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The Cat Who Smelled Smoke
This book has not been published and its future publication status is unclear.
Audio CD
First published February 19, 2008
5 people are currently reading
1134 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Jackson Braun
197 books1,723 followersLilian Jackson Braun was an American writer. She is well-known for her light-hearted series of The Cat Who... mystery novels. The Cat Who books center around the life of former newspaper reporter James Qwilleran, and his two Siamese cats, KoKo and Yum Yum in the fictitious small town of Pickax located in Moose County, "400 miles north of everywhere." Although never formally stated in the books, the towns, counties and lifestyles described in the series are generally accepted to be a modeled after Bad Axe, Michigan (located in the "Michigan Thumb") where she resided with her husband for many years until the mid 1980's. Many also believe that the culture and history of the Upper peninsula of Michigan are represented in the series as well, which is quite possible as it is indeed a fictitious location.
Lilian Jackson Braun began her writing career as a teenager, contributing sports poetry for the Detroit News. She later began working as an advertising copywriter for many of Detroit's department stores. After that stint, she worked at the Detroit Free Press as the "Good Living" editor for 30 years. She retired from the Free Press in 1978.
Between 1966 and 1968, she published three novels to critical acclaim: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern and The Cat Who Turned On and Off. In 1966, The New York Times labeled Braun, "the new detective of the year." The rising mystery author disappeared from the publishing scene for 18 years. The blame came from the fact that mystery novels were starting to focus on sex, violence, and foul language, and Braun's light-hearted books were not welcome in this new territory. It wasn't until 1986 that the Berkley Publishing Group reintroduced Braun to the public with the publication of an original paperback, The Cat Who Saw Red. Within two years, Berkeley released four new novels in paperback and reprinted the three mysteries from the sixties. Braun's series became an instant best seller once again. In January 2007 the twenty-ninth novel in the series, The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, was released in hardcover by the Penguin Group.
Not much was really known about Braun, as she prefered to keep her private life that way. For years, publishers have given inaccurate accounts of her year of birth, which has remained unknown until she openly acknowledged her age in an interview for the Detroit News in January 2005.
Lilian Jackson Braun began her writing career as a teenager, contributing sports poetry for the Detroit News. She later began working as an advertising copywriter for many of Detroit's department stores. After that stint, she worked at the Detroit Free Press as the "Good Living" editor for 30 years. She retired from the Free Press in 1978.
Between 1966 and 1968, she published three novels to critical acclaim: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern and The Cat Who Turned On and Off. In 1966, The New York Times labeled Braun, "the new detective of the year." The rising mystery author disappeared from the publishing scene for 18 years. The blame came from the fact that mystery novels were starting to focus on sex, violence, and foul language, and Braun's light-hearted books were not welcome in this new territory. It wasn't until 1986 that the Berkley Publishing Group reintroduced Braun to the public with the publication of an original paperback, The Cat Who Saw Red. Within two years, Berkeley released four new novels in paperback and reprinted the three mysteries from the sixties. Braun's series became an instant best seller once again. In January 2007 the twenty-ninth novel in the series, The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers, was released in hardcover by the Penguin Group.
Not much was really known about Braun, as she prefered to keep her private life that way. For years, publishers have given inaccurate accounts of her year of birth, which has remained unknown until she openly acknowledged her age in an interview for the Detroit News in January 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Want to Read
June 26, 2013guess I will never get to read the 30th book as it was cancelled by putnam, also it would be a posthumous publication as Ms. Braun passed in 2011.Here is the link to her obit. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/spar...
Want to Read
August 15, 2008I just added this book to my to-read list, after getting a note from the library that it wouldn't be published until 2009. Then, on the webpage of Stop, You're Killing Me!, I read the following note:
We have been informed that The Cat Who Smelled Smoke (advertised as due April 2008) is no longer scheduled for publication.
Amazon lists the audio version as published but no longer available.
We have been informed that The Cat Who Smelled Smoke (advertised as due April 2008) is no longer scheduled for publication.
Amazon lists the audio version as published but no longer available.
February 17, 2021
Why are they not publishing this, I feel incomplete, I need this book...PLEASE
December 11, 2017
I LOVED this series! I’ve read them all and rate them all a 5. If you like quirky mysteries this is one you should cover. Jim Qwilleran is my kind of detective ... add in a couple of clever cats & what you have is involved, funny and interesting.
Want to Read
July 4, 2019I would love to read this book. What a pity the publisher has retracted this book.
Read
April 1, 2020Won’t be published. With her failing health she was not able to finish writing the book before she passed away
February 19, 2023
I’ve read 5 in this series and have a copy of all of the books in this series…except this one! I wish they’d reconsider & finally publish her final book 😑
July 26, 2016
Cat Who Smelled Smoke (A proposed book that will never be completed)
Lilian J. Braun, 97
TRYON — Lilian Jackson Braun Bettinger, 97, a prolific best-selling author of The Cat Who mystery series for more than 40 years, died of natural causes Saturday, June 4, 2011, at Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills in Landrum, S.C., June 4, 2011. She had lived in Tryon for the past 23 years.
She wrote 31 books (2 collections of short stories and 29 the Cat Who books).
Dutton published her first book, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, in 1966. The New York Times labeled her "the new detective of the year". Two more followed with critical acclaim (The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern and The Cat Who Turned On and Off). There was an 18-year hiatus between the third and fourth books.
The Cat Who novels, considered light, humorous mysteries, have been translated into 16 languages, distributed worldwide, and sold in the millions. Her books were standards on the New York Times best seller list. Beginning in 1990, her books reached the prestigious list for 20 consecutive years.
