Wish You Were Here

A lot of fun to read and the animals are delightful. Once you get started it's hard to put this book down. Each book in this series offers a new and interesting plot even with the same characters. Well written and I'll read more of them.

I've read all her Mrs. Murphy Mysteries and am in the process of reading her latest "The Tale of the Tip-Off". I've put off reading it, as it'll be another year before there's another one. I absolutely love these stories and hope they never stop!

If you're one of those people who sometimes looks at your pet and thinks, "What is he *really* thinking?" or "I wonder how much she *really* understands?," this delightful mystery and its sequels are right up your alley. Mrs. Murphy, a gray tiger cat, and Tee Tucker, a corgi bitch, live with Mary Minor Haristeen (aka "Harry"), postmistress of the little country corner of Crozet, Va. When local paving contractor Kelly Craycroft turns up in a dismembered condition in one of his own cement mixers, Harry and her pets (assisted by Pewter, the fat gray cat who lives in the market next to the post office) are drawn inexorably into the case through Harry's realization that the killer uses anonymous picture postcards to telegraph his intentions. The gimmick is that we readers (unlike the humans in the story) can understand what the animals are saying to one another--and they prove to have very keen perceptions regarding the murder and subsequent events. And when the killer's identity is at last revealed, it's Murphy and Tee whose teeth and claws save the day.This is the first of an ongoing series of "Mrs. Murphy Mysteries" signed by Brown and her cat Sneaky Pie. Whether Sneaky actually had a paw in the writing is for the reader to decide, but certainly Brown has a keen insight into the animal mind: the behavior of the pets and their private reflections on the human condition ring very true. The human characters, too, are unforgettable: Harry's soon-to- be-ex-husband, ambivalent veterinarian Fair (Pharamond) Haristeen; Mrs. Miranda Hogendobber, widow of Harry's predecessor and a devout member of an obscure Christian denomination; Mim Sanburne, grande dame of the village; Rick Shaw, the chain-smoking sheriff who finds himself in water deeper than he expected, and his able second-in- command, Off. Cynthia Cooper. Flavored with witty humor and vivid portrayals of the Virginia countryside and customs, "Wish You Were Here" and its sequels are not to be missed by pet-lovers and mystery aficionados.

This is a wonderful book for everyone. The mystery is intriguing and so are the characters. They all add their special brand of humor and vitality to the book. The animals are always a step ahead of the humans in finding out who the murderer is although they don't have time to figure it out themselves. The murderer slips near the end and you'll know who it is if you pay attention. Of course, if you read the other books before this one, you'll know who it is from the start. So, my advice, read this one first and watch the characters develop as you press further into the series.

This book was exciting and full of fun. The animals came to life and the fact that their conversations were in italics was helpful. This is relaxing reading and just what I was looking for. I know this area of Virginia and that made the book more interesting and fun. I look forward to reading all of this series.