One Bear's Opinion -- Book Review

Cat of the Century by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

I am still working my way through the Rita Mae and Sneaky Pie Brown Mrs. Murphy books.  This is the second to last before my housemate picks up some more later this year.  She and her mother share the books, with her mother reading them first and then forwarding them on to us.  It's nice to have good friends who read the same series.  It's very nice to have other people (or bears) with whom to discuss the books.

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Warning:   This review contains what may be considered spoilers to some readers.  Please stop reading this entry if you do not want to have your experience of the book potentially ruined by what I will discuss below.

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Cat of the Century was set during the celebration of one of the main recurring character's 100th birthday.  That event had such potential, but the book fell flat in highlighting it.  Perhaps it's because no-one the authors knew had ever really lived to be 100 and they didn't really know how to handle the situation.  But they had set Aunt Tally up as a powerful, forceful, outspoken Southern Woman and there was no way she would sit back and let a celebration of her take a back seat to anything, murder or not.  It was completely out of character for her to fade into the background and allow her 100th birthday celebrations to be overshadowed by snipe-y infighting at a college Alumnae Association.

It really seemed as though the plot of this book got lost in an advertisement for William Woods University.  The author's note at the end of the book confirms this book was a way to introduce a wider audience to the small university.  I have no objections to taking every opportunity to introduce a wider audience to smaller universities.  My own college experience was at a small, liberal arts college with loyal alumnae support, not unlike William Woods. But if the book was a device to introduce the University to the reading public, there were better ways to go about it -- ways that would not have been out of character for any of the book's beloved characters.

Also, out of character for the series as a whole was the final resolution of the plot.  The murderer was introduced only very briefly in the beginning and then in the last few chapters was highlighted, with information that could only point her out as the murderer.  It was sloppily handled and not in keeping with the tones of previous episodes in the series.  The murder, reasons for the murder and final unveiling of the murderer were a big disappointment.  It feels almost as though the book needed a final resolution and with the publication deadline rapidly approaching, the authors cobbled together a reasonably believable ending and went with it.  I expected better and was very disappointed.

I read series books because I develop a relationship with the characters.  I like the characters to stay in character.  This book was out of character for the characters from beginning to end.  It was not a fitting celebration of Aunt Tally's 100th birthday.  I wouldn't be surprise if most of the regular characters skipped this book as a form of protest.  I enjoyed reading the book, but I did not enjoy as one of the series.  I can only say read it if you want, don't if you don't; you're not missing anything in the series by skipping this one.  The only thing that was redeeming about it was the animals, and even they weren't in full form.

One Bear's Rating:  Two Cold Cups of Cocoa

Happy Reading Everyone,

Oliver