Review: The Cat Who Talked Turkey

For the past couple of decades Lilian Jackson Braun has been writing great cozies starring the indomitable Siamese cat, Koko, and his painfully proper owner, Mr. James Mackintosh Qwilleran (known affectionately as Mr. Q). I have read them all and loved them all, that is until The Cat Who Talked Turkey. This particular book left me with the distinct impression that something was missing - so much so that I flipped through the pages to see if perhaps some were indeed missing. The copy I reviewed was an uncorrected proof, 181 pages in length. By comparison, 'The Cat Who Tailed a Thief and The Cat Who Robbed a Bank were.263 and 292 pages, respectively.

I have never before read a book by LJB that seemed so disjointed. A notation at the beginning of the book states, "Portions of chapters 2, 4 and 6 previously appeared in Short and Tall Tales and The Private Life of a Cat." A couple of different stories strung together to become a new novel might explain why the plot of The Cat Who Talked Turkey lacks cohesion.

Usually, LJB's titles tie together very well with her plots. In this instance, however, I found the turkey connection to be tenuous at best. In addition, Mr. Q seems not at all himself. It was extremely difficult for me to believe that a dead body on his very own property could spark so little interest in him, especially considering Koko noted the exact time of death.

But the thing that bothered me the most was that the Mr. Q I have come to know and love is the epitome of good manners. He would *never* meddle in his neighbor's lives to the point of telling someone to disinherit a family member. How ungentlemanly and unbelievable! I was actually shocked and appalled by his behavior. And as if that weren't enough to baffle me, no reasonable explanation for the murders is even offered. This book left me with more questions than answers, I'm afraid.

Will The Cat Who Talked Turkey put me off any future novels by Lilian Jackson Braun? Absolutely not. I love her prose - it flows deliciously and I savor every word. Besides, I fully expect her to redeem Mr. Q in her subsequent novel.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol - SLC - RAM

Book Review: The Cat Who Talked Turkey