This review of The Cat Who Lived High by Lilian Jackson Braun is part of Book Reviews with Amber, the Cat Book Connoisseur at the Mewton-Clawson Library. Scroll to read.
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SPECIAL BBHQ ANNOUNCEMENT
IT'S MELVYN'S BIRTHDAY TOMORROW
MEW WON'T WANT TO MISS IT!
✨ This Week’s Intro ~ 84% Pre‑Festival Frenzy, 10% Packing Panic, 6% “Who Put That in the Suitcase?” Energy ✨
Hello again, my gloriously adventurous library guests,
and
Welcome back to the Mewton‑Clawson Library at BBHQ, where the atmosphere has shifted once more, not magical, not meditative, not even particularly cheesy - but something far more… logistically chaotic.
The library has officially entered Festival Prep Mode.
Yes, my furiends, the action has moved to Aisle D, and it's now become a bustling departure lounge, as the mice are in full packing‑and‑planning pandemonium. The scent of cheddar has been replaced with the unmistakable aroma of excitement, travel snacks, and mild panic.
Lumie is perched on her padded ladder, peering down at open suitcases and tiny labelled pouches. Her purple bow is tilted at a “deep organisational distress” angle as she mutters things like, “Where did I put the emergency brie?” and “Why do I have three compasses?”
Velvet has relocated her writing desk to the centre of the aisle, pink rosette glowing with determination as she drafts the official Festival of Cheese Itinerary. She insists it must be calligraphed, laminated, and scented with camembert. She’s on page twelve.
Tootles, clipboard in paw, is conducting a full‑scale audit of “essential festival supplies,” including:
cracker rationsglow‑in‑the‑dark whisker ringscheese‑safe travel cloaksand something he calls “emergency nibble contingencies”His blue bandana is tied at the tight, serious angle that means he’s about to overthink everything.
Nibble’s has declared Aisle D “a strategic launch zone,” while Oswald is studying the highly regarded Mouse's Companion for Festival Season 2026 for cultural etiquette. Ardvarr and Snitch are mapping the Festival Grounds using a parchment that keeps changing its own layout. Flora is practising her festival pirouettes, leaving trails of glitter sparkles in her wake.
Chedds, naturally, is lying inside an open suitcase, claiming he’s “testing nap‑to‑travel compatibility!” MOL
The fax machine has entered full administrative overdrive, printing messages like:
“Festival Packing Checklist: 47% Complete.”
“Do not forget the ceremonial cheese board and accessories.”
“Hydrate before nibbling.”
“Reminder: last year’s glowsticks are still missing.”
The thesaurus, meanwhile, has entered its dramatic festival era, whispering words like “pilgrimage,” “odyssey,” “jubilation,” and “chaos,” clearly auditioning for the role of Festival Bard.
The whole library feels warm, buzzing, and faintly electric, like a space that knows something big is coming and is trying very hard to look prepared while absolutely not being prepared.
The Cheese Era hasn’t ended.
It’s simply… packing its bags.
And we’re ready, paws, whiskers, suitcases, and snack lists, for another week of pre‑festival magic, mayhem, and mildly questionable packing decisions.
📚 A Morning of Festival Fever & Mild Mayhem
Me: “Melvyn, sweetie… why does Aisle D sound like a suitcase convention?”
Melvyn: “Because we’ve entered Festival Prep Mode.”
Me: “Festival Prep Mode?”
Melvyn: “Yes. Everything’s buzzing, overpacked, and mildly snack‑motivated.”
Me: “Festival of Cheddar? Flora’s pirouetting behind Velvet again.”
Melvyn: “Yes, it's that time of year again! She’s practising her festival twirls. Her bow’s at a ‘sparkle‑distribution’ angle.”
Me: “And Velvet?”
Melvyn: “Writing the official itinerary. She’s on page twelve and insists it must be scented with camembert.”
Me: “Of course she does.”
Melvyn: “Tootles is auditing cracker rations. He says the data is ‘life‑changing.’”
Me: “He’s adorable. That clipboard looks very official.”
Melvyn: “Chedds upgraded it. He wrote ‘Emergency Nibble Contingencies’ on the back. Says it’s this week's new slogan.”
Me: “Emergency Nibble Contingencies?”
Melvyn: “Crackers + cheddar + cheese board, the summer festival vibe is fully active.”
Me: “Naturally. And Nibbles?”
Melvyn: “Hiding behind the travel cheese board. Claims it’s ‘for research,’ but he’s nibbling.”
Me: “Classic Nibbles.”
Melvyn: “Ardvarr and Snitch are mapping the festival grounds. The parchment keeps changing its own layout.”
Me: “And Lumie?”
Melvyn: “Making checklists. Says it’s ‘good for morale.’”
Me: “And the fax machine?”
Melvyn: “It’s printing motivational packing notes. Today’s says: ‘Do not forget the ceremonial cheese board.’”
Me: “That’s oddly inspiring.”
Melvyn: “It’s been communing with the Calmness Tracker pens again.”
Me: “They’re glowing meautifully.”
Melvyn: “Neon red, orange, and chartreuse, the colours of organised chaos.”
Me: “And is the owl on the top shelf again?”
Melvyn: “Hootbert. He’s snoopervising the packing. He’s wearing a tiny festival badge.”
Me: “He's going too?”
Melvyn: “No, he said it's a mouse-only venue, so he's staying with me.”
Me: “Fair enough. So the whole aisle is… what? Departure‑centric?”
Melvyn: “Departure‑centric, cheese‑forward, and deeply excited.”
Me: “Time for a nibble then.”
Melvyn: “I thought mew’d never say it.”
🧳 General Library Status Update ~ Aisle D Departure Edition
Suitcases open, cheese rations packed, and travel cloaks folded with questionable precision
Bunting shimmering under lantern light, fluttering like it’s already halfway to the festival. Hammocks packed. Calmness Tracker pens glowing neon red, orange, and chartreuse -pulsing with pre‑departure excitement
Velvet writing furiously at her desk, pink rosette radiant, itinerary pages multiplying by the minute
Flora pirouetting behind her in full festival attire, scattering sparkles and optimism in equal measure
Tootles checking off lists with clipboard authority, muttering about “emergency nibble contingencies”
Chedds reclining in a suitcase, declaring himself “nap‑ready and snack‑compatible”
Fax machine printing reminders faster than anypawdy can read them
In short:
The library is packed.
Effortlessly packed.
Packed with the quiet assurance of a space that knows it’s about to embark on something extraordinary -and possibly forget half its luggage.
And honestly? We’re all basking in the anticipation.
🎉 Calmness Tracker 3000 Recalibration ~ Festival Mode
The pens are glowing brighter than ever, their communiqué (via fax, naturally) reads:
“Recalibration at 98%.
Festival Mode Activated.
Cheese Board Secured.”
They refuse to elaborate.
They say it’s “classified.”
We respect their neon‑lit mystique.
Now, with the mice packing, pirouetting, and plotting their grand departure in glorious disarray… It’s time to wander, whiskers twitching and tails high, toward this week’s review.
1. I tend to forget _______________________.
2. I celebrate the 4th of July by _____________________.
3. I was a fan of _________ before it became popular.
4. I see _________ in my future.
The P.A.'s answers are...
1. I tend to forget to eat when I'm writing, yep, I get so engrossed and focused, lose several hours, then I suddenly think, oh, fluff, I need food! LOL
2. I celebrate the 4th of July by _____________________. We don't have 4th of July celebrations in the U.K., but what we do have is Melvyn's birthday tomorrow. Oh, yes, you know what's coming, don't you!!! LOL
3. I was a fan of _________ before it became popular. I can't think of anything for this. I'm not really a fan-type girl. I like what I like, whether it's popular or not, and my opinion on that isn't swayed by trends.
4. I see more B Team adventures in my future. In fact, I'm working on two now. I don't know when I'll serialise them, but hopefully not too long!
Let's see what I've got to show mew this time!
Mewton-Clawson Library Copy
The Cat Who Lived High
The Cat Who… Mysteries, Book 11
by
Lilian Jackson Braun
I'm back with another book from the original The Cat Who series; there are 29 in total.
FYI: I got the urge to reread this epic series earlier this year, for the first time since 2007.
Thirteen down, including today's review, and ONLY sixteen to go! MOL
Here are the previous reviews.
🐾 This Week’s Paw‑Approved Pick:
Fluff your whiskers and settle onto a plush, feather-filled velvet cushion, my furiends, because this week’s read is a whisker‑twitching delight. The Cat Who Lived High is a cozy feline mystery full of curious clues, Art Deco glamour, and one very opinionated Siamese who always knows more than he lets on. If mew adore clever cats, quirky humans and a puzzle that unravels like yarn under determined paws, this one is a treat.
❓What’s the Vibe?
Think
classic cozy mystery
feline intuition at its finest
art deco charm and city nostalgia
curious clues and whisker‑twitching secrets
a human who tries his best and a cat who does better
It feels like curling up in a sunbeam with a vintage detective novel while Koko quietly judges your snack choices.
🐾 What’s the Story?
Qwill heads to the city, hoping for a simple stay in the once‑glorious Casablanca apartment building. Instead, he finds SOCK, a tenants’ group fighting to save the building from developers with no appreciation for its meauty. Mew can imagine the drama already.
But beneath Qwill’s penthouse rug lurk ominous bloodstains, and they are not just a spooky decoration. They are a message from Dianne Bessinger, a passionate defender of the building who met a tragic end. The official story claims a lovers’ quarrel gone wrong, yet Koko’s whiskers twitch in that special way that means trouble.
As Qwill digs deeper, he uncovers secrets, tangled motives and a suspicious suicide that smells fishier than Tuesday’s tuna. With Yum Yum’s sweetness and Koko’s uncanny instincts guiding him, Qwill follows the clues toward the truth. The question is whether they can save the Casablanca before its glory crumbles.
⚔️ What I Loved
😸 Koko’s Cattitude Sharp, smug and absolutely convinced he is the smartest creature in any room. He probably is.
🏙️ The Casablanca Atmosphere Art deco elegance, faded glamour and a building with more purrsonality than half the humans.
🐾 The Mystery Twisty, clever and full of little details that make mew purr with catisfaction when they click into place.
🧁 The Cozy Tone Warm, witty and purrfect for curling up with a blanket and a cup of something comforting.
🐈 The Human‑Cat Dynamic Qwill tries. Koko succeeds. Yum Yum snoopervises. A pawesome trio.
✨ Tone and Style
whimsical
cozy
classic mystery
character driven
lightly humorous
feline‑forward
Furbulous for fans of gentle mysteries, clever cats and stories that feel like a warm paw on your heart.
📖 Final Thoughts
This is a charming, fur‑tingling mystery full of purrsonality, atmosphere and feline brilliance. The Casablanca shines, the clues intrigue, and the cats steal every moment. If mew love cozy mysteries with clever cats, vintage vibes and a puzzle that rewards curious paws, this is a delightful pick.
🪄 Summed Up in One Sentence
🐾 A cozy, clever mystery where feline instincts, art deco charm and curious clues lead to the truth. 🐾
Another Top Paw Read in The Series!!!
Paperback: 306 pages
Audio: very expensive - eeek!!!
My Ratings Scale
Rating of:
The Cat Who Lived High
Overall Enjoyment
Other Fun Blog Hops to Join in Today
Do enjoy the book if mew decide 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
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The July Collection:
