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Mrs. Murphy #23
Nine Lives to Die
Winter has come to Crozet, Virginia, bringing with it a fresh blanket of snow. Harry and her husband, Fair, are hip deep in their usual end-of-the-year activities: distributing food to needy residents, and shopping for outfits for the Silver Linings youth organization’s annual fundraising gala. But buried beneath the white stuff are dark secrets from Crozet’s past—and Harry and her posse of pet detectives are determined to sniff them out.
Two Silver Linings mentors have been found dead in suspicious circumstances. If that weren’t enough to chill the bones of the locals, a pair of severed human fingers has turned up in a pencil jar in the bookkeeper’s office at St. Cyril’s church. What does this grisly display have to do with the mysterious disappearance of Harry’s voluptuous high school Latin teacher, a quarter of a century ago? Maybe nothing. But when the animals make another gruesome discovery in the woods behind Harry’s farm, it becomes clear that terrible crimes have been committed in Crozet—and somebody’s gone to great lengths to cover them up. It’s time to stop shoveling snow and start digging for clues.
The truth will be revealed. A cold case will be solved. And a twenty-five-year-old love triangle is about to get untangled. The weather outside may be frightful, but Harry and her four-legged friends refuse to be spooked off the case.
Two Silver Linings mentors have been found dead in suspicious circumstances. If that weren’t enough to chill the bones of the locals, a pair of severed human fingers has turned up in a pencil jar in the bookkeeper’s office at St. Cyril’s church. What does this grisly display have to do with the mysterious disappearance of Harry’s voluptuous high school Latin teacher, a quarter of a century ago? Maybe nothing. But when the animals make another gruesome discovery in the woods behind Harry’s farm, it becomes clear that terrible crimes have been committed in Crozet—and somebody’s gone to great lengths to cover them up. It’s time to stop shoveling snow and start digging for clues.
The truth will be revealed. A cold case will be solved. And a twenty-five-year-old love triangle is about to get untangled. The weather outside may be frightful, but Harry and her four-legged friends refuse to be spooked off the case.
253 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
128 people are currently reading
1738 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 241 reviews
October 31, 2021
2.5 stars
In this 23rd book in the 'Mrs. Murphy' series, two businessmen associated with a charitable organization are murdered. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
I've enjoyed many books in Rita Mae Brown's cozy mystery series that features amateur sleuth "Harry" Haristeen…..
and her adorable talking animals - tiger cat Mrs. Murphy, chubby gray cat Pewter,
and corgi Tucker and Irish wolfhound PIrate.
After a while Brown's series became more political diatribes than light mysteries and I stopped reading them. When I heard this new book wasn't political I decided to give it a shot. Bottom line: I heard wrong. The 'cause' in this story (the plight of the poor) is toned down a bit, but the book is still more social commentary than mystery.
The story: It's Christmas season in Crozet, Virginia and local churches and charitable organizations are sponsoring a HUGE drive to distribute food and clothing to the needy. Silver Linings Youth Organization - devoted to helping young people - is especially important to the town.
Harry Haristeen, her husband Fair, and their friends and neighbors spend a lot of time assisting the charities. They also attend a classy fund-raiser for Silver Linings.....one of the season's many social events.
Before long two successful local businessmen lauded for their work with Silver Linings are found murdered - each missing two fingers.
Moreover, a long-dead skeleton, heaved up by tree roots, is discovered by an enterprising coyote named Odin. Odin makes off with a skeletal arm that's wearing a gold bracelet.
When the jewelry falls off it's quickly commandeered by Harry's pets as a Christmas gift for 'mom.' This part of the story is cute.
In the mystery part of the story Deputy Sheriff Cynthia Cooper investigates the various deaths.
In the best books in the Crozet series Harry and her pets get VERY involved in solving the crimes. This is entertaining and adds fun elements to the tales. In this addition to the series, though, Harry spends most of her time delivering goods to the needy (in hazardous snowy conditions) and talking about the plight of the poor. This is an important issue but shouldn't make up the major part of a cozy mystery.
Harry's pets are still charming but they mostly hang out with 'mom', tease each other, have mock fights, converse with other animals on the farm, and sneak off with food scraps for the coyote Odin.
In a pinch the pets fearlessly protect Harry....and Tucker gets to sink his teeth into someone's calf.
In the end there's very little detective work in the story and the crimes are solved because the perps just up and confess. Not much of a mystery book.
Fans of the series might enjoy reading about their favorite characters but most of the best characters - like Boom Boom, Little Mim, Big Mim, Blair, and Miranda - are largely (or completely) absent from the story.
