Friday, March 14, 2014

Beginning ~ with a bachelor breakfast

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern ~ by Lilian Jackson Braun, 1967, mystery
Jim Qwilleran prepared his bachelor breakfast with a look of boredom and distaste, accentuated by the down-curve of his bushy moustache.  Using hot water from the tap, he made a cup of instant coffee with brown lumps floating on the surface.  He dredged a doughnut from a crumb-filled canister that was beginning to smell musty.  Then he spread a paper napkin on a table in a side window where the urban sun, filtered through smog, emphasized the bleakness of the furnished apartment. Here Qwilleran ate his breakfast without tasting it, and considered his four problems:
Yes, I did decide to end the quote without sharing Qwilleran's four problems.  Yes, it ends with a colon, instead of a period.  Yes, I'm curious enough to keep reading until I met the Siamese cat named Koko.  I haven't read a mystery in ages, and this small book looks like one I'd like, especially since it has only 192 pages.  By the way, the cover I've shown you above is not the one on my book, which features a small handgun and blood a cat has apparently walked through.  I like the cat on this cover better.



Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays.  Click here for today's Mister Linky.

4 comments:

JC Jones said...

I love that cover. I am a cat person so sit would catch my attention. Here is my post: Mixed Book Bag

Sandra Nachlinger said...

I love this opening -- it paints such a bleak and lonely picture -- and I want to know more about this character. The title grabs me too. Sounds like a story I'd enjoy.
Here's the link to my Friday post: WEB OF TYRANNY.

Gilion at Rose City Reader said...

I love the cover. I love the beginning passage. I love the title. I want to read this book!

Bonnie Jacobs said...

I have a feeling this book would be easy to find, if you want to read it, but this particular cat cover may be relatively scarce. Go for it, ladies!