Lilian Jackson Braun - dead, dying...or alive?

[Jackie Houchin]

Has anyone read the latest "Cat Who--" book? (60 Whiskers) What's your opinion? Do you think the author is still alive and writing them? If so, she must be in her nineties. Or...do you think the last several books have been written by writers using her name, like Carolyn Keene with the Nancy Drew mysteries?

[Jackie Houchin]

I'm surprised to hear that #30 is in the works. I just reviewed "60 Whiskers" and commented that I thought she was saying "Goodbye" to her characters and the series.

[Joy Calderwood]

I feel the same, Jackie. Maybe she did say all those goodbyes in order to make new starts, but I didn't think the goodbyes were handled well enough to justify another book.

I felt that Qwilleran should have regretted the loss of the barn and not of Polly, myself. Giving tours of the barn may have bored him, but it was his relationship with Polly that bored me.

[Jackie Houchin]

Thanks for sending those "interview" comments. It's comforting to know that she might be still writing in her 90's, but perhaps...considering book #29...it's time to stop. Imagination might not be enough to carry her through another mystery. I thought "60 Whiskers" seemed disjointed and it seemed to ramble. And poor Qwilleran just seemed tired and disinterested...perhaps like the author? But I love the series...and I loved the audio edition of the book. Good old George Guidall!

[Roberta F. Melick]

I just finished 60 Whiskers last night and am disappointed at the way the book went on and on and ended up nowhere. What a shock that the apple barn caught fire! What happened? How badly was it damaged? Will Qwill have it repaired? I feel like I've lost something of value. What about his relationship with Polly? Is it over, just like that? I feel like there is so much more to be said and read...but there isn't anywhere to go!

[D. C. Hawkins]

I advance ordered the latest book which was to be released Feb. 2008. it was to be a gift for my wife. Amazon kept delaying and delaying and finally canceled the order somewhere around June. I researched far and wide but could not find any word about her health or the state of her career. It appears to me that she is probably still around but not writing. Makes me think of other celebrities who became reclusive in their last years.

[Marija Unrau]

I wonder if one of the many fans of this series will pick up the gauntlet to tie up the loose ends left by "60 Whiskers" and write the finale to this series.

[Sue Dawson]

I bought the book but it has languished on my TBR shelf. I have always been a fan, although, I am a dog-person at heart. I honestly do not know if the original author is writing the series. Oops! Just saw the remarks about her age of 92.

[Margaret]

I have been re-reading the Braun mysteries. Of the more recent publications, I think The Cat Who Talked Turkey was the last one that was written in a vigorous style. Ms. Braun was born in 1913, so it is understandable that writing could become difficult for her. I prefer to think that she is not using a ghostwriter, but who knows?

[zephyrweb]

I have been wondering about the quality of books since "Talked Turkey"--it just wasn't as ....robust?...as the previous...and from that book on there have been several things that didn't seem right...the biggest one for me was in "Bombshell" (i think) where she describes Tipsy's Tavern as being famous for it's chicken dishes??? Since when has Tipsy's been famous for chicken? It was always "steak or fish, take it or leave it".....I was very put off by "Bananas" where there was no real murder mystery.....and then of course the way she killed off Liz Hart without any real mourning or mention of Derek??

I was always happy with Polly and Qwill....and it was totally out of character for her to just leave and have someone else go through her things and sell them? I don't think so, especially after she took so much care to keep all the Duncan heirlooms and was having a fit on deciding how to decorate when she was building her own house--it just doesn't fit....her personality wouldn't have someone else handle her things for her....also in the past she would always fret about details in her personal life....Qwill was amazed at how she could handle problems easily at the library but never her own as easily....so going off to Paris for a visit? yes ...she did the Oregon trip on a whim....but just uprooting and moving there? That wasn't at all believable to me...also the way he seemed to get info from her second hand....wasn't it mildred that told him that polly called and asked her to sell all her stuff? ALL HER STUFF?? please...even when you move to another country there are things you want to keep...and how after all these years she just leaves Qwill without so much as a goodbye? It was like reading about people I'd never read about before

The biggest problem with the last few books....since "Brought down the house"... is the noticable lack of food descriptions...i always loved reading about their trips out to eat and the detailed descriptions....those have been noticably absent from the past few books and kind of disappointing since every single book going back to "backwards" has included them

To be honest, the past 3 or 4 books read as if they were written by committee....there are several character and descriptive mistakes that a long time editor would have noticed and should have noticed....even if she is still writing them, they haven't been very good....meaning they haven't been recognizable as relating to her previous works....i blame the editors, not her....if they are trying to pass off someone else's writing as hers, they should have done a better job....and if it is hers, they should have used editors more familiar with her previous books...the glaring mistakes just annoy me and when i reread the series i stop at "brought down the house"

i too did a pre-order of what was supposed to be the next book...i can't even remember the title...wasn't it something about up in smoke? ....anyway it disappeared from Amazon and is "title no longer available"

frankly i doubt they'd ever admit to using ghost writers, if they did ....they all know that no matter how good the book is, after that many in the series, we'd buy them regardless....at least i feel like i've been strung along....i buy each new book hoping it will be better and sadly it never is

[Sandy Compton]

I have loved her books and read them many times. This last one was so terrible I almost tossed it in the trash. It was not written by Lilian, or if it was, she has major mental problems. I didn't think this was a last book, Polly would never have written to have someone give her cats away. A cat lover would never do that.

[Sue Dawson]

Shades of the original Nancy Drew books! Why can't publishers let the authors die peadeful deaths...I know, I know, it's money.

[Marija Unrau]

Intersting comments. I wonder what has happened to Ms. Braun. The last I heard about her was last year and that she was ill. Since she has never confirmed her age, we can guess that she is between 94-97. We can only guess at what is going on and the prospects of another book.

Although the style of the books has changed and "suffered" somewhat, I will still, as commented, buy the books. It would be nice if the publisher was able to get the series completed. The last book, whether you loved it or hated it, left so many questions unanswered.