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Nine Lives to Die by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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After I finished cleaning my house, I finished reading my book: Nine Lives to Die by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. It’s the 23rd in the “Mrs Murphy” series of cozy cat mysteries. Main characters are Mary “Harry” Harristeen and her pets: Mrs Murphy, Tucker, and Pewter.

As the holidays approach, Harry, her husband Fair, and many of their friends and neighbors are busy helping local churches distribute gifts and supplies to those in need, as well as attending social functions and fundraisers. When two prominent sponsors of Silver Linings (an organization dedicated to helping boys get a good start on life) are murdered within days of one another, the entire community is rattled. The discovery of a skeleton on property adjoining Harry’s just adds to the level of unease, especially when it goes missing before the police can retrieve it. Harry can’t help but wonder if the cold case and the recent murders are connected. Somebody knows for sure, and may go to any lengths to keep a secret.

Harry spent more time speculating than sleuthing in this one, which I appreciated. Her cats and dog did far more investigating than she did. LOL! They’re the ones who led Harry and Fair to the skeleton. Even without active investigating on Harry’s part, the plot moved at a swift pace and kept me engaged. Characters are always portrayed wonderfully in this series, and this book was no exception. I was able to figure things out thanks to some clues the author(s) skillfully dropped in the narrative. I was also pleased that Harry didn’t stumble over any (recently dead) bodies, nor did she end up in mortal peril at the end of the book. Hallelujah! My only complaint is that Harry was referred to as “Harriett” on page 1 of the book, causing me to clutch my pearls in shock and dismay. Womp womp! Wait. I do have another complaint. These books typically include some artwork interspersed throughout, and some of the drawings in this one were rather ghastly. I had to clutch my pearls all over again!

Favorite lines:
♦ “If you don’t have children, don’t start.”
♦ One is never truly alone on a farm. If nothing else, there’s always a spider within three feet of you.

Excellent story (wish I’d read it in December!), five stars