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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

Sneaky Pie for President by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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Earlier I finished reading Sneaky Pie for President by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. It's billed as the 21st installment in the "Mrs Murphy" mystery series, but it had nothing to do with Mrs Murphy. Instead, it was a tongue-in-cheek narrative of Sneaky Pie campaigning for president.

Unhappy with how humans are running and ruining the planet, Sneaky Pie decides she is going to run for president. Along with pals Tucker and Pewter (from the "Mrs Murphy" series) and Tally (an excitable Jack Russell terrier), Sneaky goes forth to talk to other animals, both domesticated and wild, to garner support for her campaign. She's running on an animal-friendly agenda that takes into consideration all the money that farming, hunting, and horse racing generate for the American economy. Along the way, Sneaky listens to what other animals have to say about their role, along with the concerns they bring to the table. All of what she learns makes Sneaky more determined to be the first cat in the White House since Socks Clinton.

On the surface, this was cute and funny, but there was certainly a deeper undercurrent that illustrated the author's views on taxes, the economy, the environment, and the roles that both people and animals play. As such, it was thought-provoking.

Favorite line: "A bunch of people say hateful things about one another and then promise the moon to other people, who give them money. Whoever gets elected gets to live in a fancy house."

It's difficult to say whether or not I enjoyed this. I wish it wasn't considered a part of the "Mrs Murphy" series; it could have been marketed as a companion piece. As mentioned, it was thought-provoking. It was laced with humor, although there was one animal death that I found completely unnecessary. Its sole function seemed simply to make me cry, as it didn't advance the narrative at all. Note to authors: unnecessary animal deaths never go over well with readers. In addition, the animals' genders switched here and there, going from 'she' to 'he', which should have been caught in editing. I'm giving this 3.5 stars, which unfortunately must be rounded down to 3.

Hiss of Death: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I finished another book today. Hiss of Death by Rita Mae Brown. This is the 19th book in the "Mrs Murphy" cozy mystery series, starring Mary "Harry" Harristeen and her cats and dog.

Springtime in Crozet is a time for celebration, but Harry isn't in a celebratory mood. A health scare sends her into the confusing jumble of hospitals and treatments. Determined to overcome this crisis, Harry begins visiting a local gym to improve her strength and cardio. Her problems are put into perspective, however, when a young nurse is found dead without a mark on her. After another woman who works at the same hospital is murdered, Harry begins to suspect the first death may have been murder, as well. Focusing on the mystery helps keep her mind off of her own health issues, but delving too deeply may be a bigger risk to her health.

I love these books, but I'd like to read one where only one murder occurs. Instead, several people usually end up dead by the end. Plus, it seems Harry usually finds the bodies. The author taking a tangent in this story with Harry's health scare was certainly different, and it added a more somber tone to things. It was heartening to see how Harry tackled this new problem with the same grit and determination that she brings to everything she does.

Favorite lines:
♦ Opening the door, Harry beheld kitty wrath. Been there, done that.
♦ "We're both busy as cat's hair."
♦ "The last thing to die on me will be my mouth."
♦ "Two wrongs don't make a right." // "No, but three will get you back on the freeway."
♦ "I like fall. I'm not built for hot weather."

Excellent, with characters who seem like someone you know or would want to know, and a fast, engrossing plot. Five stars.

Santa Clawed by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



We're in the midst of an ice storm, which is not a nice storm. LOL! Boss texted this morning to tell me to stay home if I didn't feel safe driving in. I replied I'd put in at least a half day, and that's what I did. Since I had the afternoon off I was able to finish reading Santa Clawed, which is the 17th book in Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs Murphy" series. I wish I'd read it in December, but I sure wasn't going to wait until next Christmas to pick it up.

Mary "Harry" Harristeen loves the holidays, but this Christmas is much less jolly when she and her husband, Fair, go to pick up a live tree sold by the monks of the Brothers of Love and find one of the order has been murdered. While the police try to determine if someone in Brother Christopher's past would be seeking revenge, another brother is murdered in the same fashion. Harry can't help but be curious, even though Fair and the local police tell her to leave well enough alone. When her pets lead her to a mysterious box filled with money, Harry gets knocked cold by an unseen assailant. Now she's right in the thick of things, and just in time for Christmas.

I powered through this book. It was one of the shorter ones in the series, but it was quite gripping. Nothing was making sense, which just escalated the tension. I enjoy the series, and the characters are so three-dimensional that it's like visiting old friends each time I read one of the books. The pets and various livestock and wildlife are fully realized as well, adding a whimsical touch to the stories.

Favorite lines:
♦ "We have thousands of years of evidence from every civilization this world has produced that no form of restraint, no punishment, can really alter the fact that people are going to have sex, whether with a socially approved partner or not."
♦ "At this point, you'd screw up a two-car funeral."

Engaging and thought-provoking--five stars!

Puss 'n Cahoots by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Once I got the household chores done this morning, I finished reading Puss in Cahoots by Rita Mae Brown (and Sneaky Pie Brown). It's the 15th book in the "Mrs Murphy" series of cozy cat mysteries.

Newly (re)married Harry and Fair Haristeen have traveled to Shelbyville, KY for their second honeymoon. There, they plan to visit their friends, Joan and Larry, and take in the famous Saddlebred horse show. Accompanying them on the trip are cats Mrs Murphy and Pewter, and corgi Tee Tucker. Not long after the horse show begins, Joan's heirloom pin is stolen, then someone's prize mare comes up missing. As if that wasn't enough to deal with, a stablehand is found murdered, and INS conducts a raid, searching for illegal immigrants. With so much going on, it's almost enough to make Harry forget her fast-approaching fortieth birthday. She puts her keen mind to searching for clues and trying to suss out motives. Rivalries and blood run hot among owners, trainers, and riders, and it's anyone's guess as to how everything fits together.

Another excellent story in this series. Most of the characters were new, since the action took place in another state, but all characters were three-dimensional, right down to the other animals that Mrs Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker encounter. Some things I figured out readily, such as who stole Joan's pin, but others kept me guessing right up to the end. Pacing was good and kept me engaged, and the narrative proceeded in a smooth, sensible fashion.

Favorite lines;
♥ "There's precious little happiness in this world. Grab what you can. I don't mean you take away someone else's, but grab what comes to you."
♥ "One murder, one stolen pin, and one horrible monkey, all in two days' time. Oh, one stolen horse, too."
The horrible monkey was the worst part.
♥ "You can't pick your parents, so if you get a good pair, you're very lucky."

Exciting and enthralling, five stars!

Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



On Wednesday night, I finished reading Cat's Eyewitness. Coincidentally, the thirteenth book I read this year was the thirteenth book in Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs Murphy" mystery series.

With the holiday season upon them, Harry and her BFF, Susan Tucker, visit the monastery in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Crozet, VA. While admiring the statue of the Virgin Mary, the two women are there to bear witness when the statue begins crying tears of blood. Although Brother Handle, the head of the monastery, wishes to keep the miracle under wraps until they have time to ponder its significance, word leaks out, and the monastery is overrun with people wanting to see the spectacle for themselves. After one of the monks is found dead at the base of the statue, it is initially determined he died of natural causes. When a murder takes place soon after, Harry smells a rat. At her insistence, the monk's body is exhumed...but the coffin is empty. Harry's insatiable curiosity leads her to nose around, much to the chagrin of her pets: Mrs Murphy, Pewter, and Tee Tucker.

In addition to the miracle and the murders, Harry is worrying about paying her bills. Now that she's quit her job at the Post Office, all she has for income is her small farm. Her ex-husband, Fair, has asked her to marry him again, which is something else for her to stress over. It will be a miracle if Harry survives the holidays this year.

This story was just as quaint and lovely as all the others have been in the series. The murderer was rather easy to suss out, but not so much the motivation. I always enjoy getting reacquainted with the familiar characters in the series, as well as meeting new ones.

Favorite lines:
♥ Mrs Murphy gleefully imagined the state house overrun by rioting cats.
♥ If you didn't show up at the post office, it meant you were involved in a flaming seduction or too sick to walk.
♥ "That's why people are what they are...They can rationalize anything. Reality is pretty much irrelevant to them."
A couple of these quotes are quite relevant, considering the book was written in 2005.

Very good, four stars.

The Tail of the Tip-Off by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Late last night, I finished reading The Tail of the Tip-Off, which is the 11th part of the "Mrs Murphy" mystery series, by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. Tabby cat Mrs Murphy, along with her friends Tucker and Pewter, and their human, Harry, are the main characters.

Crozet, VA is in the grips of winter, but Harry and her friends and neighbors don't let it slow them down. Winter also means UVA girls' basketball, which most denizens of Crozet are fans of. However, when a local contractor drops dead in the parking lot after a game and it's determined he was murdered, Harry is compelled to look into the matter. It bothers her that a fellow fan could be a murderer. Her pets are dismayed, as they are worried that Harry may land herself in danger by asking too many questions. When someone else is murdered in the stadium itself, Harry is convinced the deaths are connected, even if the police aren't so sure. Harry sets out to prove she's right, but her snooping has consequences.

Fun book. I love how the animals communicate and interact with their humans. Many of the people seem like old friends. The mystery was confusing, as it was difficult to determine who would have wanted both people dead. Characterizations were excellent, and the plot moved along and made sense. Harry wasn't always investigating; much of the narrative had her at work or home, taking care of chores on her farm and in her house. Only drawbacks (in my opinion) are that, once again, more than one person was killed. Is there anyone left in Crozet?! That, and the fact that Harry ended up in dire peril at the end. How many times can she dodge death?

Favorite lines:
♦ "Can you imagine kneeling at the communion rail and being given a wafer with fang marks in it?"
♦ Horses seem to watch the calendar, being careful to injure themselves over the weekend, preferably very late at night.
♦ "I'll catch up in 2020." Are the authors psychic?!
♦ "The secret of success is to watch the doughnut, not the hole."
♦ "Well, there can never be too many cats."
♦ "All you have to do is tune into rap music. Every other word is the F-word and it's filled with romantic notions of rape, pillage, and revenge. It's probably what the Norsemen would have sung in the seventh century A.D. if they'd known how to rap."

My complaints were minor and subjective; therefore, giving this one five stars.

Claws and Effect by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I finished reading Claws and Effect last night, before bedtime even! It's the 9th book in the "Mrs Murphy" mystery series, written by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. The series features small town Postmistress Mary Harristeen--Harry, to her friends, and her cats Mrs Murphy and Pewter, and her corgi, Tee Tucker.

The winter blahs have everyone in Crozet, VA, feeling lethargic. The town gets more excitement than it needs, however, when the head maintenance man at the hospital is found dead, murdered, in the boiler room. Everyone has a theory as to why someone may have killed Hank. Harry can't resist asking questions and speculating with her friends, and what she learns is that the hospital is an island unto itself, filled with its own spats, alliances, squabbles, and affairs. When Harry's snooping results in her being injured, the animals take it upon themselves to find out more of what's going on, in an effort to protect their 'mother'. They discover a hidden room in the hospital's underbelly, one that may date back to the days of the Underground Railroad. Unfortunately, the cats and dog can't communicate this to Harry, and it isn't until more people die and the killer gets desperate that the crimes come to light.

I always enjoy these books. The wry wit and dry observations of the animals are some of the best parts about the series. Harry is likable and relatable, and all characters are portrayed well, even secondary and temporary ones. The plot was paced well and kept me turning pages.

( I do have a few, minor complaints... )

Favorite lines:
♦ "I don't mind snow, but ice plucks my last nerve."
♦ The bumpkin was one of those stereotypes that seemed to satisfy some hunger in city people to feel superior to those not in the city.
♦ "Don't waste your time on a pretty man. They're always trouble. Find a guy who works hard and who loves you for you. Okay, maybe he won't be the best-looking guy in the world or the most exciting but you know, for the long run you want a doer not a looker."
♦ "This is a pickle." Pickle quotes amuse me!
♦ "You selfish thing, you'd starve your own children if there weren't enough food. I can see the headlines now. 'Cat starves kittens, is fat as a tick.'"
♦ "If I have to cut back as a private citizen I can expect my government to do the same."
♦ "That's the real reason the services have trouble with women in combat. Scares the men...If she's got an Uzi, she's as powerful as I am."

Overall, a very good book, and my complaints were subjective. Also, I found myself thinking about the story when I wasn't actively reading it, which is always the hallmark of a good tale. For that reason, it earns five stars.

Cat on the Scent by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I have been remiss in my reviews. I finished reading Cat on the Scent on Wednesday night. It's the seventh installment in Rita Mae Brown's "Mrs Murphy" mystery series, which features postmistress Harry Haristeen and her pets.

Local politics have gotten exciting in Crozet, VA, when disagreements turn ugly. That's not the only excitement in town, however. Popular ladies' man, Tommy Van Allen, seems to have disappeared, and everyone is gearing up for a Civil War reenactment. Things get more exciting than they need to when one of the reenactors ends up shot for real during the "battle". When Van Allen is found dead, the local police struggle to find clues. Mrs Murphy and Tee Tucker are on the case, sniffing out and digging up clues and trying to point the humans in the right direction.

Fun and lively, as per usual with this series. Buuuuuut...

( Spoiler alert )

Favorite lines:
♦ "He doesn't have cats or dogs, which bespeaks an empty life."
♦ "He's having problems in his marriage. Tupping some damsel, I should think."
♦ "Men need women. Women don't need men."

These books usually get five stars from me, but I'm knocking one off for that dismal ending.

Murder, She Meowed by Rita Mae Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wednesday night, I finished reading Murder, She Meowed by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. It's part of the "Mrs Murphy" mystery series, featuring postmistress Harry Harristeen, and her crime-solving cat and dog, Mrs Murphy and Tee Tucker.

Everyone in Crozet is excited about the upcoming steeplechase races. However, the murder of one of the jockeys puts a damper on things. As speculation runs wild, another jockey is murdered in a similar fashion. The police are at a loss as to who is committing murder in the sleepy little town of Crozet. However, Mrs Murphy is on the case. She enlists the aid of other animals in the area, including cats, horses, and even mice. Harry puts her own sleuthing skills to work, and she unearths a clue that may uncover a killer, or lead to her own death.

Fantastic! Love these stories. The pace clips along, and I enjoy the interactions of the various animals almost more so than of the humans. The book didn't focus solely on the murder; Harry was left ducking Boom Boom, who wants her to attend group therapy with her, and she was also conflicted over her feelings for her ex-husband, Fair.

Favorite line: "Everyone's ass over tit today."

:D

Very good, great characterizations (even the animals!), convoluted plot, and satisfying resolution. Five stars:

*****