The Cat Who Turned On and Off

by Lilian Jackson Braun

Paperback, 1986

Status

Available

Call number

F Bra

Call number

F Bra

Barcode

3125

Publication

Berkley (1986), Edition: First Edition, 272 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:Brilliant Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum help reporter Jim Qwilleran solve a complicated murder plot in this mystery in the bestselling Cat Who series. When Qwilleran decides to do a feature story on Junktown, he gets more than he bargained for. Not the dope den he anticipated, Junktown is a haven for antique dealers and collectorsâ??as strange a lot as the crafty reporter has ever encountered. When a mysterious fall ends the careerâ??and the lifeâ??of one of Junktown's leading citizens, Qwilleran is convinced it was no accident. But, as usual, it takes Koko to prove he's ri

Original publication date

1968

User reviews

LibraryThing member benfulton
Pretty good. I was expecting it to be a lot more gimmicky than it actually was, but everything hangs together neatly, from the logic behind Qwilleran's move into Junktown, to the reasoning of the rich lady who's moved into a slum. Even the performance of the cats, as they pursue things a cat might
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actually get into rather than telepathy or fortunetelling, is handled reasonably. All around, a nice little, well handled, mystery.
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LibraryThing member Fantasma
I liked this one better than the 2nd book, which seemed weaker. The caracters were funny and interesting and we learn more about Yum Yum, who hardly appears in the previous book. Juntktown seems a nice place, I was always feeling the urge to go there and go through the stores myself!
As usual we
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discover the culprit almost at the end, no real surprises, no messy things, just the feeling of "things acomplished", always with the cats's help, of course!
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
More of the same really.

Jim has been stood up for the Press Christmas Eve party and is once again living in a hotel looking for decent, cheap, digs and a new women. The paper witht eh stupid name is holding a competition with money prizes for the journalists who write the best christmas feature.
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Jim ends up living in (again a repetative plot device only three books into the series) Junktown, that area of town housing the antique dealers. Here he meets a wide range of women (to choose from) and a few 'interesting' characters, and gets to learn how the dealers obtain their items. He quickly learns that the 'best' dealer in the nieghbourhood recently suffered a fatal accident and his moustache begins to quiver with the prospect of potential crime to solve. And with Koko and Yumyum stalking throught he rented rooms at will, Jim as usual has more clues and hunches than actual evidence. The red herring count is lower than before, and the women opportunities higher.

Another cosy mystery that hits all the basic spots without being anything special. Fortunetly koko has abandoned the annoying dictionary game.
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LibraryThing member riverwillow
Much more enjoyable that the first or second books. I loved the idea of Junktown and all the antique dealers and all the interesting characters that inhabit. The mystery was quite interesting too and Koko wasn't as annoying this time - maybe the addition of Yum Yum helps.
LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
Now a feature reporter, Qwill starts out doing a holiday piece on antiquing and ends up investigating a series of suspicious deaths.

Although I prefer the books set in Pickax, this is enjoyable enough and introduces several recurring characters.
LibraryThing member dukefan86
I enjoyed this audiobook, which gave me more background history for the rest of the series. Enjoyed seeing how Qwill met Mrs. Cobb, and the storyline about antiques was pretty interesting, though not very deep.
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Murder among antique dealers and much shenanigans ensue when Jim moves in.
LibraryThing member benuathanasia
This was a fun light read. No thinking necessary - just sit back and enjoy.
LibraryThing member foggidawn
Qwilleran, a newspaper reporter in a northern city, takes on an assignment in the antiques district in the weeks leading up to Christmas. With the help of his cats, he investigates the mysterious death of an antiques dealer. This is one of the early entries in the Cat Who series, and one of my
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favorites. Though it's not the first book, it's a decent entry point into the series if you're not familiar with it: early enough that you haven't missed much back story, but far enough in for the author to have hit her stride.
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LibraryThing member EmScape
Journalist and amateur detective James Qwilleran is assigned a piece on Junktown, which he thinks is drugs, but turns out to be antiques. When people in the area keep dying, Qwill suspects foul play. Koko the Siamese supplies the main clues to help him solve the mystery and catch the killer.
This
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one was a bit more complex, and I admit I wasn't sure who the culprit would be almost to the very end. Braun doesn't have any qualms about killing off people I'd consider essential characters, either. Koko is a delight, as is his 'sister' Yum Yum. Interesting information about certain varieties of antiques, as well.
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LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader
This mystery has Mr. Jim Qwilleran or just Qwill to his friends changing from coverage of the world of interior design to coverage of antiques in a location of the city called "Junktown." Ever present are the magnificent companions of Qwill's world, Siamese cats Koko and Yun-Yum, that each add
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dimension to crime investigations in their own unique ways.

I have read some of these mysteries "out of order" but to enjoy learning the backdrop/history of Qwill and characters and his assignments for the newspaper, Daily Fluxion, adds a special delight to the reading entertainment of this series!
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book three in Braun’s popular “The Cat Who…” cozy mystery series, starring journalist Jim Qwilleran (known simply at Qwill), and his two Siamese: Koko and Yum Yum.

This time Qwill’s been assigned to write a Christmas feature story on Junktown, a formerly (still?) blighted area of town
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full of shops specializing in all manner of antiques and collectibles. Since he’s also in the market for a new apartment, he’s happy to find a truly affordable place in a remodeled and repurposed mansion, above the antique shop run by the owners. And, of course, he’s curious about a padlocked shop – one resident says the owner was murdered, but almost everyone else say it was a tragic accident. Qwill can’t help but investigate.

I really like this cozy series. As a journalist for the local newspaper, Qwill has every reason to search out the story. His cats seem rather prescient as well. No, they don’t talk to Qwill, other than to voice their demands for food, of course. But Koko, in particular, has a knack for pointing out interesting tidbits – a red feather here, or a secret panel behind the bookcase there – that help Qwill’s investigation.

There isn’t a lot of graphic violence, and Qwill is a gentleman when it comes to romantic interludes (i.e., he never tells).
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LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
This cozy mystery really held my interest. People died who I thought were important to the story. The author plays fair with the reader for the revelation of the murderer, but I didn't catch it until the end. While it is the third in a series, it can be read out of order.

I enjoyed it and will
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continue on in the series. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with cats, this series should be on your "to read" list.
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Rating

½ (297 ratings; 3.6)

Pages

272
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