The Cat Who Saw Stars (Hardcover)

by Lilian Jackson Braun (Author) "World-shaking news was seldom broadcast by WPKX, the radio station serving Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere..." (more)
Key Phrases: dogcart races, skewered potatoes, lake porch, Yum Yum, Moose County, Owen's Place (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Detective-journalist Jim Qwilleran and his prescient Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum (The Cat Who Sang for the Birds, 1997) star in their 21st novel here, and while not quite as spry as ever, they're still the cat's meow. Qwill and his cats move from Pickax, where he's a newspaper columnist, to his beach house in Mooseville, probably on Lake Superior. Qwill rehashes gossip with locals and old friends, and observes Koko's odd behavior, which always forecasts an important event, although Qwill usually interprets the cat's clues retrospectively. Mooseville is abuzz with talk of the upscale restaurant opened by Floridians Owen and Ernestine Bowen, speculation about UFOs (Moose County is a sightings mecca) and puzzlement over the whereabouts of a missing backpacker, whose body Koko quickly uncovers in a sand dune. While fishing with a pal, Qwill sees Owen's boat anchored next to another; Qwill, his twitching mustache alerting him to skullduggery, suspects drug traffic. Shortly thereafter, Owen drowns. The solution to the one mystery that is resolved?that of Owen's death? comes as an anticlimax, while the mystery that's not cleared up?the fate of the backpacker?is chalked up by the locals to alien abduction. A skeptical Qwill grudgingly admits the possibility of aliens, cracking that cats, with their enigmatic behavior, may be aliens. With his 60 whiskers and gifts of perception, Koko is, as always, by far the most intelligent creature in the book. This isn't Braun's best, but her fans will adore it and only spoilsports will accuse her of, well, dogging it.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
In Braun's 25th "Cat" mystery, Quill is fighting rumors that aliens are visiting Moose County while feisty feline Koko keeps gazing at the stars. Very mysterious.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 227 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult (January 11, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399144315
• ISBN-13: 978-0399144318
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (89 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,026,925 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 21 in The Cat Who... Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Ghost Who Played Braun, February 7, 2000

By	George Bonifield Mountclemens III (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

During the first chapter of "The Cat Who Saw Stars" I wondered where were all the lovingly drawn character sketches, the fascinating idiosyncrasies, the breezy history of Moose County? Where was Ms. Braun's telling use of words, her ear for dialect, her deft use of rhetorical forms? To someone insensitive to words, "his moustache was a virtual landmark" probably wouldn't flicker an eyelid, but such a trite mixed metaphor made my upper lip itch. What was going on? Perhaps an editor unworthy of Ms Braun had done the damage. Perhaps marketing focus groups had begun to lead even Lilian Jackson Braun. Perhaps . . . I thought of the tragic impairments that often attend one's latter years. Whatever the reason, I felt sad.

But I read on despite the growing itch under my nose.

When I came to chapter three and read "watching the fireflies blink their little flashlights," I realized the truth. Lilian Jackson Braun could not have possibly written this tripe. I went to my bookshelf and pulled down several earlier "Cat Who . . ." books. I urge you to do the same. Compare, as I did, the style and quality of writing in this novel with that of her previous books. I'm confident that you will arrive at the same conclusion. "The Cat Who Saw Stars" is written by a ghostwriter - a ghost that's but a pale refection of Ms. Braun. I could go on pointing out instance after instance my investigation uncovered supporting this conclusion. But why should I spoil your fun? Be a literary detective and see for yourself. Need I say more?

Oh, yes, there is one more thing. I'll tell you how to prepare chicken livers and bacon en brochette fit for the most discerning palate if you can tell me the name of this Ghost Who Plays Braun.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it and make your own opinion., August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This is the third book I've read in the Cat Who... series, and I loved it! Don't decide this book isn't worth reading just because some of the other reviews say it isn't. A few parts were confusing, but the overall story was great. So far this is my favorite in the series, and I can't wait to read them all!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Cat Who Ran out of Ideas?, September 12, 2002

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Cat Who Saw Stars (Cat Who...) (Paperback)

Qwill is looking for some relaxation, so he takes Koko and Yum Yum up to his cabin by the lake. But far from relaxing, he finds himself doing more then his normal columns for the paper. He's got a new restaurant and play to review. The locals have become obsessed with UFO sightings. And a hiker has disappeared. Looks like he and Koko have their work cut out for them.

Or they might if this were an ordinary book in the series. It really does seem like the author is running out of steam with the series. While it's never been the height of suspense, usually the cases progress with some regularity over the course of the book. Here, however, we are treated to many meetings with friends we've made over the series, but, while enjoyable, they don't serve to advance the storyline. Several things are introduced and never resolved, and the "climax" is extremely weak. Not to mention a final chapter that is pulled from a lesser novel.

Even die hard fans will find it hard to enjoy this entry in the long running series. By all means, if you're new to Lilian Jackson Braun, do NOT start here. The earlier books in the series are much better and show why she has developed such a loyal following. This was my first time to try one of the later books, and I hope it's not indicative of its neighbors. I'd hate to see such a fun series go out with a whimper instead of a bang.