"To understand a cat, you must realize that he has his own gifts, his own viewpoint, even his own morality" - Lilian Jackson Braun,
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (1966) is the first novel in Lilian Jackson Braun's popular 29 book series. And the novel begins with newspaper man Jim Qwilleran arriving in the fictional town of Pickax in Moose County ("400 miles north of everywhere") to take a job working for the local newspaper The Daily Fluxion.
Jim Qwilleran had a career as an award winning crime reporter but his drinking got in the way. He is now in recovery and his first assignment for the Fluxion is to write a piece for their arts section. Qwilleran is not thrilled since what does he know about art? But it's a way back into journalism.
And in the course of doing his research Qwilleran meets the paper's art critic George Bonifield Mountclemens, a very popular columnist at the paper because of his scathing reviews. Mountclemens is a very eccentric man. He lives alone in a dusty town house with his Siamese cat Koko. Koko is very bright, very fussy about how his food is prepared and Koko likes to read the newspaper following the words from right to left.
Jim Qwilleran needs a place to stay and Mountclemens offers him the downstairs apartment. He takes it and discovers that cat sitting duties are part of the deal. At first Qwilleran is annoyed but he soon warms up to Koko. And then Mountclemens is found murdered and he is not the only member of Pickax's art community who is meeting a grim end. And so Jim Qwilleran finds himself taking full time care of Koko and back on the crime beat.
I enjoyed The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. It's well written but I would say that the ending and who did the killing and why is puzzling. The novel doesn't lead up to this person. But Jim Qwilleran and Koko make a nice pair, a Holmes and Watson with Koko who solves the case being the Holmes in this detective duo. I would rate The Cat Who Could Read Backwards 3.8 stars and might go on to book two hoping for a more straightforward mystery and satisfying ending.
I've seen these mysteries around for years, but have never tried one.
ReplyDeleteI have seen them around too and was curious. I think that Quilleran and Koko are a good pair. The mystery itself though didn't end well for me but book two might be better.
DeleteI actually used to own this book but never read it. I think I must've unhauled it at some stage because I can't find it now. A pity as it doesn't sound like a bad read.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good read. I had problems with the ending but the fundamentals are there in that the detective duo, Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cat Koko make an interesting pair.
DeleteInteresting premise, but there are so many excellent books out there I will probably give it a pass unless you read the second book and rave about it!
ReplyDeleteLoL I do plan to give the second book a try. But to go on to book 3 it will have to be a rave because I just have too much on my TBR list.
DeleteI read several of these books many years ago. As I remember it, the first few books in the series were good and fun reads. Later books I read seemed too repetitious. But I do remember that it was mainly the relationships, characters, and cats I liked, and the mystery plots were not so great.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a series can go on for too long and there are 29 books in this series but at some point I want to read book two.
DeleteYeah sounds like the ending didn't make much sense. But I like the cat being involved. 29 books is a long series. I wonder if the cat will be in Book 2? Did you find this on Libby or in print at the library? Nicely reviewed.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan. I found it on Libby. It's a series I have been curious about and as I understand Koko is in book two and all subsequent books and in future books Jim Qwilleran adopts another Siamese cat.
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