The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
First edition, 1967
|
|
| Author | Lilian Jackson Braun |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Cat Who series |
| Genre | Mystery novel |
| Publisher | E. P. Dutton |
|
Publication date
|
June 1967 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | |
| Preceded by | The Cat Who Could Read Backwards |
| Followed by | The Cat Who Turned On and Off |
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern is the second novel in Lilian Jackson Braun's The Cat Who... series, published in 1967. This book introduces Yum Yum, who will become a permanent character in the series.
Qwilleran, a reporter for the Daily Fluxion, and Koko, his Siamese cat with strange talents, are settling into Qwill's newest assignment—a magazine specializing in interior decorating. His first assignment leads him to David Lyke and his partner, Starkweather. David introduces him to George Tait and his Swiss wife, who had paid him to decorate their home in Muggy Swamp, an ultra rich neighborhood. George Tait is a collector of jade and he enthusiastically allows Odd Bunsen, a photographer, to take pictures of them. A day after the article comes out, the Tait mansion is robbed and Mrs. Tait is dead of a heart attack.
On the other hand, Qwill meets David's clientele and his decorator friends, including rich banker Harry Noyton and his ex-wife, Natalie. He is traveling to Europe so he offers to rent out his apartment to Qwill. He moves into his expensive apartment, but Koko starts eating fabric off the expensive furniture. Also, he bites Alacoque Wright, the new lady in Qwill's life. He also finds that Harry Noyton knew Mrs. Tait and that he is in Denmark.
He suspected sabotage by the Morning Rampage when a house he covers for his second assignment gets raided. For his third article, he published David Lyke's apartment but he is found dead by Koko and Odd Bunsen. He suspected the Japanese chef since David Lyke had Japan's national treasures.
He finally meet David's ex-friend and rival, John Baker, who tells him that David was an orphan who was a self made interior decorator. However, he also charmed the ladies and talked bad about his friends. When Qwill finally reads the Tait file and looks closely at a picture Koko licks, the pieces fall into place.
When Qwill arrives at Tait's, to pick up Yum Yum, an orphan Siamese, he finds the jades in a secret compartment of a shelf. George Tait is not happy and tries to smash in his skull. Koko trips him and saves Q's life.
A 6' 2" journalist with a sexy mustache, who was a former crime investigator and is now in charge of Gracious Abodes, a magazine about interior decoration.
A very intelligent Siamese cat who owns Qwill and has a nose for crime investigation. He starts eating fabric off the furniture because of loneliness.
A dainty, aloof Siamese cat who becomes Koko's companion after Qwill adopts her. She is very spoiled by Mrs. Tait. But George Tait kicks her out of the house after her death.
An enthusiast of white jade, who lives in Muddy Swamp. He had made a lot of bad business decisions and had ended up almost bankrupt. He is a famous womanizer and had a child with a servant. He dislikes cats and he hated the Daily Fluxion even more for not hushing up a scandal years ago. He suffers from ulcers and in the end, it is established that he hid the jades himself to get the insurance money and make the Daily Fluxion look bad.
...
Wikipedia