Review by Booklist Review
The tenth in the charming Cat Who . . . series finds sometime reporter, reluctant philanthropist, and unofficial sleuth Jim ("Qwill") Qwilleran exploring rural history, ghostly noises, and the sudden death of a good cook. Iris Cobb's demise seems to surprise no one; her bad heart and aversion to dieting appear directly linked to her untimely end. Only Qwill is uneasy. The woman's terrified face, the odd sounds around the museum she somehow found time to watch over, and the curious behavior of Koko, Qwill's Siamese cat and sleuth extraordinaire, all point to foul play. The slightly prissy Qwill remains only a step or two behind Koko as the pair uncovers a secret society made up of descendants of a lynch mob. Braun's books are perhaps the nearest an American mystery writer has come to the "cozy," long the genre of choice among British-born crime novelists. Her formula of feline lore and finely detailed rustic eccentricity has drawn a large following, despite a sometimes terminal cuteness. This latest is sure to please the faithful. --Peter Robertson
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Jackson's 10th entry in the series featuring middle-aged, curmudgeonly reporter Jim Qwilleran pits the independently wealthy citizen of the remote town of Pickax City against malevolent spirits, of either this world or another. Iris Cobb, the resident-curator of the local historical museum, tells Qwill she's hearing ghosts; after she dies of what the coroner says is a heart attack, Qwill and his Siamese cats, Yum Yum and the psychic zany Koko, move in to find out what could have scared her to death. Unearthing old and well-kept secrets in Moose County family histories, Qwill also investigates some newcomers to the area, notably the museum's neighbors down the road at Fugtree Farm, and the deceased's son whose inheritance is considerable. Fans of earlier The Cat Who . . . stories may welcome Qwill's return along with other Pickax regulars such as librarian Polly Duncan and Arch Riker, editor of the weekly Moose County Something , but as a mystery, this busy, superficial and weakly plotted tale is as unsubstantial as any ghost and much less haunting. Mystery Guild selection; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club alternate. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The tenth escapade for haughty felines Koko and Yum Yum, who live ""400 miles north of nowhere"" with newspaper man Jim Qwilleran, and unerringly point their paw at the guilty culprit every time. This time out, they must solve the murder of their former housekeeper, Iris Cobb, who had become the resident curator at the Goodwinter Farmhouse Museum. Did the ghost of turn-of-the-century, exploitive mine-owner Ephraim Goodwinter do it (and steal a sheet from a museum exhibit and Iris' cookbook as well)? Jim's investigation turns up an obscure Goodwinter family tree, perhaps a staged murder, and buried treasure in the barn--a treasure that Vince, Iris' new neighbor and self-proclaimed old printing-press expert, seems determined to find, at all costs--even it means beating his ""wife."" Once again, the resolution has Jim interviewing old codgers for background, Koko twitching his whiskers disdainfully in the direction of an obvious clue, and so much skulduggery one would be forgiven for mistaking Moose County for a San Quentin retirement community. Sketchy plotting, with a flimsier-than-usual structure, but there's still a wealth of small-town charm. A bit tired, but Koko and Yum Yum fans will purr over it nonetheless. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
