Jim Qwilleran, is a prizewinning reporter who's been on the skids but is now coming back with a job as feature writer (mostly on the art scene) for the Daily Fluxion. George Bonifield Mountclemens, the paper's credentialed art critic, writes almost invariably scathing, hurtful reviews of...  more

Jim Qwilleran, is a prizewinning reporter who's been on the skids but is now coming back with a job as feature writer (mostly on the art scene) for the Daily Fluxion. George Bonifield Mountclemens, the paper's credentialed art critic, writes almost invariably scathing, hurtful reviews of local shows; delivers his pieces by messenger; lives with his all-knowing cat Koko in a lushly furnished house in a moldering neighborhood, and has a raft of enemies all over town. He offers the newcomer a tiny apartment in his building at a nominal rent, and Qwilleran grabs it, surmising the deal will involve lots of cat-sitting. Meanwhile, a gallery whose artists get happier treatment from Mountclemens is owned by Earl Lambreth. The acerbic critic has praised paintings there by a reclusive Italian named Scrano; the junk assemblages of Nino, who calls himself a "Thingist," as well as works by Lambreth's attractive wife Zoe. It's Zoe who, one night past closing, finds her husband stabbed to death in the vandalized gallery. Days later, Qwilleran, guided by an insistent Koko, finds Mountclemens's knifed corpse on the patio behind his house. It takes a while to put the meandering pieces together and to uncover an overriding motive behind the mayhem.

Jim Qwilleran is not exactly overwhelmed by his new assignment for the Daily Fluxion. Interior design has never been one of his specialties and now he's supposed to turn out an entire magazine on the subject every week! But the first issue of Gracious Abodes is barely off the presses when...  more

Jim Qwilleran is not exactly overwhelmed by his new assignment for the Daily Fluxion. Interior design has never been one of his specialties and now he's supposed to turn out an entire magazine on the subject every week! But the first issue of Gracious Abodes is barely off the presses when Qwilleran finds himself back on more familiar territory--the exclusive residence featured on the cover has been burglarized and the lady of the house found dead...now Qwilleran and Koko--the brilliant Siamese--have their respective moustache and whiskers twitching, and when Koko starts pawing clues in the dictionary and sniffing designer furniture, Qwilleran finds himself doing a feature on a very clever murder.

When Jim Qwilleran decides to do a newspaper feature about Junktown, he thinks he'll be writing a heartbreaking story about a dangerous, run-down neighborhood. But Junktown turns out to be a haven for Moose County's eccentric antique dealers and collectors. Qwill nearly gives up on his...  more

When Jim Qwilleran decides to do a newspaper feature about Junktown, he thinks he'll be writing a heartbreaking story about a dangerous, run-down neighborhood. But Junktown turns out to be a haven for Moose County's eccentric antique dealers and collectors. Qwill nearly gives up on his story when one of Junktown's leading citizens is killed in a mysterious "accident". Before he knows it, Qwill is embroiled in a mystery in which antique English bookcases aren't the only things the dealers are shellacking. As usual, Koko's assistance will help uncover the truth.

Something is amiss at Maus Haus. Not just the mystery of an unsolved "suicide" which hangs over the old mansion, but something ominous in the present-day residence. When Qwilleran moves in to work on his new gastronomical assignment, strange things begin to happen. First it's a...  more

Something is amiss at Maus Haus. Not just the mystery of an unsolved "suicide" which hangs over the old mansion, but something ominous in the present-day residence. When Qwilleran moves in to work on his new gastronomical assignment, strange things begin to happen. First it's a scream in the night, then a vanishing houseboy. But when his old girlfriend disappears, something has to be done. Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum set out to solve the mystery -- and find a murderer!