She wrote all of her books in long hand. They were published with limited editing. "I don't pay attention to the publishing business. I just write my kitty-cat stories."
Braun (who once wrote "A dog has his day, but cats have 365") retired from writing in 2007 after the publication of The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers.
Writing was a lifelong passion. "I always wrote, first for fun, then for an advertising job, then for a newspaper, and then for The Cat Who readers."
After a short stint as a waitress (lasting less than a week) Braun went to work for Detroit department stores, beginning as a copywriter and ending as the director of public relations. She took time off to write her first three books and then accepted a position as the "The Good Living" editor for the Detroit Free Press. She wrote feature articles on interior design, art and architecture, as well as reviews of kitchen gadgets and other household products. She remained with the Detroit Free Press for 30 years.
Lilian Jackson Braun Bettinger was born on June 20, 1913, in Willimansette, Chicopee Falls, Mass. Her father, Charles Jackson, was an inventor and industrial manufacturing troubleshooter. Her mother, Clara Ward Jackson, was a homemaker. Her father's work took them to Rhode Island, Brooklyn, N.Y. and to Detroit, Mich. She lived in Michigan until she retired to North Carolina.
In 2005, the Polk County Public Library in Columbus held a tribute to Lilian Jackson Braun for her lifetime achievement and community involvement. It was an evening of song, limericks, readings and tributes. Braun served as the honorary writer in residence for the library as well as honorary chairperson of the 2005 library card sign-up campaign, where she created the tag line, "A library card is the beginning of a lifelong adventure".
She was preceded in death by husband, Louis Paul Braun; a sister, Florence Jackson, and a brother, Lloyd Jackson.
She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Earl Bettinger.
No memorial services will be held.
Donations may be made to Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills, 260 Fairwinds Road, Landrum, S.C. 29356.
Condolences may be sent to www.pettyfuneralhome.com.
Petty Funeral Home and Crematory, Landrum, S.C.
Published: Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 10:31 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 10:31 a.m.
Source: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/2...
Lilian J. Braun, 97
TRYON — Lilian Jackson Braun Bettinger, 97, a prolific best-selling author of The Cat Who mystery series for more than 40 years, died of natural causes Saturday, June 4, 2011, at Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills in Landrum, S.C., June 4, 2011. She had lived in Tryon for the past 23 years.
She wrote 31 books (2 collections of short stories and 29 the Cat Who books).
Dutton published her first book, The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, in 1966. The New York Times labeled her "the new detective of the year". Two more followed with critical acclaim (The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern and The Cat Who Turned On and Off). There was an 18-year hiatus between the third and fourth books.
The Cat Who novels, considered light, humorous mysteries, have been translated into 16 languages, distributed worldwide, and sold in the millions. Her books were standards on the New York Times best seller list. Beginning in 1990, her books reached the prestigious list for 20 consecutive years.
She wrote all of her books in long hand. They were published with limited editing. "I don't pay attention to the publishing business. I just write my kitty-cat stories."
Braun (who once wrote "A dog has his day, but cats have 365") retired from writing in 2007 after the publication of The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers.
Writing was a lifelong passion. "I always wrote, first for fun, then for an advertising job, then for a newspaper, and then for The Cat Who readers."
After a short stint as a waitress (lasting less than a week) Braun went to work for Detroit department stores, beginning as a copywriter and ending as the director of public relations. She took time off to write her first three books and then accepted a position as the "The Good Living" editor for the Detroit Free Press. She wrote feature articles on interior design, art and architecture, as well as reviews of kitchen gadgets and other household products. She remained with the Detroit Free Press for 30 years.
Lilian Jackson Braun Bettinger was born on June 20, 1913, in Willimansette, Chicopee Falls, Mass. Her father, Charles Jackson, was an inventor and industrial manufacturing troubleshooter. Her mother, Clara Ward Jackson, was a homemaker. Her father's work took them to Rhode Island, Brooklyn, N.Y. and to Detroit, Mich. She lived in Michigan until she retired to North Carolina.
In 2005, the Polk County Public Library in Columbus held a tribute to Lilian Jackson Braun for her lifetime achievement and community involvement. It was an evening of song, limericks, readings and tributes. Braun served as the honorary writer in residence for the library as well as honorary chairperson of the 2005 library card sign-up campaign, where she created the tag line, "A library card is the beginning of a lifelong adventure".
She was preceded in death by husband, Louis Paul Braun; a sister, Florence Jackson, and a brother, Lloyd Jackson.
She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Earl Bettinger.
No memorial services will be held.
Donations may be made to Hospice House of the Carolina Foothills, 260 Fairwinds Road, Landrum, S.C. 29356.
Condolences may be sent to www.pettyfuneralhome.com.
Petty Funeral Home and Crematory, Landrum, S.C.
Published: Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 10:31 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 10:31 a.m.
Source: http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/2...
Want to Read
November 30, 2007Bk 30 (2008)
Read
March 28, 2008Boy, where have I been? A 3rd "new" book? Add this to the ones I need to read....
Want to Read
November 19, 2010I hope she does write this book! But it seems unlikely since we've been waiting for it for many months now.
October 19, 2015
last one, author passes away. So sad
April 5, 2018
I read all the Cat Who books. Loved this series so much.
Read
September 15, 2021 I would love to continue the Cat Who series, but I'm having trouble locating the current owner of the copyright. Does anyone know who owns the Cat Who series, or how I can find out? Thanks!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews