the lovely Rosemary who is close to his own age, and he seems to appreciate the contentment he experiences with her. Will she make it to the next book? We'll see!
Originally published: 1986
Body Count: 3
Preceded by: The Cat Who Turned on and Off
Next Up: The Cat Played Brahms
January 4, 2020
Jim Qwilleran is on a diet. He discovered he could not catch his breath while chasing Koko, his chocolate brown Siamese cat, at the veterinarian clinic. Once the irritated Koko finally settled and got his teeth cleaned, the vet recommended Jim see Doc Beane, so Jim, taking Beane's recommendation to lose 30 pounds, started the new diet.
After a day of near starving, Jim weighs himself. He is dismayed to find he is 3 pounds heavier after dieting all day! Appalled, he becomes more determined to lose weight. Deep in thought as he steps off the scale, he doesn't notice Koko removing his paws from the scale.
More bad news waits for Jim at work. The boss, the managing editor, has a new assignment for Qwilleran. The newspaper, Daily Fluxion, needs a gourmet columnist, a job which means eating at all of the local restaurants to write critiques and recommendations. Qwilleran has been selected as the new gourmet critic!
Qwilleran is on the wagon and he's on a diet, but he decides not to make a fuss. He realizes he will be able to take home lots of goodies to his two cats, Koko and Yum Yum. They have already torn up his apartment after he tried to change their diet of fresh food to cheap canned cat food once. Things look even better when Mary Duckworth, a delightful woman he met in the previous book, and a member of a Gourmet Club, recommends he visit the Maus Haus where the Club meets, which is the home of an attorney, Mickey Maus. He goes to the club meeting and meets many chefs and restaurant owners, so it's easy setting up dates to visit their restaurants for his column. The house is very strange and huge, it's design reminding Qwilleran of an Egyptian temple, with a pottery operation in back. The building is a boardinghouse for artists, including restaurant owners. And newspaper writers! A room is available to rent, and Qwilleran takes it.
After he moves in, very upsetting events soon occur. Qwilleran was already warned that a suicide had happened at Maus Haus years before, so he has been nosing around. There certainly are lots of odd characters, lovable and not so lovable, sharing the dining table with him at meal time. The previous night at dinner he saw Gourmet Club members who were the owners of the rival newspaper, the Morning Rampage, although they aren't regular diners as those who live in the studios are. He learns that one of the residents, Joy Graham, had a cat who never came home. Then, Joy, his old girlfriend from high school, who he had discovered was the resident pottery artist along with her less talented husband Dan, vanishes! Dan claims she moved to Florida, which Qwilleran knows Joy hates. But she HAD borrowed money from him because she said she was going to get a divorce. Then, another resident disappears!
But that's not the worst of it, as horrible as what has already occurred is. Coming home after an assignment to review a restaurant out of town, with a possible new girlfriend accompanying him - the housekeeper Mrs. Marron tearfully explains his 'Home Alone' cats have had an unfortunate incident!
Qwilleran almost goes insane. And dear reader, me too! Me too!
After a day of near starving, Jim weighs himself. He is dismayed to find he is 3 pounds heavier after dieting all day! Appalled, he becomes more determined to lose weight. Deep in thought as he steps off the scale, he doesn't notice Koko removing his paws from the scale.
More bad news waits for Jim at work. The boss, the managing editor, has a new assignment for Qwilleran. The newspaper, Daily Fluxion, needs a gourmet columnist, a job which means eating at all of the local restaurants to write critiques and recommendations. Qwilleran has been selected as the new gourmet critic!
