The Cat Who Smelled a Rat

Rating:
Summary: Pickax Revisited
Review: If you are a fan of Lilian Jackson Braun, you will enjoy the latest in her series of "The Cat Who" series. In this episode, Qwilleran and his friends are baffled by the series of fires which are being set in mineshafts and businesses around Pickax. There are also two seemingly unrelated murders. While Qwilleran and his clever Siamese Koko are attempting to solve these mysteries, we become reacquainted with the lovable characters which Braun has created. Qwill and his friend Polly participate in several interesting social events including a caravan to all the abandoned mine shafts. The citizens of Pickax are trying to get in all the fun they can before The Big One (first snowstorm) hits and they are snowed in for several days. The solution to the mystery is almost overshadowed by the interplay between these well-drawn and interesting characters.

Rating:
Summary: 23rd of an entertaining series
Review: Lilian Jackson Braun's books are delights: I have read all 23 and if you need some light reading that will bring a smile, I highly recommend them. Whimsical, engaging, and especially appealing to cat lovers, Braun's books feature James Qwilleran---Qwill-- and his mystery-solving adventures in the northern part of a "northeast central" state. It could be Minnesota, it could be the upper peninsula of Michigan, Braun never specifies. The "city down south" is variously, Detroit, Chicago, or Minneapolis.

Pickax, the community where Qwill settles in middle age after a journalist's life down south, is awash with aptly depicted small town eccentrics. Two major recurring characters are Qwill's pair of Siamese cats, who without fail provide significant help in solving crimes.

Braun's books will provide good-humored diversion during these serious days. She's the mistress of mystery for all cat-loving readers!

Rating:
Summary: Ms. Braun: Please, More More More of "The Cat Who....."!
Review: My first intro to "The Cat Who..." series was "The Cat Who Saw Stars" and consequently I purchased each book in the series (some hardback, some paperback)and read them in order -- it's the best way to achieve full appreciation of the series and Ms. Lilian Jackson Braun's skills. Upon finishing the latest available installment I've pre-ordered next year's edition with high hopes. I'm noticing, as others have, that the writing of some later titles veers away from the style present in earlier books. So, I was relieved with "The Cat Who Smelled a Rat" because it definitely harks back to the earlier writing style of the series. I'm beginning to suspect Ms. Braun is a bit ahead of most of us, i.e., have any other readers dedicated to the series started noticing the slow progression of Qwilleran's life as if it is an integral subplot? Also, particularly intriguing are this title's references to unknown information from his childhood combined with Qwill's reflections upon his relationship with Polly. I'm going to start over and read the series again, a first for me. Because I suspect Ms. Braun has laid a framework throughout the series regarding Qwill's personal evolution through the years that has gone past even a dedicated reader like myself. Ms. Braun has received accolades for her writing yet I feel she surpasses in skill and talent even the best of compliments she has so far received. This great author is telling LAYERS of stories, weaving a beautiful tapestry of not only Qwill's adventures but of his personal journey through life. In a few of the later books, I felt a sense of isolation from the character which is what I think others felt when wondering if possibly a ghostwriter was involved. Now, I'm not so sure it wasn't intentional. Definitely something is going to occur between Qwill and Polly in the next installment!! Great reads.... Highly recommended series.

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Summary: It's not "purr-fect," but gives you a good "feline"
Review: No 'Cat-astrophe' Here! Comic strip characters aside, Lillian Jackson Braun's cats are probably the most famous felines in literature! A long-time series which features cats Koko and Yum Yum, "The Cat Who" has been a "purr-fect" time out for mystery readers--Braun's series, while stretching the imagination a bit--still is quite a readable one. Her latest, "The Cat Who Smelled a Rat" is in keeping with the rest of the series--a fun read, for the most part. In this one, the cats and their "master" Jim Qwilleran (without a "u") are investigating what looks like arson. As the plot heats up, we continue to marvel at the prolific ability of this investigative trilogy! Fans of this series will not be disappointed; if you haven't read any of Braun's books, too, you may wish to back up and start at the beginning, although, really, that isn't necessary to get a kick out of an interesting, imaginative, and original series concept. It's the cat's meow! ([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Not good....but it's a "Cat Who...." book
Review: She's just phoning in the plots now, folks...very little if any thinking goes into this series anymore....but I still love every one of the books....you don't need a plot when you have Jim, the cats and the wonderful denizens of Pickaxe!

