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42nd out of 293 books
—
981 voters
Wish You Were Here (Mrs. Murphy #1)
Curiosity just might be the death of Mrs. Murphy--and her human companion, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen.Small towns are like families:Everyone lives very close together. . .and everyone keeps secrets.Crozet, Virginia, is a typical small town-until its secrets explode into murder.Crozet's thirty-something post-mistress, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, has a tiger cat (Mrs. Mu...more
Paperback, 284 pages
Published
October 1st 1991
by Bantam
(first published 1990)
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These books clearly have a number of devoted followers, but I barely made it through this first one. This is largely due to expectations of tone - when a cat and dog are trying to solve crimes, I would expect a fairly light read. However, I found most of this book pretty depressing. The characters are largely unlikeable, the main character's divorce drags down both the speed of the narrative and the overall mood, and the animals spend most of the time philosophizing about the horrors of the huma...more
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Originally posted at: http://lasrmystery.blogspot.com/2012/...
Murder isn’t exclusive to big, crowded cities, as the residents of Crozet, Virginia are about to discover for their own. When the citizens of the small town start turning up dead, the local post mistress thinks the odd postcards they’d received just before their murders might be a clue. She’s soon off to the races, with the help of her tiger cat and Corgi. Will small town life in Virginia ever be the same?
Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen...more
Murder isn’t exclusive to big, crowded cities, as the residents of Crozet, Virginia are about to discover for their own. When the citizens of the small town start turning up dead, the local post mistress thinks the odd postcards they’d received just before their murders might be a clue. She’s soon off to the races, with the help of her tiger cat and Corgi. Will small town life in Virginia ever be the same?
Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen...more
Jan 03, 2011
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those Who Like Anthropomorphized Cat
Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List
I didn't get far in this one before giving up. This novel fits the subgenre of "cozy mystery" which I'm not very fond of. Basically, the kind of mystery that could fit a network movie of the week or series without anything graphic or too dark, and an amateur sleuth who finds so much murder landing at the doorstop of her small town you'd think the FBI would put her on a list of suspected serial killers.
And, of course, such a work needs a gimmick. Herbs, dogs, recipes, quilts... The gimmick in th...more
And, of course, such a work needs a gimmick. Herbs, dogs, recipes, quilts... The gimmick in th...more
01. Schade, dass du nicht tot bist
o2. Ruhe in Fetzen
03. Mord in Monticello
04. Virus im Netz
05. Herz Dame sticht
06. Tödliches Beileid
07. Die Katze riecht Lunte
08. Rache auf leisen Pfoten
09. Mord auf Rezept
10. Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
11. Maus im Aus
12. Die Katze im Sack
13. Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab
14. Die kluge Katze baut vor
15. Eine Maus kommt selten allein
16. Mit Speck fängt man Mäuse
17. Die Weihnachtskatze
18. Die Geburtstagskatze
19. Hiss of Death
20. The Big Cat Nap
2...more
o2. Ruhe in Fetzen
03. Mord in Monticello
04. Virus im Netz
05. Herz Dame sticht
06. Tödliches Beileid
07. Die Katze riecht Lunte
08. Rache auf leisen Pfoten
09. Mord auf Rezept
10. Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
11. Maus im Aus
12. Die Katze im Sack
13. Da beißt die Maus keinen Faden ab
14. Die kluge Katze baut vor
15. Eine Maus kommt selten allein
16. Mit Speck fängt man Mäuse
17. Die Weihnachtskatze
18. Die Geburtstagskatze
19. Hiss of Death
20. The Big Cat Nap
2...more
3.5 stars
Harry, the local postmistress (runs the post office) in the small town of Crozet, Virginia, is going through a divorce. Mrs. Murphy is her cat and Tucker, her dog. When two people turn up murdered (in separate instances), Harry discovers something that came through the mail that might link them. In the meantime, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker, along with their friend and fellow cat, Pewter, try to help solve the case.
I liked it. I loved that the animals could all talk amongst themselves, but t...more
Harry, the local postmistress (runs the post office) in the small town of Crozet, Virginia, is going through a divorce. Mrs. Murphy is her cat and Tucker, her dog. When two people turn up murdered (in separate instances), Harry discovers something that came through the mail that might link them. In the meantime, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker, along with their friend and fellow cat, Pewter, try to help solve the case.
I liked it. I loved that the animals could all talk amongst themselves, but t...more
If only this series could have kept up along the way it began is the main thought I had while reading the initial book in the Mrs. Murphy series - "Wish You Were Here". The story introduces us to the world of Crozet, Virginia our animal friends & even provides us with a background on the founder of the town which is a very nice touch. When the first crime to affect the town in nearly 2 decades happen, the citizens get a tad concerned & our cast of characters very carefully spring into ac...more
I picked this book out on a whim...didn't know what to expect at all. Virginia Beach Public Library had it as one of the Staff Picks on their e-book collections, so I thought, why not?
Most of the books in this series take place in Crozet, Virginia (which also intrigued me, since I go by Crozet every time I go see my family in Ohio and West Virginia). This first book in the series I found a little crude at first (a lot of unnecessary swearing), but it gets better throughout the story. Another th...more
Most of the books in this series take place in Crozet, Virginia (which also intrigued me, since I go by Crozet every time I go see my family in Ohio and West Virginia). This first book in the series I found a little crude at first (a lot of unnecessary swearing), but it gets better throughout the story. Another th...more
May 05, 2009
Samantha
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
cat/dog lovers, mystery lovers
Recommended to Samantha by:
Judy Ward
I absolutely love this series of books. I started the series with the first book "Wish You Were Here" in week 39 of my pregnancy. I needed something light and fluffy and fun to read and, most importantly, something that would be easy to pick back up were I to suddenly 'calve.' (Love you Judy!) Wish You Were Here takes place is beautiful, tranquil Crozet, VA (not too terribly far from where I am typing this review) who's tranquility is shattered by a string of murders. The Postmistress (and Smith...more
I really wanted to love this one because of the Corgi dog in the story. However sadly I did not. I am not a huge fan of cat's so I really didn't care too much for Mrs. Murphy. Although I do have to admit the interactions between the animals were so cute! There were several things however that I didn't like about the book:
1. The very first thing that was very annoying to me in the beginning was all the characters thrown in the first chapters so soon. It was kind of hard for me to keep up with who...more
1. The very first thing that was very annoying to me in the beginning was all the characters thrown in the first chapters so soon. It was kind of hard for me to keep up with who...more
2 likes · like · see review
Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown 3 of 5 stars
This is not in the same class as Brown's wicked funny early 70s novels. This is the first in a series of mysteries supposedly co-written with Brown's cat, Sneaky Pie. The main character, Mary Minor "Harry" Hairsteen is Crozet, Virginia's divorced postmistress. Her two companions, Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi) and Mrs. Murphy (a gray cat) converse with each other and other animals in the stories. Their comments are mostly cute, but can be a bit stilte...more
This is not in the same class as Brown's wicked funny early 70s novels. This is the first in a series of mysteries supposedly co-written with Brown's cat, Sneaky Pie. The main character, Mary Minor "Harry" Hairsteen is Crozet, Virginia's divorced postmistress. Her two companions, Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi) and Mrs. Murphy (a gray cat) converse with each other and other animals in the stories. Their comments are mostly cute, but can be a bit stilte...more
I came across this book at a resort on a community bookshelf. When I did I had two thoughts, great a mystery and really what is it with cats and mystery writers. I must say I really enjoyed the book though it was a bit gruesome in places. I enjoy the Agatha Christy style of murder by poison or neatly pushing one off a cliff. Anyway, the characters were probably the most enduring. I enjoyed the protrayl of a small town and the gossips, the support of people while they talk behind your back etc. A...more
I chose this book because it takes place in Crozet, VA not far from Charlottesville. I love that area and the author, Rita Mae Brown actually lives in the area, so I was intrigued by that. Secondly, my book club decided to read a "cat mystery" for July AND I love my cat. The mystery of the murderer lasted to the very end of the book and it wasn't obvious until...say...3/4 of the way through. I liked that. The murders were kind of gruesome, however they weren't described in detail and you found o...more
This is the first in the well-read Mrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae Brown. I read this originally 15 or so years ago, but decided to listen to the books this time. I loved it as much as before and maybe a little bit more.
The book features Harry, a postmistress in small town Crozet, Virginia, who is separated from her husband and living with a curious duo of tabby cat and corgi. Murder soon comes to Crozet, and Harry is soon on the case. The best parts for all animal lovers, of course, are when th...more
The book features Harry, a postmistress in small town Crozet, Virginia, who is separated from her husband and living with a curious duo of tabby cat and corgi. Murder soon comes to Crozet, and Harry is soon on the case. The best parts for all animal lovers, of course, are when th...more
I'm not big on mystery for mystery's sake, but I do enjoy animals and have enjoyed quite a few novels where animals converse.
A long time ago I used to read children's mystery novels--the kind where you could technically figure out the mystery and had to flip to an appendix to discover the solution. Encyclopedia Brown broke me on mysteries. The solutions were so hidden that they never revealed enough clues for you to even remotely guess what the answer truly was. These mysteries broke me on ever...more
A long time ago I used to read children's mystery novels--the kind where you could technically figure out the mystery and had to flip to an appendix to discover the solution. Encyclopedia Brown broke me on mysteries. The solutions were so hidden that they never revealed enough clues for you to even remotely guess what the answer truly was. These mysteries broke me on ever...more
I have read every book in the series that Rita Mae Brown writes with her cats. I am completely attached to the town of Crozet, Virginia and all it's quirky characters. I feel like I know them and always look forward to 'seeing' them again. And contrary to what I would expect and what I would normally enjoy, I love the running commentary of the three main animals in the stories, whose wisdom about the humans who surround them is spot-on and endlessly fun and entertaining. Rita Mae's earlier works...more
I decided to read this book based mainly on the fact that the main character owned a welsh corgi. I own a corgi, so of course I had to look into the story. I was a bit disappointed though. The characters did not seem well developed to me, and what is with all of their names being so odd..(boomboom craycroft, anyone?) The "mystery" was not very mysterious. It was an extremely quick read, and i still plan to try and read the next couple books in the series, as i have heard they are a bit better th...more
I will add to this when I finish, but basically I'm reading this because I recently moved to the town where it's set! I had heard of the series before, way before considering moving here. It never grabbed my attention because I hate cats, and the fact that the woman's cat gets co-author credit makes me ill.
OK, now I've finished reading it. Yes, it was a quick read. No, I didn't really like it and probably won't read any others of hers (and her cat, ugh). I found it predictable and boring, and th...more
OK, now I've finished reading it. Yes, it was a quick read. No, I didn't really like it and probably won't read any others of hers (and her cat, ugh). I found it predictable and boring, and th...more
I love the animals, Mrs. Murphey and Tucker. Mrs. Murphy is the cat on the book cover and Tucker is a dog who is a corgi, a small dog. The both own "Harry", Mary Minor Harristean who is the local mail lady who likes to read other people post cards and is getting a divorce from the local vet. Harry read on the back of a post card the words "Wish You were Here" and on the front of it is a tombstone; however, there is no address on it so she does not know who to give it to or who sent it. This is t...more
This was a nice enough book. This wasn't one of those books that stood up and shouted "This is a Great Book", but I did enjoy it. I particularly enjoyed the banter and conversation of Mrs. Murphy and Tucker. I liked that the animals in the story talked. (I suspect that has more to do with the fact that, as a child, I would have loved having a pet who could talk than it has to do with advancement of the storyline). No matter, I found it an enjoyable portion of the story, in any case. There were a...more
I’ve long meant to read Rita Mae Brown’s Mrs. Murphy series, for two reasons — 1. one of the main characters is a cat, and 2. they’re set outside of Charlottesville, VA (not so far from where I live). Despite a few faults, I enjoyed this. Though I like the conversations the animals have amongst themselves, I think I could have done without the philosophical discussions of how humans are not as good as animals because they kill each other for no good reason. I just don’t buy animals as philosophi...more
I love this series. I always read the newest link in the chain whenever it comes out. If you're not familiar with this series, it features both human and animal "heroes" that track down killers in a central Virginia small town called Crozet. Like many book series, this one declines a bit in interest as more stories are written. This is the first book in the series and in many ways, the best.
Ms. Brown now has two other mystery series, one set in the Virginia fox hunting world and a fairly new se...more
Ms. Brown now has two other mystery series, one set in the Virginia fox hunting world and a fairly new se...more
A great "animal" series of mysteries. Rita Mae Brown does an excellent job of marrying imaginative sleuthing abilities to the natural behaviors of animals. The humans sleuths are equally well-portrayed. The books are fun without being silly. You'll find yourself smiling at the animal antics. My only complaint is that some of the books have long passages of explanation of background information like the cultivation of grapes. Bear with it; the stories are worth the effort. Kate Forbes does an exc...more
Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown begins the series featuring Mrs. Murphy, a cat, Tucker, a corgi, and Harry the postmistress of Crozet Virginia. Rita Mae credits her cat Sneaky Pie Brown as co-author so it is no surprise that Mrs. Murphy is the smart cookie in this series. She sounds just like I suspect a cat would sound, definitely calling the shots and leading sweet Tucker into all sorts of mayhem. It is all in a good cause; the two friends Mrs. Murphy and Tucker, have to be on their game...more
In the sleepy town of Crozet, Virginia, murder lurks. The pesky postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen of the little place knows most of the goings-on and is curious about everything else. She also has a curious tiger cat Mrs Murphy and a little dog (Corgi?) to help her. There are also the town's other animals to help them. And of course, colorful characters abound, including the scumbag soon-to-be ex-husband of Harry.
I have a curious and intelligent tiger tabby myself, so I love the idea of...more
I have a curious and intelligent tiger tabby myself, so I love the idea of...more
This was my first mystery book by Rita Mae Brown; I read Rubyfruit Jungle in college which is a rather different kind of novel indeed. I loved this mystery novel! I'm sure it has a lot to do with my own love of cats, but I adore the sassy, snooty Mrs. Murphy and her silly dog friend Tucker. The heroine of the book, Harry Haristeen, is a wonderfully strong and courageous female character without the toughness and (lonely) independence of female characters like Warshawski, Millhone, or Plum. Don't...more
This is the second in the series of cat books given to me by my cats for Christmas. I liked this, but couldn't help but compare it to "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards", which was much better in every way.
Not that they deserve comparison - Wish You Were Here is a modern mystery, written in a sassy style, where "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards" is more of a cozy mystery. But they both prominently feature cats, and they are mysteries, so there you go.
As a mystery, I was a bit annoyed by a couple...more
Not that they deserve comparison - Wish You Were Here is a modern mystery, written in a sassy style, where "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards" is more of a cozy mystery. But they both prominently feature cats, and they are mysteries, so there you go.
As a mystery, I was a bit annoyed by a couple...more
Buellton is another one of those cities on our list of "pit stops." Before I married Ian, I had never been to Buellton except when en route to it's next door neighbor, Solvang. Solvang was on my family's short list of vacation spots when I was a child.
Meanwhile, Ian grew up going to Buellton en route to other places to stop at Pea Soup Anderson's for the Traveler's Special. So when we were making our initial move up to the Bay Area from South Pasadena we ate a lot of soup at Pea Soup Anderson's...more
Meanwhile, Ian grew up going to Buellton en route to other places to stop at Pea Soup Anderson's for the Traveler's Special. So when we were making our initial move up to the Bay Area from South Pasadena we ate a lot of soup at Pea Soup Anderson's...more
I really adore this mystery. It was a quick read. I like the fact that Rita Mae Brown makes the cats and dogs an active part of the mystery. I think it's cute and clever to have them talk and drive the story along. I enjoyed the witty dialogue throughout the story. I was worried that it would be too "cutesy," but it was actually far from what I expected so I was pleasantly surprised.
I will continue to read this series as long as it keeps my interest. I'm glad I found a new (to me) mystery serie...more
I will continue to read this series as long as it keeps my interest. I'm glad I found a new (to me) mystery serie...more
Have 'read' three of these lately on my way to work via the MP3 player. The heroine lives in a small Virginia town with her cats and dogs and helps solve the murders that inevitable occur. Not sure how the town will maintain its population by the end of the series.
The books are harmless although surprisingly uneven from book to book. Once in a while the animals pontificating goes on a bit and the endings comes in a rush, but what can I say, sure makes the commute more enjoyable.
The books are harmless although surprisingly uneven from book to book. Once in a while the animals pontificating goes on a bit and the endings comes in a rush, but what can I say, sure makes the commute more enjoyable.
Disappointed....I like this series but didn't enjoy the first book as much as others. Comparatively, the author lacked the twists and character development that were present in books 2 and 3. The story does give some character background not present later but the needed background and depth of character is contained without boredom to the reader in the books that follow. As far as the mystery went, I was able to figure out the culprit early in the reading. I recommend this series...but would sug...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WISH YOU WERE HERE | 8 | 36 | Apr 14, 2013 11:19am | |
| What's The Name o...: Mystery with talking animals [s] | 4 | 23 | Dec 23, 2012 07:18am |
Rita Mae Brown is a prolific American writer, most known for her mysteries and other novels (Rubyfruit Jungle). She is also an Emmy-nominated screenwriter.
More about Rita Mae Brown...