Qwilleran is on the wagon and he's on a diet, but he decides not to make a fuss. He realizes he will be able to take home lots of goodies to his two cats, Koko and Yum Yum. They have already torn up his apartment after he tried to change their diet of fresh food to cheap canned cat food once. Things look even better when Mary Duckworth, a delightful woman he met in the previous book, and a member of a Gourmet Club, recommends he visit the Maus Haus where the Club meets, which is the home of an attorney, Mickey Maus. He goes to the club meeting and meets many chefs and restaurant owners, so it's easy setting up dates to visit their restaurants for his column. The house is very strange and huge, it's design reminding Qwilleran of an Egyptian temple, with a pottery operation in back. The building is a boardinghouse for artists, including restaurant owners. And newspaper writers! A room is available to rent, and Qwilleran takes it.
After he moves in, very upsetting events soon occur. Qwilleran was already warned that a suicide had happened at Maus Haus years before, so he has been nosing around. There certainly are lots of odd characters, lovable and not so lovable, sharing the dining table with him at meal time. The previous night at dinner he saw Gourmet Club members who were the owners of the rival newspaper, the Morning Rampage, although they aren't regular diners as those who live in the studios are. He learns that one of the residents, Joy Graham, had a cat who never came home. Then, Joy, his old girlfriend from high school, who he had discovered was the resident pottery artist along with her less talented husband Dan, vanishes! Dan claims she moved to Florida, which Qwilleran knows Joy hates. But she HAD borrowed money from him because she said she was going to get a divorce. Then, another resident disappears!
But that's not the worst of it, as horrible as what has already occurred is. Coming home after an assignment to review a restaurant out of town, with a possible new girlfriend accompanying him - the housekeeper Mrs. Marron tearfully explains his 'Home Alone' cats have had an unfortunate incident!
Qwilleran almost goes insane. And dear reader, me too! Me too!
September 6, 2012
3 and 1/2 stars
I was really curious to read this "The Cat Who . . ." book because after Braun wrote the first 3 in the '60's, she picked up the series and continued it in '80's--twenty years later!
I was so surprised that this story picked right up where the last on had left off! I couldn't tell for sure since now the '80's are thirty years ago themselves, but I think it was still set in a '60's world. I do enjoy the appropriate lack of technology and forensics that we use so heavily in today's solutions to crimes. It is fun that the cat's and Qwilleran's intuition (or might I say Qwill's mustache's intuition!!)is many times the key to moving things along.
Light and fun and a trip back in time to boot!
I was really curious to read this "The Cat Who . . ." book because after Braun wrote the first 3 in the '60's, she picked up the series and continued it in '80's--twenty years later!
I was so surprised that this story picked right up where the last on had left off! I couldn't tell for sure since now the '80's are thirty years ago themselves, but I think it was still set in a '60's world. I do enjoy the appropriate lack of technology and forensics that we use so heavily in today's solutions to crimes. It is fun that the cat's and Qwilleran's intuition (or might I say Qwill's mustache's intuition!!)is many times the key to moving things along.
Light and fun and a trip back in time to boot!
September 22, 2017
Questa volta il reporter Qwilleran si ritrova a dover scrivere articoli per una rubrica di cucina e,dopo essersi nuovamente trasferito con i suoi due gatti siamesi, avrà a che fare con misteriosi scomparse,forni di argilla e ceramisti.
Alla fine gli omicidi ci sono e sarà,come sempre, Koko con i suoi comportamenti strani ad aiutarlo a capire.
Carino, ma troppe pagine dedicate al cibo, Jim ama mangiare bene e si capisce fin dal primo libro,però tutte queste pietanze mi hanno un po' annoiato.
Curioso come ci siano sempre nelle storie tanti personaggi che ruotano per diverso tempo intorno al reporter,ma alla fine,sia sempre un nuovo arrivato a fornire la spiegazione che fa capire a Jim che le sue idee su gli omicidi sono giuste.
Alla fine gli omicidi ci sono e sarà,come sempre, Koko con i suoi comportamenti strani ad aiutarlo a capire.
Carino, ma troppe pagine dedicate al cibo, Jim ama mangiare bene e si capisce fin dal primo libro,però tutte queste pietanze mi hanno un po' annoiato.
