by Jean Little
First published 2012
Harry Haristeen splits her time between tending crops, caring for her veterinarian husband Fair, and indulging her love of classic cars in Crozet, Virginia. When her friend Miranda Hogendobber's car lands in a drainage ditch during a leisurely drive, it marks the start of strange vehicular problems around town. Reverend Herbert Jones's Chevy pickup breaks down next. But these mechanical failures pale beside what Harry discovers at a local repair shop: a mechanic with his skull crushed. Her sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with corgi Tee Tucker, sense danger ahead as Harry ignores warnings from friends and launches her own investigation. The former postmistress races to uncover the truth behind the murder, but her digging attracts the attention of powerful people who will stop at nothing to avoid exposure. Harry must solve the case before these forces silence her permanently.
Genres: suspense, mystery, thriller, cozy-mystery
Vibes: cozy, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Crozet, Virginia
224 pages · Hardcover · Bantam