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Lilian Jackson Braun

Lilian Jackson Braun was a prominent American author, best known for her cozy mystery novels in the 'The Cat Who' series. The series features a pair of feline sleuths and their wealthy owner, Jim Qwilleran. Born on June 20, 1913, Braun began her writing career as a teenager, contributing sports poetry for the Detroit News. She later worked as an advertising copywriter for Detroit's department stores and as the 'Good Living' editor for the Detroit Free Press for 30 years, before retiring in 1978.

Braun's writing style is characterized by its light-heartedness and avoidance of violence, sex, and foul language, making her novels a refreshing departure from the hard-boiled detective genre. She published her first three novels, 'The Cat Who Could Read Backwards,' 'The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern,' and 'The Cat Who Turned On and Off' between 1966 and 1968 to critical acclaim. However, she disappeared from the publishing scene for 18 years as mystery novels began to focus on darker themes. It wasn't until 1986 that Braun reemerged with the publication of 'The Cat Who Saw Red' by the Berkley Publishing Group, which became an instant bestseller.

Braun's 'The Cat Who' series is set in the fictitious small town of Pickax, located in Moose County, '400 miles north of everywhere.' While never formally stated in the books, the towns, counties, and lifestyles described in the series are generally accepted to be modeled after Bad Axe, Michigan, where Braun resided with her husband for many years until the mid-1980s. Braun wrote all her novels using a typewriter and preferred to keep her private life out of the public eye, making little known about her personal life. She passed away on June 4, 2011, leaving behind a legacy of light-hearted and entertaining cozy mystery novels.
Cat Who... Books
# Title Year
1 The Cat Who Could Read Backwards 1966
2 The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern 1967
3 The Cat Who Turned On And Off 1968
4 The Cat Who Saw Red 1986
5 The Cat Who Played Brahms 1987
6 The Cat Who Played Post Office 1987
7 The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare 1988
8 The Cat Who Sniffed Glue 1988
9 The Cat Who Went Underground 1989
10 The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts 1990
11 The Cat Who Lived High 1990
12 The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal 1991
13 The Cat Who Moved a Mountain 1992
14 The Cat Who Wasn't There 1992
15 The Cat Who Went into the Closet 1993
16 The Cat Who Came to Breakfast 1994
17 The Cat Who Blew the Whistle 1994
18 The Cat Who Said Cheese 1995
19 The Cat Who Tailed a Thief 1997
20 The Cat Who Sang for the Birds 1998
21 The Cat Who Saw Stars 1999
22 The Cat Who Robbed a Bank 1999
23 The Cat Who Smelled a Rat 2001
24 The Cat Who Went Up the Creek 2002
25 The Cat Who Brought Down the House 2003
26 The Cat Who Talked Turkey 2004
27 The Cat Who Went Bananas 2004
28 The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell 2006
29 The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers 2007
Cat Who Short Story Collections
# Title Year
1 The Cat Who Had 14 Tales 1988
2 Short and Tall Tales / Qwilleran's Short and Tall Tales 2002
3 The Private Life of the Cat Who... 2003
Midnight Louie Books
# Title Year
1 Catnap / Cat in an Alphabet Soup 1992
2 Pussyfoot / Cat in an Aqua Storm 1993
3 Cat On A Blue Monday 1994
4 Cat in a Crimson Haze 1995
5 Cat in a Diamond Dazzle 1996
6 Cat with an Emerald Eye 1997
7 Cat in a Flamingo Fedora 1997
8 Cat in a Golden Garland 1997
9 Cat on a Hyacinth Hunt 1998
10 Midnight Louie's Pet Detectives 1998
11 Cat in an Indigo Mood 1999
12 Cat in a Jeweled Jumpsuit 1999
13 Cat in a Kiwi Con 2000
14 Cat in a Leopard Spot 2001
15 Cat in a Midnight Choir 2002
16 Cat in a Neon Nightmare 2003
17 Midnight Louie In Something Fishy 2003
18 Cat in an Orange Twist 2004
19 Cat in a Hot Pink Pursuit 2005
20 Cat in a Quicksilver Caper 2006
21 Cat in a Red Hot Rage 2007
22 Cat in a Sapphire Slipper 2008
23 Cat in a Topaz Tango 2009
24 Cat in an Ultramarine Scheme 2010
25 Cat in a Vegas Gold Vendetta 2011
26 Fruit of the Tomb 2012
27 Cat in a White Tie and Tails 2012
28 Cat in an Alien X-Ray 2013
29 Cat in a Yellow Spotlight 2014
30 Cat in a Zebra Zoot Suit 2015
31 Cat in an Alphabet Endgame 2016
Lilian Jackson Braun Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Sisters in Crime 3 1990
2 Mystery Cats 1991
3 Tar Heel Dead 2005