Books in Order: Diving into the Literary Journey of Lilian Jackson Braun
Lilian Jackson Braun (1913-2011) was a renowned American author known for her charming ‘cozy mystery’ novels. She gained immense popularity for her series, ‘The Cat Who’, also referred to as the Jim Qwilleran Feline Whodunnit series. This unique and engaging series features a duo of feline spies and their eccentric, affluent owner, Jim Qwilleran. Braun’s distinctive writing style and extraordinary storytelling skills have positioned her as one of the pillars of contemporary American literature.
About Lilian Jackson Braun
Originating from the humble beginning of writing sports poetry for the Detroit News as a teenager, Braun gradually expanded her literary repertoire. She penned captivating copy for department stores and later ascended to the role of Good Living section editor for the Motown Free Press. Even more interesting was her commitment to the traditional mode of creation; she steadfastly used a typewriter, steering clear of computers and word processors.
Braun’s Literature: Books in Order
Braun took her first leap into published literature in 1966 with the debut of her novel The Cat Who Read Backwards. Despite the subsequent success and critical acclaim of two follow-ups, she took a hiatus from the publishing world. Almost two decades later, in 1986, Braun re-emerged with The Cat Who Saw Red.
Exploring her wider literary contributions, it’s worth noting that Braun also penned three collections of short stories in ‘The Cat Who’ series. To truly embrace Braun’s literary journey, it’s worth reviewing her books in order of their original publication dates, facilitating insights into her evolving narrative style and themes:
Publication Order of Cat Who… Books
| The Cat Who Could Read Backwards | (1966) |    |
| The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern | (1967) | |
| The Cat Who Turned On And Off | (1968) | |
| The Cat Who Saw Red | (1986) | |
| The Cat Who Played Brahms | (1987) | |
| The Cat Who Played Post Office | (1987) | |
| The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare | (1988) | |
| The Cat Who Sniffed Glue | (1988) | |
| The Cat Who Went Underground | (1989) | |
| The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts | (1990) | |
| The Cat Who Lived High | (1990) | |
| The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal | (1991) | |
| The Cat Who Moved a Mountain | (1992) | |
| The Cat Who Wasn’t There | (1992) | |
| The Cat Who Went into the Closet | (1993) | |
| The Cat Who Came to Breakfast | (1994) | |
| The Cat Who Blew the Whistle | (1994) | |
| The Cat Who Said Cheese | (1995) | |
| The Cat Who Tailed a Thief | (1997) | |
| The Cat Who Sang for the Birds | (1998) | |
| The Cat Who Saw Stars | (1999) | |
| The Cat Who Robbed a Bank | (1999) | |
| The Cat Who Smelled a Rat | (2001) | |
| The Cat Who Went Up the Creek | (2002) | |
| The Cat Who Brought Down the House | (2003) | |
| The Cat Who Talked Turkey | (2004) | |
| The Cat Who Went Bananas | (2004) | |
| The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell | (2006) | |
| The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers | (2007) | |
| The Cat Who Smelled Smoke is book #30 but has yet to be released. | ||