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Mrs. Murphy #3
Murder at Monticello
A mystery at Monticello involves an old skeleton uncovered beneath the slave quarters and a new murder in Crozet, Virginia, with tiger-striped Mrs. Murphy and Welsh Corgi Tee Tucker joining forces to solve the killing and prevent another. 40,000 first printing. $40,000 ad/promo.
298 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
252 people are currently reading
1580 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 249 reviews
March 30, 2008
!?! Tacitly apologizing for slavery (paraphrasing: "today the races are so far apart, but under Jefferson they were so close!")? Defending Jefferson's ever-so-tender slave-owning practices? Suggesting that the Hemings women were promiscuous? What was Brown smoking when she wrote this?
Rita Mae, I'd suggest that the reason the races were so "close" during slavery was that one was beaten to death if it didn't do what the other insisted. Sexual acts included.
Rita Mae, I'd suggest that the reason the races were so "close" during slavery was that one was beaten to death if it didn't do what the other insisted. Sexual acts included.
February 27, 2018
Caveat: I specifically read this as part of the 2018 Read Harder Challenge (Book Riot) to satisfy the #21 task: "A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author." It also qualified as my #15 task, since I was able to read it in one evening.
I was intrigued with this book since 1. my mother is a docent at Monticello today, and 2. Rita Mae Brown has one hellva LGBTQ/activist backstory. As a novel, it's a completely sufficient one-sitting murder mystery read, but it has unfortunately not aged well since publication.
In the year the book was published (1994), historians were still insisting that Jefferson didn't sire children with Sally Heming. In fact, when I toured Monticello later in the 90s with my high school group, the docent wouldn't even answer or acknowledge a question about the Hemings. But the late 90s broke it all open with Annette Gordon-Reed's The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family and the DNA proof that Thomas Jefferson was related to Sally Hemings son. Boom.
So reading this book in 2018 with the "hmmms" around did he or didn't he was a little taxing. He did. A majority of white slave owners did. I think Brown attempts to hint at that with this murder mystery, which hinges on that very history. In 1994, they didn't have accessible DNA kits by mail. But blood tells all eventually.
Yet in case anyone thinks the shrine of the novel is still the same today--it is not. I think Monticello does a good job of trying to confront these discussions honestly today. Just last year, Monticello found evidence that Sally's room was right next to TJ's. My mother, who already had a doctorate, had to go through rigorous training to become a docent (her retirement job), and is trained to discuss misconceptions with white people who still come through and ask about the "servants" who loved their masters. Insert eye roll here. There were no "servants" on the property -- these people were slaves. They were owned and oppressed. My mother ends her tour on the lawn where more than 150 slaves where torn from their families as TJs debts were made to be paid. It's a sobering experience.
Back to the story: It shapes up nicely as a classic whodunit with a few options until one late twist, which I spotted earlier since you have to remember the author is a feminist. Equality to all parts. ;) I like Harry, the main protagonist, as much as you can appreciate Jessica Fletcher. Always getting into things with her friends! Shakespeare, the Bible, and Founding Fathers get quoted often in her circle. I thought the chapters written from the perspectives of her animals were...interesting. Some clever jokes here and there. But, in the end, not for me.
The biggest knock against this book is that Brown attempts to talk about race as a white author with white characters--and it just doesn't work in today's climate. I try to think about 1994, and the fact this book is set in the South. In that context, some of the plot and some of the subtext is pushing the envelope for her audiences, which I'm assuming would have been white women like Harry and her small town friends. But there is an insistence through several passages in the novel that slaves were close to their masters or mistresses because they loved them. Ewww. No. They were slaves. Harry does fight back against that assertion, and that's where I feel like Brown may have tried to say something more. Makes me wonder what was left on the editor's floor. Either way, this is not a progressive book on race in America.
Brown's personal history and her real-life proximity to these places made it fun to read. Charlottesville is growing bigger every day, and it still sits in the shadow of Monticello. After August 2017, the town also sits in the shadow of our greater race debate in America. It makes you wonder how many of these white women are based on real people and if they have learned to grow with the times.
I was intrigued with this book since 1. my mother is a docent at Monticello today, and 2. Rita Mae Brown has one hellva LGBTQ/activist backstory. As a novel, it's a completely sufficient one-sitting murder mystery read, but it has unfortunately not aged well since publication.
In the year the book was published (1994), historians were still insisting that Jefferson didn't sire children with Sally Heming. In fact, when I toured Monticello later in the 90s with my high school group, the docent wouldn't even answer or acknowledge a question about the Hemings. But the late 90s broke it all open with Annette Gordon-Reed's The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family and the DNA proof that Thomas Jefferson was related to Sally Hemings son. Boom.
So reading this book in 2018 with the "hmmms" around did he or didn't he was a little taxing. He did. A majority of white slave owners did. I think Brown attempts to hint at that with this murder mystery, which hinges on that very history. In 1994, they didn't have accessible DNA kits by mail. But blood tells all eventually.
Yet in case anyone thinks the shrine of the novel is still the same today--it is not. I think Monticello does a good job of trying to confront these discussions honestly today. Just last year, Monticello found evidence that Sally's room was right next to TJ's. My mother, who already had a doctorate, had to go through rigorous training to become a docent (her retirement job), and is trained to discuss misconceptions with white people who still come through and ask about the "servants" who loved their masters. Insert eye roll here. There were no "servants" on the property -- these people were slaves. They were owned and oppressed. My mother ends her tour on the lawn where more than 150 slaves where torn from their families as TJs debts were made to be paid. It's a sobering experience.
Back to the story: It shapes up nicely as a classic whodunit with a few options until one late twist, which I spotted earlier since you have to remember the author is a feminist. Equality to all parts. ;) I like Harry, the main protagonist, as much as you can appreciate Jessica Fletcher. Always getting into things with her friends! Shakespeare, the Bible, and Founding Fathers get quoted often in her circle. I thought the chapters written from the perspectives of her animals were...interesting. Some clever jokes here and there. But, in the end, not for me.
The biggest knock against this book is that Brown attempts to talk about race as a white author with white characters--and it just doesn't work in today's climate. I try to think about 1994, and the fact this book is set in the South. In that context, some of the plot and some of the subtext is pushing the envelope for her audiences, which I'm assuming would have been white women like Harry and her small town friends. But there is an insistence through several passages in the novel that slaves were close to their masters or mistresses because they loved them. Ewww. No. They were slaves. Harry does fight back against that assertion, and that's where I feel like Brown may have tried to say something more. Makes me wonder what was left on the editor's floor. Either way, this is not a progressive book on race in America.
Brown's personal history and her real-life proximity to these places made it fun to read. Charlottesville is growing bigger every day, and it still sits in the shadow of Monticello. After August 2017, the town also sits in the shadow of our greater race debate in America. It makes you wonder how many of these white women are based on real people and if they have learned to grow with the times.
July 31, 2021
Another of Rita Mae Brown’s unique and well-written novels. The storyline focuses on an attempt to solve a murder from the early 19th century which is discovered during an archaeological dig. The historical background is interesting, as are the genealogical details of the Jefferson and Randolph families of colonial Virginia, but it makes for lengthy sections of rather dry prose (unless you are a history buff). The author weaves this story very skilfully into the lives of their modern descendants with a plot which also includes representatives of the medical and police communities as well as Crozet Society. Very clever writing indeed but, as a murder mystery, not particularly captivating.
January 27, 2016
Somewhat boring, but also confusing in regards to characters. It was a short lite mystery but the 'cast of characters' page in the beginning is not pretentious, I found it necessary while thinking that it should not have been.
The story seems to offer excuses for marital infidelity and for the sexual use of black women in slavery by white men. I think the author is against those things but messages seem morally wishy-washy, as if the author has an opinion but is willing to try to explain the immorality, historically and fictionally, of her characters. Something about it does not come off quite right. The setting is Monticello, current day (or current when the book was written in early 1990's) but the story involves two mysteries; the body of a rich white man who died in the early 1800's and is buried under the fireplace in a slave cabin, and two people from the current day who are killed because they might know something. The people must try to figure out who the killer is now, who the killer was then, and what the motivations might be. Two cats and a dog help with the detective work, sort of.
The story seems to offer excuses for marital infidelity and for the sexual use of black women in slavery by white men. I think the author is against those things but messages seem morally wishy-washy, as if the author has an opinion but is willing to try to explain the immorality, historically and fictionally, of her characters. Something about it does not come off quite right. The setting is Monticello, current day (or current when the book was written in early 1990's) but the story involves two mysteries; the body of a rich white man who died in the early 1800's and is buried under the fireplace in a slave cabin, and two people from the current day who are killed because they might know something. The people must try to figure out who the killer is now, who the killer was then, and what the motivations might be. Two cats and a dog help with the detective work, sort of.
June 1, 2023
Terrible. Listen to all who came before me and skip this one.
