The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell (The Cat Who... Series #28)

Not up to her usual standard

Sorry, Ms Braun, but this TCW was not up to your usual standard. I have read most of the earlier books and was very disappointed in this one. It was bitsy, bits of this and bits of that....no thread to it, no consistant theme. Readers were left dangling about one suspected murder--the cousins who went shootong rabbits--and the other 2 murders didn't seem to have much point. Some say the books are being written by a committee. This one certainly reads like that.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

The Cat Who Is Not There

I was disappointed in this book. Most of the plot lines didn't go anywhere. Did she really write this? It didn't seem to fit her formula. If she isn't having fun with it any more, it is time to stop. I have read every one of the books she has written. I hope The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers will be better.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Not as good as previous books

I have read all the "Cat Who..." books and was dissapointed with this. The plot was similar but things dropped and not explained. Too many details not followed through. Not up to the usual standards.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Definitely a disappointing book

I agree with all the prior review about this not be Ms. Braun's best work. I was left with an extremely let-down feeling when I finished it. Jim Q. definitely does not have the same personality as in previous books and has become quite a boring person and not very interested in anything beyond his little part of the world. These books have been going downhill since The Cat Who Brought the House Down. I started reading them because they were engaging and had definite likeable and non-likeable characters. I will have to seriously consider whether I buy any future books unless they go back to the previous style. Even then, so many characters have been killed off for no reason, it may be hard to get back into it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Would Someone Tell Me What Is Going On?

You don't have to include a murder, I just love being with Quill and the cats, but please if you're going to copy LJB or continue her series, please at least study her style!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Cat Who Has Seen Better Days

My sister and I have been reading and re-reading Ms. Braun's wonderful mysteries for years, and find the series so enjoyable and satisfying, that a Cat Who... book is being read by one or both of us every week of the year. Ms. Braun has helped us through some rough patches with her believable and lovable characters - we know some of these people! We both immediately questioned the source of The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell, and have difficulty recognizing Ms. Braun as the author. Though it is certainly far better than I would be able to pen, it is not true to Braun's style. I understand that more beloved characters are dismissed from the series in The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers. Unless we are informed to the contrary, we are not reading that one. Rather, we will continue to re-read the series from the first book, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, through The Cat Who Went Bananas. The couple of dozen-plus books with which Braun has blessed us will still be entertaining us many years from now. We thank her sincerely for sharing her talent, her intelligence and knowledge, and her keen observance of human and animal nature with her fellow lovers of mystery and felines. She has maintained a high standard of decency in a medium in which many compromise their craft, and she has our respect as well as our affection.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Cat Who Disappointed Readers!

This book is part of the 'series' now apparently written by a team of writers who have not even had the courtesy of reading Ms. Braun's much earlier works for reference---the lack of consistency and poor attention to detail insult her and her many fans. The publisher may simply want to keep the franchise around--legions of readers devoted to Koko and YumYum buy many books!--but clearly, it is time for Ms.Braun's name to be retired. Someone said she had given an interview to the Detroit paper last year. Actually it was in 1989. This book and at least four others before it offer no fresh plots, instead putting hurried and bizarre scenarios together into chapters that stumble over one another.Newcomers to the series should read her earliest titles in the series to experience the joys of a fun-filled read. Devoted readers should stop buying the new titles. I know, some reviewers insist Ms. Braun is still writing every word, and if she is, that's proof that she has lost interest in her characters and their adventures. 'The Cat Who Took Retirement' should be the next, and final, installment in what once was pleasurable reading.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Definitely not Braun's best

Normally, I don't agree with the literary critics but this time I do. The Publisher's Weekly review described precisely what I felt after finishing the book. I've read all the 'Cat Who..' books and this one, I'm very sorry to say, is just not up to the author's previous great work. I was very disappointed. It's a fast review of the characters' backgrounds for the first time 'Cat Who..' reader but lacks the energy and creativity of her earlier works. It read like someone trying to meet a deadline and was terribly repetitive throughout as though trying to just fill in space. The thin plotline felt secondary to describing the human & animal players. I fear it wouldn't entice me to read the earlier works if I were new to the series. I'm not sure I look forward to her future 'Cat Who...' books and can only hope this was a fluke and that Ms. Braun's future stories about Qwilleran and the cats will flow once again with the creative pizzaz for which she is known and loved.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