Curioso come ci siano sempre nelle storie tanti personaggi che ruotano per diverso tempo intorno al reporter,ma alla fine,sia sempre un nuovo arrivato a fornire la spiegazione che fa capire a Jim che le sue idee su gli omicidi sono giuste.
February 11, 2016
I liked this book slightly more than the last few from this series, mainly because it was more suspenseful WITHOUT a body being found. I liked wondering where the missing people were, and the possibility that they were okay after all.
As a comment overall for the series, it is getting a bit silly that the main character literally moves somewhere new every single book to conveniently correspond with what he's working on at the paper.
There were also some blatant spelling/grammatical errors, like using "their" instead of "there", for example.
As a comment overall for the series, it is getting a bit silly that the main character literally moves somewhere new every single book to conveniently correspond with what he's working on at the paper.
There were also some blatant spelling/grammatical errors, like using "their" instead of "there", for example.
December 11, 2017
Sinceramente, este libro se lleva tres estrellas (deberían ser dos) por la presencia de los dos gatetes semiprotagonistas.
¿Quiere decir esto que es un mal libro? En absoluto. Aunque es un libro, por lo menos en mi opinión, lleno de carencias y clichés pertenecientes al ámbito de la novela barata de bolsillo, tengo que reconocer que, en la circunstancia adecuada, es un libro perfectamente disfrutable. Un libro de esos que lees en un viaje largo, o una tarde aburrida y, aunque no van a hacer que los recuerdes dentro de 10 años, habrán conseguido mantenerte entretenido durante el tiempo que buceas por sus páginas. Y eso, a veces, es mucho.
¿Quiere decir esto que es un mal libro? En absoluto. Aunque es un libro, por lo menos en mi opinión, lleno de carencias y clichés pertenecientes al ámbito de la novela barata de bolsillo, tengo que reconocer que, en la circunstancia adecuada, es un libro perfectamente disfrutable. Un libro de esos que lees en un viaje largo, o una tarde aburrida y, aunque no van a hacer que los recuerdes dentro de 10 años, habrán conseguido mantenerte entretenido durante el tiempo que buceas por sus páginas. Y eso, a veces, es mucho.
December 5, 2018
Book on CD read by George Guidall
This is book four in a delightful cozy mystery series starring newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese - Koko and Yum Yum. As the novel opens, Qwill has started a new diet, which is complicated when he’s assigned to write a new gourmet column for the paper. He starts by attending a gourmet club meeting at Maus Haus, the home of an attorney, where he meets an old flame.
This is an entertaining series with a very likeable main character who is appropriately nosy, given his journalism background. His relationship with his cats is nicely portrayed without being overly saccharine. Of course, Koko, in particular, does seem to have a knack for helping Quill solve the cases – he can even type!
Braun includes a large cast of suspects, acquaintances, and passers by. Maus Haus is a sort of boarding house catering to the arts community, and it seems that everyone is in everyone else’s business. That certainly complicates Qwill’s efforts at finding the truth. Still, for all that, the action is somewhat slow. People go missing, and odd things happen, but no one is concerned but Qwill and the police are never involved.
George Guidall does a satisfactory job of reading the audiobook. I was not a big fan of the quality of his voice, however. I read about a third of it in text as that was faster.
This is book four in a delightful cozy mystery series starring newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese - Koko and Yum Yum. As the novel opens, Qwill has started a new diet, which is complicated when he’s assigned to write a new gourmet column for the paper. He starts by attending a gourmet club meeting at Maus Haus, the home of an attorney, where he meets an old flame.
This is an entertaining series with a very likeable main character who is appropriately nosy, given his journalism background. His relationship with his cats is nicely portrayed without being overly saccharine. Of course, Koko, in particular, does seem to have a knack for helping Quill solve the cases – he can even type!
Braun includes a large cast of suspects, acquaintances, and passers by. Maus Haus is a sort of boarding house catering to the arts community, and it seems that everyone is in everyone else’s business. That certainly complicates Qwill’s efforts at finding the truth. Still, for all that, the action is somewhat slow. People go missing, and odd things happen, but no one is concerned but Qwill and the police are never involved.
