“The Tail of the Tip-Off”   

 By Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie

        A Corgi and Felines Mystery

2011 Book Review #122

BookList Review

Brown's eleventh Mrs. Murphy mystery finds Mary Minor ("Harry") Haristeen... who is postmistress in the small town of Crozet, Virginia, and also runs a farm... insinuating herself into a murder investigation...again!

When H. H. Donaldson, head of a local construction firm, is murdered in the parking lot of a sports arena, Harry and her fellow four-footed amateur detectives--tiger cat Mrs. Murphy; the fat gray Pewter; and corgi, Tee Tucker--try to figure out how and why he was murdered.

 Suddenly, Harry is looking at her longtime friends and neighbors with an uneasy suspicion and getting an inkling of the level of corruption in the construction industry. Meanwhile, the animals have their own agendas, as they amuse themselves by raiding the supply closet of the local Lutheran church and offer wry running commentary (set off in italics) on the foibles of humans.

The politics of small-town life and the building trade are seamlessly woven into this lighthearted, facile tale that will appeal to loyal fans of the series. Others may find the anthropomorphic aspects of the story difficult to take, but it's hard to dislike Harry's giggle-prone, furry brood.

My Thoughts:  Whenever I want something light and fun to read, I read this series.  The plots are very mysterious and the antics of the animals are fun!