The Cat Who Talked Turkey

I admit that I have read every single one of Lilian Jackson Braun's "Cat Who" books. I used to relish every single one, but I agree with the other reviewers: Lately the books have been getting lamer and lamer.

I, too, think the books are now being ghost-written by someone else. I think the ghost-writing began about five or six books ago. It's not just that the mystery, never central, is now utterly an afterthought in these books. Nor is it that the resolution relies not on acute detective work on the part of Qwilleran or KoKo, but on deus ex machina. (Qwill and KoKo used to really sniff around, so to speak.) Nor is it that the style is much coyer than what Ms. Jackson Braun used to use. (I've had it with the endless references to the show more salt-and-pepper mustache already! It's getting to be a parody of itself!) No, the clincher is the many errors and inconsistencies in The Cat Who Talked Turkey.

Someone has already pointed out that the Siamese take a car trip in perfect harmony in The Cat Who Talked Turkey. We all remember that Yum-Yum howls whenever she's in the car. And what happened to taking KoKo out on the leash? And the last time we were privy to the love life of Gary Pratt, owner of the Black Bear Café, he was mourning a dead girlfriend. When did he pick up the wife who plays such a big role in this book?

The ghost writer not only hasn't read all the "Cat Who" books, s/he hasn't even done much research. In the book, Qwilleran wonders how KoKo could know something if he can't read. But the very first book posits that KoKo can read backwards. Remember the title of the very first book in this series? The ghost writer clearly doesn't!

Also, Eddington Smith's great-grandfather or grandfather is described as a pirate. But, in the original story, wasn't he a highwayman, instead?

The change in tone comes in the very first sentence when there's a quote from the "Qwill Pen": "A town without a bookstore is like a chicken with one leg." Now, the "Qwill Pen," while not exactly Art Buchwald, has never been this ridiculous.

I've been a faithful reader until now, but this book is the last straw. I suspect that there's not one ghost writer, but more than one, and that's why the books aren't just inconsistent with the real "Cat Who" books, but they don't really match each other, either. I hate to say it, but I'm finished with this series. show less

Another excellent tale (or would that be tail?) in The Cat Who series by Lilian Jackson Braun. This visit to Pickax in Moose County, 600 miles north of everywhere, brings us into the life of James Qwilleran, or Qwill, as his friends know him, in time for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new bookstore that his foundation is funding. As always in this fascinating Northern town, things don't go exactly as planned. All the regular cast ... Qwill, Polly, Arch, Mildred, the Comptons, a Goodwinter or two, Police Chief Brodie, meterologist Wetherby Goode, Thornton Haggis, Gary Pratt, the bartender at The Hotel Booze in the town of Brrr, so many more, and of course, the stars of the story, sweet little Yum Yum and prescient Koko, Qwilleran's show more faithful feline companions. The town of Brrr is soon to celebrate their 200th Birthday and they're going all out with a big bash! Qwill agrees to write and perform another play as he did The Big Burning which was about the 1869 forest fire that destroyed half the county. This new play will be about The Great Storm of 1913 that devastated the same area. The story is, as always, a delightful mix of intrigue, humor, nostalgia, history, and lore and Koko, of course, helps get to the bottom of a crime or two. show less

Sometimes there is a longing to visit with old friends and when you do there is a delight that is unparalleled.

One of my biggest smiles came when Qwill had locked himself into his 1st floor writing studio with his thermal coffee decanter in order to accomplish some needed writing. Apparently, whenever Qwill's Siamese cats, Koko and Yum-Yum, wanted him to come out from behind closed doors they staged a squabble so that he would come out and investigate. In this case, he opened the door and they tumbled into the studio and as quick as paws allowed they raced down the ramp. Thankfully, Qwill understood that the message was clear. Their patience had expired and on this beautiful June day it was time to enjoy their favorite activities in the show more gazebo. As any loving pet owner (or should I say caregiver in residence) will do, he fulfilled their wishes.

As always there is a mystery to solve but it really takes a backseat in this writing but is still a joy to read for all who love the series. show less

Compared to the other books, this book read as though the author had trouble maintaining focus on her subject. She also shows an increased reluctance to kill any of her well-liked characters, limiting interest for the reader in the victims.

I picked this up from the library for some easy reading while waiting for doctor's appointments. Either this one was the worst of the series, or I'd forgotten how bad the other ones were. Never mind the simple plot -- I find that's a bonus when reading between appointments. What really bugged me was the really bad writing, and complete lack of editing.

Murder mysteries are my guilty reading pleasure. They're the perfect sort of brain candy for when you just want to immerse yourself into something distracting. The Cat Who series has the added bonus of featuring two things that I find interesting - a rural town in the middle of nowhere, and Siamese cats. I've always had a fantasy of leaving the world behind and going to live in a small rural town (although in reality I think I'd go crazy after the first week) and of course I love cats, so what's not to like about this series?

The idea is there's a newspaper reporter from the big city who strikes it stupid rich and settles in a small rural community and investigates odd happenings in his spare time with the "assistance" of his cat Koko. show more (Although Koko's "assistance" is arguably in the reporter's imagination). This particular book in the series was not very good. It didn't make much use of Jim Qwilleran, the investigator, who I like a lot. It didn't really feature the cats much, and the "crime" wasn't even the focus of the story! Definitely not her best work. show less

It was a pleasant ambling tale that I'd have enjoyed far more had it not been for all the inauthentic Scottishness rubbed in again and again, which increasingly grated. The book was set in some town in which you could sit out by the lake - what writer in her right mind could conceive that Scottish expatriates might call that town Brrr? As for the idea that everyone had marmalade recipes passed down the generations - pah!