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"Sister" Jane #5
The Hounds and the Fury
Critics and fans alike are wild about Rita Mae Brown's richly imagined and utterly engaging foxhunting mysteries—and this latest novel promises more thrilling hunts, breathtaking vistas, and an all-new sinister scandal.
Millions of dollars seem to be missing after a long-overdue audit of the local aluminum plant reveals a major accounting discrepancy. Company president Garvey Stokes finds himself at a loss—in more ways than one. He turns to his sharp-tongued, ornery bookkeeper, Iphigenia "Iffy" Demetrios, for an explanation, but she's no help. Yet when the fuzzy math suddenly includes a body count, the figures can no longer be ignored.
While the town sheriff tries to get to the bottom of the matter, leave it to "Sister" Jane Arnold, venerable master of the Jefferson Hunt Club, to rely on her keen horse-and-hound sense to follow the trail of murder and cover-up. Throwing her off the scent, however, is former hunt club donor and all-around cad Crawford Howard, who thinks he can go toe-to-toe with the beloved septuagenarian and outclass her club by grossly sidestepping hound- and-hunt etiquette. Against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a menagerie of friends, foes, and fresh new faces saddle up for the breakneck ride to unravel the conspiracy. Even the furry denizens in the fields and boroughs have a thing or two to say about these peculiar humans.
Incomparable author Rita Mae Brown returns to the glorious hills of Virginia and its genteel foxhunting society, where how much money you have in the bank is not nearly as important as how long your family has lived on the land—and where nearly everyone has something to hide. As Sister muses, "The little secrets leak out. The big ones, well, some escape like evils from Pandora's box. And others we'll never know."
Millions of dollars seem to be missing after a long-overdue audit of the local aluminum plant reveals a major accounting discrepancy. Company president Garvey Stokes finds himself at a loss—in more ways than one. He turns to his sharp-tongued, ornery bookkeeper, Iphigenia "Iffy" Demetrios, for an explanation, but she's no help. Yet when the fuzzy math suddenly includes a body count, the figures can no longer be ignored.
While the town sheriff tries to get to the bottom of the matter, leave it to "Sister" Jane Arnold, venerable master of the Jefferson Hunt Club, to rely on her keen horse-and-hound sense to follow the trail of murder and cover-up. Throwing her off the scent, however, is former hunt club donor and all-around cad Crawford Howard, who thinks he can go toe-to-toe with the beloved septuagenarian and outclass her club by grossly sidestepping hound- and-hunt etiquette. Against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a menagerie of friends, foes, and fresh new faces saddle up for the breakneck ride to unravel the conspiracy. Even the furry denizens in the fields and boroughs have a thing or two to say about these peculiar humans.
Incomparable author Rita Mae Brown returns to the glorious hills of Virginia and its genteel foxhunting society, where how much money you have in the bank is not nearly as important as how long your family has lived on the land—and where nearly everyone has something to hide. As Sister muses, "The little secrets leak out. The big ones, well, some escape like evils from Pandora's box. And others we'll never know."
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
111 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Rita Mae Brown
180 books2,243 followersRita Mae Brown is a prolific American writer, most known for her mysteries and other novels (Rubyfruit Jungle). She is also an Emmy-nominated screenwriter.
Brown was born illegitimate in Hanover, Pennsylvania. She was raised by her biological mother's female cousin and the cousin's husband in York, Pennsylvania and later in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Starting in the fall of 1962, Brown attended the University of Florida at Gainesville on a scholarship. In the spring of 1964, the administrators of the racially segregated university expelled her for participating in the civil rights movement. She subsequently enrolled at Broward Community College[3] with the hope of transferring eventually to a more tolerant four-year institution.
Between fall 1964 and 1969, she lived in New York City, sometimes homeless, while attending New York University[6] where she received a degree in Classics and English. Later,[when?] she received another degree in cinematography from the New York School of Visual Arts.[citation needed] Brown received a Ph.D. in literature from Union Institute & University in 1976 and holds a doctorate in political science from the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.
Starting in 1973, Brown lived in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. In 1977, she bought a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia where she still lives.[9] In 1982, a screenplay Brown wrote while living in Los Angeles, Sleepless Nights, was retitled The Slumber Party Massacre and given a limited release theatrically.
During Brown's spring 1964 semester at the University of Florida at Gainesville, she became active in the American Civil Rights Movement. Later in the 1960s, she participated in the anti-war movement, the feminist movement and the Gay Liberation movement.
