From the shelves of the Mewton-Clawson Library, a curated review destination for cat-centric fiction at BionicBasil.com
Hello, gorgeous library guests
and
Welcome to the Mewton-Clawson Library at BBHQ
Thank you for joining me in the stacks today.
Well, the Mew Year is well underway, and thank cod for that! I’ve just recovered from the rather temporal time‑looping hiccup caused by Smooch, which, naturally, decided to travel straight into the library, and poor Melvyn has only just stopped muttering about “chronological betrayal” while re-shelving the encyclopaedias.
Honestly, the Mewey Decimal System, aka M.D.S., was not designed to withstand temporal turbulence.
This morning, I found him clutching Volume 12 like it was a flotation device and whispering, “Not again… not again…” while the dictionaries vibrated ominously on the top shelf.
I told him to take a breath, have a herbal nip tea, three catnip cookies and remember that shelving crises build character.
He said he’d rather build a new level in the bunker.
I replied, "Oh sweetie, no need for that, Deezul and the nanobots take care of the bunker expansion!"
But I digress, the point is, the timeline has finally stabilised, the shelves have stopped humming, and I am once again free to bring mew the next delicious instalment of my Egyptian Adventure series.
And today’s destination, my dahlings, was nothing short of ancient, windswept, and total purrfection...
🌬️ Amber’s Egyptian Adventure #11: The Temple of Seti I at Abydos 🐾
Location: The Temple of Seti I, Abydos, a sacred masterpiece of ancient Egypt, famed for its exquisite carvings, deep reliefs, and the legendary Abydos King List
Time: Late afternoon, when the desert wind sighs through ancient courtyards and the sandstone glows like honey under the sinking sun
Dahlings, today I ventured into one of Egypt’s most ancient and enigmatic sanctuaries: Abydos, the sacred city of Osiris, where the veil between myth and history is thinner than my patience before my morning nip‑spritz.
The moment I stepped onto the temple’s forecourt, the wind swept dramatically through my fur, as if the gods themselves had arranged a purrsonal wind machine to make me look even more incredible than usual. Honestly, I should travel with my own lighting crew.
“Ahhh,” I purred, “a temple carved for kings… but clearly awaiting a queen.”
I arrived draped in a shimmering robe of golden silk, embroidered with tiny spirals inspired by the carvings of Seti I’s halls. Around my neck shimmered a collar of lapis lazuli, gold, and desert jasper, and atop my head sat a delicate crown shaped like the feather of Ma’at, because balance, truth, and looking furbulous are all equally important.
The air was warm and fragrant with desert spice. As I padded deeper into the temple, the reliefs grew more intricate, scenes of gods, kings, offerings, and rituals carved so deeply they seemed ready to step into the light. I paused before the Abydos King List, tracing the lineage of pharaohs with a single elegant claw.
“Amber,” I whispered to myself, “mew would look divine on this wall.”
To celebrate the moment, I sipped a Desert Spice Catnip Elixir, infused with cinnamon, star anise, and a whisper of date syrup. It tasted like history… and ambition.
Then came the Osireion, the mysterious, partially sunken chamber behind the temple. Cool, shadowy, and echoing with ancient energy, it felt like stepping into the underworld’s VIP lounge. I strutted across the stone walkway as if I owned the place.
One of the carved pillars definitely hummed. Or maybe that was the elixir.
My Afternoon Essentials Included:
🌬️ A Desert Spice Catnip Elixir, warm, aromatic, and perfect for dramatic desert breezes
📜 A miniature copy of the Abydos King List, annotated with my paw‑written notes (“Some of these kings had terrible taste in crowns, dahling”)
👑 A Ma’at‑feather crown, light enough to flutter in the wind, heavy enough to command respect
🐾 A golden silk wrap, ideal for sweeping entrances and even more dramatic exits
I wandered through the hypostyle halls, the sanctuaries, the shadowed chambers dedicated to Osiris, each space glowing with the amber light of late afternoon. The carvings were so crisp, so alive, that I half expected Seti I himself to stroll in and compliment my outfit.
But naturally, I remained composed.
After all, I am Amber, head librarian of BBHQ, and I, too, appreciate a well‑curated legacy. I've been working on mine for years.
Abydos may hold the memories of gods, kings, and ancient mysteries, but today it held me: a cat of legend, gliding through sacred halls, sipping spiced elixirs, and adding a touch of feline finesse to Egypt’s eternal story.
Mood: Mystical, windswept, and deliciously impawtant (but only because the carvings seemed to admire me)
Quote of the Day: “Some temples whisper history, dahling… others whisper my name.”
✨ Next week, prepare your whiskers, we’re going somewhere sunken, secret, and shimmering with ancient power. Think: water, wonder, and cocktails chilled by the underworld itself. 😸
Today, the P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.
1. I recommend everyone ___________________ this year.
2. My _________________ is ______________________and I __________________.
3. I try to save money by _________.
4. I sometimes let myself splurge on _________.
The P.A.'s answers are...
1. I recommend everyone pick up a creative hobby like crafting, knitting, colouring or sewing etc... this year, it does wonders for the soul.
2. My happy place is curled up with The B Team cats, and I always feel more grounded when I’m creating something, whether that be any of the above, apart from knitting. No. I can't knit or crochet - this is something I've completely accepted, total and utter defeat on.
3. I try to save money by mending or sewing things instead of buying new ones. It stuns me that not many people mend and make do anymore. It's like trying to get your footwear resoled/mended etc... there are very few cobblers left. This fast, throw-away fashion is vile, in my humble opinion, and no, I don't ever buy stuff to wear once. I will make you laugh. I still wear coats from 20 years ago. My go-to handbag this week was purchased in 2005 - yes, utterly horrifying to younger generations, but quality lasts.
