Lilian Jackson Braun (edit name/settings)

The history of Lilian Jackson Braun is perhaps as exciting and mysterious as her novels. Between 1966 and 1968, she published three novels to critical acclaim; The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern, and The Cat Who Turned On and Off.

In 1966, The New York Times labeled Braun, "the new detective of the year." Then, for reasons unknown, the rising mystery author disappeared from the publishing scene. It wasn't until 1986 that the Berkley Publishing Group reintroduced Braun to the public with the publication of an original paperback, The Cat Who Saw Red.

Within two years, Berkley released four new novels in paperback and reprinted the three mysteries from the sixties. Even though Braun clamed that her cats never did anything extraordinary, her fictional cats, Koko and Yum Yum, solve crimes and delight fans in book after book. Braun said the reason for her success was that "people are simply tired of all the blood. I write what is called the classic mystery." She said that while "not all mystery fans may like cats; all cat-fanciers seem to like mysteries. That makes for a large audience, since 26% of all American households own 53.9 million cats between them."

Braun was the "Good Living" editor of The Detroit Free Press for 29 years. She then retired from journalism, moving to North Carolina to write mysteries full-time. She died in 2011.