| Title | : | The Cat Who Turned On and Off (Cat Who..., #3) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0747233241 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780747233244 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 192 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1968 |
The Cat Who Turned On and Off (Cat Who..., #3) Reviews
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Review
3+ of 5 stars to
Lilian Jackson Braun's
The Cat Who Turned On and Off, the third book in her "Cat Who" cozy mystery series. In this adventure, Qwill and the cats take on the investigation of Junktown, an antiquing area of his hometown city. And as you'd expect, someone meets their maker. Qwill begins to come out of his shell in this book, making new friends and introducing us to some who will eventually follow him to Moose Country. Iris Cobb is one of my favorite characters and she's in a lot of the early books.
I read this one when I was in a bit of my own antiquing phase, shortly after I bought a house and needed to fill it with a bunch of knick-knacks. Although the book delves into the whole business of antiques, you can bet it's more about the murder in this one. And can you guess what it is the cats are turning on and off about? Only way to find out is to read it.
What's good about this book is the relationships that Qwill develops with people around him, beginning to show us what his friendship with Arch Riker has been like in the past. Also, this was the last book in the series to be published in the 1960s... the author took a ~20 year absence and then wrote another 25 starting in the 1980s.
I always wondered what was it about this book that made her stop... poor sales? wrong time period? All in all, it's a good book, and it actually sets the stage for some future connections to re-appear in his life.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at
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So this episode sees Jim assigned to write a piece on Junktown where all the antique dealers are based. Now temporarily homeless and with yum yum in tow as well as Koko, Jim eventually finds a place to rent in Junktown.
Needless to say he and the cats soon get embroiled in another murder investigation just before Christmas 🎄
This involves horse brasses, chandeliers, roll top desks, abandoned cinemas, a whole raft of interest but suspicious people and of course Jim’s bristling moustache.
Once again it’s Koko (and Yum Yum) helpfully adding their catly insight to solve the murders.
Another great cozy (cat) mystery. You would think it would be getting a little formulaic, but each mystery has been so different and well written, it hasn’t at all.
A strong 4 cozy stars ⭐️ from me. -
I've run across these cat books over and over through the years and always thought something like How lame. Cat mysteries. I adore cats, just not cat detectives, or cats in books that aren't for children. But Lilian Braun's cats are charming, with personalities, and are not the main characters, really, and don't show up on every page. And they don't talk! Important!
This book reminded me of an Agatha Christie--high praise from me--where you suspect and dislike almost every character at some point or other. I'd give this a tentative five stars, I think, except the ending came all in a rush and disappointed me quite badly. I mean, if you use up all your alloted word count before the last chapter, cut down on some other chapter, not the all-important reveal at the end. Please.
But I'm not going to look down my nose at cat books any more. At least not Lilian Braun's. -
People who passed on these books because they look too cute for good mysteries, must try them. Elements of an excellent novel are numerous: techniques, the story’s quality, connectivity. I swept aside the funny titles and made one attribute my gauge: enjoyment. This is the third Lilian Jackson Braun novel that held my interest from stem to stern and that says something! It isn’t about attaining ‘classic’ status. Academy Award films are seldom anything I watch; why hesitate to rate mainstream literature higher? If you’re enthralled and pages fly, it’s a five-star book!
Another disparity argues heedlessness of chronology. Other than those who don’t absorb details, I couldn’t disagree more. I glean a lot from introducing myself in steps and with these volumes, it’s a must. Jim’s second Siamese is introduced in the former novel. This is our first view of them as a family. They moved house in every book and previous novels explain those circumstances. He occasionally contacts characters he knew. We understand how a non-cat person developed an essential bond with his brood.
