This marks the tenth The Cat Who … novel I've
read, and because the quality of these tales generally varies from great to
garbage, I've decided to call it quits with the series. The problem is I never
know whether I'll be treated to a well written who dun it or an utter dud. One
novel might deliver on a classic murder mystery with the added bonus of a
quirky moonlighting detective and his enigmatic cats. The standard fare from
Braun. These follow a well-established and welcome formula: someone dies; foul
play is suspected; and whether prodded by an inexplicable bristling sensation
along his mustache or by the prescient behavior of his Siamese cat Koko, our
beloved sleuth Qwilleran sets to work on solving the case. This develops into
well plotted scenes, intriguing suspects, and a satisfying finish.
The
next novel, however, might read like a journal adaptation by an octogenarian
chronicling her fervor for food, fashion, felines, and fellowship. The problem
with the latter is that said novels offer little to no tension, suspense, or
mystery. Whatever murder occurs near the beginning of such a book is treated as
either an afterthought or a nuisance for the characters involved, all of whom
would clearly prefer to discuss their cats, attend the local theatre, frequent
their favorite restaurant, browse the local antique shop, and plan the next
charity benefit.
…
Saw Stars is another one of those. Braun is a good prose writer; I just
wish she'd fulfilled her role more consistently, not as an aging senior citizen
fictionalizing her own social life and its rather drab subject matter. How many
stars the cat saw in this novel was never addressed. Which is fine.
Unfortunately, for this review, I count only two. Rated G
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