So what exactly is going on in Rita Mae Brown’s Cat as Cat Can, book #10 in her popular Mrs. Murphy pet detective cozy series? Well, as always with these books, the story opens up with the change of seasons; in this particular entry, it’s finally spring again. And with spring comes the blossoming of special events in the small town of Crozet, Virginia. This spring, it’s time for the residents to get dolled up for the annual Dogwood Festival. Meanwhile, strange occurrences are happening around town. And with Crozet’s postmistress, Minor “Harry” Haristeen, somewhere in the middle of said occurrences.
It started with a dead woodpecker found on her back porch. Before one of her cats could take the bird’s corpse into its claws, Harry snatches it up. Because of the bird's uniqueness, she plans to take it to a local taxidermist. And, while going about her business, Harry then finds her friend, Miranda Hogendobber, in the midst of a hubcap robbery. Miranda walked into a local grocery store, and walked out to find someone swiped her hubcaps in a blink. Considering the hubcaps' worth, Miranda, Harry, and Deputy Cynthia Cooper make way to the local salvage yard first.
But then the bodies start piling up. It began with one of the owners of the salvage yard turning up dead, and follows with the taxidermist Harry visited only days before with her dead woodpecker.
Believing the two deaths are connected, Harry investigates. And as she gets closer to the killer, her team of pets have to stay miles ahead of her to keep her safe.