“The Cat Who Turned On And Off” presents the most fascinating setting: a way of life, rather than denizens of a trade. Junk Town is ignored by officials but revered by antiquing aficionados. Shop after shop proclaims a specialty. Jim’s modern apartment was borrowed, so he rents a room atop a heritage mansion. Membership in his environment allows him to investigate two deaths more easily. This is a pivotal marker in the series’ life. Lilian initially concluded here in 1968, feeling that harsh crime owned the market. Whatever drove her to revitalize her characters in 1986, thank you. Jim’s job has appeal and so do his feline family dynamics. The sequel eighteen years in coming, strikes up flawlessly as if there were no break. -
I think if I read this one first, I probably wouldn't have wanted to read any others in the series. This time, Qwill's beat was: antiques. In his quest to win a much-needed monetary prize for writing, he decides on a series of articles about Junktown, a decrepit area of the city famous for it's moldering buildings and many antique stores with silly names. I loved the way characters were constantly questioning how people who own these shops can possibly make a living - I ask myself this every single time I enter one. There were a few other amusing scenes, but overall there were too many characters and none of them were very memorable; coupled with a less-than compelling mystery this one fell flat for me.
A few tidbits about Qwill's life were revealed. It's confirmed that he was once a well known and much-lauded crime writer in New York city; that alcoholism played a role in his fall from grace, and that his ex-wife lives in Connecticut and he still sends her money. Also, as I predicted, his girlfriend Cokey from the previous book wasn't in it for the long haul, but the breakup was barely mentioned and apparently untraumatic to both parties. (Qwill quickly moves on to another much-too-young-for-him woman; not my favorite part of his character at this point, but men will be men.) So I guess they can't all be home runs, and I'm optimistic about the next adventure with Qwill, Koko and Yum Yum.
Originally published: 1968
Body Count: 3
Preceded by: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
Next Up: The Cat Who Saw Red -
Cute book. This is my first Cat Who book, though it is the third in the series. Didn't have the first one on hand, so went with the closest to the first that I had.
This book was originally published in 1968. My edition is from 1986. It's slightly dated, the MC wears a pork pie hat and he uses a typewriter, but I didn't really notice much that stood out as being antiquated.
The cats were definitely true to life, which I appreciated. I don't know Siamese cats, but I know cats and they were true to form.
The mystery was layered and deep enough that the answers didn't jump out at me immediately.
I think the MC is older, maybe in his 40s, it wasn't quite clear. His hair is starting to grey and he is divorced and trying to piece his life together after that, financial ruin and alcoholism. Yet ALL of the young, beautiful women are MAD for him. The nympho, goes without saying I guess, and the 30 year old who just lost her lover to murder.
I don't think women were portrayed overly well. Mostly physical descriptors, not really focusing on their abilities beyond culinary. Not horrifically sexist, but not great.
The author has a great turn of phrase.
"In December the weather declared war."
That sentence says it all, doesn't it? The following descriptions are great, but I won't quote the entire book to you.
Not a bad book, I liked it enough to read it through and will probably read more in the series. 3.5 stars, rounded to four because it wasn't a four. It was missing something to push it to four for me. I would recommend this as a cute cozy series if you like cats. -
Book three in Braun’s popular “The Cat Who…” cozy mystery series, starring journalist Jim Qwilleran (known simply at Qwill), and his two Siamese: Koko and Yum Yum.
This time Qwill’s been assigned to write a Christmas feature story on Junktown, a formerly (still?) blighted area of town full of shops specializing in all manner of antiques and collectibles. Since he’s also in the market for a new apartment, he’s happy to find a truly affordable place in a remodeled and repurposed mansion, above the antique shop run by the owners. And, of course, he’s curious about a padlocked shop – one resident says the owner was murdered, but almost everyone else say it was a tragic accident. Qwill can’t help but investigate.
I really like this cozy series. As a journalist for the local newspaper, Qwill has every reason to search out the story. His cats seem rather prescient as well. No, they don’t talk to Qwill, other than to voice their demands for food, of course. But Koko, in particular, has a knack for pointing out interesting tidbits – a red feather here, or a secret panel behind the bookcase there – that help Qwill’s investigation.
There isn’t a lot of graphic violence, and Qwill is a gentleman when it comes to romantic interludes (i.e., he never tells). -
I was skeptical of this book at first. Wasn’t sure if I’d like a book where the cat “helps” solve the mystery. It was nothing like I thought it would be, I actually really enjoyed it. Yes the cat helps but it’s very minimal and not unbelievable. The main character, Jim Quilleran, a reporter/ investigator is very much like an American version of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot. He’s very proper and fussy but also flawed. I enjoyed the other characters in this book as well as the story itself. It was a fun easy read and I will read more of these books.
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**This book is signed and has Koko's paw print**
3.5 Stars
I love these cozy mysteries. Today was a perfect day to finish the bumblings and insights of old Qwill and his intelligent, but finicky cat Koko.
Story takes place in Junktown, when an antiques dealer has an accident that is not so accidental. With a lot of legwork and a mustache that won't quit; Qwill saves the day again. ...or is that Koko?? -
The third Cat Who series introduces Iris Cobb and the story is still great 45 years later! Can you imagine a taxi ride for two people for $1. Braun introduces new characters and blends in the already familiar ones. A pleasant read.
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серія про кота, який..., не те щоб може похвалитися дуже заплутаними детективними сюжетами, але їй і не обов'язково. по-перше, тут є коти (сіами; від другої частини – дві штуки), які сплять, їдять, співають і у вільний час скеровують головного героя на правильний шлях у розкритті злочинів, що, з одного боку, трохи бог-із-машини, але з іншого – таки чарівно. по-друге, ліліан джексон браун у кожній книжці будує нові декорації: її героєві, колись кримінальному репортерові, на новій роботі весь час призначають дивні завдання – у першій частині він писав про митців, у другій про дизайнерів інтер'єрів, у цій-от про антикварів (і скрізь кояться вбивства, хе-хе). і тут – по-третє: вкрай симпатична деконструкція традицій��ого образу крутого нуарного детектива з непростим минулим.
затишне, як теплий пледик. -
When Qwilleran ends up on the seedy side of town, weird things start happening. Two people have mysterious "accidents" resulting in two potential murders. His feline companion Koko gets involved and Qwilleran eventually solves the mystery. It's hard to give a synopsis of the book without giving away the plot. If you are a fan of Qwill or this series in general, give this book a shot. An easy one day read for me and very rewarding if you're looking for a cozy mystery to read.
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The third book in the Koko/Qwilleran series, 'The Cat who Turned On and Off', is my favorite of the three I've read!
The Qwilleran household now has three residents! Yum Yum, a chocolate Siamese cat (the same as Koko except she's a female kitty) has been added. She had become unwanted in the Tait household when her mistress died in the previous book, so she was adopted by Jim Qwilleran. The outcome of the previous adventures resulted in the trio in need of a new roof once again. It isn't easy to find a new home! It's also Christmas, so it's good the cats keep Qwilleran in happy spirits despite his nagging ex-mother-in-law, writing again for more money to keep Jim's ex-wife in her treatment program.
When he receives a memo from the Daily Fluxion's managing editor reminding staffers of the $3,000 in cash prizes for the winners of the annual writing competition, Qwilleran comes up with a great idea for winning the contest. His new home is a room in the Cobb Mansion, situated in 'Junktown', a district of rundown townhouses formerly owned by the elite of the city. It is now where many antique shops reside and compete for customers. When he proposes to the feature editor, Arch Riker, his idea to profile the antique store owners and their customers Riker loves the idea, especially since his wife Rosie is a 'junker'.
It isn't long before Qwilleran learns the Junktown community is in mourning over a shocking death of one of their own. Andrew Glanz fell off of a ladder, and ended up speared on a finial. No one suspects murder - at first. But as Qwilleran becomes friendly with the other shop owners he begins to pick up disquieting stories of past and current quarrels, ghosts, jinxes and illegal scrounging for abandoned goods in old houses set for demolition. Besides making new friends, and thankfully, finding a great apartment to rent, he decides to find out if Glanz's death was an accident or a murder.
Fortunately, Koko is there to put him on the right track when Qwilleran frequently gets it wrong!
Koko always knows best, even if all he can say is "Yow!' -
I have been reading this series for years and it was one of the set of books that my mom and I read at the same time. When one of us would finish a book then we would trade off and then discuss them. I love these books for light, fluffy reads.
