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    The Litter of the Law
    The Litter of the Law
    The Litter of the Law
    Audiobook7 hours

    The Litter of the Law

    Written by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

    Narrated by Kate Forbes

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown teams up with her kitty-cat collaborator Sneaky Pie Brown for this cozy mystery filled with mayhem and meows. In The Litter of the Law , Harry Haristeen and her husband, Fair, find a murdered man while out for a drive. Curious cat detectives Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with Tucker the crime fighting corgi, sure have their work cut out for them. Harry's going to have to unmask the killer before she ends up next on his list.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 22, 2013
    ISBN9781470379575
    The Litter of the Law

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    Reviews for The Litter of the Law

    3.5/5

    38 ratings32 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Quite a silly book, but very cute. The perfect setting for a festive Halloween mystery. And I loved how she randomly threw in so much political messaging. Rita Mae Brown never disappoints.
    • 4/5
      Halloween is one of my favourite holidays so, when I saw The Litter of the Law on Netgalley, how could I resist. This is one of those books I found hard to review because I am torn in my opinion. There was a lot of stuff I liked but a lot I didn’t.I have never read another book in the series and, given their popularity, perhaps this isn’t the best example but this is the one I read so here goes... I found the premise really interesting, dead bodies hidden in Halloween decorations. Okay, not particularly original but always fun. I also learned a bit about Virginia politics vis a vis First Nations tribes and identification, Mexican delicacies, and organic versus nonorganic farming, just to name a few. This may not appeal to others but I’m a sucker for interesting factoids even those I can’t work into casual conversations. And actually I thought this was rather an ingenious way of hiding the solution. I mean, in other cozies I’ve read, the solution is usually hidden among puffery like the wrong colour of dress or the lack of pet hairs so, hey, I can get on board with the idea of learning stuff while reading a mystery.But there was just too much extraneous material. The story got so bogged down in the town’s doings, the Hayride, relationships, the maintenance of a farm and its equipment that the mystery itself got buried in miscellany. And the characters were all so nice, not an evil, demented or even slightly bent member among them. This is either the nicest fictional town ever or just a town full of psychopaths playing at being nice (given the fact that this is #21 in the series, I’m kinda leaning to the second premise). Either way, it seemed, at times, like the only characters with any depth were the animals who, at least, were snarky on occasion.Still, I didn’t hate the book. In fact, in the end. I’d have to say I found it, if not compelling, certainly worth the read – as I said I learned stuff, some of which I consider important like the meaning of ‘paper genocide’ and I say this without any snark. I like books which rise above the usual simple ruffle-no-feathers, investigate-no-controversies so as not to alienate readers. The characters may have been one-dimensional but I give the author credit for using her book to educate her readers about important issues while entertaining them. I don’t know if this is limited to just this book or common throughout the series but I give author Rita Mae Brown props for doing it at all.
    • 2/5
      Harry tries to solve the murder of a man that was found dressed up as a scarecrow as well as being the reenactment of a scene that is set up in a local shop. There are additional murders in the town that follow the same scenario, all occurring around Halloween. Her cats and dog try to help solve the mysteries. The mystery culminates at the annual hay ride fund raiser for the library where the murder and his motives are revealed. This was an okay book, but I found it rather confusing when the animals would have conversations interjected into the human conversations. I would probably not read more books by this author.
    • 4/5
      I received this book through the Early Reviewers program, although it was originally published in 2013.In the latest installment of Rita and Sneaky Pie Brown's series, set in October, Harry Haristeen and her husband discover a scarecrow which is actually attracting crows--it's the corpse of a local accountant who seems to have known no one who would want to kill him. Soon after this murder, a local eccentric but much-loved owner of an organic farmer's market is found, dressed as a witch, in the Halloween scene. Working with Deputy Cynthia Cooper and her trusty animal sidekicks, Harry pieces facts and maps together to unmask (literally) the killer. As usual, Harry's beloved pets race to her rescue just as the killer is about to strike her.This was a pretty good book. It was better than the last few in the series, in which the author gets on a soap box about a particular topic and spends more time lecturing about it than pursuing the mystery. I was able to figure out "whodunnit" before the end but still enjoyed the conclusion.
    • 3/5
      This is the first Mrs. Murphy mystery I have read. While it was a fun light read, there was a bit too much exposition for my liking - I felt like I was being talked down to a bit. Example - when the FDA is mentioned, there is a sidebar to explain that the character was using the acronym for the Food and Drug Administration. That's just one example - there were quite a few others. I felt like there was too much backstory about things that if I really wanted to know what they were, I could go research them on my own. So while not my style, still a good story that I'm sure fans will enjoy.
    • 3/5
      Not as good as some of the others in the series—typical dilution of wonderfulness as the series progresses—but still a pleasant read. The plot starts out slow, giving historical background for the treatment of Virginia’s Native Americans but once the chase begins no one does it better than Rita Mae Brown. In this story the talking dog and cats don’t add much to the plot but I found their conversations with other animals of interest. I will continue to read this series hoping for more glimpses of the magic I discovered in the early books. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      I always worry about books in long series. If I have read the series for a long time, my worry is simply that the characters will cease to grow, and that issues will become easier, rather than more complex. I have not read a number of the books in the series Mrs. Murphey mysteries, and I worried that the book would require knowledge I did not have, from books I missed. So I started reading, with these many worries in my mind.My worries were not so much answered, as they simply disappeared as I became so involved in the story. I finished the book in one sitting, and started my second way through it without remembering why I had avoided the series after I could no longer afford to buy each one.The main characters I remembered were there, but older and in relationships I didn't know. The complexities of living in the small town seeing development they were not sure of were well written and seamlessly integrated in the story plot, not highlighted needlessly. Rita Mae (and Sneaky Pie) Brown continued her habit of tackling social issues with the dual issues of GMO foods and Native American rights. Yes, as usual, these issues were simply issues the characters were dealing with, not preaching with a thin layer of plot. It was the plot and the characters that drove the book, not the issues.I am glad to add this to my library, and will now go back and add those I missed in between happy that my worries were needless with Rita Mae Brown at the computer.
    • 4/5
      I've read a few of Rita Mae Brown's books before. They are cute especially if you are an animal lover. They are entertaining and have a good story line. She presents a lot of information her home area. If you like her other books, this is a good addition to them.
    • 3/5
      I have read Mrs. Murphy books since Rita Mae Brown started. I had taken a break from them for a few years and was excited to read a new one as part of the Early Readers program. Always a light mystery, this one was no exception. Unfortunately it was all too predictable and formulaic for my tastes. About two pages after the first murder, the prospective suspect was revealed. All that was needed was the rest of the book to state the obvious. It would have been nice to have some plot twists to confuse the issue, but it was all pretty cut and dried. Evil land developers want to remove any obstacles to their plans by local landowners. Ah well, the animals still had fun in the story, and for some that is the main reason to read Mrs. Murphy mysteries in the first place.
    • 5/5
      Another great read in the Mrs. Murphy series. This time Harry, Fair and the animals have to help solve a gruesome murder. You will not look at scarecrows the same after reading this book. Good time to read with Halloween and the fall season on their way.
    • 3/5
      This is a nice light mystery with the expected elements that characterize this series. I enjoyed the story and particularly appreciated the illustrations, which are lovely and a rarity in modern fiction books. I also appreciated the insight into the history of the Virginia Native American tribes and the phenomenon of "paper genocide" which was a new concept to me. One of the things I appreciate in Brown's work is the little historical details that she clearly takes the trouble to research and portray accurately.The characterization and plot feel a little thin compared to the early books in the series. I get a sense that the author has really said all she has to say about this particular set of characters and is struggling to respond to the demands of fans for more books.Worth reading.
    • 5/5
      I was happy to receive Rita Mae Brown's "The Litter of the Law" from the LibraryThing Early Reviews. I've read many of her books and enjoy the "cozy mysteries". It's especially good if you enjoy animals and a simple farm/country life with a bit of small town sophistication thrown in. I enjoyed this book and will continue to look for new books in this series.
    • 3/5
      The Litter of the Law is a further volume in the Mrs. Murphy Mystery series, feature the cat Mrs. Murphy and her friends. In this installment, set around Halloween, bodies begin to show up in 'interesting' situations. For example, one is found as a scarecrow. One body leads to another and a mystery must be solved.While the writing is as well done as the others in the series, the end, the climax, was confusing and abrupt. True, I was reading this book in bed as I was falling asleep, but I had to reread sections to figure out who did what. It almost seemed that the author got to page 250 and said, "Oh gee, I have to wrap this up quickly."
    • 2/5
      I used to really enjoy this series - up until Cat of the Century. There is so much political preaching and Ms. Browne has become so fond of her soapbox that I don't know that I will be reading any more. I don't remember the early books being so full of prejudice and trying to push ideas down your throat. The actual mysteries have been getting lost in all the sermonizing (about many different beliefs), and if I want to read any more of these, I think I'll just go back and read the earliest ones. It might be different if it felt like the preaching was furthering the story, but it just feels like she's trying to express as many of her own opinions through her characters as possible. Entirely inappropriate! No more lecturing, please!
    • 4/5
      The animals continue to crack me up every time I read a Rita Mae Brown novel. Brown does a great job in setting the Autumn scenery and showing how unsolved killings can affect the small town. And of course, Harry just gets stuck in the middle of it all. A fun mystery.
    • 4/5
      Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen and her husband, Fair, are out with their dog, Tee Tucker, and their cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, when the animals find a very interesting scarecrow, apparently being torn apart by crows.

      Why would crows be attacking a scarecrow?

      It's a corpse. His name was Josh Hill, and he was shot through the heart before being dressed as a scarecrow and hung up in the field. It's the start of a frightening October, building toward Halloween and the annual hayride to raise money for the Crozet Library.

      Tee Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, and the often reluctant Pewter need to keep a close eye on their favorite human, Harry, as well as doing (in their minds) all the real investigation of this shocking crime.

      When Harry and her friend Susan find another corpse, this one dressed up as a witch and inserted into the Halloween display on the lawn of a local church, everyone starts to get alarmed, and Harry, Susan, and their sheriff's deputy friend Coop begin to wonder who it is among their friends and neighbors that's killing their neighbors.

      Harry Haristeen is always fun to read about, though of course Tucker, Mrs. Murphy, and Pewter are the real stars of the series. This is a nicely plotted mystery, a visit with old friends, and a pleasant evening read as Halloween approaches. The Virginia boosterism can at times seem a bit smug and a bit much, but I assume most people feel the same way about their part of the country. Indeed, I feel sorry for them if they don't.

      Recommended.

      I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
    • 4/5
      Have not read any of the other Mrs. Murphy Mysteries but this was fun to read. It has talking animals which at times is distracting to the main story line. They seem like comic relief in a mystery.Spoiler Alert:This one involves the murder of an account and a local eccentric. The two had been researching tribal lands in the local area and how to get it back to the indigenous people. It does have lots of background information on the local townspeople and the goings on in the little community. Although this seems like fluff and does not do much to forward the main plot it is nice background and character development. Well worth the read and has me interested in reading other books from the series.
    • 1/5
      If you want to learn about crimes against indigenous tribes , organic gardening or certain types of politics instead of reading a cozy mystery, then this will be a great book for you.I have stayed away from Ms. Browns work for a while now ever since she started taking the books into a new direction and infusing them with the authors opinions on politics, world views, religion et al. I thought I would give this author one more try I am sorry I bothered. We are back to the rants and raves of previous books with the added thrill of the environment. Yes, I know Harry is farmer now so environmental concerns are important, but they don’t really make for an interesting cozy mystery read.People are dying and the corpses are being arranged in gruesome and very public manners. Of course, Harry and Fair stumble accidentally on the first corpse. (Big mistake to take the postmistress job away from Harry, however that came about, it makes for weaker less believable story lines now). It takes about 60% of the novel and a thin novel it is already, for anything interesting or even resembling a clue, to happen! I usually love the animals, but this time I found their dialogue tedious at best - plain old word filler at worse. It was a huge struggle for me to finish this book. I used to be able to just sit there and gulp them down in one sitting, but no more. Reading this cozy mystery novel was like reading a textbook.*ARC Supplied by Publisher*Good luck readers!
    • 3/5
      The Litter of the Law is about two murders that occur right before Halloween. Harry and her husband find the first victim while stopped on the side of the road-the dead man is arranged like a scarecrow. The next is a friend and a a neighbor, Hester, and she is found in a Halloween scene near a church. The whole gang is on the case...
    • 4/5
      Thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, I now have The Litter of the Law. I've read almost all of the Mrs. Murphy mysteries, so the usual cast isn't new to me. This entry takes place during October, including my favorite holiday: Halloween.Yes, the characters do discuss a lot of things that appear to be Ms. Brown preaching to the readers, but in print it's not that bad (tried to listen to only one audio version of a later book and couldn't finish the first CD). Most of the items I enjoyed learning.The villains weren't exactly hard to figure out, but this has never been a series I've read for the plots. The characters are what keep me coming back, and it's delightful that the cast list for the main animals is headed, 'The Really Important Characters' (Sneaky Pie's choice, no doubt). A number of regulars have only small roles this time around. Harry, Fair, Susan, Reverend Jones, Deputy Cooper, and Tazio are definitely in evidence, though. There's a sick twist to the murders that would do a horror movie proud.My favorite scene was the Halloween hayride. Wish I could have been there. I'm sure the attendees got their money's worth. Finding out about the old abandoned schoolhouses in Random Row was interesting, but the story of real-life white supremacist Walter Ashby Plecker and the evil he did... Let's just say that the more primitive part of my mind thinks it's a shame he didn't step into traffic without looking before he got started. My father's family is part Cherokee, so I'm glad he and his brothers and sisters didn't grow up in Virginia where Plecker could have made their lives worse. (I am puzzled that none of the books' characters thought of genetic testing to provide proof of heritage.) It seems long overdue for the damage to be overturned by the Federal government. Tee Tucker and Mrs. Murphy really do come through in the climax (I don't believe Pewter for a moment). All in all, this was a good cozy.This paperback edition has an excerpt from the next book, Nine Lives to Die, which seems promising, although the copyright page warns us that the excerpt may not reflect the final content.
    • 3/5
      A little preachy, as can be expected, but it all tied in with the mystery this time, so at least it was relevant. I like that Cooper is more involved in the stories lately.
    • 5/5
      What can i say .. Rita mae brown is an excelent auther . this is one of my favorite books in the series . great storyline good charactors.
    • 4/5
      I have read every book in this series so far, and while this isn't the best book in the series, it's another winner. All of the usual characters are back, although Harry, Fair and Susan are most prominent. They mystery is interesting, and I especially appreciate that there was much less political posturing and editorializing than in the last several books. That was refreshing as I read mysteries for the mystery, not to hear the author's political rantings over and over again. I recommend this book if you have enjoyed the previous books in this series. You won't be disappointed! I look forward to the next book.
    • 4/5
      I have read several books in Brown's Mrs. Murphy series although not in order, and The Litter of the Law proved to be another wonderful addition to the series. I always enjoy returning to the world of Harry, Mrs. Murphy, Pewter, Tucker, and the other wonderful characters of Crozet, and this book proved to be another fine adventure. I absolutely love how Brown takes her animal characters and brings them to life and gives them not just a personality of their own but also their own voice. This series is the perfect fit for any cozy mystery fan who happens to be an animal lover as well. Brown delivers an intriguing mystery full of many twists and turns that keeps the reader guessing in The Litter of the Law. I also enjoy how the author brings in history and knowledge of farming into the story. Overall The Litter of the Law was a great read and another wonderful addition to one of my favorite series.Received a copy of The Litter of the Law through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 2/5
      Admittedly, this is the first book in this series, which is now stands at 23, that I have read. This book is number 21 in the series. I realize that will color my view since I don’t have background with this series but I have to wonder if this book is representative of the series. If it is, I’m thrilled that I haven’t wasted my time. If it’s not, then it was a particularly bad introduction. It is a complete miss to me as a mystery lover.If you want to know all the ills that have been visited on the Virginia Indian tribes, and I’m sure they are have indeed been mistreated in the past, then this is the book for you. If you need to know what there is to know about organic farming methods, then this is the book for you. If you want to know how evil capitalists are, then this is the book for you. If you want a good mystery, move along. It has a promising start. The first murder victim is found hung up as a scarecrow, shortly before Halloween. Of course, our MC Harry is one of the people that find him and is determined to solve the case even though she is repeatedly warned by others to stop or be careful. The mystery just really doesn’t go anywhere and we’re certainly not given the clues to solve the case. It seems as if the mystery is just a reason for the author to state her worldviews. I don’t like being hit over the head with a hammer when I’m just looking for some entertainment.I suspect that if I had read the other books in this series, I might be quite fond of these characters. Meeting them brand new, not so much. They come across as self-righteous and self-important. By the way, the title has nothing to do with the story. There is no litter of anything. I assumed there might be kittens or something but there isn’t. Just 2 full grown cats and a dog.There are obviously a lot of fans of this series or there wouldn’t be so many books. So, is it worth my time to go back and try an earlier book or should I just move along?I received this through LibraryThing’s Early Reader program and appreciated the opportunity to read and review it.
    • 3/5
      It is autumn in Crozet, Virginia and Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her husband Fair decide to take a ride and enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, their idyllic ride is ruined when they discover that a scarecrow in a cornfield is actually the body of a murder victim. Harry can't get the murder victim out of her mind and begins looking into the background of the victim. When a second murder occurs, Harry soon finds herself knee-deep in murder. She needs to be careful though or she’ll be the next victim.“The Litter of the Law” represents what I both love and hate about Rita Mae Brown's books. What I love: the characters – Harry, Fair, their dog Tucker and their cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter (who not only talk to each other but try to help Harry solve mysteries even if she doesn't know it). I also like the mystery - it is a bit gruesome but well plotted and suspenseful. The fact that the events take place near Halloween add just the right amount of suspense to the book especially towards the end of the book. What I don't like about the book: the preachiness. I was just getting caught up in the story when Brown let her political views creep into the book which pulled me right out of the storyline and made me roll my eyes. I continued reading the book but the politicizing managed to ruin much of my enjoyment. “The Litter of the Law” could have been a great book but turned out to be only so-so.
    • 3/5
      One way I can become immersed in the beauty of autumn is through books, vicariously experiencing the season through the story’s setting and characters. One of those novels that does exactly this is Rita Mae Brown’s The Litter of the Law. The series is set in a small rural farming community called Crozet, Virginia, which is also a real town. The Litter of the Law takes place in October and centers on the protagonist, Mary Minor Haristeen or “Harry” who finds herself caught up in solving a series of bizarre murders as Halloween approaches. However, Harry isn’t the only one doing some sleuthing. Her loyal, loving four-legged feline companions, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with Tee Tucker the corgi are right there beside her, helping to find clues and providing backup in case it’s needed. This little band of quirky sidekicks provides an additional layer of amusement as readers can’t help but get caught up in their non-human, often entertaining, bickering and teasing. This is the first book I’ve read in the series, and although it can stand alone, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had started the series from the beginning. The author has created an entire detailed fictional community with lots of characters, townspeople, who have ongoing roles in each installment. Brown does provide a list of the “Cast of Characters” at the beginning of the book to explain each character’s connection to Harry and her family and/or their relevance to the plot. However, trying to remember who‘s who overwhelmed me at times and became a distraction from my enjoying the crux of the book: Harry’s search to discover why people are being murdered in her quiet, little close-knit community. If I followed the series, I may have been more interested in the chit chat that occurs about various characters in the book even though they aren’t involved in this particular plot. This slowed the pacing of the story and I was bored by some of these non-relevant conversations. However, when I wasn’t distracted by these aspects of the book, I did enjoy trying to connect the clues Harry and the others discover in the scenes leading up to my favorite part of the book: the annual Halloween Hayride. The climax was suspenseful and I wasn’t completely sure who the guilty party was until an elaborate scheme is exposed. Of course, Harry and her entourage prove themselves as worthy heroes by the book’s conclusion. Another aspect of the plot I really enjoyed is the author’s inclusion of the plight of the Monocan people, Native Americans of Virginia who had been stripped of their rights when the state of Virginia refused to officially recognize this indigenous tribe. The author incorporates their struggles into the plot smoothly and effectively, adding an additional layer of interest to the story. If you like reading cozy mysteries, then I would recommend checking out this series because, as Brown says, “It takes a cat to write the purr-fect mystery.” Source: I received a copy of this book from the publisher to provide an honest review.
    • 3/5
      The Litter Of The Law is a nice little cozy, but one that comes with an agenda. Although part of a series, it functions well as a stand-alone novel; and if you're looking for a light summer read, this might be the book for you.
    • 4/5
      This series is a bit unusual in that a cat named Sneaky Pie Brown helped write it. Perhaps because of that, there are a good deal of animal characters (one of whom reportedly looks astonishingly like Sneaky Pie Brown), all of whom can talk to each other but who are not understood by humans. The animals' antics are surely one reason this series is so popular – it's a New York Times bestseller – but the human characters are also interesting, and the mystery is intriguing. Mary Minor 'Harry' Haristeen and her husband, Fair, have a farm and a number of animals – not the least of whom are Mrs Murphy, the grey tiger cat; Tee Tucker, a corgi; and Pewter, a grey cat who loves eating more than just about anything else in the world. It's these three animals who do the most to help Harry when she's trying to solve a mystery, although they also enlist help from the other animals: crows, a possum, horses, a fox, and others. In this installment, Harry, Fair, and their brood come across a scarecrow – a familiar sight in farmland, especially in October – but what isn't familiar is the attention the scarecrow is getting from the local crows, who are pecking at the scarecrow as if it's some sort of delicacy. Which, it turns out, it is, at least to crows. The scarecrow is actually a murder victim dressed up. This grisly discovery is only the start; as Harry digs deeper, she uncovers an insidious plot that she and the other inhabitants of Crozet find both horrifying and enraging. But it's only a matter of time before the perpetrator realises Harry is getting too close and decides to cut his losses . . . A good, quick read, The Litter of the Law will no doubt satisfy both those new to the series and those who are steadfast followers of Mrs Murphy and her gang of animal sleuths. If it were up to us, though, we'd opt for a bit less of the talk of crops and more from the animals' points of view. All in all, well done, and there's a handy reference guide at the beginning so you won't get lost amongst all the characters.
    • 2/5
      The Mrs. Murphy series was always one of my favorites. The setting is beautiful Virginia horse country, with great well fleshed out characters, some talking animals and a good mystery at the heart of the story, but unfortunately in recent installments Ms. Brown has chosen to shoe horn her political and social beliefs into every story. Sometimes subtly and sometimes with brute force.
      It's become a real turn off and I'm thinking this will be the last time I read one of these books.