A whimsical illustrated banner for The Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ shows a cat in the foreground, surrounded by colourful bookshelves, flowers, trees, and small book‑themed decorations like an open book, a quill, and a thimble. The text reads “Welcome to The Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ” and “Book Reviews with Amber,” creating a cosy, storybook‑style library scene.

This review of The Cat Who Played Post Office by Lilian Jackson Braun is part of Book Reviews with Amber, the Cat Book Connoisseur at the Mewton-Clawson Library. Scroll to read.

The world’s leading feline literary critic

From the shelves of the Mewton-Clawson Library, a curated review destination for cat-centric fiction at BionicBasil.com

Amber's Book Review Pink Dot Divider ©BionicBasil®

✨ This Week’s Intro ~ 92% Calm, 5% Baking Aroma, 3% Harmless Anomaly ✨

Hello, my gorgeous library guests,

and

Welcome back to the Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ.

I am delighted to report that the library remains comfortably calm this week, not quite as sparkly as last time, but still pleasantly peaceful, with only the faintest hint of… cinnamon?

Yes, my dahlings, the air has taken on a warm, buttery fragrance, and while that may sound

suspicious, I assure mew it’s nothing alarming. Most likely.

The shelves are still aligned with their usual military precision. The glitter trail from last week has dispersed.

The books are reclining in their designated spots like the aristocats they are.

The mice are gliding about with serene purpose, tiny clipboards and even tinier aprons in paw.

And the encyclopaedias? They’ve abandoned jazz and are now humming something that sounds suspiciously like a baking show theme tune.

And Melvyn?

Melvyn is still rather calm … but alert.

Not anxious.

Not twitchy.

Just quietly monitoring the situation with the seriousness of a cat who once saw a prawn soufflé collapse and never fully recovered.

📚 A Morning of Mild, But Delicious, Intrigue

Me: “Melvyn, sweetie, mew look contemplative.”

Melvyn: “I am. There was an anomaly in the B Aisle.”

Me: “Oh dear. What kind of anomaly?”

Melvyn: “A warm one.”

Me: “Warm?”

Melvyn: “And fragrant.”

Me: “Fragrant how?”

Melvyn: “Cinnamon. Nutmeg and possibly brown sugar.”

Me: “That sounds … lovely?”

Melvyn: “It was coming from a baking book.”

Me: “A baking book?”

Melvyn: “Yes. It wanted to share a new recipe.”

Me: “That’s … actually quite sweet.”

Melvyn: “It insisted I take a sample page.”

Me: “Did mew?”

Melvyn: “Of course. It had a scratch-and-sniff square on the page. It smelled delicious.”

Me: “And was it?”

Melvyn: “Amber … it was life‑changing.”

Me: “We’ll add it to the staff cookbook.”

Melvyn: “Already done.”

Me: "When do I get to sample it?"

Melvyn: "Chedds, Flora and Aardvar are in the staff kitchen cooking up a storm right now!"

Me: "Oh, fluff, help us!" MOL

📚 General Library Status Update

Happy mice

Happy vibe

Happy baking book

Happy thesaurus (still in its poetic era, now writing odes to pastries)

In short:

The library is calm.

Mostly calm.

Calm with a warm, buttery undertone.

And honestly? I’m not complaining.

So, my meowvellous library guests, if mew notice a cosy aroma drifting through the stacks or a cookbook gently steaming with pride, don’t worry, it’s simply the library sharing its culinary enthusiasm.

Probably.

And baked goods will be served imminently to all ... catnip tea with that?

Many thanks to the library mice for bringing new flavours to the stacks.

A split image shows two sections of a large home library. The top section features long white bookshelves filled with colourful books and magazines, with a cat walking along the wooden floor in front of them. The lower section shows another area lined with shelves of older, leather‑bound volumes and encyclopedias, with chairs placed nearby for reading. Text in the centre reads “Part of The Mewton‑Clawson Library ©BionicBasil®,” highlighting the cosy, well‑stocked library setting.

**Alt Text:** A black‑and‑white line illustration shows three stacked books arranged like steps. A cartoon mouse with large ears stands proudly on the top book, while another mouse on the ground to the right looks up toward it. The drawing has a playful, storybook feel.

The P.A. is also joining in Friday Fill-ins Blog Hop with the pawesome 15 & Meowing and Four-Legged Furballs.

1. My plans for this weekend include _________ and __________________.

2. I meant it when I said I _____________________________.

3. I should probably _________ more often so that _________.

4. I will never jump on the _________ trend.

The P.A.'s answers are...

1. My plans for this weekend include writing, cleaning, writing, gardening - weather permitting, and more writing. If you hadn't guessed, I'm writing, yep, a new book, but no, it's not the latest B Team adventure, that's still at 8 chapters, I'll finish that when I've finished this. Not long, I'm going as fast as I can.

2. I meant it when I said I will never dilute the B Team cats or their epic adventures for anything ever. They are who they are, and they can stay epic, not watered down for modern-day parameters.

3. I should probably weed the garden more often so that I don't stand there and go, "Fluff me, that's a lot of work!" Usually, I'm pretty good, but sometimes I let things get past the point where I should have tackled it 2 or 3 weeks sooner.

4. I will never jump on the _________ trend. I'm not really a 'trend jumper,' it's been a lifelong quest to do my own thing, regardless. I think I've reached Grand Master status at this point! LOL

As it's the last Friday of the month, we're also joining in the furbulous ...

A light‑blue promotional graphic for the Pet Photo Fails! Blog Hop features bold red and blue lettering at the top, with illustrated stage lights and a camera to suggest a photography theme. A playful cartoon cat reaches up from the bottom left corner. Text at the bottom reads “Hosted by Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries & Meows” along with the website address.

Do stop by Mudpie's meowvellous blog at www.mochasmysteriesmeows.com to join in.

Fluff Knows What Fudge is Doing

Fudge - A fluffy orange tabby cat lies on his back with paws curled, head tilted, and bright green eyes looking straight at the camera. He’s sprawled against a plaid blanket and dark textured surface, creating a cosy but chaotic “caught in the moment” vibe. Featured in Pet Photo Fails at BionicBasil®, capturing Fudge in one of his classic upside‑down poses.

This was from March 2024, and no, we have no idea what all this was about!

We asked him, but he refused to comment! MOL

Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!

**Alt Text:** A black‑and‑white illustration features a vintage typewriter with a paw print on the sheet of paper. Stacks of books sit on both sides: on the left, a small cartoon mouse stands atop the books, and on the right, a cartoon elephant balances on the stack. The scene has a playful, literary feel, fitting as a divider for Amber’s book reviews.

A whimsical library‑themed scene featuring Amber, a cat seated at a desk as the “world’s leading feline literary critic.” Surrounded by books, plants, and a warm desk lamp, she presents this week’s top pick: The Cat Who Played Post Office by Lilian Jackson Braun. A small “Shhh!” sign adds to the cosy library atmosphere. Featured in Book Reviews with Amber #355 at BionicBasil®.

Mewton-Clawson Library Copy

The Cat Who Played Post Office

The Cat Who… Mysteries, Book 6

Lilian Jackson Braun

**Alt Text:** A symmetrical black‑and‑white illustration shows four cartoon mice arranged in pairs on either side of two pieces of Swiss‑style cheese placed in the centre. Each mouse faces inward toward the cheese, creating a playful, balanced composition.

Today I'm back with The Cat Who series; there are 29 in total, but don't quote me. I got an urge to reread this epic series earlier this year, for the first time since 2007.

Eight down, including today's review, and ONLY twenty-one to go! MOL

Here are the previous reviews. Fluff knows what I was thinking, jumping to the middle of the series, maybe the catnip tea was a bit too strong, and I wasn't thinking straight:

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards ~ BK 1

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern ~ BK 2

The Cat Who Turned On & Off ~ BK 3

The Cat Who Saw Red ~ BK 4

The Cat Who Played Brahms ~ BK 5

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 Played Post Office

Dahlings, preen your whiskers and adjust your tiaras or crowns, because this week’s mystery drops us into a world of unexpected wealth, eccentric servants, and a mansion so large even I would need a map. And at the centre of it all? The incomparable Siamese sleuths, Koko and Yum Yum, who are adjusting to their new life as furbulously wealthy felines … with trouble lurking just beyond the caviar bowl.

❓ What’s the Vibe?

Think cosy crime meets “new money chaos.”

A sprawling mansion, a missing maid, a murder among the upper crust, and two cats who refuse to let luxury distract them from the scent of a mystery.

It’s witty, warm, and wonderfully cat‑centric, classic Braun with a decadent twist.

🐾 What’s the Story?

Jim Qwilleran, moustache maestro, journalist, and full‑time servant to Koko and Yum Yum, has just inherited a staggering fortune. Suddenly, he’s living in a mansion, hiring staff, and trying to navigate the world of the supurr wealthy without tripping over his own good luck.

Koko and Yum Yum, naturally, take to the lifestyle like royalty:

more rooms to explore

more furniture to nap on

more servants to charm

But beneath the champagne sparkle, something is very wrong. A housemaid goes missing, and a shocking murder follows.

And Qwill quickly realises that money doesn’t buy safety or honesty.

Thankfully, Koko’s uncanny instincts kick in. Between pawing at clues, knocking over suspicious objects, and generally being a genius, he leads Qwill straight toward the truth, and the most unlikely suspects.

⚔️ What I Loved

😼 Koko: Sharp, dramatic, and utterly unstoppable. Wealth has not dulled his detective instincts one bit.

😺 Yum Yum: Sweet, delicate, and quietly observant, the purrfect counterbalance to Koko’s flair.

💰 The Mansion Setting: Rich, atmospheric, and full of secrets. A playground for cats and a nightmare for murder victims.

🧹 The Eccentric Staff: Quirky, suspicious, and endlessly entertaining. Every one of them feels like a clue waiting to happen.

🔍 The Mystery: Twisty, clever, and full of red herrings. The purrfect blend of cozy and compelling.

📖 Final Thoughts

This entry in the Cat Who… series is a delightful romp through wealth, secrets, and feline brilliance. The shift to a grand estate adds fresh flavour, the mystery is engaging, and Koko’s clue‑finding antics are as sharp as ever.

If mew love cozy crime with charm, humour, and cats who are clearly the brains of the opurration, this is a wonderfully satisfying read.

🪄 Summed Up in One Sentence

🐾 A witty, whisker‑twitching mystery where wealth brings trouble, servants hide secrets, and Koko steals the show. 🐾

Another Top Paw Edition To The Series!

Paperback: 228 pages

Audio: Only cassette, terribly expensive

My Rating Scale

**Alt Text:** A simple black‑and‑white rating chart uses rows of pink paw prints to show five levels of book ratings. Five paw prints correspond to “Top Paw ~ Read Immediately,” four to “Furry Good ~ Read As Soon As,” three to “Good ~ Put It On Stand‑By,” two to “Average ~ Emergency Reading,” and one to “Meh! ~ Take a Nap Instead.”

Ratings of:

The Cat Who Played Post Office

Overall Enjoyment

A horizontal row of five identical pink paw prints representing the highest rating level in the pet‑themed book‑review scale, corresponding to “Top Paw ~ Read Immediately.”

Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today

A horizontal row of six square graphics, each representing a different themed blog hop: “Brian’s Thankful Thursday Blog Hop” with a cat silhouette; “The Cat Blogosphere” with a globe and cat; “Feline Friday” with stylised cat drawings; “Nature Friday Blog Hop” on a stone background; “Flashback Friday” with a cat and dog; and “Friendship Friday” featuring two cats.

Brian's Home Catblogosphere Feline Friday Nature Friday Flashback Friday Friends hip Friday

I really hope mew enjoy the book if mew choose to read it.

It's time for me to say BFN or bye-for-now as mew know the drill, so many books, so little time, and I'll be back next week with another specially paw-picked book just for mew, and don't forget that all my previous reviews can be found on my Book Review page.

Until next time...

Keep calm and read more books

Amber

The Cat Book Connoisseur