Kirkus
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A farmer and her anthropomorphic pets solve yet another murder in Crozet, Virginia. Mary Minor Haristeen is a graduate of Smith College, a former postmistress, dedicated farmer, and capable amateur sleuth with a long string of solved murders to her and her pets’ credit. Harry’s current pets are two cats, clever Mrs. Murphy and vain Pewter, and two dogs, brave corgi Tucker and sweet Pirate, an Irish wolfhound who’s still growing. Her husband, Fair Haristeen, is an equine vet who’s just had his ribs broken by Silver Silence, a valuable thoroughbred stallion whose behavior has never before been a problem. At the emergency room, Fair is treated by Dr. Wilson Anglin, who has a profitable sideline flipping homes. Harry’s best friend, Susan Tucker, thinks one of Dr. Anglin’s not-yet-renovated projects would make a perfect haunted house for a Halloween fundraiser on behalf of her Seeing Eye Rescue Group. When Dr. Anglin agrees, they set to work planning a scare house, but the real scares are elsewhere. Soon after neighbor Carolyn Maki hires Bumpy, who’s recently out of rehab, to paint her shed, she, Harry, and Fair find him dead, clutching a paintbrush. Although the death is at first ascribed to natural causes, an autopsy shows that Bumpy was killed by chlorine. Harry’s curious nature prods her to help her friend, sheriff’s deputy Cynthia Cooper, look into the local drug trade. When two unidentified women also turn up dead from chlorine, Harry’s investigation goes into overdrive. With help from the pets’ superior senses, Harry and Fair’s search for answers comes to a shocking conclusion. Animal lovers rejoice. The delightful sleuths in this long-running series never disappoint. Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.