Customer Reviews

Cat Who Brought Down the House, The

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

"The Cat Who" books are a light mystery series, based on a town "400 miles north of everywhere" and all of its lovely, eccentric inhabitants. The action focuses around one James Qwilleran (Mr. Q to his friends and fans) and his two cats, Koko and Yum-Yum. In each book, an event occurs that draws Q into an investigation which usually involves some element of the town's locales and history. There's no ticking clock, no shooting guns, no sense of foreboding in these books. Each is a return to our beloved Mooseville and the people we now consider our own neighbors. This isn't a marvel of literary fiction- it's merely a comfy, quick read as part of an enjoyable series.

The general consensus among hardcore "The Cat Who" fans is that the *real* Jackson Braun stopped writing the series several years ago. There have been about four ghost writers since, and almost all have done a poor job of recreating Braun's characters and descriptions of Moose County. In the last book, the cats were relegated to mere household pets, and Qwill rambled around with no real point to his actions. Well, I'm thrilled to report that after several strange attempts at recreating Braun's magic, whoever wrote this book got it right!

The old Qwilleran is back- as are favorite locales and neighbors. "The Cat Who Brought Down the House" revolves around a zany new arrival to Moose County, and some of the troubles that her move to Pleasant Street brings. Qwill is on the case, assisted by his two intuitive cats and several of his close friends.

Like I said above, the book isn't deep, it doesn't motivate you to get out a piece of paper and try and solve the crime. It's just a fun read, with a light mystery at its heart. I'm just happy to be able to give the book a good review and I am really hoping that the publisher keeps this writer on - I haven't felt so at home in years.

Happy reading!

I've been a fan of the Cat Who series for about twelve years now; I own quite a few of the earlier volumes, and have read every one of them, first to last. Recently, I've been rereading my copies--so I was particularly thrilled to spot _Cat Who Brought Down the House_ in my library, and I snatched it up with an enthusiasm that I might not have had if I'd been rereading the *later* books in the series and thus remembered their severe dip in quality. Unfortunately, this book served as quite the refresher course for my memory.

I realize that the focus of the series has changed somewhat over the years, and that I shouldn't expect a tight, suspenseful whodunnit; my quibble with the book thus isn't really its lack of a sound mystery. (As with other recent installments, the mystery plot is very, very secondary to scenes and anecdotes about life in Moose County.) What I have problems with is how *pointless* it all felt--not to mention how different Qwill and various other characters seemed from their old selves of even a few books ago, and how many of the characters in this book are relative newcomers to the series and in no way as engaging (IMHO) as the Old Guard. The plot meandered here and there, not so much hard to follow as hard to stay interested in; and Qwilleran himself seemed almost unrecognizable. Since when does he let everyone and their dog--literally!--into his home, when he once resented people wishing to come gawk? Why would he become the special chum of Thelma Thackeray and spend so much time with her? And speaking of which, why was it that in the beginning of the book no one seemed to know who Thelma was or whether she was even real, while in later chapters everyone Qwill talked to had something to say about her brother, her father, and her family history? That sort of continuity error seems sloppy.

And speaking of sloppiness, I question whether an editor even glanced at this novel. Twice I found quotation marks where they had no business being--such as in the middle of a dialogue sentence, as if the author had forgotten the character was already speaking. Qwill's name is even misspelled once! Meanwhile, there are a lot of little throwaway scenes that never amount to anything and aren't interesting enough to add character or flavor to the narrative (Burgess describing in detail the party that the kids on Pleasant Street will be having comes to mind); I found myself wondering in bemusement how this or that scene would later become relevant... and it never did. The book might have benefited from having an editor more inclined to use his or her pruning shears.

Finally, it's hard to imagine how this book contributes anything of lasting value to the series given how everything turns out. (I can't say much more without spoiling the ending, but anyone who's read it through should know what I mean.) I felt empty after reading it. Granted, 'empty' is a better way to feel than 'completely disgusted,' which is how I felt after _Cat Who Saw Stars_, but given that I used to put down a newly-finished Cat Who book with reluctance because I didn't want to leave Qwill's vivid, lovingly-crafted world, I can't help but be saddened by this development.

Now that I've said all that, is there anything *good* about this book? Well, yes... sort of. Maybe. It depends on what you're looking for. Do you just want something light and quick to read, with a couple of engaging characters and a lot of mentions of delicious-sounding foods? Then you might be fine with this. It's nice, it's light, it's fluffy, and there's nothing wrong with that--so long as you go into it knowing what to expect. Personally, I just can't recommend that anyone make this their first Cat Who novel (_Cat Who Could Read Backwards_ would be my recommendation there) or buy it in hardback. I'm not sure I'd even suggest buying it in paperback, at least not without trying to find it at your library first.

It has been a long time (possibly 24 years) since anyone has read a Lilian Braun mystery story for the mystery. If for no other reason than that we often know who committed the crime before we ever know what the crime was. Instead we read them to enjoy the antics of a stellar cast of characters in a mythical town set '400 miles north of everywhere.'

The ostensible star is Qwilleran, a recovering journalist, whose life in Pickaxe began when he inherited a fortune and found it impossible to leave. His friends include almost everyone, and his deepest secret is that Koko, one of his two Siamese cats, is the true brains behind the outfit.

In this, the 25th in the series, Pickaxe is abuzz with the news of the return of Thelma Thackery, who left Moose County for Hollywood (where she eventually became a very successful restaurateur) 55 years ago. Now she has moved into one of the towns few mansions with Janice, her assistant and a bevy of colorful and outspoken parrots. Her sole surviving relative in Moose County is her nephew, who is noted for his smile and the lack of any visible means of support.

And so the stage is set for intrigue, parrot-napping, blueberry pie recipes, and an endless flow of gossip and tales. The success of Braun's books depends not on the intricacies of plot and character development, but on Qwiilleran's exuberant side trips into the nooks and crannies of Pickaxe history.

One of the dangers to any long running series is settling into formula writing and then forgetting the point behind the formula. For a while, Braun's books lost their focus, and Qwilleran allowed to become increasingly irritating as a main character. This has always been a series where a year between episodes was needed to maintain their charm, but recently a year has not been enough.

I'm happy to say that 'The Cat Who Brought Down the House' has broken this trend. Not that it isn't formulaic, but it has returned to being a pleasant, entertaining romp. Cozy mystery stories are, after all, literary comfort food. Reading this story is almost like a return to the home that might have been if the world was a bit less dire.

There is nothing in this volume that would prevent anyone from starting with it. For the most part historical relationships are explained, and there is nothing in the plot that depends on previous knowledge. If you are looking for pure escapism, consider starting here.

I'm afraid the "Cat Who..." series is on a downhill slide. Although a quick read, this 25th title was flat & unmysterious. We know the villain practically from the get-go, and the story lacks the usual subtle clues building up to the ultimate solving of the crime. Come to think of it, there wasn't even much of a story! Major events like the fund-raiser are given short shrift, & important details such as Polly's leaving the library are glossed over. The characters, whom we know so well from the previous books, are one-dimensional. For that matter, where ARE they all? Chief Brodie barely makes an appearance, & then only as a bagpiper, and his classy daughter, Fran, has suddenly become a snobby lush we don't recognize. This can no longer be considered a mystery series which leads me to ask "Who wrote this book?"

I felt sad reading this book. I've realized that the days of Qwill and Koko actively participating in the solution of a murder mystery are over. I will continue to read any "Cat Who" books that may be published in the future, but I feel as though I'm watching a dear, old friend approach the end of his life.

I thought Braun's question on the book jacket, "Shall we try for twenty-six [books in the series]?" was poignant. It's as if she's asking her readers if she should continue the series, seeking either encouragement to keep writing the books or permission to stop. Braun is now in her eighties and has low vision. Moreover, she wrote 21 of the 25 novels during the past 18 years. It's inevitable that time, age, and the sheer amount of physical and mental effort that such production requires will take their toll. I've adjusted my expectations of the books to fit this reality.

While I love the early "Cat Who" books, I'm not sure why I continue to read the series. In the past few books, the mysteries have been transparent and character development slow. This is no exception. Nothing really happens. The new characters aren't interesting or personable enough to make an impact on Pickax or the reader. There's no real mystery--a couple of yowls from Koko and a dead body thrown in at the end. The liberal use of exclamation points in the prose doesn't make up for the lack of action in the story. If you need a Qwill fix, borrow this one from the library. Better yet, go back and read one of the first ten books in the series.

I found this to be a lovely return to form for the "Cat Who" books. Instead of being just a rambling account of the day-to-day life in Moose County, this book had a plot that moved and captured my fancy, as well as Qwill's. It's good to see him listening to that quiver in his moustache and investigating to get to the bottom of something again. The character of Thelma was interesting -- tart, complicated and ultimately decent, if unconventional. I wish the author would create a similar (although younger) love interest for Qwill, since Polly is such a snooze. As far as a previous reviewer slamming this slight volume for being "sickeningly insipid" (that's with an "s"), don't be misled. I recently finished Patricia Cornwell's Predator, and while I enjoyed that book too, it's the kind of dark-hearted murder that seems to attract certain readers. You will never find that kind of crime, villain or investigation in a "Cat Who" book. I think that's great, for there's room on my mystery shelf for both kinds of book.

When the editor misses two entire pages where the writing lapses completely into first person and then reverts back (and it was not within Qwill's journal entry) and with so many meaninless forays that seem to be gratuitous for sentimentality's sake, I hate to think of where this series is heading. IMHO, this series reached its peak with "The Cat Who Moved A Mountain" and "The Cat Who Wasn't There" and has seriously declined in plot and writing quality over the last four books or so. I was a major fan of Qwill and his world, but I have to say, sad as it is, that I just don't care much anymore. The fire has gone out and this book has helped douse those flames. I am not even finished with it yet...I have about 1/4 of it yet to go, but I already see where this is going. It's not quite as meaningless as the last book, but it is quite close. The substance in this story seems superficial, and I am going to have to fight to finish this off.

After 25 years of reading "The Cat Who" books, I'm ready to put Qwill out to pasture. While this book has a much better plot than the other latest 3 or 4, the writer or ghostwriter, seems to have just gotten tired and leaves out the details or entire convesations that made the early books such treasures. For instance, Koko does his death cry only once out of 3 deaths; his death cry signals the first murder but then apparently Koko sleeps through the last, most important two deaths. This book has sparks of the old Lilian and sets up some interesting things that could happen in the next book, but in response to her asking whether or not to make it 26 mysteries, "No". I'll miss Qwill but I want to remember him as he was and not the shadow he and Koko are becoming.

I listened to the unabridged audio book and waited patiently for SOMETHING to happen, but all I got was Q having lunch with this person or that person, someone redecorating, Polly changing jobs, and the planning for a fund-raiser. I eventually realized that this is not a murder mystery like the other books, but rather the story about everyday life in a small town where people do very uninteresting things. If I were to abridge it, I would leave out everything except side 8 of the 8-sided tape set. That is the only part where anything happens at all. And even that is not very interesting.

Oh yes, and Koko and Yum-Yum are virtually absent throughout the entire book.

The earlier "Cat Who..." books really did have a plot that began in the beginning and threaded through the story. This book (like the last one) has dispensed with plot altogether...I have been a devoted reader, but recent trends indicate that this series has run its course.