The Cat Who Saw Red

by Lilian Jackson Braun

Paperback, 1986

Status

Available

Call number

F Bra

Call number

F Bra

Barcode

3107

Publication

Berkley (1986), 256 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. HTML:Jim Qwilleran and his cats Koko and Yum Yum must solve a curious caper in this mystery in the bestselling Cat Who series. Something is amiss at Maus Haus. Not just the mystery of an unsolved ??suicide? which hangs over the old mansion, but something ominous in the present-day residence. When Qwilleran moves in to work on his new gastronomical assignment, strange things begin to happen. First it's a scream in the night, then a vanishing houseboy. But when his old girlfriend disappears, something has to be done. Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum set out to solve the mystery??and find a m

Original publication date

1986

User reviews

LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Interesting read, more mystery this time than social commentary. One of the early books in the series in this one Qwilleran is still struggling.
LibraryThing member Fantasma
Another cosy mystery from Qwill and his feline friends. Koko and Yum Yum never cease to amaze me, I'd really like to have cats like them!
LibraryThing member zina
Delightful cozy-but-interesting series. Qwilleran, KoKo and Yum Yum are wonderful - got lost in the series.
LibraryThing member SeriousGrace
Only 183 pages long The Cat Who Saw Red was a really quick, really fun read. Although it had all the elements of an on-your-toes thriller: a possible murder, intrigue, scandalous affiars, missing persons, and too many possible suspects to count, it was what I would call a "gentle" mystery. A quiet,
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light suspense ripples throughout the plot. There is just as much humor as danger.
James Qwilleran is an award winning journalist sent on assignment to write a food column. As a former cop Qwill, as he is known by everyone, smells as mystery sooner than a burning souffle. Sniffing out leads, it is not long before he is using his restaurant experiences to wine and dine clues out of unsuspecting suspects.
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LibraryThing member bluesalamanders
Qwill runs across an old flame, now married to a moderately successful artist and an artist herself. He moves into the artist boarding house where they live as he begins his newest beat, reviewing restaurants. After several mysterious deaths and disappearances, Qwill can't help investigating.

The
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Cat Who Saw Red, referring to an unusual red pottery glaze invented by one of the boarders, is a quick read and a typical Cat Who story, with some characters rushing in and out of Qwill's world over the course of the book and some there to stay.
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LibraryThing member benuathanasia
The ending of this was somewhat traumatizing, but overall it was a very good story. LJB's characterization of cats is spot-on!
LibraryThing member dele2451
Not as endearing or charming as Braun's other works in this series. It does incorporate some interesting facts about the history of pottery though.
LibraryThing member EmScape
Journalist and amateur detective James Qwilleran is assigned a plum job reviewing restaurants and despite his new diet he begins making reservations. At his first assignment, an informal invite-only dinner in a commune-like mansion, Qwill runs into an old flame. Joy conveys her desire to leave her
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husband and Qwill loans her the money to hire a lawyer. Nearly immediately after, she disappears, and loathe to believe she's run off with his check, Qwill insists something sinister has happened and begins to investigate, as always with invaluable assistance from his Siamese, Koko.

These are cute books, but I'm getting a little tired of Qwill's treatment of women. He's got a new love interest in every book, which with a male author I'd characterize as wish-fulfillment, but it's almost distasteful coming from a woman writer. Also, the mystery's conclusion is glimpsed a long way off.
However, the fun cast of characters make the book worthwhile as does the brilliance of our friend Koko, the true hero of these tales.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book on CD read by George Guidall

This is book four in a delightful cozy mystery series starring newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese - Koko and Yum Yum. As the novel opens, Qwill has started a new diet, which is complicated when he’s assigned to write a new gourmet column for the
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paper. He starts by attending a gourmet club meeting at Maus Haus, the home of an attorney, where he meets an old flame.

This is an entertaining series with a very likeable main character who is appropriately nosy, given his journalism background. His relationship with his cats is nicely portrayed without being overly saccharine. Of course, Koko, in particular, does seem to have a knack for helping Quill solve the cases – he can even type!

Braun includes a large cast of suspects, acquaintances, and passers by. Maus Haus is a sort of boarding house catering to the arts community, and it seems that everyone is in everyone else’s business. That certainly complicates Qwill’s efforts at finding the truth. Still, for all that, the action is somewhat slow. People go missing, and odd things happen, but no one is concerned but Qwill and the police are never involved.

George Guidall does a satisfactory job of reading the audiobook. I was not a big fan of the quality of his voice, however. I read about a third of it in text as that was faster.
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LibraryThing member Alliebadger
Love the cats, didn't love the mystery (or the depiction of women, weirdly).
LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
This book has a delightful twist: the murderer is easy to uncover; it's the proof that's difficult to come by! I'd figured out everything early on, including the modus operandi, but still enjoyed this light read. Koko and Yum Yum are fast becoming favourite characters of mine!
This book is among the
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early ones in the story and it lacks some of the finesse of other books, but Qwill is becoming a clear star and coming into form. I definitely enjoyed the incursion into the pottery and gourmet worlds!
It's a refreshing read, perfect for relaxing.
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LibraryThing member Jean_Sexton
Welcome back to the world of Koko, Yum Yum, and Qwill. There was a long hiatus between the third book and this one. This book is one of my favorites. Like Qwill, I love food but need to lose weight. Fortunately, my little dog doesn't put his paws on the scale, unlike Koko "assistance" with
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Qwill.

The mystery was good and played fair with the reader -- we had the chance to solve the mystery along with Qwill. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Highly recommended for fans of cozy mysteries. While it can be read as a stand-alone, as with most cozy mysteries, more background is gained by reading the earlier books first.
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Rating

½ (313 ratings; 3.6)

Pages

256
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