Is it just a case of the summertime blues or a full-blown career crisis? Newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran isn't sure, but he's hoping a few days in the country will help him sort out his life. With cats Koko and Yum Yum for company, Qwilleran heads for a cabin owned by a long-time...  more

Is it just a case of the summertime blues or a full-blown career crisis? Newspaper reporter Jim Qwilleran isn't sure, but he's hoping a few days in the country will help him sort out his life. With cats Koko and Yum Yum for company, Qwilleran heads for a cabin owned by a long-time family friend, "Aunt Fanny." But from the moment he arrives, things turn strange. Eerie footsteps cross the roof at midnight. Local townsfolk become oddly secretive. And then, while fishing, Qwilleran hooks onto a murder mystery. Soon Qwilleran enters into a game of cat and mouse with the killer, while Koko develops a sudden and uncanny fondness for classical music. Qwilleran --- a prize-winning reporter with a nose for crime. Koko --- a Siamese cat with extraordinary talents and a flair for mystery. Yum Yum --- a lovable Siamese adored by her two male companions. The most unlikely, most unusual, most delightful team in detective fiction!

Inheriting unexpected millions has left reporter Jim Qwilleran looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. While his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, adjust to being fat cats in an enormous mansion, Qwilleran samples the lifestyles of the rich and famous by hiring a staff of eccentric...  more

Inheriting unexpected millions has left reporter Jim Qwilleran looking like the cat who swallowed the canary. While his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, adjust to being fat cats in an enormous mansion, Qwilleran samples the lifestyles of the rich and famous by hiring a staff of eccentric servants. A missing housemaid and a shocking murder show Qwilleran the unsavory side of the upper crust. But soon it's Koko's purr-fect propensity for clues amid the caviar and champagne that gives Qwilleran pause to evaluate the most unlikely suspects... before his taste for the good life turns into his last meal.

There's something rotten in the small town of Pickax -- at least to the sensitive noses of newspaperman Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum. An accident has claimed the life of the local paper's eccentric publisher, but to Qwilleran and his feline friends it smells like...  more

There's something rotten in the small town of Pickax -- at least to the sensitive noses of newspaperman Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum. An accident has claimed the life of the local paper's eccentric publisher, but to Qwilleran and his feline friends it smells like murder. They soon sniff out a shocking secret, but Koko's snooping into an unusual edition of Shakespeare may prove CATastrophic... because somewhere in Pickax a lady loves not wisely but too well, a widow is scandalously merry, and a stranger has a lean and hungry look. The stage is set for Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum, and the second act of murder most meow...

Living in the peaceful city of Pickax may be restful, but it certainly isn't dull. At least not for one of the most eligible bachelors in town, veteran newspaperman Jim Qwilleran. Having inherited millions, Qwilleran and his two feline companions, Koko and Yum Yum, are preparing to settle...  more

Living in the peaceful city of Pickax may be restful, but it certainly isn't dull. At least not for one of the most eligible bachelors in town, veteran newspaperman Jim Qwilleran. Having inherited millions, Qwilleran and his two feline companions, Koko and Yum Yum, are preparing to settle down into a life of purrfect luxury. That is, until the son of a rich banker and his wife are found murdered. To the police, it looks like a robbery gone awry. But then Koko develops an odd appetite for glue. Qwilleran doesn't spot the clue until his beloved Siamese's taste for paste tangles them in a web of love, danger, and their stickiest case yet!

Jim Qwilleran packs up his old kit bag and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, for a sun-and-fun summer at his log cabin in Moose County. Their vacation starts out ominously with the disappearance of a handyman hired to patch up Qwilleran's cabin. But the felines really start throwing...  more

Jim Qwilleran packs up his old kit bag and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, for a sun-and-fun summer at his log cabin in Moose County. Their vacation starts out ominously with the disappearance of a handyman hired to patch up Qwilleran's cabin. But the felines really start throwing catfits when they come across a dead body or two...A serial killer may be right under Koko's nose, and now this ingenious Siamese must dig deeper to clear poor Qwilleran of suspicion -- and dig up the motive for a catastrophic crime.

