“Another charming and elegantly spun yarn.” —The Providence Sunday Journal
“Excellent series . . . Another murder in Crozet would be most welcome.” —Winston-Salem Journal
PAWING THROUGH THE PAST
“This is a cat-lover's dream of a mystery. . . . ‘Harry' is simply irresistible. . . . [Rita Mae] Brown once again proves herself ‘Queen of Cat Crimes.'. . . Don't miss out on this lively series, for it's one of the best around.” —Old Book Barn Gazette
“Apparently eight's the charm for Rita Mae Brown and her cat, Sneaky Pie, whose latest adventure just may be the best in this long-running series.” —Booklist
“Another delightful mystery . . . Once again, Rita Mae Brown proves she can capture the ambiance of life in a small southern town and, more impressively, get readers to accept thinking, mystery-solving cats and dogs.” —The Virginian Pilot
“Cleverly crafted . . . Fans of the Mrs. Murphy series will want to immediately read this novel, while newcomers will search for the previous books.” —The Midwest Book Review
“A delightful cozy mystery, all the more so because of the active role the pets take in solving the crime . . . [The] puzzling mystery will shock and delight you.” —Romantic Times
“Rita Mae Brown's books are always well written, always entertaining, always full of interesting people becoming involved with plots, plans and emotional entanglements. Pawing Through the Past is no exception.” —I Love a Mystery
CAT ON THE SCENT
“Rita and Sneaky Pie know how to grab a reader. This fun-loving and delightful mystery is a must even if you're not a cat lover.” —The Pilot, Southern Pines, NC
“These provocative mysteries just glow.” —Mystery Lovers Bookshop News
“Features all the traits of purebred fun. . . . The antics of the animals, Brown's witty observations, the history-revering Virginians, and the Blue Ridge setting make this a pleasurable read for lovers of this popular genre.” —BookPage
“Animal antics and criminal capers combine captivatingly in Cat on the Scent.” —The San Diego Union-Tribune
“A charming and keen-eyed take on human misdeeds and animal shenanigans . . . Told with spunk and plenty of whimsy, this is another delightful entry in a very popular series.” —Publishers Weekly
“A fine murder mystery . . . For fans of Mrs. Murphy and her pals, both two- and four-legged, Cat on the Scent smells like a winner.” —The Virginian-Pilot
“Charming.” —People
MURDER ON THE PROWL
“Leave it to a cat to grasp the essence of the cozy mystery: namely, murder among friends.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Will charm even the reader generally indifferent to animals, while animal lovers and those who enjoy a good cozy will simply lap this one up.” —Publishers Weekly
MURDER, SHE MEOWED
“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 intriguing characters in this much-loved series continue to entertain.” —Nashville Banner
PAY DIRT
“If you must work with a collaborator, you want it to be someone with intelligence, wit and an infinite capacity for subtlety—someone, in fact, very much like a cat. It's always a pleasure to visit this cozy world. [T]here's no resisting Harry's droll sense of humor . . . or Mrs. Murphy's tart commentary.” —The New York Times Book Review
“The superb narration . . . resonates with small-town intimacy and wit. . . . Sure to delight anyone who loves cozy mysteries.” —Mostly Murder
Don't miss the new
Sneaky Pie mystery
Coming from Bantam Books
in March 2003
READ ON FOR A PREVIEW
A gray sleety drizzle rattled against the handblown windowpanes in the rectory at St. Luke's Lutheran Church. As if in counterpoint, a fire crackled in the large but simple fireplace, the mantel adorned by a strip of dentil carving. The hands of that carver had turned to dust in 1797.
The members of the Parish Guild were seated in a semicircle around the fireplace, at a graceful coffee table in the middle. As anyone knows, serving on a board or a committee is a dubious honor. Most people recognize their duty in time to avoid it. However, the work must be done and some good folks bow their heads to the yoke.
Mary Minor Haristeen had succumbed to the thrill of being elected, of being considered responsible, by the congregation. This thrill thinned as the tangle of tasks presented themselves in meeting after meeting. She liked the physical problems better than the people problems. Fixing a fallen drainspout was within her compass of expertise. Fixing a broken heart, offering succor to the ill, well, she was learning.
The good pastor of St. Luke's, the Reverend Herbert C. Jones, excelled at both the people problems and teaching. He gladly gave of himself to any board member, any parishioner. As he'd baptized Mrs. Haristeen, nicknamed Harry, he felt a special affection for the good-looking woman in her late thirties. It was an affection bounteously returned, for Harry loved the Rev, as she called him, with all her heart.
Although the guild was bickering at this exact moment, it'd be fair to say that every member loved the Reverend Jones. It would be also fair to say that most of them liked—if not loved—Harry. The one exception being BoomBoom Craycroft who sort of liked her and sort of didn't. The feeling was mutual.
Like large white confetti, papers rested on the coffee table along with mugs. The aroma of coffee and hot chocolate somewhat dissipated the tension.
“We just can't go off half-cocked here and authorize an expenditure of twelve thousand dollars.” Tazio Chappars crossed her arms over her chest. She was an architect and a young, attractive woman of color, with an Italian mother and an African-American father.
“Well, we have to do something,” Herb said in his resonant, hypnotic voice.
“Why?” Tazio, combative, shifted in her seat.
“Because the place looks like hell,” Harry blurted out. “Sorry, Rev.”
“Quite all right. It does.” Herb laughed.
Hayden McIntyre, the town's general practitioner, was a fleshy man with an air of command if not a touch of arrogance. He slipped his pencil out from behind his ear and began scribbling on the budget papers which had been handed out at the beginning of the meeting. “Let's try this. I am not arguing replacing the carpet in the rectory. We've put this off for four years now. I remember hearing arguments pro and con when I first came on board. This is one of the loveliest, most graceful churches in the Piedmont and it should reflect that.” An appreciative murmur accompanied this statement. “I've broken this down into three areas of immediate need. First the sacristy: must be done.” He held up his hand as Tazio opened her mouth. “It must. I know what you're going to say.”
“No you don't.” Her hazel eyes brightened. “Well, okay, maybe you do. Pick up the carpet and sand the floors.”