Рита Браун - Catch As Cat Can

But we all have each other. We're all healthy. The fences are strong. The cattle are fat and the horses are so happy, they're silly.

Farming is a hard life if your goal is to be wealthy but I agree with Mom and Harry, it's the only life for us. When the sun rises and the Blue Ridge Mountains turn scarlet, the roosters wake up, the horses, too, and I can smell the earth, oh, I tell you, this is as close to paradise as a kitty can get. Sometimes, I climb into the big wisteria twining on the front entranceway to the house. The leaves flutter over my head, the praying mantises are everywhere, birds dart in, and sometimes they don't even know I'm there! It's the best of the best and I hope you are having half as much fun in this life as I am.

Yours in catitude,

Sneaky Pie

www.ritamaebrown.com

About the Authors

Rita Mae Brown is the bestselling author of several books. An Emmy-nominated screenwriter and a poet, she lives in Afton, Virginia.

Sneaky Pie Brown, a tiger cat born somewhere in Albemarle County, Virginia, was discovered by Rita Mae Brown at her local SPCA. They have collaborated on nine previous Mrs. Murphy mysteries: Wish You Were Here; Rest in Pieces; Murder at Monticello; Pay Dirt; Murder, She Meowed; Murder on the Prowl; Cat on the Scent; Pawing Through the Past; and Claws and Effect, plus Sneaky Pie's Cookbook for Mystery Lovers.

BOOKS BY RITA MAE BROWN

& SNEAKY PIE BROWN

Wish You Were Here

Rest in Pieces

Murder at Monticello

Pay Dirt

Murder, She Meowed

Murder on the Prowl

Cat on the Scent

Sneaky Pie's Cookbook for Mystery Lovers

Pawing Through the Past

Claws and Effect

Catch as Cat Can

BOOKS BY RITA MAE BROWN

The Hand That Cradles the Rock

Songs to a Handsome Woman

The Plain Brown Rapper

Rubyfruit Jungle

In Her Day

Six of One

Southern Discomfort

Sudden Death

High Hearts

Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writers' Manual

Bingo

Venus Envy

Dolley: A Novel of Dolley Madison in Love and War

Riding Shotgun

Rita Will: Memoir of a Literary Rabble-Rouser

Loose Lips

Outfoxed

Alma Mater

Hotspur

PRAISE FOR THE MRS. MURPHY SERIES

CATCH AS CAT CAN

“This latest is as good as its predecessors . . . thoroughly enjoyable.” —Winston-Salem Journal

“Light, fun, and quite possibly addictive to fans of the cozy mystery, especially to those who believe in the high intelligence of our four-footed friends. And who among pet owners does not?” —Romance Reviews Today

“Brown's proven brand of murder and mayhem played out against a background of Virginia gentility and idealized animals is once again up to scratch.” —Publishers Weekly

“Any new Mrs. Murphy is a joyful reading experience, and Catch as Cat Can is no exception. . . . An adult mystery that appeals to the child in all of us.” —The Midwest Book Review

“The[se] mysteries continue to be a true treat.” — The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC

“An entertaining read in a fun series.” —Mystery News

CLAWS AND EFFECT

“Mrs. Murphy, the incomparable feline sleuth with attitude, returns to captivate readers. . . . An intriguing and well-executed mystery . . . Grateful fans will relish this charming addition by a master of the cozy cat genre.” — Publishers Weekly

“Reading a Mrs. Murphy mystery is like eating a potato chip. You always go back for more. . . . Whimsical and enchanting . . . The latest expert tale from a deserving bestselling series.” —The Midwest Book Review

“As charming as ever.” — The Tennessean

“With intricate plot twists that will keep readers guessing right up until the end, Claws and Effect once again blends murder and mayhem with animal antics.” — Pet Life

“Fans old and new will enjoy this witty and suspenseful installment.” — Cats & Kittens

“Another charming and elegantly spun yarn.” —The Providence Sunday Journal

“Excellent series . . . Another murder in Crozet would be most welcome.” — Winston-Salem Journal

PAWING THROUGH THE PAST

“This is a cat-lover's dream of a mystery. . . . ‘Harry' is simply irresistible. . . . [Rita Mae] Brown once again proves herself ‘Queen of Cat Crimes.'. . . Don't miss out on this lively series, for it's one of the best around.” — Old Book Barn Gazette

“Apparently eight's the charm for Rita Mae Brown and her cat, Sneaky Pie, whose latest adventure just may be the best in this long-running series.” — Booklist

“Another delightful mystery . . . Once again, Rita Mae Brown proves she can capture the ambiance of life in a small southern town and, more impressively, get readers to accept thinking, mystery-solving cats and dogs.” — The Virginian Pilot

“Cleverly crafted . . . Fans of the Mrs. Murphy series will want to immediately read this novel, while newcomers will search for the previous books.” — The Midwest Book Review

“A delightful cozy mystery, all the more so because of the active role the pets take in solving the crime . . . [The] puzzling mystery will shock and delight you.” — Romantic Times

“Rita Mae Brown's books are always well written, always entertaining, always full of interesting people becoming involved with plots, plans and emotional entanglements. Pawing Through the Past is no exception.” — I Love a Mystery

CAT ON THE SCENT

“Rita and Sneaky Pie know how to grab a reader. This fun-loving and delightful mystery is a must even if you're not a cat lover.” — The Pilot, Southern Pines, NC

“These provocative mysteries just glow.” — Mystery Lovers Bookshop News

“Features all the traits of purebred fun. . . . The antics of the animals, Brown's witty observations, the history-revering Virginians, and the Blue Ridge setting make this a pleasurable read for lovers of this popular genre.” — BookPage

“Animal antics and criminal capers combine captivatingly in Cat on the Scent .” — The San Diego Union-Tribune

“A charming and keen-eyed take on human misdeeds and animal shenanigans . . . Told with spunk and plenty of whimsy, this is another delightful entry in a very popular series.” — Publishers Weekly

“A fine murder mystery . . . For fans of Mrs. Murphy and her pals, both two- and four-legged, Cat on the Scent smells like a winner.” — The Virginian-Pilot

“Charming.” — People

MURDER ON THE PROWL

“Leave it to a cat to grasp the essence of the cozy mystery: namely, murder among friends.” — The New York Times Book Review

“Will charm even the reader generally indifferent to animals, while animal lovers and those who enjoy a good cozy will simply lap this one up.” — Publishers Weekly

MURDER, SHE MEOWED

“As feline collaborators go, you couldn't ask for better than Sneaky Pie Brown, the canny tiger cat. . . . Solid storytelling.” — The New York Times Book Review

“The intriguing characters in this much-loved series continue to entertain.” — Nashville Banner