Cat's Eyewitness (Mrs. Murphy Mysteries) (Hardcover)

by Rita Mae Brown (Author), Sneaky Pie Brown (Author) "A thin trickle of water zigzagged over the Virgin Mary's cold face..." (more)
Key Phrases: vestry board, bloody tears, tiger cat, Brother Thomas, Brother Handle, Brother Mark (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The 12th novel in this bestselling cozy series from Brown and her feline collaborator (after 2004's Whisker of Evil) offers the usual irresistible mix of talking animals and a baffling murder or two. After she decides to quit her job as the Crozet, Va., postmistress because her animal companions--cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and corgi Tee Tucker--are no longer permitted to accompany her to work, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and best friend Susan Tucker retreat to a Blue Ridge Mountains monastery, where a statue of the Virgin Mary suddenly begins to bleed from the eyes. This curiosity, which attracts national media attention after a local reporter, Nordy Elliott, files a short piece on it, becomes more of a concern when Susan's beloved great-uncle, a monk, turns up dead at the foot of the statue. While Harry, her two cats and her dog investigate, Elliott becomes the next murder victim, in a symbolic manner linked to the supposed miracle. Though the culprit's identity is fairly obvious and some exposition borders on the simplistic ("If a person's last name began with 'A,' their large package would go on the 'A' section," we learn as Susan sorts packages at the PO), the animals' wry observations on human nature and beliefs amuse as ever. Michael Gellatly's charming illustrations perfectly complement the text.
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Review
"As feline collaborators go, you couldn't ask for better than Sneaky Pie Brown."
-- The New York Times Book Review (New York Times Book Review ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553801643
• ISBN-13: 978-0553801644
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #522,271 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 12 in The Mrs. Murphy Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Only for series loyalists, March 21, 2005

By	bookstealth "bookstealth" (Northern Illinois) - See all my reviews

Before anyone gets upset, I enjoyed this series a lot which is probably why I had higher expectations for the latest entry. Cat's Eyewitness isn't bad, it just isn't very good either. My benchmark tends to be whether a title could attract new readers as well as hold established ones. This book wouldn't do it.
Much of the focus is on what happens in the life of series regulars. A lot happens in that area, and it's nice and all, but most of it was already telegraphed in earlier books. Frankly, not a single development suprised me in the least, either by what transpired or why--or even how. And it wouldn't matter much to new readers, so the book is only so-so on that level.
The mystery is tissue thin. Enough said.
The main charm of the series for me has been Brown's take on animals' view of the natural and human world. Her approach has slipped badly, IMO. Oh, the cats and dogs are still charming, but they've morphed into little more than mouthpieces to support Brown's various opinions--and sheesh, does she ever drone about opinions on everything from politics and religion to taxes and land use policy. My willing suspension of belief started to tank when a cat speculated about expiating sin--in those words. By the end I expected the animals to expound on the divine right of kings and FDR revoking the gold standard.
Again, Cat's Eyewitness is a passingly amusing entry in the series for hardcore fans who want to know what happens to favorite characters. Unfortunately, Brown seems to have lost the light touch needed to pull it off very well in all other regards.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Always a pleasure to read a book by this author, December 5, 2004

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In a small hamlet in Virginia, animals talk to each other across species lines and the only ones unable to understand is the dumbest species: humans. Mary Minor "Harry " Haristeen loves her two cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and her corgi Tee Tucker; they reciprocate her feelings, going so far as to help her when she becomes too deeply involved in a murder investigation and puts her life in danger.

The Greyfiars Monastery's has a Virgin Mary statue on their property that starts weeping bloody tears. Many people including some of the monks think it is a miracle. Monk Thomas is found frozen to death in a kneeling position besides the statue. Harry's intuition screams murder and her four legged protectors know a cardinal witnessed the homicide. The journalist covering this phenomenon is killed when someone sticks a pen in his eye. Harry thinks the killings and the tears are linked; she investigates but it is only because of her animal friends that she doesn't become the third murder victim.

It is always a pleasure to read a book starring Harry and Mrs. Murphy but the CAT'S EYEWITNESS is particularly good as several changes in Harry's life has occurred. The heroine's ex-husband gives Harry a marriage proposal ultimatum or he will look elsewhere for love. Harry no longer works in the post office because she cannot bring her animals into the new facility. Susan, Harry's best friend, reveals a secret she kept for over two decades, and the sexpot Boom Boom finds a surprising new lover. Readers will find it impossible to figure out who the perpetrator is among the even tempered monks. Rita Mae Brown delights her fans with this fantastic feline mystery.

Harriet Klausner

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Who Wrote It?, September 13, 2005

By	Jane Doerr (Michigan) - See all my reviews

My 17-year-old granddaughter and I have been reading all the Mrs. Murphy books for the last 6 or 7 years, and enjoy trading the books back and forth and discussing them. But - the latest one, "Cat's Eyewitness," was a disappointment. As other reviewers have stated, there was a lot of preaching and philosophical discussion between the characters, which are Ms. Brown's own opinions. And the lesbian love affair was unnecessary. The Mrs. Murphy novels have become progressively more sex-themed, be it [...]. What began as a good series for a girl and her grandmother to share, has turned into "Should I lend her this one?" Of course, she's a big girl now! But I am disappointed. The murderer's identity was very easy to spot early on. I wondered if Ms. Brown employed a ghost writer for this one. Or maybe Sneaky Pie did actually write it!