The Cat Who Said Cheese

by Lilian Jackson Braun

1997

Status

Available

Publication

Berkley (1997), Edition: 1st Printing, 272 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. HTML: Pickax loves a big occasion. The Great Food Expo is about to begin, introducing new restaurants, country inns, food specialty shops and a new food page in the 'Moose County Something'. Lurking in the background is a killer determined to make this an event Pickac City will never forget. The Expo begins with a literal bang: a bomb wrecks the hotel, killing a housekeeper and causing extensive damage. Luckily for pIckax, Qwill is on the scene, his moustace twitching with suspicions that this bomb was intended as something stronger than a warning to someone. His evidence: Koko and Yum Yum's new interest in cheese, especially Gruyere, Brie and Feta. Qwill and the Siamese are on the case that will demand all their feline inutition and mustachioed insight!.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member bluesalamanders

I'm not sure I ever exactly understood exactly what was going on in this book. The later Cat Who... books are in general not as good as the earlier ones.

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LibraryThing member FerneMysteryReader

I remember reading this series described as light-hearted and as I finished another novel in the series I would heartily agree that as I read about James Qwilleran (Mr. Q and Qwill to his friends), his extraordinary Siamese cats Koko and Yum-Yum, and all of their acquaintances and friends my heart

becomes light. Definitions of light-hearted are "amusing and entertaining" and "of a person or their behavior cheerful and carefree." Without a doubt, Qwill is always cheerful and carefree and the cats amusing and entertaining.

One of the delights of this series is that I never know what new names were created for people, animals, locations, and things alike. There are of course favorites from previous novels like Wetherby Goode, Sip 'n' Nibble Shop, Ittibittiwassee Road, Mudville, Whannell MacWhannell of the MacWhannell & Shaw accountant office, and the Klingenschoen Foundation but there is always a new array of interesting names. To name just a few "The Cat Who Said Cheese" introduces us to Onoosh Dolmathakia, The Spoonery, and goats March, April, May, June, and Holiday.

I also learned some marvelous new things about different kinds of cheese and their country of origin. I hope I can remember some of the different cheese characteristics when I visit one of my favorite grocery stores in a nearby town that offers a wide selection of cheeses so that I can purchase some new choices for my husband and I to enjoy. This novel also reminded me of a wonderful fine dining restaurant called "Glockenspiel" that was within a short drive to the college I attended. After each meal a large Lazy Susan was placed in the center of the table that was filled with different kinds of cheese and fresh fruit in season. Everyone was invited to 'graze' and enjoy further visitations or celebrations. In the winter it was fun to arrive earlier than your reservation as then you could enjoy a warm cup of cider in front of the fireplace. I can easily imagine Qwill, Polly, and the Rikers enjoying dinner there together and Qwill taking some cheese samples home for Koko and Yum-Yum. Polly and Hixie would definitely visit the lovely gift shop after dinner too!

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LibraryThing member clue

This is the 18th of 29 in the Cat Who mystery series. The small town of Pickax is trying to generate interest in local businesses by holding The Great Food Explo. There will be a new restaurant opening, a cheese tasting, a bake off and as so often happens in the small town of Pickax, a murder!

Former big city newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran investigates, but it's his Siamese, Koko, who has all the answers. Not that anyone listens. A quick fun book from a series that began in 1986 and is still popular.

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