This book in particular is the third in the Cat Who series. I loved going back to the beginning of the series and seeing Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum in their more humble origins. I also learned where Qwilleran met Mrs. Cobb who plays a large role later on in the series.
From a style stand point the fact that the book is well written allows it to stand on its own without the reader missing too many of the finer points of the story. Braun proves that she is a cat person by presenting the human characters as backdrops for the feline characters. Koko and Yum Yum are definately the main characters and the best parts of the series. -
If it was a man, which way did he go?
Oh, it snowed and it blowed...it blew and it snew. -
The Cat Who.... has been such an enjoyable series so far. I recognize that I've only read the 1st 4 books but they have been getting better and better.
The Cat Who Turned On And Off by
Lilian Jackson Braun is the 3rd book in the series so, yes, I read the 4th out of place. Sue me! 😎
Fearless feature writer for the Daily Fluxion, Jim Qwilleran, has been forced to live with his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum, in a local hotel. Their antics are causing complaints from the other residents. Qwill, an ex crime reporter for a big newspaper, is given the opportunity to write a Xmas feature. He finds himself in Junktown, not drug's 'Junk', but antiquing Junktown and his editor tells him to writer a heart-warming feature about the antique dealers who reside there.
Against his better nature, Qwill begins to conduct research and 'luckily' for him, finds an apartment to rent at the home of one of the antique dealers, CC and his wife Iris Cobb. Of course the house is haunted. Qwill discovers that recently one of the locals was found dead in his antique shop. The police say it was an accident, but Qwill's magic moustache twitches and he thinks it might have been a murder.
His boss doesn't want Qwill to investigate, he wants a happy Xmas story. So combining the two, Qwill writes a series of articles about the interesting, quirky dealers and also tries to find out what happened to Andy; liked by some, disliked by others.
It's a fun, easy, comfortable read. Koko and Yum Yum provide fun and games and Koko continues to discover clues. The people are interesting, especially Iris and another dealer, Mary Ducksworth, for whom Qwill has developed a bit of a crush. The story flows nicely, it's difficult to put down and ultimately, the ending is satisfactory and pleasing. Most enjoyable. Now on to #5 (4.0 stars) -
Only the third book from this series that I've read, but definitely the best one yet. The author clearly feels better in the world of antiques than she does in the world of interior decorators. The cats played a bigger role in this one and there were couple of really nice characters here. Qwilleran received some nice dose of development and the mystery really gripped me, even though the solution was a bit too abrupt for my liking.
All in all, very enjoyable. -
3.5
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It's been over 30 years since I first read these books, and they are still just as enjoyable the second time around!
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I've read now this book two times, and found things the second time I didn't catch the first. It's been a long time since reading the first time. Qwill, Yum-yum and KoKo move to Junktown with this is one of the first books in Braun's series. This is book #3. So he moves to Junktown with his cats, and they visit all the artisans and junk dealers that live there. You become a little attached to the different characters. This is before Qwill inherits his Fortune. He works for the Newspaper and writes articles for it.
I have been reading this series for years and it was one of the set of books that my mom and I read at the same time. When one of us would finish a book then we would trade off and then discuss them. I love these books for light, fluffy furry reads.
This book in particular is the third in the Cat Who series. I loved going back to the beginning of the series and seeing Qwilleran, Koko and Yum Yum in their more humble origins. I also learned where Qwilleran met Mrs. Cobb who plays a large role later on in the series.
From a style stand point the fact that the book is well written allows it to stand on its own without the reader missing too many of the finer points of the story. Braun proves that she is a cat person by presenting the human characters as backdrops for the feline characters. Koko and Yum Yum are definitely the main characters and the best parts of the series. I highly recommend these books. They do stand alone, so you can read them in any order you choose. Fun to go back and read them again. Brings back good memories. RECOMMEND. -
Read 11/29/17 to 11/30/17 - I'd rate this 3 stars this time. This time I was ready for the setting and didn't find it as distasteful as I did last time I read this, although I still wouldn't rate it as one of my favorites from this series. Qwill has now switched his beat to the antiques world, situated in Junktown. As he wondered why people would want to buy such "junk," I had the same questions. These stores seemed to pride themselves in being old and run-down, offering mismatched stuff that just didn't seem appealing. And the characters themselves were just as unattractive, including a grumpy old man, an overly dramatic former actor, a millionaire's daughter in disguise, an overly amorous dealer, and others. In this story, Qwill happens upon this unique neighborhood when he's looking for an interesting story to write for a contest. But when he hears about a previous "accident," he wonders whether or not it's murder. When a 2nd and then a 3rd person get killed, his moustache is really twitching. Koko, as usual, is up to his old antics, pointing Qwill in the right direction with his subtle hints and suggestions.
2/17/12 to 2/24/12 - Although I'm generally a fan of The Cat Who books, this one did not grab my attention. As a rule, I like Braun's characters and the lightness of her books, but this one was set in Junktown, an area filled with antique shops that didn't sound very appealing. The secondary characters were somewhat unattractive, and overall the book left a feeling of dissatisfaction. -
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I like the main character in this series and his hometown characteristics. It's fun to tag along and experience his quirky lifestyle. I don't care for cats, but his don't demand too much attention.
This book was entertaining. -
I do wish I could have read these books in order. This was one of the early ones, before he moved to Pickax and became a billionaire. Once I have all of these in my collection, I will start reading them all over.
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Rereading this entire series. Each is as delightful as I remember.
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Another fun enthralling mystery. I'm really enjoying this series!
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Endlich kam ich wieder einmal dazu einen meiner geliebten Katzenkrimis zu lesen. Lange habe ich sie liegen lassen um andere Bücher vorzulassen, aber so ganz aus meinem Blickfeld habe ich sie nicht verloren.
Diesmal war es für mich ein re-read, denn mit diesem Band wurde ich auf die Reihe aufmerksam. Schön war dabei auch, das ich mich nicht mehr an den Täter erinnern konnte und so das Buch noch einmal als ganzes genießen konnte.
Die Geschichten rund um Jim Qwilleran und seine beiden Katzen Koko und Yum Yum, gehören mittlerweile mit zu meinen Lieblingsreihen, da sie interessante Fälle und noch interessantere Lösungen besitzen.
Die diesmalige Geschichte führt uns nach Junktown wo sich etliche Antiquitätenhändler nieder gelassen haben und dort alles verkaufen was alt ist. Hierbei erfahren wir wie Leute ihr Leben in diesem Viertel meistern, welches der Stadt ein Dorn im Auge ist, da es einfach schon sehr verfallen ist.
Durch eine Versteigerung erfahren wir dann auch vom Unfall eines Händlers, den Jim einfach nicht als Unfall abtun kann. Er fängt an zu ermitteln und kämpft sich dabei durch sämtliche Läden. Allerdings ist es schwer, da niemand so recht reden möchte. Eine verzwickte Lage, die ihn jedoch nur noch mehr anstachelt.
Als Katzenbesitzerin ist es natürlich ein Vergnügen darüber zu lesen, wie sich die Tiere im schlagen und wie sie ihrem Besitzer helfen. Dabei bleibt stets offen ob es Zufälle sind oder ob die beiden Katzen tatsächlich gerissene und clevere Ermittler sind.
Bei gerade einmal 221 Seiten darf man nicht lange fackeln, weshalb man sehr schnell auf den Punkt kommt, um sich auf den restlichen Seiten komplett auf die Lösung zu konzentrieren. Wer jetzt denkt, das man dafür auf Feinheiten verzichten muss, der irrt, denn im Buch erlebt man einen Fall wie auch in anderen Büchern.
Der Schreibstil im Buch, ist locker, gewitzt aber auch mit spannenden Punkten versehen. Ich persönlich, fühle mich sehr wohl in ihnen, da das Komplettpaket einfach stimmt.
Besonders faszinierend finde ich, das man trotz der geringen Seitenzahl etliche Details erlesen darf, die das ganze nur noch runder machen und das Kopfkino wie von selbst anspringt.
Dies ist erst der dritte Band von Jim Qwilleran und seinen Katzen und trotzdem hat man das Gefühl sofort in bekannte Gefilde zu kommen.
Jim ist weiterhin ein sympathischer Charakter und das nicht nur weil er die 2 Katzen aus seinem beiden vorherigen Fällen adoptiert hat. Er ist freundlich und man merkt das ihm seine frühere Arbeit als Polizeireporter sehr fehlt, weshalb er sich in seine Fälle auch so verbeißt.
Die beiden Siamkatzen werden stets wie wirkliche Tiere beschrieben und machen deswegen auch fast nur Sachen die Katzen eben tun. Sie sind neugierig, miauen wenn sie Hunger haben und fliegen als kämpfende Wollknäuel schon einmal durch die Luft.
Diesmal lernen wir viele neue Charaktere kennen, die meist Antiquitätenhändler sind. Sie sind alle verschieden und ob sie sich wirklich alle mögen, bleibt eine offene Frage. Trotzdem sind sie zum Teil sehr spannende Personen, die Sachen verkaufen, mit denen zumindest ich meist nix anfangen konnte. Trotzdem war es schön ihren Zusammenhalt zu spüren wenn es um ihr Viertel geht, das sie über alles lieben und schätzen und das sie vor dem Abbruch bewahren wollen.
Die paar schrulligen Personen im Buch geben der Geschichte ihren wahren Touch, da sie unterhalten, aber auch aufklären.
Tatsächlich habe ich im Regal ein eine andere Ausgabe stehen, als die oben gezeigte. Meine ist aus einer Weltbild-Edition und etwas moderner gestaltet. Da ich aber den Rest der Bücher in dieser Form habe, wie sie oben gezeigt wird, möchte ich auch gerne dabei bleiben.
Natürlich ist das Design nicht mehr das Neuste, aber es passt, da ich weiß welches Alter die Bücher bereits haben.
Die neuste Auflage der Bücher gibt es übrigens bei dotbooks, allerdings nur als E-Books.
Ein spannender Fall, in einem interessanten Milieu und mit vielversprechenden Charakteren. Was will man mehr? -
Segundo libro que leo de la serie de esta autora, y lo he encontrado mejor que el primero, más trabajado.
Son una serie de libros protagonizados por Jim Qwilleran, antiguo reportero de guerra que actualmente se dedica a redactar artículos sobre el mundo del arte, acompañado desde el principio por su peculiar gato siamés Koko y, en este libro, por una nueva adquisición, la gatita Yum Yum.
En esta ocasión, debe escribir sobre las tiendas de antigüedades que se han ido ubicando en un barrio marginal de la ciudad.
Cuando se desplaza allí por primera vez para tomar el pulso al barrio, encuentra un alojamiento adecuado, y aprovecha para instalarse allí ya que está viviendo en un hotel. Eso, además de proporcionarle un apartamento amueblado con muebles antiguos, le ayuda a integrarse en el vecindario y conocer más detalladamente a sus moradores.
Como es habitual, se ve implicado en la investigación de una serie de crímenes.
Tenemos un libro del más puro “cozy mistery”, ese subgénero de la novela negra en que apenas hay violencia, están protagonizados por detectives amateurs y transcurren en ambientes apacibles.
No podemos hablar de grandes protagonistas, pero Jim se hace querer. Un cuarentón, afable, inquisitivo, irónico, sibarita... al que Koko, y en menor medida Yum Yum, le ayudan a esclarecer los crímenes investigados. Me gusta como la autora narra las travesuras de los mininos, a los que también les atribuye una gran inteligencia.
No hay secundarios fijos, excepto el jefe de Jim, que aparece muy poco, pero que le da la contrapartida cómica a la seriedad de la situación.
Hay un gran elenco de personajes, que encarnan a los propietarios de las tiendas del barrio, con sus tensiones entre ellos debidas a la competición profesional; pero también relaciones cordiales al ser vecinos del mismo barrio.
La trama no es intricada ni demasiado elaborada, pero si está lo suficientemente conseguida para que te atraiga la lectura, pese a su previsibilidad.
Recomendable para pasar un buen rato.
