Customer Reviews

Three Complete Novels: The Cat Who Saw Red/the Cat Who Played Brahms/the Cat Who Played Post Office

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Lilian Jackson Braun's mystery series of "The Cat Who..." books are definately the cats meow, and a must read of any cat and mystery lover! This is a compilation of three of the early books from "The Cat Who" series. They are fast reads, the type of books that one can not put down! One thing I like about this series is that they focus on the same group of characters, which lends continuatity from one book to the next.

In "The Cat Who Saw Red" reporter Jim Qwilleran is given an assignment to work on a food column. While working on this assignment, Jim and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum are surrounded by strange incidents, among them disappearance and murder! KoKo and Yum Yum goes about helping Jim solve the murders.

In "The Cat Who Plays Brahms", Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese decides to get away from the big city and go to a lake house, belonging to a family friend. This is the book which explains how Jim inherits his fortune.

"The Cat Who Played Post Office" is the first book that actually details the City of Pickax and the various communities in Moose County. Jim is living in the K mansion and soon a murder takes place. KoKo goes right into action, and proceeds to *assist* Jim into solving the murder. I liked it that the continuation of this book was that the characters of Arch and Hixie have followed Qwill to live in Moose County.

By the continuation of characters from one book to the next, I have really found myself looking forward to each new book in this series. I highly recommend this book series!

Don't make the mistake I did by reading The Cat Who Saw Red first. I love these books but although The Cat Who Saw Red got the most press and is listed first inside the cover pages of all the books from the series it gives away too much from the earlier works. Of course, if you aren't like me and enjoy a good series from the beginning they can be picked up at any point and are thoroughly enjoyable each and every one. You'll love sensible Jim Qwilleran who treats his siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, like pampered guests. And why not? They are instrumental in solving mysteries and deciding who can be trusted and who cannot.

An expert story-teller, Lilian Jackson Braun pulls the reader into her Cat Who stories with the finese of Jim Qwilleran's two feline companions Koko and Yum Yum. Each story weaves mystery with deftly portrayed characters and cleverly detailed plots. No cardboard characters or loose ends in these books. Qwilleran is a reporter with a luxuriant mustache that frequently signals him when something peculiar is about to impact those around him. Murder, mystery, lies -- Qwilleran's sidekick Koko is there to help him solve all the riddles. (Yum Yum helps, too, but she often prefers to watch the two males bend their minds to the puzzles while she stalks bright shiny objects or flirts with Qwilleran's guests.) Any Cat Who book is a delight. And, best yet, it's not necessary to read them in order.

I've read nine of the books in this series and I can't wait to get the next. Not only is each story entertaining with twists and turns to capture your interest, it's educational as well. I've learned so much about Siamese cats. Koko, Yum Yum, and Qwill, provide all the fun with other characters dropping in and out. There are 30 books in the series so I'm on to the next.

This book was hard to find as it was the first three books
written about the cats.
Great and quick reading and liked having 3 books in one.
Penny Wilkie