Brown took an administrative position with the fledgling National Organization for Women, but resigned in January 1970 over Betty Friedan's anti-gay remarks and NOW's attempts to distance itself from lesbian organizations. She claims she played a leading role in the "Lavender Menace" zap of the Second Congress to Unite Women on May 1, 1970, which protested Friedan's remarks and the exclusion of lesbians from the women's movement.
In the early 1970s, she became a founding member of The Furies Collective, a lesbian feminist newspaper collective in Washington, DC, which held that heterosexuality was the root of all oppression.
Brown told Time magazine in 2008, "I don't believe in straight or gay. I really don't. I think we're all degrees of bisexual. There may be a few people on the extreme if it's a bell curve who really truly are gay or really truly are straight. Because nobody had ever said these things and used their real name, I suddenly became [in the late 1970s] the only lesbian in America."
Brown was born illegitimate in Hanover, Pennsylvania. She was raised by her biological mother's female cousin and the cousin's husband in York, Pennsylvania and later in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Starting in the fall of 1962, Brown attended the University of Florida at Gainesville on a scholarship. In the spring of 1964, the administrators of the racially segregated university expelled her for participating in the civil rights movement. She subsequently enrolled at Broward Community College[3] with the hope of transferring eventually to a more tolerant four-year institution.
Between fall 1964 and 1969, she lived in New York City, sometimes homeless, while attending New York University[6] where she received a degree in Classics and English. Later,[when?] she received another degree in cinematography from the New York School of Visual Arts.[citation needed] Brown received a Ph.D. in literature from Union Institute & University in 1976 and holds a doctorate in political science from the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.
Starting in 1973, Brown lived in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. In 1977, she bought a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia where she still lives.[9] In 1982, a screenplay Brown wrote while living in Los Angeles, Sleepless Nights, was retitled The Slumber Party Massacre and given a limited release theatrically.
During Brown's spring 1964 semester at the University of Florida at Gainesville, she became active in the American Civil Rights Movement. Later in the 1960s, she participated in the anti-war movement, the feminist movement and the Gay Liberation movement.
Brown took an administrative position with the fledgling National Organization for Women, but resigned in January 1970 over Betty Friedan's anti-gay remarks and NOW's attempts to distance itself from lesbian organizations. She claims she played a leading role in the "Lavender Menace" zap of the Second Congress to Unite Women on May 1, 1970, which protested Friedan's remarks and the exclusion of lesbians from the women's movement.
In the early 1970s, she became a founding member of The Furies Collective, a lesbian feminist newspaper collective in Washington, DC, which held that heterosexuality was the root of all oppression.
Brown told Time magazine in 2008, "I don't believe in straight or gay. I really don't. I think we're all degrees of bisexual. There may be a few people on the extreme if it's a bell curve who really truly are gay or really truly are straight. Because nobody had ever said these things and used their real name, I suddenly became [in the late 1970s] the only lesbian in America."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 26, 2019
I had not read a RMB novel in quite a while, but had quite enjoyed her Sneaky Pie Brown series as well as Rubyfruit Jungle, Six of One and Southern Discomfort to name a few. So I picked up a couple of her "Sister" Jane novels which I had not yet experienced and just felt cozy all over again. This one is a primer on humane fox hunting, and having shown and owned horses myself, I was reminded of my own experience when I fox hunted as a guest (cap fee and all) . And of course her imaginative talking hounds, foxes and yes humans are always a delight. The requisite murder and larceny only add to the fun.
February 10, 2023
Not so much a mystery - though there's a murder mystery tucked in - as a look at the lives and mores of a Virginia hunt club. If I didn't know foxhunts actually exist, I'd think the author (who is the master of foxhounds at the Oak Ridge Foxhunt Club) had created her own sub-world. The world-building is that good, as gamers would say. The horses jumping fences, the field in their colors (complete with silver stock pins), the sounds of the hounds baying - so many details pull you in to the story, even if (like me) you never knew anything about foxhunting before. I'm buying the next one in her series, "The Tell-Tale Horse."
January 3, 2024
I love riding, but am nowhere NEAR advanced enough to ride in a foxhunt. By the way, they do not kill the fox, they chase it. The animals in these mysteries discuss things with one another, and have their own hates and loves. The humans can't understand the animals, though hunt master Jane Arnold ("Sister") comes pretty close. The descriptions of the hunts and the traditions are delightful, and serve to move the story forward. If you're worried about violence and sex, people DO have relationships, but they are not talked about in any sort of detail whatsoever...all very Southern proper!
I really enjoy these books.
I really enjoy these books.
September 28, 2018
An excellent primer on the tradition of fox hunting in Virginia; the people, their responsibilities in the field, the love and care of their horses and hounds, their love for the land and even their love and care of the foxes they hunt (actually they don't hunt, they chase). Mixed in with all this information is a mystery and some interesting characters. OK I'm not fond of the animals talking or narrating parts of the story. I usually find this too cute for my taste but at least the author gives the animals realistic expression relative to their part in the action.
March 26, 2019
After the last installment of this series, which did nothing but preach, we were back to a fun mix of animals, people, foxhunting and mystery, with Sister Jane telling us how we all should act and live to round things out. :) I still want to be her when I grow up. I've been asking for a pony for 44 years. No luck yet, but I haven't given up. And I count my spoons in the spring. :D
The mystery was pretty easy to figure out and I've decided that every single person in Jefferson County is a thief and/or a murderer. Remind me not to visit. Even for the beautiful fields for riding.
The mystery was pretty easy to figure out and I've decided that every single person in Jefferson County is a thief and/or a murderer. Remind me not to visit. Even for the beautiful fields for riding.
July 31, 2020
Better than the previous two, this one simply did not pull me in as much as #1 and #2. Thankfully the conclusion wasn't nearly as rushed as #3 and #4. This one had the most obvious ending thus far I thought. All in all a good read. I'll be pursuing the next book, and if they don't get any worse, I'll gladly finish this series.
March 12, 2018
Awesome!!
Love all of Rita Mae Browns books. I have been reading her books since 1982. I haven’t missed one yet.
Love all of Rita Mae Browns books. I have been reading her books since 1982. I haven’t missed one yet.
November 11, 2018
Jefferson Hunt
Very engaging book. Rita Mae Brown is a terrific writer. Her mysteries keep your interest going and I love the interplay of the various animals and humans.
Very engaging book. Rita Mae Brown is a terrific writer. Her mysteries keep your interest going and I love the interplay of the various animals and humans.
January 14, 2019
A strong entry in the Sister series. A dramatic denouement to the murder mystery takes a back seat to dramatic hunts, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The animal relationships are particularly fun and interesting in this story. Golly the cat meeting a fox face to face is a series highlight. Although I might not always agree with Sister's (and Brown's) social views, this continues to be an enjoyable and comforting world to visit.
May 11, 2019
Not the best mystery, but I love the education I receive on fox hunting and everything that goes with it.
January 23, 2020
Another really good mystery by a wonderful author.
November 24, 2020
A little too much hunting and easy to spot the villain, but interesting characters and with each book in the series more humor that really adds.
December 2, 2023
Not a bad book although the reveal at the end with one of the Custis Hall girls didn’t surprise me. I did enjoy the added character of the wild boar (even though he had a small appearance)!!
July 1, 2024
Listen to Rita read her book. She doesn’t pause when the scene changes in a chapter. Probably, would like it better if I had read it. Knew who was involved before the solution started to emerge.
December 6, 2024
Another excellent murder mystery in hunt country
April 29, 2023
A series I hadn't read yet (not Sneaky Pie).
Sister is the Master of the Hunt in Jefferson County, VA. A large cast of characters. Shaker, the Hunter - keeps track of the hounds, Jason is an upstart Dr. at the local hospital. Walter is in the same hospital, more stable, in the hunt. The Sheriff Ben. Three young women from a local prep school. The Whipper's In, Sybil and Betty. One of the hunt, Crawford, had gotten into a tussle with other hunt members, including Sister, so he left the hunt in a huff and was going to start his own.
In local industry, Iffy, a bitter woman doing books at the aluminum manufacturing plant - supposedly has cancer and has been treated by Dr. Jason. The owner of the plant, Garvey, asked Gray (Sister's boyfriend) to audit the books as a way to pave the way for a credit increase. Gray found out that there was embezzlement going on.
Iffy is killed and buried in a shallow grave, found by the coyote the hounds were chasing.
Pieces were put together - Iffy never had cancer. Jason and Iffy were committing fraud. Iffy was defrauding Garvey's company and was going to share it with Jason. Jason killed her. It was found out that Iffy had killed the previous bookkeeper at the company and figured out what Iffy was doing.
Jason was confronted during a hunt (by sister, with Ben's backup). Jason almost did in Sister, ran and tried to shoot Sybil, but was saved by a poacher and distracted Sybil, who shot Jason.
Sister is the Master of the Hunt in Jefferson County, VA. A large cast of characters. Shaker, the Hunter - keeps track of the hounds, Jason is an upstart Dr. at the local hospital. Walter is in the same hospital, more stable, in the hunt. The Sheriff Ben. Three young women from a local prep school. The Whipper's In, Sybil and Betty. One of the hunt, Crawford, had gotten into a tussle with other hunt members, including Sister, so he left the hunt in a huff and was going to start his own.
In local industry, Iffy, a bitter woman doing books at the aluminum manufacturing plant - supposedly has cancer and has been treated by Dr. Jason. The owner of the plant, Garvey, asked Gray (Sister's boyfriend) to audit the books as a way to pave the way for a credit increase. Gray found out that there was embezzlement going on.
Iffy is killed and buried in a shallow grave, found by the coyote the hounds were chasing.
Pieces were put together - Iffy never had cancer. Jason and Iffy were committing fraud. Iffy was defrauding Garvey's company and was going to share it with Jason. Jason killed her. It was found out that Iffy had killed the previous bookkeeper at the company and figured out what Iffy was doing.
Jason was confronted during a hunt (by sister, with Ben's backup). Jason almost did in Sister, ran and tried to shoot Sybil, but was saved by a poacher and distracted Sybil, who shot Jason.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2011
This is the second book of the Outfoxed series I have read. Chronologically it is prior to the first "Sister" Jane mystery I read, but not first in the series. Comments about this book were in the following title, "Hounded to Death". (I think that's the title.) Anyway, I liked this one better as it is less politically preachy. Don't get me wrong, I love Rita Mae and usually agree with her politics. I just prefer the books that have more story-line and less politics. I enjoy the animals side of the story and the concern the humans have for the animals. "Hounds first", as Sister would say. I wish I had started with the first in the series, but that's history. ((Anyone following my comments please be aware they are written mostly for myself and my memories- I realize they won't be much help to someone wanting a clear review.))
January 22, 2015
I listened to 'The Hounds and the Fury' on audiobook during my daily commutes to and from work. I tend to think I would have enjoyed the story more if I had read it in a paper format, as I found Rita Mae Brown to be a fairly unstimulating narrator as audiobooks go. The story started off slowly and I considered ditching it for another set of discs, but in the end I'm glad I stuck with it. I don't know anything about fox hunting, but it seems like the author is very committed to accuracy when it comes to writing about the subject, so I would guess that fans of fox hunting would find this to be an enjoyable read. I found myself a little irritated by the dialogue of the Custis Hall girls, as I think the author is slightly out of touch with teen girls and doesn't voice them very realistically. Steer clear of this one if you're not a fan of talking animals.
December 28, 2015
Two more in the Sister Jane Hall/Jefferson Hunt Club series (got started a few years ago with an Xmas present).
I liked both of these for the things I’ve liked before: the intrigue and details of the mystery, the awesome dogs and horses and the foxes (I love the foxes) and their reactions and relations and really vital role in the story. Man I love reading the scenes with Cora and Dasher. The hunt scenes are really wonderful and atmospheric, take you right into the thick of things.
And I didn’t like the same stuff that bugs me in each of these books: Sister Jane’s incredible self-satisifed-ness and the “how to be upstanding and moral” lessons that crop up throughout. Often has a very pedantic feel. Too preachy and often those paragraphs aren’t even in any particular character’s voice so they really throw you right out of the action.
I liked both of these for the things I’ve liked before: the intrigue and details of the mystery, the awesome dogs and horses and the foxes (I love the foxes) and their reactions and relations and really vital role in the story. Man I love reading the scenes with Cora and Dasher. The hunt scenes are really wonderful and atmospheric, take you right into the thick of things.
And I didn’t like the same stuff that bugs me in each of these books: Sister Jane’s incredible self-satisifed-ness and the “how to be upstanding and moral” lessons that crop up throughout. Often has a very pedantic feel. Too preachy and often those paragraphs aren’t even in any particular character’s voice so they really throw you right out of the action.
January 17, 2016
This book is better than the previous one (The Hunt Ball) and takes place immediately afterward. While reading The Hunt Ball isn't necessary, it helps to understand a few of the undercurrents in the book.
Still, there's a bit more "as you know"-type dialogue than I'm comfortable with to explain certain technicalities, though it's still smoother than in the earlier books. There's also a bit of "get off my lawn" curmudgeonly political writing that feels awkward to me, as if the author is repeating dialogue that she's heard which doesn't really resonate with the character she created. All the same, we still have some pretty good horse scenes, and this one resonates more with the scenery description. There was one loose end that I would have preferred to have explained, but oh well.
