Scarlet Fever

In bestseller Brown’s genial, smoothly written 12th novel set in Virginia horse country (after 2018’s Homeward Hound), antiques shop owner Harry Dunbar, who apparently took a fatal fall down some steep steps, is mourned by his fellow members of the Jefferson Hunt Club, except for Drew Taylor. Without offering any proof, Drew accused Harry of “cheating him and seducing his late mother.” When hounds find the body of Drew’s brother, who suffered from dementia, hidden under some brush, Harry’s close friend Jane Arnold (aka Sister), the club’s Master of Foxhounds, fears the two deaths may be connected. The sudden arrival of Harry’s wife, whom no one knew existed, and the discovery of an expensive woman’s ring in Harry’s pocket add to Sister’s suspicions. The opening cast of characters, which includes background on both people and talking animals, will be particularly useful to newcomers, who will soon figure out that the philosophical commentary of a host of humans, horses, foxhounds, foxes, and other four-footed creatures matters more than the sleuthing. Series fans will welcome the wealth of detail about the fox hunting world. (Nov.)