Book 10, 2025

[chez_jae]

The Litter of the Law by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I took advantage of having a day off work to finish reading The Litter of the Law by Rita Mae Brown (and Sneaky Pie Brown). It's the 22nd "Mrs Murphy" series, starring Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her brood of pets: Tee Tucker, Mrs Murphy, and Pewter.

It's October, and the residents of Crozet, VA are preparing for Halloween. Included is a haunted hayride, intended to raise funds for the local library. The spooky holiday begins early for Harry and her husband, Fair, when they discover a grisly scarecrow in a field of corn. With the local police looking into the crime, life goes on...until another person is found dead in a similar fashion. There's no question that the murders are related, and Harry can't help but try to connect the dots to see how and why. What she and Deputy Cynthia Cooper uncover is an injustice going back generations. But, was it enough to kill for?

Once again, I managed to choose a Halloween-themed book in January. D'oh! This one was creepy enough that I really wish I'd read it in October. Ah, well. As always, the characterizations were amazing, even to the pets and the assorted wildlife. While Harry was nosing around, she was also shown to be engaged in normal life, which I appreciate. The narrative was engrossing and kept me turning pages. The plot made sense as it moved along, and the author(s) dropped a tiny hint that helped me figure out who dunnit. Bonus!

Favorite lines:
♦ "Ever notice how sometimes money makes people stupid?"
♦ "Her friends and interests fell into categories, which didn't overlap."
♦ "Don't see how people can argue with climate change."
♦ Anyone who lives with cats figures out soon enough they will do what they want.
♦ "I have some iced tea. Always have it, even in winter."
♦ "Here's a frightening Halloween idea: I'll jump on the table and make everyone scream, 'Get the cat off the table!' Now, that's really scary."

Fabulous fun, five stars