This was a cute murder mystery, with lots of cute animal characters, and a fast read. I wished there had been more scene and less dialogue, since at times the story comes across only in spite of the chatter going on between the characters. This story is light on the mystery anyway, despite having 2 murders. I am still not quite sure why the main characters were expecting a third murder attempt, since there really were no clues that would point to a necessary 3rd murder. the various forensic clues that we are told about are never really followed up on, and the details about the situation with Virginian native tribal groups not being federally recognized seem out of place because that same amount of detail is not really consistent with the style of the novel as a whole. The bits about Virginian tribal grievances and about the abandoned schoolhouses and African-American education prior to desegregation seemed like mini-lectures, not well integrated into the rest of the story. Still, they present an interesting topic. After reading this book and Ellery Adams' [b:Written in Stone|13518651|Written in Stone (A Books by the Bay Mystery #4)|Ellery Adams|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341795322s/13518651.jpg|19077814] about the Lumbee tribe, also not federally recognized, I am curious about just how many of the minority groups in the US are similarly not recognized by our government. I may have to hunt down some identity politics books soon and read more on this topic. ( )

This book was very disappointing to me. The plot seemed stilted. I listened to it and it was six CDs but could easily have been done in less. ( )

Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her husband, Fair, are out with their dog, Tee Tucker, and their cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, when the animals find a very interesting scarecrow, apparently being torn apart by crows.

Why would crows be attacking a scarecrow?

It's a corpse. His name was Josh Hill, and he was shot through the heart before being dressed as a scarecrow and hung up in the field. It's the start of a frightening October, building toward Halloween and the annual hayride to raise money for the Crozet Library.

Tee Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, and the often reluctant Pewter need to keep a close eye on their favorite human, Harry, as well as doing (in their minds) all the real investigation of this shocking crime.

When Harry and her friend Susan find another corpse, this one dressed up as a witch and inserted into the Halloween display on the lawn of a local church, everyone starts to get alarmed, and Harry, Susan, and their sheriff's deputy friend Coop begin to wonder who it is among their friends and neighbors that's killing their neighbors.

Harry Haristeen is always fun to read about, though of course Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, and Pewter are the real stars of the series. This is a nicely plotted mystery, a visit with old friends, and a pleasant evening read as Halloween approaches. The Virginia boosterism can at times seem a bit smug and a bit much, but I assume most people feel the same way about their part of the country. Indeed, I feel sorry for them if they don't.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
( )

This was a cute murder mystery, with lots of cute animal characters, and a fast read. I wished there had been more scene and less dialogue, since at times the story comes across only in spite of the chatter going on between the characters. This story is light on the mystery anyway, despite having 2 murders. I am still not quite sure why the main characters were expecting a third murder attempt, since there really were no clues that would point to a necessary 3rd murder. the various forensic clues that we are told about are never really followed up on, and the details about the situation with Virginian native tribal groups not being federally recognized seem out of place because that same amount of detail is not really consistent with the style of the novel as a whole. The bits about Virginian tribal grievances and about the abandoned schoolhouses and African-American education prior to desegregation seemed like mini-lectures, not well integrated into the rest of the story. Still, they present an interesting topic. After reading this book and Ellery Adams' [b:Written in Stone|13518651|Written in Stone (A Books by the Bay Mystery #4)|Ellery Adams|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1341795322s/13518651.jpg|19077814] about the Lumbee tribe, also not federally recognized, I am curious about just how many of the minority groups in the US are similarly not recognized by our government. I may have to hunt down some identity politics books soon and read more on this topic. ( )

The Mrs. Murphy series was always one of my favorites. The setting is beautiful Virginia horse country, with great well fleshed out characters, some talking animals and a good mystery at the heart of the story, but unfortunately in recent installments Ms. Brown has chosen to shoe horn her political and social beliefs into every story. Sometimes subtly and sometimes with brute force.
It's become a real turn off and I'm thinking this will be the last time I read one of these books.

( )