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The Cat Who Went Bananas
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Plot Summary of The Cat Who Went Bananas
"

Putnam, Jan 2004, 23.95, 240 pp.
ISBN 0399152245

There is a lot happening in Pickax City, the town that is four hundred miles north of everywhere. Jim Qwilleran, the columnist for the local paper, is covering the opening night production of The Importance of Being Earnest starring newcomer Alden Wade. The lead actor moved from Lockmaster where his wife was murdered by a sniper. Another Lockmaster resident Ronnie Dickson is also in the cast, commuting every day because he loves acting. Jim gives the play a good review.

While Qwill plays with his Siamese cats Kate and Yum-Yum, Koko meows, which means someone has died under suspicious circumstances. Ronnie dies in a car accident with pills and alcohol in his system. Rumors circulate that Alden gave the pills to Ronnie saying everyone in the theatre does it. Qwill decide to keep an eye on him since he married wealthy Mrs. Hibbard two decades older than him who dies shortly thereafter. Quill is onto a story about the Hibbards and their valuable home; after listening to Alden's step-son's story, he wonders if the man played a hand in the two deaths.

The title of THE CAT WHO WENT BANANAS refers to the Siamese cats who steal banana peels and leave them lying around so Alden can trip on it as neither cat likes Alden, especially Yum-Yum.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Cat Who Went Bananas
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - very upbeat
How difficult to spot villain? - Somewhat obvious
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70%
Murder of certain profession? - actors/producers/directors
Kind of investigator - dog/cat investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - animal antics
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - journalist
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - unemployed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 1
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to The Cat Who Went Bananas
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Cat Spitting Mad by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
Cat Cross Their Graves by Shirley Rousseau Murphy


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