September 12, 2014
I'm giving this three stars because there were two things I really didn't care for in this book. One, adultery takes place throughout most of the story. I've read books where adultery might be mentioned and that's the end of it, but when it's written how the adulterers are meeting up in secret and the affair keeps going on, it's a little much for me. I'm very sensitive to mates cheating on each other. Two, I had an extremely difficult time keeping all the names straight! It was insane! The story centers on the genealogy of Thomas Jefferson and I gave up trying to keep it straight. Not to mention, the regular characters of the story. Having said these two undesirable traits of the book, I found myself having to keep reading because there were basically two mysteries in one book. I needed to know what the 1803 scandal was regarding a female black slave and then the other mystery. I don't want to give too much away. That's why I read it so fast. It held my interest. I feel I need to sit and digest what I read. Haha!
March 21, 2019
I was kind of shocked by a LOT of things in this book, language being a primary. Definitely not PC at all. Knowing a bit about Ms Brown, I do wonder how she views this book now, after the passage of time. Also, I spent a lot of time trying to reconcile the hero worship of Jefferson with the facts that have come to light since the book was published. So while I enjoy the series and the mystery was interesting, it left me with a lot of questions, mostly about things other than the book itself.
June 17, 2020
I made it to chapter 9 before abandoning this. It’s 2020. I read other reviews that say the slavery-apologizing doesn’t clear up through the rest of the book, so I’m not going to spend more time on this one.
Did this one just not age well? I don’t think so. It was written in the 1990s, which is not that long ago!! The author should have known better! Maybe this is a display of white privilege in the south? I dunno. I guess I shouldn’t try to critique the book too much without reading the whole thing. But I don’t have the patience for this one today!
Did this one just not age well? I don’t think so. It was written in the 1990s, which is not that long ago!! The author should have known better! Maybe this is a display of white privilege in the south? I dunno. I guess I shouldn’t try to critique the book too much without reading the whole thing. But I don’t have the patience for this one today!
March 14, 2018
Whoa -- not good.
I'm pretty sure that house-slaves were not 'mirror images' of their masters. No matter how well slaves might have been treated, they were slaves, and thus did not enjoy their freedom.
I'm pretty sure that house-slaves were not 'mirror images' of their masters. No matter how well slaves might have been treated, they were slaves, and thus did not enjoy their freedom.
June 28, 2022
I liked Murder at Monticello by Rita Mae Brown less than her first two books in the Mrs. Murphy murder mystery series for several reasons. 1] There was an over-emphasis on Thomas Jefferson's family members and genealogy, some of whose names the author admits were fictional. 2] I greatly disliked the many apologetics for slavery and excuses for white men’s sexual use of black enslaved women. Considering that this novel was written in the 1990s, I can’t believe the editor let those views stay in. 3] While rumors of a relationship between Sally Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson were alive and well when this novel was written, although before DNA evidence had provided proof, the novel is written in a way that whitewashes history. According to the book, there was no way Jefferson fathered children with an enslaved woman, never mind that she was only ¼ black. All in all, the mystery part was good enough to keep me reading, and the animals’ criticism of humans’ racism [who cares if a cat’s fur is black, white or a combination?] was a clever counterpoint.
October 19, 2022
4.5 Stars rounded down. Very good. Although I found the ending strange and rather rushed. I understand climaxes and how hurried and/or slap-dash they can be, but I feel that this book could have used just a few more chapters to fill things in and tie it up with a bow. Still a good addition to the series.
February 19, 2025
I would have liked to have given this book a higher rating. By the time we actually had a real-time murder, though, we were 172 pages into the book, well over halfway.
The story begins at Monticello, the famous historical home of Thomas Jefferson. There are fundraisers going on for some renovation projects, and some archaeological excavations in the slave quarters. During one of these, a body is discovered under the hearth of one of the slave homes. It is eventually determined that the body was a white male, which, of course, is somewhat scandalous. The house was lived in by a slave woman named Medley Orion. And investigation ensued.
Of course, the postmistress, Mary Minor Haristeen (known by all as Harry), along with Miranda Hogendobber, Mim Sanborne, as well as Harry's cat, Mrs. Murphy, Harry's dog Tucker, and a couple other neighborhood cats, all get involved in the mystery.
I truly thought that this was going the be the subject of the entire book, until, finally, on page 172, a real time murder occurs.
In the rest of the book, the current murder, as well as the 200 year old murder, is solved, but the old one isn't really solved until a letter is discovered, written by Thomas Jefferson's daughter, Patsy. Patsy Jefferson was a real person (Martha Jefferson Randolph), but best I can tell the slave was fabricated by the author.
For me, there was just too much history in this book. I'm sure there are some who would really enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me. The actual murder that takes place seem to be racially motivated. And, as some other reviews have noted, the treatment of racism in this story just doesn't cut it, these days.
