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Slings and Sparrows
“Bingeable and entertaining!” —Tori Tecken, Author and BookTuber Tori Talks
“Patricia Meredith does it again! A perfect cozy mystery…unique and well done…with a great twist!” —Stacy, BookTuber Wandering with Stacy
Sisters Goose and Penny think they’ve retired to a small slice of heaven on acreage with every bird from peacocks to guinea fowl. Their days are filled with your typical squawking and yelping coming from all corners, until the murder of a cockatiel leads them to wonder if they’ve let in a fox amongst their kindly chickens.
Slings and Sparrows is the first in a new cozy mystery series set in the 1990s!
“A delightfully quaint cozy mystery… Take a gander at this quacker of a novel!” —Kirsten Willett, Bookstagrammer Recipe Book Worm
“Utterly charming! Slings and Sparrows delivers a cozy, low-stakes mystery packed with 90’s nostalgia, references, and suspense.” —Kayla, BookTuber Kay’s Hidden Shelf
“Patricia Meredith does it again! A perfect cozy mystery…unique and well done…with a great twist!” —Stacy, BookTuber Wandering with Stacy
Sisters Goose and Penny think they’ve retired to a small slice of heaven on acreage with every bird from peacocks to guinea fowl. Their days are filled with your typical squawking and yelping coming from all corners, until the murder of a cockatiel leads them to wonder if they’ve let in a fox amongst their kindly chickens.
Slings and Sparrows is the first in a new cozy mystery series set in the 1990s!
“A delightfully quaint cozy mystery… Take a gander at this quacker of a novel!” —Kirsten Willett, Bookstagrammer Recipe Book Worm
“Utterly charming! Slings and Sparrows delivers a cozy, low-stakes mystery packed with 90’s nostalgia, references, and suspense.” —Kayla, BookTuber Kay’s Hidden Shelf
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2024
4 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Meredith
11 books95 followerslinktr.ee/pmeredithauthor
Patricia Meredith is an author of historical and cozy mysteries. When she’s not writing, she’s playing board games with her husband, creating imaginary worlds with her two children, or out in the garden reading a good book with a cup of tea. Patricia's first series, the Spokane Clock Tower Mysteries, is the product of uncovering fascinating local history circa 1901, making it the first historical mystery series set in Spokane, Washington. Her second series about Anna Katharine Green is the first and only historical fiction featuring the Mother of Detective Fiction. Her mysteries are clean, cozy reads known for their quirky yet believable characters.
Before taking the dive into mystery, Patricia Meredith was the fiction editor of over 20 novels and miscellaneous publications, working with magazines, businesses, and publishers on a variety of projects from art books (such as The Art of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire) to fantasy novels (such as Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, winner of the 2013 Scribe Award for Best Original Novel). Her specialty is science-fiction and fantasy novels. She has worked with such names as George R.R. Martin, Tracy Hickman, and Graham McNeill. She launched the novel department for Fantasy Flight Games, so she also has experience in the behind-the-scenes of publication.
Patricia Meredith is an author of historical and cozy mysteries. When she’s not writing, she’s playing board games with her husband, creating imaginary worlds with her two children, or out in the garden reading a good book with a cup of tea. Patricia's first series, the Spokane Clock Tower Mysteries, is the product of uncovering fascinating local history circa 1901, making it the first historical mystery series set in Spokane, Washington. Her second series about Anna Katharine Green is the first and only historical fiction featuring the Mother of Detective Fiction. Her mysteries are clean, cozy reads known for their quirky yet believable characters.
Before taking the dive into mystery, Patricia Meredith was the fiction editor of over 20 novels and miscellaneous publications, working with magazines, businesses, and publishers on a variety of projects from art books (such as The Art of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire) to fantasy novels (such as Rising Sun, Falling Shadows, winner of the 2013 Scribe Award for Best Original Novel). Her specialty is science-fiction and fantasy novels. She has worked with such names as George R.R. Martin, Tracy Hickman, and Graham McNeill. She launched the novel department for Fantasy Flight Games, so she also has experience in the behind-the-scenes of publication.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 26, 2024
Goose and Penny, a pair of senior sisters in charge of a rather strange but endearing collection of old birds (the ladies, not their feathered friends), find themselves at the center of a terrible upheaval in their quaint village... the murder of Casper the Whistling Cockatiel.
