Hounded to Death: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Rita Mae Brown (Author)
Key Phrases: hound show, Sister Jane, Hope Rogers, Grant Fuller (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
At the start of bestseller Brown's discursive seventh crime novel starring master of fox hounds Sister Jane Arnold (after The Tell-Tale Horse), Sister is busy showing her hounds in the hunting off-season. Then calamity strikes. At the Mid-America Hound Show in Kentucky, an unpopular master is shot dead with rat shot (aka bird shot). Back home in Virginia, a member of Sister's Jefferson Hunt Club disappears. When a veterinarian, despondent over her divorce, apparently commits suicide, Sister decides she can no longer leave matters to the police. As usual, a wealth of fox-hunting lore lends interest, but too many incidentals—a conversation about a saint, the furnishings of Sister's house, a prep school commencement—neither further the plot nor illuminate character. Still, series fans should enjoy catching up with old friends among the Virginia fox-hunting gentry. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Lusty, lively Sister Jane, Master of the Hunt and amateur detective, is back in her seventh book. No one other than Sister is worried when a thoroughly nasty hound breeder is killed, but Sister’s suspicions really kick into high gear when the local (and world-renowned) equine vet is found dead in her surgery, with one of Sister’s horses. Typical of this series (and the author’s Sneaky Pie Brown books), the countryside of central Virginia is as important a character as any of the large cast, and this time that lush landscape is explored by Sister and her fellow hunters as they prepare for the new hunting season. The slower pace of the investigation is offset by the character development and interaction between human, hounds, and horses; clever and snappy dialogue between humans and animals is interspersed with more philosophical discussions on the value of human and animal life. Hounded to Death, a solid and enjoyably entry in this popular series, will be snapped up by fans and draw in new readers. Anyone interested in rural sleuths, animals, Virginia, hunting, or horses will enjoy the engaging story, its countryside and its characters, all wrapped up in a high-quality modern cozy mystery. --Jessica Moyer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; Large Print edition (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345490266
• ISBN-13: 978-0345490261
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #31,178 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #6 in	Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( B ) > Brown, Rita Mae
  #8 in	Books > Large Print > Mystery & Thrillers
  #15 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Sports

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best, October 3, 2008

By	Intrepid foot follower (C'ville VA) - See all my reviews

Rita Mae Brown delivers a winner in this installment of her Sister Jane "Outfoxed Series". Where her last title seemed rushed to production and the plotline was not well-developed, "Hounded to Death" is a welcome return to a great read for Rita Mae fans.
The story begins in late Spring in Kentucky at the Mid-America Hound Show where evil quickly raises its ugly head and starts the novel on its "whodunit" path while simultaneously explaining hound shows and searching for a stolen hound. Then, a suicide of a friend occurs, but Sister is not willing to believe that it was a suicide. Hmmm. Intermingled are interesting discussions of Kentucky bourbon, human nature, descriptions of opening new hunt territory, carrion eating habits, graduation from Custis Hall by "the girls", moonshining, and animal cruelty allegations.
As usual with this series, Rita Mae gives great accounts that educate us on foxhunting and animals without the feeling that we are being educated. And yes, the animals have some great conversations--a Rita Mae device to give us more clues and education.
While the book moves through the summer, there are no accounts of actual hunts so the reader must wait until hunting season just as foxhunters must wait. As with real foxhunting, the wait is worthwhile, as several wonderful accounts finally take place. As often happens in this series, a body is discovered during a hunt, and similarly, the unmasking of the killer is discovered, and he is accounted for at the end of a hunt.
Several old friends from previous books play important parts, including Tootie, Shaker and Gray. New characters include the despicable Mo Schneider; a horse vet--Hope Rogers; retired Judge Barry Baker; pet food maker, Grant Fuller; and new landowners, Dr. and Mrs. Mitch Fisher.
The writing is entertaining and sometimes thought provoking. It is also quite poetic and descriptive as evidenced by the following passage:

"Red!" Dreamboat called out.
As this hound was only in his second year, Cora checked it.
Asa came over, put his nose down, then lifted his head along with Cora and the curtain was raised.

This is a fun read, and we are there with them. I'll recommend this one to all my friends.
+

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is getting better, October 6, 2008

By	S. Roth (Michigan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was glad to see a return to some better plot lines. Although I miss my "friends" like Crawford Howard, being a foxhunter myself, I know how these relationships tend to take a back seat in the summer. I am waiting for that Jane Arnold mystery that will make me not want to put the book down, like earlier ones Outfoxed and Hotspur. I must say that hound shows are a part of hunting I know nothing about, so it was quite interesting to read the ins and outs of hound showing. It has made me want to go view one next year. So, all in all, this one was better, not her best work but I'm glad to see a return to more storyline.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superlative Literature, October 24, 2008

By	Suzecav (Pleasant Valley, NY) - See all my reviews

I keep reading the so called "editorial reviews" and wondering if they actually read anything but modern literature? It took Proust twenty odd pages of wafting through the smell of madelines and delineating every piece of furniture in his house (and mind) to begin to introduce a character or plot. THAT was a bit slow for me. But, I *love* what I learn each book about the details of Sister Jane Arnold's life. It is a delightful quirk that she knows so many esoteric things about the saints. Just as children await every detail of what it might be like to go to school at Hogwart's, I await these books to add to my expanding knowledge of Sister Jane and her world. I AM a horse person; but never did hunt. (I am past the time in my life to even be a hill-topper, but I can enjoy "hunting" along with the Jefferson Hunt). I am delighted to see the nuances set forth in this book regarding the difference between animal welfare and animal rightists. It is done with such delicacy that the reader is not tromped on by the politics to the detriment of an exceedingly good reading experience. I think that this one is my favorite so far. I am left with a both a feeling of satisfaction, and also with anticipation of the next book. I sincerely look forward to Sister Jane's mentoring and all of the many wonderful details that absolutely suspend my disbelief. (I keep looking on maps to figure out where, exactly, is the farm) as I do visit the Blue Ridge mountains from time to time. Sister Jane is like the hale and hearty people who live in the Himalayas; her outdoor life has given her tremendous strength of health and character. Her ethics are impeccable; the spiritual component of these books is not lost on the reader. I do miss some of my other favorite characters and do hope that they will reappear in later books, and that Sister Jane and the Jefferson Hunt will live to a hundred so that I can get to know them better with the passing years. This series is one of my two favorite series of all time. And, I am a rabid reader and was a literature major in college. Sister Jane is not the only MFH; so is Ms. Brown and she is also a master at her craft. Buy and ENJOY!