Autumn has followed a long dry summer and Mary Harristeen, known as Harry, is driving with her husband past harvest fields and vegetable stalls, when Virginia throws yet another murder in her direction. THE LITTER OF THE LAW is the latest in a long-running series about Harry, the good people of Crozet, and Harry's tabby cat Mrs Murphy and Corgi dog Tucker.

Someone has trussed a body up as a scarecrow. The sight is made more grotesque by the lively interest of crows, which is what draws Harry's attention. Who would treat a man in this way? Harry and her husband Fair have diversified into sunflowers, grapes and ginseng recently, but maize growers have been suffering from the drought. A thoroughbred filly is found injured in a field. Fair, a veterinarian, is called out but he can't save her. Nobody immediately spots a connection. A model scarecrow is noticed however - in the middle of a Halloween display of pumpkins and sheaves. Is this all coincidence or could someone seriously creepy be around? Nobody is sure, until a harmless neighbouring woman is found dead in a witch's costume....

The early books presented Harry as a divorced postmistress, but she has by now remarried her forgiven husband, survived serious illness and settled to farming. Fair always seemed like a decent man who had grown up a little later than Harry, and he's now a dependable, smart foil for her sleuthing. The dog, cats and other animals in this series chatter away to one another, take note of crime scene details and use their sharp senses to follow trails.

A library being refurnished, historic schoolhouse buildings, local tribes who intermarried with settlers, farming irrigation and other issues are discussed. The economic downturn is a part of people's lives and a gasoline surcharge is being added to bills even by handymen. Social issues from the sixties have been researched too as Rita Mae Brown brings her community to life. The natural life is also described, with nests being lined and leaves turning colour. There's so much going on and such beautiful drawings to admire that we almost forget to hunt for the murderer. Then we get reminded that the two dead people had been 'fishing for trouble. THE LITTER OF THE LAW will appeal to all cosy mystery fans, especially animal lovers.