I fell in love with this whimsical mystery. I loved the fox hunting and the hounds. All of this authors stories are quite good and I enjoyed each and every one of them.

Rita Mae Brown's Out of Hounds is a contemporary mystery that I think has a certain appeal to the fox hunt community. There are multiple characters both human and animal and at times you almost need a list to track who is who. The mystery plot was good but there were too many other characters for me to keep track of.

Sister loves to foxhunt.  She goes out with the group and rides hard and fast.  Usually the fox wins.  They have safe places they've created dens in and they go to ground.  It's not until they get back to their homes they find there was a burglary done.  It was a picture by a noted painter of a woman riding side saddle.  There are very few of those pictures in what he painted so it could be worth millions to the right buyer.  Who took it?

Ballatine Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published the 19th of January.

Then people start showing up dead.  At first it's the fellows out of prison working for one man.  Then an older lady was killed.  Sister thinks the cons were killed because they were part of the plot but she doesn't understand why the woman was killed.

Soon more paintings are missing.  All with sidesaddle women riders.  The whole fox hunting group is asking questions and watching for the paintings to come up for sale.

Then sister thinks she may know who the killer is.  It's while they are on a hunt that she gets a gun put to her head.  Will she and her lover survive?

A interesting mystery set in the world of Virginian fox hunting.

While it would probably help a reader to know more about fox hunting jargon, the author provides a great glossary with key terms and an intuitive overview. The story doesn't suffer as a result of the reader's inexperience with "the hunt."
In the same way that she leverages her extensive knowledge of hunting, author Rita Mae Brown gives us a large, diverse, and well-established cast of characters with pre-existing relationships and personal histories. Their interactions are the novel's highlight. They debate, they joke around, and they share a passion that they approach in different ways. It's also particularly refreshing to see such a large number of characters over the age of fifty who still pursue interests and human relationships.

The mystery itself is interesting and gives the novel a great kick start, but ultimately falls short of expectations. The principal characters do not actively investigate the mounting pile of mysteries, at least not beyond some casual conversations and the odd internet search. It's hard to take a solid interest in the inciting incident when the characters don't seem particular invested in solving it.

Ultimately, this book is more about the characters hunting in Virginia (and discussing everything from politics, anti-hunting activism, and the global pandemic) than it is about solving a murder or two.

Recommended if you're curious about the world of Virginian fox hunting and the mystery genre, but it might be better to start with some of the earlier books.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for sending me a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Out of Hounds by Rita Mae Brown is the latest book in the Sister Jane series. Sister, as she is fondly known, is still foxhunting as much as she can in all types of weather along with getting involved in local mysteries. In this book someone is stealing artwork depicting women riding sidesaddle by one particular artist. As with many crimes one leads to another and this one leads to murder. Is it someone in the community that they all trust or has an outsider managed to find out where all the expensive artwork is?
I have read all the books in this series and this one is no disappointment. Whether the characters are fox hunting or trying to solve the mystery there is plenty of action and the story line draws the reader in and keeps them reading. So hard for me to put down one of her books once I start reading. The main characters feel like old friends who have come to visit. The newer characters are becoming friends quickly. The animal characters add to story with their own thoughts and ideas that the humans often miss. I give this book a solid 5 of 5 stars and believe it will appeal to a wide audience of readers. I also want readers to know that you can read each of these books as a stand alone also but I think once you read one you will want to read all of them.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Not as many dogs and horses talking, but a right smart mystery nonetheless.  All the characters are extremeley believable, and the villain is who you probably least expect.

Someone is stealing paintings from fox hunters, which seems annoying but not dangerous until Delores is found strangled.  Sister Jane, the Master of the Hunt,  and her friends (especially her animal friends) are on the case!  I admit to being a fan of this series, which I also admit isn't for everyone for the very reason I like it- the animals who periodically pipe up with their views.  Bronwn lists the various characters and their eccentricities up front (it might be easier in hard copy to flip back and forth) and then you're off.  You'll learn a lot about fox hunting and horses while reading a rather gentle mystery.  Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great fun.

I received this book through Net Galley before release and voluntarily give an honest review.
Another of Rita Mae Brown’s excellent mysteries.  This is part of the Sister Jane series in which Jane Arnold is the Master of Jefferson Hunt.  She is one intelligent woman given to speaking her mind within the manners of her generation.  This particular book tells of high stakes thievery; paintings of women who rode side-saddle painted by a well-known equine artist.  The fox hunters are besieged by people who think fox hunting is cruel and for the rich.  Not true, but that is part of this story.  The author brings awareness of the past history of art, foxhunting, relationships, and the character of people up to the present time.  I especially found this book to be packed with action of the investigation and foxhunting type.  Where there are hounds and foxes, there is adventure, humor, and bravery.  Oh, and then there may be a little romance for young and more seasoned alike.

Out of hounds is heavy on horse culture and riding, making it a great read for those so inclined. For the novice to this field, the information becomes tedious at times - perhaps more editing would be advised so the book would reach a wider audience. Rita Mae Brown is a favorite author - look forward to her next book.

