The Mrs. Murphy cozy mystery series began over three decades ago, with the charming premise that animals could speak amongst themselves and help their owner solve crimes. In recent years author Rita Mae Brown has used the Mrs. Murphy novels to promote her politics and to discuss American history, and I've enjoyed the books less and less. For that reason, I decided to reach back and read an early book in the series, just for fun.
In this 10th Mrs. Murphy book, amateur sleuth Mary Minor Haristeen (Harry) and her pets help investigate several murders.
*****
Thirtysomething Harry Haristeen is a postmistress and farm owner in the town of Crozet, Virginia, which contains many descendants of the 'First Families of Virginia.'
The upscale town holds regular social events, such as the Dogwood Festival and the annual Wreckers' Ball, and is home to sporting events like coon hunting and fox hunting.
Harry shares her home with three furbabies: Mrs. Murphy - a tiger cat; Pewter - a chubby gray tabby; and Tucker - a Welsh corgi.
The pets chat amongst themselves and with other creatures like horses, cows, owls, rats, mice, etc., but their conversations are incomprehensible to humans.
Harry has been divorced from horse veterinarian Fair Haristeen for five years, and Fair is trying hard to win his ex-wife back.
However, during the couple's separation Fair had a six-month affair with the town beauty, Boom Boom Craycroft, and Harry hasn't forgiven either one of them.
So it's a surprise when Boom Boom approaches Harry with a request. Boom Boom is dating a Uruguayan diplomat who's bringing a colleague named Diego Aybar to a Dogwood Festival Party.
Boom Boom asks Harry to escort Diego, and the postmistress agrees - much to Fair's chagrin. In any event, Harry is charmed by the handsome South American, and the two attend the Dogwood Festival Party together. The event is going well - with plenty of eating, drinking, dancing, and gossiping - until a local scrap yard owner called Roger O'Bannon slumps over dead, apparently from natural causes.
Roger's death is soon followed by two murders: a young man suspected of being a thief is found hanging from a tree; and a taxidermist is found shot in his car. The authorities (and Harry) suspect the deaths are related, and try to figure out a connection between the men, thinking it's probably drugs.
Meanwhile, Harry's pets suspect that Roger O'Bannon' death wasn't natural, and that he was murdered as well. The animals mount their own investigation, find important clues, and try to point the humans in the right direction. There are more crimes before the murders are finally solved, and the solution is a surprise to everyone.
Much of the series' appeal is attributable to the popular recurring characters, including: Sheriff Rick Shaw - the chief law enforcement officer in Crozet; Deputy Sheriff Cynthia Cooper - who helps investigate crimes; nonagenarian Aunt Tally Urquhart - who gets a kick out of instigating trouble; Susan Tucker - Harry's best friend and investigative partner; Big Mim Sanburne - the 'Queen of Crozet'; Miranda Hogendobber - a widow who helps at the post office, bakes delicious sweet buns, and quotes the bible; and more.
Like other early books in the series, this cozy mystery is entertaining and fun. If you enjoy stories with talking animals, you might want to give these tales a try.
Rating: 3 stars
I still haven't read a Rita Mae Brown book, but you make them sound fun.
ReplyDeleteThe first two-thirds or so of the series is really fun Carla. 😀🌺🍀
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