It's autumn in cozy, idyllic Crozet, Virginia-a time for golden days, crisp nights. And murder. Mrs. Carla Paulson is one of the diamond-encrusted "come-here" set who has descended on Crozet with plenty of wealth and no feeling for country ways. She's determined to make her new house the envy of all her well-heeled friends-and enemies -and she's hired architect Tazio Chappers to build it. From the start, the project-and Mrs. Paulson-are a major headache...

The continuing success of the beloved Mrs. Murphy mystery series is given its proper due with the publication of this 20th-anniversary tale. When a local mechanic gets his odometer turned back-for good-Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen steps in to investigate. There's more to the crime than meets the eye, though, and sleuthing cats Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, along with faithful corgi Tee Tucker, do their level best to keep Harry out of harm's way.