I admire Rita Mae Brown's activism but a cozy mystery isn't the place to push it this hard. I hope the author goes back to her original formula for the series.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 11, 2019
I can hardly believe I have finished the 23rd Mrs. Murphy. I will become current with the series soon and then I will have to wait until each time a new one comes out. Boo Hoo! Visiting with Pewter, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker is like having a relaxing massage with a few laughs thrown in!
April 1, 2014
Full review will be posted closer to the publication date. Now let me just say that after being very disappointed with the last few books from this series, that I read, I really enjoyed this one again.
July 3, 2014
Let me first say that I've been a fan of the series from the start. It's had it's ups and down, and while the last few have not been the best, this one returns us to those "ups". This was a well-crafted story and had me second guessing myself as to the guilty party. There were enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes and the ending will surprise you, and sadden you. If it weren't for the murder rate, I'd like to live there. On another note, I have to laugh at their reaction to a little bit of snow. All in all, a fun series and this one doesn't disappoint.
June 30, 2014
entirely predictable, and suffocatingly religious.
Brown's older stuff was much better.
Brown's older stuff was much better.
July 2, 2014
This 22nd mystery in the Mrs Murphy series is once again set in Crozet, Virginia. Winter has arrived and masses of snow are falling. In this snow chaos two members of Silver Linings, a local youth's organization, are found dead in their cars. Both deaths first seem natural, but then it is discovered that the bodies are each missing an index- and a middle-finger...
At the same time Harry's cats and dog discover a skeleton burried under a tree in the mountains behind Harry's farm. Who is the dead person and are the two deaths connected?
After several years of very mediocre books in this series, Rita Mae Brown has once again written a story that can be thoroughly enjoyed. In the past books there was always one thing that annoyed me: Harry was always suddenly completely involved in activities or organizations that hadn't existed or weren't mentioned in previous novels (and often aren't mentioned again in any future books). Now Crozet is a small place and Harry's time is also limited (as is mentioned often enough) so that a story line like that seems very unlikely. This time just one new organization makes appearance and Harry also isn't directly involved with it. This was a definite plus.
Another positive aspect was the lack of politics. In the past novels Rita Mae often mixed a lot of political topics into her stories or let her characters have conversations about them. While I agree with most of her view, when I read a cozy mystery I don't want to read about politcs or at least not so much.
Rita Mae Brown wrote a very decent mystery with a few good red herrings. All deaths would have been perfect murders if it hadn't been for one detail (I'm not saying more here). If it hadn't been for this detail I would have given the book an even higher rating. I know she had to use it to make the known that the deaths were murders. But I'm a fan of perfect murders and so this spoiled the story a bit for me.
All in all, a very enjoyable cozy mystery. I'd particularly recommend it to fans of the series, even former ones who gave up on it. Give Rita Mae another chance!
(I received a free digital copy via NetGalley)
At the same time Harry's cats and dog discover a skeleton burried under a tree in the mountains behind Harry's farm. Who is the dead person and are the two deaths connected?
After several years of very mediocre books in this series, Rita Mae Brown has once again written a story that can be thoroughly enjoyed. In the past books there was always one thing that annoyed me: Harry was always suddenly completely involved in activities or organizations that hadn't existed or weren't mentioned in previous novels (and often aren't mentioned again in any future books). Now Crozet is a small place and Harry's time is also limited (as is mentioned often enough) so that a story line like that seems very unlikely. This time just one new organization makes appearance and Harry also isn't directly involved with it. This was a definite plus.
Another positive aspect was the lack of politics. In the past novels Rita Mae often mixed a lot of political topics into her stories or let her characters have conversations about them. While I agree with most of her view, when I read a cozy mystery I don't want to read about politcs or at least not so much.
Rita Mae Brown wrote a very decent mystery with a few good red herrings. All deaths would have been perfect murders if it hadn't been for one detail (I'm not saying more here). If it hadn't been for this detail I would have given the book an even higher rating. I know she had to use it to make the known that the deaths were murders. But I'm a fan of perfect murders and so this spoiled the story a bit for me.
All in all, a very enjoyable cozy mystery. I'd particularly recommend it to fans of the series, even former ones who gave up on it. Give Rita Mae another chance!
(I received a free digital copy via NetGalley)
April 24, 2015
NINE LIVES TO DIE by Rita Mar Brown Another good visit with Harry and Mrs Murphy. Harry and Fair are helping with fund rising for Silver Linnings, a boy's camp for problem boys. They are delivering goods to the needy collected by the area's churches. While out exploring Mrs. Murphy and Tucker watch a coyote carrying am arm bone away. The arm has a glittering objects that fall off the arm. The object a gold bracelet and the animals decided to give it Harry for Christmas. Mrs Murphy works to get the coyote to tell them where he found the arm. They find a skeleton with a tree growing through it. Meantime two of the Silver Linnings' patrons are found dead each with 2 missing fingers. Harry most find out how these event are connected.The conversations between the animals is delightful especially the one between Mrs Murphy and Odin, the coyote.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review
September 8, 2014
It’s December, and Harry Haristeen and her friends are hustling to prepare and deliver holiday gifts and food to the less fortunate in and around their town of Crozet, Virginia. Husband Fair and Harry are also helping with fund-raising for Silver Linings, a boys’ camp for problem teens. Winter arrives with a vengeance, and while the humans are up to their eyeballs in holiday preparations, their pets, Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, and Pewter are up to their furry ears in snow and mischief. They spot a coyote running off with the arm of a skeleton in its mouth and confiscate a bracelet that slips off the bony wrist. They hide it with the intent of giving it to Harry for Christmas. Mrs. Murphy, the tabby cat, convinces the coyote to tell her where to find the rest of the skeleton. The pets bargain with the coyote to leave it alone so they can preserve it for their ever-curious human, Harry, to report to the authorities.
Except…when Harry brings Deputy Cooper to the burial site, the bones have disappeared! However, solving a 25-year-old mystery is not a priority, since two prominent leaders of Silver Linings have been found dead, each of apparent natural causes. There is one slight detail that the sheriff’s office has not made public: each man had two fingers removed. Later, two fingers are found in the parish office, where three checks have gone missing. What is the significance of the fingers? Are they pointing to someone in blame? And did someone take the checks as a distraction?
After a bit of a disappointment in Sneaky Pie’s last offering, the feline and her human co-writer, Rita Mae Brown, have offered up a very entertaining cozy mystery in which both the cold case and the modern-day murders are solved, thanks to the help of an assortment of critters, not the least of whom are the Haristeens’ two cats and their corgi. As this is the 22nd book in the series, one has to wonder just how many murders can occur in a town of 5,500 people. Even so, the characters, animal and human, are amusing and witty. Nine Lives to Die is a fun, fast, easy book to read, and I look forward to reading more about Pewter, Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, and their human family and friends.
4/5 stars
October 14, 2014
These books have been favorites of mine for many years until recently. Previous to this one, the author has filled her books with her political opinions and in the last one, the mystery was an afterthought. It was all about the main character dealing with breast cancer. In addition, I was tiring of hearing about her characters using their "fine china" every day, as well as her constant rhapsodic descriptions of her particular area being so much superior to the rest of the world. I even took the time a few years ago to write to Ms. Brown on her website, asking her to get back to her previous style of writing. These are cozies with some humor and animals that talk. They're strictly fun books that are relaxing to read, but with an interesting mystery to solve. I was told by someone in a discussion group online that this latest one was more like her earlier ones. She was right. This was a fun book to read.
It's nearly Christmas and "Harry" and her husband, Phair, are involved in numerous charity doings in the area. The churches in town are working together to provide Christmas boxes for the poor. There are more than in the past since times have been bad. While they are involved with their "people" doings, the animals: Tucker, the Corgi and the cats: Mrs. Murphy, a tiger stripe, (and dead ringer for Sneaky Pie!) and Pewter, a fat gray cat, who constantly thinks about food, have discovered a coyote names Odin living nearby. Odin has discovered a human skeleton and has dragged away a bone with a gold bracelet around it. Mrs. Murphy decides that this is the perfect gift for Harry so they hide it in the barn.
At the beginning of the book, there is a discussion among the friends about a teacher who disappeared without a trace. Shortly thereafter the husband of one of the women is found dead in his truck. His finger is missing. Then another man is found dead with a missing finger.
This was a fun book with the usual characters plus a few more and animals who would love to communicate with their humans if the humans only knew how to do so.
It's nearly Christmas and "Harry" and her husband, Phair, are involved in numerous charity doings in the area. The churches in town are working together to provide Christmas boxes for the poor. There are more than in the past since times have been bad. While they are involved with their "people" doings, the animals: Tucker, the Corgi and the cats: Mrs. Murphy, a tiger stripe, (and dead ringer for Sneaky Pie!) and Pewter, a fat gray cat, who constantly thinks about food, have discovered a coyote names Odin living nearby. Odin has discovered a human skeleton and has dragged away a bone with a gold bracelet around it. Mrs. Murphy decides that this is the perfect gift for Harry so they hide it in the barn.
