Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1)

Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1)
Wish You Were Here - Mrs Murphy, Bk 1
Author: Rita Mae Brown, Sneaky Pie Brown
Curiosity just might be the death of Mrs. Murphy -- and her human companion, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen.  Small towns are like families:  Everyone lives very close together... and everyone keeps secrets.  Crozet, Virginia, is a typical small town -- until its secrets explode into murder. Crozet's thirty-something p...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780553058819
ISBN-10: 0553058819
Publication Date: 11/1/1990
Pages: 242
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 15

3.8 stars, based on 15 ratings
Publisher: Bantam
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 330 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Originally, I had started reading these books out of order and decided that I would probably have a better understanding of who the characters were if I went back to the beginning. Well, apparently Ms Brown does a pretty good job in rehashing past storylines because I don't think that going back really changed my understanding of who anyone really is. So, with this series, you really can start anywhere and not be missing out on who all the main characters are.

Crozet, Virginia, is a typical small town until its secrets explode into murder. Crozet, Virginia's thirty-something post-mistress, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, has a bad habit of reading postcards not addressed to her. So when Crozet's citizens start turning up murdered, Harry remembers that each received a card with a tombstone on the front and the message "Wish you were here" on the back. So with the help of her cat, Mrs. Murphy and Welsh Corgi, Tucker, Harry sets out to find who is behind the murders and what else is being covered up.

The only thing that throws me off of this series are the small sections where you can tell that Ms Brown is trying to make a political statement. I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I'm here to read a cozy type mystery, not witness the authors political views.

Over all the series is pretty good, the reoccurring characters make the books enjoyable and the easy style that Ms Brown writes in allows the reader to come and go from the storyline - what I call a great "waiting for the kids" kind of book. Easy to pick up and put down without feeling that you have to go back a couple of chapter to remember where you were.
bibliocat avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 76 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
First book in one of my all time favorite mystery series. It is a very good read and if you love it... you will have lots of books to look forward to reading.
beth213 avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 31 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This is the first in a great series - the characters are eccentric but real, the animal dialogue is actually believable and really funny, and the story goes along at a good pace. Once you start it, it will be hard to put down.
Read All 19 Book Reviews of "Wish You Were Here Mrs Murphy Bk 1"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

elvislives81 avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 43 more book reviews
I really liked the main characters for this book, Mrs. Murphy (the cat) and the dog, her best friend. The book was so cute, loved it, it was a very enjoyable read. The murders were gruesome, but not in a scary way. I have the first three books in the series and I definitely am looking forward to reading them!
stitch0852 avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
When postcards of cemeteries arrive with "wish you were here" messages, Harry Haristeen, Postmistress of Crozet, VA sees the cards when they arrive (hey, postcards are fair game). When recipients of these postcards are killed off after getting a card, Harry tries to help solve the crimes.

Mrs. Murphy (a tiger-striped cat) and Tucker (Welsh Corgi), blessed with communication skills between one another but not with humans, attempt to learn what they can to help keep Harry safe.

The first in a long series wonderfully captures the animals communicating with one another and shows how often they are misunderstood by humans. As they learn new clues, they attempt to communicate their finds only to be misunderstood.

Can they keep Harry safe from the killer? Will the killer be discovered in time to prevent more murders?

A book well worth the read.
reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 625 more book reviews
THIS IS A REALLY FUN BOOK, especially since the cat did the "lion's share" of the writing of it. And the cat is far smarter than her owner!!!
ladycholla avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 2081 more book reviews
Very good, interesting concept with the cat and dog. Enjoyed it and hope it continues.
kittyclub2005 avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 8 more book reviews
I liked this book. It was funny and new to me. nice perspective of human and animal. Will read the rest of the series.
necardgal avatar reviewed Wish You Were Here (Mrs Murphy, Bk 1) on + 10 more book reviews
A good, basic mystery. Nice touch having it seen through the eyes of the pets. Looks like it'll be a neat series to start.


Genres: