I loved the previous books in the Mrs. Murphy series. However, Furmidable Foes made Mrs. Murphy and the other animals a side story. Front and center are St. Luke’s gardens and the historical fiction of runaway slaves in 1787. The Dorcas Guild’s events also play a role in the present day mysteries.

Overall, there seemed to be too many characters and too many plots squished within these 336 pages. And I’ve read, and enjoyed, the previous twenty-eight books in the series. I can’t imagine having to first meet the main characters in this mishmash. Read the earlier books in this series and skip this one. 2 stars.

Thanks to Bantam, Random House, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Furmidable Foes by Rita Mae Brown was an unexpected delight. Somehow, in all my years of reading, I have never read a book by this author and, while I was expecting a typical cozy mystery, I found, instead, a serious book, although almost whimsical in its delivery. Furmidable Foes takes place in two centuries: 2019 and 1788. The earlier story is about runaway slaves and a body disposed of on top of the coffins of two recently buried local citizens. This, of course, causes all kinds of consternation when it is discovered 230 years later. Who was she? Where did she come from? Why was she buried thusly? The more current story doesn't really become a mystery (except for the historical one) until toward the end of the book. A mystery stumbled upon and solved almost by accident. The third, and possibly most intriguing part of the book, is the secret lives of the pets in 2019. Unbeknownst to their owners, they have conversations, likes and dislikes beyond food choices, and assist in discovering and solving the mystery. It is a most interesting writing style.

I was led to read about the author as come of the phrasing in the book seemed almost foreign, as when an Australian is writing a cowboy tome taking place in Montana. Furmidable Foes takes place in Virginia, very close to the place of residence of Brown, the author. The tone of the 2019 portion of the book is very casual. It is the daily life of the heroine, Harry, who is primarily a farmer, and very involved with historic gardens locally, most especially her church. It is her pets which hijack the book. The story of the slaves never really comes to its end, although the end may almost be assumed. It is a charming book and an interesting technique. I recommend it, primarily for its creativity, but also for its charm, it's glimpse into Virginia history, and its mystery.

I received a free ARC of Furmidable Foes from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #furmidablefoes

I have been reading the Sneaky Pie Brown books since the very first one, Wish You Were Here.  There are now close to 30 titles in all. I always enjoyed the stories, the characters and the illustrations.  While I wasn't sure how I would feel about talking and thinking animals, I was quickly able to adapt and appreciate what they added to the story. 


This story begins in spring and with gardening. Smell the peonies.  From there, of course, the story goes on to have murder and mysteries that are solved with the help of Harry and her furry friends.


If you enjoy cozy mysteries, this one could be for you.  It is a delightful read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

This books tells two different, but intertwined stories, involving both historic and modern times. As expected of this author, this book is skillfully written with a tight plot and great 2 and 4 legged characters. I’m looking forward to the next book. I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.

Here we are with the 29th mystery in the Mrs. Murphy series. I have been reading them since the first one was published and, to get the most out of every book, I would advise that they be read in order. That way each new book is like a visit with old friends knowing that a murder will need to be solved while you are there. Harry (short for Harriett) Haristeen lives a life tied closely to the land and the history of Northern Virginia. She is in tune with the seasons and the life cycle on her farm. Along with her veterinarian husband, Fair and her best from since childhood, Susan Tucker, she has two cats - Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and two dogs - Tee Tucker and Pirate plus assorted other animals who call her farm home.
As with most of the series, the murders have close ties to both the colonial past of the area and the present. When Harry and Susan are working on the church grounds to get everything ready for Spring festivities a skeleton dating from the 1700's turns up. Who was she, how did she die and why was she wearing a very expensive necklace of diamonds and pearls? If those aren't enough of a mystery for Harry to try to solve, soon vandalism, theft and murder by poisonous plant become her focus. What ties the two threads together? With the help of friends and family and, of course the cats and dogs, Harry will find the answers.
For the reader new to this long running series, first off, the animals are not cutesy talking characters. They observe and assist Harry in their own ways and, for me, none of it is over the top. I love the conversations the animals have amongst themselves. As for the mystery, it comes in two parts. Chapters alternate between the present crimes and the colonial crimes and the Colonial period does focus on slavery which is ugly so be aware that this is a cozy with an edge/darker side.
There is much about plants and gardens, about their history and the pace is slow. The reader will learn a lot about plants and slavery. I'm not a gardener but due to my mother being a master gardener I did grow up with a love of plants. I just can't seem to grow much more than weeds. I loved the garden theme, even when some of it was deadly.
The mysteries unfolded well and kept me engaged from start to finish. Furmidable Foes was a very satisfying mystery and I'm already looking forward to what is in store for Harry in the next installment.
My thanks to the publisher Bantam and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Mrs. Murphy book by Rita Mae Brown. You can read it as a stand alone, as I did, however I wish I would have read some of the earlier books so I could have a better understanding. There is a homecoming celebration, so Harry and the ladies prepare the St. Luke’s garden. Unfortunately, an unknown woman's body has been found in another family's grave. The skeleton dates back to the 1700s and was a buried with an extravagant pearl and diamond necklace with earrings. The mysteries deepen when Jeannie is poisoned and dies at the charity auction. Why did Jeannie die? Harry, her husband, Fair and their pets, Mrs Murphy, Pewter, Tee Tucker, and Pirate get into their fair share of trouble as they try to solve the mystery of the jewels and of Jeannie’s poison.
I enjoyed the book and the animals…. Could have done without so much horticulture, but still a very enjoyable book.

Thank you to
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Bantam and Net Galley

Double Mystery From Today and the Late 1700s
This is a very good book where we explore a very cold murder from the late 1700s and a complex set of crimes from today. I do wish the author had stretched the book out longer so we could learn more about the final results. It was a very quick so-and-so did it and that was that. There was no bone to chew on for the crimes. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This book continues the side story in the 1780’s that was started in Whiskers in the Dark in addition to this current story. Harry and her friends are getting ready for St Luke’s Homecoming. When a friend dies, Harry can’t stop getting involved. Some of my favorite parts about the Mrs. Murphy series is the animals and the research behind the books. I always learn something when I read one of these books.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Another great addition to the series. I enjoyed the dual storyline and the history in the story. A must read for Rita Mae Brown fans!

Oh joy! A new Mrs Murphy is always cause for a happy smile and this latest installment is no exception. Harry's got her usual list of many things to do; this time around she's been working on the remodeling of the St Luke's Church garden. She's also got her husband Fair and their wonderful pets- Mrs Murphy, Pewter, Tee Tucker, and Pirate. Unfortunately, there's a murder. Jeanie is poisoned! By someone who clearly knows a lot about poisoned plants. Yikes! There's also a question about a set of remains and jewels. That strand is set in 1787. These threads will come together! If you haven't read the series, it may seem like there are a lot of characters and there are. And, some of those characters are animals. This works because the animal parts never get too twee. Brown does a great job with her Northern Virginia setting and you, like me, might learn something about plants in the region. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

It's spring in Virginia and Harry, Susan and the members of the Dorcas Guild are hard at work in the gardens surrounding St. Luke's Lutheran church. In honor of the upcoming homecoming celebration, the ladies are restoring the gardens back to their 1787 Montpelier glory when a section of the garden becomes visibly damaged overnight. Suspicions mount and interest in an old mystery pertaining to the body of an unknown woman dating back to the 1700's who was buried wearing expensive jewelry peeks. When Jeannie is murdered at the charity auction, and it looks like the cause is poison, Harry jumps at the chance to investigate. With her knowledge of poisonous plants and with the help of her fun loving pet detectives, Harry is sure to uncover the answers to not one but two mysteries.
The newest in the Mrs. Murphy series is a fun romp featuring everyone's favorite pet detectives. Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, Tucker, and Pirate are the stars of the show; putting their own comical spin on events surrounding Harry's everyday life and her efforts to solve these mysteries. As always with this series, there are plenty of intriguing historical facts interspersed in the story, this time centered around the history of horticulture. The mysteries were expertly plotted with plenty of clues to discover and suspects to sift through. The newest addition to the Mrs. Murphy series is the perfect spring read for history buffs, gardening enthusiasts or those looking for a fun new mystery to enjoy.

This is a well written book that is full of twists and turns and will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. It was not as good as some of her older books, but it was still a good read and I look forward to her next book. Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was so happy when this popped up and I was glad that I was able to read it. I have loved Brown's stories since I started them ages ago and I still can not wait for the next read. The garden theme, characters, plot, and just everything came together so well that I could not put this one down.

greed, 1787, historical-research, pets, cats, dogs, cozy-mystery

There are two stories interwoven because of the land which they occupy. One is a very difficult tale of cruel people and normal people in a time of transition - 1787. The other is a tale of subterfuge and greed with a side of murder. They are connected by an artifact found on a grave before this book. I love the parts of the stories that are told among the cats and dogs who love and protect their people. I think that the mystery is excellent and the historical part of the story is the best it can be. I loved it! Beyond that is the history of horticulture and the reintroduction of heirloom plants at Montpelier as well as the relevance of the Historic Trust. Great stuff for a history geek and/or a gardening geek (that's my sister, so I'll have to gift her a copy).
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Bantam via NetGalley. Thank you!

During the odd time of "Social Distancing", this book felt like a comfortable visit with old friends. I feel like I known Harry forever and can always count on her to keep things interesting.

I have loved the way Ms. Brown weaves the present with the past. Not only is it very clear whether you're reading past or present, the characters in both are extremely engaging. And as always, the animals are there to help keep everyone on their toes.

The mysteries were well-written and this is a book that I hate to put down. I'm already looking forward to the next one in the series.

I requested to read Furmidable Foes, A Mrs. Murphy Mystery, because I liked what I read in the blurb. I don't like giving bad reviews, but this wasn’t what I expected at all.

I didn’t like this book. I had a lot of problems with it right from the start. There were too many characters to keep track of, even with the handy guide. It’s hard to keep flipping back to it if you’re reading Kindle on an iPhone.

The story was split into 2 time lines, Virginia in 1787 and in the Present. The 1787 story didn’t really have anything to do with or explain the body in the present day churchyard. I wanted to know who she was, why she left, why she died, why she was dressed like she was, etc. None of these things were sufficiently answered.

In the present timeline, the majority of the story centered around the church garden. Now I like gardens as much as the next guy, but 2/3 of the book devoted to this? If I really wanted an education in horticulture of VA, I would’ve read a book on that subject. I also found it very heavy-handed as far as the religious aspect. I have no problem reading books about religion (I”m not religious myself), but this just went on and on. It’d be one thing if it was an important part of the story, but it wasn’t.

The murder felt like an after thought and was just thrown in so there’d be a murder in the book. It made no sense as to the reason for it and the resolution was kind of dumb.

The one bright spot in the books was the pets. I LOVED the pets. They were funny, sassy and gave the story some life. If there had been more interaction with them, I might have liked the book.

All in all, not a fan. I admit this the first of her books I’ve read, but it will definitely be the last. I personally do not recommend this book.

Oh I wanted to love this as I find the series to be quirky and fun. But this one simply wasn't what I hoped it would be: the dialogue didn't have the spark and there was far too much exposition. It also felt a bit heavy handed in some places and clunky. I had to re-read several passages to know what was happening. Fur fans may find this sort of a comfort food type of book with familiar characters but I wanted more. Maybe next one!

In this 29th book in the 'Mrs. Murphy' series, farmer/amateur sleuth Harry Haristeen investigates two murders, to the chagrin of her 'talking pets' - who fear for her safety. The animals are two cats - Mrs. Murphy and Pewter; the corgi - Tucker; and the half-grown Irish wolfhound - Pirate. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

The story, set in the town of Crozet, Virginia, ping pongs between the present (2019) and the time right after the Revolutionary War (1787).

In the present, Harry Haristeen and her best friend Susan Tucker are leading members of the Dorcas Guild, the women's group at Crozet's St. Luke's Lutheran Church. The Dorcas Guild is planning several upcoming church events: a June 2nd homecoming that doubles as a surprise birthday party for 80-year-old Reverend Herbert Jones; a charity auction and dance; and a float - covered with a large model of St. Luke's church - for the July 4th parade.

The women's group is assisted by its brother organization, St. Peter's Guild, which contains Harry's husband Fair, Susan's husband Ned, and other men from St. Luke's.

To prepare for the homecoming revelries, the Dorcas Guild is landscaping St. Luke's grounds, recreating the original gardens as they appeared in 1787. While Harry and her friends work they discuss a recently vandalized grave in the church cemetery, which was found to contain the skeleton of a woman on top of two long buried caskets.

Authorities determine that the woman, who was interred with expensive jewelry, was buried in the late 1700s, but her identity remains unknown. To add to the mystery, Harry discovers three more skeletons as she's puttering around St. Luke's grounds. Harry and her friends wonder about the identity of the dead people, speculating that they may have been slaves from one of Crozet's historic plantations.

Crozet also has additional drama. A beer truck belonging to 'Bottoms Up' brewery - owned by Harry's friends Janice and Mags - is stolen; an abandoned still and a recent corpse are discovered above Harry's farm; and a lovely woman named Jeannie Cordle is murdered at St. Luke's charity auction.

The sheriff's department investigates the modern homicides, but Harry feels compelled to help out, and launches her own inquiries. Harry's cats and dogs, who've saved her from perps in the past, discuss their concerns for her well-being. The pets and their animal friends also talk about history, politics, finances, church matters, etc. This is all highly amusing, and adds fun to the story.

The modern story is interspersed with events that occur in 1787, when the Holloways and Garths own plantations in Crozet. Mrs. Maureen Selisse Holloway, a vicious woman who owns the Big Rawly plantation, is furious about a missing necklace and earrings, which she thinks were stolen by a slave named Sheba.

Now two other Big Rawly slaves have run away, and Maureen hires slaves catchers to retrieve them. The cruel treatment of slaves by Maureen and the bounty hunters is horrible and shocking, and forms a dissonant note in a cozy mystery (in my opinion).

Ewing Garth owns Crozet's second plantation, named Cloverfields, and he and his married daughters are kinder slave owners than Maureen. Ewing is trying to get Maureen Holloway to allow her black stable manager to marry his black cook, and the negotiations are tricky. Even though the Garths are gentler slave holders than Maureen, owning people - and controlling their lives - is clearly a despicable business.

As the story unfolds, a death that harks back to 1787 is solved, as are the recent killings. However, all this occurs in a rather offhand manner, with very little 'investigation.' Thus the book's billing as a cozy mystery is somewhat misleading.

The modern part of the story is mostly about the gardens of St. Luke's Lutheran Church - which are described in great detail - and the various church events. The historic part of the book is mostly about plantation life, slaves, and slave catchers. Thus the novel is much more fiction than mystery.

The author, activist Rita Mae Brown, has become more political in her recent fiction, and this book follows that trend. Still, the story is interesting, and would probably appeal to fans of gardening and historical fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Rita Mae Brown), and the publisher (Bantam Books) for a copy of the book.

I love this series and have read enjoyed every book in the series. Though they are getting a little too political for me I still highly recommend the whole series.

I believe this is the best in the series. I was drawn in at the very start. It was a very entertaining story with clever characters and unexpected plot twists and turns woven throughout the story. All in all it is a highly enjoyable read.I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends.