Rating: 
Summary: The adventure continues
Review: Rest in Pieces, the second in the Mrs. Murphy mystery series, begins when Blair Bainbridge, a male model, moves into Crozet. The cast of female characters immediately begin to matchmake, particularly with Mary Minor "Harry" Harristeen, postmistress and recently divorced. But as has become the norm in the small town, murder gets in the way of everyone's plans. It all begins when Tee Tucker, Harry's corgi, finds a body part in the family burial plot on Blair's farm.
As the mystery unfolds, the readers learn more and more about Harry, her neighbors, and their pets. At the top of the pyramid are Marilyn Sanburne and her recently married daughter, Little Marilyn. Although not a marriage of love, at first, she and Fitz-Gilbert have come to care for each other in a short time. But as usual in Crozet, things are not as they appear.
While no one in the small town wants to believe that one of them is a murderer, another body turns up. Each is beginning to believe he or shee may be in danger. But why? The end is surprising and satisfying. This is a good quick read and leads the reader into the next in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Rest in Pieces 4/5
Review: The characters have grown on me - and surprised me! No kidding, eh? Okay, it is not the most complex writing, but still, enjoyable.Liking Harry, Mrs. Hogendobber, and Blair very much. Hoping the exploration of each character continues in the next book. But what nasty surprises lurk there? Eh? This was more grizzly than the last tale - that dismembering thing, and the shotgun to the kneecap was more than a bit queasy-making. The throwback with postcard mailings was a strange bit. The extreme detail of the horse/fox hunt scene and even a bit of golf was interesting, yet... Hot maple syrup in the snow? Sounds like a "might try sometime" idea. Going back to her religion soapboxing - she is clearly trying to divide the Holy Light and Lutheran and Catholic types. She gives Harry a lot of philosophizing about our place in time and the universe. Very thought provoking. Other odd inclusions: p.60, referring to the Middle East as the "lavatory of the human race," while affecting an Iraqi accent. Odd. p.139 referring to an animal that behaves bitchy and has been named Streisand. p.201 writing that evokes how "indians swooped down to kill whites." Yes, that surely happened, but it wasn't because they were whites, it was because they were encroaching on the indians land and weren't hesitating to kill the indians. NEW VOCAB FOR ME
hectoring - intimidating, bullying
hoi polloi - ordinary people (Greek for "the many")
glad-hander - to offer somebody a friendly greeting or handshake, often insincerely or for motives of self-advancement
dilettante - superficial: typical of somebody who has only a superficial understanding of something
impecunious - poor: having little or no money, and so unable to lead a comfortable life (formal) The animals cussing each other out was one thing that set me off on the early parts of this book. The people rarely cuss (which is refreshing), but Mrs. Murphy & Tucker sniping ... at one another and other similar language seemed out of place and really not necessary. Looking forward to the next book in the series...
Rating:
Summary: Rest in Pieces 4/5
Review: The characters have grown on me - and surprised me! No kidding, eh? Okay, it is not the most complex writing, but still, enjoyable. Liking Harry, Mrs. Hogendobber, and Blair very much. Hoping the exploration of each character continues in the next book. But what nasty surprises lurk there? Eh? This was more grizzly than the last tale - that dismembering thing, and the shotgun to the kneecap was more than a bit queasy-making. The throwback with postcard mailings was a strange bit. The extreme detail of the horse/fox hunt scene and even a bit of golf was interesting, yet... Hot maple syrup in the snow? Sounds like a "might try sometime" idea. Going back to her religion soapboxing - she is clearly trying to divide the Holy Light and Lutheran and Catholic types. She gives Harry a lot of philosophizing about our place in time and the universe. Very thought provoking. Other odd inclusions: p.60, referring to the Middle East as the "lavatory of the human race," while affecting an Iraqi accent. Odd. p.139 referring to an animal that behaves bitchy and has been named Streisand. p.201 writing that evokes how "indians swooped down to kill whites." Yes, that surely happened, but it wasn't because they were whites, it was because they were encroaching on the indians land and weren't hesitating to kill the indians. NEW VOCAB FOR ME
hectoring - intimidating, bullying
hoi polloi - ordinary people (Greek for "the many")
glad-hander - to offer somebody a friendly greeting or handshake, often insincerely or for motives of self-advancement
dilettante - superficial: typical of somebody who has only a superficial understanding of something
impecunious - poor: having little or no money, and so unable to lead a comfortable life (formal) The animals cussing each other out was one thing that set me off on the early parts of this book. The people rarely cuss (which is refreshing), but Mrs. Murphy & Tucker sniping ... at one another and other similar language seemed out of place and really not necessary. Looking forward to the next book in the series...
Rating:
Summary: Fun for a Saturday afternoon...
Review: The second in the Mrs. Murphy series... "Rest in Pieces" is equally as cute as the first one, "Wish You Were Here." The plot is very simple, the ending predictable... but fun nonetheless.
The relationships between the animals (and this book includes more than just the cat and the dog... but a possum, 2 horses, a snake, and an owl as well) is fun and cute to read. And the relationships between the characters are developing well... the reader is introduced to everyone in the first book... and reading the second one is like being re-united with old friends. And i am looking forward to the third one to see if the budding romance from this novel continues. Whereas i'd hardly call this book quality literature... it was a lot of fun for a rainy saturday afternoon... and for [money] is a lot better than most of the movies in theaters now! It's a great read for animal/mystery lovers.
Rating:
Summary: Fun for a Saturday afternoon...
Review: The second in the Mrs. Murphy series... "Rest in Pieces" is equally as cute as the first one, "Wish You Were Here." The plot is very simple, the ending predictable... but fun nonetheless.
The relationships between the animals (and this book includes more than just the cat and the dog... but a possum, 2 horses, a snake, and an owl as well) is fun and cute to read. And the relationships between the characters are developing well... the reader is introduced to everyone in the first book... and reading the second one is like being re-united with old friends. And i am looking forward to the third one to see if the budding romance from this novel continues. Whereas i'd hardly call this book quality literature... it was a lot of fun for a rainy saturday afternoon... and for [money] is a lot better than most of the movies in theaters now! It's a great read for animal/mystery lovers.
Rating: 
Summary: A Mystery for the Ages
Review: This book is truly a mystery for generations to come. The end is unforgetable and surprising. Harry, Murphy, Tucker and the rest really know how to get into trouble- but they know how to get back out with a bite her and a claw there. Crozet,Virginia (being French the "t" is scilent)is a small town where a lot of big events take place. Harry, newly devorced from a vet, takes her place in southern, Virginian society as the postmistress, often using her work to help solve the stage mysteries going on around her.
It's hard to put the books down once they're picked up! My brother got "Rest in Pieces" for our mom for Christmas- and she didn't get to read it until I had finished! Really, this is a book for mystery lovers everywhere- no matter where you live.
Things to remember when reading the Mrs. Murphy Mysteries:
1. it's pronounced "Stanton" even though it's spelled "Staunton" (mentioned in "Murder on the Prowl.")
2. the movie "Murder she Purred" is a direct take off of "Rest in Pieces"- is don't watch it until you've read the book. The plots are a little different and may cause confusion if you haven't read the book.
3. remember your Latin- it's thrown through out all the book.
that's all for me! happy reading!
Rating:
Summary: Good as ever
Review: This is again a book whose pace is provincially slow and this is why it becomes all the more interesting. It is not a thriller, it is more like a classic Agatha Christie novel, with superbly drawn characters and even more superb animal characters. Do not expect a lot of gore (of course, there is some!) and a nerve wrecking showdown at the end (of course, there is a kind of showdown this time!). But expect a book that you read with pleasure and expect suspense, which does not come from action but from a carefully constructed plot. Excellent!
Rating:
Summary: The Best!
Review: This is by far the best of the Ms. Murphy series. It has such a huge twist in the plot at the end. You would never suspect it. If you are a fan of Sneaky Pie, twisted endings, or Ms. Murphy, read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it!
Review: This was the first of these Mrs. Murphy mysteries that I've read, and I just loved it. Something about the animals speaking and seeing things differently than the humans do gives this mystery an extra edge I think. A great read.
Rating: 
Summary: The book, like its victim, is dismembered.
Review: Unlike some others, I will never put Brown in the same league as Agatha Christie. Brown is so sophomoric in comparison. If you want to read a really good mystery, read Christie. If you want to be merely entertained by a mystery, read Lilian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." series. Braun is a better writer than Brown. She even has a better imagination. If you want purely escapist fare in your mysteries then Brown is precisely the ticket you want. In this particular novel, Brown took a perfectly good idea or two and proceeded to be perfectly mediocre in her treatment of it.
| 
