Rebecca Capowski's view of The Cat Who Blew the Whistle
The Cat Who Blew the Whistle is a solid, winning entry in the Cat Who... series, despite the sleuth having precious little to do with the proceedings. Perhaps that's because the mystery doesn't have real much to do with the heart of what's going on, either - or at least isn't the focus of the story, which starts out on a credit-union fraud case but soon shifts its concerns beyond that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the mystery - it's not brilliant (and, lacking the presence of a investigator, the solving is mostly left to the reader), but it's solid, and everything fits together well (except for a rather arbitrary little twist at the end). But it isn't the focus of the story; it's about the personal problems and eventual reunion of a family, and the making of a local legend. The tale's basic elements are standard enough - as Qwilleran says, they're reminiscent of a "30's B-movie" - but the success lies in its telling - the characterization that gives these people dimension outside of the drama, and the care and detail given the reasoning and realization involved in resolving a problem like this that the all-too-common unconvincing attempts at sentiment labeled "melodramas" lack. It moreover benefits from its episodic structure and engaging narrator (Celia Robinson, newly relocated to Moose County from Went into the Closet) - it all flows very nicely. It's a shining example of Braun's mastery of storytelling, and, as much as I despise folk ballads, I must agree that, yes, considering the build-up Braun put behind it, how she involved us in the story behind the climactic event, it does deserve to be so commemorated and enshrined (and Qwill does write a good one).
The other elements aren't extraordinary, but they're interesting and there's a great comedic moment involving Koko and a blackout. If I had to sum up my impression of The Cat Who Blew the Whistle in one word, I'd have to choose "capable" in the best Braun tradition, blessed by an outstanding human element that carries the day.
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The Cat Who... series (The Cat Who Could Read Backwards and its sequels) and all its characters, places, and what-have-yous therein are the copyrighted property of Lilian Jackson Braun. Ronald Frobnitz and Family is an unofficial Cat Who... fan site and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Lilian Jackson Braun, G. P. Putnam's Sons, or anyone else involved with the production and publication of the Cat Who... series.