Customer Reviews

The Cat Who Turned On and Off (Cat Who...)

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In this, the third offering in this series we find that our hero Jim Qwilleran has a new assignment with the Daily Fluxion. In the second book we saw him change assignments but for some reason there is no explanation for this change. Whatever the reason, Qwilleran is now a feature writer and has decided to do all that he can to win a writing contest sponsored by the Fluxion because he could really use the prize money to move out of the third-rate hotel he and his cats are occupying. A taxi driver mentions an area called Junktown to the writer who assumes that it is a high traffic narcotics area. That is just the kind of story that an old crime reporter can sink his teeth in to but alas, Qwilleran finds out that Junktown is really an antiquing area filled with junk stores.

Reluctantly Qwilleran heads out for Junktown and quickly finds himself intrigued with the area and it's colorful collection of characters. The development of quirky and fun characters is an area in which this author excels and she may have outdone herself with this group. He also finds that a prominent Junker recently died in what the police have called an accident but the veteran reporter's mustache tells him that it was no accident. Soon, Qwilleran is not only involved with the people of Junktown but he rents an apartment from one of the junk dealers and he and the cats move right in. The stories that he is generating from Junktown please his editor and he thinks that there is a good chance he will win the paper's prize money. But all the while he is still working to solve the mystery of the junk dealer's death.

Shortly after his arrival in Junktown, Qwilleran's landlord is killed in an apparent fall while scrounging for goodies in an abandoned house that is about to be torn down. Again the police call it an accident and again Qwilleran is not so sure that it was accidental. Finally the cats do their thing and the whole case is cleared up but not before the cats once again save Qwilleran's life.

This book, unlike it's predecessors is a little light on the mystery angle until the end of the book but as before, the clues are there all through the story. The reporter and the readers just seem to let them slip right by. Finally however, the reporter and the reader will began to put two and two together and figure out that there is definitely something fishy in Junktown.

Once again Lilian Jackson Braun has produced a delightfully lighthearted mystery that I suspect any mystery lover will fall in love with. If you don't fall in love with the story you will assuredly fall in love with Koko and Yum Yum, super cats par excellence.

I purchased this book on audiocassette and, as someone who enjoys both murder mysteries and cats, enjoyed it thoroughly. The author certainly is a cat person, and she spices the whodunit with humorous cat incidents. Each "kitty break" brought a smile to my face. It's also nice to enjoy a family-friendly story for a change.

Certainly one of the best in the Cat series, and one of the earliest. Qwilleran and his feline companion Koko take on Junktown, an antique dealers' section of the city which has fallen into ruin and (eeekkk!!) murder. While living in Junktown, Mr. Q soaks up the local color, writes an award-winning documentary and solves a curious murder with the help of his faithful and brilliant sidekick Koko, and KoKo's favorite feline Yum Yum. Harkens back to the early series (pre-millionaire) phase of Mr. Q's career as a reporter/sleuth with lots of colorful characters, antique-collecting/urban renewal, and a delightful mystery. Very enjoyable reading!!

The Cat Who is the best serries ever full of humor wit and complexity,

James Macentosh Qwilerin is a off beat repoter/Billion air with his 2 cats Koko and Yumyum who are no shorter than extra ordinary.

This is the best book serries I have ever read and would recomend it to any one over 10.

Trevor Oliver

12 Years old

Christmas in Junktown. When the idea hits reporter Jim Qwilleran, he thinks he's come up with the perfect way to win the Daily Fluxion's annual contest and some much needed money to get an apartment of his own. But when he gives the idea to his editor, he finds out that Junktown isn't a place for drug addicts but an area with a bunch of antique dealers. Qwill isn't excited about this any more, but his editor loves it and gives him the assignment.

Qwill's first day on the new beat is the day of an auction to sell off the merchandise of a dealer who recently died in an accident. Something about the accident makes Qwill's mustache tingle, however, and he begins to poke around. Soon, he's convinced that the man was really murdered. Unfortunately, Koko doesn't seem to be providing any help. But where does the cat keep disappearing to? And what's with the stuff that Koko and Yum Yum keep bringing to the apartment?

These books are very light mysteries, but when I'm in the mood for them, nothing else will hit the spot. I love following the antics of Koko and Yum Yum as Qwill tries to keep up. Being an early book in the long running series, Qwill is still a full time reporter. And the plot is much better developed. I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out who done it, and once I did how Koko would prove it. Along the way, I got to laugh at the cats' antics. They always make these stories so much more enjoyable.

When I do "read" these books, it's usually through these wonderful unabridged recordings. George Guidall is an excellent reader, and I can't picture anyone else doing these books justice. He brings all the characters to life and perfectly captures each "Yowl" of the cats.

While the later books seem to be going downhill, this series started off with some great mysteries. This is a perfect example. If you like your mysteries cozy, don't pass up this excellent series.

Jim Qwilleran, Qwill to his friends, has decided to ease his cash flow problem by winning the prize offered by The Daily Fluxion for the best story of the year. Qwill is a feature writer for the paper but his doubts that anything on his usual beat of interior design will achieve this goal so he pitches the idea of a heart touching story about Christmas in Junktown. His editor agrees and then Qwill finds out that the junk in Junktown is not narcotics but instead refers to the low end of the antique trade.

There is no option for Qwill but to try and make the best of the situation. He soon becomes immersed in the characters of Junktown even locating a new apartment there for himself and his two Siamese cats. Qwill keeps hearing of a tragic death that occured in the community a few weeks before, a death that seems odd to him but that everyone around him keeps insisting must have been accidental. As more tragic accidents and odd occurences that place Qwill becomes more convinced that Junktown is no as crime free as his neighbors would like to believe. As always Qwill, with the help of his cats, solve the mysteries.

This, the third entry into the Cat Who series, was orginally published in 1968 which becomes evident whenever prices are mentioned. Other than that the story holds up well and could be enjoyed even by some one who is not familiar with the series. For fans of the series please note that it is not set in the familiar Moose County of the later books but is instead located in a "large Mid-western city'. As is common for this series some old familiar characters make repeat appearances if only in passing.

This is the third of "The Cat Who ..." series. Really a good read. I like the character development, the clues, and the way everything comes together at the end. Koko and Yum Yum are both great cats (even though only Koko seems to be a good detective) and if you read the books in order you find Jim (Qwill) becoming a better person for his friendship with the cats.

This is the third book in "The Cat Who..." Series. This is also the first story of the complete family (Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum).

Qwilleran visits Junktown, expecting it to be a hangout of junkies (drug addicts). But Junktown is a place for junk (antique) shops! First modern art, second interior decorating and this time...antique. Poor Qwill.

This book is a little different from the previous two books. The previous books described prosperous, privileged worlds. While Junktown is an old deserted town which the City regards as a slum and wants to demolish. It makes this book somewhat deeper than the previous books how Qwill gradually loves this poor old town. And this book is relatively well-plotted as a detective story.

Unlike Koko, Yum Yum doesn't play a role as a sleuth. When it hails noisily, Yum Yum gets scared and hides herself, while Koko investigates the noise. It is interesting that such kind of small daily details show Koko's sleuth talent more clearly. And I'm quite surprised at what Koko turns on and off...it's just incredible!

. . .move to "Junktown" in order to do a series of articles on the subject of antiques -- yet another topic on which Qwill knows nothing!

This book is especially nice in that it introduces us to Mrs. Cobb, a character who will make an appearance in several other books -- as will her famous cooking!

As this is a murder mystery, there is, of course, the obligatory murders -- but the plot is tightly written and the characters are interesting. In the end, of course, Qwill, Koko, and Yum Yum save the day -- and help Junktown to a new burst of popularity and prosperity.

Always great listening to a Braun mystery narrated by the talented George Guidall.