The colorful Casablanca apartment building is in danger of demolition-but not if Jim Qwilleran can help it. He's determined to restore the building to it original grandeur. So he moves in with Koko and Yum Yum-and discovers that the Casablanca is steeped in history...and mystery. In...  more

The colorful Casablanca apartment building is in danger of demolition-but not if Jim Qwilleran can help it. He's determined to restore the building to it original grandeur. So he moves in with Koko and Yum Yum-and discovers that the Casablanca is steeped in history...and mystery. In Qwill's very apartment, a glamorous art dealer met an untimely fate and the veteran journalist and his crime-solving cats are about to reach new heights in detection as the evidence builds up...and the Casablanca threatens to crumble down around them! Qwilleran -a prize winning reporter with a nose for crime. Koko -a siamese cat with extraordinary talents and a flair for mystery. Yum Yum -a lovable Siamese adored by her two male companions. The most unlikely, most unusual, most delightful team in detective fiction!

All the world's a stage -- and now Jim Qwilleran's apple orchard has become the stage for a real-life murder scene. The much-disliked director of the Pickax Theatre Club's Shakespeare production, Hilary VanBrook, is found dead after the closing-night case party..and with the help of...  more

All the world's a stage -- and now Jim Qwilleran's apple orchard has become the stage for a real-life murder scene. The much-disliked director of the Pickax Theatre Club's Shakespeare production, Hilary VanBrook, is found dead after the closing-night case party..and with the help of his super-smart Siamese, Qwill must cast a suspicious eye on all the players-especially the ones pussyfooting around behind the scenes.

Qwill's on top of the world when he rents a house on Big Potato Mountain. The owner, J.J. Hawkinfield, brought real estate development to the once-peaceful Potatoes. But Hawkinfield paid a steep price for his enterprise: He was pushed off a cliff by an angry mountain dweller. Qwillelran,...  more

Qwill's on top of the world when he rents a house on Big Potato Mountain. The owner, J.J. Hawkinfield, brought real estate development to the once-peaceful Potatoes. But Hawkinfield paid a steep price for his enterprise: He was pushed off a cliff by an angry mountain dweller. Qwillelran, however, suspects the man is innocent - and Koko's antics have him convinced something's wrong. He may be making a mountain out of a molehill...but he's determined to find the truth. Even if it means jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire!

Qwill's on his way to Scotland -- and on his way to solving another purr-plexing mystery. But this time Koko's nowhere near the scene of the crime. He and Yum Yum are back in Pickax being coddled by a catsitter...but Koko won't sit still once Qwill's traveling party returns --...  more

Qwill's on his way to Scotland -- and on his way to solving another purr-plexing mystery. But this time Koko's nowhere near the scene of the crime. He and Yum Yum are back in Pickax being coddled by a catsitter...but Koko won't sit still once Qwill's traveling party returns -- minus one member. He's behaving oddly, and Qwill knows what that means: Koko may have been miles away from the murder scene -- but he's just a whisker away from cracking the case!

Newspaperman, philanthropist and sleuth Jim Qwilleran leads a busy life in tiny Pickax City (pop. 3,000), but it is his prescient cats who beguile the reader in this lively mystery, the 16th in the Cat Who. . . series. Qwilleran is renting a huge but empty mansion from Junior Goodwinter, his...  more

Newspaperman, philanthropist and sleuth Jim Qwilleran leads a busy life in tiny Pickax City (pop. 3,000), but it is his prescient cats who beguile the reader in this lively mystery, the 16th in the Cat Who. . . series. Qwilleran is renting a huge but empty mansion from Junior Goodwinter, his managing editor, who inherited the white elephant from his feisty 88-year-old grandmother Euphonia Gage when she went to live in a Florida retirement community. When Euphonia is found dead, apparently a suicide, Junior is perplexed. He is still more confounded when her new will suggests that Grandma has gambled away her millions at the racetrack. The death of a local man whose wife was Euphonia's housekeeper raises the suspicions of the already skeptical Qwilleran. He sets up a sting operation with a lively Florida retiree, but his two best operatives are his Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. Qwilleran, who can be gloomy, peevish, vain and demanding, is never dull. Other industrious inhabitants of Pickax City (an editor, a waitress, a dog trainer) are comparably unique and have enough sharp edges to avoid being cute.