George Guidall does a satisfactory job of reading the audiobook. I was not a big fan of the quality of his voice, however. I read about a third of it in text as that was faster.
November 24, 2012
Amused that Koko the cat is learning to type.
October 1, 2017
I think the series really hit it's stride with this one.
October 6, 2019
The Cat Who Saw Red is the 4th book in the Qwilleran and his Siamese cats mysteries by [author:Lilian Jackson Braun|21625, the 3rd that I've enjoyed and so far I think my favorite. For those unfamiliar with the stories, Qwilleran is a reporter for The Daily Fluxion and in the course of his assignments gets involved with a variety of mysteries. Over the course of the stories he acquires to Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, both of whom assist him in solving mysteries an also keep him from getting to badly hurt.
In The Cat Who Saw Red, we find Qwilleran with a new assignment with the newspaper, that being the new gastronomical editor, responsible for exploring the foodies of the city. During his first assignment, he meets an old girl friend who has moved to the city, is a potter and is married. They live in the Maus Haus, a residence peopled with a wonderfully quirky cast of characters. It turns out that there is an apartment available in the building, so Qwill decides it's time that he makes a move in his stale life and therefore he and his canine cohorts uproot and move to new digs.
The house has a mysterious history, that being the unexplained deaths, many years before, of two of the residents. And there are mysterious disappearances in the present day as well. His old girlfriend's cat has disappeared. She tells Qwill that she can't live with her husband anymore and wants to get a divorce. Qwill, somewhat living in the past and with romantic feelings for her still, digs into his limited resources and writes a cheque to help her with her divorce proceedings. Then she disappears. And another person disappears later on.
While Qwill and his cats explore these mysterious disappearances, he also makes the rounds of various eating establishment, on the Fluxion's dime of course, bringing various of the residents with him for free dinners. Of course, Qwill gets this new assignment just as he decides to go on a diet because he's feeling somewhat rotund. How do your write articles on food when you don't eat? What a conundrum!
Anyway, the story is an enjoyable ride. The mysteries are interesting enough and fun enough to keep you engrossed in the story and the fun characters. Qwill is a great character in his own right but the addition of his cats, who he clearly adores, add to the quality of the stories. Most enjoyable and I look forward to more adventures of the mystery - solving threesome. (4 stars)
In The Cat Who Saw Red, we find Qwilleran with a new assignment with the newspaper, that being the new gastronomical editor, responsible for exploring the foodies of the city. During his first assignment, he meets an old girl friend who has moved to the city, is a potter and is married. They live in the Maus Haus, a residence peopled with a wonderfully quirky cast of characters. It turns out that there is an apartment available in the building, so Qwill decides it's time that he makes a move in his stale life and therefore he and his canine cohorts uproot and move to new digs.
The house has a mysterious history, that being the unexplained deaths, many years before, of two of the residents. And there are mysterious disappearances in the present day as well. His old girlfriend's cat has disappeared. She tells Qwill that she can't live with her husband anymore and wants to get a divorce. Qwill, somewhat living in the past and with romantic feelings for her still, digs into his limited resources and writes a cheque to help her with her divorce proceedings. Then she disappears. And another person disappears later on.
While Qwill and his cats explore these mysterious disappearances, he also makes the rounds of various eating establishment, on the Fluxion's dime of course, bringing various of the residents with him for free dinners. Of course, Qwill gets this new assignment just as he decides to go on a diet because he's feeling somewhat rotund. How do your write articles on food when you don't eat? What a conundrum!
Anyway, the story is an enjoyable ride. The mysteries are interesting enough and fun enough to keep you engrossed in the story and the fun characters. Qwill is a great character in his own right but the addition of his cats, who he clearly adores, add to the quality of the stories. Most enjoyable and I look forward to more adventures of the mystery - solving threesome. (4 stars)
November 15, 2018
This was a fun read. This is the fourth book in this series and so far I’ve enjoyed them all. Not a lot of substance but highly entertaining. I figured out who the murderer was quite early but it did have a surprise twist at the end that was fascinating.
