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Mrs. Murphy #16
The Purrfect Murder
New York Times bestselling authors Rita Mae Brown and her feline partner, Sneaky Pie Brown, return with a new mystery starring Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen, the sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and corgi Tee Tucker. But are they any match for a killer who’s made an entire town suspect by committing…
Autumn has arrived in cozy Crozet, Virginia, and that means the town’s inhabitants are hard at work in home and garden preparing for winter. Harry is planning to harvest her first crop of Petit Manseng grapes along with her beloved sunflowers. Meanwhile, her recent marriage to Fair and her friendship with Deputy Cynthia Cooper, who’s rented nearby Blair Farm, are flourishing. But even when peace descends on the idyllic countryside, murder is lurking.
Mrs. Carla Paulson is one of the diamond-encrusted “come-here” set who has descended on Crozet with plenty of wealth and no feeling for country ways. She’s determined to make her new house the envy of all her well-heeled friends—and enemies—and she’s hired architect Tazio Chappers to build it.
From the start, the project—and Mrs. Paulson—turns into a major headache relieved only by a side trip to study Thomas Jefferson’s extraordinary summer home at Poplar Forest. Harry couldn’t foresee that a day later Mrs. Paulson would be found stabbed to death at a gala fund-raiser with Harry’s friend, Tazio Chappers, standing over her, holding the knife.
Now Harry must solve what seems to everyone else an open-and-shut case. Every other human, that is. For her four-legged friends see it Harry’s way. But will they have to choose between catching the purrfect killer or saving Harry?
Autumn has arrived in cozy Crozet, Virginia, and that means the town’s inhabitants are hard at work in home and garden preparing for winter. Harry is planning to harvest her first crop of Petit Manseng grapes along with her beloved sunflowers. Meanwhile, her recent marriage to Fair and her friendship with Deputy Cynthia Cooper, who’s rented nearby Blair Farm, are flourishing. But even when peace descends on the idyllic countryside, murder is lurking.
Mrs. Carla Paulson is one of the diamond-encrusted “come-here” set who has descended on Crozet with plenty of wealth and no feeling for country ways. She’s determined to make her new house the envy of all her well-heeled friends—and enemies—and she’s hired architect Tazio Chappers to build it.
From the start, the project—and Mrs. Paulson—turns into a major headache relieved only by a side trip to study Thomas Jefferson’s extraordinary summer home at Poplar Forest. Harry couldn’t foresee that a day later Mrs. Paulson would be found stabbed to death at a gala fund-raiser with Harry’s friend, Tazio Chappers, standing over her, holding the knife.
Now Harry must solve what seems to everyone else an open-and-shut case. Every other human, that is. For her four-legged friends see it Harry’s way. But will they have to choose between catching the purrfect killer or saving Harry?
247 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
110 people are currently reading
1197 people want to read
About the author
Rita Mae Brown
173 books2,232 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 187 reviews
June 24, 2010
I've been reading the Mrs. Murphy mysteries since 1990... a new one come out every year around my birthday. I'm a sucker for stories that revisit the same characters over and over, so I'll keep reading these as long as Rita Mae keeps writing them. That being said, I can't help noticing that Rita Mae keeps inserting her politics and point of view more and more into these books... that's her perogative as the author -- I don't necessarily disagree with all her opinions, it just seems so obvious and often doesn't fit within the narrative.
I also wonder if she is auctioning off appearances in her books... now and then random characters appear, and they are no more than a mention then gone again. I imagine it is a lucrative fund-raising scheme, yet as a regular reader, those insertions stick out.
I miss Harry working at the P.O., and her relationship with Miranda, and Little Marilyn marrying Blair has never felt right to me... still, I love visiting Crozlet every year, and seeing the latest twist Rita Mae has cooked up.
I also wonder if she is auctioning off appearances in her books... now and then random characters appear, and they are no more than a mention then gone again. I imagine it is a lucrative fund-raising scheme, yet as a regular reader, those insertions stick out.
I miss Harry working at the P.O., and her relationship with Miranda, and Little Marilyn marrying Blair has never felt right to me... still, I love visiting Crozlet every year, and seeing the latest twist Rita Mae has cooked up.
July 4, 2018
Yay, I finally finished it! It was a quick read and very enjoyable and entertaining. The characters Harry and Coop are especially interesting women and friends. Harry's pets, one dog, a corgi, and two cats kept up the interest by accompanying Harry wherever she went and the pets even got interested in helping Harry investigate one of the murders that took place. I may even reread it to catch up with some of the clues that I missed. I'll let you know. For now:6/22/2018
Okay, I did read this title again and upped the rating from three to four stars. It was very enjoyable the second time around and I really liked the interactions among the animals, both pets and wild. The conversations with the rats were delightful. I also really liked Harry as a character. Apparently she is well known in this series of Sneaky Pie books that she gets into trouble often because of her curiosity. I may even read another Sneaky Pie book in the future, but not now, I have other titles waiting to be read next.7/2/2018
Okay, I did read this title again and upped the rating from three to four stars. It was very enjoyable the second time around and I really liked the interactions among the animals, both pets and wild. The conversations with the rats were delightful. I also really liked Harry as a character. Apparently she is well known in this series of Sneaky Pie books that she gets into trouble often because of her curiosity. I may even read another Sneaky Pie book in the future, but not now, I have other titles waiting to be read next.7/2/2018
June 19, 2009
Sadly, I think this will be the last of the Mrs. Murphy series that I read. I have followed them from the beginning, but the stories are getting so interspersed with political & sociological commentary, that I feel it detracts, rather than adds, to the wonderful characterizations the author has developed.
July 22, 2012
I loved the earlier books in this series. However, the author has been getting more and more political and preachy as the series goes on. I think I'm done with this author after this one.
It's too bad because she has very engaging characters and a good story line. I'm usually not big on talking animals but Mrs. Murphy, Tucker and Pewter give a funny perspective on how pets might see humans.
It's too bad because she has very engaging characters and a good story line. I'm usually not big on talking animals but Mrs. Murphy, Tucker and Pewter give a funny perspective on how pets might see humans.
October 8, 2014
This novel is one of a series by Rita Mae Brown, featuring her cat, Sneaky-Pie, as co-author. It starts promisingly enough, with the murder of a pro-choice doctor by a sniper firing from a building nearby - the suspect is believed most likely to be one of the pro-lifers constantly hounding him. Soon, though, the novel bogged down in the sort of internal US politics that must fascinate some people in the US but is a resounding bore to the rest of the civilized world. Also, her characters are all drawn from the Country Club set of old Virginia - moneyed, a bit eccentric, fiercely loyal to each other but nonetheless stridently bitchy as well; the same sort of villagey, gossipy lot you get in Midsomer Murders, just with more dough. I found myself so put off by these twin features that, despite the fact that she's a very good writer - very funny sometimes, and seems happily on top of contemporary politics - I just couldn't get into it and had to abandon it.
Seems odd, too, for the woman who once set the gay world alight with Rubyfruit Jungle to end up writing cat mysteries with stolidly straight characters. Oh well, people change, I guess.
Seems odd, too, for the woman who once set the gay world alight with Rubyfruit Jungle to end up writing cat mysteries with stolidly straight characters. Oh well, people change, I guess.
March 1, 2013
If there really was a place like this in VA I would move there in a minute. It just seems like an idyllic and wonderful place to live. But when a high flautin' rich bitch moves in totally intent on remodeling her new digs, treating the local folk like they are less than human, and ends up getting skewered( stabbed) to death, Mrs. Murphy the cat and her pals are on the case again. I just can't get enough of acts and dogs talking to each other and making fun of how stupid people really are. It just makes me laugh.
September 17, 2009
Good mystery story, but a little too much preaching about abortion rights. How can a doctor believe life starts at birth? Please---why do prenatal care and check the baby's heartbeat, etc., if there is no life until the baby is born? And leave this out of a light mystery--I don't want to hear the author's political viewpoint.
May 29, 2025
Blah, blah, blah. That’s my summation of the majority of this book. I think Rita Mae Brown wants a place to vent her opinions so she creates scenarios for her characters to discuss politics, religion, etc. and writes a loose murder-mystery around it.
The murder-mystery is so disappointing. And good Lord, the opinions and “facts” spouted off by the characters in this book is borderline unbearable. I quit this book multiple times then decided to finish it with the declaration that this is once and for all the last Brown book I will read. I love Crozet and the book’s atmosphere, but I can’t take the loaded, stuffy, obnoxious, and one-sided nonsense written in-between the storyline’s progression of the Mrs. Murphy books anymore.
2 stars because the fight between Pewter and Mrs. Murphy was entertaining.
The murder-mystery is so disappointing. And good Lord, the opinions and “facts” spouted off by the characters in this book is borderline unbearable. I quit this book multiple times then decided to finish it with the declaration that this is once and for all the last Brown book I will read. I love Crozet and the book’s atmosphere, but I can’t take the loaded, stuffy, obnoxious, and one-sided nonsense written in-between the storyline’s progression of the Mrs. Murphy books anymore.
2 stars because the fight between Pewter and Mrs. Murphy was entertaining.
July 11, 2018
I keep saying this after I finish each book in the series, but the animals (Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, Tucker, Flatface, Simon, Matilda, all their friends and the horses) keep a smile on my face and often a laugh out loud by their conversations, feuds and antics. Special mention of special hilarity in this story is Matilda dropping down from a tree smack onto Pewter!
August 23, 2021
This is really a 3.5. Once the book got going it was a good mystery, but there was too much political stuff. Some of it was necessary, but a rant about the way the Virginia State Police enforce speed limits (among others) was not.
May 15, 2019
A bit heavy on the political agenda but good mystery.
Read
July 25, 2011I used to love this series, but the last couple of books have been really disappointing...too much soap box expounding, not enough mystery, not enough story or character development, not enough from the animals "point of view" and involvement. Sadly, this may be the last Sneakie Pie for me.
June 5, 2017
From what I read on other reviews, I saw a lot of people got caught up in the politics of this one. Honestly, it's a work of fiction, but yes, real world issues will creep in. Overall, it is a well written mystery and I honestly did not see the ending coming.
June 24, 2020
I couldn't get into this one. It felt like every time I started enjoying it, the flow would come to a screeching halt for the characters to have a political discussion. The mystery was fairly predictable. Two stars, because I did like the bits with the animals and it was a short/quick read.
December 8, 2020
I’ve slogged through the last couple books. So much detail given to things like horses and plant diseases and now abortion. This topic was just shoved in your face on every page. No gracias. The murder felt like a tiny footnote. I might have to put this series on the back burner for a bit.
August 1, 2022
Nothing on this cover mentioned the political yammerings a reader will have to endure through these pages. I made it to page 12 and found I had had enough of the right-wing, left-wing, who's who, introductions based on lineage, blah blahs. Schnikes.
December 14, 2024
This book is the sixteenth in the series featuring Mrs. Murphy, a Grey tiger short-hair cat who, along with a Welsh corgi dog named Tee Tucker, and the stout grey cat Pewter, solves mysteries with the assistance of Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen, a farmer married to Fair Haristeen, an equine veterinarian, outside the small town of Crozet, Virginia, some ten miles west of Charlottesville. (It should be noted that all animals can talk to each other, and that they all understand humans, but humans, being dense imperfect beings, cannot understand the animals.) And these are fun mysteries to read.
It is fall, and life is good in Crozet, until respected OB/GYN physician Dr. William Wylde, who is also on the board of Planned Parenthood, is shot dead at his office. Since it is known that he also performed abortions, the townsfolk wonder if the killer was a deranged anti-abortionist, but suspicion also falls on Dr. Harvey Tillach, who hated Wylde (he had accused Wylde of seducing his wife). Meanwhile, rich people have been moving into the county and building custom mansions, usually using Tazio Chappars, the gifted architect who is one of Harry’s friends. Folly Steinhauser is one of those rich people, and has used her money and organization skills to become a power, challenging the so-called Queen of Crozet, Marilyn Sanburne (Big Mim). Another rich person is Carla Paulson, who is currently building her mansion. She is quite abrasive, and is at odds with Tazio, her architect, and with Mike McElvoy, one of the two county building inspectors, who is also beyond abrasive and keeps finding problems with the construction. A fundraising gala is about to happen at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s summer home; the gala is largely financed by Folly Steinhauser, and Big Mim is at odds with her daughter, Marilyn Bainbridge (Little Mim), who, mindful of her hopeful future in politics, has refused to make a statement about the killing of Doctor Wylde. But a murder occurs, with one of Harry’s good friends as the primary suspect, and Harry begins to try to figure out the web of murder, blackmail, and corruption. Naturally, this alarms her animals, who once again decide to do their own investigations while trying to keep Harry from harm.
This was an interesting addition to the series; at the end, someone flees justice, which makes me wonder if that someone may once again turn up in the series. And I look forward to the next book in the series.
It is fall, and life is good in Crozet, until respected OB/GYN physician Dr. William Wylde, who is also on the board of Planned Parenthood, is shot dead at his office. Since it is known that he also performed abortions, the townsfolk wonder if the killer was a deranged anti-abortionist, but suspicion also falls on Dr. Harvey Tillach, who hated Wylde (he had accused Wylde of seducing his wife). Meanwhile, rich people have been moving into the county and building custom mansions, usually using Tazio Chappars, the gifted architect who is one of Harry’s friends. Folly Steinhauser is one of those rich people, and has used her money and organization skills to become a power, challenging the so-called Queen of Crozet, Marilyn Sanburne (Big Mim). Another rich person is Carla Paulson, who is currently building her mansion. She is quite abrasive, and is at odds with Tazio, her architect, and with Mike McElvoy, one of the two county building inspectors, who is also beyond abrasive and keeps finding problems with the construction. A fundraising gala is about to happen at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s summer home; the gala is largely financed by Folly Steinhauser, and Big Mim is at odds with her daughter, Marilyn Bainbridge (Little Mim), who, mindful of her hopeful future in politics, has refused to make a statement about the killing of Doctor Wylde. But a murder occurs, with one of Harry’s good friends as the primary suspect, and Harry begins to try to figure out the web of murder, blackmail, and corruption. Naturally, this alarms her animals, who once again decide to do their own investigations while trying to keep Harry from harm.
This was an interesting addition to the series; at the end, someone flees justice, which makes me wonder if that someone may once again turn up in the series. And I look forward to the next book in the series.
June 5, 2022
The Purrfect Murder is the 16th installment in the "Mrs Murphy" mystery series by authors Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. The main characters are Mary "Harry" Harristeen and her pets: Mrs Murphy, Pewter, and Tee Tucker.
When wealthy Carla Paulson hires architect Tazio Chappars to design a glorious house for her, she must also deal with Mike McElvoy, the overbearing county building inspector. It makes for a volatile mix that culminates in murder when Carla is stabbed to death at a fundraiser and Tazio is found with the knife in her hand. Harry is convinced Tazio would never harm someone, and she sets out prove it. In the meantime, an OB/GYN has been murdered by an anti-choice zealot, and the doctor's records have been compromised. Soon, local women are receiving threatening letters, blackmailing them into paying money in exchange for keeping their secrets. Harry thinks the two murders are related, but the local police aren't convinced. Determined to see Tazio's name cleared, Harry takes a foolish risk to gather evidence, endangering herself and her pets.
I keep marveling at how I manage to pick up these books to read, only to find that something written nearly 15 years ago can resonate with current events. This one was no different, as it hinged largely on the issue of abortion. The narrative was gripping, and characterizations were wonderful, as is always the case in this series. I loved the animals' interactions and their ability to ferret out clues, even if they were unable to share the clues with the humans in their lives.
Loved this book as much as the others in the series, but I'm knocking a point off the score for SPOILER!! the fact that the killer got away. I'm a vindictive bitch, and I want to see the criminal in any story get his or her comeuppance.
Four stars
When wealthy Carla Paulson hires architect Tazio Chappars to design a glorious house for her, she must also deal with Mike McElvoy, the overbearing county building inspector. It makes for a volatile mix that culminates in murder when Carla is stabbed to death at a fundraiser and Tazio is found with the knife in her hand. Harry is convinced Tazio would never harm someone, and she sets out prove it. In the meantime, an OB/GYN has been murdered by an anti-choice zealot, and the doctor's records have been compromised. Soon, local women are receiving threatening letters, blackmailing them into paying money in exchange for keeping their secrets. Harry thinks the two murders are related, but the local police aren't convinced. Determined to see Tazio's name cleared, Harry takes a foolish risk to gather evidence, endangering herself and her pets.
I keep marveling at how I manage to pick up these books to read, only to find that something written nearly 15 years ago can resonate with current events. This one was no different, as it hinged largely on the issue of abortion. The narrative was gripping, and characterizations were wonderful, as is always the case in this series. I loved the animals' interactions and their ability to ferret out clues, even if they were unable to share the clues with the humans in their lives.
Loved this book as much as the others in the series, but I'm knocking a point off the score for SPOILER!! the fact that the killer got away. I'm a vindictive bitch, and I want to see the criminal in any story get his or her comeuppance.
Four stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2021
Harry, Fair, and the animals have made it back to Crozet from their vacation in KY. Tazio is working on home improvements for Carla Paulson, a wealthy and difficult newcomer to the community. Housing inspector Mike McElvoy is stirring things up by finding or creating all manner of violations in the plans.
Meanwhile, the rest of Crozet is busy planning a reunion at St Luke's, which will include a benefit for Planned Parenthood. The next thing we know, Dr Will Wylde, the town OB/GYN who also does abortions, is shot and killed. While that is being investigated, and everyone in town is talking about the politics of abortion, the reunion gala takes place. There is a scream, and Carla Paulson is found stabbed to death and Tazio is standing nearby with a knife in hand.
Harry and the animals try to find another suspect in order to free Tazio. Little Mim reveals she has received an extortion not from Jonathan Bechtel, who demands $100,000 or he will disclose that she had an abortion years earlier. Harry suspects all of these events are tied together, but she doesn't know how. Mike seems wealthier than an inspector should be, plus he works on old guns, and is pro-life. Could he be behind it all?
Harry goes to his place to investigate and everything quickly comes to a head. As is usually the case, things are both more and less complicated than they seem. In addition to the abortion politics, there is an extortion plot, government corruption, and an unexpected villain. So much action in little Crozet and the animals putting in their 2c as it all plays out.
There was more politics that usual in this, and the abortion plot would probably put some people off. On the other hand, all these things are still being debated so it seems current even though it was written in 2008.
Meanwhile, the rest of Crozet is busy planning a reunion at St Luke's, which will include a benefit for Planned Parenthood. The next thing we know, Dr Will Wylde, the town OB/GYN who also does abortions, is shot and killed. While that is being investigated, and everyone in town is talking about the politics of abortion, the reunion gala takes place. There is a scream, and Carla Paulson is found stabbed to death and Tazio is standing nearby with a knife in hand.
Harry and the animals try to find another suspect in order to free Tazio. Little Mim reveals she has received an extortion not from Jonathan Bechtel, who demands $100,000 or he will disclose that she had an abortion years earlier. Harry suspects all of these events are tied together, but she doesn't know how. Mike seems wealthier than an inspector should be, plus he works on old guns, and is pro-life. Could he be behind it all?
Harry goes to his place to investigate and everything quickly comes to a head. As is usually the case, things are both more and less complicated than they seem. In addition to the abortion politics, there is an extortion plot, government corruption, and an unexpected villain. So much action in little Crozet and the animals putting in their 2c as it all plays out.
There was more politics that usual in this, and the abortion plot would probably put some people off. On the other hand, all these things are still being debated so it seems current even though it was written in 2008.
November 29, 2019
People are moving into Crozet with lots of money to burn. They are building huge homes with no regard to the lifestyle or history of the area. Also no manners.
Carla Paulson is one of these newcomers. She has hired local architect, Tazio Chappars, to design and build her new estate. A good gig, except for the fact that Tazio is dealing with an over demanding client and the most difficult building inspector in Abermarle County.
Things really get topsy-turvy for Tazio when her client is found stabbed to death at a gala charity event and Tazio is standing over her holding the knife.
Anyone who knows Tazio doesn't believe she did it, but the circumstances of the scene of the crime, and that many knew Tazio was having a difficult time with her client say otherwise.
Harry is determined to find out who the killer is. Fair, Harry's husband, is determined to keep Harry safe. Meanwhile the furry sleuths, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tee Tucker perform their own investigation and also try to keep Harry out of trouble.
There are some interesting secrets that are discovered, during the investigation. Secrets common to a number of Crozet citizens, that the owner don't want revealed.
This is a series I've enjoyed over the years. An entertaining cozy with some good twists and turns.
Carla Paulson is one of these newcomers. She has hired local architect, Tazio Chappars, to design and build her new estate. A good gig, except for the fact that Tazio is dealing with an over demanding client and the most difficult building inspector in Abermarle County.
Things really get topsy-turvy for Tazio when her client is found stabbed to death at a gala charity event and Tazio is standing over her holding the knife.
Anyone who knows Tazio doesn't believe she did it, but the circumstances of the scene of the crime, and that many knew Tazio was having a difficult time with her client say otherwise.
Harry is determined to find out who the killer is. Fair, Harry's husband, is determined to keep Harry safe. Meanwhile the furry sleuths, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tee Tucker perform their own investigation and also try to keep Harry out of trouble.
There are some interesting secrets that are discovered, during the investigation. Secrets common to a number of Crozet citizens, that the owner don't want revealed.
This is a series I've enjoyed over the years. An entertaining cozy with some good twists and turns.
June 27, 2019
Another wonderful installment in the Mrs. Murphy series! This novel features the murder of a beloved OB/GYN, Will Wylde, and the ensuing blackmail of local women who had obtained abortions in the past. But when a local rich woman, Carla Paulson, is murdered at a white-tie party and her architect, the well-respected Tazio Chappars, is discovered holding a bloody knife over her body, questions abound.
Even though it deals with sensitive subjects, this book never becomes preachy or overly moral. It would have been easy for Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown to use it as a political platform, but they don’t. I enjoyed this book from start to finish, and I loved the development of Marilyn Sanburne, Jr.’s character. We also get to know Deputy Cynthia Cooper a little bit better, and to see a vulnerable side of Tazio.
Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker are sassy and clever as always, and they save the day once again. Their relationships with the other Crozet critters like Elocution, Cazenovia, Lucy Fur, and Brinkley always put a smile on my face. These cozy mysteries are such a joy to read.
Even though it deals with sensitive subjects, this book never becomes preachy or overly moral. It would have been easy for Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown to use it as a political platform, but they don’t. I enjoyed this book from start to finish, and I loved the development of Marilyn Sanburne, Jr.’s character. We also get to know Deputy Cynthia Cooper a little bit better, and to see a vulnerable side of Tazio.
Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker are sassy and clever as always, and they save the day once again. Their relationships with the other Crozet critters like Elocution, Cazenovia, Lucy Fur, and Brinkley always put a smile on my face. These cozy mysteries are such a joy to read.
June 15, 2020
I started reading this series when I was much younger and I really enjoyed the characters and the lightness of these mysteries. This book though, I had to force myself through it the whole time. It just does not read at all like the vintage Rita Mae (even outside of this series) that I enjoyed so much.
One interjected cliche after another, and I have to agree with a lot of the other longtime readers - the political push (even when I agree) is so over-the-top that it is distracting and takes you out of the book. I'm all for using books with a message when it fits or drives narratives - that's how we challenge and push our own assumptions or viewpoints. Instead, these weird interjections and explanations came across like my weird drunk aunt suddenly shouting a viewpoint at Thanksgiving dinner out of the blue. That is to say, they were out of the blue awkward for everyone else involved.
One interjected cliche after another, and I have to agree with a lot of the other longtime readers - the political push (even when I agree) is so over-the-top that it is distracting and takes you out of the book. I'm all for using books with a message when it fits or drives narratives - that's how we challenge and push our own assumptions or viewpoints. Instead, these weird interjections and explanations came across like my weird drunk aunt suddenly shouting a viewpoint at Thanksgiving dinner out of the blue. That is to say, they were out of the blue awkward for everyone else involved.
December 18, 2022
So sad to say this book was truly awful. Most the of the reviews I read said it was bad, but oftentimes I can find enjoyment anyway...not here. Even the beloved repeat characters even seemed flat and were written horribly. It seemed that every aspect of the book had a political agenda. The story was thin and the ending of the mystery rushed and non-nonsensical. The only good side was that it sparked me to buy a couple of the early books to re-read. They are truly awesome. I want to continue reading the rest of the books in this series, I just hope they're not as poorly written as this one.
April 23, 2023
So sad to say this book was truly awful. Most the of the reviews I read said it was bad, but oftentimes I can find enjoyment anyway...not here. Even the beloved repeat characters even seemed flat and were written horribly. It seemed that every aspect of the book had a political agenda. The story was thin and the ending of the mystery rushed and non-nonsensical. The only good side was that it sparked me to buy a couple of the early books to re-read. They are truly awesome. I want to continue reading the rest of the books in this series, I just hope they're not as poorly written as this one.
August 20, 2018
Several years ago I swore off mysteries featuring animals, but I had never tried Mrs. Murphy, and after reading a goodreads friend's review not long ago I decided to try one. It was pretty good. Since I wasn't familiar with the recurring characters in the series I wasn't as attached to them as are serious readers of Mrs. Murphy books. I didn't mind the political references, the mystery was engaging, and the animals not totally unbelievable.
June 30, 2021
The first murder was anything but perfect. A doctor was killed by a sniper and the next day the killer walked into the police station and confessed. But he didn’t confess to having an accomplice who killed a woman they were blackmailing at a banquet. Harry gets herself in a bit of a pickle; and, of course, Tucker, Mrs. Murphy and Pewts have to spring in to action to save her. There’s a lot of extra verbiage in the book, but the animals’ conversations are the best.
July 18, 2021
It was a bit preachy at the beginning, but it calmed down by the middle of the book. I figured out the bad guy before the halfway mark, but it was still a good read. The ending was a bit startling and the other incident close to the end was a surprise. Harry did a stupid thing close to the end as well, and I wasn't impressed with that, but it wouldn't be a cozy mystery if the main character doesn't do something dangerous or stupid. LOL
April 4, 2022
I enjoyed the political aspects but I could do without the converstations by the animals. They often did not add to the plot. Even when they did they were just a drop in the bucket. There was nothing that they said that particularly added to the plot by portending something or predicting or explaining anything in the plot line. Actually much of the human parts of the book did not contribute to the plot line either but at least enough did that it contributed to the book.
July 28, 2022
Off kilter
Something is out of balance in Crozet, as a relative newcomer takes the lead over Big Mim in a fundraiser, guaranteed to be the social event of the autumn. Secrets come out when a doctor is murdered, a politician is blackmailed, and a woman is murdered. Typically impulsive, Harry bites off more than she can chew, saved only by the courageous efforts of Tucker, Pewter and Mrs Murphy, and a husband who understands and loves his extremely inquisitive wife.
Something is out of balance in Crozet, as a relative newcomer takes the lead over Big Mim in a fundraiser, guaranteed to be the social event of the autumn. Secrets come out when a doctor is murdered, a politician is blackmailed, and a woman is murdered. Typically impulsive, Harry bites off more than she can chew, saved only by the courageous efforts of Tucker, Pewter and Mrs Murphy, and a husband who understands and loves his extremely inquisitive wife.
September 14, 2022
The usual characters, and the theme was in architectural design and an old nemesis, the Inspector, is back. This particular book had a slower pace than the others, but it didn't hurt anything. Harry almost gets herself killed (again!) and this time, I think she should have gotten maybe a very stern warning from the Sheriff...maybe even cited for trespassing! Other than that, the usual cozy mystery with furry friends.
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