However, the interactions between Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, Paddy, and Pewter are as good as ever, and the most entertaining part of the story. And, as is usually the case in these books, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker play a part in solving at least one of the murders.
Recommended for mystery lovers, people who like cats in mysteries, but not so much people who are sensitive to issues surrounding slavery and racism.
The story begins at Monticello, the famous historical home of Thomas Jefferson. There are fundraisers going on for some renovation projects, and some archaeological excavations in the slave quarters. During one of these, a body is discovered under the hearth of one of the slave homes. It is eventually determined that the body was a white male, which, of course, is somewhat scandalous. The house was lived in by a slave woman named Medley Orion. And investigation ensued.
Of course, the postmistress, Mary Minor Haristeen (known by all as Harry), along with Miranda Hogendobber, Mim Sanborne, as well as Harry's cat, Mrs. Murphy, Harry's dog Tucker, and a couple other neighborhood cats, all get involved in the mystery.
I truly thought that this was going the be the subject of the entire book, until, finally, on page 172, a real time murder occurs.
In the rest of the book, the current murder, as well as the 200 year old murder, is solved, but the old one isn't really solved until a letter is discovered, written by Thomas Jefferson's daughter, Patsy. Patsy Jefferson was a real person (Martha Jefferson Randolph), but best I can tell the slave was fabricated by the author.
For me, there was just too much history in this book. I'm sure there are some who would really enjoy it, but it just wasn't for me. The actual murder that takes place seem to be racially motivated. And, as some other reviews have noted, the treatment of racism in this story just doesn't cut it, these days.
However, the interactions between Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, Paddy, and Pewter are as good as ever, and the most entertaining part of the story. And, as is usually the case in these books, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker play a part in solving at least one of the murders.
Recommended for mystery lovers, people who like cats in mysteries, but not so much people who are sensitive to issues surrounding slavery and racism.
September 8, 2019
Skip this book in the series! I usually like this series, but this book is definitely showing how dated it is. Even taking in account that this was published before the 1998 DNA study that lead the Monticello Foundation to assert that Jefferson was the father of at least one-if not all- of Hemming's children, this book still had too many white people discussing how "complex" slavery was. There are times when the author seems to acknowledge this fact, but still progresses with scenes in which white people believe in "slaves loving their masters" and Jefferson being a "kind master". There's also too much focus on how white people in the past probably hated being separated from the slaves- like slavery was as much a burden for white people who had to be haughty over another group. It's very problematic. There's also a lot of inferring that Jefferson was probably not the father of Hemming's children. Oh, no, he was just trying to be a gentleman and take credit to divert the scandal- yeah...that's bullsh*t. Things I did like: Mim's character development and the reflections on passing people who were able to climb the social ladder.
December 21, 2008
I don't remember which one was first.
At first, I liked these silly little mysteries set in the South of the U.S.--genteel Southerners in a quirky little town who love their horses and whatnot. Oh, and two cats and a dog are thinking, acting characters. Since I like the fantasy, I'm not embarrassed to read such trifles and the first few mysteries are fun.
As they go on, though, there is a sort of sympathy to the conservative, Southern view that reveres oppressive or malign traditions of their past but pretends that they, as people, are actually apolitical and love everybody the same, darn it.
If you like niche mysteries with animals, check one out, but I bet you won't read that many.
At first, I liked these silly little mysteries set in the South of the U.S.--genteel Southerners in a quirky little town who love their horses and whatnot. Oh, and two cats and a dog are thinking, acting characters. Since I like the fantasy, I'm not embarrassed to read such trifles and the first few mysteries are fun.
As they go on, though, there is a sort of sympathy to the conservative, Southern view that reveres oppressive or malign traditions of their past but pretends that they, as people, are actually apolitical and love everybody the same, darn it.
If you like niche mysteries with animals, check one out, but I bet you won't read that many.
October 20, 2024
This could have been an interesting tale with a historical twist. And it could have made interesting points about toxic masculinity and the evils of slavery, with younger folks trying to persuade their elders with more enlightened points of view. In that respect it completely missed the boat. But more than that, it failed as a cute animal character story and the central historical family mystery was so complicated and so poorly explained at the end that it was a real disappointment. Add to this a multitude of complicated present-day relationships and revelations leading to new murders that also had to be solved and the whole thing was just too convoluted for me.
I have a lot more to say about this, but I will post that on my blog and link later.
I have a lot more to say about this, but I will post that on my blog and link later.
December 23, 2017
I liked this less than the first two in the series but only because there was a lot of emphasis that was somewhat confusing about Jefferson and his family/relationships. I believe this to be a minor setback and shall be reading number four soon!!!!