Still, there's a bit more "as you know"-type dialogue than I'm comfortable with to explain certain technicalities, though it's still smoother than in the earlier books. There's also a bit of "get off my lawn" curmudgeonly political writing that feels awkward to me, as if the author is repeating dialogue that she's heard which doesn't really resonate with the character she created. All the same, we still have some pretty good horse scenes, and this one resonates more with the scenery description. There was one loose end that I would have preferred to have explained, but oh well.
May 5, 2014
I'm sure a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this one.
Millions of dollars goes missing at an aluminum plant which appears to be a mystery to everybody. The local hunt club gets involved as a body lands right in the middle of their hunting grounds. "Sister" Jane offers her opinion as the killer seems to be trying to outsmart everybody. While this whole mystery is going on, you learn a lot about fox hunting and the politics involved with the hunt club. The hounds, foxes and other animals bring an extra touch to the whole story.
It took me a while to read this book, I just didn't feel that it kept me glued to the pages. Overall it was ok, just not quite my cup of tea.
Millions of dollars goes missing at an aluminum plant which appears to be a mystery to everybody. The local hunt club gets involved as a body lands right in the middle of their hunting grounds. "Sister" Jane offers her opinion as the killer seems to be trying to outsmart everybody. While this whole mystery is going on, you learn a lot about fox hunting and the politics involved with the hunt club. The hounds, foxes and other animals bring an extra touch to the whole story.
It took me a while to read this book, I just didn't feel that it kept me glued to the pages. Overall it was ok, just not quite my cup of tea.
November 23, 2014
I do not approve of fox-hunting, although this does put a good face on it.
The talking animals were strange and it took awhile to realize no one really understood them, except the other animals... sorta like the baby in the first few seasons of Family Guy. But since no one is actually eating the foxes (inedible) or killing them, I guess its ok.
The murder mystery was kinda light, with a few splatters of frozen blood here and there to keep one guessing.
The talking animals were strange and it took awhile to realize no one really understood them, except the other animals... sorta like the baby in the first few seasons of Family Guy. But since no one is actually eating the foxes (inedible) or killing them, I guess its ok.
The murder mystery was kinda light, with a few splatters of frozen blood here and there to keep one guessing.
December 11, 2008
I got this for a light read in the car. I appreciated the author providing all the animals (foxes, hounds, owls, house pets) with a voice. I especially liked the scene between the cat, the house dogs, and a fox. But, unfortunately, I figured out the killer long before the resolution in the book. I think I need something with a bit more action to distract me from Statistics and Econometrics.
July 22, 2009
#5 in the "Sister" June Arnold fox hunting in Virginia mystery series. This is another good mystery, though one can identify the baddies early on. A good blend of characters, both human and animal, along with a lot about fox hunting and Virginia manners. The mystery adds to the continuing saga involving personality clashes involving the fox hunting club which "Sister" heads.
October 23, 2016
April 2012 -This is the best and funniest of the series so far!
March 2014 - Still a very good book.
October 2016 - Still one of my favorite of the series. Still glad to see that idiot Crawford being out of Jefferson and seen for the nitwit he is, even by his own hounds. The scene where the two packs meet gets funnier every time I read/visualize it.
March 2014 - Still a very good book.
October 2016 - Still one of my favorite of the series. Still glad to see that idiot Crawford being out of Jefferson and seen for the nitwit he is, even by his own hounds. The scene where the two packs meet gets funnier every time I read/visualize it.
October 22, 2012
Really enjoyed this outting with Jane Arnold. The twist of 2 villians and them screwing over eachother and neither knowing was great. I love that all these books are autonomus and don't need to be read in order. I would love if she wrote something about Sister's grandfather. Seems there could be a great period piece there?
December 16, 2007
Enjoyable mystery if you like Brown's anecdotes about country life in central Virginia and talking animals. The plot was not as engaging as some of the past books in this series, but there was further development of recurring characters.
February 6, 2014
Great continuation of the series. I really get into Rita Mae Brown's "foxhunting series", and her mysteries never cease to keep me interested.
A great light read. I can't wait to read the next few books in the series.
A great light read. I can't wait to read the next few books in the series.
January 28, 2016
Jesus H Christ on a raft. I am enjoying already. Reviews are piling up with grumblings about sister Jane's "holier than thou attitude" and know it all knowledge. She is 6'1" 72 years still having sex and FLASH we are made aware of another of sister's qualities-sister is a "respectable 38C".
January 5, 2008
The latest paperback version of the foxhunting series, and as usual, hard to put down, This is pure entertainment, but you do learn a lot about the flora and fauna around us.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews