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The Cat Who Saw Stars

The Cat Who Saw Stars

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: An OK effort, not as good as some of her earlier works
Review: I've read all 21 books in the Cat Who series, and found this one to be a bit of a disappointment. I think the "surprise ending" is out of character with the rest of the series, and is kinda stupid. The book is a pleasant enough visit with your favorite Moose County characters, but not much else happens. (Qwilleran doesn't solve anything in this one!) I think Braun is coasting on past successes-- she certainly didn't strain herself on this one.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: for Moose County content less for anyone else
Review: Jim Qwilleran, semi-retired journalist and heir to the vast Klingenschoen fortune, has decided to where to spend his family vacation. He and his family (two Siamese cats) will be leaving their Pickax residence to spend a month at the (lake)shore resort town of Mooseville, all within Moose County - 400 miles north of everywhere.

The story begins with the news that a backpacker has gone missing, followed closely by two deaths. Qwill suspects that these are not accidents but something more sinister, a feeling he seems to share with his cat. Together they begin to piece these and other smaller mysteries together despite the usual Moose County distractions of parades, Moose County family secrets and romances, until they arrive at some startling revelations.

For those who are fans of this long running series this installment will not disappoint. There are plenty of appearances by Moose County regulars, the Rikers, Derek Cuttlebrink and others, that will get us up to date on the latest county happenings. One of the long going themes of the series, the local sightings of UFOs over the lake, is brought to the forefront with Qwill being forced to re-think his skepticism on the subject.

For those who are not familiar with this series it is a very popular long running series of 'cozy' mysteries that is worth reading, just don't start with this one.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mrs. Braun did good on this one, but...
Review: This one was the fifth one I read. At that time, I told myself it was my second favorite, the first being The Cat Who Sniffed Glue. I agree with another review, the end was not as good as expected, but it was still great. Its end compared to other Braun endings wasn't quite as good. It's great how Qwilleran tries to relax during a stay by the lake, but can't because he's trying to find who killed a hiker with the help of his cat, Koko. Yum Yum does nothing with the case of the story ,but that's the way the whole series works.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: It's always a treat to visit Moose County!
Review: For those of us who have followed the adventures of Qwill, Koko, and Yum Yum from the beginning, this is another pleasant visit to the wonderful world created by Lilian Braun. For those who are starting the journey for the first time, maybe you should start with a different book in the series. This is not one of the best -- and the cats play a very small role. Try one like "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards," "... Ate Danish Modern," "... Turned On and Off," or "... Saw Red." These are the early ones (in order) and also my very favorites, with some truly interesting plot lines and quirky characters. This time there's no Polly (which is more of a blessing in my opinion) and the personalities of the people are subdued rather than quirky. The mystery isn't much of a mystery. It seems she's running out of ideas or enthusiasm. (Hey, Lil, Babe, we love you -- get over it!) But I still love to visit with the people of Moose County, and this won't keep me from reading the next one. In fact, these books are such a special treat for me that for the past few years I have taken off a vacation day from work, just to read that year's book. Long live the lovely cats! .

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: quick read
Review: I found this novel to be fast reading, but not entirely captivating. This was my second "Cat Who" novels, not the best. Being a cat lover myself, I found myself chuckiling at quirky similarities between Koko & Yum Yum and my two cats.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A great lead up to a DUMB ending
Review: I found three quarters of this book to be the usual high quality fare L.J.B. can be depended upon to write. Great detail,interesting characters,ect. But the ending of this book is just plain stupid. It explains at long last where KoKo came from and a more disappointing explanation Ms.Braun just could not have found. It's almost like she just tossed off something to put an end to the book {that runs on too long} and the speculation of where KoKo came from. From this book on the series is not nearly as well written as the previous books are. For die-hards go ahead as the good can still be found. For those just discovering the series stay with the earlier books.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The Cat Who Ran out of Ideas?
Review: 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.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Big mistake reading this book
Review: The author does not get to any point in a timely matter. The end of the book is rushed to the point where many of the mysteries are unsolved. If you read this book you will be frustrated by the ending "Cat UFO" with no conclusion.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What a Mess!
Review: This is my first Lilian Jackson Braun novel, and will probably be my last. I thought I was reading a mystery; however, Ms. Braun decided to challenge the genre by presenting several mysteries and only resolving half of them. The real kick in the pants is that our hero Qwill has to be told "who done it", rather than solve the crime himself. I'm a cat-lover, but not enough to waste my time on such a poorly constructed story.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: But what about.....
Review: I was just getting into the characters in this book and wondering how all of the facets of the story would come together when I noticed that the end of the book was nearing. I wondered how she was going to wrap it all up in just a few pages. I am still wondering. What about the mysterious woman? How does the missing hiker tie in? UFO's? The Sand Giant? What about...? What about...? What about...? Qwill never gave Polly the embroidery he had framed. I am more confused now than I was midway through the book. How did this ever get past an editor?


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