Reviews

The Cat Who Brought Down The House by Lilian Jackson Braun

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topdragon's review against another edition

4.0

This is the 25th book in the "Cat Who" series and yes, I've read them all up to this point. Only 4 more to go. I read these as a sort of comfort food; I've grown so used to the characters and town of Pickax ("400 miles north of everywhere") and they are such quick reads. The entire series has ended up on my book shelves thanks to my mother who has read them all. Consequently, I always think of her when reading one and since she celebrated her 80th birthday this week, I thought it appropriate to take another bite out of the series.

As I have mentioned before, the later in the series I read, the more I notice that the mystery element of each book becomes less and less and the general "what's happening in Pickax" becomes more and more. This time, our protagonist, Qwilleran, really seems to be mostly a bystander to the murder, although does put the pieces together in case the reader can't. The story surrounds a retired Hollywood actress who has decided to live out the remainder of her years in Pickax. Along the way we see Qwilleran involved in all sorts of small town daily happenings, some routine, and some as quirky as the residents. From photographing hats, to babysitting parrots, and the ever present odd subjects for his weekly column in the local paper, life in Pickax, especially when you are the richest man in the North East US, is enjoyable.

chrisrin's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a fun little entry in the series though the mysteries had very little to do with murder. I was sad that Thelma died so soon. I think she would have been a fun addition to Moose County. I was glad there wasn't much Polly. She has been annoying me more and more with each book. I honestly don't know why Qwill wastes time with her.

ninalita's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

notsogreen's review against another edition

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funny relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

moshalala's review against another edition

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mysterious relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

lazwright's review

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2.0

Although a light and easy ready, the "guest characters" are not as compelling as other books in this series. Quite a predictable plot and you could see the ending a mile away.