Product Description

Jim Qwilleran with his two cats, Yum Yum and KoKo help to solve the mystery case behind the Casablanca apartment buildings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #121128 in Books
• Published on: 1991-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780515105667
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
With this 11th entry, the popular Cat Who series ( The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts ) begins to flag, its charms growing tatty and listless for even the most steadfast cat-and-mystery lovers. Ex-newspaperman James "Qwill" Qwilleran and his Siamese Koko and Yum Yum leave Moose County for the big city Down Below to help old friends save the Casablanca, an aging and elegant apartment building threatened with demolition to make way for profitable development. Qwill decides to spend the winter in the Casablanca to determine if it might make a project for the philanthropic Klingenschoen Fund, which he controls. Ensconced in a 14th-floor penthouse, he discovers that its previous tenant, Dianne Bessinger, head of the group trying to save the building, was an art dealer ostensibly murdered by a jealous protegeok . Qwill also plays Scrabble with the building's owner, the eccentric and reclusive Countess; he teaches the game to Koko, who thereby provides him with clues in his investigation of the murder, which he suspects is tied to attempts against the Casablanca. Braun's latest pleases with its descriptions of gentrification and development, but the book ends abruptly, leaving too many loose ends, and central characters Koko and Yum Yum develop no further at all.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
YA-- They're back--the noble Koko, the charmer YumYum--and their wealthy retired owner, Quill. Here, the benevolent benefactor of Moose County packs the Purple Plum--his small, energy-efficient car--with the two inquisitive and endearing Siamese and leaves his cozy home for the winter. This newest addition to the series is a delight that will enchant long-time followers of the irresistible trio as well as first-time readers.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The latest addition to the clever kitties series ( The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts, The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare, LJ 7/88) commences with the terrible news that beloved Pickax City column writer James Qwilleran has met his death in a horrible forced car wreck "Down Under." Needless to say, the series cannot continue without him, so a two-week flashback explains Qwilleran's (and Koko the cat's) involvement in renovating a decrepit-but-once-chic apartment building, his pursuit of information about a murder/suicide in the penthouse, and his car wreck. Full of colorful, eccentric characters, small-town attitudes, and sprightly fun for cat enthusiasts, this should appeal to most mystery readers.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

MURDER AT THE CASABLANCA
Great book. In this 11th entry in The Cat Who... series, we get another change of location as Qwill and the cats go back "Down Below" to possibly help save an old apartment building from destruction. I actually was able to pick up some of the clues and knew who didn't commit the murder, but not who did!

Meeting of the old and the new
I enjoy murder mysteries in general, especially the "who dunnit" type, of which this is one. Since I was also "raised" by a Siamese cat named Impy, and kept in line over my life time by a series of his successors, I especially enjoy this series. The author definitely has an appreciation for the character of the breed. This book is no exception. The antics of KoKo are always a joy and remind me of one of my own early pets, Mr Sin. This particular volume is especially fun as it partakes of some of both of Quill's lives: that of down and out reporter from "Down Under" and that of the recluse multimillionaire from "up North." Since much of the description fits the Minneapolis and Northern Minnesota area from which I come, I also feel a certain resonance with the characters and their settting. The story is an elaborate one with a slightly macabre twist. I actually figured it out because I had a small bit of information from my own experience that helped me do so, but I still found the book a satisfying read

Enjoyable as always
This book was enjoyable as books in this series always are. This one was another where Qwill leaves behind Pickax and his usual cast of supporting characters. On this occasion he wants to avoid another freezing Pickax winter. This gives the author the opportunity to show how unhappy Qwill now becomes outside his Moose County environment and away from Polly Duncan.

The most interesting books of this series are the ones set outside Pickax as this gives Qwill and the cats the chance to relate to new characters and situations.

This is a book in the cosy genre; the plotting is not its strength and I don't think ever was meant to be. Like other books in this series, it was a wonderfully warm and engaging read.