Probable Claws: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery

In bestseller Brown’s rambling sixth Mrs. Murphy mystery (after 2017’s A Hiss Before Dying), Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her menagerie of opinionated animal friends are drawn into a murder investigation after she witnesses architect Gary Gardiner being shot to death by a black-clad figure on a speeding motorcycle. When an old book of building codes disappears from Gary’s office, Harry is convinced that the missing volume holds the key to his murder. A second death seems to have little connection to Gary’s—except that both the victims were interested in dinosaurs. A parallel story, set in the same Virginia county in 1787, shows plantation owner Ewing Garth and his family managing horses and slaves and worrying about what kind of government is being created as the constitutional convention grinds on in Philadelphia. The modern-day mystery is only connected to the 18th-century story by a bone. Series fans will know exactly what to expect: animals who talk to one another, Brown’s personal views on an array of topics, and a healthy dose of Virginia history. Agent: Wendy Weil, Wendy Weil Agency. (May)