Whisker of Evil

by Rita Mae Brown

 

Whisker of Evil

Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

Bantam Books

 

 

I confess. As much of a Brown fan as I am, this is the first of her mystery books I’ve read. Not because I lost my affection for Brown’s rose, but because I’m just not a fan of mystery novels.

With that said, I was completely shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. At first I thought it might be difficult to keep up with the dialogue between the three main animal characters (yes, they do talk amongst themselves and to their humans), Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, both cats, and Tee Tucker, a Corgi. However, it was no problem as the animal dialogue is printed in a different font than the rest of the book.

Another reason for not reading the mystery series was that Brown had started making her main characters straight, which was a far cry from her novels of lesbian love and life, such as Sudden Death. I was happy to discover at least two lesbian characters and a possible third within the pages.

Whisker of Evil is the story of Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her three animals (mentioned above). From the very start, the mystery begins as the four of them stumble across a dying neighbor. There are plenty of suspects to go around, as well as more than enough motives, not to mention three more deaths. With the help of local law enforcement, her ex-husband, her three furry companions and a host of characters and plot twists, Harry unveils the murderer and is rescued by Mrs. Murphy, Pewter and Tee Tucker. To say any more would certainly spoil the suspense, which Brown builds like a pro.

Even if you’re not a Brown fan, or a lesbian, Whisker of Evil is a definite must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery.

(as published in Family & Friends Magazine, April 2004)