Book 93, 2021

[chez_jae]

Sour Puss by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Last night, I finished Sour Puss by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. It's the 14th part of the "Mrs Murphy" mystery series. The main characters are Mary "Harry" Harristeen and her pets: Mrs Murphy, Tee Tucker, and Pewter.

Harry and her ex-husband, Fair, have rekindled their relationship and remarried to the delight of everyone in Crozet. The celebratory mood is banished, however, when a visiting professor vanishes and is later found murdered. When a combative neighbor is also killed, Harry thinks the two murders have something to do with the local vineyards. She has recently put in a quarter-acre of grapes and is curious as to how to connect the deaths. Unbeknownst to Harry, her pets know quite a bit more about the goings-on, but they have no way to let her know what they've discovered. When Harry arrives at the correct conclusion, will it be too late?

I enjoyed the story immensely. I had thought I would miss Harry working at the Post Office, but setting this installment around the aspect of vineyards was fresh and fun. I figured out who dunnit rather early, thanks to something Cooper said, and I cannot believe it took Harry so long to put two and two together. You're slipping, Harry! The animals played an important role, and not just the pets. Some of the local wild life helped out, either directly or indirectly.

Favorite lines:
♦ "Love isn't just a way to open your heart, it's armor against the world."
♦ "Horses stay awake at night thinking of ways to hurt themselves."
♦ "Coke and cheesecake don't go. I'm making tea."
♦ Abundance rests on the wings of bees.
♦ "I'm not insane, honey, just unsane. I greatly recommend it during trying times."
♦ "Ever notice how desperately people want to believe, want to have an answer, but don't want to work for it?"

A good book, overall. Four stars!