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From the bestselling author of the landmark work Rubyfruit Jungle comes an engaging, original new novel that only Rita Mae Brown could have written. In the pristine world of Virginia foxhunting, hunters, horses, hounds, and foxes form a lively community of conflicting loyalties, where the thrill of the chase and the intricacies of human-animal relationships are experienced firsthand--and murder exposes a proud Southern community's unsavory secrets. . . . As Master of the prestigious show more Jefferson Hunt Club, Jane Arnold, known as Sister, is the most revered citizen in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountain town where a rigid code of social conduct and deep-seated tradition carry more weight than money. Nearing seventy, Sister now must select a joint master to ensure a smooth transition of leadership after her death. It is an honor of the highest order--and one that any serious social climber would covet like the Holy Grail. Virginian to the bone with a solid foxhunting history, Fontaine Buruss is an obvious candidate, but his penchant for philandering and squandering money has earned him a less than sparkling reputation. And not even Sister knows about his latest tawdry scandal. Then there is Crawford Howard, a Yankee in a small town where Rebel bloodlines are sacred. Still, Crawford has money--lots of it--and as Sister is well aware, maintaining a first-class hunt club is far from cheap. With the competition flaring up, Southern gentility flies out the window. Fontaine and Crawford will stop at nothing to discredit each other. Soon the entire town is pulled into a rivalry that is spiraling dangerously out of control. Even the animals have strong opinions, and only Sister is able to maintain objectivity. But when opening hunt day ends in murder, she, too, is stunned. Who was bold and skilled enough to commit murder on the field? It could only be someone who knew both the territory and the complex nature of the hunt inside out. Sister knows of three people who qualify--and only she, with the help of a few clever foxes and hounds, can lay the trap to catch the killer. A colorful foray into an intriguing world, Outfoxed features a captivating cast of Southerners and their unforgettable animal counterparts. Rita Mae Brown has written a masterful novel that surprises, delights, and enchants. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
First I must admit that the only mysteries I have ever read have been written by Dick Francis and Rita Mae Brown......obviously I need to have my mysteries sugared up with equines before I'm willing to try it.
Having hunted with the Blue Ridge as a guest in the late '90's, I have to say that I find all aspects of fox hunting to be utterly fascinating. I have participated in many equestrian pursuits, racing, dressage, and showing, but after my fox hunting experience I have no desire any more to show or compete, because hunting involves the purest form of interaction between horse and human. Blue ribbons, trophies and prize money are all non-existent. A horse's pedigree doesn't matter, and neither does beauty; in fox hunting a horse is show more valued for his ability to travel cross country in a group, taking on obstacles like walls and ditches in a safe and sane manner. Riders are not judged by whether or not they are using stylish new tack or wearing fashionable new show clothes; how fancy their trailer is, or whether they paid $50,000 for a horse with a trendy bloodline.
The murder mystery part of this novel was really just icing on the cake, I could read Rita Mae Brown writing about fox hunting regardless of whether or not anything else happens in the book. I enjoyed the dialogue that takes place between the animal characters, bringing their thoughts, opinions an interactions into play enriches the story immensely.
I will read any book about the Jefferson Hunt and Sister Jane that Ms Brown writes in the future; I look forward to many more. show less
Having hunted with the Blue Ridge as a guest in the late '90's, I have to say that I find all aspects of fox hunting to be utterly fascinating. I have participated in many equestrian pursuits, racing, dressage, and showing, but after my fox hunting experience I have no desire any more to show or compete, because hunting involves the purest form of interaction between horse and human. Blue ribbons, trophies and prize money are all non-existent. A horse's pedigree doesn't matter, and neither does beauty; in fox hunting a horse is show more valued for his ability to travel cross country in a group, taking on obstacles like walls and ditches in a safe and sane manner. Riders are not judged by whether or not they are using stylish new tack or wearing fashionable new show clothes; how fancy their trailer is, or whether they paid $50,000 for a horse with a trendy bloodline.
The murder mystery part of this novel was really just icing on the cake, I could read Rita Mae Brown writing about fox hunting regardless of whether or not anything else happens in the book. I enjoyed the dialogue that takes place between the animal characters, bringing their thoughts, opinions an interactions into play enriches the story immensely.
I will read any book about the Jefferson Hunt and Sister Jane that Ms Brown writes in the future; I look forward to many more. show less
Good mystery and keeps you guessing to the end. I do not agree with the practice of foxhunting--scare the poor animal to death...just because you don't kill it does not mean this tradition is humane. Rita gets on her soapbox (she always has one!) about how it really does not hurt the fox. I disagree. This tradition is archaic and bad for foxes and wildlife. It needs to go back to the previous century where it belongs.
Enjoyable book. Maybe overdoes the animal talking and participation. More serious than the Sneaky Pie series.
Jane Arnold, "Sister", is Master of the Jefferson Hunt Club, a Virginia foxhunting club steeped in tradition. However, a murderer disrupts this tradition on opening day. Foxes and hounds join with Sister to restore their world in a book that brings the magic of Watership Down to the foxhunting scene.
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Author Information
103+ Works 30,729 Members
Rita Mae Brown was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, on November 28, 1944. She received an associate's degree from Broward Junior College in 1965, a B.A. in English and classics from New York University in 1968, a Cinematography Degree from the School of the Visual Arts in 1968, and a Ph.D. in English and political science from the Institute for show more Policy Studies in 1976. She was the writer-in-residence at the Women's Writing Center of Cazenovi College and a visiting instructor teaching fiction writing at the University of Virginia. After publishing two books of poetry, she published her first novel, Rubyfruit Jungle, in 1973. Her works include The Hand that Cradles the Rock, Sudden Death, Venus Envy, Loose Lips, and Rita Will: Memoir of a Literary Rabble-Rouser. She writes the Mrs. Murphy Mystery series and Foxhunting Mysteries series. She also writes screenplays and teleplays including Sweet Surrender, Room to Move, Table Dancing, and The Long Hot Summer. Her work on TV earned several Emmy nominations and she received the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Variety Show in 1982 for I Love Liberty. (Bowker Author Biography) Rita Mae Brown is the author of many novels, including "Outfoxed" & "Loose Lips". She & her collaborator, Sneaky Pie Brown, have written eight previous Mrs. Murphy mysteries, most recently "Pawing Through the Past". (Publisher Provided) show less
Series
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Outfoxed
- Original publication date
- 2000
- People/Characters
- Jane Arnold; Fontaine Buruss; Crawford Howard; Shaker Crown; Doug Kinser; Cody Franklin (show all 7); Jennifer Franklin
- Important places
- Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, USA
- Dedication
- For Lynn Flaherty, Professional Whipper-in
- First words
- On October twelfth, silhouetted against a bloodred sunset, a cloaked figure carrying a scythe was seen by three people.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"But you know, I'm about as amused by humans as I care to be."
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 484
- Popularity
- 62,362
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.52)
- Languages
- English, French, German
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 5
