Rating: 
Summary: Fabulous writing with some frustrating loose ends
Review: I love this entire series and am in the process of rereading it. Most fans of the series would probably agree that one of LJB's biggest strengths is her ability to create and "flesh out" a variety of interesting characters and that ability takes center stage in this book like none other in the series, in my opinion. For that reason alone, it is a good read, and I like the continuity of returning to the setting of a previous book in the series - I think that's handled very well.The only reason I rate this book as 4 instead of 5 stars has to do with what I find to be a rather sloppy ending. I don't expect a happy ending - that is, the Casablanca didn't HAVE to be saved in order for this to be a good book - but there was just something about Qwill fleeing the scene under the circumstances he did with so much left unclear that was very dissatisfying to me.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous writing with some frustrating loose ends
Review: I love this entire series and am in the process of rereading it. Most fans of the series would probably agree that one of LJB's biggest strengths is her ability to create and "flesh out" a variety of interesting characters and that ability takes center stage in this book like none other in the series, in my opinion. For that reason alone, it is a good read, and I like the continuity of returning to the setting of a previous book in the series - I think that's handled very well. The only reason I rate this book as 4 instead of 5 stars has to do with what I find to be a rather sloppy ending. I don't expect a happy ending - that is, the Casablanca didn't HAVE to be saved in order for this to be a good book - but there was just something about Qwill fleeing the scene under the circumstances he did with so much left unclear that was very dissatisfying to me.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous writing with some frustrating loose ends
Review: I love this entire series and am in the process of rereading it. Most fans of the series would probably agree that one of LJB's biggest strengths is her ability to create and "flesh out" a variety of interesting characters and that ability takes center stage in this book like none other in the series, in my opinion. For that reason alone, it is a good read, and I like the continuity of returning to the setting of a previous book in the series - I think that's handled very well. The only reason I rate this book as 4 instead of 5 stars has to do with what I find to be a rather sloppy ending. I don't expect a happy ending - that is, the Casablanca didn't HAVE to be saved in order for this to be a good book - but there was just something about Qwill fleeing the scene under the circumstances he did with so much left unclear that was very dissatisfying to me.
Rating: 
Summary: not her best
Review: i really do enjoy L. J. Braun's series, but this one was not her bast work. i thought she left a bunch of loose ends, from the casablanca hotel, the bracelet with scrabble numbers, and Qwilleran's stolen car. She seemed to be in a rush, and i didn't think Koko was his complete uncanny self.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite in 'The Cat Who' series
Review: Millionaire Jim Qwilleran and his two traveling companions, Koko and Yum Yum, go Down Below for a stay at the Casablanca. The Casablanca is an apartment building (that resembles a refridgerator) containing a cast of oddities, eccentrics and weirdos. A mystery of murder, mushrooms and a mustache lead to a wild turn of events and an end that starts at the beginning.
Rating:
Summary: Great Series
Review: Overall, this is a great series, though this one was a bit slower than the others. I still like it, just not as much. I prefer the books set in Pickax with the regular characters... I think Qwill is funnier and more engaging there. Don't get me wrong, this is certainly worth reading! Lilian Jackson Braun weaves great mysteries and I am almost always in the dark right up to the end!
Rating:
Summary: Great Series
Review: Overall, this is a great series, though this one was a bit slower than the others. I still like it, just not as much. I prefer the books set in Pickax with the regular characters... I think Qwill is funnier and more engaging there. Don't get me wrong, this is certainly worth reading! Lilian Jackson Braun weaves great mysteries and I am almost always in the dark right up to the end!
Rating: 
Summary: purrrfectly boring
Review: Tedious, cutesy, and utterly uninteresting. Lots of eccentric characters and cats and descriptions of food, but other than those attractions, where's the appeal? I wanted to read one of these books to see why they're always on the bestseller lists, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. Oh, and I do happen to like cats, by the way.
Rating:
Summary: Great start but poor finish
Review: The story begins with Moose County's reaction to the death of Jim Qwilleran, heir to the vast Klingenschoen fortune, beloved columnist in the Moose County Something, companion to Koko and Yum Yum and the hero of this series of books. The action then flashes back to the events that led Qwill and the cats to the 'Big City Down Below'. We learn that he had been contacted by a voice from the past, Amberine, one of the Weird Sisters, who was urged by their mutual friend, Mary Duckworth (both featured in The Cat Who Turned On and Off) to ask him to buy and restore the historic Art Deco era Casablanca apartment building. Qwill is both intrigued by the prospect of returning to city life, at least for a time,and eager to escape another long Moose County winter. After arriving in the city and establishing himself at the Casblanca Qwill begins to catch up with old friends, visit old neighborhoods and delve into the issues surrounding the Casablanca. Of course once Qwill and the cats are on the scene the suicide and murder scandal that had rocked the community a few weeks before is discovered to be even more scandalous than previously thought. In the end Qwill and the cats unravel the plot. This is one of my least favorite books in the series. The beginning is riveting, the opening scenes of the warnings Qwill receives from his Moose County friends and his re-introduction to city life are all very well done. It is also great for fans of the series to travel back to Junktown and see how it and some of its residents have changed since we last saw them (The Cat Who Turned On and Off and The Cat Who Saw Red). Many of the characters we meet at the Casablanca are also interesting and cause us to hope we will see more of them but about half way through it is as if the author has begun to lose interest in the story. Details are glossed over, things move much quicker until the last couple of chapters seem to be little more than glorified outlines. This book does not have an ending so much as it just ends. If you are a fan of the series of course you'll want to read this for the news of old friends if nothing else. If you are new to the series do NOT start with this one and if you are just looking for a good mystery, cozy or otherwise, keep looking because this isn't it.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable as always
Review: This book was enjoyable as books in this series always are. This one was another where Qwill leaves behind Pickax and his usual cast of supporting characters. On this occasion he wants to avoid another freezing Pickax winter. This gives the author the opportunity to show how unhappy Qwill now becomes outside his Moose County environment and away from Polly Duncan. The most interesting books of this series are the ones set outside Pickax as this gives Qwill and the cats the chance to relate to new characters and situations. This is a book in the cosy genre; the plotting is not its strength and I don't think ever was meant to be. Like other books in this series, it was a wonderfully warm and engaging read.
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