At the beginning of the book, there is a discussion among the friends about a teacher who disappeared without a trace. Shortly thereafter the husband of one of the women is found dead in his truck. His finger is missing. Then another man is found dead with a missing finger.
This was a fun book with the usual characters plus a few more and animals who would love to communicate with their humans if the humans only knew how to do so.
January 11, 2015
What one finds here is simply “more of the same” --- in terms of this author and this series (“Mrs. Murphy”). This is light fare, entertaining, and by now quite formulaic. As a reader to participate in this particular series one must accept the author’s premise that animals can talk to each other, can talk to other animals of different species, can understand everything the humans around them are saying, and for the most part are more observant, logical, and grounded in common sense than the often woefully misguided humans they have to put up with (this suspension of reality is also required for the author’s “Sister Jane” series as well). Any reader who’s stuck with the author and this series by now knows the main characters and the locale quite well. No doubt the author is at work on the next volume, which I’m sure will be “more of the same” once again.
September 10, 2016
I am relieved to report the old Rita Mae I know and love is making a comeback in this book. An actual storyline, but I miss some of the characters that seem to have dropped off the face of the earth, like Miranda and Tracy, Big Mim, Boom Boom, etc!
September 7, 2015
This book takes the series back to its enjoyable roots, leaving the recent preachy tone behind. Light on plotting, with some big leaps, the strength is in the recurring characters, who are easy to like. This is a bonbon, but since the last few have been castor oil, a bonbon is welcome.
August 30, 2019
Someone is killing in Crozet, Virginia. T'is the season of giving, and Harry, along with husband, Fair, and all of their friends are hip deep in both snow and making sure that those less fortunate are taken care of at Christmas. ALL of the area churches are involved, and good will reigns...or it should. But bodies are turning up, bodies of men deeply involved in the community and charity work. AND they have their index and middle fingers missing! Who would do these horrible things, and WHY? Can Harry and her intrepid animals find the killer before Harry, herself, is killed?
November 4, 2023
This was much better than some of the previous books. It was much less soapboxy and the mysteries were pretty good as well. You can almost figure them out right before the reveal, or at least an inkling as to what's going to happen. You just don't know the why, and this one has some jaw dropping reasons.
December 25, 2019
Read on a lazy Xmas day. Okay but not enough to have me looking for more.
March 12, 2024
Who has killed two men and taken two of their fingers? Who is the skeleton found wrapped in the roots of a tree? These are some of the things happening the week before Chicatmas.
July 13, 2014
It is winter and Christmas is coming. People are busy with charitable works – a gala fundraiser and collecting items to deliver to needy families. But in the midst of all the hoopla, the unthinkable happens. A popular business man is found dead in his car under unusual circumstances. Author Rita Mae Brown along with Sneaky Pie do a masterful job in creating an intricate mystery that ties in present day murders with an unsolved missing persons cold case. Harry, along with her favorite felines and canine, are in the thick of things and won’t rest until they get some answers. This well-written mystery is one of Brown’s better ones and will not disappoint cozy fans. It raises some interesting social points and has a smattering of humor as well as some other interesting tidbits. With its host of interesting characters – both human and of the animal persuasion – and with its twisting plot, you won’t stop reading until you finish the last page.
June 24, 2014
Another good visit with Harry and Mrs Murphy. Harry and Fair are helping with fund rising for Silver Linnings, a boy's camp for problem boys. They are delivering goods to the needy collected by the area's churches. While out exploring Mrs. Murphy and Tucker watch a coyote carrying am arm bone away. The arm has a glittering objects that fall off the arm. The object a gold bracelet and the animals decided to give it Harry for Christmas. Mrs Murphy works to get the coyote to tell them where he found the arm. They find a skeleton with a tree growing through it. Meantime two of the Silver Linnings' patrons are found dead each with 2 missing fingers. Harry most find out how these event are connected.
The conversations between the animals is delightful especially the one between Mrs Murphy and Odin, the coyote.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review
The conversations between the animals is delightful especially the one between Mrs Murphy and Odin, the coyote.
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review
May 31, 2016
The author keeps you guessing in this one. There is a lot going on and not all of it is connected except to St. Cyril's.
Odin is delightful. He is a coyote and hungry during a very snowy winter. Mrs. Murphy and crew need his help and a little bribery goes a long way. Odin sweet talks them but, for a coyote, trust is hard to win.
Nothing like a fallen tree to expose a skeleton of the past. The bones do get around.
Teenager Tyler is a geek and happy as a geek. It's his father who is unhappy and can't leave it alone.
As most of the Mrs. Murphy books, this one is a fun read.