June 2, 2019
A really neatly constructed mystery with a perfectly ingenious, clever climactic scene — to be honest, that final resolution was the reason I felt compelled to come on here and comment. These books are overall a good time but they're not equally well built, and this is one of the good ones so if you're picking and choosing since there are over two dozen, this at least would be my personal pick for one of the better ones.
Braun is not a romance writer and Qwill's relationship with Polly in the bulk of the series (which is still in the future at the time of this book) usually leaves me vaguely eh so I was really surprised at the depth of passion and nostalgia she conjured up to describe his feelings for his childhood sweetheart Joy, who he meets again under the most bittersweet—eventually just bitter—of circumstances. Everything she describes, both present and past, is visceral and easy to imagine.
But yeah, it was the tidy ending, in which a neatly arranged Chekov's gun "goes off" just in time to save the day, that made me squeal and reach for Goodreads. I also like the fact that—which is typical for Braun—some of the red herring clues/loose ends were tied up in logical ways, too.
Fair warning for annoying mainstream fatphobia in regards to a secondary female character (as well as the MC's new medically imposed weight loss diet being a major source of annoyance to him at the beginning of the book. Also fair warning that people die in this but it's a murder mystery so you already knew that.
Braun is not a romance writer and Qwill's relationship with Polly in the bulk of the series (which is still in the future at the time of this book) usually leaves me vaguely eh so I was really surprised at the depth of passion and nostalgia she conjured up to describe his feelings for his childhood sweetheart Joy, who he meets again under the most bittersweet—eventually just bitter—of circumstances. Everything she describes, both present and past, is visceral and easy to imagine.
But yeah, it was the tidy ending, in which a neatly arranged Chekov's gun "goes off" just in time to save the day, that made me squeal and reach for Goodreads. I also like the fact that—which is typical for Braun—some of the red herring clues/loose ends were tied up in logical ways, too.
Fair warning for annoying mainstream fatphobia in regards to a secondary female character (as well as the MC's new medically imposed weight loss diet being a major source of annoyance to him at the beginning of the book. Also fair warning that people die in this but it's a murder mystery so you already knew that.
April 25, 2014
Qwill, Koko, and Yum Yum are at it again. This time Qwill is assigned by the Daily Fluxion to review restaurants...much to his dismay, as he’s decided that it’s time to lose a few pounds. Food, however, turns out be the least of Qwill’s concerns...once his mustache starts twitching he knows that murder is afoot. Koko is still as adept at ever at providing clues...and Qwill is getting much better at reading the amazingly smart feline. And I...continue to love this little cozy mystery series! Not to mention how well Lilian Jackson Braun understands cat behaviour, such as when Qwill attempts to feed Koko and Yum Yum cat food in place for their usual delicacies:
“When he arrived home, Koko and Yum Yum were sitting in compact bundles on the windowsill, and their behavior indicated that they sensed the nature of the situation. Instead of chirping and crowing a welcome, they
sat motionless and gazed through Qwilleran as if he wereinvisible.
"Soup's on!" he announced, after smearing a dime's worth of Pussy Pate on a plate and placing it on the floor.
Neither of the cats moved a whisker.
"Try it! The label says it's delicious."
They seemed totally deaf. There was not even the flicker of an ear. Qwilleran picked Koko up bodily and plumped him down in front of the pate, and Koko stood there with legs splayed, frozen in the position in which he had landed, glaring at the evil-looking purple smear on the
plate. Then he shuddered exquisitely and walked away.”
“When he arrived home, Koko and Yum Yum were sitting in compact bundles on the windowsill, and their behavior indicated that they sensed the nature of the situation. Instead of chirping and crowing a welcome, they
sat motionless and gazed through Qwilleran as if he wereinvisible.
