Lilian Jackson Braun - The Cat Who Tailed a Thief
Headline £16.99.
The Cat
Who Tailed a Thief" is number 19 in Lilian Jackson Braun’s "Cat"
series but the first one for me. I found the goings-on in Pickax, Moose County,
(population 3000) a delightfully entertaining read, both for the setting, "400 miles
north of anywhere" with a consequent pre-occupation on everyone’s part with the
weather , and for the people who live there, some of whom are transplants from Down
Below as the locals refer to the metropolitan cities further south. James Mackintosh Quilleran is the extremely rich, popular and well respected amateur sleuth whose inheritance has allowed him to live in the small town of Pickax where he writes a column called "Quill Pen" for the local newspaper. His dear friend Polly Duncan is head of Pickax Public Library and they are both owners of very interesting and very colourful Siamese cats with character who have to be treated with great respect.
Christmas and New Year celebrations provide entertaining reading. Social activities include monthly meetings of the Nouvelle Dining Club (with some menus recorded) and gatherings where Scottish ancestry is emphasised and smart Scottish tartans and kilts are in evidence. For one birthday party the cake is a foot square confection frosted all over in plaid in red, blue, green and yellow icing.
The criminal activities which threaten the peace and enjoyment of the above pastimes of this cosy community provide a satisfying puzzle for whodunit fans and the many amusing antics of the cats a focus of attention for all cat lovers. The account of a competition in Quill’s column involving names for cats, where hundreds of entries come pouring in, will be enjoyed too.
Lilian Jackson Braun is apparently a very popular writer and this, her latest, is bound to sell like hot cakes.
PED
