Mrs. Murphy Mysteries Series

New York Times best-selling author Rita Mae Brown partners with feline co-author Sneaky Pie for this rollicking mystery. After a shocking archaeological find at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello home sparks controversy, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen goes hunting for the truth. Her friends Mrs. Murphy the tiger cat and Tee Tucker the corgi go hunting too-for a killer out to keep Harry quiet.

Instead of a proper second honeymoon, the newly remarried Harry and Fair Haristeen leave cozy Crozet, Virginia, for Shelbyville, Kentucky, site of the famous saddlebred horse show. There they'll visit dear friends Joan Hamilton and Larry Hodge and enjoy a week among some of the finest horses, trainers, and riders in the country. But soon after they arrive, events veer mysteriously-and murderously-off course. First, Joan's ruby and sapphire horsehead heirloom pin is stolen from her private box at the fairgrounds. Next, a young film star's prize three-gaited mare disappears into thin air. There is no lack of suspects, from hotheaded trainers and jealous rivals to vicious ex-spouses. Then a body is found flagrantly murdered and it's obvious to Harry that someone at Shelbyville is sending a strong message: winning is only secondary-first prize is survival. As Harry searches for clues, rediscovers life as a married woman, and deals with her upcoming fortieth birthday, her four-legged detective friends are already on the case. But is animal instinct any match for human depravity? Especially with two humans to protect and a killer on the prowl?

Wish You Were Here is the first entry in the wildly popular, best-selling Mrs. Murphy Mystery series by Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie. Mrs. Murphy (a cat) and Tee Tucker (a Welsh corgi) notice clues that may help solve the ghastly murders that have been ravaging Crozet, Virginia. But first they'll have to get their owner, Mary Minor "Harry" Hairsteen, to listen.

In this second entry from the New York Times best-selling series by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown, the citizens of Crozet, Virginia, reap a gruesome harvest-of human body parts. Ever since her husband's affair, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen has taken a sabbatical from men. The 30-ish divorceE is content to tend her farm and gain a bird's-eye view of the neighbors from her perch as small-town postmistress. Yet when a hunky city slicker comes to town with no clue about farming, she's happy to show him the ropes. When pieces of a dismembered body crop up around Crozet, however, the wary townsfolk reckon the handsome stranger is the culprit. But as Harry and her sleuthing pets-Mrs. Murphy the cat and Tee Tucker the dog-sniff out the clues, they have other notions. While the unique trio follows a curious trail, Kate Forbes' charming narration captures the spirit of each colorful character-whether human, feline, or canine. ". a spooky, baffling tale ."-Publishers Weekly

It's autumn in cozy, idyllic Crozet, Virginia-a time for golden days, crisp nights.and murder. Mrs. Carla Paulson is one of the diamond-encrusted "come-here" set who has descended on Crozet with plenty of wealth and no feeling for country ways. She's determined to make her new house the envy of all her well-heeled friends-and enemies -and she's hired architect Tazio Chappers to build it. From the start, the project-and Mrs. Paulson-are a major headache for all involved. But no one could foresee that it would end with Mrs. Paulson stabbed to death at a gala fund-raiser with Harry's friend Tazio standing over her, holding the knife. Now Harry must solve what seems to everyone else an open-and-shut case. Her four-legged partners -sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and corgi Tee Tucker-see it Harry's way. But will they have to choose between catching the purrfect killer and saving Harry?

Never have two species co-created a work of such suspense and humorous catitude as the wildly popular mystery series by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown. This time out, that agile-witted tiger puss Mrs. Murphy makes the round of parties where Virginia's Very Best People mingle with some of the worst. Together, she and her human must unravel a veritable cat's cradle of ambition, greed, and murder at the center of which waits a killer with the most tangled of motives.

Rita Mae Brown returns to bring feline mystery to a new level. Crozet, Virginia, is a pretty sleepy place, but during a Civil War reenactment, murder occurs, and postmistress and amateur sleuth Harry Harristeen and her three pets are soon on the prowl looking for the killer. Brown and her cat have written a delightful murder mystery that is purr-fect for cat lovers and mystery lovers alike.

New York Times best-selling authors Rita Mae Brown and her cat Sneaky Pie have captivated fans around the world with their Mrs. Murphy mysteries. In this fourth entry, the residents of Crozet, Virginia, find their summer slumbers interrupted by a pair of newcomers. When one of the visitors is found dead, and two million dollars goes missing from the Crozet National Bank, it falls to Mrs. Murphy and her four-legged pals to save the day.

Rita Mae Brown's feline mystery capers are New York Times best-sellers. In Murder on the Prowl, a fake obituary is printed in the local newspaper, and the people of Crozet, Virginia are quite dismayed. But when another fake obituary appears, quickly followed by a murder, Mrs. Murphy the sleuthing cat and her human friend "Harry" Haristeen find themselves on a dangerous path.

Best-selling authors Rita Mae Brown and her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown, are beloved for their Mrs. Murphy mysteries. Set in the quiet town of Crozet, Virginia, each delightful book finds Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and the incomparably clever feline, Mrs. Murphy, caught up in a puzzling whodunit. In the middle of a particularly dull winter, nobody pays much mind to rumors of bad blood among the staff of Crozet Hospital. That is, until a member of the hospital staff turns up dead. So much for the uneventful season! Harry can't resist doing some investigating of her own, but it's her sleuthing feline whose nose sniffs out the biggest clue. Co-written by the smartest cat to ever put paw to typewriter, Claws and Effect is a pure delight from beginning to end. With Kate Forbes narrating the voices of the human characters as well as the thoughts of the endearing animals, the audiobook is an extra special treat.

What do steeplechase, playing cards and daggers have in common? They all play vital roles in the intricately woven plot of Sneaky Pie and her human cohort Rita Mae Brown in this delightful mystery. While Mary "Harry" Haristeen and her cat, Mrs. Murphy attend the annual steeplechase at Montpelier, Mrs. Murphy discovers something amiss. During the celebration following the race, one of the jockeys is found dead in the barn, a dagger through his heart and the queen of clubs impaled by the dagger. Hot on the killer's trail, Mrs. Murphy is joined by a wistful band of barn mice when the killer strikes again. But can she make her human partner understand before yet another life is lost? Acclaimed across the globe, this mystery series is a perennial fan favorite.

The beloved writing tandem of Rita Mae Brown and her feline collaborator Sneaky Pie craft another tantalizing mystery with Hiss of Death. Spring is in the air in Crozet, Virginia, and Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen looks forward to her first season of harvesting grapes. But then Harry falls ill and finds herself in a hospital-where a nurse turns up dead. When another hospital staffer kicks the bucket soon after, it falls to Harry's animal friends to crack the case.

Best-selling authors Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown are everybody's favorite human/feline writing team. In this warm-hearted puzzler, "Mary Minor Harry" Haristeen is preparing for her 20th high school reunion when trouble comes to the seemingly sleepy town of Crozet, Virginia. It all begins when classmates receive anonymous letters with a simple message: "You'll never get old." Some take the note as a compliment, others think it's a harmless practical joke. But when the class womanizer turns up dead, the message suddenly has a far more sinister meaning. Can Mrs. Murphy, Harry's sleuthing cat, sniff out the killer? Listeners will delight as Mrs. Murphy, with assistance from her four-legged companions Pewter the cat and Tee Tucker the Welsh corgi, scratch through the clues. Kate Forbes' charming narration captures the unique spirit of each character, whether human, feline, or canine.

When winter hits Crozet, Virginia, it hits hard--and hangs on for months. That's nothing new to postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her friends, who keep warm with hard work, hot toddies, and rabid rooting for the University of Virginia's women's basketball team at the old stadium affectionately dubbed "The Clam." But the usual postgame high spirits are laid low when contractor H. H. Donaldson drops dead in the parking lot. And pretty soon word has spread that it wasn't a heart attack that did him in. It just doesn't sit right with Harry that one of her fellow fans--perhaps even an acquaintance or neighbor sitting close by in the stands--is a murderer. And as tiger cat Mrs. Murphy is all too aware, things that don't sit right with Harry make her restless, curious, and prone to poking her not-very-sensitive human nose into dangerous places. So the animals start paying closer attention to what the people around them are doing--and they're the first ones to realize when the next murder occurs. It seems obvious to Harry that the deaths are connected--and she intends to find out exactly how. There's no shortage of suspects, considering that H.H. was a ladies' man who'd left a trail of broken hearts all over town--the most recent belonging to his wife-- and that the second murder victim was not very popular in Crozet.As the police launch their investigation, Harry picks up clues through savvy questioning of everyone she knows. But it's the critters who are most attuned to trouble--they scent something wicked wafting Harry's way on the tail of the next snowstorm. And as Harry draws closer to the truth about a brutal killer, Mrs. Murphy and her friends realize it's up to them to make sure their intrepid mom lands on her feet.

A mysterious death in a Virginia farm town has the locals scratching their heads-while frisky feline Mrs. Murphy and her friends, fat-cat Pewter and corgi Tee Tucker, uncover clues as they curl their way around a cold-blooded killer. This balmy summer in Crozet, Virginia, postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen has a lot to think about. Things have been pretty cozy between her and her ex-husband, Fair and her beloved old post office is in danger of being replaced with a modern building-and modern rules. Harry's thoughtful contemplation is shattered the day she stumbles over a dead body near Potlicker Creek. Barry Monteith, the handsome local horse breeder, has been savagely murdered. A true ladies' man, Barry was known to have left a string of broken hearts behind him. But could a spurned lover be responsible for his untimely demise? The plot only thickens when an autopsy reveals that Barry was infected with rabies weeks before he was killed. As usual, Harry can't resist doing a little digging-with Mrs. Murphy close by to warn of approaching danger. Harry makes a remarkable discovery in the creek-the class ring of Mary Pat Reines, a local woman who disappeared thirty years earlier along with her prized Thoroughbred stallion. Like Barry, Mary Pat was a successful horse breeder-and now all of Crozet is wondering if the two cases are linked. As the police struggle with the evidence, the pressure gets hotter than a June afternoon-especially when another person is found dead of less-than-natural causes. As usual, Mrs. Murphy and her crew are the first to sniff out the truth. But if they don't find a way to help Harry piece together the puzzle, she could become the killer's next target-and even Mrs. Murphy's slinkiest moves won't be able to save her.

The New York Times best-selling Mrs. Murphy mysteries delight fans with an irresistible blend of suspense, engaging characters, and the entertaining high jinks of some quick-witted, four-legged friends. With more than two million copies in print, the series has made coauthors Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown the most popular human/feline writing team in the world. The sleepy little town of Crozet, Virginia has seen its share of mischief and mayhem, but nothing like this. While visiting the Mt. Carmel monastery, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen witnesses a statue of the Virgin Mary cry tears of blood. Legend says this foretells crises, and soon a monk is found frozen to death near the statue. Before long the monk's body disappears, another Crozet citizen dies, and a shocking revelation to an ages-old mystery surfaces. Thankfully, Harry and her sleuthing animals are on the case-unofficially, of course.

New York Times best-selling author Rita Mae Brown and her feline coauthor Sneaky Pie Brown offer up the 22nd thrilling episode in their popular cozy mysteries featuring Mrs.Murphy. In Sneaky Pie for President, Sneaky Pie takes a break from her mystery-writing to run for President of the United States. Sneaky Pie has an animal-friendly agenda that will unify all Americans -- two-legged, four-legged, and even those who fly.

As Harry well knows, there's hardly a place on earth cozier than Crozet, Virginia, at Christmastime. Snowflakes, carolers, it's all picture-perfect until Harry and her husband, Fair, find the tree they've chosen grimly decorated with a corpse. The tree farm is run by the Brothers of Love, a semimonastic organization whose members live atop the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. Now, as the season grows merrier, a murderer is growing bolder. One by one, prominent men of Crozet are being crossed off Christmas shopping lists and added to the morgue. And if Harry and her four-legged helpers aren't very good-and very careful-this Christmas will be her last.

The continuing success of the beloved Mrs. Murphy mystery series is given its proper due with the publication of this 20th-anniversary tale. When a local mechanic gets his odometer turned back-for good-Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen steps in to investigate. There's more to the crime than meets the eye, though, and sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with faithful corgi Tee Tucker, do their level best to keep Harry out of harm's way.

New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown teams up with her kitty-cat collaborator Sneaky Pie Brown for this cozy mystery filled with mayhem and meows. In The Litter of the Law , Harry Haristeen and her husband, Fair, find a murdered man while out for a drive. Curious cat detectives Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with Tucker the crime fighting corgi, sure have their work cut out for them. Harry's going to have to unmask the killer before she ends up next on his list.

In this latest whodunit, Rita Mae Brown and her feline partner-in-crime-detection, Sneaky Pie Brown, return to the scene of their bestselling crimes-picturesque Crozet, Virginia. Love is in the air as spring comes to the small town, but no sooner has Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen remarried than she is rudely interrupted-by murder. And no sooner does the trouble start than curious cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with corgi Tee Tucker, sink their claws into the case..After an unexpected rekindling of their romance, Harry and her veterinarian ex-husband, Fair Haristeen, have happily remarried. But the excitement of their nuptials is quickly overshadowed by the murder of Professor Vincent Forland, a world-famous grape and fungal expert who was in town visiting the local vineyards. Within days of giving a lecture on how distilled fungus and cattle diseases are the current basis of chemical warfare, Forland's decapitated body is discovered. After their initial fright, the residents of Crozet believe that this was a political murder and settle back into their routines-until a local is also found dead, killed in the same gruesome manner as Professor Forland. Now residents can't help wondering, is this really the work of an outsider-or one of their own? No longer working in the post office, Harry had just planted a quarter acre of grapes, which fuels her natural curiosity over just what the two murder victims knew and had in common. Once the warmth of spring arrives, the grapevines blossom and Harry's furry entourage discovers the first critical clue. But how can they show the humans what they've learned? And how can they-or anyone-stop the killing?

Harry Haristeen, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tee Tucker return for this cozy from the New York Times best-selling tandem of Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown. When Harry's beloved Aunt Tally approaches her 100th birthday, her alma mater schedules a birthday celebration that doubles as a fundraiser. But then a member of the alumnae association disappears. Her car is on campus, yet she's nowhere to be seen-and Tucker has sniffed out traces of human blood.

Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown return with an all-new mystery starring Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, intrepid kitty sleuths Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and Tee Tucker, the ever-faithful crime-solving corgi. This time around, Harry and her animal friends track a killer whose trail has gone as cold as the weather in December. 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.

New York Times bestselling authors Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown continue their fan-favorite Mrs. Murphy cozies with Tail Gait. Here spring comes to Crozet, Virginia, with a bang when a professor is gunned down in broad daylight. Now it's up to kitty sleuths Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with crime-solving corgi Tee Tucker, to sniff out the killer.

Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown are back chasing a mystery with their unique circle of Southern sleuths. And though the changing colors of fall are a beauty to behold, this year the scattered leaves hide a grim surprise. Autumn is in the air in the Blue Ridge Mountain community of Crozet, Virginia-and all the traditions of the changing seasons are under way. Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen cleans her cupboards, her husband, Fair, prepares the horses for the shorter days ahead, and the clamorous barking of beagles signals the annual rabbit chase through the central Virginia hills. But the last thing the local beaglers and their hounds expect to flush out is a dead body. Disturbingly, it's the second corpse to turn up, after that of a missing truck driver too disfigured to identify. The deaths seem unrelated-until Harry picks up a trail of clues dating back to the state's post-Revolutionary past. The echoes of the Shot Heard Round the World pale in comparison to the dangerous shootout Harry narrowly escapes unscathed. Next time, it may be the killer who gets lucky. But not if Harry's furry friends Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker can help it. Lending their sharp-nosed talents to the hunt, they'll help their mistress keep more lives from being lost-and right an injustice buried since the early days of America's independence.

In this fast-paced mystery by Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her animal friends seek to solve a whodunit rooted in eighteenth-century Virginia-uncovering a shocking secret that refuses to stay buried. At any moment a perfect summer day in Crozet, Virginia-nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains-might turn stormy and tempestuous, as Harry knows too well when a squall suddenly sweeps in. In a blink, Harry's pickup nearly collides with a careening red car that then swerves into a ditch. Harry recognizes the dead driver slumped over the vehicle's steering wheel: Barbara Leader was nurse and confidante to former Virginia governor Sam Holloway. Though Barbara's death is ruled a heart attack, dissenting opinions abound. After all, she was the picture of health, which gives Harry and her four-legged companions pause. A baffling break-in at a local business leads Harry to further suspect that a person with malevolent intent lurks just out of sight: Something evil is afoot. As it happens, Barbara died in the shadow of the local cemetery's statue of the Avenging Angel. Just below that imposing funereal monument lie the remains of one Francisco Selisse, brutally murdered in 1784. Harry's present-day sleuthing draws her back to Virginia's slave-holding past and the hunt for Selisse's killer. Now it's up to Harry and her furry detectives-Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tee Tucker-to expose the bitter truth, even if it means staring into the unforgiving eyes of history and cornering a callous killer poised to pounce.

Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown return with this twenty-seventh book in their bestselling Mrs. Murphy series, in which mysteries of past and present Albemarle County, Virgina continue to converge. "Harry" Haristeen and her friends and animal companions pursue the threads of a mystery dating back to Virginia's post-Revolutionary past, introduced in A Hiss Before Dying, while their 18th century predecessors continue to struggle with the challenges of the fledgling country. Harry's new friendship with Marvella Lawson, doyenne of the Richmond art establishment, will lead her back to her own artistic and academic interests, providing both personal pleasure and creative fulfillment-and new clues to current crimes!

Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen gets a little help from her veterinarian husband to solve the murder of a young equine vet whose death may be linked to his new clinic in this tantalizing mystery from Rita Mae Brown and her feline coauthor Sneaky Pie Brown. Pharamond “Fair” Haristeen is known throughout Crozet, Virginia, as a good horse vet and a better man. So when Benjamin Wagner, a new vet in town, is found dead in his unopened clinic, local police turn to Fair for help getting to the bottom of things. Fair quickly realizes Ben’s clinic has been robbed of ketamine, used by doctors as a horse tranquilizer but also a popular recreational drug. Then Fair’s own ketamine goes missing from the back of his truck. Was Ben killed for his supply? Or was he mixed up in something bigger? Meanwhile, Candida Perez, one of Crozet’s oldest and most beloved citizens, is found dead at her desk. Not so alarming, given her ninety years of life. But the bickering of her children, Ballard and Constance, over her will and the family’s valuable collection of historical letters threatens to drive the rest of the town to madness. Harry tries to play peacemaker, but the bad blood between the two siblings runs deep. Just how far will they take their family squabble? With a little aid from hungry helpers Tee Tucker the corgi and sweet puppy Pirate, as well as feline sleuths Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, Harry and Fair team up to restore justice—and maybe a little peace and quiet—to Crozet.

The discovery of a body in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains dredges up mysteries that have lingered from Revolutionary Virginia through the Civil War and beyond, in a supernaturally thrilling new tale from Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown. A trial is underway in Albemarle County, where Mary Minor "Harry" Harristeen and her trusty crew of two- and four-legged friends hope to catch a killer--who may not be the person accused of the crime. Since an old friend's body was discovered by the hunting club's faithful beagles, it has been up to Harry--with her crime-solving cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and Tee Tucker the corgi--to sniff out a trail of clues. Meanwhile, bloodshed dating back generations continues to haunt the current grounds of the National Beagle Club of America. Are past claims of ghost sightings still to be ignored? And what do these paranormal apparitions have to do with the very modern drama unfolding in court and the all-too-real threats confronting Harry and her companions at every turn?

When a series of mysterious deaths spoil the Christmas season in Crozet, Virginia, Mary Minor “Harry” Harristeen and her beloved cats and dogs lend the police a helping paw in this exciting holiday mystery from Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown. Christmas is coming and Harry’s to-do list is a mile long. The days are filled with delivering holiday baskets to neighbors in need, chopping down the perfect tree with her best friend, Susan Tucker, and hunting for that elusive special gift for her beloved husband, Pharamond “Fair” Harristeen. Harry also decides to try her hand at dog showing, enrolling her handsome Irish Wolfhound puppy Pirate in classes to prepare for a future exhibition. Through it all, holiday cheer—and plenty of treats for Pirate—keep spirits high. But the holidays aren’t cheerful for everyone. Harry’s friend on the police force, Cynthia Cooper, warns that the season can bring an uptick in crime. Her words prove tragically prescient when Harry and Susan discover the body of a man by the side of the road, dead, without any clues to his identity. One suspicious death is bad enough, but when Cooper reports that two more bodies have been found, also unidentified, Harry knows trouble is afoot. The autopsies for all three bodies reveal the presence of a deadly drug. Could their deaths have been accidental, or is a devious killer on the prowl? With help from her feline sidekicks, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, as well as TeeTucker the corgi and Pirate, Harry vows to find the answers and stop the spate of deaths so that all of Crozet can have a very merry Christmas.