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Mrs. Murphy #29
Furmidable Foes
Spring arrives in northern Virginia, and as the ground thaws and the peonies begin to bloom a bright magenta, the women of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church prepare for a Homecoming celebration like no other. Harry, Susan Tucker, and their friends are busy planting flowers and trimming hedges to get the church grounds in shape for the big day.
But a note of a menace mars the beautiful spring: The brewery owned by Janice Childs and Mags Nielsen, two members of the gardening committee, gets robbed, with hundreds of dollars in merchandise taken off their delivery trucks in the dead of night. Is this the work of a random thief? Or is something more sinister afoot?
When Jeannie Cordle drops dead at a charity auction, poisoned by a fatal weed, Harry’s worst suspicions are confirmed: a killer lurks in their midst, one with a keen understanding of poisonous plants. Although she can’t yet prove it, Harry knows the murder is related to the thefts at Bottom’s Up Brewery.
With help from her feline sidekicks, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, as well as Tee Tucker the corgi and sweet puppy Pirate, Harry sets out to find the weed in St. Luke’s garden—and stop a killer before they can strike again.
But a note of a menace mars the beautiful spring: The brewery owned by Janice Childs and Mags Nielsen, two members of the gardening committee, gets robbed, with hundreds of dollars in merchandise taken off their delivery trucks in the dead of night. Is this the work of a random thief? Or is something more sinister afoot?
When Jeannie Cordle drops dead at a charity auction, poisoned by a fatal weed, Harry’s worst suspicions are confirmed: a killer lurks in their midst, one with a keen understanding of poisonous plants. Although she can’t yet prove it, Harry knows the murder is related to the thefts at Bottom’s Up Brewery.
With help from her feline sidekicks, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, as well as Tee Tucker the corgi and sweet puppy Pirate, Harry sets out to find the weed in St. Luke’s garden—and stop a killer before they can strike again.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2020
400 people are currently reading
6650 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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December 20, 2021
Ricki Lake as 'Harry Haristeen' with Mrs. Murphy (cat) and Tucker (dog)
In this 29th book in the 'Mrs. Murphy' series, farmer/amateur sleuth Harry Haristeen investigates two murders, to the chagrin of her 'talking pets' - who fear for her safety. The animals are two cats - Mrs. Murphy and Pewter; the corgi - Tucker; and the half-grown Irish wolfhound - Pirate. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
The story, set in the town of Crozet, Virginia, ping pongs between the present (2019) and the time right after the Revolutionary War (1787).
In the present, Harry Haristeen and her best friend Susan Tucker are leading members of the Dorcas Guild, the women's group at Crozet's St. Luke's Lutheran Church.
The Dorcas Guild is planning several upcoming church events: a June 2nd homecoming that doubles as a surprise birthday party for 80-year-old Reverend Herbert Jones; a charity auction and dance; and a float - covered with a large model of St. Luke's church - for the July 4th parade.
The women's group is assisted by its brother organization, St. Peter's Guild, which contains Harry's husband Fair, Susan's husband Ned, and other men from St. Luke's.
To prepare for the homecoming revelries, the Dorcas Guild is landscaping St. Luke's grounds, recreating the original gardens as they appeared in 1787.
While Harry and her friends work they discuss a recently vandalized grave in the church cemetery, which was found to contain the skeleton of a woman on top of two long buried caskets.
Authorities determine that the woman, who was interred with expensive jewelry, was buried in the late 1700s, but her identity remains unknown. To add to the mystery, Harry discovers three more skeletons as she's puttering around St. Luke's grounds.
Harry and her friends wonder about the identity of the dead people, speculating that they may have been slaves from one of Crozet's historic plantations.
Crozet also has additional drama. A beer truck belonging to 'Bottoms Up' brewery - owned by Harry's friends Janice and Mags - is stolen; an abandoned still and a recent corpse are discovered above Harry's farm; and a lovely woman named Jeannie Cordle is murdered at St. Luke's charity auction.
The sheriff's department investigates the modern homicides, but Harry feels compelled to help out, and launches her own inquiries.
Harry's cats and dogs, who've saved her from perps in the past, discuss their concerns for her well-being. The pets and their animal friends also talk about history, politics, finances, church matters, etc. This is all highly amusing, and adds fun to the story.
The modern story is interspersed with events that occur in 1787, when the Holloways and Garths own plantations in Crozet. Mrs. Maureen Selisse Holloway, a vicious woman who owns the Big Rawly plantation, is furious about a missing necklace and earrings, which she thinks were stolen by a slave named Sheba.
Now two other Big Rawly slaves have run away, and Maureen hires slaves catchers to retrieve them. The cruel treatment of slaves by Maureen and the bounty hunters is horrible and shocking, and forms a dissonant note in a cozy mystery (in my opinion).
Ewing Garth owns Crozet's second plantation, named Cloverfields, and he and his married daughters are kinder slave owners than Maureen. Ewing is trying to get Maureen Holloway to allow her black stable manager to marry his black cook, and the negotiations are tricky.
Even though the Garths are gentler slave holders than Maureen, owning people - and controlling their lives - is clearly a despicable business.
As the story unfolds, a death that harks back to 1787 is solved, as are the recent killings. However, all this occurs in a rather offhand manner, with very little 'investigation.' Thus the book's billing as a cozy mystery is somewhat misleading.
The modern part of the story is mostly about the gardens of St. Luke's Lutheran Church - which are described in great detail - and the various church events. The historic part of the book is mostly about plantation life, slaves, and slave catchers. Thus the novel is much more fiction than mystery.
The author, activist Rita Mae Brown, has become more political in her recent fiction, and this book follows that trend. Still, the story is interesting, and would probably appeal to fans of gardening and historical fiction.
Author and activist Rita Mae Brown
Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Rita Mae Brown), and the publisher (Bantam Books) for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
June 4, 2020
The 29th installment in the “A Mrs. Murphy Mystery” pet series from acclaimed author Rita Mae Brown comes Furmidable Foes. Published by Batam/Random House.
First off, I would like to say that I would have given this book a higher rating if it had contained a few things I felt were missing. Characters in this series, Harry and friends, as well as the talking pets, are well established. And that in and of itself is one of the problems. They may be so well established that a new reader will not be able to understand the different personalities and habits. Unfortunately, there is no background given for this book. Unless the reader has read the other 28 books in the series, they are unlikely to become vested in the characters, location, or the mystery.
I enjoy a story within a story, and I found the story of the slaves set in 1787, Virginia, very enjoyable. However, I did not find that their story was resolved well enough. I would have been happier reading a book based solely on the slave mystery more than the story of the modern murder. I found the talking pets entertaining but would have liked them to have more involvement throughout the book. I did not feel there was any real police investigation or evidence, redding herrings or genuine twists. I thought the killer was fairly obvious and the motive as old as the Virginia hills.