If you’re looking for a fast paced mystery, this is not it. If you’re looking for a gentle, slightly meandering story that’s an easy read with lots of animals and a little mystery, look no further! I love Rita Mae Brown books because there’s always fun characters and lots of fun facts I can pick up. And, it’s always great to end a day a with a few chapters.

I'm usually a big fan of the Rita Mae Brown books and her series. I had a difficult time getting into the book, however. Even though I knew some of the characters, the beginning with all the character information and descriptions was tedious, and I ended up skimming over those pages.

I always love the animals in these books, which keeps me coming back for more of Rita Mae Brown's books and this series. The animals really hold the story and keep my attention. I did learn quite a bit about fox hunting.

I would give this a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

#OutofHounds #NetGalley

If you are a fox hunting fan, this book is for you!  When you have to include 20 pages that outline the characters before even getting into the story, it might be a clue that you either need to have read the other books in the series or be a serious fox hunting fan. Since i am neither, it was a struggle to follow the story at times.  Though the location is what captured me as I used to live in the area 20 years ago.

That said, I did like that the animals are represented and even speak up throughout the story.  Sadly, I think I would need to read the first 12 books in this series to become fully engaged.  Perhaps I will try the first book in the series one day and go from there.

A wonderful addition to the Sister Jane series. This is a well written mystery that has just the right amount of drama and mystery to keep you turning the pages. I liked this book for the mystery, but I loved it for the interaction between the animals. This book was a joy to read and I highly recommend it. Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

love the fox hunting books and all the characters. Rita mae almost wrote this book in real time shows that covid-19 affects everything.
great book

Paintings of women riding side-saddle are being stolen and Sister wonders if it more than money that is the reason behind the thefts. Covid is just becoming in the news which means changes to the hunt. Another great book in the series.
Goodreads

It is always a pleasure to have another Sister Jane book to read and in the process learn more about fox hunting and the people who love it.

art-theft, American Fox Hunting, Virginia, animals, animal-welfare, murder, murder-investigation, cozy-mystery*****

February 2020 in Virginia where the state sport is Fox Hunting and the state dog is Foxhound. It's a good thing that there is an explanatory cast of characters at the beginning because there are so many animals as well as humans! If you come for wealthy humans and a good mystery with murders and art theft, you'll love it. I come for the animal conversations and antics, and I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley. Thank you

Loved it! This was a very clever plot with rich characters. Perfect as always. 
Many thanks to Random House Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

Sister Jane returns in a cozy mystery that combines fine sporting art, hunt protestors, corona virus, and some cracking good cross country gallops on grand horses.  The weather is cold, but it doesn't stop the Jefferson Hunt from keeping their schedule on the fixture card.  This book catches us up on some of the characters from past books, and current characters make big steps forward in their relationships.  Tootie, the college student who left Princeton to work at Sister's barn, and her mother, Yvonne, continue to be important in the story line.

The Jefferson Hunt, as well as other hunts, is being harassed by anti-hunt protestors who start by posting signs, then move up to appearing at a meet and ultimately trespassing on private property in order to harass the hunt participants.  Their ringleader goes too far in his personal insults and receives a punch from the landowner, plus a citation from the sheriff for trespassing.  

The irascible millionaire Crawford, formerly a Jefferson Hunt member but now master of his own competing hunt, has a multi-million dollar Alfred Munnings painting stolen from his home despite a top-notch security system.  The painting showed the painter's former wife in side saddle attire with a beautiful hunter.  This is only the first art theft of Munnings paintings showing side saddle riders, and it worsens when one of the art owners is later murdered.

Other random murders occur, and they seem to be tied to a new show jumper barn whose owner hires ex-cons for staff.  When the hunt ends up on his property, one of his thuggish employees kicks a hound, then the huntsman who is trying to gather the hounds and leave the grounds.  Later the thug turns up dead.

There's a lot going on in this book, but what I really like is the daily life of stables and kennels, getting ready for hunts, the feeling of flying at full gallop down to a big jump at the end of the field, the breakfast/brunch afterward, all done accurately.   I care less about the whodunit and more about the close relationships.

The animals, from horses to minks, all communicate amongst themselves and are always happy to share an opinion.  The foxes don't mind the occasional pursuit and quickly dismiss the hounds by ducking into the nearest den.  The horses enjoy the exercise and fresh air, while the hounds work the puzzles presented by the fox.  For those unfamiliar with American fox-hunting, the fox is pursued, but very rarely killed, and never killed in any of the Rita Mae Brown fox-hunting books.  Foxes have a lot of smarts and personality, and sometimes display a spirit of play in their interactions with the pack.  In thanks for the sport they provide, there is dogfood left at the dens by Sister and her neighbors, sometimes with wormer to help keep them parasite free, and maybe a little candy or other treat.

Perfect like always!! I have read every Sister Jane book that Brown has put out and I have yet to be disappointed by any of them. The story is rich and full of detail. The characters both human and animal feel like they could come to life.