Customer Reviews

Murder at Monticello (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Is this old murder from 1803 connected to the new one that just occurred in present day Crozen? Harry and her friends think so, so they begin to dig deep into old records and letters to find out what the connection could be. Can some knowledge be that great that it covers two centuries? Apparently so because it appears that someone really wants some old secrets kept secret. I enjoyed this book actually more than the previous two because I found that the two murders separated by almost 200 years were very well connected by the author. I still find the "talking" done by the animals in this series a little off-putting, but the mysteries are quite good in spite of this.

In the 3rd installment of the Mrs. Murphy and Tucker Mystery series, a body has been discovered in the slave quarters of the home of Thomas Jefferson. Since Jefferson has been dead for 170 years, it is impossible to question him about the man found dead from a blow to the dead. And when another recently murdered body is discovered, it becomes apparent that someone wants the secrets that have been buried with the body to remain so. Coming into question is the practice of slavery, and the descendants of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had been rumored to have fathered a child by one of his slaves, and it appears that the man found murdered may have been also been involved with one of the slaves. The citizens of Crozet band together to prove that their beloved Jefferson had nothing to do with the murder or cover-up, and while doing so they unearth secrets that have been hidden in the town for over a century.

I have become a big fan of this series, and enjoy the banter between the animals. The relationships between the members of the town have been evolving, and I like the way that Harry is loved and embraced by the people who have known her all of her life. She works hard, cares for her animals, and genuinely cares for the town and its residents. I look forward to future books in the series, and am hopeful to see more of Blair as a potential love interest for Harry.

The first book in this series is called "Wish You Were Here". Enjoy!

For anyone who has thought that maybe their pets are trying to tell them something, this is a great book. And what makes this book stand out in a series of Mrs. Murphy (that's the name of the cat) books is the amazing mixture of past and present mystery that are seemingly unrelated. Ms. Brown gives the reader a lesson on Thomas Jefferson, the human nature, and hate as well as a lively comedy between cats, a dog, an ex-husband, and a nosy small town somewhere in Virginia. All in all, it kept me amused and I learned a lot about life at Monticello as well.

I lived in Charlottesville for 6 years before moving to NJ, and at that time, I was reading this book, and it brought back a lot of good memories. I highly recommend people to read it (although I read it before this whole new Jefferson/Sally DNA thing started, so now there might be a different perspective, but it's still good nonetheless.). Mrs.Murphy and Tucker are really cool, and their thoughts are a very nice addtion to the book.

On the upside, this book is very easy to read, and I did make it all the way to the end.

However, it was so difficult to get into. First of all, the character names are utterly ridiculous. Who can take characters seriously when they have names like Nick Nichols and Market Shiftlet? Who names a cat Mr. or Mrs. anything? Additionally, the characters' personalities were about as appealing as their names. Mary "Harry" Minor Haristeen is the typical feminist cookie cutter woman, who doesn't need a man and doesn't care about gender roles, lays her own flooring, and never wears any make-up or jewelry, but still always looks gorgeous. Her male suitor, Pharamond, is the typical cookie cutter supporting male character, who is devastatingly handsome and successful and head-over-heels for her, even though she doesn't appear to have any interest in him. The rest of the characters are the same -- gossipy old women, simple-minded men, and the like. Even the animal characters were boring. In between figuring out clues to the crime, they can be found bickering and begging for food.

Secondly, the use of profanity was very strange. I have no problem with profanity in general, but I felt like I was reading something written by a teenager. Mrs. Murphy actually says, "No s***, Sherlock," and one of the female characters is described as a b****. It felt like the words were used to make the book feel more grown-up instead of as just a common person's conversation.

Additionally, the author's views on marriage and commitment are nothing short of disturbing. She makes it seem like it's perfectly okay for a man to run around behind his wife's back, and she should just take him back because "everybody does it." Great advertisement to young women.

Finally -- this is what got on my nerves the most -- parts of it read like a Wikipedia entry. For example, on page 179, chapter 40 begins: "He was floating the teeth of Mom's six Thoroughbreds, filing down the sharp edges. Because a horse's upper jaw is slightly wider than the lower one, its teeth wear unevenly, requiring regular maintenance, or at least inspection. If the teeth are allowed to become sharp and jagged, they can cause discomfort to the animal when it has a bit in its mouth, sometimes making it more difficult to ride, and often this situation can cause digestive or nutritional problems because of the animal's restricted ability to chew and break down its food." That might be fine if that was the only time this occurred, but it's throughout the entire novel! It really detracts from whatever is going on and usually has nothing to do with the story at all.

Other than hope that this series will improve I don't know why I keep reading. Every book is the same, the human characters are slow and the animals save the day. Really? At no time in Crozet, Virginia can you find a smart human?

I have never read these books in order, but then again, I don't think that it is a requirement. The characters stay the same, the animals stay the same, only small portions of the locale seem to differentiate the books.

This time the reader is taken to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello here the discovery of the human remains of a wealthy Caucasian male are found beneath the hearth of a slave's cabin.

Harry, with her usual band of dim-wits, search historical records for some clue as to the identity of this man from the early 1800's. But not all involved in this matter want the truth to come out. Sometimes history should stay buried, but with a couple of cats and a corgi on the case, no human has a chance to keep their secrets hidden.

Once again Rita Mae Brown has her political agendas stamped into this book. I just wish she would make up her mind if she wants to be a speech writer or an author of mysteries. If you want completely mindless reading and a heavy dose of the author's personal opinions and political views, I would suggest this series. Otherwise, head out of Crozet and into a town with a smarter human population.

The home of Thomas Jefferson provides the perfect setting for mysterious murders, both past and present. The past murder comes to light when an archaeological dig unearths the remains of a man buried in Monticello's slave quarters. Postmistress Harry Harristeen and her blue-blood friends begin investigating the murder, and in doing so, they place their own lives in danger. Of course, Harry's cat, Mrs. Murphy, and corgi, Tee Tucker, are instrumental in solving the case. As a result of the investigation, some current murders also occur. As usual, author Brown provides a good read, this time enhanced by some interesting background information on our third president and his famous home, Monticello.

Murder at Monticello is the third of the Mrs. Murphy mysteries and it might be my favorite of the 7 Mrs. Murphy's I've read because it's so different. Actually, the whole series is different. It's co-authored by a woman and her cat(mostly the cat), and the detective team is a cat and a dog. In Murder at Monticello, the first murder(of course there are a few more) took place 200 years ago, making it all the harder to figure out whodunit, or even who was killed. The characterization is as good as the plot. I especially love how all the animals talk but the people can't hear them. This is a great book in a great series and if you haven't read them you should!

SO FAR THIS IS THE BEST. I HAVE READ THIS BOOK MANY TIMES. ALSO LET OTHER PEOPLE READ THIS BOOK. I LOVE MRS. MURPHY AND TEE TUCKER. I'M SURE THAT MY CATS AND DOGS TALK TO EACH OTHER JUST LIKE THEY DO.

I enjoy the Mrs Murphey series on the whole, although I've found lately, that I don't always read through all of the animal "dialogue" like I did with the first few books; which of course makes it much faster reading! I particularly enjoy the display of equestian knowledge, because I've taken dressage lessons in the past, and find it reinforces some of what I learned. I found the logic of the plot of this particular book just slightly flawed, although I'm not certain that everyone will discover that flaw or even that those who do will necessarily care. I also found the attempt to defend the reputation of Jefferson a little cloying at times. Jefferson needs no defense; for one thing, he's dead (and therefore cannot speak in his own defense), and for another he was a man of his times and rose head and shoulders above many of those of his times with respect to his moral character, productivity, contribution to mankind, intellectual achievements, etc. To try the past seems a wasted effort; better to make certain the present lives up to it's ideals. As usual the staple characters of Croiset are a never failing delight. I always enjoy spending time with them. They've become old friends, and I read these books as much to "visit" with them as to solve the mystery.