After a long drought, the citizens of Pickax are worried about wildfires. Their fears are soon realized. With a case of arson, the shooting of a volunteer fire-watcher and the murder of the president of the curling club, Jim Qwilleran and Co. are called in to sniff out the rat responsible.

Jim Qwilleran and his two cats move into a possibly-haunted farmhouse to investigate the death of its owner Mrs. Cobb.

Mr. Delachamp, an estate jeweler from Chicago, has been holding court in Pickax's newly refurbished hotel. Impoverished local gentry are offering him heirlooms, while well-heeled citizens are purchasing baubles worth thousands. Qwill finds the jeweler's cash-only policy peculiar, and even more unsettling: Koko and Yum Yum have become strangely restless. The residents of Pickax are delighted that the old bombed-out Pickax Hotel is reopening with a...

In this delightful new novel featuring Jim Qwilleran and his lovable cats, Koko and Yum Yum, the rites of spring are celebrated with the fine art of bird calling...and a fateful act of murder. It seems that this spring, a cat's fancy may turn to crime-solving...

Former award winning news reporter Jim Qwilleran is assigned to the art world as his new news beat. When a murderer sicks a knife in the neck of a local gallery owner and goes berserk among the works on show, Qwilleran gets help from his Siamese cat solving the mystery.

While the residents of Pickax eagerly await a festival celebrating the 150th anniversary of the town's founding, newspaper columnist James Qwilleran must entertain Harvey Ledfield, an aspiring architect. Strange occurrences seem to follow Harvey around. Koko, the Siamese cat, leaps on his head, a knitter predicts murder, and a woman comes from California to leave a message for Qwill. It's up to Koko to help Qwill piece the clues together.