In which we meet Koko and Qwilleran. Qwill, recovering alcoholic and ex-investigative crime reporter finds a place with a newspaper -- writing colour pieces for the art section.

Taken under the wing of the extraordinary critic he is soon embroiled in the murder of the critic, and becomes the life companion of the talented sleuth-cat.

The Daily Fluxion assigns Qwill to bring out Gracious Abodes, a magazine far from the seedy truths that he yearns for. But murder will out, and in this adventure Qwill finds a companion for KoKo and himself in the cross-eyed Yum Yum.

Finally Qwill puts forward an idea that his childhood friend and editor accepts -- Junktown at Christmas. Unfortunately for Qwill Junktown turns out to be full of antique dealers and curio sellers, not the den of iniquity that he had hoped for.

Introducing the endless source of food Mrs Cobb.

Once again Qwill moves home, this time to join an artists' colony featuring his childhood sweetheart -- who goes missing under mysterious circumstances.

In this volume Qwill finally becomes involved with a believable love interest.

Qwilleran buys a car, packs the cats, his typewriter and the cats' scratching-dictionary; and heads off to the lakeside cabin of his mother's friend Aunt Francesca.

He discovers an idiosyncratic community, murder, and a new direction for his life.

After years of penny-pinching Qwill finds himself the heir to a billionaire's fortune. However to claim his inheritance he must live in Moose County for five years.

He sets up residence in Aunt Fanny's impressive mansion and is soon embroiled in another mystery. He brings Mrs Cobb up from Down Below to help run the house and evaluate the in-house antiques.

The Pickax Picayune, official organ of Moose County, based in Pickax City is burned to the ground. Qwill and Koko investigate the murder mystery. He brings his old childhood friend and ex-editor to come to Pickax and build a new paper.

Koko becomes a glue-freak -- a sure sign that he is trying to pass information about a murder on to his Watson -- newspaperman James Macintosh Qwilleran.

Qwill and the cats set off for the cabin once again. He decides to embark on a renovation against everyone's advice and is once again embroiled in murder and mystery.

Mrs Cobb has moved into her farmhouse and is converting it into a museum. Her happiness is brought to an abrupt end when she is apparently frightened to death. Qwill and the cats move in and investigate.