Review by Booklist Review
Marking an even dozen in The Cat Who . . . series, this episode finds semiretired newspaperman Jim ("Qwill") Qwilleran safely back in Pickax after a brief but hazardous excursion covered in The Cat Who Lived High [BKL Ag 90] and engaged in the final stages of remodeling an old apple barn on the Klingenschoen estate to serve as living quarters for himself and his two Siamese companions, Koko and Yum Yum. The murder of much disliked high school principal/amateur theatrical director Hilary VanBrook in the orchard after a cast party triggers Koko's telepathic sleuthing instincts, exhibited here via Qwilleran's collection of antique typeblocks. A slight and somewhat contrived plot will not deter the many admirers of Koko and Yum Yum, surely the most pampered felines in crime fiction, who dine on lobster tail and watch videos on bird life for relaxation. ~--Barbara Duree
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Retired journalist Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats solve a high school principal's murder. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
YA-- Koko and Yum Yum cavort again, this time to help Qwill solve the puzzling, untimely deaths at their new home, a cavernous barn complete with picture windows from which the two cats watch the neighborhood birds. This highly entertaining novel is sure to please all who want a light mystery. Cat lovers particularly will enjoy the antics of the feline heroes, while others will appreciate the creative solution that grows out of seemingly unrelated clues. Qwill, a semi-retired newspaper writer, is owned by the cats and provides needed assistance as a sleuth. Relaxed, rural America is well drawn (except for the number of murders it has had since the series moved to this locale) and provides a delightful setting in this amusing romp that's perhaps Braun's best. --Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Yet another in the author's series of stories (The Cat Who Went Underground, etc.) about millionaire (inherited) journalist Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum--the latter two, along with Jim's moustache, supposedly gifted with a talent for detection. Here, they're all enjoying life in remote Pickax, in Jim's spectacularly renovated barn, when he discovers school principal Hilary Van Brook shot to death in the apple orchard. Arrogant Hilary--thoroughly detested by all despite his genius for school administration--seems to have had a secret past, but Police Chief Brodie and most of the townspeople are content to blame the killing on builder Dennis Hough after he commits suicide. Jim doesn't buy that theory and--after he's approached about buying the Amberton horse farm in neighboring Lockmaster and has had a chance to explore Hilary's luxurious living quarters--it doesn't take long for him to uncover the true murderer. A rambling, shapeless story helped a bit by its agreeable small-town characters but without tension or impact. Readers immune to the charm of cats--beware! They're omnipresent as well as omniscient here. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
