Customer Reviews

The Cat Who Talked To Ghosts (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was the first Lilian Jackson Braun novel I have read. I loved it. I enjoyed reading about the cats and how smart Koko was. And how the cats knew the phone was going to ring 10 seconds before the phone rang.

Qwill is called in the middle of the night by his former landlady, Mrs. Cobb. She has been hearing strange noises and was scared. He leaves to investigate and finds her dead. Many strange things are happening at the museum, and Qwill decides to move in and find out what really happened to his friend.

Very enjoyable, this will not be my last Lilian Jackson Braun.

Lilian Jackson Braun's tenth cat book starts off with the death of one of the most beloved long-time characters in the series. It is quite a testament to Braun's writing ability that I felt so saddened by this person's death and I was indeed quite upset. It is not clear early on if this death is a murder or a simple heart attack but as usual, Qwilleran is suspicious. Braun has the ability to make her readers feel as if they know the people of Moose County and have lived there for years and this is what is so endearing about this series. This story also starts out with Qwilleran telling the story in the first person which is a new twist and fortunately one that just sort of melts away early in the book.

As in previous stories the mystery is mostly a background for another tale of Moose County but this time there are only two deaths to deal with. Among the more memorable characters to wander in and out of this story are ninety-four year old Homer Tibbitt and his slightly younger girlfriend Rhoda, who refuses to get her hearing aide fixed. One of their conversations culminates with Homer yelling at Rhoda, "I said potties-not poppies!" This conversation sent me into fits of laughter and is typical of Braun's wonderful writing style.

Like all small rural communities, Moose County has it's secrets, one of which Qwilleran uncovers while puzzling over his friend's death. It turns out that one of the area's most famous incidents was all a fake and that at least one Moose County resident had lived long past his funeral. A secret that in the end will remain locked away in Qwilleran's mind and in the secret compartment of a Dingleberry desk.

As is the case in most of these books, Koko tries to give Qwilleran clues but time and again the former reporter looks over the hints. Once the mystery is solved however, Qwilleran realizes once again that his highly intelligent feline has had things figured out for quite some time. If only Qwilleran could warm up to his girlfriend's new cat, who he refers to as Bigfoot, as quickly as he warmed up to the goat farmer next door. This tenth trip into the wild and wonderful world of Jim Qwilleran is a journey well worth taking, even if there is more Moose than mystery.

I have noticed Mrs. Braun's series of books on "The Cat Who..." in Amazon's catalog, book stores, grocery stores and libraries but only recently did I actually read one of her books. Then, I read another and another and another. Once you start folks, you can't stop. You can't wait to read another book with her main character, Jim Qwilleran, affectionately known as Qwill or "Q". (Frankly, it took a couple of books for me to get used to that name.)

Qwill is a reporter who always stumbles upon a mysterious murder and with the help of one of his two siamese cats, he finds enough clues to solve the mystery. You don't need to be a "cat" person to enjoy these easy-reading books. I think that's what held me back all these years. I like cats but I didn't want to read about cats solving crimes. Make no mistake, Qwill is the main character and the cats just enhance the plot.

Yet another exciting mystery of the Cat Who series.This is a great book,and I highly reccomend that you read it.The ending will surprise you--it surprised me,anyway.

Ms Braun is a master writer. I have personally read almost all of her "cat" books and each one stands on its own.....however, you know the characters as your own neighbors.

The cat series are just a pleasure to listen to. Lilian Jackson Braun has captured the essense of a good mystery, and George Guidall brings the charactures to life. Easy listening.

In keeping with traditional "Cat Who..." conundrums, this particular offering of feline intrigue ties with hushed family secrets in a light hearted mood sure to please fans and first timers alike. Its writing style is relaxed, the characters whimsical, and the setting so realistic, one might feel the nip of November's breeze in Moose or another county's quaint villa universally known as Pickax by any other name, Somewhere or Anywhere USA. The central appeal of small town life is a recurring theme, for the roots which have given us wings beckon now and again. Similarly, Don McClean's song "Castles in the Air" exemplifies perhaps the theme song of James Qwilleran, a divorcee and a recovering alcoholic who is indeed not a part of the cocktail generation, but a prying newspaperman/unlikely detective in mufti. "But how can words express the feel of sunlight in the morning, in the hills away from city strife? ... I'm city born, but I love the country life". A calmly paced mystery, "The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts" allows readers to enjoy the rural scenery, converse with the locals at the Dimsdale Diner and gather strains of gossip which just might reveal the details of a quietly arranged "accidental death". Iris Cobb, staple character of the series, has been hastily obliterated it seems, and the population of Pickax/Moose County/ Down Below has surely diminished since our heroine's arrival on the scene. However, for the sake of country charm and a predictable yet satisfying mystery, this selection is recommended for city folks from Down Home, those among us who drive our SUV's, drink decaf latte, and listen to Garrison Keilor hailing from Lake Wobegon.

I never was really into mystery books, but after reading one of L. J. Brauns I though, "WOW!" I absolutely love her books!!! This one was especially good as Jim Qwilleran and his irresistable cats Koko and Yum see ghosts, and many another strange things!!!!

In the 10th book in the Cat Who mystery series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", is called late one evening by his dear friend, Iris Cobb. Iris has been frightened by some noises that she hears outside of her apartment at the Goodwinter Memorial Museum and begs Qwill to help her. Immediately throwing on clothes over his pajamas, Qwill rushes out to Iris' home, and arrives too late, only to find his former housekeeper already dead...apparently from a heart attack. Mourning the loss of his friend, Qwill agrees to move into her apartment and take her place until a permanent replacement is found. Moving into Iris' home also gives Qwill the opportunity to poke around in her sudden and suspicious death.

Moving his adored cats, KoKo and Yum Yum, to the museum, Qwill begins to question his feeling about ghosts. Several influential members of the town claim to have seen them, and Qwill wonders if Iris had been frightened to death by a ghost's apparition. But redirecting Qwill's attention from the untimely death are several other strange occurances in Moose County. One is the annoying presence of Vince Boswell, the loud, brash man who lives up the lane from the museum and who is being considered to be the replacement for Iris, despite his lack of aptitude for the job. Another is an escaped felon that shows up in town...and shortly after his arrival, his ex-wife's goats are poisoned. Finally, many begin to wonder about the Goodwinter curse, and rumors continue to swirl regarding the death of Ephraim Goodwinter decades after his death. Qwill questions all of the facts, and in the end, finds that all of the pieces to this puzzle neatly tie together to spell murder.

This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I must say that I was very saddened by Iris' death, as she was one of my favorite characters in this series. Many fans enjoy the homey, familiar feel of the town and the characters themselves, and Iris had become one of the favorites. I did, however, love this installment with all of its twists and turns!

If you are looking for a hardcore thriller, this would not be the series for you. However, if you are a fan of small town cozies, give this series a try. You might just find that you have become an avid "Cat Who" fan before the book is even finished.

This is a great series by my favorite author!

The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!

I received a hardbound copy of this book, signed by the author and the cat, Koko. For a cat lover, Koko's signature is very nice. Unfortunately, this tenth member of the "The Cat Who" series is the wrong place to start reading. If you have not read any of the series, it would be wise to begin with the first book and proceed through the ten books in succession. For fans of "The Cat Who" series, I suspect that this is another enjoyable story of the comings and goings of the citizens of Moose County, especially newsman Jim Quilleran and his cats, Yum Yum and Koko. For persons that have not read the previous books, it may seem like a talkative record of daily life in Moose County. The mystery in the story relates to the death of Iris Cobb from a heart attack. Was the heart attack caused by ghosts? It comes as no surprise that ghosts had nothing to do with it. My advice, if you have not read any books in the series, is to read the earlier ones first and don't expect a thriller. You likely will either love this book, or be bored by it.