Product Description

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...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #420114 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

About the Author
Lilian Jackson Braun began writing her Cat Who... detective series when one of her own Siamese cats mysteriously fell to its death from her apartment block. She and her husband, Earl, live in the mountains of North Carolina.

Customer Reviews

An unexpected gold nugget!
With its unpreposessing cover and rather long title, this isn't a book I would have been immediately drawn to. However, a friend had recommended the series, and this, the latest in paperback, was the first one I came across. Immediately, I was hooked! To call this a "gentle" whodunnit would be too patronising - just because the setting is backwoods America doesn't meen that the tale, characters and writing are simple-minded! There's a complex plot with plenty of clues, and the characters are well-drawn and involving. Even if you've not read the earlier books, you can soon get involved in Quilleran's world. I've started reading the earlier books too - and can't wait for the next installment.

Qwill, Ko-Ko and Yum Yum crack a nutty case
Ex crime reporter Qwill receives an SOS from his friend Lori Bamba into some odd goings on at The Nutcracker Inn which she and her husband are managing and as Qwill's lady is going on holiday he takes the cats to visit the Inn. The cats are intrigued by a locked door into the turret room and demand that it be opened, this is done and an old mystery is solved. Ko-Ko makes his presence felt by his yowling and so the trio move into one of the cabins by the creek of the title which runs through the Black Forest, the Forest is very old and mysterious and contains some valuable black walnut trees (amongst other things). Ko-Ko's sixty whiskers tell him that a log floating downstream is, in fact, a body and he draws Qwill's attention to it, he is also very interested in a pair of shoes found in their cabin and Qwill calls upon his fund of knowledge to discover their secret. Qwill meets his neighbours in the cabins and Ko-Ko helps to drive out an unpleasant one. One of the neighbours is a keen photographer and insists, against his wife's wishes, on exploring the Forest and subsequently goes missing. This leads to his wife's collapse and the intervention of the local law. Qwill learns more about the trees and the history of the Inn from the Klingenschoen foundation's attorney and other sources. After encountering a large truck in the Forest where no truck should be and another disappearance Ko-Ko leads Qwill to the solution of all the mysteries. Qwill has enjoyed the cuisine at the Inn but is glad to be re-united with Polly and to return to his barn. Being an ardent Siamese cat lover I fell in love with the first 'Cat Who' books and have followed them ever since, this, perhaps, is not the very best of the stories but nevertheless is a good read. I eagerly await the next.

Ko-Ko leads Qwill to see the wood for the trees
When Qwill receives an S.O.S. from Lori Bamba at the Nutcracker Inn and as Polly is away he responds by taking super sleuth Ko-Ko and his assistant Yum Yum to stay at the Inn. After finding the secret of the locked Turret room Qwill has to move out to one of the cabins by the Creek of the title because Ko-Ko has caused a lot of aggro to the other residents of the Inn,(is this by design? as Ko-Ko shows Qwill a body floating in the creek). The previous tenant of the cabin has mysteriously disappeared leaving behind some of his belongings. Ko-Ko is very interested in a pair of his shoes and Qwill calls upon previous experience to find out their secret. Qwill makes the acquaintance of some of the tenants of the other cabins and is led to explore the mysterious Black Forest when another tenant disappears just after Qwill has encountered a truck where no truck should be. The Klingenschoen foundation is asked for information and Ko-Ko transfers his thoughts about the matter to his human. Qwill finally ties the threads together and comes up with a solution after coming across more interesting information about the Limburgers and Klingenschoens. Ms Braun weaves her usual spell around Qwill et al, again supplying wonderful food descriptions along the way, she has always been my favourite cat authoress and this book adds to my pleasure in her writing. A good read!