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Overview
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?
Synopsis
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?
Publishers Weekly
The charming 14th Mrs. Murphy mystery (after 2006's Sour Puss) finds ex-postmistress and sometime-detective Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen accompanying her veterinarian husband, Fair, to an equestrian extravaganza in Kentucky. The mishaps begin when Harry's good friend Joan loses a beloved pin or is the treasured piece of jewelry stolen? Then Jorge, a groom at Joan's farm, is found murdered, a pair of crosses cut into his palm. As if murder's not enough, an aging movie star's horse goes missing, and INS officials show up, hunting illegal aliens. Throughout, Harry's menagerie cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter as well as corgi Tee Tucker cleverly sniff out wrongdoing. Though some readers might find the anthropomorphized animals' italicized dialogue a bit much, the novel's tight pacing, combined with intriguing local color, make this mystery a blue-ribbon winner. (Mar.)
Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Practice doesn't always make perfect. The second honeymoon of "Harry" and Fair Haristeen should be as idyllic as a trip to Camelot, but somehow it takes a deadly detour. Joan Hamilton and Larry Hodge, their Kentucky hosts, have promised them a week of relaxation, but a series of thefts, a bombing, and at least two homicides put any bright re-newlywed plans on hold. Fortunately, felines Mrs. Murphy and Pewter are on the case, ably assisted by their canine sidekick, Tee Tucker. A lighthearted cat caper.Publishers Weekly
The charming 14th Mrs. Murphy mystery (after 2006's Sour Puss) finds ex-postmistress and sometime-detective Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen accompanying her veterinarian husband, Fair, to an equestrian extravaganza in Kentucky. The mishaps begin when Harry's good friend Joan loses a beloved pin—or is the treasured piece of jewelry stolen? Then Jorge, a groom at Joan's farm, is found murdered, a pair of crosses cut into his palm. As if murder's not enough, an aging movie star's horse goes missing, and INS officials show up, hunting illegal aliens. Throughout, Harry's menagerie—cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter as well as corgi Tee Tucker—cleverly sniff out wrongdoing. Though some readers might find the anthropomorphized animals' italicized dialogue a bit much, the novel's tight pacing, combined with intriguing local color, make this mystery a blue-ribbon winner. (Mar.)
Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.Library Journal
Puss 'n Cahootsis nominally the 14th "Mrs. Murphy" mystery featuring Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen; her new husband, Fair; and their crime-solving pets, the felines Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and the corgi Tee Tucker. However, this book is very short on mystery and very long on the tedious lectures, personal diatribes, and political harangues that have become the pattern in Brown's last few efforts. In the current outing, the Haristeens and their four-legged companions are visiting friends in Shelbyville, KY, to attend the Saddlebred horse show, which is disrupted by a stolen piece of jewelry, a murdered groom, a horse-napping, and an INS raid. Yet none of the "mysteries" are solved by the heroes, either human or animal. Even the talking pets themselves (beloved by Brown fans) are becoming tedious, no longer wiser and more dignified than their owners. The reading by Kate Forbes is excellent but doesn't by itself justify purchase. Not recommended.
—Kristen L. Smith