A few years ago, the Mystery Guild Book Club polled members with the question “Which mystery writer would you rather be stranded on a desert island with?” The winner: Lillian Jackson Braun. The book club didn’t ask why readers voted for her, but anyone who has read Ms. Braun’s novels knows why.
With the exception of the first three novels, which set the stage for the series, each novel is a vacation for the reader to a quirky, arts-loving, small town where the most important edifice is the library. Each novel in the series is a murder mystery, but the violence is off-screen, and the murder presents itself early in the story as a problem to be solved. While solving the murder, the protagonist and the reader learn something about the arts such as painting, ceramics or spinning and weaving, along with drama, history, literature and geography.
As far as I can count, Lillian Jackson Braun has written twenty eight novels in The Cat Who… series starting with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, published in 1966, and continuing through The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, published in 2007.
The series starts with the story of Jim Qwilleran, an unemployed journalist who had once been great but whose alcoholism and divorce had derailed his career. Now alone and on the wagon, he hopes to get any job he can, just to pay the rent. Mortified by the fact that he is forced to accept an insignificant column in the features section, he accepts, and in his research he ends up solving a murder. He adopts the victim’s now homeless cat, Koko, who proves to be the most intelligent and entertaining, if not the most well-behaved cat in literature.
The series gets interesting when Jim suddenly finds himself heir to one of the largest fortunes in America, providing that he move to the town of Pickax described as “400 miles north of everywhere.” For Qwilleran, moving to Pickax isn’t near as much of a problem as figuring out what to do with all that money.
The Girlebooks reading list recommends this series for the sheer fun of reading. The beauty of this series is that when you get that lost feeling after reading a really good book you can always pick up the next one.
>>> Join the discussion in the new Lilian Jackson Braun fan forum!
I am now reading “The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts,” and I’m beginning to see a break with the previous novels in style and content. I’ll do a full review when I finish it, but I definitely notice that something is going on with LJB that I hadn’t noticed before. I think maybe I took exception to her killing off Iris Cobb, because Iris was one of my favorite characters. Qwill’s move to the Goodwinter farmhouse appears ill-fated, and there is an air of gloom over the novel. Qwill is apparently disillusioned with his relationship with Polly, is annoyed with almost everyone, and he just doesn’t seem to be enjoying life as he has in “Played Brahms” through “Went Underground”. I still remember that “Came to Breakfast” was one of my favorites of the series, so she must have got something back into her writing before she wrote “Breakfast.” What it was, I’ll have to find out when I read it. But I thought I’d throw this out since we had speculated about different authors writing this series.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | July 18, 2012, 3:50 pmI have been posting reviews of LJB books on this site and am nearing the half way mark. I have not received any responses, so if you are reading, can you post a comment and let me know? I especially would like to know what book is your favorite, so if I have reviewed that book, locate the review and post a comment that this is your favorite.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | August 23, 2012, 3:51 pmWhat is the site address to locate these reviews, Joyce?
Posted by Praline | September 5, 2012, 5:49 pmPraline, you can go to the reviews archive on this site to see all of Joyce’s latest Cat Who reviews:
http://ljb.girlebooks.com/category/book-reviews/
You can also subscribe to be notified by email when Joyce makes a new review on this site, here is the link for that:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheCatWhoBlog&loc=en_US
Posted by Laura McDonald | September 6, 2012, 7:04 pmHello Joyce, I am new to this site, and to be honest probably won’t even remember how I got to this site. I just wanted you to know, yes, I am getting your feed.
I read the Cat Who Read Backwards, and I was hooked. I am not reading a download on Kindle because I can make notes on Kindle, and I very much like this authors writing style, the theme, a mystery but not too violent, I am looking into ‘cozy mysteries’. I plan to read them all. The one I’m reading now is before he met Polly, or inherited his fortune, and very early on in the series, but not the first one.
Regards, Livia
Posted by Livia Esposito | November 9, 2012, 6:09 pmWell, I am sorry, Livia, it took so long to approve this post! I didn’t realize it was not approved yet. Sorry we have to go through the approval process, but if we don’t, all of us get spammed unmercifully.
We are happy to have your input. I was trying to guess which book you are (or were) reading. It has to be past “The Cat Who Played Post Office” when Qwill realizes the fruits of Aunt Fannie’s will (although he learns of it in “Played Brahms”). Polly comes somewhat later. I am re-reading “Turned on and Off”. I take a perverse pleasure in viewing Qwill when he was penniless and somewhat homeless yet still treating the cats like royalty.
I apologize for the confusing nature of the review list. I started at the back end, did several books, then started over at the beginning. It must be murder for those of you trying to follow the reviews with your own readings. They will eventually meet in the middle, I assure you.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | November 13, 2012, 5:24 pmA very sincere apology to all–Ann let us know that the comment form on this site was not working and wouldn’t let anyone post! It looks like we still have some issues to work out in this new site. Commenting should be fixed now, so please head over the http://ljb.girlebooks.com and start up the discussion again. Also, you can email technical issues to me at laura@girlebooks.com
Thanks!
Laura
Posted by Laura McDonald | September 2, 2012, 2:02 pmThanks Laura. You do a great job and we appreciate your efforts.
Posted by Praline | September 5, 2012, 5:51 pmI’m so pleased to hear from you Anne! I was afraid that our readers were upset about the change in web address, and that was the reason I haven’t been hearing from anyone! I am busily reading the entire series, and posting as I get the opportunity. Funny, some I remember, some I don’t. Anne I am posting your comment verbatim here. I hope that you and your husband are continuing to heal. You have had quite a time of it lately!
Anne’s Message appears below:
=====================================================
MESSAGE TO LAURA AND JOYCE
Joyce, You asked us to post and read your reviews in the main LJB forum
at girleooks, but it will not let us post. It says security question
not answered correctly, but the place where you answer the security
question is missing!!
That is why you are getting no answers and no posts over at the
girlebooks LJB, it will not let us post anything. HELPPPPPP
Here is what I tried to post and it would not let me:
Hey Joyce, Sorry I have ignored this site for some time. My husband’s
mom passed early August and my mom last week. It has been a busy summer
with them in and out of hospitals and taking care of business around here.
I continue to do chemo once a month and my husband who had
reconstructive surgery on his hip and pelvis has to have it all redone
in a few weeks.
Crazy.
My favorite LJB book is The Cat Who played Brahams. Such a classic in
the series.
But it is hard to pick a favorite. Easier to list top five or top ten!
I promise to give this site more attention soon!
top 5:
l. Brahams
2. Closet
3. Post Office
4. Underground
5. Breakfast Island
We appreciate all you do and I will read these reviews soon and comment.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | September 2, 2012, 3:09 pmMy all time favorite “Cat Who” book is: Breakfast Island. I like any of the books set in and around the lake.
Posted by beth | September 6, 2012, 10:26 amIn response to Anne’s posting of favorites, I think hers are all good choices. Thus far, I think that “The Cat Who Wasn’t There” is my favorite, for selfish reasons. LJB goes through the history of the McDonald family, and their relationship with the Campbells (Think “Hatfields and McCoys”). The tour of Scotland was enjoyable also. I even secured a copy of John McDonald’s “Memoirs of an Eighteenth Century Footman” and have started reading it. I have probably mentioned it before, but my maiden name was McIntyre, a Sept of the McDonald clan responsible for playing the bagpipes.
The more I read the series, the more impressed I am with the expertise that LJB shows with regards to diverse topics–everything from art to opera to goat rearing to snow shoeing. She must have done an enormous amount of research. I’m wondering if her alter ego might be Polly…
Posted by Joyce McDonald | September 2, 2012, 3:18 pmIn that case you must love the M. C. Beaton series “Hamish McBeth”. They are mystery stories set in Scotland. This is a test post to see it works now.
Posted by Anne | September 5, 2012, 12:09 pmI tried to comment but I don’t see it. Trying again.
Posted by Anne | September 5, 2012, 12:10 pmHi, Anne. Do you see it now? We have to moderate our posts because we get a horde of spammers trying to sell us (and you)…well, you don’t want to know what they are trying to sell. Suffice it so say they are charlatans. I think Laura must have approved your post because it was approved before I got to it. I have put Hamish McBeth on my Kindle Want List on Amazon to see if I like it. With a name like McBeth, it has got to be good.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | September 5, 2012, 1:13 pmI have read the Hamish McBeth series and also the Agatha Raisin series by the same author. Both are really good. But, just as each book is its own mystery, there are a few sub story lines and characters that make it “better” to read in sequential order. This is my first time posting on this site in a while. I hope it works!!
Posted by Jacqueline Wilson | September 5, 2012, 2:37 pmI hope we have all the kinks worked out, Jacqueline! I have high hopes for the Hamish McBeth series, especially since its author has another series to offer as well. It would be a wealth of fun reading.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | September 5, 2012, 3:04 pmJoyce I left comments about some of your reviews today.
Posted by Beth | September 16, 2012, 10:55 amGreetings! So happy to have found other LJB fans!! I read these books a few years ago and loved them (still do), and I’m currently listening to them via audiobooks. I like to listen to books while I crochet, lol. I would very much like to obtain as many of them as I can in this format. I am a member of Audible.com, but they only have a few titles. (11, I think). I started renting them from my library, but some are in horrible condition and I’ve had trouble loading (ripping) them into my computer. I just purchased three of them from a vendor on Ebay (approx. $15 each), but when I received them it was evident that they were former library copies. I also checked on Amazon, but some are very expensive. Does anyone know if all of LJB’s books were recorded?? Also, does anyone know other resources I can check out for this purpose?? Thanks!!
Posted by Linda | November 7, 2012, 11:32 amWelcome, Linda! As far as I know, another member, Anne, has some if not all of the audio books that she has managed to load onto her iPod. This brave lady took her iPod to Chemotherapy with her so that she could enjoy LJB during the treatment. She may be able to give advice. I have one CD, “The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell” which I will send free of charge to the first person of gives me an address to send it to. Just make the request via this site, but don’t leave your address. I’ll set up a private correspondence to get your address. No problem if you are not comfortable with this arrangement.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | November 8, 2012, 4:39 pmWelcome also to new member, Iamme. Enjoy the site!
Posted by Joyce McDonald | November 8, 2012, 4:41 pmWelcome, Zeke2012, to our site. Hope you enjoy the content!
Posted by Joyce McDonald | December 16, 2012, 5:41 pmThe first book I read was The Cat Who Moved A Mountain. My mother-in-law loaned me the book. I was reluctant since I never really liked fiction. I also now had my first cat and was retired so had the time and read the book as it was not too long. Well, after reading the book I was hooked. I looked up the author and found out there was a series of books and went to my local library and on the internet and got all the books. I am now re-reading the series and just love the stories. I was saddened when I heard our author passed away last June and her last book won’t be published. I now have 3 cats too!
Posted by zeke2012 | December 16, 2012, 9:43 pmAnne, I wanted to mention to you that you have been much on my mind, wondering how your chemo went and whether you are doing OK. You have been such a help with your suggestion about putting LJB audio books on your iPod. When my sister told me she would have to undergo chemotherapy, I got her a few of the Nancy Drew books we used to read voraciously as kids and told her I would read to her during chemo. She was so eager to start reading that she read the first one before her chemo even started. She has had her first treatment, and I will get to read to her next month, although I might have to buy a few more Nancy Drews to keep her in literature. I’m also going to see if she likes the “Cat Who” series, since I consider LJB’s books to be adult Nancy Drew mysteries. Haven’t been able to find Nancy Drew in audio book format.
Posted by Joyce McDonald | February 21, 2013, 12:13 pm