Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have loved most of RMB's earlier books. I have all of them except for this one. When she wrote "Sour Puss" something about her changed I think as a person and it caused her delightful, fun, engaging fiction to plunge into a dismal state of getting on soap boxes, complaining about the government and basically all around using her book as a political platform with an occasional cuteness thrown in with a comment from Mrs. Murphy, Pewter or Tucker. Except now she has even gone and corrupted the animals. They are truly still the most likeable of the bunch, including Aunt Tally's Gordon Setter, Doddles, and Enzo, Inez's dog whose breed escapes me. I truly thought after "Puss" I would give up reading Mrs. Murphy's series because I figured out whodunit after 60 pages and didn't bother finishing the book. However, I had high hopes when she released "Santa Clawed", her last book, because it remaind truer to her previous wonderful stories rather than political jib jab and high horses. I had hoped sincerely with all the positive PR "Clawed" received that RMB would go back to what works. I was sadly mistaken. In summary, I agree with most of the reviewers here who said they miss the old books with their playful banter and amature detection, rather than forums and pomposity. I am sick of the political forums, I would watch the news if I wanted that. Her dialogue has even changed where the characters now speak at each other rather than to each other. She adds qualifiers to everything! There is a part where Aunt Tally uses the word "Ain't" in a fairly well known colloquialism most anyone can recognize, but Brown points out she is just using the expression as Tally always has an excellent grasp of the English language and grammar. So unnecessary! The writing here is just plain awful and once again, I figured out whodunit halfway through the book. I would normally say die hard fans should check it out and see for themselves, but this book was so bad I wouldn't even buy it in paperback when it comes out to complete my collection. Skip skip skip it unless you get it from the library and positively have nothing else to do. It is more fun to scrub your toilet than read this. I am sad to say good bye to Mrs. Murphy, but I too agree this will be my last one. There are so many other books out there to read than to hope Brown will go back to the old days.