When Jim Qwilleran's friend Polly goes on holiday he finds himself at a loose end. But not for long -- a visit from Nick Bamba brings news of a hotbed of mystery. Nick and his wife fear for their new venture, the Domino Inn, as a series of fatal accidents is beginning to deter visitors.

Floyd Trevelyan's historic steam locomotive, newly restored, is the newest attraction in Moose County. But the excitement is eclipsed by shock when Trevelyan disappears -- along with millions of investors' dollars. Now, Qwill -- with the help of his cats, Koko and Yum Yum -- is trying to...  more

Floyd Trevelyan's historic steam locomotive, newly restored, is the newest attraction in Moose County. But the excitement is eclipsed by shock when Trevelyan disappears -- along with millions of investors' dollars. Now, Qwill -- with the help of his cats, Koko and Yum Yum -- is trying to make a connection between the missing man and a recent murder at the railroad tavern.

Everything smells in Pickax when a killer invades the Great Food Expo. Luckily, Qwill is on the scene, his mustache twitching with suspicions. In her 18th Cat Who... mystery, best selling author Lilian Jackson Braun sends Qwill and the cats on a trail that will demand all their feline intuition...  more

Everything smells in Pickax when a killer invades the Great Food Expo. Luckily, Qwill is on the scene, his mustache twitching with suspicions. In her 18th Cat Who... mystery, best selling author Lilian Jackson Braun sends Qwill and the cats on a trail that will demand all their feline intuition and mustachioed insight.

When small items disappear throughout the town, the residents are up in arms! Pickax has seldom fallen victim to "big city" crimes, particularly during the holiday season. But after the bridge club's money is stolen, the townspeople decide that there is more to this mystery. The...  more

When small items disappear throughout the town, the residents are up in arms! Pickax has seldom fallen victim to "big city" crimes, particularly during the holiday season. But after the bridge club's money is stolen, the townspeople decide that there is more to this mystery. The rash of petty thievery started when banker Willard Carmichael and his much younger (and flashier) wife, Danielle, moved to Pickax from Down Below. Along with their big-city lifestyle, Willard brought plans to restore the Victorian houses on Gingerbread Alley (fondly known as Pleasant Street). Unfortunately, Willard is murdered in an apparent mugging Down Below. When a local man is accused of the thievery, newspaper columnist Jim Qwilleran has serious questions about the recent crimes plaguing Pickax. For one thing, Danielle's cousin Carter Lee seems too eager to pick up where Willard left off in the restoration project. When he begins to romance wealthy widow Lynette Duncan, things really go awry. It's up to Qwill, Koko and Yum Yum to set the town right and bring the guilty party to justice before both the Duncan family fortune and Pickax are destroyed by greed.

The opening of the County Art Center heralds a new crime wave: Missing artwork, breaking and entering, and the increasingly foul language of a green parrot named Jasper suggest that something is wrong in this quiet corner of Maine. Qwilleran himself cries foul when a neighbor, Maude Coggin, dies...  more

The opening of the County Art Center heralds a new crime wave: Missing artwork, breaking and entering, and the increasingly foul language of a green parrot named Jasper suggest that something is wrong in this quiet corner of Maine. Qwilleran himself cries foul when a neighbor, Maude Coggin, dies in an unstoppable fire in her home immediately after selling off the bulk of her valuable farm. Who bought the farm out from under the old woman? Qwilleran and his usual cast of characters, including longtime girlfriend Polly Duncan and his newspaper buddy Arch Riker, determine to find out. At Mrs. Coggin's funeral, Qwilleran turns his sharp eye to the crowd, checking for any missing faces. One noticeable minus is Beverly Forfar, the director of the Art Center, who was only too happy to see "the eyesore across the road" burn to the ground. Is she involved? Was the fire intentional? Or is Ms. Forfar simply more concerned with aesthetics than human life? The answer to his questions about the farm lie within the Art Center, but not as Qwilleran expects to find them.

UFOs in Mooseville? Rumors abound that a missing backpacker has been abducted, and it looks like Jim Qwilleran's sedate summer may be interrupted by an investigation -- with the help of his own little aliens, Koko and Yum Yum. And when the backpacker's body turns up -- and transplanted...  more

UFOs in Mooseville? Rumors abound that a missing backpacker has been abducted, and it looks like Jim Qwilleran's sedate summer may be interrupted by an investigation -- with the help of his own little aliens, Koko and Yum Yum. And when the backpacker's body turns up -- and transplanted Floridian Owen Bowen is found dead soon afterward -- the search for intelligent life turns into a close encounter with a killer...

The residents of Pickax are delighted that the old bombed-out Pickax Hotel is reopening with a whole new look. With new furnishings, a new chef, and even a new name, what could be more thrilling? Everyone is thrown into a topspin when one of the hotel's first guests, a jeweler who has come...  more

The residents of Pickax are delighted that the old bombed-out Pickax Hotel is reopening with a whole new look. With new furnishings, a new chef, and even a new name, what could be more thrilling? Everyone is thrown into a topspin when one of the hotel's first guests, a jeweler who has come to town to buy heirloom jewelry from some of Pickax's oldest families, winds up a victim of murder. Who could have committed such a horrible crime? Could it be the hotel clerk, a recent winner of a gold medal for the caber toss at the Highland Games? Qwilleran and his snooping Siamese are willing to go to any lengths to find the killer and set the town at ease. But first they'll have to contend with a hijacked bookmobile, an attemped bank robbery . . . and a few of the cats' preoccupations. Koko has a newfound fondness for pennies, and Koko and Yum Yum both are obsessed with chewing on gum wrappers--but for entirely different reasons, of course.

When a series of suspicious fires is followed by a blood-chilling murder, Jim Qwilleran begins to investigate-with a little help from his feline friends. October arrives in Moose County on the heels of a long drought, and the citizens of Pickax worry about wildfires. Their fears are...  more

When a series of suspicious fires is followed by a blood-chilling murder, Jim Qwilleran begins to investigate-with a little help from his feline friends. October arrives in Moose County on the heels of a long drought, and the citizens of Pickax worry about wildfires. Their fears are realized in an unexpected manner, with a case of arson-and the shooting of a volunteer fire-watcher as he is reporting the blaze. The crime wave continues as the president of the curling club is pushed to his death down a flight of stairs, and it's up to Qwilleran & Co. to sniff out the rat who is responsible for it all.

Pickax's favorite columnist, James Qwilleran, is enjoying a brief holiday in the nearby town of Black Creek - but his two Siamese, who prefer the spaciousness of their home, beg to differ. The blissful tranquility is soon interrupted by the discovery of a body floating down the creek. And a...  more

Pickax's favorite columnist, James Qwilleran, is enjoying a brief holiday in the nearby town of Black Creek - but his two Siamese, who prefer the spaciousness of their home, beg to differ. The blissful tranquility is soon interrupted by the discovery of a body floating down the creek. And a possible motive for his murder is suggested when several gold nuggets are found in his possession. Might he have been illegally prospecting for gold? If so, it seems he wasn't the only one in search of an easy fortune. And his competitor is far more determined to strike it rich...

