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 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 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.



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.

You can follow my at https://bybarbsaffer.blogspot.com27 s Jean786 20

Catch as Cat Can is the tenth of twenty-five Mrs. Murphy books by Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-writer, Sneaky Pie Brown. Somewhere along the line, I missed a few of these gems, so I was backtracking, and it was a joy to “read” one of the older stories of the series (I had the audio version for this one). Do not expect a realistic, serious, heart-thumping read from Ms. Brown and her tabby cat. This is Murder, She Wrote, Southern style with talking animals to boot. Note that they talk to each other; the humans haven’t a clue what they’re saying, even though the pets understand them perfectly. The audio novel was just what the doctor, or perhaps the vet, ordered to pass the time during my six-and-one-half hour round-trip drive this past weekend to face the task of sorting through decades worth of possessions at the family homestead. I still had three disks to listen to when I got home, and the rest were pleasantly shared with several of my own cats as we lounged by the fire.

Having read the most recent books, which have a historical bent and moral undertones, I found this vintage Brown tale (it was published in 2002) to be much more enjoyable. Why? Some would call me a “crazy cat lady,” and most of the time, I probably wouldn’t argue with that. I was quite amused by the banter among the cats and dog and the occasional input from the barnyard critters. Even the owl and the rat have names. The cats snap at each other, but when there is murder afoot – or “apaw” – they put their cattiness aside and team up to put their sharp senses to work to solve the mystery.

The human characters are amusing as well, and they, too, are prone to snobbery and snide remarks. Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen is the amateur detective whose animals poke their little noses into the murder business, not un their mom, who is well known for her snooping. This episode takes place while Harry is divorced from Fair, and in my opinion, she is at her best when she is on her own. She is strong, sensible, and independent. Fair is a likable man who is still in love with Harry and still very much in her life, but Harry is not ready to commit again. Many favorite characters – Susan, Cindy “Coop” Cooper, Rick, Miranda, Little Mim, Boom Boom, and others crop up again in Catch as Cat Can.

These cozy mysteries are not for everyone, but if you love animals and Southern charm, you may appreciate, as I do, taking a break from time to time from intense thrillers to amble through Crozet, Virginia with Harry, Pewter, Mrs. Murphy, and Tee Tucker.

4 stars



10 s Littlelixie76 5

I love these books. People giving them one star - its a book about a cat solving a murder. Were you expecting Tolstoy? Great for mindless reading just for the fun of it. 5 s Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library)4,766 70

For the most part, this was an enjoyable whodunit with plenty of fun dialogue between the animals. I also d the Biblical references and the reference to my hometown, which rarely gets mentioned in any non-local media, including national news outlets, regardless of political affiliation or anything else.

However, there was an excess of profanity here, some of which was of the blasphemous variety. It was especially disappointing to see the animals calling each other such names.

So...this was a mixed bag.4 s Randee877 34

Another great visit with the gang from Crozet, Virginia!! I will be reading #11 soon!2018-wom-challenge mystery3 s Christine (KizzieReads)1,442 100

Another great book in this series. I was captivated until the end. I keep trying to figure these out while reading them, and I can get a bit, but it never is what I think it is. :D The only downside is a bit of fat shaming with the animals. Mrs. Murphy and Tucker pick on Pewter all the time and call her names and shame her for her size. Pewter doesn't care, but still, it's mean.2020-reads 2020-rrrc cozy-mystery ...more2 s Amy Webster-Bo1,542 7

love her short stories, really good and the ending is always great
2 s Jessica Pritt340 26

This was a good book. I d the twist in it. I don't understand the ending completely. why didn't Harry get into trouble for what happened.1 Leonie572

1,5 stars. Love that a cat is named as the co-author of this novel. But unfortunately that was the only good thing. I just couldn't overlook the sexism and bible quotes. And the mystery was boring. adult-mystery1 1 comment Jae666

As Spring arrives in Albermarle County, VA, it brings rain, festivals, and balls. Everyone is excited for the upcoming Dogwood Festival and the annual Wreckers' Ball. However, not all is dogwood trees and parties. When a young man drops dead at a society tea, and someone else is murdered shortly thereafter, local police begin to suspect they may have a drug ring in the area. Harry's curiosity is aroused, and she can't resist doing a little investigating on her own. Her cats and dog worry about her, for fear she'll bite off more than she can chew. They begin doing some investigating on their own and discover some important clues, but pointing the humans in the right direction is the problem.

Fun story, as per usual with these books. I enjoy Harry's pragmatism, as well as the wry wit of Mrs Murphy and Pewter's whining. Tucker is practical, Harry, and adds her own panache to the story. There was also some romance involved, as Harry is asked to attend one of the festivals with a handsome diplomat from Uruguay, which makes her ex-husband, Fair, jealous and even more determined to win her back. Plot was engrossing and flowed smoothly, and it was fun to see how all the clues added up.

An entertaining story, in which the interactions between animals are just as interesting as those between people. Five stars!
1 Laurel Bradshaw743 63

Not a review. s are for my own recollection...

Time: Spring, early April. Harry is "late 30s". It has been "about" 5 years since Fair and Boom Boom had an affair. Brooks is still in high school.

Characters: Aunt Tally, Boom Boom, Fair, Mrs. Hoggendobber, Susan, Roger and Shawn O'Bannon (of the junk yard), Lottie Pearson (new?), Don Clatterbuck (the taxidermist), Diego - a visiting dignitary from Uruguay.

Animals: Tee Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, Pop Tart, Simon, the owl, the blue jay, "Pope" Rat.

Miranda's hubcaps are stolen. Harry finds a dead pileated woodpecker and takes it to the taxidermist, Aunt Tally has a spring dogwood festival party, Roger dies at the party. Later, the guy hired to park cars at the party is found hanging. Lottie is desperate to find a rich husband. Boom Boom begs Harry to show Diego around town. Fair is jealous. Our animal friends meet "Pope" Rat at the junk yard. He calls everyone "nipshits." A somewhat tame adventure for Harry, but with the usual enjoyable banter of the animals. Perhaps a bit less "preachy" than previous books.audiobook cats cozy-mystery ...more1 Rebecca587 24

Spring has sprung in Crozet, Virginia, and spring fever is running amok. So amok, in fact, that there are not one, but TWO murders. Harry (Mary Minor) Haristeen is hot on the trail of a cold-blooded killer with the able assistance of Mrs. Murphy, her tiger cat, Pewter (gray and a bit zaftig), and Tee Tucker, an incorrigible Corgi. The animals are determined to help, especially since they know just how much danger Harry, herself, is in. If only Harry would learn to listen when they talk to her!1 Lindsey175 4

Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown treat readers to another delightful installment of the cozy Mrs. Murphy series in Catch As Cat Can. We meet the O’Bannon brothers, Sean and Roger, who own and operate Crozet’s salvage yard after their father passed away. During a party hosted by the town’s reigning matriarch, Aunt Tally Urquhart, Roger slumps over in his chair, dead. From there, the residents are left to wonder if his unhealthy lifestyle caught up with him, or if something sinister is afoot.

My favorite development in the lives of the Crozet residents in this book is the relationship between Miranda Hogendobber and Tracy Raz, who dated in high school and reunited fifty years later, after both became widowed. Miranda is noted to quote Scripture a little bit less since she got together with Tracy, not because a man has replaced her faith in God, but because her faith is as solid in her heart as ever without her voicing texts from the Bible. Tracy, of course, is blown away by her expansive memory on the few occasions in this book when she does quote from the Good Book, and their interactions are so warm and endearing.

On the other hand, Fair Haristeen’s efforts to win back his ex-wife Harry’s heart are not going so well, especially when Harry meets the handsome Uruguayan diplomat Diego Aybar. Fair has gone to therapy, ceased his affairs with other women, and given Harry time and space, but after their messy divorce, Harry has decided that she prefers being the best version of herself she can be on her own, rather than being the best half of a pair that she can be. And because it’s extremely difficult for people to change who they are in their hearts, Fair can’t help but believe that he still knows what’s best for Harry, which leads to continued spats between them. I just love these multifaceted relationships that are so relatable and realistic, and the fact that nothing is ever quickly developed or solved within one book.

Pewter continues her war with the hateful blue jay that lives on Harry’s farm while sharing her misanthropic philosophies about people. Tee Tucker meets a new enemy in the salvage yard, a monstrous rat who calls himself Pope Rat and calls everyone else a nipshit—I cackled out loud reading about them. Mrs. Murphy is as clever and saucy as ever, and destroys a good number of things in the house when Harry leaves her at home. The critters are wonderful and anyone who’s ever had a pet can attest to their little personalities. These books are a pure joy to read. Lindsay Luke510 2

It's springtime in Crozet and the social scene is picking up. Everyone in town is getting ready to attend the dogwood festival and the wrecker's ball. BoomBoom is dating Uruguayan diplomat Thomas Steinmetz and asks Harry if she'd be willing to go with Thomas's friend Diego. Things start off with Mim's hubcaps being stolen. They're found at the local salvage yard and later the young man who stole them is arrested.
While everyone in town is at a party hosted by Aunt Tally, Roger O'Bannon, who runs the local salvage yard with his brother Sean, keels over dead. And we're off!
Next thing we know, the hubcap thief has gotten out of jail and is found dead. Then, Don Clatterbuck, who does taxidermy, leatherwork, and furniture making, is found shot in a nearby town. As the sheriff investigates, with the help of the usual townsfolk, he finds that Don had $500K in a safe in his workshop.
The Sheriff and those in the know wonder how Don could possibly have had this much money. Is it drugs? Something else? The humans and the animals sort through many clues before concocting a scheme to get the killer to reveal themselves at the wrecker's ball.
After all that buildup, there is a dramatic ending. There was a conspiracy and most of the conspirators end up dead (the murder rate in little Crozet is off the charts, but somehow people still live there and people still visit!), but there are still some loose ends that may be addressed in the next book.
I enjoyed the read and am looking forward to the next one. It was fun to see how Harry interacted with the world traveler and diplomat Diego. They are talking at one point and she says "Most of humanity has never heard of Crozet, and certainly not of me, but I think about the world. I wish people good lives and I know there's not much I can do to help them except take care of myself and not be a burden to others. I don't know if the human race can be helped." This was in 2002. It struck a chord with me.
Peter Butler156 1 follower

Catch as Cat Can is a Mrs. Murphy mystery by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown.

In this volume, the Dogwood festival is about to commence, and then everyone will go to the reception at Aunt Tally’s.

Sean and Roger O’Bannon were in attendance – brothers running a salvage yard that they had just expanded to sell all types of building scrap.

What no one expected was for Roger to drop dead during the event having been poisoned. Then Wesley, a seemingly petty thief, is murdered, and Harry, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker sleuth and being to put the pieces together.

Very enjoyable entertainment.

[This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.] Maggie AntonAuthor 12 books270

This time I read the print book version of this Mrs. Murphy mystery instead of listening to the audiobook, which vindicated my decision. The two-page cast of characters at the beginning is invaluable, and I referred to it many times. In addition, once I'd finished the novel I went back to check out the clues and critical information that I'd missed. Everything held together and I appreciated how the plot explored a new type of criminal enterprise that I wasn't familiar with. All the scenes in the salvage yard, and especially the formal gala there, were a pleasure to imagine after reading the book's descriptions. The animals were as clever and engaging as usual, but I miss seeing Bain among the recurring human characters.mystery-crime Cameron Toney817 1 follower

Ah, a Mrs. Murphy Mystery. A book that you know exactly what it will contain. Old friends, new people who the author will try to convince you that our main characters have known for years and years, even though you've never heard of them, their businesses, or their drama. Talking animals. Dead people. Plots that are both very straightforward and yet oddly convoluted.
I can't exactly say I'm a fan of these books, but I do turn to them sometimes, because sometimes you just need what Crozet can provide. It's simple, uncomplicated, easy to digest fluff, and sometimes that is just what you need.lady-detectives mysteries Gabe34

I originally grabbed this book because its concept sounded fun. Unfortunately, while the dialog between the animals is fun, it doesn’t really add anything. The main reason I dropped this is because nothing was happening. The dust jacket promises a murder mystery but so far it’s just small town drama. Add to that the mild sexism common around the turn of the millennium and a generally unlikable protagonist in Harry, and I just can’t bring myself to continue reading. {spoiler} ps. I peaked ahead; the murder doesn’t occur until 1/4 through the book. That’s too long for me. {/spoiler} Jon198 11

Animal as a Point of View character - always a challenge. In this case, 3 animals, although "Mrs. Murphy" is the chief cat. "Catch as Cat Can" is the 10th in Rita Mae Brown's murder mystery series featuring her critters as detectives of a sort. I read the first one a couple of years ago. This one was printed in 2002. Kind of in the "cozy mystery" CATegory. The books are a quick read, and formulaic. No surprise here. But she writes really well and is fun to read. Shirli577 6

An interesting story. The animals are at it again: trekking all over the place, digging up clues before anyone else can, and fighting with other critters if they get in the way. Basically, three men are murdered—one to whom Harry has sent a pilated giant woodpecker she found to have it beatified and stuffed—one was a thief, and the third one was the joint owner of a junk and repair shop. With a little help from friends, Mrs. Tucker, Pewter and Tee Tucker solve the murders and foil their escape. Lynne304

Another book from the thrift shop with a very cozy town and cozy mystery. About 3/4 of the way through, I had to plug ahead because I was getting bored and a little confused! The transitions between the humans speaking to the animals talking amongst themselves wasn’t my favorite. The final roundup of this mystery was rather thrilling though! Melissa1,024 1 follower

Harry and her friends including her lovable corgi, Tucker; Mrs. Murphy, her pretty tiger cat; and Pewter her pretty silver cat. Murder comes in threes and the pets try to give their human mom clues. Recommended.cats dogs mystery Ewa407 2

I d this book more than I d the first books from the series, as it seems animals are more logical and less vulgar than earlier. It is a cozy book, easy to read, with nice setting in small town with nice description of characters and plots Carolyn432 1 follower

Fun mystery. Interesting approach having all the animals (pets & peripherals) conversing and helping to solve the mystery. Characters were "real" and people it would be nice to know. Situations weren't outlandish or unly. Anna Hanson725 1 follower

Scrappy

Harry finds herself in the midst of unexpected intrigue and romance, pursuing clues to two, or perhaps three, murders and puzzling over how they may be related. All becomes clear at the exciting finale, involving many beloved Crozet leading citizens. Barbara Dunkle10

Do you love animals?

Two cat and a dog talk to each other so you get this storyline from their prospective as well as from a human prospective. Susan A Horton21

Always enjoy her mysteries. This was an interesting mystery within mystery. Alise HARRIS260 3

Another good one about Mrs. Murphy and the gang. My favorite character was Pope Rat, who called everyone "Nipsh!@#."cozy spring Tara1,073

This is an interesting mystery. I still the continuing characters the best. I the setting and the animals involved.2018-books Terralyn1,114 43

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