Rating: 
Summary: A book with a lot of character
Review: I am a fan of 'The Cat Who' series. This book is a celebration of personalities and old wives tales. The mystery is almost secondary to the colorful characters that populate Moose County. I loved the 'waiting' for the big one, the snowstorm that will usher in winter with a bang. It was almost like waiting for Godot. In an odd way I felt worse about the destruction of a bookstore than I did about the murder victims. While I do not think this is the best in the series, I did enjoy it. But as some on the other reviews on this page have suggested I would not recommend it to a reader new to the series. I would suggest they start with an earlier book. But for fans like me who have read them all this is a must read book.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: I can't wait for a new book in this series to arrive in the library so I always buy the book as soon as it hits the stores. I could have waited on this one as it was very disappointing. Maybe Qwill and the cats need to go on a visit Down Below as this series needs a new direction.
Rating: 
Summary: A welcome addition to the series
Review: I have been looking forward to another Koko and YumYum mystery. This new one is just as entertaining as the rest,even if it was easy to solve. I love the inhabitants of Pickax, and Ms. Braun always adds at least one new neighbor for us to get to know. The basis of the story is a very dry autumn just before "the snow flies" or the "Big One", as they refer to the first big snow of the season. The historic shafthouses above the defunct mines are in danger of fire both deliberate and accidental, as are most of the wooden buildings of Pickax. Disaster strikes in the form of an explosion in Eddington Smith's used book store. Qwill and Koko are determined to find out who done it. A great read.
Rating:
Summary: Each Cat Who Book is a Fun Trip to a Familiar Place!
Review: I have purchased every Cat Who book, plus the Cat Who Companion, and Short and Tall Tales. I pre-order each one, and I continually read them in sequence. By the time the new one comes out, I have gone back and read every one of them again and champ at the bit for the new one. I am a cyber resident of Moose County! Now I enjoy a thriller as much as the next reader; I enjoy adventure and science fiction, but no other series of books has ever completely captured my heart like this wonderful Quillerain Community! I hope Lillian Jackson Braun lives to be 150 years old and writes at least a Cat Who book every year!
Rating:
Summary: But how do you figure that?
Review: I have read the book and give it 4.5 stars...but the abridgement of this work goes just a bit too far. George Guidell does bring life to his characters, but far too much is edited out (e.g. the burial of gold in Eddington Smith's courtyard) as well as other crucial or circumstancial events that allow the listener to deduce whodunnit. In the books I can usually follow along and have a satisfying "Aha! I KNEW it!" sensation, but this particular edition of the tapes leads the listener all bewildered down the garden path, and it is difficult to figure out HOW Qwill comes to the conclusions that Koko is trying to convey to him.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Read
Review: I have to admit, it has been awhile since I've visited with KoKo and Yum Yum, and "The Cat Who Smelled a Rat" offers the reader a fun albeit quirky read. Ms. Braun has not lost her touch and continues to put forth mystery after mystery involving two very cool felines.
Rating:
Summary: Qwintessential Qwilleran
Review: I was astounded when, in reading the covers of Lilian Braun's latest episode in her tales of James Qwilleran that "The Cat Who Smelled a Rat" was Volume 23. I went to her shelf and, sure enough, I had read them all. While they really are mystery stories, I don't really read them for that. Rather, over the history of the series, I have become addicted to life in the far north town of Pickaxe.I love wandering through the town with Qwilleran, meeting the many quirky characters, sharing in the gossip, reading Qwill's columns over his shoulder and, above all, interpreting the mystic messages of Koko the detective cat. As, I'm quite sure, will any mystery lover who needs a break from the noir fiction that makes up so much of modern mystery writing. This time Pickaxe is in the throes of an autumn drought, trying to prevent brush fires and waiting impatiently for 'The Big One', the first big snowstorm of winter. When a volunteer fire watcher is murdered at one of Moose County's famous mine shafthouses the mystery begins. Be prepared for an Haiku contest, an elopement, curling and many delicious meals consumed at Pickaxe's seemingly inexhaustable supply of restaurants and inns. Of course, the real heroes of all Braun's stories are Koko and Yum Yum, Qwill's faithful Siamese sidekicks. Koko, by virtue of superior intelligence and wit, works dilligently to provide Qwilleran with the clues needs to discover the villain and reveal his nefarious scheme. Koko limited to growls and 'Yows' resorts to plant destruction, apple hockey and general chaos in order to keep Qwill on track. If you've been following this series for as long as I have you will need no encouragement to read this new volume. For those of you who have never travelled to Pickaxe before, prepare for a lot of fun - all 23 volumes are well worth reading!! --This text refers to the Hardcover edition
Rating:
Summary: Wished for an act of God
Review: I've read and own all the books in this series and one of the things that I love about it is that you are guaranteed a no sex/no blood/no gore/no violence read. I think this is a good thing. However, there is too much of a good thing. I read this book and kept waiting for it to take off. It felt like that the story meandered and Qwill would just go to the store and find a clue, go to the mailbox and find a clue, go to the bathroom and find a clue. There was no sense, for me, of there being a search or quest for the truth. It was as if the clues and information was falling off a tree at just the right moment. Also, the character of Polly is really getting on my nerves. The Polly is jealous/Qwill baits her/she gets mad and goes home/they make up later plot device of character development has really gotten old. It seemed formulaic. All this namby pamby fumbling around between Qwill and Polly needs to stop and they needs to move their relationship forward somehow. In one of the earlier books, Polly is threatened by an attacker or has a heart attack and Qwill rushed to her side. At least they were in touch with their feelings and did something about it. If Qwill is dissatisfied with his relationship with Polly then he should change it. This is fiction, after all. The book just never engaged for me. I found myself wishing for a hurricane or the Big One to come along and stir these people up.
Rating:
Summary: maybe LJB inhaled too much catnip?
Review: I've read most of the "Cat Who ..." series and I'm sorry to write that this one just doesn't have the pounce of some of the others. The plotting and motivations are vague - just some citizens (human and otherwise) of the Great North meandering about. WHY does the unique historical WPA mural in the Pickax Post Office have to come down? It is another only-partially-explained detail. Pity, the mural has more life than this installment.
Rating:
Summary: Good for Cat Who Fans - light on the mystery
Review: If you are a "Cat Who..." fan, then you'll enjoy the latest installment. I always look forward to the latest Pickax happenings, because I enjoy the characters in the small town. The mystery is usually an added benefit. This book met with my expectations. Lots of juicy gossip around town, and a mystery thrown in. Somewhat predictable, but an enjoyable, quick read. If you haven't read a "Cat Who..." mystery before, I would start with one of the earlier ones. Then you will appreciate the characters more.
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