Murder on the Prowl A Mrs. Murphy Mystery

Ittakesacattowritethepurr-fectmystery—"Peoplewholovecats...haveafriendinRitaMaeBrown，"declaresTheNewYorkTimesBookReview.Andnowhereisitmoreobviousthaninthis，hersixthdeliciouslywittyforayintodetectivefictionwrittenwiththepaws-onhelpofcollaboratorSneakyPieBrown，andstarringthatirrepressiblecrime-solvingtigercat，Mrs.Murphy.AstheprincipalofSt.Elizabeth's，anexclusiveprivateschoolthatcaterstoCrozet，Virginia's，bestfamilies，RoscoeFletcherhasprovenhimselftobeahighlyeffectiveandvastlypopularadministrator.Sowhenhisobituaryappearsinthelocalpaper，everyoneintownisupset.YetnothingcomparestotheshocktheyfeelwhentheydiscoverthatRoscoeFletcherisn'tdeadatall.Someonehasstoopedtoputtingaphonyobituaryinthenewspaper.Butisitasickjokeorasinisterwarning?OnlyMrs.Murphy，thecannytigercat，sensesthepuremalicebehindtheact.Andwhenasecondfalseobitappears，thistimeofaHollywoodhas-beenwhoisRoscoeFletcher'sbestfriend，Mrs.Murphyinvitesherfriends，thecorgiTeeTucker，andfatcatPewter，todoabitofsleuthing.It'sobvioustothisshrewdpussthattwophonydeathnoticesadduptodeadlytrouble.Andhertheoryisborneoutwhenoneofthemenisfiendishlymurdered."Harry"Haristeen，inherpositionasCrozet'spostmistress，isthefirsttohearallthetheoriesonwhodunit—startingwiththeman'sjealouswife.Thenasecondbloodyhomicidefollows，andathird.PeoplearedroppinglikefliesinCrozetandnooneseemstoknowwhy.Fearlesslyexploringalltheplaceswherehumansneverthinktogo，Mrs.Murphymanagestountangletheknotsofpassion，duplicity，andgreedthathavesentsomeoneintoakillingfrenzy.Yetknowingthetruthisn'tenough.Mrs.MurphymustsomehowleadHarry，herfavoritehuman，downatrailthatisperilous...toakillerwhoisdeadly...andaclimaxthatmysteryloverswillrelish.