One fly in the ointment was the large print edition I read. The proofreader was very sloppy so some paragraphs don't break right. Some sentences split between lines. This is annoying.
The inadequacies of the proofreader do not reflect on the story. It is a nice cozy mystery, lots of goings on and easy reading.
Odin is delightful. He is a coyote and hungry during a very snowy winter. Mrs. Murphy and crew need his help and a little bribery goes a long way. Odin sweet talks them but, for a coyote, trust is hard to win.
Nothing like a fallen tree to expose a skeleton of the past. The bones do get around.
Teenager Tyler is a geek and happy as a geek. It's his father who is unhappy and can't leave it alone.
As most of the Mrs. Murphy books, this one is a fun read.
One fly in the ointment was the large print edition I read. The proofreader was very sloppy so some paragraphs don't break right. Some sentences split between lines. This is annoying.
The inadequacies of the proofreader do not reflect on the story. It is a nice cozy mystery, lots of goings on and easy reading.
September 7, 2015
First of all, you should know that I am a sucker for these books, so I am already inclined to like them even before I open them.
In this installment, Harry and her animal friends are busy getting ready for Christmas, when two prominent businessmen in their town die suddenly. Was it because of the heavy snow? If so, why did each body have two fingers missing, and the same fingers at that?
And as far as the animals are concerned, where did the skeleton in the woods come from? Why is it missing part of an arm?
These two things intersect in an interesting story. As always, the "conversations" among the animals are my favorite parts. I do wish I'd read this during Christmastime, but since it was loaned to me by a friend, I didn't want to keep it that long!
In this installment, Harry and her animal friends are busy getting ready for Christmas, when two prominent businessmen in their town die suddenly. Was it because of the heavy snow? If so, why did each body have two fingers missing, and the same fingers at that?
And as far as the animals are concerned, where did the skeleton in the woods come from? Why is it missing part of an arm?
These two things intersect in an interesting story. As always, the "conversations" among the animals are my favorite parts. I do wish I'd read this during Christmastime, but since it was loaned to me by a friend, I didn't want to keep it that long!
January 18, 2017
This book reminded me of the earlier works of Rita Mae Brown. Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tucker return as what I think the most lovable characters. But the book is mainly about two mysteries: an old murder and two recent murders. The old mystery comes to light when a skeleton surfaces after a tree falls and is uprooted. Two men of Crozet, Va. are found dead in their cars ... murdered. Once again Mary (Harry) Harristeen helps to solve the mysteries along with Deputy Cooper, her neighbor and friend.
October 20, 2014
Cute & Sassy
A good plot with animals and humans working together. Well written. This is book #22! in the Mrs. Murphy series. A standalone book in the series. Well-developed characters. Enjoy! NetGalley and Bantam provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
A good plot with animals and humans working together. Well written. This is book #22! in the Mrs. Murphy series. A standalone book in the series. Well-developed characters. Enjoy! NetGalley and Bantam provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
September 25, 2016
First book I read in the series and look forward to going back to the beginning and reading more. At times the mystery felt secondary to the interesting people and pets. Since it is the 23rd book in the series I am sure so Much was familiar to others. But the mystery itself was good and I didn't figure it out exactly. Love the way the story touched on faith and community.
June 21, 2014
This was my first book in this series and my first book by this author.
And I didn't like it. I found the story line difficult to follow. Are the animals talking? or are humans talking? It seemed to switch around a lot and just wasn't that good.
And I didn't like it. I found the story line difficult to follow. Are the animals talking? or are humans talking? It seemed to switch around a lot and just wasn't that good.
October 18, 2017
A good read without as much politics. The mystery was in the forefront.
March 10, 2023
Mrs. Murphy #23. Christmastime in Crozet finds Harry and her friends working on a benefit for Silver Linings, a boys club type charity, as a winter storm rolls through the area. One of the big donors, car dealer Pete, is found dead in his car. It seems like a possible heart attack, but he's missing the pointer and middle finger on his right hand. Later, ad man Lou is missing after failing to pick up his teen son Tyler at school. His car is found in a ditch a few days later with his body inside, also missing two fingers. Everyone thinks the two deaths must be related and the most obvious commonality is involvement in Silver Linings. Lou's wife does the books for Silver Linings and finds 2 fingers in a cup with her pencils while working on them. Checking on her work, it seems 3 checks are missing, but they haven't been cashed and the money seems to be in order.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, and Pewter see a coyote with a human arm bone in his mouth. As they scare him away, a gold bracelet falls off it. They hide the bracelet in the stable, intending to give it to Harry for Christmas. Mrs. Murphy is curious about the origin of the arm and gets the coyote, Odin, to tell her about it. It turns out a tree has been uprooted in the heavy winds from the storm and the skeleton has come up with it. During a lull in the storm, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker go up the mountain to check out the skeleton. They get stuck when the storm picks back up. Harry and Fair go to rescue them and find the skeleton. When they try to go back and investigate it with Deputy Cooper the next day, the skeleton is gone!
Harry, Fair, Deputy Cooper, and the animals end up investigating the two mysterious deaths, the equally mysterious skeleton, as well as some strange behavior by a couple of reclusive older folks living in ramshackle houses on the mountain. While there are still a few political rants, the spirit of this book is much closer to the earlier novels. The interactions between all the townies and the animals were more on the lighter side and Harry made it through the entire thing without getting concussed once. The only downside was the sudden resolution of the various mysteries in the last few pages. I've listened to the last few of these, and I enjoyed the cast of characters at the beginning and the drawings of the animals throughout.
Note: one of the minor characters credits her ability to handle the winter storm to being from Grundy, Va. Grundy is a tiny (p. 875) town near where VA, WV, and KY meet. I worked at a bank in MD, near DC that bought an S&L in Grundy in 1988 in order to expand into VA. Reconciling the accounts at this remote and culturally different place was enough of a challenge that I still remember it.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, and Pewter see a coyote with a human arm bone in his mouth. As they scare him away, a gold bracelet falls off it. They hide the bracelet in the stable, intending to give it to Harry for Christmas. Mrs. Murphy is curious about the origin of the arm and gets the coyote, Odin, to tell her about it. It turns out a tree has been uprooted in the heavy winds from the storm and the skeleton has come up with it. During a lull in the storm, Mrs. Murphy and Tucker go up the mountain to check out the skeleton. They get stuck when the storm picks back up. Harry and Fair go to rescue them and find the skeleton. When they try to go back and investigate it with Deputy Cooper the next day, the skeleton is gone!
Harry, Fair, Deputy Cooper, and the animals end up investigating the two mysterious deaths, the equally mysterious skeleton, as well as some strange behavior by a couple of reclusive older folks living in ramshackle houses on the mountain. While there are still a few political rants, the spirit of this book is much closer to the earlier novels. The interactions between all the townies and the animals were more on the lighter side and Harry made it through the entire thing without getting concussed once. The only downside was the sudden resolution of the various mysteries in the last few pages. I've listened to the last few of these, and I enjoyed the cast of characters at the beginning and the drawings of the animals throughout.
Note: one of the minor characters credits her ability to handle the winter storm to being from Grundy, Va. Grundy is a tiny (p. 875) town near where VA, WV, and KY meet. I worked at a bank in MD, near DC that bought an S&L in Grundy in 1988 in order to expand into VA. Reconciling the accounts at this remote and culturally different place was enough of a challenge that I still remember it.
January 17, 2025
This book is the Twenty-Third in the series featuring Mrs. Murphy, a Grey tiger short-hair cat who, along with a Welsh corgi dog named Tee Tucker, and the stout grey cat Pewter, solves mysteries with the assistance of Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen, a farmer married to Fair Haristeen, an equine veterinarian, outside the small town of Crozet, Virginia, some ten miles west of Charlottesville. (It should be noted that all animals can talk to each other, and that they all understand humans, but humans, being dense imperfect beings, cannot understand the animals.) And these are fun mysteries to read.
It is December, with snow in Virginia, and Crozet is getting ready for the Silver Linings gala. Silver Linings is a sports-related boys club, with disadvantaged youth getting the chance to be mentored. While getting ready, Susan and Harry mention to their friends who did not grow up in Crozet their high school Latin teacher, Margaret Donlevey, who was the girlfriend of the high school football coach, and who went missing after a football game in the 1970s. Among the members and donors and helpers for Silver Linings are Lou Higham, who runs an ad agency and used to be a high school football star, his son Tyler Higham, Lou’s wife Advent Higham, who does the books for Silver Linings, Coach Al Toth, who was the football coach at the high school for decades, Coach’s wife Esther Mercier Toth, who was a Math teacher at the high school (and is utterly devoted to her husband), Peter Vavilov, who runs the Ford dealership and was another High School football star, Brian Hexham, who runs Silver Linings (based out of St. Cyril’s, the Catholic church), and his wife Jessica Hexham. The morning after the Gala, Peter Vavilov is found dead in his car, with his index and middle fingers missing. Harry cannot devote herself to this mystery, as the town’s women are busy taking boxes of clothing and nonperishable goods to the poor of the county, including Cletus Thompson, a former math teacher at the school who is a decent man and an alcoholic, and Flo Rice, who is more than a tad peculiar; her being on the list mortifies her younger sister, Esther Mercier Toth. Meanwhile, the animals find a coyote with a bony human arm, and discover the rest of the body. When Lou Higham goes missing, and is eventually found in his car missing his index and middle fingers, is when Harry begins wondering what is going on.