Retiring in Pickax, actress Thelma Thackeray has decided to start a film club and organize a fundraiser revue, starring Koko the cat. But Thelma's celebrated arrival takes an unpleasant turn when the strange circumstances of her twin brother's recent death seem suspicious to Jim...  more

Retiring in Pickax, actress Thelma Thackeray has decided to start a film club and organize a fundraiser revue, starring Koko the cat. But Thelma's celebrated arrival takes an unpleasant turn when the strange circumstances of her twin brother's recent death seem suspicious to Jim Qwilleran. Qwill needs a helping paw in this case. But will Koko deign to take time from his stage debut?  

It's almost time for the gala groundbreaking for the Pickax bookstore -- and the town of Brrr is preparing for its bicentennial celebration. All the festivities, however, are spoiled by the discovery of a man's body on James Qwilleran's property. Could it be the work of the killer...  more

It's almost time for the gala groundbreaking for the Pickax bookstore -- and the town of Brrr is preparing for its bicentennial celebration. All the festivities, however, are spoiled by the discovery of a man's body on James Qwilleran's property. Could it be the work of the killer who used the same methods in northern Michigan? To solve the case, Qwill and his feline pals, Koko and Yum Yum, will have to prick up their ears and determine who committed this foul deed.

The good people of Pickax are agog with anticipation: Not only is the new bookstore, The Pirate's Chest, about to open, but the Theatre Club is set to perform Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. The play does not continue past opening night, however, for a member of the...  more

The good people of Pickax are agog with anticipation: Not only is the new bookstore, The Pirate's Chest, about to open, but the Theatre Club is set to perform Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. The play does not continue past opening night, however, for a member of the cast is killed in a car accident . . . or was it an accident? Koko seems to suspect otherwise, and Qwill and his clever cats have their work cut out for them.

Late one night, Jim Qwilleran is disturbed by the shrill ringing of the telephone. His erstwhile landlady, Iris Cobb, now resident manager of the Goodwinter Farm Museum, is distraught. Knowing her frail state of health Qwill is concerned and becomes even more so when a piercing scream severs...  more

Late one night, Jim Qwilleran is disturbed by the shrill ringing of the telephone. His erstwhile landlady, Iris Cobb, now resident manager of the Goodwinter Farm Museum, is distraught. Knowing her frail state of health Qwill is concerned and becomes even more so when a piercing scream severs their connection. Arriving at the museum he finds Iris slumped on the kitchen floor. But what at first looks like a natural demise from heart disease proves to be much more sinister. Once more the detective talents of Koko and Yum Yum, Qwill's sleuthing Siamese companions, are in demand in Pickax City.

The magnificently mustached local columnist Jim Qwilleran (along with his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum) has his hands full with numerous projects associated with the town's 150th birthday. But when an aspiring young architect visiting from California -- the nephew (and only heir) of...  more

The magnificently mustached local columnist Jim Qwilleran (along with his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum) has his hands full with numerous projects associated with the town's 150th birthday. But when an aspiring young architect visiting from California -- the nephew (and only heir) of the deceased socialites Nathan and Doris Ledfield -- asks to sketch his renowned home (a renovated apple barn), Qwill happily obliges. When the young man stops by, however, Koko inexplicably assaults the visitor by dropping onto him from an upper balcony. Quill realizes that his extraordinarily perceptive Siamese knows that something unseemly involving the architect is in the works -- but what?

Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere, is in an uproar (good and bad) following vast inheritances from wealthy old families. Only "Cool Koko" knows what's happening... and he's not telling. Jim Qwilleran thinks it's because he has more whiskers than ordinary cats, but...  more

Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere, is in an uproar (good and bad) following vast inheritances from wealthy old families. Only "Cool Koko" knows what's happening... and he's not telling. Jim Qwilleran thinks it's because he has more whiskers than ordinary cats, but who's counting? Meanwhile ... Koko meets a piano tuner....  Polly goes to Paris.... Qwill writes a play (an absurdist play titled The Cat Who Got Elected Dog Catcher)...  And there's a mysterious death from a bee sting.