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Hiss of Death (Mrs. Murphy #19)
Beloved authors Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-conspirator, Sneaky Pie Brown, sow the seeds of an all-new mystery featuring Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen, sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and that incorrigible corgi Tee Tucker. This time around, the onset of spring ushers in more than hay fever as the animal friends must come to the aid of an ailing Harry to sniff o...more
Hardcover, 240 pages
Published
April 12th 2011
by Bantam
(first published 2011)
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In this 19th entry of the Mrs. Murphy series, much of the emphasis is placed on women’s health issues. The book opens with preparations for the upcoming 5K run to benefit breast cancer awareness. Soon afterwards, Harry Haristeen (who, along with her pets, is the series’ central character) finds one of the benefit volunteers, well-liked nurse Paula Benton, dead from an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Though some wonder why she, a health professional, didn’t have a treatment kit available, it’s...more
There’s a whole lot to like about “Hiss of Death”, the nineteenth “collaboration” between tiger cat Sneaky Pie Brown and her human, Rita Mae. This series is guaranteed to tackle some tough issues and the latest one doesn’t disappoint. It gives readers an inside look into what happens when a woman—in this case, lead character Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen—is diagnosed with breast cancer.
The book opens with Harry and several friends from Central Virginia Hospital gearing up for the annual race to r...more
The book opens with Harry and several friends from Central Virginia Hospital gearing up for the annual race to r...more
Dear Sneaky Pie Brown: I have always really liked the books that you allow Rita Mae Brown to co-author with you--and by the way, why does she always insist on having her name listed first?--but I have had a little problem with the last several books. I know that this is no way your fault, but would you please ask Rita Mae to tone down on the political opinions. While I may agree with some, or even most of these opinions, I find that they distract from the flow of the narrative and can even be of...more
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I love Pewter, Mrs. Murphy, and Tucker! This time they have their work cut out for them. While Harry deals with health issues of her own, she also gets involved in trying to solve the mystery of 3 deaths of people, who work at the medical center. I think the thing I like best about these books is the extra understanding you get by the the animals have to say. It isn't hokey and it isn't nursery rhyme-ish. It just works. I'm sure that Sneaky Pie Brown, who co-writes these books with Ms. Brown, is...more
"Hiss of Death" made me uncomfortable on several levels. Now, this is not a negative, this means the contents of this book touched my personal emotions and made me reflect upon politics, health, friendships and then there was the reason for the mystery....murders!
Harry and retinue go through a health crisis that I have faced myself. My results were far more extreme in one sense, however, it really made me think about the science behind the illness. I was interested by how Harry handled the disea...more
Harry and retinue go through a health crisis that I have faced myself. My results were far more extreme in one sense, however, it really made me think about the science behind the illness. I was interested by how Harry handled the disea...more
I didn't finish this book and let me tell you why. After two chapters I remembered why I hadn't finished the last Mrs. Murphy book either: the author's insistence of putting her opinions about government and politics and all kinds of other issues into the mouths and minds of her characters.
Here's the thing, I don't necessarily disagree with Brown's opinions on global climate change, entitlement reform, or gay rights, but this book series isn't the place to voice them. I've been reading these boo...more
Here's the thing, I don't necessarily disagree with Brown's opinions on global climate change, entitlement reform, or gay rights, but this book series isn't the place to voice them. I've been reading these boo...more
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So far this is much preachier than previous books in the series. Heavy-handed message delivery. I am a bit disappointed. Will see how this develops.
Almost 100 pages in now. Lurching from petroleum dependence to the high cost of farming to alternative technologies to health care reform to imported products made in China. Rita Mae, I fear, has lost the sense of lighthearted joy that percolated through the earlier books.
P. 160. Add misguided legislation that is crippling agriculture, the case for...more
Almost 100 pages in now. Lurching from petroleum dependence to the high cost of farming to alternative technologies to health care reform to imported products made in China. Rita Mae, I fear, has lost the sense of lighthearted joy that percolated through the earlier books.
P. 160. Add misguided legislation that is crippling agriculture, the case for...more
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I have enjoyed all of Rita Mae Brown's Harry Hairsteen stories very much and this one is no exception. Harry's diagnosis of breast cancer and her reactions to it are the springboard of the mystery, but they are also a very contemporary situation that all too many women are facing. Even though I am not a native Virginian, I enjoy the setting very much - I know the area and references to other parts of my state that are familiar to me gives a sense of intimacy to the story. As an "animal person" I...more
This was a little disappointing. There were so many medical warnings that I felt like I was being preached at through most of the book. It became very tiresome. I think it is fine to slip in that the main character is going for a yearly check up or that another has been told by his doctor to lead a healthier life style, but it was everywhere you turned in this book and got in the way of the story. The mystery also didn't take center place. I never felt as if it developed because there were so ma...more
Remember when this was a great series? Not so much any more. This used to be my favorite series. It used to have exciting plots and wonderful, charming characters. Not so much any more. Now the plots are thin and boring. Now the characters are trite and flat.
The last two books have killed this series for me. Brown no longer seems to care about her stories or her readers. She spends most of her time, every third page or so, boring us and pulling the reader out of the story by beating us over the...more
The last two books have killed this series for me. Brown no longer seems to care about her stories or her readers. She spends most of her time, every third page or so, boring us and pulling the reader out of the story by beating us over the...more
I have read a lot of the Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tucker books but I agree with the majority out there- this was one of my most horrendous reads of the year.
I understand the necessity of addressing the cancer part of the story, and it is important, hell, my mother, sister and aunt had breast cancer and I've had at least 5 other relatives die of it.
But if you want to air your uneducated backwater views on politics, write an editorial in your local paper. No one cares, is interested or wants it i...more
I understand the necessity of addressing the cancer part of the story, and it is important, hell, my mother, sister and aunt had breast cancer and I've had at least 5 other relatives die of it.
But if you want to air your uneducated backwater views on politics, write an editorial in your local paper. No one cares, is interested or wants it i...more
Rita Mae Brown is my absolute favorite mystery author. And mysteries are my fave genre. This series is fantastic about a woman and her pets. The difference is that in these books the animals all talk to each other and usually solve things before their human. But theyre not campy. They are funny and heartwarming. Im not the biggest animal person but I get choked up when the animals rally around their humans in their time of need. And there is always a great animal rescue at the climax of her book...more
The mystery was a good one, carried off by a very strong and satisfying ending. I also liked the underlying story of Harry's breast cancer discovery and treatments. As always, Brown provides lush description of Virginia. Being a longtime fan of the Mrs. Murphy series, I felt like I was visiting old friends. This being said, I would have liked this installment of the series much better if there were a lot more of the animals' delightfully witty repartee, and a lot less of the author's political v...more
Horrible is the only word I have for it. I wanted a book that contained a mystery, not one that was nothing but political rants. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind the characters getting ill and bringing the real world into a story - in fact I prefer it, since it gives something to bond with a character over. But I found this story nothing but a political beat down on health care and environment issues, with little to no plot line, other than the character gets ill and somehow solves a murder. In...more
The 19th installment in this series, "Hiss of Death", is a variation in style & theme for this series that has at times been all over the place. This time around "Harry" faces a diagnosis of breast cancer & our crimes relate to nurses. We also explore a little bit of the horse fertilization industry as well. Brown does a better than average job with the human side of things as we see the fear of the cancer & the hope that treatment can bring. The animals themselves even show an extra...more
The last few Sneaky Pie/Rita Mae Brown mysteries I have picked up did not hold my attention. I would get bored, flip to the end to see whodunit and then return it to the library unread.
This latest installation was much better, I didn't cheat and I finished the book in one day.
SP and RMB don't disappoint when it comes to grisly murders and the ever cutesy banter between the animals. But I found the conclusion to be confusing. I figured out who the murderer was before the end, but I might have to...more
This latest installation was much better, I didn't cheat and I finished the book in one day.
SP and RMB don't disappoint when it comes to grisly murders and the ever cutesy banter between the animals. But I found the conclusion to be confusing. I figured out who the murderer was before the end, but I might have to...more
I always enjoy these books. To me they are purely for enjoyment, kind of a guilty pleasure when you don't want to think too much. With that said, I do enjoy the fact that Brown usually weaves political, agricultural, financial, and in this book medical information into the fictional story. But it still allows you just to enjoy the story, it's not anything fast-paced or requiring a lot of thinking. And of course, I have a "Mrs Murphy" tabby cat of my own that I hope never learns to types because...more
HISS OF DEATH.Ah Spring as a wave of tilling and planting sweeps over Crozet,Virginia,Harry is especially excited this is her first year planting and harvesting grapes to sell.But than a health care crisis sends her reeling into the forbidden world of doctors and hospitals, treatments and procedures.Harry is diagnosed with stage one breast cancer surviving this journey will be tough on her Fair her husband and her animals mrs . Murphy, Pewter and Tucker will help steer her in the right direction...more
I did not buy this book last year because of the many reader reviews on Amazon that said that Ms. Brown was more than usually politically strident, and that it detracted a great deal from the novel. However, having borrowed a copy from a friend, I don't find this to be true. The opinions expressed by characters sometimes do drag the plot, but no more than usual. I think the fans of Mrs. Murphy must have come to expect this by now, and be willing to put up with a certain amount of this. One does...more
If the book club hadn't selected this as a book I probably would not have read it. It was an interesting perspective to see a human interpretation of what our pets are actually thinking. I've often wondered that exact question when I see my neighbor's two dogs, especially when I'm dogsitting.
This book takes place in Charlottesville, Virginia and is based around a group of female friends who are organizing a 5k breast cancer race. One of them is found dead right before the race and the story fol...more
This book takes place in Charlottesville, Virginia and is based around a group of female friends who are organizing a 5k breast cancer race. One of them is found dead right before the race and the story fol...more
Let me preface my coming remarks by saying. I truly love Rita Mae's writing. I've been reading her books for over 30 years, starting with a 2nd paperback printing of Ruby Fruits.
This new Harry book just isn't up to her usual standards. It started slow, jumped into a murder that Harry gets drawn into, and spends the next 40 or so pages discussing cancer (an important subject of course but) to the exclusion of what I thought should be the story. Then she gets into politics, which we all know from...more
This new Harry book just isn't up to her usual standards. It started slow, jumped into a murder that Harry gets drawn into, and spends the next 40 or so pages discussing cancer (an important subject of course but) to the exclusion of what I thought should be the story. Then she gets into politics, which we all know from...more
(Mystery 2011) There are three plotlines in this book - Mary "Harry" Haristeen's breast cancer, a murder investigation, and the author's political agenda. The political and social commentary really overwhelms the book, which is a pity, because the story was enjoyable otherwise. This is 19th book of the series (a Mrs. Murphy mystery) that I have enjoyed in the past, due to the assistance of Harry's pets (two cats, one dog, and various other animals) in her crime-solving. But I'm afraid it will pr...more
I enjoy the characters in this series, both human and animal. But I had a difficult time with this book because of it's strong emphasis on educating people about breast cancer. I guess it's a good thing that Ms. Brown wrote it; I'm sure there must be mystery readers out there somewhere who don't know their facts about breast cancer. But I found it a little heavy handed.
That said, I enjoy reading about Harry and her human and animal friends and would normally give the books in series a 4 or 5 sta...more
That said, I enjoy reading about Harry and her human and animal friends and would normally give the books in series a 4 or 5 sta...more
I don't know why, but this series is declining in my eyes. In the beginning I really loved the (qdroll) characters and the pets, but after almost 20 books, I simply wish the author would but an end to the series, because every books ends in the same way: "Harry gets chased my the murderer and her pets save the day by helping her to defeat the evil villain." This time, Rita Mae Brown gave some insights into cancer cures and medical proceedings, but it sounded more like stating some statistical fa...more
I love Sneaky Pie Brown, I've read every book, but man oh man when Rita Mae goes on a tangent she really goes all the way. I liked but didn't love this one. The story was a bit of a stretch. The continual lecture on cancer was drawn out just a bit much for my taste. Since Harry has had radiation now, does that mean she won't be having children in the future? For all her talk about treatements she didn't mention this aspect at all. The animals were as cute as ever (love that Pewter). The talk abo...more
Normally, I really love these novels. The idea is the same in each one. Townie Harry sticks her nose where it doesn't belong, nearly gets killed, is saved, and the bad guy is caught. In this one the same idea is there, which is comfortable and familiar, however, the tone was rather preachy. There were times when it feels more as though it's a PSA for cancer, more eco-friendly cars, etc. I get it, but I want to read books in this series as an escape rather than being lectured. While I admire and...more
Harry faces one of the biggest challenges in her life as she deals with all of the repercussions of a serious medical issue. Naturally, there are inexplicable deaths that befall the people around her and Harry juggles her investigation with the interactions that she is having with the medical personnel around her. The intrepid four-footed associates once again prove their love and support for their mistress. Beautifully illustrated as usual (except for a slight error in one of the depictions) al...more
I have read everyone of Rita Mae Brown's books from her earliest to this one and I have either loved or enjoyed almost all of them. However in this book it seems that Ms. Brown has forgotten that the essence of a novel is a good story. Tell me a story and you can preach politics all you want, make social commentary, and let your opinions hang out. But remember to show me not to tell me. I can read the daily news and get all the insanity and political naivete that I want. But when I'm reading a b...more
This is a series of books that I've now read everyone that's out and I've never been more disappointed than I was when I finished this one. The story is very thin but if you want great information about breast cancer, equine semen shipping, autopsy details, and politics of the present this is the book for you. I missed her regular characters who appeared very briefly or were out of town. I missed the use of the animals in the solving of the mystery - really not much there. Way too much talk and...more
After reading 19 chapters, Ms. Brown has covered every aspect of life today. I felt like I was reading a lecture series. She mentions the 47% of people not paying taxes. I wondered if she was in the room with Romney when the tape was made.
The only thing remotely concerning the murder was the death of the person.
Coca Cola, Volvo, BMW, etc are either paying for this book or she's hoping to get royalties.
I found it so boring and uninteresting. Nothing to keep me turning pages except to find a pa...more
The only thing remotely concerning the murder was the death of the person.
Coca Cola, Volvo, BMW, etc are either paying for this book or she's hoping to get royalties.
I found it so boring and uninteresting. Nothing to keep me turning pages except to find a pa...more
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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.
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