The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern (1967) by Lilian Jackson Braun

🐈 Jim Qwilleran and Koko the cat are together again solving a murder mystery. We were introduced to the pair in the first book of the The Cat Who... series by Lilian Jackson Braun: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Then Jim Qwilleran, a veteran journalist, has landed a job in a smallish company called Daily Fluxion, where he was assigned to handle a weekly column in art section - a field in which he had neither experience nor knowledge to begin with. But he soon adapted to the art world, and offered a lodging with a senior journalist - Koko's initial master, and a murder-victim-to-be. And that's how Qwilleran had been first introduced to his future partner-in-crime. When Koko - a Siamese cat whose full name is Kao K'o-Kung - lost his master, it was he who inadvertently 'supplied' clues for Qwill to solve the murder.

🐈 This second book started where we left the first. Koko moved in with Qwilleran, who has now learned of the cat's quirky interest in literature (he loves 'reading' dictionary!), and Qwill has been transferred to a new assignment: the interior design section - of which he has also zero knowledge. Right after the first issue of Gracious Abodes - the weekly magazine - has been published, the covered residence was burglarized, and the lady of the house murdered. It was soon followed by the second issue, and the next. Qwilleran must solve the murders ASAP, before he and his fellow cameraman were to be sacked.

🐈 Like in the first book, what I loved most about this mystery is Qwilleran and Koko's bonding. I liked the character of Qwilleran; I liked how he adapts to each new assignment with fresh vitality, and how he indulges with Koko's eccentricity, besides his own eccentricity - if moustache quivering when he 'smells' something fishy can be called eccentric. Koko was having more stage in this second book than the first. He's having a concerning problem mid story; Qwilleran caught him eating some of his ties, and even the green upholster of the Danish Modern (a kind of sofa) which didn't belong to him. It turned out, through a psych-cat-trist, that Koko is lonely, and needs a companion (a good lesson for an inexperienced cat owner!) 🐈 The most interesting stage of the mystery is when Koko disappeared. He was found later on at the neighbor's mansion - also one of the suspects - along with a tragedy connected to the mystery. Along Qwill's investigation, Koko had been scattering some clues - along with many red herrings too. Either when he lost his beloved ball (and Qwill would extract a clue when retracting it under a cabinet or something), or when the two were playing an invented game related with the dictionary (also Koko's beloved item). Koko would put his paw on random word in the dictionary, and Qwill would tell him (or search for) its meaning - how one find that kind of game amusing is beyond me. On the whole, just like the first one, this mystery proved to be a fast-paced exciting murder mystery, with hilarious moments with some eccentric but lovable characters (humans and cat). A very delightful read to start a new year! Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

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Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026 hosted by Carol @ Carol's Notebook