This was another good book in the series, and one that I very much enjoyed reading.
It is December, with snow in Virginia, and Crozet is getting ready for the Silver Linings gala. Silver Linings is a sports-related boys club, with disadvantaged youth getting the chance to be mentored. While getting ready, Susan and Harry mention to their friends who did not grow up in Crozet their high school Latin teacher, Margaret Donlevey, who was the girlfriend of the high school football coach, and who went missing after a football game in the 1970s. Among the members and donors and helpers for Silver Linings are Lou Higham, who runs an ad agency and used to be a high school football star, his son Tyler Higham, Lou’s wife Advent Higham, who does the books for Silver Linings, Coach Al Toth, who was the football coach at the high school for decades, Coach’s wife Esther Mercier Toth, who was a Math teacher at the high school (and is utterly devoted to her husband), Peter Vavilov, who runs the Ford dealership and was another High School football star, Brian Hexham, who runs Silver Linings (based out of St. Cyril’s, the Catholic church), and his wife Jessica Hexham. The morning after the Gala, Peter Vavilov is found dead in his car, with his index and middle fingers missing. Harry cannot devote herself to this mystery, as the town’s women are busy taking boxes of clothing and nonperishable goods to the poor of the county, including Cletus Thompson, a former math teacher at the school who is a decent man and an alcoholic, and Flo Rice, who is more than a tad peculiar; her being on the list mortifies her younger sister, Esther Mercier Toth. Meanwhile, the animals find a coyote with a bony human arm, and discover the rest of the body. When Lou Higham goes missing, and is eventually found in his car missing his index and middle fingers, is when Harry begins wondering what is going on.
This was another good book in the series, and one that I very much enjoyed reading.
February 3, 2020
Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown's Nine Lives to Die is the 23rd installment of the Mrs. Murphy series, and features a cold case along with 2 current murders in the small Virginia town of Crozet. Odin, a coyote and newly-introduced character, digs up a human arm on the mountainside near the farm of Harry Harristeen, our protagonist, and a lovely gold bracelet falls off the limb. Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tee Tucker, Harry's fur-babies, find the bracelet and decide it will make a perfect Christmas present for their mom. And they're right, until the bracelet garners recognition among two of the ladies in town.
Meanwhile, two men, Pete Vavilov and Lou Higham, are found dead in their cars in a short window of time. What the sheriff's department keeps from the public is that both men have had their index and middle fingers amputated, which leads them to suspect murder. All the while, the generous residents of Crozet are working as hard and as fast as they can to distribute food, clothing, and gifts to the various needy residents in their community. We get to meet some new characters in this story, many of whom volunteer their time or skills to help St. Cyril's Catholic church and Silver Linings, a local charity that provides guidance and support to at-risk boys and young men. We also get to meet some new four-legged friends in this book, namely the coyote Odin, an ancient dog named The Terminator, and a sweet little dog named Buster.
Surprisingly, this book threw me for a loop and I only figured out half of the mystery, which was fun. I've seen some negative reviews on past Mrs. Murphy installments from readers who aren't fans of Rita Mae Brown's political views she publishes in her books, and this title delivers less of that. I rather liked the message in this one, which is primarily that volunteering time and goods, especially during the holidays, goes such a long way to the people in our communities who have fallen on hard times. And also, there is a point that many of us here in America can walk into a supermarket and pick out what we like, and we are extraordinarily lucky to be able to do so thanks to the technological advances of modern farming. Some may find that preachy, but I enjoy having my eyes opened by these books on days when I find myself feeling negative and complaining more than I'd like to.
This was a fun read. Fans of the series will like Nine Lives to Die, and it reminds me of some of the earlier titles.
Meanwhile, two men, Pete Vavilov and Lou Higham, are found dead in their cars in a short window of time. What the sheriff's department keeps from the public is that both men have had their index and middle fingers amputated, which leads them to suspect murder. All the while, the generous residents of Crozet are working as hard and as fast as they can to distribute food, clothing, and gifts to the various needy residents in their community. We get to meet some new characters in this story, many of whom volunteer their time or skills to help St. Cyril's Catholic church and Silver Linings, a local charity that provides guidance and support to at-risk boys and young men. We also get to meet some new four-legged friends in this book, namely the coyote Odin, an ancient dog named The Terminator, and a sweet little dog named Buster.
