Murder At Monticello

Mrs. Murphy digs into Virginia history—and gets her paws on a killer. The most popular citizen of Virginia has been dead for nearly 170 years. That hasn't stopped the good people of tiny Crozet, Virginia, from taking pride in every aspect of Thomas Jefferson's life. But when an archaeological dig of the slave quarters at Jefferson's home, Monticello, uncovers a shocking secret, emotions in Crozet run high—dangerously high. The stunning discovery at Monticello hints a hidden passions and age-old scandals. As postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and some of Crozet's Very Best People try to learn the identity of a centuries-old skeleton—and the reason behind the murder—Harry's tiger cat, Mrs. Murphy, and her canine and feline friends attempt to sniff out a modern-day killer. Mrs. Murphy and corgi Tee Tucker will stick their paws into the darker mysteries of human nature to solve murders old and new—before curiosity can kill the cat—and Harry Haristeen.

When Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia home becomes a crime scene, scholar/sleuth Homer Kelly must stop a serial killer in this “surefire winner” (Booklist, starred review). Thomas Jefferson is in trouble. Two centuries after he became America’s third President, the nation’s historians have ganged up on him, intent on shattering the reputation of a man they once idolized. It’s Fern Fisher’s job to set the record straight. A hotshot young historian, she has been hired by the people at Monticello to repair Jefferson’s tattered reputation. If she isn’t careful, she could get her throat slit for her troubles. In the run-up to the celebration of Jefferson’s bicentennial, a killer prowls the area around the President’s historic home, brutally murdering any young women he can find. Harvard professor and casual sleuth Homer Kelly is in Monticello for the festivities, and is eager to reconnect with Fern, a former student. While Fern fights Jefferson’s character assassination, Homer tries to keep her safe from murder of a more literal kind.

Kimball Haynes, Archäologe und Workaholic, ist für die Ausgrabungen im nahe gelegenen Monticello, dem ehemaligen Wohnsitz des Präsidenten Jefferson, verantwortlich. Er macht einen grausigen Fund.

After a shocking archaeological find at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello home sparks controversy, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen goes hunting for the truth. Her friends Mrs. Murphy the tiger cat and Tee Tucker the corgi go hunting too--for a killer out to keep Harry quiet.

“As feline collaborators go, you couldn’t ask for better than Sneaky Pie Brown, the canny tiger cat. . . . Solid storytelling.”—The New York Times Book Review The annual steeplechase races are the high point in the social calendar of the horse-mad Virginians of cozy Crozet. But when one of the jockeys is found murdered in the main barn, Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen finds herself in a desperate race of her own—to trap the killer. Luckily for her, she has an experienced ally: her sage tiger cat, Mrs. Murphy. Utilizing her feline genius to plumb the depths of human depravity, Mrs. Murphy finds herself on a trail that leads to the shocking truth behind the murder. But will her human companion catch on in time to beat the killer to the gruesome finish line? “The browns [Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie] once again blend plot, character, and atmosphere with plenty of wit and charm to create a delightful entertainment.”—Publishers Weekly

It takes a cat to write the purr-fect mystery— "People who love cats...have a friend in Rita Mae Brown," declares The New York Times Book Review. And nowhere is it more obvious than in this, her sixth deliciously witty foray into detective fiction written with the paws-on help of collaborator Sneaky Pie Brown, and starring that irrepressible crime-solving tiger cat, Mrs. Murphy. As the principal of St. Elizabeth's, an exclusive private school that caters to Crozet, Virginia's, best families, Roscoe Fletcher has proven himself to be a highly effective and vastly popular administrator. So when his obituary appears in the local paper, everyone in town is upset. Yet nothing compares to the shock they feel when they discover that Roscoe Fletcher isn't dead at all. Someone has stooped to putting a phony obituary in the newspaper. But is it a sick joke or a sinister warning? Only Mrs. Murphy, the canny tiger cat, senses the pure malice behind the act. And when a second false obit appears, this time of a Hollywood has-been who is Roscoe Fletcher's best friend, Mrs. Murphy invites her friends, the corgi Tee Tucker, and fat cat Pewter, to do a bit of sleuthing. It's obvious to this shrewd puss that two phony death notices add up to deadly trouble. And her theory is borne out when one of the men is fiendishly murdered. "Harry" Haristeen, in her position as Crozet's postmistress, is the first to hear all the theories on whodunit—starting with the man's jealous wife. Then a second bloody homicide follows, and a third. People are dropping like flies in Crozet and no one seems to know why. Fearlessly exploring all the places where humans never think to go, Mrs. Murphy manages to untangle the knots of passion, duplicity, and greed that have sent someone into a killing frenzy. Yet knowing the truth isn't enough. Mrs. Murphy must somehow lead Harry, her favorite human, down a trail that is perilous...to a killer who is deadly...and a climax that mystery lovers will relish.

Rita Mae Brown and her inseparable co-author, that fabulous feline Sneaky Pie Brown, are together again in this triple-threat collection of mystery and manners, southern-style. In fact, the first three novels in the Browns' Mrs. Murphy bestselling mystery series are reprinted here in their entirety. Whether you are already familiar with the detective work of postmistress Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her tiger cat Mrs. Murphy or are new to the team, you are sure to be intrigued by their unique approach. It's murder with a touch of whimsy, all set in the cozy hamlet of Crozet, Virginia. Meet Harry's friends, neighbors...and suspects--folks like notorious society vamp Boom Boom Craycroft inRest in Pieces, or the nice Miranda Hogendobber inMurder at Monticello, and get a good taste of Brown's wickedly observant take on manners below the Mason-Dixon line. Cat lovers, mystery aficionados, and anyone who might like an armchair visit to a delightful old town down South, is sure to enjoy these witty, cleverly-plotted tales of suspense.

"A mystery featuring Mary Minor Haristeen and Mrs. Murphy".