Book Review: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards (Cat Who... #1)

Lilian Jackson Braun

Genre: Mystery, Crime

Publication:  1966

Jim Qwilleran was assigned as the art writer for the Daily Fluxion although he knew not much about it. Daily Fluxion had one art critique, George Bonifield Mountclemens.

As Qwilleran began to learn more of local arts, he discovered that not many of the artists like the art critique. Because of that, he was curious to know who the art critique is and wanted to meet him. Soon, he started to befriend with the Mountclemens and his Siamese cat, Ko K'ao Kung or Koko. Koko is a really smart Siamese cat who could read newspaper headline backwards.

When Koko's owner is found murdered, Qwilleran started to look after Koko. Qwilleran then started to find out who the murderer is that murdered Mountclemens and two other people with the help of Koko.

I knew I have to read this book the minute I saw the title (it's catchy!). Besides, I think I've seen Gosho Aoyama (creator of Detective Conan) featuring Koko as a detective at the back cover of Detective Conan volume 61. And I thought that this book is probably going to be good.

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards was a fun, cozy mystery read. I love Braun writing style. It's relaxing and not boring at all. But I love the book (and Koko!) I enjoyed the book and look forward to read the continuation of the series.

Book cover description:

The world of modern art is a mystery to many. But for Jim Qwilleran, it turns into a mystery of another sort when his assignment to the art beat for The Daily Fluxion leads down the path to murder. A stabbing in an art gallery, vandalized paintings, a fatal fall from a scaffolding--this is not at all what Qwilleran expects when he turns his reportorial talents to art. But Qwilleran and his newly found partner, Koko the brilliant Siamese, are back in their element--sniffing out clues and confounding criminals intent on mayhem and murder.