This is a great series for pet lovers and mystery fans. This is book 32 in the Mrs. Murphy series. Politicians fight like cats and dogs, but when things take a deadly turn at the Virginia House of Delegates, Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen calls on her beloved pets to help her crack the case and stop the fur from flying in this latest mystery from Rita Mae Brown and her feline co-author Sneaky Pie Brown.
Spring flowers may be about to bloom in Crozet, Virginia, but Harry is thinking about snow. Her dear friend Ned Tucker is in the House of Delegates, advocating for a bill to improve road clearing during bad weather, and Harry and Ned’s wife, Susan, have gone down to the statehouse to support him. Tensions are high between political parties, and no one can agree on anything for long enough to get something done.

It's been many years since I first started reading this series and I'm still so happy to see Mrs Murphy, Tee Tucker, Pewter and Harry. Rita Mae Brown continues to write these books with mystery, humor, love, and I look forward to the next one.

I've been following Harry Haristeen's adventures for ages, and this one did not disappoint. This time around, Harry's friend Susan's husband Ned is up to his neck in state politics, and let me tell you, it's a wild ride! There's drama, intrigue, and even a mysterious death that'll keep you guessing till the very end.

And of course, no Rita Mae Brown book would be complete without the antics of Harry's furry friends - her two cats and two dogs are always getting into some kind of mischief! They're like old friends, and I just adore them.

What I love about this series is that it's like sitting down with a cuppa and a good friend - it's comforting, entertaining, and just the thing to take your mind off things. And this latest installment is no exception😍

I have read this series from the first book and absolutely love them all. This one did not disappoint and I hated to have to put it down. I love Harry and Susan and always enjoy their friendship. This book is well-written and mystery is top-notch. I was sure that I knew who did it but oops, there's that twist. I stayed up much later than normal so I could finish this one.

Feline Fatale is a cozy mystery featuring Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her pets -- cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, corgi Tucker, and Irish Wolfhound puppy Pirate. Harry's best friend Susan is married to a man who serves in the Virginia legislature. When a young page dies tragically from a drug overdose, Harry, Susan, and of course Harry's pets work to solve the mystery.

I wanted to read this mystery because I love the Mrs. Murphy mystery series -- it is probably my favorite cozy series. It is always comforting and enjoyable to be back in Crozet, Virginia for a while with these familiar characters. I love both cats and corgis, so that is another big draw for this series.

The mystery in this book, while tragic, felt a little more distant because there was not a lot of background about the young page before he tragically died. I still enjoyed Harry's clever sleuthing though!

There is a lot of state politics in this book, which is not a great interest of mine, but there was a surprising sub-plot featuring older friends who loved ham radio. I know nothing about ham radio but that sub-plot was so interesting to me! I even wondered for a moment if I have the time and energy to learn how to operate a ham radio. (The answer, for now, is no.) I also really liked the older ladies that Harry is friends with - Aunt Tally and Miranda.

As always, the pets are an important part of the book and they are charming. As well as the story, there are some sweet illustrations of the cats and Tucker together. (And an elderly dachshund even appears in the story!)

I recommend this series for fans of cozy mysteries featuring small town life, cats and dogs. It is a charming series that truly personifies cozy fiction.

Spring flowers are about to bloom in Crozet, Virginia Harry’s dear friend Ned Tucker is in the House of Delegates advocating for a bill to improve road clearing during bad weather while Harry and Ned’s wife Susan have gone down to the statehouse to support him. Tensions are high between the political parties and no one can agree on anything for long to get something done.after the statehouse is rocked when one of the young pages who assists the delegates dies under mysterious circumstances. Could his death be related to the political infighting or is something else more sinister threatening the lives of Virginias finest representatives? With help from Mrs. Murphy and Pewter as well as Tee Tucker the corgi and Irish greyhound Pirate Harry is determined to find the answers and restore order once more to the capitol. I recommend this book to everyone was very moving and had great characters.

When Harry and Susan visit the state capitol to visit Susan’s husband, they become tangled up in mystery and murder. Well developed characters and a nice twisty plot kept the pages turning. I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to write a voluntary, unbiased review.

What sets "Feline Fatale" apart is Brown's ability to infuse her story with warmth, humor, and keen insights into human (and feline) nature. The interactions between the animal characters are particularly charming, offering moments of levity amidst the tension of the investigation. Additionally, Brown's vivid descriptions bring the town of Crozet to life, making it feel like a character in its own right.

Overall, "Feline Fatale" is a purr-fectly delightful read for fans of cozy mysteries and cat lovers alike. With its engaging plot, lovable characters, and charming setting, it's sure to leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series.

I love this series and was very excited to read this installment which is a perfect blend of mystery, politics, and feline charm. I loved the banter between the animal characters which added warmth and humor to the story.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The newest Mrs. Murphy mystery finds Harry and crew embroiled in the politics of Virginia.

I liked that this one moved away from the 18th century storylines , but there was not really a murder/investigation. We didn’t really get many clues or sleuthing, which is what I enjoy most about cozies.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a longtime fan of Rita Mae Brown and her feline investigators. Brown sets the bar for what I look for in a cozy mystery, guaranteeing a great read every time.

Rita Mae Brown has penned another great cozy mystery. Once again, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen stumbles into a mystery. This story takes us out of small town Crozet into Richmond and the Virginia statehouse. Harry's friend Ned is busy trying to enact legislation and the poor behavior of his fellow statesmen reflect politics as usual. When a young page ends up dead, Harry's curiosity is peaked. The main plot includes drugs and politics. But the book also has a subplot with Harry learning about Ham Radio in an effort to ease the loneliness of an elderly friend. Although Brown's recent novels have had dual timelines that intertwined stories about the town in the late 18th century and now, this one returns to her earlier format and stays in the twenty-first century. This story makes a fun quick read and the ending is quite clever. Although I had a large part of the story figured out, the ending took me completely by surprise. Harry and Susan are a fun duo, but all the long time fans know that the animals are really the favorite characters in Brown's stories. The conversations between the pets are always good for a laugh or two. Curiosity can kill the cat, but fans know that friends and family will be safe when Mrs. Murphey is around.

Feline Fatale is the 32nd book in the Mrs. Murphy mystery series by Rita Mae Brown (& Sneaky Pie Brown). Released 16th April 2024 by Random House on the Bantam imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, ebook, and audio formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is another one of those anthropomorphic animal cozy mystery series which is like a visit with an old friend. It's a perennial, long running series (since 1990), and always like a beloved sweater; comfortable and warm. Happily the series quality has always been good, and unlike most decades long series, it's never felt "phoned in" or stale. There certainly is a soothing quality to the plotting and the returning characters; it's safe and escapist reading, something that is therapeutic and necessary given the current state of the world. This one sees the animal and human crew delving into politics to solve the death of a page/assistant to the state delegates.

The language is clean, the murders are bloodless, the denouement and resolution are satisfying and well done. Everything that readers could want from a cozy mystery. Yes, it's a known quantity, and that is a positive benefit.

The monochrome illustrations by Michael Gellatly give a sweetly nostalgic feel to the book. This is the same artist who illustrated earlier books in the series.

Four stars, I love Ms. Brown's work, and her ability to combine deep social commentary with humor and wit is always a joy to read. For readers who are new to the series, nearly all of them work very well as standalone reads, with the codicil that the characters develop over the series and their relationships change, so there may be spoilers if read out of order.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Political
Readability: Even though this is book 52 (that's right) I think you can pick it up and enjoy it exactly where it is
Format: Animals have a POV in addition to people

This is a long-running cozy and readers who discover it can't get enough. It's fun to have the animals weighing in on the humans—such inexplicable creatures.

FELINE FATALE surprised me with the political bent to it—not opposed to that, just surprised. We are also back in just modern America, and I think that works well in this one because we already have a lot going on with ham radios, congress, drugs, and murder.

I think you'll find the ending satisfying . . . so send me a message and tell me if you liked it.

Happy reading!

I grew up reading Rita Mae Brown and following the mysteries of Mrs Murphy and was SO GLAD to see this new one coming out. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC but i already know I'm going to have to buy a hard copy to add to my shelf as well, to sit alongside the others in this series!

More to come after I finish... but I can tell you so far it's cute and fun as ever!!

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

Brown steps into the politics of the Virginia General Assembly in this latest in the series. Don't worry, though- there's plenty from the animals fans have come to love. This is a tad more complex and might be most appreciated by those who follow state politics, especially in Virginia. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This has been a terrific series, but this addition to the series missed the mark for me. The plot was to much politics and not enough mystery. I liked the fact that she was setting a mystery in the General Assembly of Virginia, and a little politics mixed with a whole lot of mystery and mayhem would have made this book so much better. I understand what the author was trying to say, but I don’t care to read it in my cozy mystery.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

Don’t expect Rita Mae or Sneaky Pie Brown to get down and noir with a mystery. The one death that takes place here is as stylistically far removed from the genre as the Virginia farmhouse where Mrs. Murphy and the other animals live is geographically distant from Richmond. Most of the time, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter,, Tucker, and Pirate hang out with their human Harry in the heated barn. If not there, they go where she goes, plowing snow from the driveways of neighbors and friends, fretting over the danger of encroaching development on an historic school, or fixing the roof on the church. Harry does take on the challenge of learning ham radioing in order to communicate with some of her elders.

It’s only loyalty to her friend Susan that lands Harry and her crew in the cat fight known as the Virginia Legislature. While visiting to watch Susan’s husband Ned offer a bill, she witnesses a former newscaster, now a Republican firebrand in high heels, slap Ned’s colleague. It initiates what appears to be a feud between the two, and Harry watches from a distance.

Until she is called into service because a page was killed, and many quit, leaving a gap in the needs of the legislators. The authors show us around the political ball field(they know a good bit about Virginia politics), and Harry pays attention. There’s shenanigans going on. What looks like combat turns out to be communication, and Harry sorts it out, with a click of high heels she’s unaccustomed to.

Of course, the animals are omnipresent. Fortunately, they don’t do any detecting. They do what animals do—talk trash to each other, keep an eye out for food, and look out for Harry. Pet owners may be a bit bemused that both canines and felines travel politely in and out of everywhere Harry visits. They help make this mystery as cozy as a crime can be, and that’s what a Sneaky Pie Brown book is all about.

This was a fun and light read. It’s not my usual genre but it was enjoyable. The mystery was well done.