Surprisingly, this book threw me for a loop and I only figured out half of the mystery, which was fun. I've seen some negative reviews on past Mrs. Murphy installments from readers who aren't fans of Rita Mae Brown's political views she publishes in her books, and this title delivers less of that. I rather liked the message in this one, which is primarily that volunteering time and goods, especially during the holidays, goes such a long way to the people in our communities who have fallen on hard times. And also, there is a point that many of us here in America can walk into a supermarket and pick out what we like, and we are extraordinarily lucky to be able to do so thanks to the technological advances of modern farming. Some may find that preachy, but I enjoy having my eyes opened by these books on days when I find myself feeling negative and complaining more than I'd like to.
This was a fun read. Fans of the series will like Nine Lives to Die, and it reminds me of some of the earlier titles.
April 7, 2025
As the holidays approach, Harry, her husband Fair, and many of their friends and neighbors are busy helping local churches distribute gifts and supplies to those in need, as well as attending social functions and fundraisers. When two prominent sponsors of Silver Linings (an organization dedicated to helping boys get a good start on life) are murdered within days of one another, the entire community is rattled. The discovery of a skeleton on property adjoining Harry’s just adds to the level of unease, especially when it goes missing before the police can retrieve it. Harry can’t help but wonder if the cold case and the recent murders are connected. Somebody knows for sure, and may go to any lengths to keep a secret.
Harry spent more time speculating than sleuthing in this one, which I appreciated. Her cats and dog did far more investigating than she did. LOL! They’re the ones who led Harry and Fair to the skeleton. Even without active investigating on Harry’s part, the plot moved at a swift pace and kept me engaged. Characters are always portrayed wonderfully in this series, and this book was no exception. I was able to figure things out thanks to some clues the author(s) skillfully dropped in the narrative. I was also pleased that Harry didn’t stumble over any (recently dead) bodies, nor did she end up in mortal peril at the end of the book. Hallelujah! My only complaint is that Harry was referred to as “Harriett” on page 1 of the book, causing me to clutch my pearls in shock and dismay. Womp womp! Wait. I do have another complaint. These books typically include some artwork interspersed throughout, and some of the drawings in this one were rather ghastly. I had to clutch my pearls all over again!
Excellent story (wish I’d read it in December!), five stars
Harry spent more time speculating than sleuthing in this one, which I appreciated. Her cats and dog did far more investigating than she did. LOL! They’re the ones who led Harry and Fair to the skeleton. Even without active investigating on Harry’s part, the plot moved at a swift pace and kept me engaged. Characters are always portrayed wonderfully in this series, and this book was no exception. I was able to figure things out thanks to some clues the author(s) skillfully dropped in the narrative. I was also pleased that Harry didn’t stumble over any (recently dead) bodies, nor did she end up in mortal peril at the end of the book. Hallelujah! My only complaint is that Harry was referred to as “Harriett” on page 1 of the book, causing me to clutch my pearls in shock and dismay. Womp womp! Wait. I do have another complaint. These books typically include some artwork interspersed throughout, and some of the drawings in this one were rather ghastly. I had to clutch my pearls all over again!
Excellent story (wish I’d read it in December!), five stars
January 27, 2023
Good to be with familiar characters again, as it’s been a while since I read the previous book in this series. It’s a Christmas story, which if I’d known I would’ve read a month ago. Oh well, still enjoyed it! Not much sleuthing by the animals. I was surprised the old & new murders didn’t end up somehow connected. Wait—there was a thing near the end about Esther putting her hands around Harry’s wrist that was wearing the gold bracelet, & that Harry would come to regret not noticing something. I thought it was going to turn out that Esther had managed to steal the bracelet right off Harry’s wrist & it would later turn up somewhere unfortunate—but that was never mentioned again! What was it Harry was supposed to regret???
The best parts were humor with the animals: Tucker promptly sitting when a human tells other humans to sit, then realizing it wasn’t meant for her & getting back up to join the other animals (first time I literally LOL’d while reading a Mrs. Murphy story 😄), & Pewter disappearing into snow that was deeper than she realized! I hope the author does more humor & less bickering with the animals in the future.
The best parts were humor with the animals: Tucker promptly sitting when a human tells other humans to sit, then realizing it wasn’t meant for her & getting back up to join the other animals (first time I literally LOL’d while reading a Mrs. Murphy story 😄), & Pewter disappearing into snow that was deeper than she realized! I hope the author does more humor & less bickering with the animals in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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