Rating:
Summary: Abridged tape version offers very pleasant auditing
Review: Since all the other reviews on this website seem to be concerned with the book and not the recording, I will recommend the latter even for those who have read the complete novel. Actor George Guidall has the perfect voice for the homey, Moose County sound that is essential when one person is assigned the dramatization of not only the narration but all the dialogue and cat noises to boot.

There is a minimum of music and no sound effects--which I think is a good idea in a reading like this. Of course, even the best reading in the world is worthless if the material is not worth the while. This is only my second exposure to this series, and I must admit I find it at times a little long on cute and short on suspense. There is also too much extraneous detail, designed, no doubt, to add local color (which it does nicely) but not much of which ties in with the plot.

Although the author is very careful to make her James Qwilleran feel ambiguously about the psychic powers of his cats, it does get a little too much for credibility; unless, of course, you want to argue that she is not writing on a completely realistic plane. Still what we do have is very pleasant and I found the tape very enjoyable. Many might find it a very good introduction to the series of 23 cat mysteries and motivate them to read them in part or whole.

Rating:
Summary: entertaining
Review: The Cat Who Smelled a Rat is about Qwilleran and his two cats, Koko and Yum Yum. Qwilleran writes a twice weekly column for the Something (the local newspaper) called the "Qwill Pen". Besides writing his column he is a local mystery-solver. He doesn't look for mysteries to solve. They manage to occur on their own and around him. Of course he has the help of his two cats in solving the mystery. In this particular book the mystery is the old, abandoned mine sites that an arsonist is lighting fires to. Who and why are the questions Qwill needs to answer. And of course he has help from other Pickax residents and friends.

This being my first The Cat Who...book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was not disappointed. This book is a very light mystery. Qwilleran and Co. are fun to read about and are always stumbling upon something that just doesn't seem quite right. The cats are absolutely hysterical in their antics. (If you have cats, then you know the author is right on with some of their actions.) And I think 98% of the residents in Pickax own cats!

Overall I had a lot of fun reading this book. Again, it's a very light, funny story. It's a very good way to pass a couple evenings. I will definitely read more Cat Who...books.

Rating:
Summary: All the usual elements are here.
Review: THE CAT WHO SMELLED A RAT is more than satisfying. I recommend it for the many Braun fans out there. She once again brings Moose County and its citizens to life. And the lovely cats! I love to visit Moose County. It's the perfect vacation for me! I can still see in my mind the picture of the robins. Here Qwill and the gang are at the Indian Village condo again, waiting for winter to come. I hope you're reading these in order!

Rating:
Summary: Fun Read
Review: The first body doesn't appear until about half way through the book. The first half of the book catches fans up on the latest in Moose County. Suspicious fires have been plaguing the beloved shafthouses, those tourist attracting relics of Moose County's mining past. Qwill and Koko begin to unravel that little problem but are sidetracked by the death of an old friend. More suspicious destruction sets them back on the trail, the bodies (finally) begin to appear. Of course Qwill and Koko prevail with the added triumphs of discovering the motives of the abherent behavior of a long time Moose County resident and shooing away yet another rival for Polly's affections.

This is a long running series of cozies. If you are already familiar with Moose County, its resident mystery solving cat and his millionaire companion you'll LOVE this book. If not you probably want to look elsewhere. If you are new to the series this is not where you want to start. If you are looking for a very challenging mystery you probably won't be happy with the series at all.

Rating:
Summary: overall = Mystery content 3 stars + Moose County content 5
Review: The first body doesn't appear until about half way through the book. The first half of the book catches fans up on the latest in Moose County. Suspicious fires have been plaguing the beloved shafthouses, those tourist attracting relics of Moose County's mining past. Qwill and Koko begin to unravel that little problem but are sidetracked by the death of an old friend. More suspicious destruction sets them back on the trail, the bodies (finally) begin to appear. Of course Qwill and Koko prevail with the added triumphs of discovering the motives of the abherent behavior of a long time Moose County resident and shooing away yet another rival for Polly's affections.

This is a long running series of cozies. If you are already familiar with Moose County, its resident mystery solving cat and his millionaire companion you'll LOVE this book. If not you probably want to look elsewhere. If you are new to the series this is not where you want to start. If you are looking for a very challenging mystery you probably won't be happy with the series at all.