Lost & Hound
A Novel
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
When a body is found curiously displayed on “Sister” Jane Arnold’s foxhunting grounds, members of her hunt club realize someone is sending them a dire message, in this exciting mystery from New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown.
“Cunning foxes, sensible hounds, and sweet-tempered horses are among the sparkling conversationalists in this charming series.”—The New York Times Book Review
Early fall in Virginia means shorter days, cooler temperatures, the blooming milkweeds of summer giving way to fields of fluffy seeds—and of course, the start of fox hunting season. It’s “Sister” Jane Arnold’s favorite time of year. And this year, the Jefferson Hunt Club is busier than ever, organizing a fundraising drive to help with the upkeep of their beloved hunting grounds.
But the festive season is interrupted by the appearance of a dead body, tied to a chair and placed directly in the path of an early-season hunt. No one recognizes the victim, but the intentional placement makes it clear that someone is sending a message. Then, one huntsman’s valuable stamp collection is stolen, and they discover the victim was also a stamp collector. Sister suspects a connection, which is confirmed when just one stamp is found taped to the garage door of her friend and treasurer of the hunt club Ronnie Haslip. Could Ronnie have been involved in either the murder or the theft, or has he been marked as the next victim? Sister must uncover who has been sending these cryptic signs to her friends—before any of them wind up dead.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Brown's wearying 15th cozy featuring Jefferson Hunt Club foxhound master "Sister" Jane Arnold (after 2022's Thrill of the Hunt) once again mixes amateur sleuthing and animal antics. Just after the start of hunting season in northern Virginia, hunt club members find the mutilated body of a stranger tied to a chair and left in the woods. Then a huntsman's stamp collection goes missing, and Sister learns that the murder victim was a stamp collector. When a mysterious stamp turns up on the garage door of hunt club treasurer Ronnie Haslip a short time later, Sister launches an investigation to keep the body count from rising. The mystery in this installment is exceptionally thin, leaving plenty of room for Sister to muse on the music she listens to, for the birds and horses and foxes on the hunting grounds to converse, and for Brown to poke around the romantic exploits of various hunt club members. It all feels aimless and familiar, with little to grab new readers. Hardcore fans might enjoy themselves, but there are signs that this series has run its course. Agents: Emily Forland and Emma Patterson, Brandt & Hochman.