"Soup's on!" he announced, after smearing a dime's worth of Pussy Pate on a plate and placing it on the floor.
Neither of the cats moved a whisker.
"Try it! The label says it's delicious."
They seemed totally deaf. There was not even the flicker of an ear. Qwilleran picked Koko up bodily and plumped him down in front of the pate, and Koko stood there with legs splayed, frozen in the position in which he had landed, glaring at the evil-looking purple smear on the
plate. Then he shuddered exquisitely and walked away.”
January 14, 2018
3 Stars
Another cozy mystery with our favorite cats, and Qwilleran, of course. Qwill and felines move to an new apartment full of eccentrics and artists (of one sort or another); and happens upon a mystery. Again.
He meets an old flame, and now new neighbor (married), that settles him into this new place. She quickly "disappears" with his money and maybe, his heart. As he starts to question her disappearance, another neighbor disappears, and the cats are in jeopardy. Is this part of the old curse of this off-kilter abode, full of death, or is there really something more sinister going on?? Of course, Koko or Yum-Yum, save the day and all is right with the world. It does make you wonder about living in a place with such a sordid history.
It took me a too long to read this short book; but it was still cute and quirky.
Another cozy mystery with our favorite cats, and Qwilleran, of course. Qwill and felines move to an new apartment full of eccentrics and artists (of one sort or another); and happens upon a mystery. Again.
He meets an old flame, and now new neighbor (married), that settles him into this new place. She quickly "disappears" with his money and maybe, his heart. As he starts to question her disappearance, another neighbor disappears, and the cats are in jeopardy. Is this part of the old curse of this off-kilter abode, full of death, or is there really something more sinister going on?? Of course, Koko or Yum-Yum, save the day and all is right with the world. It does make you wonder about living in a place with such a sordid history.
It took me a too long to read this short book; but it was still cute and quirky.
May 24, 2018
1st time read - hardcover
2nd time read - kindle
2nd time read - kindle
May 12, 2017
Four books in and I am still loving this series about Qwilleran and all the quirky people he meets. Koko and Yum Yum are hysterical.
July 23, 2022
This is the 4th book I've read in this series in quick succession! My review of the first, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards says it all about how I feel about each subsequent book. In each of the first four, Jim Qwilleran, our main character, gets a new beat at his newspaper (remember those?!!) and a new apartment related to this new beat. Each new beat sends him into unfamiliar territory, but he somehow succeeds in writing his columns.
Oh, wait! Is Qwill our main character or is it KoKo the cat who he inherits in the first book and who joins forces with Qwill to solve the crimes that pop up in each story?
Why I'm reading this: These are just my speed as I go through chemotherapy and have "chemo brain". Written in a simpler time (late 1960's), they're a fun walk through history.
Oh, wait! Is Qwill our main character or is it KoKo the cat who he inherits in the first book and who joins forces with Qwill to solve the crimes that pop up in each story?
Why I'm reading this: These are just my speed as I go through chemotherapy and have "chemo brain". Written in a simpler time (late 1960's), they're a fun walk through history.
October 4, 2025
Warning: Don't read hungry.
Braun once again delves into a new hobby and a new death in the fourth of her Cat Who novels. Something I've come to enjoy is that the title of the novel doesn't come into play until very late in the reading. It's a kick to understand why the book was named so when you come to it.
Qwill and the feline gang once again have to move apartments, something I'm sensing will be a theme, as this time he has to be a food critic among a motely crew of artists. When an old flame goes missing, he bends his mustache'd intellect to find out why, and possibly who was responsible.
Enjoyable all around with a lot of false leads to keep you guessing until the end. I'd recommend this book to cat lovers, foodies, pottery makers, and mystery lovers.
Braun once again delves into a new hobby and a new death in the fourth of her Cat Who novels. Something I've come to enjoy is that the title of the novel doesn't come into play until very late in the reading. It's a kick to understand why the book was named so when you come to it.
