Claws and Effect

Now Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown have done it concocted a purrfectly ingenious mystery that only a clever puss could untangle. And this time out, as murder makes its rounds at a hospital, tiger cat Mrs. Murphy must pounce on every clue to save her human from a coldly calculating killer.

As winter puts tiny Crozet, Virginia, in a deep freeze, everyone seems to be suffering from a case of the winter blahs, including postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, who knows things must be dull if the hottest topic of conversation is a chain letter from the mysterious Sister Sophonisba. Even Harry's cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and her corgi Tee Tucker, haven't been able to dig up any dirt lately. But life in this small Southern town is show more about to heat up....

The first hint of trouble comes when Hank Brevard, the plant manager of Crozet Hospital, and head nurse Tussie Logan let drop a few remarks that hint at a hospital in turmoil. Then a malicious comment by the hospital's director suggests that there's bad blood between him and his star surgeon, handsome Dr. Bruce Buxton. Still, no one takes any of it seriously until Hank Brevard turns up dead in the hospital boiler room.

Harry, who can't resist a mystery, no matter how dangerous, decides to do some investigating of her own. What she finds is that the hospital is a hotbed of secrets, a closed little world where ego, jealousy, and illicit love often collide.

But it's Mrs. Murphy, roaming the netherworld of Crozet Hospital, who sniffs out the most telling a secret room in the old section that dates back to the time of the Underground Railroad. Then Harry is attacked and another doctor is executed in cold blood.

Now the usually mild-mannered postmistress vows to bring the killer to justice. But when Harry gets too close to the truth, the culprit prescribes another premeditated murder. And only a quick-witted cat and her animal pals stand between Harry and a homicidal maniac who means to ensure that she carries what she knows to the grave. show less

#9 Mrs. Murphy mystery. Something fishy is happening at Crozet hospital. The head of maintenance is found dead in the boiler room—no doubt that it’s murder with his throat brutally slit as it was—and when Harry gets nosy and decides to make a late-night stop there to ‘check things out,’ she gets konked on the head, though not hard enough to do any serious damage. A long-time member of the supporting cast also ends up shot to death a few chapters later, and this leaves Sheriff Rick Shaw seeing red and pulling out all the stops to find the killer. It doesn’t make Harry (and her critters—cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and her Welsh Corgi Tucker) any less determined, either! I had a gut feeling about the killer early on, but show more really had nothing to support my thoughts. But once a few choice clues were dropped later in the book, it all came together. I really enjoy the narrator of this series—she brings all the different characters to life and gives them substance that might easily be missed in a print reading. I especially enjoy the ‘animal voices.’ Excellent listen—looking forward to more show less

Again with the libertarian politics! I suppose I wouldn't mind it so much if I agreed, and the views are normal for Virginia, but it does have the effect of tossing the reader out of the story.

Speaking of the story, there is a heart-breaking development with one of the recurring characters. This gave the story a bit more emotional heft than the lighter, previous novels.

All-in-all, I've been enjoying the series so far in spite of the political statements. This book was no exception.

I am not sure when I read this book, but I do remember reading it. In general I love this series but I honestly can't say this made much of an impression on me as I had to read the summary to even remember which book it was. Granted I most likely read it 10 years ago but still.

I am a fan of both Mrs. Murphy and Koko (the Cat Who...), and can see where some would say Cat Who is better. It's better if you like more realism in a story etc. Me I'd love to see some scenes from Koko's POV just because I wonder if he's actually trying to help solve the mysteries or is just... being him. I remember Mrs. Murphy and Co were true to form in this book, and that they pulled off a rescue I didn't see possible. If you like a story with a feline show more (supposedly) POV, the Mrs. Murphy books are for you. show less

"Set in the quiet town of Crozet, Virginia. In the middle of a particularly dull winter, nobody pays much mind to rumors of bad blood among the staff of Crozet Hospital, until a member of the hospital staff turns up dead. So much for the uneventful season. Harry can't resist doing some investigating of her own, but it's her sleuthing feline whose nose sniffs out the biggest clue. Co-written by the smartest cat to ever put paw to typewriter."

Excellent little mystery. A fun read.