The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern (Hardcover)

In this tightly written mystery, Qwilleran, with the help of Koko the brilliant Siamese cat, solves the mystery of two murders and the apparent theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in collectible jade. By the end, he also acquires a second cat, the delightful female Siamese Yum Yum.

One of the better of the series and a good rainy day read.

Within a short period of time he is immersed into a new world filled with characters every bit as strange and colorful as the arts crowd he has just left. Life seems to be looking up for Qwill, the writing assignment is going well and one of his new friends asks Qwill and Koko to housesit his apartment while he is away on business. After the new magazine hits the stands problems begin, thefts and bodies begin to pile up. Pointed in the right direction by Koko's hints Qwill solves the mysteries. Along the way both Koko and Qwill acquire new ladies in their lives, Koko has found his Yum-Yum and Qwill begins a romance with 'Cokey' Wright, a designer who shares is taste for modern decor.

This mystery was originally published in 1967 but has worn well. The fans of this series need to be aware that this is not set in Moose County but instead covers Qwill earlier life in the Big City 'down below'. The characters that Qwill meets are, however, every bit as charming and quirky as those in Moose County, and like those in the later books do seem to turn up in subsequent novels. Unlike the later additions to this series the emphasis is more on murder and less on cozy although there is no profanitiy, graphic violence or explicit sex.

The "detective" is newspaper journalist Qwilleran, who has been given the unwelcome task of editing a weekly "magazine" section centered around interior design and showcase homes. Through this, he enters the world of interior designers and some of their wealthy customers. The day after the first issue of the magazine hits the stands, the homeowner whose home was featured is burglarized, losing a very valuable jade collection and a wife. Each attempt to photograph a designer home seems to be equally jinxed, and Qwilleran decides he must solve the first burglary to save the magazine (he has decided he likes his new assignment). With the help of his astonishingly intelligent Siamese cat Ko-Ko, he eventually solves all of the crimes that have taken place in the homes he has showcased in his magazine.

The elapse of thirty plus years since this book was first published have made this book seem perhaps like a little time capsule of life in the late 60s, and there is a certain leisureliness and gentleness about the book. This is not a suspense thriller, and I didn't finding myself caring all that much who did it, but rather enjoyed spending time with Qwilleran, his cats, and his friends.