Goose, our first-person narrator, is all too eager to take charge of the investigation. Her headstrong and straightforward manner is tempered only by the nervous contemplation of Penny, her younger sister. Determined to catch a killer before they can strike again, Goose begins interrogating... and even her longtime friends are on the suspect list.
Meredith sets the perfect stage for an uproarious hometown ruckus, and it's only a matter of time before the right feathers are ruffled.
This was a pleasant read, a step away from my usual fantasy fare, and I found Meredith's crew of old birds endearing. Sable was my favorite. Of course. The tone of this novel is lighter and more humorous than Meredith's non-cozy murder mystery series, but she still proves herself a historian with the detailed 90's era backdrop, a unique choice for a cozy murder mystery!
Overall, an entirely bingeable and entertaining read, with a cast of characters that will be very familiar to anyone who has grown up or lived in a rural small town, and a delightful peek behind the curtain for anyone who hasn't.
Goose, our first-person narrator, is all too eager to take charge of the investigation. Her headstrong and straightforward manner is tempered only by the nervous contemplation of Penny, her younger sister. Determined to catch a killer before they can strike again, Goose begins interrogating... and even her longtime friends are on the suspect list.
Meredith sets the perfect stage for an uproarious hometown ruckus, and it's only a matter of time before the right feathers are ruffled.
This was a pleasant read, a step away from my usual fantasy fare, and I found Meredith's crew of old birds endearing. Sable was my favorite. Of course. The tone of this novel is lighter and more humorous than Meredith's non-cozy murder mystery series, but she still proves herself a historian with the detailed 90's era backdrop, a unique choice for a cozy murder mystery!
Overall, an entirely bingeable and entertaining read, with a cast of characters that will be very familiar to anyone who has grown up or lived in a rural small town, and a delightful peek behind the curtain for anyone who hasn't.
May 17, 2024
Patricia Meredith does it again! As a bird lover and owner of chickens and ducks, this was a perfect cozy mystery for me. I especially loved the geese Tommy and Tuppence. The plot was unique and well done. The characters were a bunch of ladies I could see myself hanging out with. Overall, it was a fun story with a great twist!
May 17, 2024
4.5/5 Stars Rounded to 5 stars
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Utterly charming! Slings and Sparrows delivers a cozy, low stakes mystery packed with 90’s nostalgia, references and suspense. I never imagined I could be this invested in the murder of a whistling cockatiel.
With this being a low stakes cozy mystery, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I always know that Patricia Meredith will deliver and this was no exception.
Upon reading I was quickly introduced to sisters Goose and Penny. Retired, they live a quiet life on an old family farm they’ve converted into a haven for retired women with a passion for birds. From guinea fowl, peacocks, ducks, ravens and more, it was charming to see these senior sisters create such a quaint home for fellow bird loving women. Until the latest addition to their avian haven finds her beloved performing cockatiel murdered, leaving the sisters to investigate the incident.
The story itself is told through Goose’s POV, and she is a force to be reckoned with. When the murder of Casper the cockatiel happens, she does what any good detective would, investigate and question the suspects. I adored these sisters and their contrasting personalities. While Goose makes her presence known when entering a room, Penny is quieter and more of a wallflower. Yet their love for each other and the safety of those on their land (woman and bird alike) is evident.
We also meet a broader cast of quirky characters all throughout the small town of Paca Springs, which only added to the charm. Since this follows the murder of a pet bird the stakes are low, which makes for a great cozy read and palate cleanser, but that doesn’t mean it lacks any tension or suspense. The more I read, the more invested I became in solving this mystery.
I can’t forget to mention the nostalgia this captured for me, taking place in the 1990’s. From dial-up internet, to tv and literary references, Slings and Sparrows often took me down memory lane.
The best part of it all? Patricia Meredith kept me guessing throughout the whole thing and threw in twists for good measure.
Overall, Slings and Sparrows is a delightful read I’d recommend to anyone looking for a bingeable cozy mystery.
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Utterly charming! Slings and Sparrows delivers a cozy, low stakes mystery packed with 90’s nostalgia, references and suspense. I never imagined I could be this invested in the murder of a whistling cockatiel.
With this being a low stakes cozy mystery, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but I always know that Patricia Meredith will deliver and this was no exception.
Upon reading I was quickly introduced to sisters Goose and Penny. Retired, they live a quiet life on an old family farm they’ve converted into a haven for retired women with a passion for birds. From guinea fowl, peacocks, ducks, ravens and more, it was charming to see these senior sisters create such a quaint home for fellow bird loving women. Until the latest addition to their avian haven finds her beloved performing cockatiel murdered, leaving the sisters to investigate the incident.
The story itself is told through Goose’s POV, and she is a force to be reckoned with. When the murder of Casper the cockatiel happens, she does what any good detective would, investigate and question the suspects. I adored these sisters and their contrasting personalities. While Goose makes her presence known when entering a room, Penny is quieter and more of a wallflower. Yet their love for each other and the safety of those on their land (woman and bird alike) is evident.
We also meet a broader cast of quirky characters all throughout the small town of Paca Springs, which only added to the charm. Since this follows the murder of a pet bird the stakes are low, which makes for a great cozy read and palate cleanser, but that doesn’t mean it lacks any tension or suspense. The more I read, the more invested I became in solving this mystery.
I can’t forget to mention the nostalgia this captured for me, taking place in the 1990’s. From dial-up internet, to tv and literary references, Slings and Sparrows often took me down memory lane.
The best part of it all? Patricia Meredith kept me guessing throughout the whole thing and threw in twists for good measure.
Overall, Slings and Sparrows is a delightful read I’d recommend to anyone looking for a bingeable cozy mystery.
June 12, 2024
An absolutely charming cozy mystery set in the 1990s, featuring human sisters Goose and Penny and their ladies' group of bird lovers. The puns are hilarious, the characters quaint, and the mystery one that kept me guessing. Great fun!
May 24, 2024
First I want to thank the author for giving me access to an e- arc review copy. I absolutely loved the different take on a cozy mystery. The main characters were over 60 which I really enjoyed. This is just charming and fun. I loved the community of bird lovers even though the terminology was new to me I enjoyed that.On a personal note for me I appreciate the use of terminology usually only heard in the Philadelphia area. I am waiting excitedly for book two.
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September 4, 2024Thank you so much, dear Readers, for leaving such wonderful reviews! I’m so glad you’ve fallen in love with Goose and Penny, and the rest of the Old Bird Society, like I have!
June 5, 2024
I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cozy and comforting, reading Slings and Sparrows is like spending an evening with The Golden Girls. Quirky characters and zany antics included! An easy-to-read, low-stress mystery :)
Cozy and comforting, reading Slings and Sparrows is like spending an evening with The Golden Girls. Quirky characters and zany antics included! An easy-to-read, low-stress mystery :)
June 2, 2024
Gertrude “Goose” and Penny are sisters. They are also seniors who more than love their bird friends. So much so they formed their own group of ladies. This story is set in the 1990s, with all the nostalgia fun. When a Cockatiel is found dead, it’s a whodunnit mystery adventure.
I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. We follow Goose’s narration of the story and it’s quite fun. I loved all the bird puns and characters. And the real geese were so cute. I actually did not figure out the solution to the whodunnit so that’s always a win for the author. If you love funny and punny cozy mysteries this is a great one! I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
I really enjoyed this cozy mystery. We follow Goose’s narration of the story and it’s quite fun. I loved all the bird puns and characters. And the real geese were so cute. I actually did not figure out the solution to the whodunnit so that’s always a win for the author. If you love funny and punny cozy mysteries this is a great one! I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
June 8, 2024
This book is such a delight! As someone who grew up in the 90s with a pet parakeet, I feel like this book was made for me. The classic mystery quotes and 90s nostalgia made the perfect backdrop to this intriguing case. This is the second mystery I've read from Patricia Meredith, and it won't be my last!
May 29, 2024
This book was entertaining and addictive. I couldn't put it down.
August 6, 2024
This was a DNF for me at 18%. Loved all the classic mystery references, but it was a bit too aviary for me.
May 29, 2024
Slings & Sparrows is a wildly entertaining story of a society of "women of a certain age," following two sisters, Goose and Penny, and the ladies who rent homes on their property.
The protagonist, Goose (owner of a pair of guard geese) is torn out of her normal, every day life to solve the mystery of a dead cockatiel, recently come to live with them under the care of his owner. Along with her sister Penny (owner of a comfort chicken named Henny) they traverse the length and breadth of their little town on a whodunnit filled with a smackerel of 90s references, because this is also a Historical Mystery (set in the 1990s.)
Don't miss the opportunity to read this incredible book. Or even better, listen to it on audiobook, read by the author herself!
The protagonist, Goose (owner of a pair of guard geese) is torn out of her normal, every day life to solve the mystery of a dead cockatiel, recently come to live with them under the care of his owner. Along with her sister Penny (owner of a comfort chicken named Henny) they traverse the length and breadth of their little town on a whodunnit filled with a smackerel of 90s references, because this is also a Historical Mystery (set in the 1990s.)
Don't miss the opportunity to read this incredible book. Or even better, listen to it on audiobook, read by the author herself!
October 20, 2024
I listened to this one on Audible and I have to say that the most interesting/enjoyable thing for me was to listen to the author read her own story. She was really into it and was wonderful in giving the various characters different voices and personalities. Her love for the 90's shines through so if that was a decade you enjoyed, you're going to enjoy the references.
Mostly though you can hear her enthusiasm for the story. It's a quick, short mystery and she managed to make me chuckle a time or two. :)
Mostly though you can hear her enthusiasm for the story. It's a quick, short mystery and she managed to make me chuckle a time or two. :)
May 16, 2024
This was a delightfully quaint cozy mystery. The first in a new series, it has all the elements I’ve come to love in Meredith novel- a bit of history, a bit of mystery and a cast of engaging characters. I absolutely fell in love with sisters Goose and Penny and the members of the Old Bird Society. The two sisters had great chemistry and big personalities, loved their passion for their sanctuary and its residents- both human and avian. Side characters Aunt Connie and one of the main suspects, Beatrice were a lot of fun and I enjoyed their part in the story.
Set in the 1990s, the small town setting was the perfect backdrop to the storyline. I never thought I’d be so invested in a murder of a bird! As always Patricia kept me guessing all the way through to the unexpected ending. I enjoyed learning about steampunks, the fun, chapter headings and all the book and literary detective references. Warning you will end up with The Song That Never Ends stuck in your head. I definitely recommend you take a gander at this quacker of a novel!
Set in the 1990s, the small town setting was the perfect backdrop to the storyline. I never thought I’d be so invested in a murder of a bird! As always Patricia kept me guessing all the way through to the unexpected ending. I enjoyed learning about steampunks, the fun, chapter headings and all the book and literary detective references. Warning you will end up with The Song That Never Ends stuck in your head. I definitely recommend you take a gander at this quacker of a novel!
May 18, 2024
This book started a bit slow for me and it wasn't until half way through that the story began to pick up. Knowing that it was a mystery kept me going however and I'm glad I finished it. I enjoying meeting the quirky cast of characters and living in the world of the 90s again, even if only in a book. Between the cultural references and the literary ones, it was a delightful visit to a different time.
August 13, 2024
📚Slings and Sparrows by the Patricia Meredith is a fun, clean, and cozy mystery set in the 90’s about a group of older women crazy about birds! It’s packed with puns, literary references, and “fan service” to golden age detective fiction. I throughly enjoyed it! It was nice change to read a book with older main characters! Looking forward to future installments featuring the various personalities and their birds!
🎧The audiobook is read by the author and she does a great job!
🎧The audiobook is read by the author and she does a great job!
August 28, 2024
A very entertaining read.
April 23, 2025
3.5⭐️
Fun cozy mystery. audiobook was very enjoyable
Fun cozy mystery. audiobook was very enjoyable
July 31, 2024
A cute, cozy mystery filled with birds.
I had my suspicions pinned on the correct person fairly early on, but how and why had to wait until the end, so that still left plenty of time for me to second-guess myself.
I had my suspicions pinned on the correct person fairly early on, but how and why had to wait until the end, so that still left plenty of time for me to second-guess myself.
August 2, 2024
4* - A fun, light-hearted cozy mystery set during the 1990s. There are literary references, an ensemble cast of senior citizen ladies and their various feathered friends, lots of humor, lots of nostalgia . . . Did I mention there's a comfort chicken? I mean, really, how can one say no to a comfort chicken?
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews