Lilian Jackson Braun – The Cat Who Books in Order

Last Updated on April 22, 2026

Have you noticed how popular cats have become on the covers of books?

During a recent trip to my local bookstore, I swear there were dozens of them, though, to be fair, most appear to be translations of Japanese books.

I even bought one – The Kamogawa Food Detectives which, despite the cut tabby on the front, has nothing to do with cats at all.

Anyway, I digress. The only reason I thought about the proliferation of cat covers is because Lilian Jackson Braun made an entire career out of her ‘The Cat Who…‘ books.

In fact, so popular were they that over the course of her life she penned 29 of them between 1966 and 2007.

It’s an astonishing achievement and one we’re going to look at a little more closely today.

Jackson Braun

Lilian Jackson Braun, born in 1913, was an American author best known for her cozy mystery series featuring journalist Jim Qwilleran and his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum.

Braun’s career as a novelist spanned over four decades, during which she published 29 books in her popular series.

She began her writing career as a teenager, penning sports poetry for the Detroit News. She later worked in advertising and public relations before joining the Detroit Free Press, where she served as the “Good Living” editor for nearly 30 years.

Her most famous creation, the “The Cat Who…” series, began in 1966 with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards.

The series follows Jim Qwilleran, a former crime reporter who solves mysteries with the help of his intuitive Siamese cats.

Set in the fictional Moose County, “400 miles north of everywhere,” the books tick all the cozy mystery boxes with plenty of small-town charm and solid whodunits.

The Cat Who Books in Order

There are 29 books in the The Cat Who… series so if you’re a new reader or a long-time fan wanting to catch up, here’s the chronological order of the main 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)

Each book in the series follows Qwilleran and his feline companions as they unravel mysteries in their quirky small town.

The novels are known for their light-hearted tone, engaging characters, and the clever involvement of the cats in solving crimes.

The popularity of Braun’s books is evident in their sales figures. While exact numbers are not publicly available, we do know that the series has sold millions of copies worldwide.

The books have been translated into multiple languages and have a dedicated fan base.

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

Jim Qwilleran, a seasoned crime reporter who finds himself in unfamiliar territory as he takes on the role of art critic for the Daily Fluxion.

Set against the backdrop of a bustling Midwestern city, Qwilleran’s foray into the local art scene quickly becomes more than just a new career path.

As Qwilleran navigates this colorful new world, he crosses paths with George Bonifield Mountclemens III, a sharp-tongued art critic whose acerbic reviews have made him both feared and respected in equal measure.

Mountclemens, seeing a kindred spirit in Qwilleran, offers him a small apartment in his building at a surprisingly low rent.

It’s here that Qwilleran first encounters Kao K’o-Kung, affectionately known as Koko, Mountclemens’ Siamese cat with an uncanny ability to sense things beyond human perception.

The tranquility of Qwilleran’s new life is shattered when Earl Lambreth, a prominent local gallery owner, is found brutally stabbed to death in his vandalized gallery.

As Qwilleran begins to dig into the case, drawing on his instincts as a former crime reporter, he finds himself embroiled in a web of intrigue that runs deep through the art community.

Just days after Lambreth’s murder, Qwilleran makes a chilling discovery. Guided by Koko’s strange and insistent behavior, he stumbles upon the murdered body of Mountclemens himself, lying on the patio behind his house.

Suddenly, what seemed like an isolated incident has become a pattern, and Qwilleran realizes he’s in the middle of a dangerous mystery.

Throughout his amateur sleuthing, Qwilleran finds an unlikely ally in Koko. The Siamese cat displays a series of unusual behaviors that seem to point towards clues.

All of this lays the groundwork for Qwilleran and Koko’s future partnership in crime-solving, promising readers a unique blend of feline intuition and human deduction in the books to follow.

Why We Love Them

Readers resonate with Braun’s work for several reasons. The cozy, small-town setting provides a comforting backdrop for the mysteries and the character of Jim Qwilleran, a middle-aged journalist with a distinctive moustache, is relatable and likeable.

However, it’s the cats, Koko and Yum Yum, that truly steal the show. Their uncanny ability to provide clues (often misinterpreted by humans) adds both humour and intrigue to the stories.

Braun’s writing style is so engaging that her books are easy to read and enjoy. She skilfully blends mystery elements with everyday life, creating a world that feels both familiar and exciting.

The recurring characters in Moose County become like old friends to regular readers, adding depth to the series beyond the individual mysteries.

Braun’s impact on the cozy mystery genre is significant. She helped popularize the concept of animal detectives, particularly cats, in mystery fiction.

In Real Life

Despite her popularity, Braun remained a private person. She rarely gave interviews and preferred to let her work speak for itself.

This air of mystery around the author herself added to the allure of her books for many fans.

The longevity of her career is a testament to her storytelling abilities. From 1966 to 2007, she consistently produced books that captivated readers.

She passed away, from natural causes, in South Carolina on June 4, 2011, at the age of 97.

Today, whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the series, Braun’s books offer a delightful escape into a world where cats are more than just pets – they’re detectives in their own right.