November 8, 2018
Book 3. I know I am reading out of order, but I read as I am able to obtain. I borrowed this in both hardcover and audio format. I was listening to the story as I was driving and reading when I was at home. Harry is divorced from Fair and he is trying to win her back and tells her all that has been happening since he has been out of her life. She is working in the post office and taking care of her animals. She and Mrs. H and Big Mim are all interested in what is happening up at Thomas Jefferson's House - Monticello. A body is found in a pit being dug on the property in the slave houses. After the body is found, the sheriff is called and the remains are researched to find out who the man is and why he was buried under the fireplace. In the research, the researcher is killed for something that he found out. Now the race is on for Harry, Mrs. H and Cooper to find out who murdered him.
I enjoyed this story. I have never been to Monticello, but it is on my bucket list. We try to go someplace different with the teens before they are on their own and exploring.
I enjoyed this story. I have never been to Monticello, but it is on my bucket list. We try to go someplace different with the teens before they are on their own and exploring.
July 7, 2019
Another murder has occurred, not in, but near, Crozet, Virginia. This one, some 200 years in the past. But from past sins, new sins sometimes grow...and now another murder seems linked to this one. Harry, Mrs. Murphy, Tee Tucker and Pewter must get to the bottom of both murders before even more evil rears its ugly head! Who killed these men, and why? The answers are strangely linked, and lead right back to Monticello and it's famous owner, Andrew Jackson.
This book takes a look at Jackson and his involvement in that horrible institution of slavery. Some of the ideas mentioned have inspired me to do further research. I want to know if the views in the book have some basis in fact, or if they were simply fictional constructs to further the story. If for this reason alone, that I am inspired to actually investigate something I thought I knew about, I would love this book.
This book takes a look at Jackson and his involvement in that horrible institution of slavery. Some of the ideas mentioned have inspired me to do further research. I want to know if the views in the book have some basis in fact, or if they were simply fictional constructs to further the story. If for this reason alone, that I am inspired to actually investigate something I thought I knew about, I would love this book.
August 16, 2021
Whew! That was a struggle. Hopefully the next book in the series will be more like the first two.
March 18, 2023
This book did not hold up at all. Even when written 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️ just no. This goes into the children of Jefferson and his ownership of slaves but the way it’s written .. ughhhh
Sigh
Sigh
November 13, 2023
Pros:
The human characters seem to be developing and growing through the series which gives me hope going forward.
I enjoyed the element of uncovering history in this novel.
Cons:
The racism is still very blatant but at least seems accurate for what is happening and where.
The human characters seem to be developing and growing through the series which gives me hope going forward.
I enjoyed the element of uncovering history in this novel.
Cons:
The racism is still very blatant but at least seems accurate for what is happening and where.
February 12, 2024
I’m amazed this book is still in print. To put it very mildly, it did not age well.
December 18, 2025
This book has a lot of history about Thomas Jefferson and his family. The mystery is about a skeleton
found in a slaves cabin, 200 years later. It's really full of facts and guesses, from letters and journals. It's interesting from the past and the present. I highly recommend this book.
found in a slaves cabin, 200 years later. It's really full of facts and guesses, from letters and journals. It's interesting from the past and the present. I highly recommend this book.
July 23, 2011
On the upside, this book is very easy to read, and I did make it all the way to the end.
However, it was so difficult to get into. First of all, the character names are utterly ridiculous. Who can take characters seriously when they have names like Nick Nichols and Market Shiftlet? Who names a cat Mr. or Mrs. anything? Additionally, the characters' personalities were about as appealing as their names. Mary "Harry" Minor Haristeen is the typical feminist cookie cutter woman, who doesn't need a man and doesn't care about gender roles, lays her own flooring, and never wears any make-up or jewelry, but still always looks gorgeous. Her male suitor, Pharamond, is the typical cookie cutter supporting male character, who is devastatingly handsome and successful and head-over-heels for her, even though she doesn't appear to have any interest in him. The rest of the characters are the same -- gossipy old women, simple-minded men, and the like. Even the animal characters were boring. In between figuring out clues to the crime, they can be found bickering and begging for food.
Secondly, the use of profanity was very strange. I have no problem with profanity in general, but I felt like I was reading something written by a teenager. Mrs. Murphy actually says, "No s***, Sherlock," and one of the female characters is described as a b****. It felt like the words were used to make the book feel more grown-up instead of as just a common person's conversation.
Additionally, the author's views on marriage and commitment are nothing short of disturbing. She makes it seem like it's perfectly okay for a man to run around behind his wife's back, and she should just take him back because "everybody does it." Great advertisement to young women.
Finally -- this is what got on my nerves the most -- parts of it read like a Wikipedia entry. For example, on page 179, chapter 40 begins: "He was floating the teeth of Mom's six Thoroughbreds, filing down the sharp edges. Because a horse's upper jaw is slightly wider than the lower one, its teeth wear unevenly, requiring regular maintenance, or at least inspection. If the teeth are allowed to become sharp and jagged, they can cause discomfort to the animal when it has a bit in its mouth, sometimes making it more difficult to ride, and often this situation can cause digestive or nutritional problems because of the animal's restricted ability to chew and break down its food." That might be fine if that was the only time this occurred, but it's throughout the entire novel! It really detracts from whatever is going on and usually has nothing to do with the story at all.
However, it was so difficult to get into. First of all, the character names are utterly ridiculous. Who can take characters seriously when they have names like Nick Nichols and Market Shiftlet? Who names a cat Mr. or Mrs. anything? Additionally, the characters' personalities were about as appealing as their names. Mary "Harry" Minor Haristeen is the typical feminist cookie cutter woman, who doesn't need a man and doesn't care about gender roles, lays her own flooring, and never wears any make-up or jewelry, but still always looks gorgeous. Her male suitor, Pharamond, is the typical cookie cutter supporting male character, who is devastatingly handsome and successful and head-over-heels for her, even though she doesn't appear to have any interest in him. The rest of the characters are the same -- gossipy old women, simple-minded men, and the like. Even the animal characters were boring. In between figuring out clues to the crime, they can be found bickering and begging for food.
Secondly, the use of profanity was very strange. I have no problem with profanity in general, but I felt like I was reading something written by a teenager. Mrs. Murphy actually says, "No s***, Sherlock," and one of the female characters is described as a b****. It felt like the words were used to make the book feel more grown-up instead of as just a common person's conversation.
Additionally, the author's views on marriage and commitment are nothing short of disturbing. She makes it seem like it's perfectly okay for a man to run around behind his wife's back, and she should just take him back because "everybody does it." Great advertisement to young women.
Finally -- this is what got on my nerves the most -- parts of it read like a Wikipedia entry. For example, on page 179, chapter 40 begins: "He was floating the teeth of Mom's six Thoroughbreds, filing down the sharp edges. Because a horse's upper jaw is slightly wider than the lower one, its teeth wear unevenly, requiring regular maintenance, or at least inspection. If the teeth are allowed to become sharp and jagged, they can cause discomfort to the animal when it has a bit in its mouth, sometimes making it more difficult to ride, and often this situation can cause digestive or nutritional problems because of the animal's restricted ability to chew and break down its food." That might be fine if that was the only time this occurred, but it's throughout the entire novel! It really detracts from whatever is going on and usually has nothing to do with the story at all.
April 10, 2022
Murder at Monticello is the third book in Rita Mae Brown's Mrs. Murphy Mystery series - but while Rita Mae has her name listed as the author, it's really her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown, who writes them!
Mary Minor (Harry) Haristeen can't help being in the center of the Crozet, Virginia gossip circle, being that she's the town's postmistress, and news always travels in her direction one way or another. Always at Harry's side are her faithful pet children, a feisty gray tiger cat named Mrs. Murphy, and Tee Tucker, a sweet and curious corgi dog.
When a skeleton is unearthed in the slave quarters of the historic home of Thomas Jefferson, Harry once again finds herself involved in a murderous mystery involving a prominent Crozet family with their own historic secrets. With another killer on the loose and the secrets of Crozet's humans unraveling around them, it becomes clear to her four-legged companions that Harry will need their help to solve the crime.
I rated this third book in the series with 3/5 Stars. I gave it a 3 instead of a 2 because I still enjoyed the characters, the easy-read mystery style of the series, and the dynamic between the pets; however, I could not get past the racial offenses in this book. Had this book been written in the early 1900's, I could have excused (not been okay with - but gotten past) some of the dialogue, but this was written in 1994.
I appreciate that Rita Mae Brown was trying to be historically accurate, and slavery is a delicate subject because it was such a horrific part of our past... I can even understand that the dialogue was between older, Southern families, but... Saying that slaves were "closer" emotionally with their "masters" was just too much for me. They were "close" because they had to be... They had no choice. Sexually or emotionally, they couldn't say no... That's not closeness or love, it's a hideous tragedy that was forced upon them. I feel the subject matter of this book was greatly mishandled. I could have done without this book in the series - I recommend the first two, but I would skip this one.
Mary Minor (Harry) Haristeen can't help being in the center of the Crozet, Virginia gossip circle, being that she's the town's postmistress, and news always travels in her direction one way or another. Always at Harry's side are her faithful pet children, a feisty gray tiger cat named Mrs. Murphy, and Tee Tucker, a sweet and curious corgi dog.
When a skeleton is unearthed in the slave quarters of the historic home of Thomas Jefferson, Harry once again finds herself involved in a murderous mystery involving a prominent Crozet family with their own historic secrets. With another killer on the loose and the secrets of Crozet's humans unraveling around them, it becomes clear to her four-legged companions that Harry will need their help to solve the crime.
I rated this third book in the series with 3/5 Stars. I gave it a 3 instead of a 2 because I still enjoyed the characters, the easy-read mystery style of the series, and the dynamic between the pets; however, I could not get past the racial offenses in this book. Had this book been written in the early 1900's, I could have excused (not been okay with - but gotten past) some of the dialogue, but this was written in 1994.
I appreciate that Rita Mae Brown was trying to be historically accurate, and slavery is a delicate subject because it was such a horrific part of our past... I can even understand that the dialogue was between older, Southern families, but... Saying that slaves were "closer" emotionally with their "masters" was just too much for me. They were "close" because they had to be... They had no choice. Sexually or emotionally, they couldn't say no... That's not closeness or love, it's a hideous tragedy that was forced upon them. I feel the subject matter of this book was greatly mishandled. I could have done without this book in the series - I recommend the first two, but I would skip this one.
April 9, 2014
Murder at Monticello is not a favorite of mine in the Mrs. Murphy series. In fact so far it's my least favorite. I pick up this series when I need light, easy reading and simple, enjoyable characters. So I was disappointed that this story didn't feature the characters (human and animals) as strongly as the previous two books. It was very much focused on the mystery, which wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't so confusing. If you're particularly knowledgeable/interested in American History and Genealogy you may follow it better, I just got confused by all the names and relations and trying to keep whose who straight - I still have a headache.
The mystery - I didn't even try to figure out the murder of 1803 because all the names (many of them the same) and the relationships were often a bit hard to follow. As for the present day going-ons, I figured that one out and wasn't surprised by the outcome. There wasn't a strong wrap up with what was going on in the "present day" so there were loose ends regarding some of the other characters.
The characters haven't grown, but we didn't get to see a whole lot of them in this book. Because these books are written from multiple perspectives some characters/aspects get a lot more screen time than others. Despite this I didn't hate the book - like I said it was easy reading (disregarding the trying to remember whose who to whom). But I preferred the first two books. Some characters have pretty much dropped off the face of Crozet for all their appearances (or lackthereof) and others take a more dominant presence - with some change which I was surprised by and look forward to seeing where it goes. I suppose with these books I like more of a character/community focus, because for some reason I like the community. We'll see how the next book goes. As it stands - not my favorite.
The mystery - I didn't even try to figure out the murder of 1803 because all the names (many of them the same) and the relationships were often a bit hard to follow. As for the present day going-ons, I figured that one out and wasn't surprised by the outcome. There wasn't a strong wrap up with what was going on in the "present day" so there were loose ends regarding some of the other characters.
The characters haven't grown, but we didn't get to see a whole lot of them in this book. Because these books are written from multiple perspectives some characters/aspects get a lot more screen time than others. Despite this I didn't hate the book - like I said it was easy reading (disregarding the trying to remember whose who to whom). But I preferred the first two books. Some characters have pretty much dropped off the face of Crozet for all their appearances (or lackthereof) and others take a more dominant presence - with some change which I was surprised by and look forward to seeing where it goes. I suppose with these books I like more of a character/community focus, because for some reason I like the community. We'll see how the next book goes. As it stands - not my favorite.
December 25, 2019
They say you can't judge a book by its cover, but let's face it...we all do it. Sometimes we are disappointed, sometimes we are pleasantly surprised.
This is case of "pleasantly surprised." I knew there would be talking animals, but that didn't faze me. Anyone who has a cat or a dog has long realized that their intelligence is great, although very different from that of human beings. The real surprise was the depth of the human characters in this book. Brown magnificently creates a cast of characters that draw the reader in, not only to the plot but into their lives. The lead character, Harry Haristeen, is likeable but the real stars are the supporting cast, from imperious Mim Sanburne and moral backbone Miranda Hogendobber to the wealthy Randolph family and ambitious workers at Thomas Jefferson's legendary home. The threads of their lives are explored here, and that gives the fictional town of Crozet a very realistic feel.
Speaking of Monticello, that is where the action is centered. The true bloodlines of Jefferson are woven into the fiction of this story with dramatic results...and murders spanning the centuries. The murder mysteries are respectable, but it is the characters that are the real prize in this book.
That includes the cats, dogs and even the antisocial opossum. They do not dominate the book, and actually add backstory that would otherwise have to be delivered in awkward dialogue or in lengthy narration.
I have already acquired more books in this series. Try one!
This is case of "pleasantly surprised." I knew there would be talking animals, but that didn't faze me. Anyone who has a cat or a dog has long realized that their intelligence is great, although very different from that of human beings. The real surprise was the depth of the human characters in this book. Brown magnificently creates a cast of characters that draw the reader in, not only to the plot but into their lives. The lead character, Harry Haristeen, is likeable but the real stars are the supporting cast, from imperious Mim Sanburne and moral backbone Miranda Hogendobber to the wealthy Randolph family and ambitious workers at Thomas Jefferson's legendary home. The threads of their lives are explored here, and that gives the fictional town of Crozet a very realistic feel.
Speaking of Monticello, that is where the action is centered. The true bloodlines of Jefferson are woven into the fiction of this story with dramatic results...and murders spanning the centuries. The murder mysteries are respectable, but it is the characters that are the real prize in this book.
That includes the cats, dogs and even the antisocial opossum. They do not dominate the book, and actually add backstory that would otherwise have to be delivered in awkward dialogue or in lengthy narration.
I have already acquired more books in this series. Try one!
May 10, 2010
My second disappointing book in a row! What a bummer. I liked learning a little bit about Monticello and Thomas Jefferson, but the book was a little too focused on it. I read this series for the personal danger that faces the citizens of Crozet and how they come together to deal with it, and a mystery from 1803 didn’t do it for me. You do get that sense of danger eventually, but it’s past the halfway point of the book. And while I don’t normally mind the commentary offered by Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, and Pewter, the pages of them waxing rhapsodic about American history kinda crossed the line for me. I can buy them observing and making comments about human nature (you know, as much as I can buy that animals talk to each other in this way), but I can’t credit them with an extensive knowledge of historical fact. I’m sure I’ll read more of the books in this series, but I’m hoping we get back to the usual mysteries.
September 17, 2022
Reread on audio.
Not a review. These notes are for my own reference and may contain spoilers!
Crozet, Virginia and the Monticello estate. Springtime. At least a year after last book as it mentions Harry is now in the third year since her divorce. She is said to be in her mid-30s.
Fair and Harry are on good terms, and they are going out together (movies) as friends.
Blair Bainbridge is away on a photo-shoot in Africa.
The Rev. Herbert Jones has a new cat Lucy-fur.
Fair and Mim give Harry a new horse - Poptart.
Description: An archaeological dig at Monticello reveals the skeleton of a white man buried under the floor of the slave quarters belonging to Medley Orion. There is a love triangle involving people associated with the dig, embezzelling money, secrets about Thomas Jefferson's descendants, and the discovery of diaries kept by a former doctor in Crozet who was murdered decades before.
Not a review. These notes are for my own reference and may contain spoilers!
Crozet, Virginia and the Monticello estate. Springtime. At least a year after last book as it mentions Harry is now in the third year since her divorce. She is said to be in her mid-30s.
Fair and Harry are on good terms, and they are going out together (movies) as friends.
Blair Bainbridge is away on a photo-shoot in Africa.
The Rev. Herbert Jones has a new cat Lucy-fur.
Fair and Mim give Harry a new horse - Poptart.
Description: An archaeological dig at Monticello reveals the skeleton of a white man buried under the floor of the slave quarters belonging to Medley Orion. There is a love triangle involving people associated with the dig, embezzelling money, secrets about Thomas Jefferson's descendants, and the discovery of diaries kept by a former doctor in Crozet who was murdered decades before.
May 5, 2017
The remains of a body are found buried at Monticello, sparking interest in a 200 year old murder. As Kimball Haines searches for information about the identity of the corpse and the killer, he finds interesting details in local family histories. The body count in Crozet rises quickly as a certain postmistress begins to take interest in Kimball's case.
This is not the best of Rita Mae Brown's mystery series. There are several story lines happening at once, which is not a problem. This is common in her work and makes for an interesting read. However, all of them are strongly apologetic of Thomas Jefferson's slave holdings and care far too much about blood lines. I understand the South has great pride in heritage, but it makes for a boring read and comes across as more than slightly racist.
This is not the best of Rita Mae Brown's mystery series. There are several story lines happening at once, which is not a problem. This is common in her work and makes for an interesting read. However, all of them are strongly apologetic of Thomas Jefferson's slave holdings and care far too much about blood lines. I understand the South has great pride in heritage, but it makes for a boring read and comes across as more than slightly racist.
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