#1 - Cat's Eyewitness by Rita Mae Brown

I enjoy Rita Mae Brown's books -- especially the Mrs. Murphy series co-authored with her cat Sneaky Paws.

For those of you not familiar with the Mrs. Murphy series, Brown's main character, Mary Minor Harristeen (Harry for short) solves mysteries with the help of her Corgi dog and her cats. There was also a movie "Murder she Purred'' based on this book series.

When I started this reading challenge, I new the first book I read had to be a Mrs. Murphy mystery! I chose "Cat's Eyewitness'', since it was one of two in the series I hadn't read yet.

I really enjoyed the book! This one was a bit different than the prior books in the series. There was more commentary on politics, religion, and social issues. But it was not over-done. Brown's books always have social commentary from the characters, both human and furry. This time, it seemed more pronounced, and more serious. For me, the serious tone made the characters seem more human and realistic. Over the course of the series, Brown has done a wonderful job developing the main characters. I enjoy this series so much, and look forward to each new book!

The mystery in this book centers around a statue of the Virgin Mary at a local monastary that starts crying tears of blood. A monk is discovered dead near the statue, and the investigation begins!

I finished the book in record time, and went back to the library today to check out "Sour Puss,'' the latest Mrs. Murphy mystery.

If you like "cozy'' murder mystery books and are an animal lover....give this series a try! There are 14 books in the series. Plus, Rita Mae Brown has written other books about a range of subjects. "Outfoxed'' is another book that animal lovers will enjoy.