Thelma Thackery is coming back to Moose County and buying a big house in Pickax. After more than fifty successful years in
Hollywood (in the restaurant
business) the eighty-two year-old told the press that she was coming home to die, but she wanted to have some fun first. Her twin brother Thurston Thackery was a respected veterinarian in
Lockmaster, and had invited Thelma to return for a visit a year or so earlier, but died in a tragic accident before “Sis” could accept his invitation.
Jim Qwilleran, popular newspaperman, rich and generous philanthropist, and well-known cat-lover agrees to host a
reception at his remodeled apple barn. He keeps his adored feline friends Koko and Yum Yum in the gazebo during the party because the bird-loving guest of honor is afraid of cats. When she was growing up she teased her brother’s barn cats, and they let her know that her taunting and tormenting was not appreciated. The cats were only acting in self-defense, and the traumatic experience would have been avoided if Thelma had simply had better manners.
After the reception Koko is angry or upset about someone who has been in his territory. Qwill knows that his Siamese cat never reacts like this without a reason. A few hours after the reception and dinner that followed Koko awakens Qwill with his death howl, a piercing howl he emits when someone has been murdered. The next day there’s a report that a man was found shot to death behind the wheel of a van on an isolated road in nearby Bixby. A woman had been awakened by her cat, Tony, who always knew when there was trouble, and she saw two vans moving some boxes form one to the other. After the driver of the first van got back inside, the second driver shot him. The woman called the police, but the killer had already gone.
Later Qwill learns that Thelma’s five Amazon Parrots had been kidnapped during the reception at his home. Her nephew Richard had stepped forward and handed over the ransom and retrieved the birds.
Qwill goes out of his way to reach out to Thelma and help her in part because he and his friend John Bushland are concerned that her assistant Janice doesn’t get out much. When Qwill keeps Thelma occupied his friend John Bushland can take Janice on out on his boat. Qwill also learns some interesting details that help him find the answers to some nagging questions.
Thelma goes into business with her nephew. She had been very close to her late brother, and her nephew hadn’t had much luck in business ventures, so she wants to help him succeed. But Auntie Thelma doesn’t quite trust her nephew, so she asks someone she does trust to do a bit of snooping. She learns that he is doing something shady, and illegal, so Auntie has to deal with him.