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The Big Cat Nap
By Rita Mae Brown
& Sneaky Pie Brown
It Takes a Cat to Write the Purr-fect Mystery
It's hard to believe I've been reading Mrs. Murphy Mysteries for 20 years! Congratulations to everybody involved with this series and many Kudos for your success!
I think the thing that I most enjoyed in this latest novel was the extent of involvement by all the animals...It seemed everybody was included for a small or large speaking part. Since I've been living with 'possums, coons,
and, of course, cats, since I moved into my log cabin years ago, I realize how easily you begin to accept these little critters as somebody that comes to visit, and sometimes stays for awhile...LOL! One night, however, I woke up and kicked out at my bed covers--in my dream I saw a 'possum calmly walking into my kitchen door! Obviously I'm still scared enough that I can accept them only outside!
Of course, Sneaky Pie shows up on the cover and on each chapter page as usual which brings a slight smile when you turn the page...
Then there are the main characters: Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tee Tucker, the latter being the odd corgi dog in with her two feline friends... The illustrations by Michael Gellatly add greatly to delight readers!
Even the Lutheran cats, Elocution, Lucy Fur, and Cazenovia was involved! Wow!
The stories all take place in Crozet, Virginia and primarily on the family farm homeplace now owned by Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen. Harry'd had a bout with cancer and readers catch up with her condition as her friends and husband. Fair, check in with her or worry along with her about her latest checkup... If you don't already realize it, this is a cozy mystery and Brown presents us with one of her coziest, taking advantage of her anniversary to slow the pace down and allow readers to reacquaint themselves with the cast of characters... I appreciated that!
"Slanting rays of late--afternoon sun kissed the fields as Harry walked through them.
"Like butter." She held her hand over her eyes as a shield. Today even her summer straw cowboy hat didn't do the trick.
"Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker listened as the human they loved most rambled on.
"Like most people, Harry happily babbled to her pets. She thought of them as pets. That wasn't their attitude.
"Mrs. Murphy, believed she had to think for both Harry and her husband. They were so slow.
"Pewter considered herself a small gray divinity. She felt no call to think for the humans.
"Tucker knew her job was to protect and defend, as well as to herd horses into our out of the barn. She used to herd humans, but their resistance to canine direction finally broker her of trying.
"The hay looks good," said Harry...
"Smells good," Mrs. Murphy noted.
"Especially when it's freshly cut." Tucker lived by her nose.
"To a lesser extent, so did Pewter. She stopped as she picked up rabbit scent, a fragile aroma. In her booming meow, she called out,
Mother and baby bunnies passed through, um, maybe fifteen minutes ago."
"You just figure that out?" Tucker teased her.
"I hate you, I really do." The gray cat sped through the hay, blew past the dog and cat, and shot in front of Harry, slightly knocking her leg in the process.
"Pewter."
"Faster than a speeding bullet," Pewter changed, having watched the Superman movies with Harry.
"Fatter than a cannonball," Tucker called out.
That insult provoked the gray cat to stop abruptly, puff up like a broody hen with tail like a bottle brush, hop sideways, and hiss loudly. "eath to corgis."
Tucker, knowing Pewter's temper, fell behind Mrs. Murphy.
"Thanks," the tiger cat drily said.
"Well, there she goes, running and grabbing all the attention! I think Sneakie Pie should be the star, even if also the writer--Personally, I believe Sneakie Pie is sooooo cool!"*
{Excuse me readers...Ricci decided to help write my review since Sneakie Pie is sooooo cool and Ricci is sssssuch a big fan...Back to the story line for the book!}
You got it--a murder! Can't be a mystery series without one!
Wouldn't you know that Harry was one of the citizens to find it? A local mechanic still in uniform was dead on the floor, identified as Walt Richardson, who was reportedly the best man working at ReNu
Deputy Cynthia Cooper and Sheriff Rick Shaw are soon on the case. But, of course, Harry is "working behind the scenes" along with her pets to help!
Then Frannie Howard and Mackie Rogan find that a major theft of tires occurred when they entered the garage that morning, but not all tires were stolen!
Then of course, the twists and turns begin. While this mystery wasn't as tough as some that Brown has presented, I still had enough to keep me interested...and of course as a fan of the series and all things cat mysteries, I must highly recommend this latest to help celebrate!
GABixlerReviews and Ricci!
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| Ha! Sneaky Pie Instead of Me? I'll sleep on it... Not! |
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Cool! I had no idea, having only recently become addicted to the them. What great pics you found too!
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