Qwill and the feline gang once again have to move apartments, something I'm sensing will be a theme, as this time he has to be a food critic among a motely crew of artists. When an old flame goes missing, he bends his mustache'd intellect to find out why, and possibly who was responsible.
Enjoyable all around with a lot of false leads to keep you guessing until the end. I'd recommend this book to cat lovers, foodies, pottery makers, and mystery lovers.
March 9, 2019
This was at least my third time through this book. Sequentially it was before Qwilleran inherited. It was like visiting an old friend. The end was a little rushed, but still a very good read.
February 15, 2020
2.5
I'm not sure if I will continue the series. Yes I absolutely love the two cats but I don't know if it's enough to keep me invested in the mysteries.
I'm not sure if I will continue the series. Yes I absolutely love the two cats but I don't know if it's enough to keep me invested in the mysteries.
February 16, 2021
Before the K Fund, before he moved 400 miles north of everywhere, Jim Qwilleran was in the Midwest. This is the story at the center of this book. An unsolved "suicide" leads Qwilleran and his Siamese sleuth Koko to investigate the past history of the Maus House, a gourmet boarding house where Qwilleran moves to. Along the way, he meets an old flame and tries unsuccessfully to rekindle an old relationship. Also featured in the book is Yum Yum, Koko's companion Siamese. If you've never read Braun's delightful series, consider giving it a go. I managed to polish off this book in one afternoon.
March 9, 2019
This was at least my third time through this book. Sequentially it was before Qwilleran inherited. It was like visiting an old friend. The end was a little rushed, but still a very good read.
September 10, 2021
I did like it, but you can tell the huge gap in between when this was written and the book before it. There is a lot of fat shaming in it, but I did like the mystery. Some of the characters were great, some were just annoying, bad some were just there. Flat, but necessary.
January 3, 2016
Jim Qwilleran, prize winning feature writer for the Daily Fluxion newspaper, finds himself out of shape after chasing his cat Koko around the vet's office. The vet suggests that Qwilleran get a physical check-up wherein the doctor puts Qwilleran on a strict diet. The problem being that his boss is putting him on a new assignment - the gourmet beat! Mary Duckworth (from book 3 in the series) suggests that he attend a Gourmet Club dinner at Maus Haus in her place and review the owner Robert Maus who is cooking dinner for the club. He is a lawyer who is also a gourmet cook.
Maus Haus is a building inspired by Egyptian architecture and built by the Pennimans who founded it as a center for artists. Now it is a boardinghouse for people interested in food. At the dinner Qwilleran meets an old fiancé, Joy Graham (Wheatley) who disappeared from his life years ago with no explanation. She and her husband, Dan, now run the pottery operation at the back of the house. Still enamored by Joy, Qwilleran loans her his savings so she can begin divorce proceedings. There is also a vacant apartment in Maus Haus, so Qwilleran collects his possessions and cats and moves into room #6. Then things begin to happen. After Joy tells Qwilleran about a new glaze she has invented and a beloved cat who went missing, Qwilleran hears a scream in the night and the next day Joy is missing. Dan says she frequently disappears and reappears, but Qwilleran is unconvinced - his mustache gives him a weird feeling. What happened to his money that he loaned to her? Then the houseboy vanishes and Qwilleran is determined to solve the mysteries. The book, as usual, is filled with quirky characters:
- William Vitello, the young, amiable art student who also works as a houseboy at Maus Haus.
- Mrs. Marron, the depressed housekeeper and cook who lets Qwilleran think his cats are dead.
- Max Sorrel, the owner of the Golden Lamb Chop restaurant where someone is out to ruin his business.
- Rosemary Whiting who is into healthful living and is of indefinite age.
- Hixie Rice is young, plump, loud, and looking desperately for a husband.
- Charlotte Roop, an older prim and proper lady who only has a "bite to eat" and not a meal. She has worked for years at the Heavenly Hash House chain.
The antics of Koko and Yum Yum, Qwilleran's Siamese cats, always entertain and amuse. In the end it is psychic Koko (along with Qwilleran's intuitive mustache) who helps solve the crime and saves Qwilleran's life from the murderer in another unique way. The only heart-stopping moment in the book is when Qwilleran thinks his beloved cats have been poisoned and carted away by the Sanitation Department. This fourth in the series is another cozy mystery - a good fast read.
Maus Haus is a building inspired by Egyptian architecture and built by the Pennimans who founded it as a center for artists. Now it is a boardinghouse for people interested in food. At the dinner Qwilleran meets an old fiancé, Joy Graham (Wheatley) who disappeared from his life years ago with no explanation. She and her husband, Dan, now run the pottery operation at the back of the house. Still enamored by Joy, Qwilleran loans her his savings so she can begin divorce proceedings. There is also a vacant apartment in Maus Haus, so Qwilleran collects his possessions and cats and moves into room #6. Then things begin to happen. After Joy tells Qwilleran about a new glaze she has invented and a beloved cat who went missing, Qwilleran hears a scream in the night and the next day Joy is missing. Dan says she frequently disappears and reappears, but Qwilleran is unconvinced - his mustache gives him a weird feeling. What happened to his money that he loaned to her? Then the houseboy vanishes and Qwilleran is determined to solve the mysteries. The book, as usual, is filled with quirky characters:
- William Vitello, the young, amiable art student who also works as a houseboy at Maus Haus.
- Mrs. Marron, the depressed housekeeper and cook who lets Qwilleran think his cats are dead.
- Max Sorrel, the owner of the Golden Lamb Chop restaurant where someone is out to ruin his business.
- Rosemary Whiting who is into healthful living and is of indefinite age.
- Hixie Rice is young, plump, loud, and looking desperately for a husband.
- Charlotte Roop, an older prim and proper lady who only has a "bite to eat" and not a meal. She has worked for years at the Heavenly Hash House chain.
The antics of Koko and Yum Yum, Qwilleran's Siamese cats, always entertain and amuse. In the end it is psychic Koko (along with Qwilleran's intuitive mustache) who helps solve the crime and saves Qwilleran's life from the murderer in another unique way. The only heart-stopping moment in the book is when Qwilleran thinks his beloved cats have been poisoned and carted away by the Sanitation Department. This fourth in the series is another cozy mystery - a good fast read.
March 26, 2017
An early title in the series, but nevertheless Koko is just as switched one as ever, as Qwilleran deciphers the clues he is leaving in their new residence, Maus House. Something shifty is going on in the pottery area of the house, and Koko suspects murder and more. Poor Qwill is on a diet, and has just received a new beat; that of a food critic, much to his dismay. Together, and with a little help from the food industry, they will solve the crime and Koko will catch the villain.
I enjoyed reading about the food, because fine dining isn't something I am acquainted with. Here we also see characters that play a bigger part when Qwill moves to the country, including Hixie Rice. The scene with the generic cat food was funny, there is nothing like trying to get your cat to eat something cheaper and failing miserably. I myself feed my two tabbies whiskas, and if I deviate from brand or flavor they either ignore it, or eat it only to throw up on the carpet, so this proved a funny read for me.
Detective fiction at its finest, a Lilian Jackson Braun book is always a good read.
I enjoyed reading about the food, because fine dining isn't something I am acquainted with. Here we also see characters that play a bigger part when Qwill moves to the country, including Hixie Rice. The scene with the generic cat food was funny, there is nothing like trying to get your cat to eat something cheaper and failing miserably. I myself feed my two tabbies whiskas, and if I deviate from brand or flavor they either ignore it, or eat it only to throw up on the carpet, so this proved a funny read for me.
Detective fiction at its finest, a Lilian Jackson Braun book is always a good read.
March 3, 2018
I love the Cat Who. books, but is was my least favorite.
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