THE CAT WHO KNEW A CARDINAL

Yet another in the author's series of stories (The Cat Who Went Underground, etc.) about millionaire (inherited) journalist Jim Qwilleran and his Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yumthe latter two, along with Jim's moustache, supposedly gifted with a talent for detection. Here they're all enjoying life in remote Pickax, in Jim's spectacularly renovated barn, when he discovers school principal Hilary Van Brook shot to death in the apple orchard. Arrogant Hilarythoroughly detested by all despite his genius for school administrationseems to have had a secret past, but Police Chief Brodie and most of the townspeople are content to blame the killing on builder Dennis Hough after he commits suicide. Jim doesn't buy that theory andafter he's approached about buying the Amberton horse farm in neighboring Lockmaster and has had a chance to explore Hilary's luxurious living quartersit doesn't take long for him to uncover the true murderer. A rambling, shapeless story helped a bit by its agreeable small-town characters but without tension or impact. Readers immune to the charm of catsbeware! They're omnipresent as well as omniscient here.