Annotation: Mysteries

The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell

Lillian Jackson Braun

Putnam Adult

208 pages

Synopsis

The town of Pickax is gearing up to observe its sesquicentennial. Local millionaire, ailurophile, and writer Qwilleran (Qwill) supports various events connected with the year-long celebration. Qwill lives in a converted barn with his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, and the trio solve occasional mysteries. As part of the festivities, Harvey Ledfield, a young architect and nephew to the wealthy and childless Nathan and Doris Ledfield, comes with his fiancé to sketch Qwill’s barn. During the sketching, Koko drops on Harvey’s head from above, something the cat has never done before.

Harvey’s fiancé Clarissa calls off their engagement and moves to Pickax seeking work at the local paper. She becomes somewhat close to Qwill and makes several odd remarks about her relationship with Harvey and Harvey’s true intentions in Pickax. In a series of ominous events that cloud the town’s festivities, Harvey’s aunt and uncle become suddenly and mysteriously ill and eventually die. Qwill and his felines work together to get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths.

Mystery Appeal

The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell is the 28^th book in Lillian Jackson Braun’s cozy mystery series. Danger and death are real, though they are never graphically described. This book shares many appeal factors with gentle reads, the small-town setting and lack of graphic language being the greatest examples.

This series appeals to mystery fans in several ways. It is the story of an amateur detective using his resources and connections to investigate murders. There is conflict involving greed, a disgruntled heir, and a disputed fortune. Despite the book’s rather thin plot, it is a whodunit that readers may enjoy figuring out along with the detective.

Read-a-likes

Nancy Atherton’s Aunt Dimity series

This is a cozy mystery series in which an American in England solves mysteries by communicating with the spirit of her mysterious, deceased benefactor. Be it from ghost or cat, if readers like an amateur detective who solves mysteries with unlikely help, they will enjoy this.

Ali Brandon’s Black Cat Bookshop Mysteries

This is a cozy mystery series in which a bookshop owner and her cat solve murders. It is intricately plotted and amusing, like Braun’s Cat Who series. Plus, cats!