This entry in the wildly popular Mrs. Murphy series is a riveting tale from Emmy winner Rita Mae Brown and her cat Sneaky Pie. This time around, the sleepy hamlet of Crozet, Virginia, is thrown into turmoil when autumn brings a bountiful harvest—and murder most foul.
Harry Haristeen is busily preparing her gardens for winter when a local ob-gyn is killed by a sniper. Then haughty upper-cruster Carla Paulson—in the middle of building her extravagant new home—ruffles a few feathers and winds up dead as a doornail. It doesn’t look good for architect Tazio Chappars, who is found standing over Carla’s body holding a knife. But Harry and her four-legged friends know better.
The Browns fill this cozy with twists aplenty as Harry, her two cats, and her dauntless corgi rake through the autumn leaves to sniff out a killer.
Download and start listening now!
"A Virginia doctor who performs abortions is killed. Was it committed by antiabortionists or someone locally? A Virgnia Slim cigarette was found at the scene, a building inspector has several people who seem to hate him, another doctor was in an open feud with the one killed, and then a Virginia socialite is killed at a benefit charity. How do they all fit together. It takes two cats and a corgi to help their mistress put all of the pieces together. Once again, I had to laugh at the conversations between the animals. And the conversation and ensuing scene in the Audi had me laughing out loud. I look at my own cat with a lot of respect and wonder just what he is thinking."
— Susan (4 out of 5 stars)
" Rita Mae Brown is that rare treat - a lesbian with a sense of humor. This entire series is charming. "
— Ben, 2/12/2014" Really a 2 star rating, but I have loved this series so much over the years I just can't give it less than a 3. The series is definitely not as good as it used to be. Brown inserts political talk into virtually every conversation in the book and it just detracts from the story. Bummer. "
— Donna, 2/3/2014" Love this series, great light animal inspired mysteries "
— Marianne, 1/23/2014" An improvement over the last couple of books in this series, but it really has taken a downslide since Harry and Miranda left the post office. It feels like the heart is missing from what used to be there. "
— Sean, 1/12/2014" If there really was a place like this in VA I would move there in a minute. It just seems like an idyllic and wonderful place to live. But when a high flautin' rich bitch moves in totally intent on remodeling her new digs, treating the local folk like they are less than human, and ends up getting skewered( stabbed) to death, Mrs. Murphy the cat and her pals are on the case again. I just can't get enough of acts and dogs talking to each other and making fun of how stupid people really are. It just makes me laugh. "
— Eyehavenofilter, 12/30/2013" Good mystery story, but a little too much preaching about abortion rights. How can a doctor believe life starts at birth? Please---why do prenatal care and check the baby's heartbeat, etc., if there is no life until the baby is born? And leave this out of a light mystery--I don't want to hear the author's political viewpoint. "
— Pam, 12/27/2013" I've enjoyed all of Rita Mae Brown's books. She is consistently good. I love all the characters, especially the furry ones. Surprise ending, didn't figure this one out! "
— Terry, 12/26/2013" I like the characters and stories, but the author gets on her soapbox too much. "
— Cheryl, 12/20/2013" More talking animals crimesolving fun. This time with more politics and less horses. "
— Oceana2602, 11/20/2013" Very disappointing! Not the first Mrs. Murphy mystery I've read, but may be the last. When your main characters include animals who talk with each other, leave your political agenda somewhere else. "
— Lea, 11/20/2013" I love Rita Mae Brown mysteries. "
— Gayle, 11/17/2013Rita Mae Brown is the bestselling author of the Sneaky Pie Brown mysteries; the Sister Jane series; the Runnymede novels, as well as Rubyfruit Jungle and In Her Day; as well as many other books. She is an Emmy-nominated screenwriter and a poet.
Kate Forbes, winner of four Earphones Awards for audiobook narrating, is a professionally trained actress who has appeared on Broadway, in regional theaters, and with a renowned touring company. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College, where she was active in theater, she completed an MFA at New York University School of the Arts. With this training, she launched into a successful acting career.