When a series has run as long as this one has, it is easy to forget that the audience has grown older, and new readers have come aboard. It’s easy to write beloved characters without a thought as to who will be reading the story. After all, writers get to know their characters so well that they think of them in everyday terms, and as such, they forget that readers may not have a clue who these people are. A list of characters at the beginning of a book is no excuse for not devoting at least a chapter to describing who the returning characters are in relationship to the story. Unfortunately, I feel that this series has become stale. Avid fans will, no doubt, love this book. However, a new audience may find it too overwhelming, filled with references; they don't understand, and with nothing to spark their interest. Unless it is all the talking pets, animal lovers will relate to this aspect more than anything else.
A little more effort in educating the audience would go a long way to making this book far more interesting. When I read the book, the term “phoning it in” came to mind, and that is something I will never like in any publication. Furmidable Foes could have been quite enjoyable, characters and pets are quirky and spunky. The garden, sounded lovely and was described beautifully. I wish I could go back and read the other books in the series just so I could better understand what was going on in this addition, but… who has time to read 28 more books just to catch up? Even in quarantine, I don’t have that kind of time!
First off, I would like to say that I would have given this book a higher rating if it had contained a few things I felt were missing. Characters in this series, Harry and friends, as well as the talking pets, are well established. And that in and of itself is one of the problems. They may be so well established that a new reader will not be able to understand the different personalities and habits. Unfortunately, there is no background given for this book. Unless the reader has read the other 28 books in the series, they are unlikely to become vested in the characters, location, or the mystery.
I enjoy a story within a story, and I found the story of the slaves set in 1787, Virginia, very enjoyable. However, I did not find that their story was resolved well enough. I would have been happier reading a book based solely on the slave mystery more than the story of the modern murder. I found the talking pets entertaining but would have liked them to have more involvement throughout the book. I did not feel there was any real police investigation or evidence, redding herrings or genuine twists. I thought the killer was fairly obvious and the motive as old as the Virginia hills.
When a series has run as long as this one has, it is easy to forget that the audience has grown older, and new readers have come aboard. It’s easy to write beloved characters without a thought as to who will be reading the story. After all, writers get to know their characters so well that they think of them in everyday terms, and as such, they forget that readers may not have a clue who these people are. A list of characters at the beginning of a book is no excuse for not devoting at least a chapter to describing who the returning characters are in relationship to the story. Unfortunately, I feel that this series has become stale. Avid fans will, no doubt, love this book. However, a new audience may find it too overwhelming, filled with references; they don't understand, and with nothing to spark their interest. Unless it is all the talking pets, animal lovers will relate to this aspect more than anything else.
A little more effort in educating the audience would go a long way to making this book far more interesting. When I read the book, the term “phoning it in” came to mind, and that is something I will never like in any publication. Furmidable Foes could have been quite enjoyable, characters and pets are quirky and spunky. The garden, sounded lovely and was described beautifully. I wish I could go back and read the other books in the series just so I could better understand what was going on in this addition, but… who has time to read 28 more books just to catch up? Even in quarantine, I don’t have that kind of time!
June 28, 2020
I have read all of Rita Mae Brown's Mrs. Murphy books. This is the worst one yet. I thought the last one was bad, but I felt like I was rereading it at the beginning of "Furmidable Foes". Even though most readers seem to enjoy going back and forth between 1780's and 2019, I don't. I will read a historical novel if I want to read about that period in time. Also, too much horticulture and not enough mystery. I don't care if their lipstick matches the peonies.
April 8, 2020
I requested to read Furmidable Foes, A Mrs. Murphy Mystery, because I liked what I read in the blurb. It wasn’t what I expected at all.
I didn’t like this book. I had a lot of problems with it right from the start. There were too many characters to keep track of, even with the handy guide. It’s hard to keep flipping back to it if you’re reading Kindle on an iPhone.
The story was split into 2 time lines, Virginia in 1787 and in the Present. The 1787 story didn’t really have anything to do with or explain the body in the present day churchyard. I wanted to know who she was, why she left, why she died, why she was dressed like she was, etc. None of these things were sufficiently answered.
In the present timeline, the majority of the story centered around the church garden. Now I like gardens as much as the next guy, but 2/3 of the book devoted to this? If I really wanted an education in horticulture of VA, I would’ve read a book on that subject. I also found it very heavy-handed as far as the religious aspect. I have no problem reading books about religion (I”m not religious myself), but this just went on and on. It’d be one thing if it was an important part of the story, but it wasn’t.
The murder felt like an after thought and was just thrown in so there’d be a murder in the book. It made no sense as to the reason for it and the resolution was kind of dumb.
All in all, not a fan. I admit this the first of her books I’ve read, but it will definitely be the last. I personally do not recommend this book.
I didn’t like this book. I had a lot of problems with it right from the start. There were too many characters to keep track of, even with the handy guide. It’s hard to keep flipping back to it if you’re reading Kindle on an iPhone.
The story was split into 2 time lines, Virginia in 1787 and in the Present. The 1787 story didn’t really have anything to do with or explain the body in the present day churchyard. I wanted to know who she was, why she left, why she died, why she was dressed like she was, etc. None of these things were sufficiently answered.
In the present timeline, the majority of the story centered around the church garden. Now I like gardens as much as the next guy, but 2/3 of the book devoted to this? If I really wanted an education in horticulture of VA, I would’ve read a book on that subject. I also found it very heavy-handed as far as the religious aspect. I have no problem reading books about religion (I”m not religious myself), but this just went on and on. It’d be one thing if it was an important part of the story, but it wasn’t.
The murder felt like an after thought and was just thrown in so there’d be a murder in the book. It made no sense as to the reason for it and the resolution was kind of dumb.
All in all, not a fan. I admit this the first of her books I’ve read, but it will definitely be the last. I personally do not recommend this book.
June 11, 2020
Not the strongest entry in the Sneaky Pie Brown mysteries. The historical plot was well-done, but although I re-read the ending twice, I'm still not sure whom the modern murderer intended to poison.
March 16, 2020
~Harry Shivered. No good will come of this, she thought to herself.~
Furmidable Foes by Rita Mae Brown is the 29th Mrs. Murphy mystery which brings Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen and the fur babies together to solve another mystery. I enjoyed the gardening theme of this mystery and the cover is beautifully designed for spring! Harry and Susan with other members of the Dorcas Guild work on the gardens at St. Luke's to restore them to the historic design of 1787. As Harry and the ladies prepare the gardens for the homecoming celebration there is more interest in the mystery of the unknown woman whose body had been previously found in another family's grave. The skeleton dated back to the 1700s and was adorned with the most extravagant pearl and diamond necklace with earrings. Harry also discovers a moonshine still and another body on the ridge of at the back of her property. The mysteries deepen when Jeannie dies at the charity auction and the culprit is discovered to have been caused by a poisoned lipstick! Who would want Jeannie dead? Follow the banter among Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, Tucker, and Pirate, The animals are adorable.
Publication Date: May 19, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Furmidable Foes by Rita Mae Brown is the 29th Mrs. Murphy mystery which brings Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen and the fur babies together to solve another mystery. I enjoyed the gardening theme of this mystery and the cover is beautifully designed for spring! Harry and Susan with other members of the Dorcas Guild work on the gardens at St. Luke's to restore them to the historic design of 1787. As Harry and the ladies prepare the gardens for the homecoming celebration there is more interest in the mystery of the unknown woman whose body had been previously found in another family's grave. The skeleton dated back to the 1700s and was adorned with the most extravagant pearl and diamond necklace with earrings. Harry also discovers a moonshine still and another body on the ridge of at the back of her property. The mysteries deepen when Jeannie dies at the charity auction and the culprit is discovered to have been caused by a poisoned lipstick! Who would want Jeannie dead? Follow the banter among Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, Tucker, and Pirate, The animals are adorable.
Publication Date: May 19, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 31, 2020
A rather predictable ending to the mystery, but the interactions between the animals is just charming!
May 19, 2020
Here we are with the 29th mystery in the Mrs. Murphy series. I have been reading them since the first one was published and, to get the most out of every book, I would advise that they be read in order. That way each new book is like a visit with old friends knowing that a murder will need to be solved while you are there. Harry (short for Harriett) Haristeen lives a life tied closely to the land and the history of Northern Virginia. She is in tune with the seasons and the life cycle on her farm. Along with her veterinarian husband, Fair and her best from since childhood, Susan Tucker, she has two cats - Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and two dogs - Tee Tucker and Pirate plus assorted other animals who call her farm home.
As with most of the series, the murders have close ties to both the colonial past of the area and the present. When Harry and Susan are working on the church grounds to get everything ready for Spring festivities a skeleton dating from the 1700's turns up. Who was she, how did she die and why was she wearing a very expensive necklace of diamonds and pearls? If those aren't enough of a mystery for Harry to try to solve, soon vandalism, theft and murder by poisonous plant become her focus. What ties the two threads together? With the help of friends and family and, of course the cats and dogs, Harry will find the answers.
For the reader new to this long running series, first off, the animals are not cutesy talking characters. They observe and assist Harry in their own ways and, for me, none of it is over the top. I love the conversations the animals have amongst themselves. As for the mystery, it comes in two parts. Chapters alternate between the present crimes and the colonial crimes and the Colonial period does focus on slavery which is ugly so be aware that this is a cozy with an edge/darker side.
There is much about plants and gardens, about their history and the pace is slow. The reader will learn a lot about plants and slavery. I'm not a gardener but due to my mother being a master gardener I did grow up with a love of plants. I just can't seem to grow much more than weeds. I loved the garden theme, even when some of it was deadly.
The mysteries unfolded well and kept me engaged from start to finish. Furmidable Foes was a very satisfying mystery and I'm already looking forward to what is in store for Harry in the next installment.
My thanks to the publisher Bantam and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
As with most of the series, the murders have close ties to both the colonial past of the area and the present. When Harry and Susan are working on the church grounds to get everything ready for Spring festivities a skeleton dating from the 1700's turns up. Who was she, how did she die and why was she wearing a very expensive necklace of diamonds and pearls? If those aren't enough of a mystery for Harry to try to solve, soon vandalism, theft and murder by poisonous plant become her focus. What ties the two threads together? With the help of friends and family and, of course the cats and dogs, Harry will find the answers.
For the reader new to this long running series, first off, the animals are not cutesy talking characters. They observe and assist Harry in their own ways and, for me, none of it is over the top. I love the conversations the animals have amongst themselves. As for the mystery, it comes in two parts. Chapters alternate between the present crimes and the colonial crimes and the Colonial period does focus on slavery which is ugly so be aware that this is a cozy with an edge/darker side.
There is much about plants and gardens, about their history and the pace is slow. The reader will learn a lot about plants and slavery. I'm not a gardener but due to my mother being a master gardener I did grow up with a love of plants. I just can't seem to grow much more than weeds. I loved the garden theme, even when some of it was deadly.
The mysteries unfolded well and kept me engaged from start to finish. Furmidable Foes was a very satisfying mystery and I'm already looking forward to what is in store for Harry in the next installment.
My thanks to the publisher Bantam and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 21, 2020
I loved the previous books in the Mrs. Murphy series. However, Furmidable Foes made Mrs. Murphy and the other animals a side story. Front and center are St. Luke’s gardens and the historical fiction of runaway slaves in 1787. The Dorcas Guild’s events also play a role in the present day mysteries.
Overall, there seemed to be too many characters and too many plots squished within these 336 pages. And I’ve read, and enjoyed, the previous twenty-eight books in the series. I can’t imagine having to first meet the main characters in this mishmash. Read the earlier books in this series and skip this one. 2 stars.
Thanks to Bantam, Random House, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, there seemed to be too many characters and too many plots squished within these 336 pages. And I’ve read, and enjoyed, the previous twenty-eight books in the series. I can’t imagine having to first meet the main characters in this mishmash. Read the earlier books in this series and skip this one. 2 stars.
Thanks to Bantam, Random House, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
October 27, 2023
As always, chatter among the cats and dogs in small town Crozet, Virginia, was fun and humorous. Mrs. Murphy the cat is a wise old thing who tried to keep the peace when she could among the younger and less seasoned animals. The people component of the story that revolves around "Harry" Harristeen, her friends, committees, and community was a bit more dry. Continuing from the previous book, the old bones found buried on top of a couple's coffins in their grave had been dated and Harry was landscaping around the grave site where the unidentified woman from the late 1700s was re-buried. Toward the end of the book, another 2019 mystery orginated from bones found near an illegal still up the mountain. The story from Mrs. Murphy #28 of late 1780s slaves, their owners, treatment, and three of them who escaped, ran concurrently with a few chapters from the present and then a few from the 1780s. The back and forth was as disconcerting in #29 as it was in #28, so after a while, I skipped over the 2019 chapters, read the slave tale, and then went back to read the current stories. The older tale, was compelling and well worth reading.
June 23, 2024
Spring arrives in northern Virginia, and as the ground thaws and the peonies begin to bloom a bright magenta, the women of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church prepare for a Homecoming celebration like no other. Harry, Susan Tucker, and their friends are busy planting flowers and trimming hedges to get the church grounds in shape for the big day.
But a note of a menace mars the beautiful spring: The brewery owned by Janice Childs and Mags Nielsen, two members of the gardening committee, gets robbed, with hundreds of dollars in merchandise taken off their delivery trucks in the dead of night. Is this the work of a random thief? Or is something more sinister afoot?
When Jeannie Cordle drops dead at a charity auction, poisoned by a fatal weed, Harry’s worst suspicions are confirmed: a killer lurks in their midst, one with a keen understanding of poisonous plants. Although she can’t yet prove it, Harry knows the murder is related to the thefts at Bottom’s Up Brewery.
With help from her feline sidekicks, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, as well as Tee Tucker the corgi and sweet puppy Pirate, Harry sets out to find the weed in St. Luke’s garden—and stop a killer before they can strike again.
But a note of a menace mars the beautiful spring: The brewery owned by Janice Childs and Mags Nielsen, two members of the gardening committee, gets robbed, with hundreds of dollars in merchandise taken off their delivery trucks in the dead of night. Is this the work of a random thief? Or is something more sinister afoot?
When Jeannie Cordle drops dead at a charity auction, poisoned by a fatal weed, Harry’s worst suspicions are confirmed: a killer lurks in their midst, one with a keen understanding of poisonous plants. Although she can’t yet prove it, Harry knows the murder is related to the thefts at Bottom’s Up Brewery.
With help from her feline sidekicks, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, as well as Tee Tucker the corgi and sweet puppy Pirate, Harry sets out to find the weed in St. Luke’s garden—and stop a killer before they can strike again.
May 13, 2020
This book continues the side story in the 1780’s that was started in Whiskers in the Dark in addition to this current story. Harry and her friends are getting ready for St Luke’s Homecoming. When a friend dies, Harry can’t stop getting involved. Some of my favorite parts about the Mrs. Murphy series is the animals and the research behind the books. I always learn something when I read one of these books.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Thoroughly enjoyed this story.
July 8, 2020
This is set in Virginia in both the 1780's and the present. The story goes back and forth between the two times telling two different stories. They are connected, but I was hoping for more from that part of the story. I liked the animals, but I wanted them to be a bigger part of the story. I also enjoyed the gardening in the story. The flowers and plants sounded lovely, for the most part.
June 15, 2020
Rita Mae Brown's work is always incredibly readable and a joy to curl up with! She writes intriguing mysteries and has a genuine knack for bringing the personalities of animals to life. Furmidable Foes is a great summer read!
August 11, 2020
I found the story line in the 1700's was much more fascinating than the present day one. That did not pickup until the end of the book. I am looking forward to the next book to see where the stories go.
July 23, 2025
Not sure I like how this ended. I felt it rushed and it just ended. I feel like not everything was brought to a nice finish. it was abrupt and I still have questions about some things. Hopefully the next one will have some answers.
May 26, 2021
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. This is a story of how two different era's entertwind together, one being in the 1700's and the other in 2019. The first era is an era where they own slave and the slaves had people that were cruel to them and they wished to escape. The second era is an era where a group of friend in the same place in Virginia, try to figure out the secrets of the past, and try to keep the gardens the same as they were in the 1700's. The animal try to defend and protect their owners, as they place themselves in danger. There is many twist and turns in Furmidable Foes: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery, this is the first book, I have read in the Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pete books, but I enjoyed the historical novel very much! Thank you for the win
July 14, 2020
Overall I liked this book. Harry and her friends find a body. Now they have to figure out who did it. This book also goes back and forth between now and the past. It of course makes sense when you get to the end.
July 14, 2020
This book was poorly written. Not a typical Mrs. Murphy Mystery. The murder happened over half way thru the book. Very little I mean little was there anything on the murder. The book was mostly about flowers and the story back in the 1700s. If I didn’t know better Rita Mae Brown didn’t write this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2020
It's the time of year in Virginia when everything is blooming, and Harry is at her happiest. She lives on her farm with her husband, Fair, a veterinarian, and her four pets -- two cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter; and two dogs, Tee Tucker and Pirate. She's involved with the Dorcas Guild in making the churchyard gardens beautiful for the upcoming Homecoming celebration, along with lifelong friend Susan Tucker, and others.
But two of the friends -- Janice and Mags, own a brewery named Bottoms Up. One of their trucks is stolen, along with all its contents and no one knows why. Then at a charity auction, another friend, Jeannie Cordie, drops dead suddenly and no one knows how. Harry, with her strong sense of curiosity, is driven to find the answers to these questions.
In between, the church is still trying to figure out who belonged to the old bones which were found on top of a couple who died in the 1700's, wearing a set of priceless jewels. It's another question Harry wants an answer to, but rightly, it will have to wait in favor of the other problems. When the bones of a much more recent murder are discovered by none other than Pewter, Harry now needs to piece together a more modern mystery, and hope she doesn't lose her own life in the process...
I've been following this series for a long time, and own all of the books. It is that enjoyable. Not only are we watching Harry in her usual quest for answers and looking for a killer, but we have the added bonus of a book-within-a-book. For, you see, Virginia has a rich history, and Ms. Brown melds past with present seamlessly.
We also have the story of the Holloways and the Ewings, two wealthy neighboring families who were part of this country in the aforementioned 1700's, and who have their own mysteries to solve. Watching their stories unfold is almost like having your own window to the past, where while you are in the present, you see bits and pieces of things that have come before. Yes, this is fiction, but as in the present, there are pieces of history interspersed with the story that is completely fascinating.
When we watch Harry go about her daily routine, it is amusing to hear the animals tell their own stories in their own ways and put their own spin on everything. I love listening to their tales of woe (as cats and dogs are wont to do when they don't get their own way); and as a pet owner myself, I can relate.
It all seems so simple -- Harry and her friends are doing no more than any of us would -- go to lunch, prepare gardens, etc.; but it is the mystery itself that is the most absorbing -- who would want to kill a woman who supposedly had nothing to do with anything? Harry's investigation, while it does not involve asking people questions, involves only her using her wits, and she is indeed one who is able to put things together quickly.
When we get close to the end and it all comes together, I have to say that it leaves me wanting more: more of the historical side, and the next book in this series. My only hope is that I won't have to wait long to read the next one. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher but it in no way influenced my review.
But two of the friends -- Janice and Mags, own a brewery named Bottoms Up. One of their trucks is stolen, along with all its contents and no one knows why. Then at a charity auction, another friend, Jeannie Cordie, drops dead suddenly and no one knows how. Harry, with her strong sense of curiosity, is driven to find the answers to these questions.
In between, the church is still trying to figure out who belonged to the old bones which were found on top of a couple who died in the 1700's, wearing a set of priceless jewels. It's another question Harry wants an answer to, but rightly, it will have to wait in favor of the other problems. When the bones of a much more recent murder are discovered by none other than Pewter, Harry now needs to piece together a more modern mystery, and hope she doesn't lose her own life in the process...
I've been following this series for a long time, and own all of the books. It is that enjoyable. Not only are we watching Harry in her usual quest for answers and looking for a killer, but we have the added bonus of a book-within-a-book. For, you see, Virginia has a rich history, and Ms. Brown melds past with present seamlessly.
We also have the story of the Holloways and the Ewings, two wealthy neighboring families who were part of this country in the aforementioned 1700's, and who have their own mysteries to solve. Watching their stories unfold is almost like having your own window to the past, where while you are in the present, you see bits and pieces of things that have come before. Yes, this is fiction, but as in the present, there are pieces of history interspersed with the story that is completely fascinating.
When we watch Harry go about her daily routine, it is amusing to hear the animals tell their own stories in their own ways and put their own spin on everything. I love listening to their tales of woe (as cats and dogs are wont to do when they don't get their own way); and as a pet owner myself, I can relate.
It all seems so simple -- Harry and her friends are doing no more than any of us would -- go to lunch, prepare gardens, etc.; but it is the mystery itself that is the most absorbing -- who would want to kill a woman who supposedly had nothing to do with anything? Harry's investigation, while it does not involve asking people questions, involves only her using her wits, and she is indeed one who is able to put things together quickly.
When we get close to the end and it all comes together, I have to say that it leaves me wanting more: more of the historical side, and the next book in this series. My only hope is that I won't have to wait long to read the next one. Highly recommended.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher but it in no way influenced my review.
November 6, 2022
Furmidable Foes, like the more recent books set in Crozet, Virginia, is a historical crime story and a modern story in one. Some reader will just want the chatty cats and dogs, others will see the look back at plantation days as valuable and deep. What I find is that the modern crime suffers from having less content, and the historical crime can feel slow, as new characters need to be introduced and societal norms established for the reader. Worth a read. I learned plenty and enjoyed the animals.
The Crozet ladies today are replanting a churchyard and gardens with flowers and shrubs chosen by their predecessors. This works well, except that the author / researcher/ editor has got one item totally wrong. Yew trees are extremely toxic. The red aril (not quite a berry) is edible for birds but the seed is toxic. RMB tells it the other way around, one character telling another yews are not poisonous except for the red berry. The reason yew trees were planted in churchyards was to keep them away from livestock, at a time in history when longbows were made of yew wood. If you don't know something, don't put it in your book.
I read an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.
The Crozet ladies today are replanting a churchyard and gardens with flowers and shrubs chosen by their predecessors. This works well, except that the author / researcher/ editor has got one item totally wrong. Yew trees are extremely toxic. The red aril (not quite a berry) is edible for birds but the seed is toxic. RMB tells it the other way around, one character telling another yews are not poisonous except for the red berry. The reason yew trees were planted in churchyards was to keep them away from livestock, at a time in history when longbows were made of yew wood. If you don't know something, don't put it in your book.
I read an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.
July 23, 2020
The plot and execution of "Furmidable Foes" was disappointing when compared to the first ten to fifteen or so books. I have read all the books in the series in rapid succession and waited almost a year to read "Furmidable Foes". I feel the story lines and execution of those first books were tight and expertly interwoven. This book has none of that.
As the book years passed I found some "loosening" but it served the overall story. Even the dual plots placed in different centuries held together well in the beginning. However in "Furmidable Foes" the historic plot did not seem to resolve at all and the contemporary one ended precipitously.
As time has passed I felt the author's social, political and religious viewpoints have became more and more prominent. In view of her other writings I can understand these are very important but I do not feel they should have such an outstanding position in a genre know as cozy mysteries. Also, there is also a increasing tendency to involve "expert" extraneous characters that seems like name-dropping.
This book had very little about who I considered the main character, namely, Mrs. Murphy. The banter and repartee among all the animals often including the farm animals and wildlife was quick-witted and high spirited. In this book it just seems spare and mean-spirited. I also miss the vivid descriptive manner in which the author could set moods or put you right into a location or a person's mind or animal's mind. I loved that about her writing. I felt submerged and could really see what she saw.
Being an ardent cat and horse lover I have always looked forward eagerly to read another Sneaky Pie Brown mystery and even though I will continue to read each one as they are published, my expectations will be lower. I am saddened to give "Furmidable Foes" only two stars.
As the book years passed I found some "loosening" but it served the overall story. Even the dual plots placed in different centuries held together well in the beginning. However in "Furmidable Foes" the historic plot did not seem to resolve at all and the contemporary one ended precipitously.
As time has passed I felt the author's social, political and religious viewpoints have became more and more prominent. In view of her other writings I can understand these are very important but I do not feel they should have such an outstanding position in a genre know as cozy mysteries. Also, there is also a increasing tendency to involve "expert" extraneous characters that seems like name-dropping.
This book had very little about who I considered the main character, namely, Mrs. Murphy. The banter and repartee among all the animals often including the farm animals and wildlife was quick-witted and high spirited. In this book it just seems spare and mean-spirited. I also miss the vivid descriptive manner in which the author could set moods or put you right into a location or a person's mind or animal's mind. I loved that about her writing. I felt submerged and could really see what she saw.
Being an ardent cat and horse lover I have always looked forward eagerly to read another Sneaky Pie Brown mystery and even though I will continue to read each one as they are published, my expectations will be lower. I am saddened to give "Furmidable Foes" only two stars.
July 14, 2020
For the most part I quite enjoyed the half that was concerned with the history. I am so hoping that one day we will learn that Maureen 's life ended in a long-drawn out way. The author obviously did a lot of research so I am very perplexed why in this book and in several previous ones she's talked about hay bales. In 1787! The most primitive baling machine wasn't invented until about a hundred years later and not until 1936 was there one that farmers would recognize today.
But the modern story simply was not good story-telling at all. We eventually learned who did it, but never why and whether or not the victim was actually the target. The conversations between the characters were not at all what we have come to expect from them. Harry and her husband calling each other Honey, several times on the page? When he wasn't calling her Baby-doll? Barf! Not the Harry and Fair that we've known for years.
But the modern story simply was not good story-telling at all. We eventually learned who did it, but never why and whether or not the victim was actually the target. The conversations between the characters were not at all what we have come to expect from them. Harry and her husband calling each other Honey, several times on the page? When he wasn't calling her Baby-doll? Barf! Not the Harry and Fair that we've known for years.
February 14, 2022
I liked this audiobook.
Normally, I love Rita Mae Brown's books. Mystery, cats, dogs, and occasionally other animals as characters, people I like. In this one, though, she does, repeatedly, a thing that annoys me, a basic factual error, that isn't particularly important to the story--except it's apparently very important to one of the characters, given how often it comes up with that character. But more about that later.
Two of the women in the Dorcas Guild, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, are running a craft brewery, and they're getting wider notice now. Unfortunately, they've had storage broken into, and a delivery truck broken into, and in both cases the beer stolen.
Meanwhile, the Dorcas Guild is reworking St. Luke's gardens to more closely reflect how the church grounds looked in the 1780s. This of course includes the grave of the unknown woman, buried on top of another grave in 1786, wearing an elaborate, extremely valuable pearl necklace. Forensic analysis of the bones shows that this was a black woman, so almost certainly a slave. Moreover, she was murdered--her neck was broken. Why then was she buried with that valuable necklace? It seems to make no sense, but they'll probably never know the answers. Also, the necklace is the subject of some contention within the church community. Should it be sold to raise money for the church? Put on display? Placed in a museum?
This, of course, ties in to the part of the story that is set in 1787 and 1788. It's in this part of the story that we do, in fact, learn who the woman was, why she was murdered, and why the necklace was buried with her. This also means following the stories of three runaway slaves, and the owners of the two plantations they come from. Big Rawly is owned and run by Mrs. Maureen Selisse Holloway, who is very cruel and just plain mean for the sake of mean. Mr. Ewing Garth Cloverfields, and is a much more kindly father to his family and owner of his slaves. He's mostly thought of by the people around him, He's certainly nicer than Maureen Holloway.
He's still a slave owner, and his thoughts on slavery and possible abolition are, well, disappointing. He does not think it would be a good thing--for the slaves, you know. They're "not ready for it." Right.
Ewing Garth is the person who keeps thinking about the state of the new United States, in which the new Constitution has been written, but not yet ratified. In thinking about slavery, and the state of the country, he keeps saying that there are only two free states in the country, Pennsylvania and Vermont. And that's wrong.
The states that had abolished slavery by 1787 were:
Vermont -- 1777
Pennsylvania -- 1780
Massachusetts -- 1781
New Hampshire -- 1783
Connecticut -- 1784
Rhode Island -- 1784
So six states abolished slavery before 1787. And this is pretty easy to check, and one would think the politically aware Ewing Garth, slaveowner and major plantation owner himself, would be aware of the facts on this. It might well be important to him in very practical ways, to know which way the temper of the country was going on slavery.
But Mr. Garth is just a character on the page, and Rita Mae Brown is a woman living in the 21st century, with a knowledge of how to do basic research, and access to the internet. This is a bizarre mistake. Does it mean anything? Maybe only that Brown's characters, and perhaps Brown, love Virginia as much as I love Massachusetts, and perhaps she also feels similar fondness for Pennsylvania, where she is originally from.
So this is probably all irrelevant to most, and I'd probably have passed right over it, if it hadn't been repeated over and over. I'm cranky about facts, and history in particular. When an author makes a mistake that I recognize, it makes me wonder what mistakes they've made that I don't have the background knowledge to recognize, and yes, it's fiction, but I like the background facts to not be wrong. I know little to nothing about farming; is Harry Harristeen uttering howlers I don't recognize? I would hate that if I found out!
But I enjoyed the story anyway, and I'm probably annoying people more by being so longwindedly cranky about it, but there it is. It's the kind of thing that annoys me.
Nevertheless, recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
Normally, I love Rita Mae Brown's books. Mystery, cats, dogs, and occasionally other animals as characters, people I like. In this one, though, she does, repeatedly, a thing that annoys me, a basic factual error, that isn't particularly important to the story--except it's apparently very important to one of the characters, given how often it comes up with that character. But more about that later.
Two of the women in the Dorcas Guild, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, are running a craft brewery, and they're getting wider notice now. Unfortunately, they've had storage broken into, and a delivery truck broken into, and in both cases the beer stolen.
Meanwhile, the Dorcas Guild is reworking St. Luke's gardens to more closely reflect how the church grounds looked in the 1780s. This of course includes the grave of the unknown woman, buried on top of another grave in 1786, wearing an elaborate, extremely valuable pearl necklace. Forensic analysis of the bones shows that this was a black woman, so almost certainly a slave. Moreover, she was murdered--her neck was broken. Why then was she buried with that valuable necklace? It seems to make no sense, but they'll probably never know the answers. Also, the necklace is the subject of some contention within the church community. Should it be sold to raise money for the church? Put on display? Placed in a museum?
This, of course, ties in to the part of the story that is set in 1787 and 1788. It's in this part of the story that we do, in fact, learn who the woman was, why she was murdered, and why the necklace was buried with her. This also means following the stories of three runaway slaves, and the owners of the two plantations they come from. Big Rawly is owned and run by Mrs. Maureen Selisse Holloway, who is very cruel and just plain mean for the sake of mean. Mr. Ewing Garth Cloverfields, and is a much more kindly father to his family and owner of his slaves. He's mostly thought of by the people around him, He's certainly nicer than Maureen Holloway.
He's still a slave owner, and his thoughts on slavery and possible abolition are, well, disappointing. He does not think it would be a good thing--for the slaves, you know. They're "not ready for it." Right.
Ewing Garth is the person who keeps thinking about the state of the new United States, in which the new Constitution has been written, but not yet ratified. In thinking about slavery, and the state of the country, he keeps saying that there are only two free states in the country, Pennsylvania and Vermont. And that's wrong.
The states that had abolished slavery by 1787 were:
Vermont -- 1777
Pennsylvania -- 1780
Massachusetts -- 1781
New Hampshire -- 1783
Connecticut -- 1784
Rhode Island -- 1784
So six states abolished slavery before 1787. And this is pretty easy to check, and one would think the politically aware Ewing Garth, slaveowner and major plantation owner himself, would be aware of the facts on this. It might well be important to him in very practical ways, to know which way the temper of the country was going on slavery.
But Mr. Garth is just a character on the page, and Rita Mae Brown is a woman living in the 21st century, with a knowledge of how to do basic research, and access to the internet. This is a bizarre mistake. Does it mean anything? Maybe only that Brown's characters, and perhaps Brown, love Virginia as much as I love Massachusetts, and perhaps she also feels similar fondness for Pennsylvania, where she is originally from.
So this is probably all irrelevant to most, and I'd probably have passed right over it, if it hadn't been repeated over and over. I'm cranky about facts, and history in particular. When an author makes a mistake that I recognize, it makes me wonder what mistakes they've made that I don't have the background knowledge to recognize, and yes, it's fiction, but I like the background facts to not be wrong. I know little to nothing about farming; is Harry Harristeen uttering howlers I don't recognize? I would hate that if I found out!
But I enjoyed the story anyway, and I'm probably annoying people more by being so longwindedly cranky about it, but there it is. It's the kind of thing that annoys me.
Nevertheless, recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
June 13, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Furmidable Foes is the 29th (!!!) Mrs. Murphy mystery by Rita Mae Brown. Released 19th May 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Bantam book imprint, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
I've long been a fan of the author, and enjoyed her cozy Mrs. Murphy series as well as her more serious writing. This anthropomorphic cozy series is a pillar of the genre (and the author a prolific and dependable source of cozy reads in several series).
The dialogue and writing are pitch perfect (including such historical southern vernacular as 'dependencies' for slave quarters). Typically for Ms. Brown, the writing is solidly comfortable and engaging. Reading her books is almost like visiting with an old friend you haven't seen for a while; you just pick up where you left off the last time, even if you haven't seen them for ages.
I had read the first couple of books in this series, then sort of lost track of it and hadn't read any of them for several years. I didn't have any trouble following the story or keeping the main characters straight in my head whilst reading. There is a comprehensive dramatis personae section at the beginning of the book in case the reader needs to sort of who is who. That being said, it is the 29th book in the series and would probably be best read roughly in order. The story is told in alternating flashbacks from the modern day to the 18th century. The dates are given in the chapter headings, so it's no trouble to keep the intertwined stories straight. It's a testament to the author's technical ability that she manages to write period appropriate dialogue alternated with modern times without giving the reader whiplash or managing to lose the disparate plot threads.
One note for long term readers of the series: there are a number of returning characters missing from this one. Big Mim, Boom Boom, Miranda, and some others do not make an appearance in this installment. I also found the admittedly accurate period depiction of slaves, racial violence, and slavery quite a downer for a cozy book. It's probably edifying to talk about openly, but especially in light of the recent racial upheavals, I found it especially sad that we've not managed to make much of an apprciable difference in following 230 years.
I personally love anthropomorphic mysteries, but fair warning, if talking animals bug you, this probably isn't the series for you. The book also does a superlative job of giving a glimpse into Virginia hospitality and etiquette and the 18th century culture parallel to the modern day.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Furmidable Foes is the 29th (!!!) Mrs. Murphy mystery by Rita Mae Brown. Released 19th May 2020 by Penguin Random House on their Bantam book imprint, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.
I've long been a fan of the author, and enjoyed her cozy Mrs. Murphy series as well as her more serious writing. This anthropomorphic cozy series is a pillar of the genre (and the author a prolific and dependable source of cozy reads in several series).
The dialogue and writing are pitch perfect (including such historical southern vernacular as 'dependencies' for slave quarters). Typically for Ms. Brown, the writing is solidly comfortable and engaging. Reading her books is almost like visiting with an old friend you haven't seen for a while; you just pick up where you left off the last time, even if you haven't seen them for ages.
I had read the first couple of books in this series, then sort of lost track of it and hadn't read any of them for several years. I didn't have any trouble following the story or keeping the main characters straight in my head whilst reading. There is a comprehensive dramatis personae section at the beginning of the book in case the reader needs to sort of who is who. That being said, it is the 29th book in the series and would probably be best read roughly in order. The story is told in alternating flashbacks from the modern day to the 18th century. The dates are given in the chapter headings, so it's no trouble to keep the intertwined stories straight. It's a testament to the author's technical ability that she manages to write period appropriate dialogue alternated with modern times without giving the reader whiplash or managing to lose the disparate plot threads.
One note for long term readers of the series: there are a number of returning characters missing from this one. Big Mim, Boom Boom, Miranda, and some others do not make an appearance in this installment. I also found the admittedly accurate period depiction of slaves, racial violence, and slavery quite a downer for a cozy book. It's probably edifying to talk about openly, but especially in light of the recent racial upheavals, I found it especially sad that we've not managed to make much of an apprciable difference in following 230 years.
I personally love anthropomorphic mysteries, but fair warning, if talking animals bug you, this probably isn't the series for you. The book also does a superlative job of giving a glimpse into Virginia hospitality and etiquette and the 18th century culture parallel to the modern day.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
May 21, 2020
Furmidable Foes by Rita Mae Brown was an unexpected delight. Somehow, in all my years of reading, I have never read a book by this author and, while I was expecting a typical cozy mystery, I found, instead, a serious book, although almost whimsical in its delivery. Furmidable Foes takes place in two centuries: 2019 and 1788. The earlier story is about runaway slaves and a body disposed of on top of the coffins of two recently buried local citizens. This, of course, causes all kinds of consternation when it is discovered 230 years later. Who was she? Where did she come from? Why was she buried thusly? The more current story doesn't really become a mystery (except for the historical one) until toward the end of the book. A mystery stumbled upon and solved almost by accident. The third, and possibly most intriguing part of the book, is the secret lives of the pets in 2019. Unbeknownst to their owners, they have conversations, likes and dislikes beyond food choices, and assist in discovering and solving the mystery. It is a most interesting writing style.
I was led to read about the author as come of the phrasing in the book seemed almost foreign, as when an Australian is writing a cowboy tome taking place in Montana. Furmidable Foes takes place in Virginia, very close to the place of residence of Brown, the author. The tone of the 2019 portion of the book is very casual. It is the daily life of the heroine, Harry, who is primarily a farmer, and very involved with historic gardens locally, most especially her church. It is her pets which hijack the book. The story of the slaves never really comes to its end, although the end may almost be assumed. It is a charming book and an interesting technique. I recommend it, primarily for its creativity, but also for its charm, it's glimpse into Virginia history, and its mystery.
I received a free ARC of Furmidable Foes from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #furmidablefoes
I was led to read about the author as come of the phrasing in the book seemed almost foreign, as when an Australian is writing a cowboy tome taking place in Montana. Furmidable Foes takes place in Virginia, very close to the place of residence of Brown, the author. The tone of the 2019 portion of the book is very casual. It is the daily life of the heroine, Harry, who is primarily a farmer, and very involved with historic gardens locally, most especially her church. It is her pets which hijack the book. The story of the slaves never really comes to its end, although the end may almost be assumed. It is a charming book and an interesting technique. I recommend it, primarily for its creativity, but also for its charm, it's glimpse into Virginia history, and its mystery.
I received a free ARC of Furmidable Foes from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #furmidablefoes
June 16, 2020
Once again, like the last few books, this novel has a split story line: half in the 1700’s in Virginia and half in present day Virginia. As much as the author sort of carries off the story this way, I personally wish the split between centuries would stop, as I do not really care for it. There is, nevertheless, a lot of research that goes into the books. They are just not my favorites.
In this story, the women of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church are busy getting read for a church homecoming like no other. Everyone is busy planting flowers and trimming hedges and such to prepare for the big day. In the midst of this, a brewery owned by two members of the group is robbed of merchandise worth hundreds of dollars. Then, a woman, Jeannie Cordle dies during the charity auction. Harry begins to worry there is a killer among them. Is there a connection between the two events? Harry seems to think so. Harry’s animal friends help her ferret through clues to figure out just what is going on. The author manages to mix in the tale of former Captain Charles West, formerly of Her Majesty’s regulars, who is the architect of the church surrounding lush gardens.
As I said before, this is another mix of different centuries and lives therein who become art of the storyline. Usually I enjoy the descriptions the author provides throughout the books and how it all tires together. However, this one just seemed disjointed to me. The stories are tied together, but they just did not catch me. I also thought a lot of the book was redundant. I enjoyed, as I always do, the interplay with the animals, who tell their stories and kibitz on just about everything. If you like the series and author (especially the animals!), the chances are you will enjoy the book, so you should consider giving it a try. I received his from NetGalley to read and review.
In this story, the women of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church are busy getting read for a church homecoming like no other. Everyone is busy planting flowers and trimming hedges and such to prepare for the big day. In the midst of this, a brewery owned by two members of the group is robbed of merchandise worth hundreds of dollars. Then, a woman, Jeannie Cordle dies during the charity auction. Harry begins to worry there is a killer among them. Is there a connection between the two events? Harry seems to think so. Harry’s animal friends help her ferret through clues to figure out just what is going on. The author manages to mix in the tale of former Captain Charles West, formerly of Her Majesty’s regulars, who is the architect of the church surrounding lush gardens.
As I said before, this is another mix of different centuries and lives therein who become art of the storyline. Usually I enjoy the descriptions the author provides throughout the books and how it all tires together. However, this one just seemed disjointed to me. The stories are tied together, but they just did not catch me. I also thought a lot of the book was redundant. I enjoyed, as I always do, the interplay with the animals, who tell their stories and kibitz on just about everything. If you like the series and author (especially the animals!), the chances are you will enjoy the book, so you should consider giving it a try. I received his from NetGalley to read and review.
March 28, 2021
29 books into the series, and I think RMB is getting burned out.
Tiny Virginian town, Harry Harristeen, Mrs. Murphy, Tee Tucker, etc. . . . Murder! Etc.
The story is still split between 1787 and 2019, and RMB is more interested in 1787. Then please, please just write that. Cut out the modern stuff, it’s not well developed any more. I know she wants to show the ramifications of past events in the present, but it takes so long to be found out that its hard to keep interest, especially when another meaningless murder is playing out. I have a hard time caring about the murder when it’s like, an E plot in the story! (Also, let’s talk about how dumb the capture scene is? You’re gonna start the confrontation in public like that? Bad form, lazy wrap up.)
The biggest problem is that RMB goes out of her way to humanize and sympathize with slave catchers. Historically, slave patrols were manned by poor, racist, angry white men who wanted to have power in any form they could get it. Yes, they probably had a home life. That doesn’t make them good people! They are objectively bad, at least, and possibly evil! William only had himself to blame for *(SPOILERS)* being beat to shit and having his hamstring cut so he’ll be permanently crippled, yup no one else could possibly be responsible for that! She put so much emphasis on the Goddamn wagon F plot that the fact that it followed SLAVE CATCHERS was totally lost on her! No one gives a shit about the wagon, Rita! You’ve written evil characters in a way that implies they are Good, Actually and should be understood! What the fuck Rita!
I was going to say 3 stars, but I’ve talked myself out of it with that rant, 1 Star. That’s all you get, Rita. Fix your shit.
Tiny Virginian town, Harry Harristeen, Mrs. Murphy, Tee Tucker, etc. . . . Murder! Etc.
The story is still split between 1787 and 2019, and RMB is more interested in 1787. Then please, please just write that. Cut out the modern stuff, it’s not well developed any more. I know she wants to show the ramifications of past events in the present, but it takes so long to be found out that its hard to keep interest, especially when another meaningless murder is playing out. I have a hard time caring about the murder when it’s like, an E plot in the story! (Also, let’s talk about how dumb the capture scene is? You’re gonna start the confrontation in public like that? Bad form, lazy wrap up.)
The biggest problem is that RMB goes out of her way to humanize and sympathize with slave catchers. Historically, slave patrols were manned by poor, racist, angry white men who wanted to have power in any form they could get it. Yes, they probably had a home life. That doesn’t make them good people! They are objectively bad, at least, and possibly evil! William only had himself to blame for *(SPOILERS)* being beat to shit and having his hamstring cut so he’ll be permanently crippled, yup no one else could possibly be responsible for that! She put so much emphasis on the Goddamn wagon F plot that the fact that it followed SLAVE CATCHERS was totally lost on her! No one gives a shit about the wagon, Rita! You’ve written evil characters in a way that implies they are Good, Actually and should be understood! What the fuck Rita!
I was going to say 3 stars, but I’ve talked myself out of it with that rant, 1 Star. That’s all you get, Rita. Fix your shit.
February 21, 2025
This book is the Twenty-Ninth in the series featuring Mrs. Murphy, a Grey tiger short-hair cat who, along with a Welsh corgi dog named Tee Tucker, an Irish Wolfhound puppy named Pirate, 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.
In May 2019 Harry and her friends with the Women's Dorcas Group at St. Luke's Lutheran Chuch are preparing for the Homecoming for the Church. Besides Harry, the group includes her old friend Susan Tucker, and Janice Childs and Mags Nielsen; Janice and Mags are also partners in the Bottoms Up brewery. Harry discovers a still on her land, with an old skeleton, and the Bottoms Up Brewery is robbed. Meanwhile,in early winter 1787 at the Cloverfields plantation and Big Rawley, the runaway slaves William and Sulli from Big Rawley and the runaway slave Ralston from Cloverfield are working at a horse farm in Maryland. Maureen Selisse Holloway, who owns big Rawley with her husband Jeffrey Holloway and has a vindictive streak a mile wide, has put out a substantial reward for William and Sulli with the slavecatchers; she thinks the two were in cahoots with Sheba, and know where Sheba and Maureen's stolen pearls are. Back in 2019, there is a murder, and once again Harry is putting herself in danger with her investigations.
This was a good book, one that I enjoyed reading, and l look forward to reading the next book in the series.
In May 2019 Harry and her friends with the Women's Dorcas Group at St. Luke's Lutheran Chuch are preparing for the Homecoming for the Church. Besides Harry, the group includes her old friend Susan Tucker, and Janice Childs and Mags Nielsen; Janice and Mags are also partners in the Bottoms Up brewery. Harry discovers a still on her land, with an old skeleton, and the Bottoms Up Brewery is robbed. Meanwhile,in early winter 1787 at the Cloverfields plantation and Big Rawley, the runaway slaves William and Sulli from Big Rawley and the runaway slave Ralston from Cloverfield are working at a horse farm in Maryland. Maureen Selisse Holloway, who owns big Rawley with her husband Jeffrey Holloway and has a vindictive streak a mile wide, has put out a substantial reward for William and Sulli with the slavecatchers; she thinks the two were in cahoots with Sheba, and know where Sheba and Maureen's stolen pearls are. Back in 2019, there is a murder, and once again Harry is putting herself in danger with her investigations.
This was a good book, one that I enjoyed reading, and l look forward to reading the next book in the series.
July 31, 2020
Covid-19 has taken it's toll. I'm slowly getting back to doing things that kept me busy prior to the start of the pandemic in March. Unfortunately reading physical books took a back seat until recently. Until mid July I was dependent on Overdrive's Libby app and Hoopla for my reading needs. Which in turn caused eye strain. Also not all my author's were available on these apps.
Now that my library is open on a limited basis and I can order books from all 26 libraries in the county, my reading physical books is going to feel like a tsunami in August. I may actually make my 100 book goal this year. Sadly my FB book challenge will suffer due to lack of availability in reading material.
It took a few chapters to get into the newest release by Rita Mae Brown. Normally I'm stalking this woman's web pages with a vengeance in hopes that she has a new release. With the Pandemic my ability to hunt new books was delayed. Now that the library with limited hours and strict limits on how patrons use the library, I'm almost back in full force scouring the web for stuff to read.
Hence the new Rita Mae Brown book. I missed the characters and the murder and mayhem the main character has a tendency to get into. It was nice to fall back into familiar territory of a small town that doesn't move at the speed of light.
As always the characters are delightful, the murder most foul and ingenious! And the story in a story is exciting, because even though I loathe American history...Ms. Brown makes each chapter enticing and realistic.
I look forward to her next installment of the Mrs. Murphy mysteries. But one question remains...how or will she include the pandemic of 2020?
Now that my library is open on a limited basis and I can order books from all 26 libraries in the county, my reading physical books is going to feel like a tsunami in August. I may actually make my 100 book goal this year. Sadly my FB book challenge will suffer due to lack of availability in reading material.
It took a few chapters to get into the newest release by Rita Mae Brown. Normally I'm stalking this woman's web pages with a vengeance in hopes that she has a new release. With the Pandemic my ability to hunt new books was delayed. Now that the library with limited hours and strict limits on how patrons use the library, I'm almost back in full force scouring the web for stuff to read.
Hence the new Rita Mae Brown book. I missed the characters and the murder and mayhem the main character has a tendency to get into. It was nice to fall back into familiar territory of a small town that doesn't move at the speed of light.
As always the characters are delightful, the murder most foul and ingenious! And the story in a story is exciting, because even though I loathe American history...Ms. Brown makes each chapter enticing and realistic.
I look forward to her next installment of the Mrs. Murphy mysteries. But one question remains...how or will she include the pandemic of 2020?
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