kmc3050's review against another edition
1.0
1. Harry is the only thing I like about this book. The “talking” animals are too much. It’s fun when animals help solve things, but I prefer them to be natural.
hatterxerxes's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
bookishrake's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
xkay_readsx's review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐I've heard of this popular series and have been wanting to read it. There are thirty books and that's kind of intimidating to jump in but thanks to The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group pick for February BOTM, I find this to be a perfect opportunity to check it out.
This is a great start to a new series set in Crozet Virginia, a town of three thousand near Charlottesville. I saw a cat on the cover and to my surprise, she's Mrs. Murphy! Mary Minor Haristeen, or Harry, the town's postmistress is her "mom" and there's Tee Tucker, a Welsh Corgi. The animals can talk to one another and they curse (a lot) which surprise me to see that in a cozy. They help Harry solve crimes or get her out of dangerous situations.
The mystery is light and enjoyable. Harry has a habit of reading other people's postcards while at work when she realizes every recipient who received one with "Wish you were here" ends up dead. I'll be reading more from this series. I find the characters, setting, and animals quite charming.
Read for Book Across America BINGO - Snag A Read For Free and BOTM for The mystery, crime, and thriller Group
This is a great start to a new series set in Crozet Virginia, a town of three thousand near Charlottesville. I saw a cat on the cover and to my surprise, she's Mrs. Murphy! Mary Minor Haristeen, or Harry, the town's postmistress is her "mom" and there's Tee Tucker, a Welsh Corgi. The animals can talk to one another and they curse (a lot) which surprise me to see that in a cozy. They help Harry solve crimes or get her out of dangerous situations.
The mystery is light and enjoyable. Harry has a habit of reading other people's postcards while at work when she realizes every recipient who received one with "Wish you were here" ends up dead. I'll be reading more from this series. I find the characters, setting, and animals quite charming.
Read for Book Across America BINGO - Snag A Read For Free and BOTM for The mystery, crime, and thriller Group
brenna_law's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bethany_t's review against another edition
3.0
As the first in the series, it is a bit rough around the edges. The use of cursing is a bit excessive and jarring at times, and the drama surrounding Harry’s divorce is likewise excessive. However, I still enjoyed revisiting this series, once my favorite when I was a teen. I have the unpopular opinion of finding them more enjoyable than the comparable “The Cat Who...” mysteries.
I like the portrayal of the animals as intelligent and able to converse among each other. There’s a good balance between them acting in ways that seem typically canine or feline and them figuring out clues while the humans are oblivious. Though the political commentary along with “why don’t humans cull their sick young” conversation between Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker was certainly odd in Chapter 37. But the next books markedly improve in every way, including in how the animals are characterized.
The mystery is somewhat interesting, and I did find myself led astray by early conclusions made by the characters. The use of the postcards as a clue was a good way to get Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen involved in sleuthing.
Verdict
As I said, it is a rough start to the series but worth reading just to have that introduction to the main characters; the town of Crozet, Virginia; and other establishing information. It’s a fun, cozy mystery.
So, who would like this book?
Lovers of cozy mysteries. It’s a familiar format as are most modern cozy mysteries, but it’s made fresh by the inclusion of the animal-lead sleuthing. It’s easy to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea and read this book in a single day.
I like the portrayal of the animals as intelligent and able to converse among each other. There’s a good balance between them acting in ways that seem typically canine or feline and them figuring out clues while the humans are oblivious. Though the political commentary along with “why don’t humans cull their sick young” conversation between Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, and Tucker was certainly odd in Chapter 37. But the next books markedly improve in every way, including in how the animals are characterized.
The mystery is somewhat interesting, and I did find myself led astray by early conclusions made by the characters. The use of the postcards as a clue was a good way to get Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen involved in sleuthing.
Verdict
As I said, it is a rough start to the series but worth reading just to have that introduction to the main characters; the town of Crozet, Virginia; and other establishing information. It’s a fun, cozy mystery.
So, who would like this book?
Lovers of cozy mysteries. It’s a familiar format as are most modern cozy mysteries, but it’s made fresh by the inclusion of the animal-lead sleuthing. It’s easy to curl up with a blanket and a cup of tea and read this book in a single day.
henrismum's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
First in series
Audiobook (All of my entries on The Story Graph are audiobooks.)
Why I added this book to my TBR pile: I heard about this series years and years ago and I read Brown's pivotal work Rubyfruit Jungle, so when this kept popping up in suggestions, I went with it.
Will I read more of the series?Probably Not Maybe Likely Most Likely Definitely There are several installments in the series, so I'll listen to a few more and decide if I want to commit.
The narrator was Kate Forbes. She did not overdo it with the southern accent, which I appreciated.
Audiobook (All of my entries on The Story Graph are audiobooks.)
Why I added this book to my TBR pile: I heard about this series years and years ago and I read Brown's pivotal work Rubyfruit Jungle, so when this kept popping up in suggestions, I went with it.
Will I read more of the series?
The narrator was Kate Forbes. She did not overdo it with the southern accent, which I appreciated.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism, Classism, Infidelity, and Murder
mittymyers's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
underwater_reader's review against another edition
4.0
So, I was quite mistaken thinking that this was going to be a cozy mystery. It was not. There were some elements that I wished that I had known going into the book, but that didn't stop my enjoyment of the story (for the most part). There is some non-cozy language throughout the book. The murders are totally not cozy as we learn the gruesome details of what happens to the bodies post-death (some real stomach-turning stuff, guys!) and, slight spoiler alert, an animal is killed which is the one that I had trouble with. An avid user of doesthedogdie.com I had a difficult time with this particular passage of the book.
So, cozy mystery it was not, but what it was was a good start to this long-running series! I was able to solve the mystery pretty early on, but I nonetheless enjoyed reading about Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, and Harry. I loved that the animals had such a huge part in this story! I finished reading it one morning during a heavy thunderstorm which totally added to my enjoyment of it! I loved that it was set in a small Virginia town and I will be making a stop in Crozet next time I am driving back home to North Carolina! I will be continuing on with this series, and I've got a lot of catching up to do- Book #28 just came out last month!!!
3.75/5 stars
So, cozy mystery it was not, but what it was was a good start to this long-running series! I was able to solve the mystery pretty early on, but I nonetheless enjoyed reading about Mrs. Murphy, Tucker, and Harry. I loved that the animals had such a huge part in this story! I finished reading it one morning during a heavy thunderstorm which totally added to my enjoyment of it! I loved that it was set in a small Virginia town and I will be making a stop in Crozet next time I am driving back home to North Carolina! I will be continuing on with this series, and I've got a lot of catching up to do- Book #28 just came out last month!!!
3.75/5 stars