Hotspur
by Rita Mae Brown
Hotspur is the second mystery in the "Sister" Jane Arnold Foxhunting Mysteries. Before there are objections: yes it is foxhunting, but it's American foxhunting which chases the fox to ground, not to death. And, as with other Rita Mae Brown mysteries, the animals, including the foxes are characters in the mystery and have insight the Humans do not.
The mystery of Hotspur is an historical one, in that the initial murder(s) took place well before the action of the book. It was an interesting mystery, but in the end, neither the historic mystery nor the current one were really enough to make me want to read the book. They were, frankly, lackluster.
My reading this book through to the end was all down to the animal characters. The animal characters are the main reason I read Rita Mae Brown's mysteries. Her weaving them and the animal insight into the story, making them important rather than just background description is magical. I'm always eager to get into the latest, next-in-series to have a great visit with the animals. Those are definitely the best parts. And I am glad this series features as many animal characters as her (and Sneaky Pie Brown's) Mrs. Murphy series.
While I haven't read further into the series and I can't really see how this mystery fits in the series to carry an overarching plot forward, I don't think it is strictly necessary to read. The foxhunting information and glossary are interesting, but the book is not worth it just for that. I will continue to read the series, for the visits with the animals if nothing else.
One Bear's Opinion: Three Cups of warming tea after a cubbing run with a hearty plate at the post-hunt breakfast
Happy Reading Everyone,
Oliver
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