Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown, Puss 'n Cahoots

Puss 'n Cahoots

Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

Bantam, Mar 2007, $25.00

ISBN: 0553803646

Veterinarian Fair Haristeen and his beloved wife Harry, accompanied by her feline friends Mrs. Murphy and Pewter and the cats' canine pet Tee Tucker, attend the esteemed Saddlebred horse show in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Two friends, husband and wife trainer Larry Hodge and Kalarama Farm owner and breeder Joan Hamilton, also attend the prestigious event.

Joan's valuable diamond pin disappears at about the time that movie star Renata DeCarlo finds the Kalarama Farm groom with his throat sliced. Even worse, her prize horse Queen Esther is missing. Harry assumes that the lost mare is a publicity stunt by an actress whose career is fading with her becoming middle aged and she believes odious trainer Booty Pollard abetted in the snatch because he needs money to pay for his expensive wardrobe. Meanwhile the INS raids the gala seeking illegals amongst the hands while someone blows up the truck of another trainer Ward Findlay. The local law enforcement deems a rival like Larry, Booty or Charly Treadwell committed the deed, but Harry thinks otherwise. Meanwhile her feline sleuths accompanied by the courageous Corgi battle Miss Nasty the monkey while seeking out that dumb Esther and solving the homicide.

The insight into a major horse show is deep and electrifying as the rivalry between the attending four trainers and their retinue explodes. It is fun to follow the animal capers as the felines and their canine pet work the clues to solve the cases. Though the mysteries are not quite up to the standards normally worked by Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, fans of personification whodunits will enjoy their latest cat caper.

Harriet Klausner