Mrs. Murphy digs into Virginia history—and gets her paws on a killer.
The most popular citizen of Virginia has been dead for nearly 17... read full description
The most popular citizen of Virginia has been dead for nearly 17... read full description
reviews
Mar 30, 2008
Chelsea
rated it: 
!?! 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.
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Jul 22, 2011
Amanda
rated it:
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 More...
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 More...
May 28, 2011
M.
rated it: 
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 cr More...
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 cr More...
May 10, 2010
Jaime
rated it:
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, Tuck
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Feb 11, 2012
Audree
rated it: 
i LOVE this series!!! it has talking cats, but it's still GOOD WRITING!! i think this is the 1st book in the series that i read and i was HOOKED after that. i LOVE the characters. it takes place in the South, which i seem attracted to (mostly) and the author frequently interjects a bit of history of the south, which i find interesting.
who would have ever thought?!! i hated history as a student. but if history were presented in schools in the form of a STORY rather than textbook readi More...
who would have ever thought?!! i hated history as a student. but if history were presented in schools in the form of a STORY rather than textbook readi More...
Dec 06, 2011
Paul
rated it:
From 1994 comes an installment in this series that's part historical fact & part historical fiction. The primary mystery involves the discovery of a skeleton beneath the hearth during an excavation at Monticello. From this point onward our cast of characters embark on a quest to uncover exactly what is behind this mystery from 1803. There's also a secondary murder that involves a jilted lover that almost feels like a bit of filler if only to add an element to what isn't entirely a bad plot by Br
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Dec 21, 2008
Ryan
rated it: 
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 mali More...
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 mali More...
May 05, 2009
Samantha
rated it:
Okay. I love the Mrs. Murphy murder mystery series, but this one was a little...dry. Perhaps it was the subject matter or maybe it was the 'walk-on' characters, but this installment was just 'okay.' A murdered, centuries-old skeleton is uncovered at an archeological dig at Monticello and, as would be expected, Harry, Mrs. Murphy and Tee Tucker jump right into the thick of things to save the day and, as usual, things get a little hairy! (HA! Hairy. Harry. Cats. Dogs. Get it!? It's lost sleep...ig
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May 02, 2010
Yofish
rated it:
Pretty basic Rita Mae Brown. Main character lives near Monticello. Archeologist discovers a dead body buried in the slave quarters. Which of course leads to revelations about present-day people, enough that someone will commit some murders when the wrong people find out too much. Moves along, with a couple of good red herrings. All in all, a good mystery. There's also the lives of the pets of the main character, who try to help out. This wasn't as central as in other books of hers I've re
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Nov 26, 2010
Nancy
rated it: 
Other than hope that this series will improve I don’t know why I keep reading. Every book is the same, the human characters are slow and the animals save the day. Really? At no time in Crozet, Virginia can you find a smart human?
I have never read these books in order, but then again, I don’t think that it is a requirement. The characters stay the same, the animals stay the same, only small portions of the locale seem to differentiate the books.
This time the reader i More...
I have never read these books in order, but then again, I don’t think that it is a requirement. The characters stay the same, the animals stay the same, only small portions of the locale seem to differentiate the books.
This time the reader i More...
Nov 22, 2008
Kitty
rated it:
Perfect timing for me - all about genealogy, just when I'm starting my own research (just a lucky library pick at the time). A 200-yr-old corpse of a wealthy white man is found buried at the site of an old slave cabin at Thomas Jefferson's estate, Monticello. Uncovering the story turns out to be dangerous for a few Crozet citizens. The past comes back to haunt the present. I thoroughly enjoyed the history with this one. (See description for "Claws and Effect" for more info on the serie
Jan 23, 2011
MJ
rated it:
Murder at Monticello, by Rita Mae Brown
Mystery
The murder in question happened during slave times, but then there’s also a current murder and Sneaky Pie Brown (a lovely intelligent cat) and her pet Harry Haristeen, headmistress of the little post office do their usual sleuthing.
Mystery
The murder in question happened during slave times, but then there’s also a current murder and Sneaky Pie Brown (a lovely intelligent cat) and her pet Harry Haristeen, headmistress of the little post office do their usual sleuthing.
Feb 10, 2010
Tabitha
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I liked this book even better than book 2 in the series! The flow is improved and the author has better depth of characters. The story is woven around an archeological find at the home of Thomas Jefferson. The find reveals a 200+ year old murder and opens up a racial stir that brings the characters to emotional and personal conflicts. The story is filled with twists and hard to put down for very long.
Aug 23, 2009
Roxann
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The least favorite 4 books in this series that I have read so far. I found it difficult to follow the murder nearly 200 years ago being connected to the present one.
Apr 29, 2011
Beth
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I am enthralled with Mr. Jefferson and the Charlottesville area even before my brother attended UVA! It has increased after reading this series.:
Sep 08, 2010
Suzanne
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If you are a American History buff you will probably like this. It starts with a 170 year old murder. It finally got better about 2/3 the way through. Oh well can't like them all I guess
Jan 29, 2009
Mrs.Y.
rated it:
These wonderful Mrs. Murphy mystery books are written from the point of view of two cats and a Welsh Corgi dog! I have read them all!
May 21, 2010
Heather
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I enjoyed this book, but not as much as any of the others in the series...(I did not read these in sequence). The Jefferson family tree was simply too convoluted to follow.
Jan 20, 2012
Debbie
rated it:
An old body is found under a hearth on Mulberry Row, and somehow it's connected to current murders.
Sep 11, 2010
Virginia
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I didn't like this one as much as others in the series. The mystery felt forced.
Nov 18, 2009
Joni
rated it:
This was a new take on Thomas Jefferson. Well not actually Thomas Jefferson, but his home and family. Interesting view on Sally Hemings. Fun book with cats and dogs being better detectives than their owner.
Jul 06, 2009
Jun 17, 2010
Lynn
rated it:
A dear friend -- now gone -- gave me this book when I moved to Charlottesville about 2 miles from Monticello. It is, she told me, set in the fictitious town of CROZit. Ah, says, I. It's an actual town and it's called Crow-ZAY. My granddaughter-in-law teaches in Crozet.
I'm not much for talking cats. In truth, I'm not even much for non-talking cats. But having been to Monticello and written about it as recently as this month, it was fun to read.
Thanks, Margrette, wher
I'm not much for talking cats. In truth, I'm not even much for non-talking cats. But having been to Monticello and written about it as recently as this month, it was fun to read.
Thanks, Margrette, wher
May 21, 2008
Nichole
rated it:
I liked the mystery, but I had a hard time keeping the characters straight. I've noticed that Rita Mae Brown likes to use characters with similar sounding names a lot - I've learned to deal with it, but when she added the historical Jefferson family and their descendents to this one, I really got confused.
