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It's almost time for the gala groundbreaking for the Pickax bookstore--and the town of Brrr is preparing for its bicentennial celebration. All the festivities, however, are spoiled by the discovery of a man's body on James Qwilleran's property. Could it be the work of the killer who used the same methods in northern Michigan? To solve the case, Qwill and his feline pals, Koko and Yum Yum, will have to prick up their ears and determine who committed this foul deed.
Customer Review: What the heck was this?
I remember when I was first introduced to the "Cat Who" mysteries; my High School French teacher's bookshelf was full of them, along with the Mrs. Polifax mysteries and some Inspector Maigret. I enjoyed them, even though they were a little cutesy and it was hard to suspend disbelief at the cats' antics, but I wasn't really driven to keep up with the series. Now, seeing the book in a cheap pile at Wal-Mart, I figured why not try it--and wow, what a disappointment. It seems to me that the "Cat Who" mysteries actually used to be mysteries, but judging by this one, now they're just cutesy. It's a sad state of affairs when the blurb of a book is more exciting than the actual book itself. Talked Turkey's blurb implies Qwilleran has to solve an execution-style murder on his property, and somehow the mysterious reappearance of wild turkeys thought long-gone from the area has something to do with it. Well, it doesn't (nor is it ever explained at all, in fact), and the murder is barely even mentioned in the book; the fact that it gets "solved" in the end is more or less coincidental. In actuality, the book is by and large a slice-of-life story about Qwilleran, his cats, and the community. Which is fine if that's the sort of thing you're looking for, but not all that great when the book is being advertised as a "mystery."
Customer Review: The Cat Who Ate the Plot
This was my first -- and last -- Cat Who book. I bought it because I needed something to read at the beach, but found it so inane that I went for another swim instead. Having spent money on the book, I felt obligated to eventually finish it. I kept wondering when I would discover the plot, but alas, the book ended without one. I had hoped to read a mystery story, but the only mystery -- the body found on Qwilleran's property -- was never developed. Another reviewer called this book a pastiche -- a quite appropriate word. Want to write a book like this? Here's how... Take a small town newspaper, cut out stories at random, then stick them together. Throw in a rather silly single male journalist who spends his days wandering in and out of other people's lives, writing corny sayings and then attributing them to his cat (I thought Koko was supposed to be smart!), eating in restaurants, and traveling between his various properties.


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