In Qwill's opinion, "A town without a bookstore is like a chicken with one leg," and since the late Eddington Smith's bookstore burned down, the town of Pickax has been somewhat off balance. To the rescue comes the Klingenschoen Foundation, manager of Qwill's estate, which considers a new bookstore a worthy investment. Delighted by their good fortune, the people of Moose County prepare to celebrate the gala groundbreaking of the store on the site of the old.
The Cat Who Brought Down The House by Lilian Jackson Braun
There's a lot going on in Pickax these days - a new film club has been founded, Koko the Siamese cat is making his stage debut in a musical revue to benefit animal rescue and five Amazon parrots have been abducted. To say nothing of a suspicious compulsive gambler lurking in the background.
The Cat Who Went Up The Creek by Lilian Jackson Braun
Pickax's favorite columnist, James Qwilleran, is enjoying a brief holiday in the nearby town of Black Creek - but his two Siamese, who prefer the spaciousness of their home, beg to differ. The blissful tranquility is soon interrupted by the discovery of a body floating down the creek. And a possible motive for his murder is suggested when several gold nuggets are found in his possession. Might he have been illegally prospecting for gold?
October arrives in Moose County on the heels of a long drought, and the citizens of Pickax worry about wildfires. Their fears are realised in an unexpected manner, with a case of arson - and the shooting of a volunteer fire-watcher as he is reporting the blaze. The crime wave continues as the president of the curling club is pushed to his death down a flight of stairs, and it's up to Qwilleran and Co. to sniff out the rat who is responsible for it all.
The distinguished celebrity Mr Delacamp is coming to visit Pickax City, but Jim Qwilleran's moustache is soon set twitching when he is suffocated to death. Suspects include his niece and John Campbell, but can the detective cats solve the crime?