'Bombshell' Bombs

'The Cat Who Dropped A Bombshell' is Braun's biggest disappointment and weakest effort: weak plot, weak characters, and Koko's famous mystery-solving skills are almost nonexistent because there is an almost nonexistent mystery! In fact, the mystery is completely overshadowed by Jim Qwilleran's fitful attempts to find something to write about in his 'Qwill Pen' column. It seemed as though Ms. Braun was attempting to include every character she has ever written about in the past few books, perhaps trying to tie up loose ends, and giving each one only the briefest mention. In past books, Ms. Braun has displayed a wealth of knowledge of gourmet food, literature, architecture, trains, antiques and even goats, but in this book she merely writes about...well...nothing. I felt the writing was unworthy of Ms. Braun's previous efforts, seemingly written for a group of 6 or 7 year olds, not adults who have loved and collected her books for years. The very, very simple writing style (short, declarative sentences and choppy paragraphs) was an insult to her intelligent readers, who are legion. The lack of descriptive detail, which is so relished by her readers, is only slightly relieved in the last chapter, giving the impression that Ms. Braun was rushing to get the book written. I wonder if Ms. Braun should drop a bombshell of her own and put the series to rest?

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Plot Holes, Confused Writing, and an Ending that Confuses

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! I own every "Cat Who" book that Lilian Jackson Braun wrote, but she must have used a tremendously untalented "ghost writer" for this one. Note that Braun was 93 years old at the time of printing. Then there's the confused writing. As with all Braun's books, we do have Pickax characters and introductions of newcomers. However, they come and go. KoKo acts odd, dropping from the balcony onto one of the newcomers. Why? There are a couple of confused hints. Toward the last quarter of the book it gets even more confusing because there are murders and one odd death that are glossed over. Qwuill doesn't even react with a twitching moustouche over the third death and it's someone he knows well! At the end, nothing is really explained. There are implied motives and suspects. However, the book simply ends with the reading and execution of a will. What's the "Bombshell" that KoKo dropped and what was he trying to say? I just believe it's the badly ghost-written book masquerading as a Braun original.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

The bombshell book

I picked this book up because I have enjoyed the other "cat who" books for easy reading. I found that this book did not come up to the usual standards. It couldn't have been too awful, because I finished the book; but I didn't find it nearly as well plotted or as interesting as the others in the series. A disappointment, to say the least.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not as good as previous by same author

I love Braun's characters. Her books are delightful, easy reading. But this one is not as satisfying as her previous books.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Qwilleran, everyone's favorite reporter

Amateur feline sleuths KoKo and YumYum again help reporter Qwilleran solve the mystery. This time, the Town of Pickax is on the verge of its 150th anniversary. Polly, Qwill¿s amore, has moved from Head Librarian to Manager of The Pirates¿ Chest, a bookstore financed largely through the K-Fund which came from Qwill¿s unexpected inheritance.<BR/><BR/>A large part of Braun¿s success is a reader¿s enchantment with Qwill, his two cats and his community. After an architect student sketches the interior of Qwill¿s apple barn home, a murder takes place at a family reunion. Qwill and his Siamese cats put together their senses to find out the who and why. The mystery plays a small part of this novel but it is fun to revisit the world created by Braun.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Loose ends and little substance

I've been a fan of Lilian Jackson Braun's 'Cat Who' series for a long time, and have read all of the earlier books. 'Bombshell' is a disappointment. It's not up to the high standards Ms. Braun set for herself in most of the previous titles. Qwill and supercat Koko have little involvement in crime solving in this one, and two recurring characters are killed off to no real purpose in advancing the plot. Those deaths are mentioned only in passing, and Qwill seems strangely unmoved by them-- nor are there any traditionally grand Moose County funerals for either character. One of the murder plots in this book is so patently obvious that even the less astute Yum Yum could have solved it singlehandedly, and that's hardly what we've come to expect from L.J.B. There are rumors that, because of Ms. Braun's advanced age, she is no longer writing the 'Cat Who' stories, but they are being ghostwritten. With 'Bombshell,' that seems possible. It is almost as if someone took Ms. Braun's outlines for three of four future stories and strung them together, without fully fleshing out the plot (or subplots). It's always fun to visit with the denizens of Moose County, but I'd rather spend time with them in their earlier appearances in print.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

RETURN OF THE FROLICKING FELINES

George Guidall is most definitely at the top of the narrators A-list. He has over 800 unabridged novels to his credit, and an Obie on his mantle. When not lending his storied voice to a narrative, he's often seen on film and television. His delivery of Koko's latest caper charms and entertains. You don't have to be a feline fancier to enjoy the adventures (perhaps more appropriately misadventures) of those two splendid Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum. They never fail to give their owner, writer James Qwilleran (better known as Qwill) cause for concern, consternation, and cheer. With the opening of The Cat Who Dropped A Bombshell' we hear that this should be a time of celebration as the town of Pickax is preparing for its sesquicentennial. However, Koko has other ideas. He's taken to practicing a minor form of sky diving - sailing himself off from balconies and landing in most inappropriate places. When a visitor comes to Pickax Koko is one of the first to greet him. As if this welcome weren't enough the visitor's family are all suddenly taken ill, and it's up to Qwill to get to the bottom of these cat-astrophes. - Gail Cooke

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Missed the Mark

I found this edition of a long line of excellent story lines lacking creativity. The usual inclusion of funeral details were missing. Qwil has turned into an instant money bag that solves every problem with the K Fund. Mrs Jackson has in the past killed charming characters, but the deaths outside the main plot meant nothing. I'm disappointed in what has been a most enjoyable series of stories.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Truely the LAST of a Great series!

Before I continue- I know that there was one more book that was published in the series, but as it did away with so much of what we all loved in the series I choose to end the series with this one. Many say that it is not as good as others in the series but I take it as a whole and the enjoyment I get from it is why I give it such a good score. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Braun on several occasions and I am looking forward to the Diary Of Jim Qwilleran that she said she was writing concurrently with all the books and that it would cover things that happened before "The Cat Who Read Backwards" as well covering his marriage and divorce. What a wonderful series!

Lilian J.- RIP with our love

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good book

Love this book

A Bombshell of a Qwill, Koko and Yum Yum Caper!!!

The Cat Who Dropped A Bombshell #28 by Lilian Jackson Braun

This latest offering of Qwill, Koko and Yum Yum and all their friends of Pickax are back in another charming tale. The residents are eagerly awaiting Pickax Now, a festival with parades and exhibits celebrating 150 years. Qwill brings archtect Harvey Ledfield into his home to sketch his huge apple barn and when strange things start happening with Harvey around, especially when Koko lands on top of Harvey's head, which Koko had never done before. Harvey's aunt and uncle have not been seen since Harvey's arrival. A woman from California, apparantly in Pickax to bid on a kitty at the kitty auction, leaves a mysterious note for Qwill before leaving. A sudden hurricane causes Qwill and the cats to move back to The Village to weather the storm and Koko sends out her ever-ready YOWL, which means a murder is or is about to occur nearby or not so nearby. This volume has a postscript at the end of the story, not to be missed. I highly recommend this volume, it is a charmer. I enjoy Qwill's limericks and the stories about the townsfolk and the mouth-watering food mentioned in each volume. I highly recommend the two Cat Who Cookbooks to go along with all the books.

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: December 2006
ISBN-13: 9780143059301
191pp
Series: Cat Who... Series, #28
Edition Description: Unabridged
Other Formats:
Hardcover - Large Print - Large Print
Mass Market Paperback - Reprint
Audio - Unabridged
Audiobook MP3 - Unabridged

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Hi

Sweet book!

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.