The Cat Who Played Brahms

In the 5th book in The Cat Who...series, James Qwilleran aka "Qwill", a newsman for the Daily Fluxion is in a bit of a funk. He had returned to writing for a paper after a several years absence, and has sobered up and adopted two beautiful Siamese cats. After bouncing around with several different assignments at the Daily Fluxion, Qwill is thinking of a change. When his apartment building is sold, and the Press Club is hideously remodeled, Qwill's mind is made up. He decides to take his godmother, Aunt Fanny, up on her offer of spending the summer at her cabin in Moose County. He purchases a car, packs up the cats, and heads 400 miles north of everywhere to live in Pickaxe. Surprises abound when Qwill rolls into town, and nothing seems to go right for him from the beginning. Animals have vandalized the cabin, blue pickups seem to follow Qwill everywhere, and the restaurants offer limp food and watery coffee. Aunt Fanny seems to have her own agenda as well, and even though Qwill loves his eccentric elderly "aunt", he gives her a wide berth while chuckling at her antics. When Qwill hooks a "corpse" on a fishing trip, he immediately reports it to the local authorities, but no one seems to take him seriously. He sees treachery at every turn, and the more that the locals laugh off his suspicions, the more Qwill is determined to figure out what illegal dealings are going on in this interesting town. This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. I am happily rediscovering how Qwill became a resident of Moose County, and this book will lay the groundwork for the rest of the books to come. For those that have not read the series, I do recommend reading the first several first. Many others can be intermixed, but this book offers good insight as to how Qwill became associated with Moose County. This is a great series by my favorite author! The first book in the series is called "The Cat who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!

In this the fifth book of this series, our hero Jim Qwilleran decides that it is time for a short change of pace and that he may just take his "Aunt" Fanny up on her offer of a free lakeside cabin for the summer. Any doubts he has about the move quickly disappear when he finds that the Press Club has been remodeled and that his living quarters have been sold out from under him. There is a little problem with story inconsistency here because Maus Haus is being torn down despite information in the last book that an art center of some sort must be maintained there. Not a big deal but it did draw my attention. Soon Qwilleran has bought a car and he and his cats are headed to Pickaxe City to visit Aunt Fanny and then on to the cabin which is located in Mooseville. Braun is well known for her colorful characters and as one might imagine Moose County is fertile ground for a good crop of exceptionally colorful characters. Beyond the people, the area in question has a character all of it's own. The restaurants are for the most part awful, most people drive blue pick-up trucks, the local turkey farmer has a BO problem and no one wants to report a crime because they will get someone they know into trouble. There is indeed crime in Moose County but with nobody reporting it the police have to resort to setting up roadblocks to pass the time. Qwilleran, a confirmed city boy has all kinds of problems while trying to get used to the rural quiet. He buys a cap so he will fit in but he thinks that the septic tank hole is a grave, he picks at poison ivy, and the various animal noises during the night prompt several calls to the sheriff. At one point he tries to impress a visitor by pointing out that they just heard an owl but the visitor corrects him and says it was a dove. An easy mistake that even my country born and raised wife has made. As out of his element as Qwilleran is, he is still sure that something terribly illegal is going on around him. He pokes around but all he gets is a bad case of poison ivy and he is wary of calling the police since they already think he is about half-nuts. The mystery in this book is a little more subtle than in some of the previous books and the reader will not find the answer, or what the mystery is for that matter until late in the book. Basically the reader is in the same boat as the hero and is not able to quite put his finger on things until once again the cats come to the rescue. Then, even after the first mystery is solved another one appears that has been quietly lurking under everyone's nose for almost half of the book. Neither Qwilleran nor the readers know of this mystery until the mighty Koko provides the answer to the previously unknown question. For once the ever-suspicious reporter is not suspicious enough. This is another good story by Lilian Jackson Braun that draws the reader in as the narrative proceeds. One isn't drawn in so much by a deep mystery but by the delightful characters to whom one becomes

The Cat Who is the best serries ever full of humor wit and complexity, James Macentosh Qwilerin is a off beat repoter/Billion air with his 2 cats Koko and Yumyum who are no shorter than extra ordinary. This is the best book serries I have ever read and would recomend it to any one over 10. Trevor Oliver 12 Years old

In this book, the fifth in "The Cat Who ..." series, Qwill and the cats head north to vacation in a cabin owned by family friend "Aunt Fanny." This book introduces us to Moose County and some of its residents. By the end of the book, Qwill's life has changed drastically. Not to be missed, especially if you're reading the series. Has important developments in the characters and settings. Will hold your interest. If you like cats and light mysteries you'll love this book.

Ms Braun wrote her first three "Cat Who" books about 30 years ago. When she returned to the theme in 1986 she apparently made the decision to move the locale from the City to the rural setting of Moose County. After one more book "down below" (TCW Saw Red), this volume, THE CAT WHO PLAYED BRAHMS, introduces us to the geography, people and their families and many of the other intrigues and relationships that are further explored in future books in the series. Jim Qwilleran decides to take an extended vacation and chooses a cabin in Mooseville, 400 miles north of the city. He has the free use of it from a quasi-aunt and long time friend of his mother's. While passing through Pickax, the county seat, he visits Aunt Fanny for a reunion after many years and proceeds to Mooseville accompanied by Koko and Yum-Yum. While settling into the cabin he meets many locals who will also feature in future episodes and becomes aware that all is not well on the crime front. Several deaths and other events point in so many different directions hat the precise nature of the crime is not clear at all to either Jim or Koko. Eventually, the puzzle is solved, but not before the chain of events leads to the death of octagenarian Aunt Fanny. At the end of the book, Jim is informed that Aunt Fanny has made him her sole heir, but a stipulation of the will requires that he relocate to Moose County for a period of no less than five years. This sets the stage for future "tails" in the "The Cat Who" series.