4. I sometimes let myself splurge on beautiful fabric, fancy pens, or a new colouring book. Glitter pens are my favourite thing ever, the more sparkly the better! LOL
Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!
Mewton-Clawson Library Copy
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
by
Lilian Jackson Braun
This week I decided that The Cat Who Series needed revisiting, mew know I review so many books and series, that sometimes I forget what I've reviewed, so I went on a deep dive and discovered I'd only actually reviewed three out of the twenty-nine books. #SHOCK #HORROR
Let me tell mew, I thought I'd done more, and was deeply, horrifically disappointed with myself, so a new mission for 2026 is to review this epic series and tuck a few more titles under my librarian belt.
Here's the previous three reviews in a completely random order, fluff knows what I was thinking, or maybe it was the catnip:
The Cat Who Moved a Mountain # BK 13
The Cat Who Wasn't
There ~ BK 14
📚 This Week’s Paw‑Approved Top Pick: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
Stretch out those whiskers and sharpen those claws, because this week’s read is a cozy mystery with a glossy magazine cover, a dash of high society scandal, and most importantly, two Siamese sleuths whose investigative skills put Sherlock to shame. Yes, mew heard that right. Koko and Yum Yum are back, twitching whiskers and pawing dictionaries like the true detectives they are! MOL
❓ What’s the Genre?
A classic cozy mystery wrapped in velvet drapes and designer furniture. Think Agatha Christie, but with more cats, more moustache‑twitching than Hercule Poirot, and a suspiciously large number of throw pillows.
🕵️ What’s the Story?
Jim Qwilleran, journalist extraordinaire (and moustache connoisseur), is roped into editing Gracious Abodes, a glossy interior design magazine. Trouble is, he knows more about crime scenes than colour schemes. But before he can despair over drapery choices, the mansion featured on the cover is burglarised, and its elegant owner is found dead.
Enter Koko and Yum Yum, the Siamese duo with a nose for murder. Koko paws at dictionaries, sniffs suspicious furniture, and generally acts like the furry oracle of doom, while Yum Yum provides moral support (and occasional mischief). Together, they lead Qwilleran straight into a tangled web of secrets, lies, and one very clever killer.
⚔️ What I Loved
🐾 Koko the Clue‑Sniffer: Forget bloodhounds, this cat has a nose for crime and a paw for pointing out the obvious. His dictionary antics are both hilarious and oddly effective.
🐈 Yum Yum: Sweet, dainty, and the perfect foil to Koko’s intensity. She’s the heart of the operation, reminding us that even in murder mysteries, a little purr goes a long way.
📰 Qwilleran’s Moustache: It twitches whenever danger looms. Honestly, it deserves its own byline.
🛋 The Interior Design Angle: Murder among the drapes! Crime on the chaise longue! It’s a deliciously quirky backdrop that makes every clue feel like it’s hiding under a Persian rug.
🔥 The Vibes: Cozy yet suspenseful. Mew’ll want to curl up with a blanket, sip something warm, and let the O.G. cozy mystery cats guide mew through the mystery.
📖 My Final Thoughts
Book Two in The Cat Who… series is a purrfect blend of charm, wit, and whisker‑twitching suspense. Qwilleran may not know his way around a colour palette, but with Koko and Yum Yum at his side, he uncovers a murderer hiding in plain sight.
It’s a comfort read with claws: cozy enough to curl up with, sharp enough to keep mew turning pages.
So grab a mug of something delicious, my preference this week, as it's been snowing at BBHQ, is catnip cocoa, fluff up your favourite cushion pile, and prepare to be whiskered away into a mystery where cats rule the clues.
A FURBULOUS READ, TOTALLY TOP PAW! 🐾
Paperback: 224 pages
Audio: not widely available
My Rating Scale
Ratings of:
The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
Overall Enjoyment
Other Fun Blog Hops to Join Today
I'm off to read next week's books, as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time!
Don't forget, if mew are looking for great books with cats, check out the Book Review page, just click the link here or at the top of the page, as that's the place to visit to get your feline fiction fix.
Until next time...
Keep calm and read more books
Amber
The Cat Book Connoisseur
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graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com
That was a fun adventure and of course good fill-in answers too. A wonderful review sweet Amber!
ReplyDeleteGreat fill ins. I am like you with #3. I was looking through my Alaska photos last week and saw I was wearing a jacket I only threw out last year. The photos were from 2005 and the jacket wasn't new then! I also have a photo taken in 2003 wearing a favourite sweatshirt. I still have and wear it!
ReplyDeleteA great review, Amber. When I saw it was the Cat Who series I thought it was one I had read some time back with Conrad the talking cat. I have the first three and must order the fourth which I had forgotten to put on pre order.
This Cat Who series sounds very good too.
Dear Amber, Lynn has read all Lilian's books 3 times over decades. I'm not old enough to remember the furst re-reads, but the last one to read to me! Lynn has clothes older than the P A's, most likely. she's always mending the toes on her socks. Glad I don' wear socks!
ReplyDeleteOur local library had a class on how to fix stuff, like sewing a tear or fixing a hem.
ReplyDeleteThey've also had classes for teens about handling money.
Since I shop resale for most of my clothes, I feel I'm doing my part to put an end to our throw-away society, and there are a lot of us now.
"The Cat Who" books opened my world, when I'd discovered them a long time ago. The author was local to me here in Metro Detroit, and the places that Qwill visited in each book were amalgamations of real Midwest places, so they seemed familiar to me as a reader. My favorite book in the series is The Cat Who Saw Stars, but I love 'em all.
Fabulous adventure, Amber, and good fill-ins. We use the old stuff too! I read one The Cat Who series and thought it was good too.
ReplyDelete