Probable Caws: A Meg Langslow Mystery

Meg Langslow #39

by Donna Andrews

Listeners will flock to New York Times bestselling author Donna Andrews's next installment in the award-winning Meg Langslow series.

Meg has finally found time to get some blacksmithing done when a call from her dad interrupts her—can she come out to Ragnar’s right away to help with the horses? Their friend Ragnar Ragnarsen, who is gradually turning the enormous house on his nearby estate into an authentic moated castle, has agreed to shelter nearly fifty horses for Hoof and Hearth, an equine rescue organization that has lost access to the farm where the horses have been living. The owner of the farm recently died without leaving a will, and while his older son Abel would be happy to let the horses stay, younger brother George wants to sell to a developer . . . and is suspected of sending a thug to harm the horses as part of his efforts to evict Hoof and Hearth.

That night, while Meg and her family are camping at one of Ragnar’s barns, to keep an eye on the horses, they discover that the thug has been murdered. Unfortunately George is alibied . . . but his horse-loving brother Abel is not. Neither are the hot-tempered founder of Hoof and Hearth or the passionately protective ex-jockey who serves as its stablemaster. Meg juggles helping keep the horses safe and doing what she can to help the chief solve the thug’s murder . . . all the while hoping that the killer won’t turn out to be one of the dedicated horse rescuers she has come to like and respect.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Humor, Animals

Audible Audio

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Donna Andrews was born in Yorktown, Virginia, the setting of Murder with Peacocks and Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos, and now lives and works in Reston, Virginia. When not writing fiction, Andrews is a self-confessed nerd, rarely found away from her computer, unless she's messing in the garden

http://us.macmillan.com/author/donnaa...

Reviews

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Meg gets a phone call from her dad, she learns that a horse rescue organization in a neighboring county has to move their horses, and Meg’s neighbor and friend Ragnar has agreed to take the horses in. But they need people to help settle the horses, so she goes over to help. As the day progresses, Meg begins to learn about the fight between the owner of the farm the horses came from and his brother, who has just inherited half of the farm. That night, Meg finds a dead body in one of the barns. Can she figure out who the killer is?

Series like this walk a fine line between giving us information on the hook of the series, in this case animals, and focusing on the mystery. This one errs on the side of animal talk, which did slow things down. Don’t get me wrong, there was a good mystery here, with some twists I enjoyed and a logical climax, but it could have been stronger. The suspects are interesting. We don’t have the full cast of regulars in town, but those who are in town are their usual charming selves. The humor didn’t seem as strong either, but there were some laughs and grins. While not the strongest in the series, it will entertain Meg’s many fans.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally enjoy this series, but in more recent books I’ve found Meg to be a little sanctimonious and a lot of her theories to be rather illogical, or at least stretching logic beyond reasonable. There were a couple of places here where I thought the author lost track of the plot - Meg is telling the chief about Helena’s brother, which seems to be new info, and then a paragraph later the chief says that Kevin has been researching the brother.

I guess this “murder” was done by the horses, but I can’t picture it. Was the victim lying down from being kicked when the thing came crashing down on his head? I know the one horse can untie knots, but it’s not super fast, and I don’t see how the guy would be standing still under the thing until the horse finished untying it. And why was George repeatedly calling Lefty when he knew he was dead? For that matter, why did Meg wonder if George was telling the truth about the chief’s call waking him up? She knows perfectly well it isn’t true because she knows he was calling Lefty….

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is #39 in the Meg Langslow cozy mystery series by Donna Andrews. The large cast of characters bring warmth, quirky antics and feel like friends. It draws you in immediately and keeps you engaged with plot twists & "laugh out loud" moments. I received an advanced copy of the book, but my review is honest and voluntary. Thank you to St. Martin's Press, the author and Netgalley.
The horse rescue "Hoof and Hearth" has suddenly lost access to the farm where the horses were living. Meg and company are helping to care for the horses. The horses are caught in a property dispute between two brothers, Abel and George. Abel thinks George is sending thugs to harm the horses. When a thug is murdered, Meg gets involved in the case. Meg works side by side with Chief Burke and his deputies. She's always careful not to overstep her boundaries into work that only the police should handle. This is one of my favorite things about Meg. She's a smart sleuth and doesn't make silly or air headed decisions. I think fans of this series will be happy with the case resolution. I sure loved the ending!

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun cozy mystery in the Meg Langslow Series. It took a different turn this time, in that it involved horses and was on her friends, Rangar, farm. Hoof and Hearth moves their horses to Rangar's farm, as the place they are is having legal problems. Of course, a murder happens, but with so many people there, who could be the murderer?

Andrews continues to come up with new ideas for this series. Her characters continue to grow and she knows how to make them feel like real people. These are easy reads, that help me clean my palate after a difficult read.

Publication Date: August 4, 2026

Thanks to Netgalley, Saint Martins Press, Minotaur Books, and Andrews for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#Netgalley #SaintMartinPress #MinotaurBooks #DonnaAndrews #ProbableCaws

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the best of the series; it has everything one wants in a great story/mystery - heart, tears, and love all around, as well as forgiveness when needed.

I love when these books visit with Ragnar [he is easily my favorite of all of the side characters that have been introduced in this series], who has a heart of gold, and the addition of the horses and their story [I have always been a bit horse-crazy and this story really touched that and reignited my want of a horse] just was the cherry on the top. This was just such a great book and I am so glad that I was able to read it. This series is, by far, the most favorite of all I read.

Bernadette Dunne = fantastic. As always, just fantastic. I now only hear Meg and Co. through her voice work and it is such a pleasure to listen to her narrate these excellent books. Very well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Donna Andrews, Bernadette Dunne - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

[Cozy Reader Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Probable Caws (A Meg Langslow Mystery #39)" by Donna Andrews takes place exclusively on Ragnar Ragnarsen sprawling gothic estate. He is fostering a very large herd of rescue horses and basically houses the whole town to help get them settled in and protected. Their previous foster had to move them quickly when his brother threatened legal action over a unclear inheritance situation.

Meg is on sight to help anywhere she can. She mostly seems to be in the right place at the right time to help investigate a mysterious death that happens in one of the barns. The outcome being not quite expected.

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Langslows are rescuing horses (well, on Ragnar's estate) and of course, there's a murder. Rehabbing horses, eating feasts, and solving assorted crimes made for a great escape from reality for a weekend. Yes, I did figure out how the murder was done, pretty fast. Yes, I wonder how Meg always manages to escape actually being responsible for her children. And yes, Rose Noire is a wonder with animals.

[Regine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 39th in the Meg Langslow series, so it’s unsurprising that much is predictable. It is the wonderful sense of a community acting like an extended family that keeps bringing me back. Everyone should have a super-lawyer like Festus on call, as well as a rich, retired heavy metal drummer like Ragnar to extend quirky, generous, gargoyle-bedecked hospitality as needed.

This installment has a slightly different flavor. The animals, always central to the stories, turn out to be more interesting than the people. There are horses to be rescued and a horse rescue organization to be saved. Meg’s role is little more than to connect the narrative: mostly she gives the reader a chance to get to know and appreciate the talents and personalities of the animals. Ragnar’s murder of crows are smart and on watch. The fierce black swans are not to be messed with. And the boss horses take no-nonsense care of their own.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was adorable and probably one of my favourites, for it's ingenious ending and the confrontation with the killer being second to the one in We'll Always Have Parrots which I still remember, think and laugh about even though it was probably 10-15 years since I read that book.
Once again we fimd ourselves at Ragnar's Gothic castle. Anytime crows are in the title you'll end up there cause everything is black, grey with a few splashes of white allowed from the paint and decorations, to the animals that roam the property.
Hoof and Hearth a horse rescue finds itself in the middle of a land dispute between two brothers. When their father died he didn't leave a will and while one brother Abel wants to continue to let the horses roam the fields of his farm, the second brother George hates the idea and wants them out, sending his thugs in to assist with the removal. So suddenly Ragnar has 34 horses, most of them traumatized and injured and in need to vet care. There's a pregnant horse who is terrified of men, Trouble who can untie knots and open gates and uses this to escape or help his fellow horses escape.
But brother George is not about to give up his fight despite the horses being moved away and shows up with one of his thugs, Lefty.
That night during a storm the animals start going crazy and Meg goes to investigate and finds Lefty with his head bashed in in one of the barns.
George seemingly has an airtight alibi, but Abel and the rest of his crew do not. In fact every single one of them was up and about at the time of the murder. Helena the cranky short tempered head of Hoof and Hearth was seen fighting with someone outside Tomas a former jockey slept outside in the stalls to keep an eye on the horses and Abel was seen wandering the grounds shortly before.
It all ends with the would be killer being thwarted by several of these animals saving Meg and two others in the process.
I loved this book because the animals were more the main focus and it's always fun to see the different personalities in animals even fictional ones. The friendship between Spooky and Trouble, watching Galadriel grow stronger and more trusting of people, men in particular, watching poor sick old Sage rebound and grow stronger as he receives a new tail and a new job, and of the crows. They are always a fascinating bird with their intelligence which shone through here. Grandfather and his wild experiments, painting cows and goats with stripes and patterns and testing the crows with a sort of shell game, I always learn something new about various birds and animals and this book is no exception. Hard to believe we're 39 books in already, the twins seem stuck in a Stoneybrook, Sweet Valley time warp as does everyone else. At least now they're actual teenagers since the last several books they were nearly teenagers. But now with Rob and Delaney having a baby you can't really keep her an infant forever or age her up while everyone else stays the same. I guess we'll see in later books. But this one was fun, it was light and easy and a very quick read.

[K. East · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series I've dipped into a number of times over the last decade. I read the first six volumes and then grew tired of the premise and moved on to other titles. I picked up this latest novel at the library and "rediscovered" a clever mystery series that I plan to read more of. The main character has developed nicely and the cast includes some names from the early books, so it was a sort of homecoming. This particular edition included a number of informational tidbits about horses and the intelligence and behaviors of various animals that I found particularly interesting. And the mystery plot played out well enough to prevent wearying the reader with multiple rehashings of who could and could not have been the murderer. [Interesting little twist at the end]. I'll go back and read some of the last couple of novels in the series.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man dies apparently intestate and his two sons beginning fighting over his farm. One of them, the one who has been taking care of the farm and his father has been keeping rescue horses but the other brother wants the horses off the farm »his » farm so all the horses are moved to Ragnar’s farm. Many people are called to help get them settled in their new home, including Meg and family. One night during a storm, someone is found dead in a barn, his head apparent crushed by a large heavy hook held on a pulley. The horses were the only witnesses and they aren’t talking. The man is identified as a ne’er do well hired by the brother to trespass and cause mischief. So begins an interesting investigation.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good addition to the series

[Paul Quinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The series retains some charm but is in a slump

Not a big fan of this one. There weren’t enough fleshed out suspects, the motive was pretty weak, and the laughs didn’t come hard and fast, and the way she often does those three things well is most of why I read her books. Still, while I do give Andrew’s props for how effectively a few red herrings and villainous tricks fooled me and for how that sense of warmth, generosity, and affection in the cast remains strong and finds a good outlet in the rescue horses.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 39th book in the 'Meg Langslow' series, Meg - who's a blacksmith, wife, mother and amateur sleuth - helps a horse rescue operation and investigates the murder of a thug. The book can be read as a standalone, but knowledge of the characters is a plus.

A nice feature of the Meg Langslow cozy mysteries is the evolution of the characters, who mature and change as the years go by. The main protagonists in the books are members of Meg's large extended family, all of whom live near each other in Caerphilly, Virginia.

*****

As the story opens Meg is heating her blacksmith forge, thinking about making a gargoyle for her friend Ragnar Ragnarsen.



Ragnar owns a huge farm in the Caerphilly countryside, and he's fashioned his estate into an enormous medieval attraction called Ragnarshjem, which he plans to use for large gatherings and special events. Ragnar's mansion now looks like a castle, complete with towers at every corner and a working drawbridge over the moat.



As Meg is about to begin working she gets a call from her father, Dr. James Langslow, who asks Meg to hurry over to Ragnar's farm. Dr. Langslow explains that the equine rescue operation 'Hoof and Hearth' lost access to the pastures they'd been using, and Ragnar gave them permission to bring nearly 50 horses to his property, which has expansive fields and large barns.



Meg texts her family and friends to solicit additional volunteers, then gathers up her 12-year-old twins Jamie and Josh and hurries over to Ragnar's farm. Some of the equine rescue animals come from horse auctions and must be quarantined and checked for diseases; some sport injuries; some have been terribly neglected; some need attention to their hooves; some are malnourished; one is pregnant and fearful of men; and some have recovered and are doing fine. In any case, all the horses need food, water, and loving care.



While Meg is helping with the horses, she asks Helena Bannerman, the founder of 'Hoof and Hearth', what happened. Helena explains that the equine rescue group had been using elderly Ezra Abernathy's farm for ten years, but Ezra died, and his sons Abel and George each inherited half the property. Abel is fine with the horses using his pastures, but George plans to sell his portion to developers, and he wants the horses gone. There are even suspicions George and his thuggish pals have been harming the horses, to speed their departure. Lawsuits are threatened, and until things are resolved, the equines are being taken to Ragnar's farm.



As it happens, George Abernathy and his nasty sidekick Lefty come by Ragnarshjem right about then. George - who's wearing a yellow jacket with a picture of a pitbull - makes a scene and threatens to sue for damages the horses did to his pastures. Meanwhile, Lefty gazes around, seeming to memorize the layout of Ragnar's farm. Ragnar tells the trespassers to leave, and he's backed up by Police Chief Henry Burke, whose grandson Adam is volunteering for 'Hoof and Hearth.'



That night, Meg and her husband Michael are sleeping in a tent near one of the barns, to be near the horses stabled there. When Meg is awoken by thunder and hears horses nickering, she checks the barn and finds Lefty dead, wearing George's pitbull jacket.



Police Chief Burke investigates, and quickly learns George Abernathy has an unshakeable alibi. George was staying in his RV, which he parked in a church lot for the night. At the time Lefty was killed, a police deputy was actually speaking to George about being there without permission.



With George out of the picture, suspicion falls on the people staying on Ragnar's property, including Abel Abernathy; Helena Bannerman; an ex-jockey who works for 'Hoof and Hearth'; volunteers helping with the horses; and others. Meg takes it upon herself to investigate, planning to share any evidence she discovers with Police Chief Burke - who's busy interviewing persons of interest.



Though the novel is billed as a murder mystery, it's more about horses and the happenings at Ragnarshjem. Meg learns that horse nomenclature is partially based on color (Appaloosa, bay, gray, black, palomino, etc.); that it's dangerous for a mare to have twins; that horse biscuits are healthier treats than apples and carrots; that horses can sleep standing up but need to lay down for REM sleep; and more.



Other scenes in the novel feature different critters. In one vignette, Ragnar's militant black swans trap someone in a cupola, threatening severe bodily harm. Luckily, Meg's aunt Rose Noire, a wiccan animal whisperer, comes to the rescue. In another sketch, Meg's grandfather Dr. J. Montgomery Blake, who has a small private zoo, teaches crows to find food beneath cards with specific colors (like blue cards, for instance).



Some of my favorite action takes place in the castle's dining room, where Ragnar's marvelous chef Alice serves gourmet meals. Alice currently favors Italian cuisine, and she prepares pizza, spaghetti, gnocchi, ribollitta, arancini, arrosticini, and much more, for everyone on the farm.



By the end of the story, some of Ragnar's animals - horses, goats, cows, and crows - help nab the murderer, and the equine rescue situation is successfully resolved.

The Meg Langslow books make great light reading, and this horse-themed book is an enjoyable addition to the series.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Bernadette Dunne, who does a fine job.

Thanks to Netgalley, Donna Andrews, and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of the book.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Susan Mattes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent; a very long running series, but this was one of the best.

[Suzanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one very much particularly the animals in it.

[Lizzytish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun romp with Meg and gang involving horses and crows. I really want to friend some crows!
I also learned interesting facts about horses! Fun and quirky.

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, a brief digression. When I sat down, I realized I had three reviews to do and was reaching for one when I happened to notice that this would be my 1000th review for the NetGalley review program. I immediately began to debate which review to give that distinction (which no one but me cares about, most likely) to and ultimately opted for "Probably Caws" by Donna Andrews. Andrews was one of the cozy mystery authors who hooked me on the genre and, if push came to shove, would be one of the handful of names I'd give as all-time favorite authors. Not to digress any longer, this book was certainly no exception to my enjoyment of this series. Picking up a Meg Langslow mystery is sort of like spending time with now old friends and enjoying the quirky but "got your back" town of Caerphilly, VA. People there pull together when the going gets tough for one of them and, oh, by, the arrival of some 50 rescued horses in various conditions with multiple needs at Ragnar's Gothic themed estate, and it really is an estate, seems to pull in everyone from school kids and neighbors to the police. Well, as it happens, the police aren't there just to help. Seems Meg, while checking on the horses in the midst of a thunderous rainstorm, finds another body. Nope, not pleasant but not a new thing for Meg, either. And, the investigation is off, albeit Meg is more in the right place at the right time than actually doing any serious investigating. One of the things I've always admired about Meg is that while she all too frequently finds herself in danger, she doesn't tend to go out of her way to dash into such circumstances.

I'm not going to go into plot details but will note that there are several new to me at least new characters this go-round, primarily those involved in the horse rescue operation. A nasty dispute between brothers Abel and George and potential danger to the horses should they not be moved, has lead to a mass exodus to Ragnar's. And, oh, I'd so love to see some visuals of the settings Andrews describes. While I'm not big on his color scheme and "artistic touches" that seem like they'd suite Dracula's Castle, he's a kind, welcoming and even gentle man contrary to his appearance and the setting. He's also an avid animal lover, hence no hesitation at opening his property to the initial chaos...and some nasty souls who'd like nothing better than to create trouble, the eventual victim one of them. Alibis and evidence kept back from even Meg add to the mystery. And, oh, what happened to that deadly looking knife?

No more plot hints, so on to the characters. As noted, I've come to fully enjoy this cast, even when Meg's grandfather goes into one of his spiels telling us more than we could ever want to know about, uh, animal body functions, for example. That isn't to say we don't learn quite a bit about animals in the process. Being a horse loving kid, I did know much of the info shared about horses but still found it interesting to learn about their potential senses of smell as well as that, hope I'm remembering this right, only 20% of yellow cats are female? We also get info on the idea that the zebra's stripes are biting insect repellents, so to speak, and watch a fun scene of Meg's sons being enlisted to.... well, I won't tell but it's a fun scene. Another absolutely vivid scene involves swans, swans that are not happy to have their turf being invaded by humans. Let's just say the rescue scene involves everything from brooms and rakes to a make-shift....oh, again, I should leave that one for you to discover and chuckle over yourself. There are always such humorous scenes involved in this series and that was one of the big hooks for me.

Rose Noire gets the spotlight a few times, her soothing manner and knowledge being helpful in many ways. She even manages to make one of the older, once neglected horses far more comfortable by the end. Do be aware, some of the descriptions of the horses and their probably past lives are at the very least mildly disturbing for not just animal lovers but horse lovers. Seeing not just Meg but her family (Mother and Grandmother are away this trip but do check in regularly via the internet) grow to care about these animals is heartwarming and, not really a spoiler, you'll like the ending. Kevin the computer wiz pops in an out albeit largely only at the other end of Meg's phone. Let's just say, while Meg wasn't a real horse person, Kevin is even less so. Fortunately Meg's boys are into horses and already have some background via working with Ragnar's horses. Husband Michael is in and out as he has a day (and, I guess, occasionally night) job, as is the police chief and his extended family and police force.

And....oh, enough rambling. I obviously thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who likes well rounded/fleshed out characters and more that a touch of humor and family. In the process, you'll learn quite a bit about various animals and a bit of science. Horse fans may know much of the info shared on horses and will probably nod their heads knowingly at Trouble's not-to-be-desired skill with his nimble lips. Yep, been there. Know that. My thanks to #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for feeding my Meg fix early periodically. I loved the intriguing ending and was delighted to see Tomas's unexpected new friend. Nope, not telling, readers. Read the book. Grin.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series in a way that feels slightly unhinged. Thirty nine books in and I would still read Meg solving a homicide at a bake sale, a zoning board meeting, or inside another haunted designer show house. Caerphilly is my comfort town. These people are my fictional ride or dies. So when Probable Caws opens with Meg just trying to blacksmith in peace and immediately getting dragged into a fifty horse emergency at Ragnar’s gothic castle, I was already emotionally seated. Because of course she can’t just have a normal afternoon.

Hoof and Hearth, the rescue organization, gets booted off the Abernathy farm after the elderly owner dies without a will. The older brother, Abel, wants to keep the horses safe. The younger brother, George, wants to sell the land to developers and is apparently auditioning for the role of Petty Villain in a Hallmark Thriller. There are rumors he’s sending muscle to harass the horses. Suspicious behavior. Tension. Probate drama with hay bales.

So Ragnar, our black clad metal drummer philanthropist king, opens up his sprawling faux medieval estate and says bring me your tired, your poor, your slightly feral rescue horses. I adore him. He looks like he should be sacrificing goats to the moon but instead he is organizing volunteer shifts and making sure everyone is fed. It is such a specific character type and Donna Andrews nails it every time.

Half the joy here is watching the town mobilize. Meg’s boys are living their best horse boy lives. Rose Noire floats in with soothing competence. Volunteers everywhere. Food magically appearing because this series runs on casseroles and civic duty. You can feel how much Meg cares about doing this right. She isn’t a horse expert, she knows that, but she shows up anyway. That’s her thing. She shows up.

Then because Meg’s life is contractually obligated to include at least one corpse per outing, she and Michael camp near the barn during a thunderstorm to keep watch over the quarantined horses. The crows start making a fuss. The horses are restless. And Meg walks into the barn and finds George’s henchman dead, skull crushed by one of those heavy hay hooks that looks like it belongs in a medieval dungeon. It is deeply dramatic and also very barn coded.

Now here is where I loved this book more than I expected to. The obvious suspect is George, the awful brother. But he has an alibi. And suddenly the spotlight shifts to people Meg actually likes. Abel. Helena from the rescue. Tomas the stablemaster. People who have been breaking their backs trying to save these animals. That emotional shift lands hard. Meg isn’t just solving a puzzle. She’s quietly hoping the killer isn’t someone whose kindness she’s witnessed up close.

And I always appreciate that Meg does not turn into reckless Cozy Vigilante Barbie. She works with Chief Burke. She shares information. She doesn’t do the thing where she storms into danger alone just to move the plot. She’s competent. Observant. A little stubborn. Deeply decent. It’s why this series still works after almost forty books. She feels real.

Also, the animal content in this one? Elite. There are chaotic swan moments. There are horse facts that somehow never feel like a lecture. There is a pony with main character energy. The crows absolutely insert themselves like they’re on payroll. The balance of humor and genuine compassion for neglected animals is handled really well. You feel the weight of what some of these horses have been through, but it never tips into misery.

Is this the tightest mystery in the series? Maybe not. I clocked a few threads early. But the reveal still feels satisfying, and the emotional resolution with the horses genuinely warmed my cynical little heart. The ending has that classic Meg vibe where justice is served, community prevails, and you close the book feeling like you just spent a weekend with people who would absolutely show up for you in a storm.

4.5 stars. Not because it reinvented the wheel, but because it reminded me why I love this wheel. This series is comfort food with a body count, and I will keep coming back as long as Meg is out here juggling murder investigations and livestock logistics without losing her humanity.

Whodunity Award: For Most Dramatic Use of a Hay Hook During a Thunderstorm While Fifty Horses and Several Judgmental Crows Witnessed Everything

Huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC. You continue to enable my Caerphilly addiction and honestly, I hope you never stop.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Langslow is back with her whole community of helpers, coming to the rescue of the horse charity Hoof and Hearth. They lost the far they had been using to foster their horses, and Meg’s friend Ragnar stepped up and offered his fields to the charity and the fifty horses who needed a place to stay.

Ragnar is a former rock musician who retired and bought a large estate outside of Caerphilly, where he crafted a welcoming place for friends. He has more than one barn and plenty of open fields for the rescue horses, as well as guest rooms in his Medieval castle styled home and a cook who has been experimenting with Italian food. He asks Meg to come help, as her blacksmithing expertise may come in handy helping the farrier, and she’s just good to have around.

Many members of Meg’s family are also heading to the farm. Her husband is in rehearsal at the college where teaches, putting on a new play that he had written, but their twin teenaged sons and happy to help. Meg’s mother and grandmother are out of town on an antique buying tip, but her doctor father and zoologist grandfather are heading to Ragnar’s to help out where they can. And Rose Noire, Meg’s cousin and an organic farmer, is ready to help calm the horses with her homemade horse biscuits and calming vibes.

Sadly, many of the horses are in bad shape, as Hoof and Hearth had just purchased them from an auction, and several are in dire need of help and nutrition. In particular, there is a mare who is pregnant with her first foal, but the vets can’t get close enough to her to check her out. She is nervous, particularly so around men, but Meg seems to have a calming way with her, so she is recruited to keep a close on her. But the drama from the humans seems to be encroaching on her barn.

The reason the horse rescue lost the farm where they had been housing the horses is because two brothers are fighting over the land. Abel had been working at the family farm for years while caring for their aging father. But when the father died, his brother George showed up and demanded half of the farm for himself. There is no will, and Abel can’t afford to buy out his brother, so he doesn’t know what to do. But while George is making his life difficult, he thought it best to move the horses somewhere safe from his brother.

At first, everything at Ragnar’s is chaotic, with all the new horses arriving and getting checked. And then George shows up with one of his henchmen, and things get worse. Meg calls her cousin, an attorney, to see if he can come help Abel keep the farm. But when George’s henchman is found dead in the barn, the stress levels go up. The sheriff sets up shop in Ragnar’s library to investigate, and Meg keeps an eye on that pregnant mare. But with the horses who are smart enough to open a gate, the crows hanging around keeping an eye on things, people paining on goats and cows, and an ex-con hanging around the farm, Meg has her hands more than full. It will take all her smarts, all her contacts, and some people throwing fruit to help get to the bottom of the mystery and restore peace to all the horses.

Meg Langslow is back in action, and this time she has the help of a murder of crows. Probable Caws is book 39 in Donna Andrews’s popular mystery series. All the usual suspects are back, with a lot of horses and more than a little horseplay, both good and bad. I will admit this one was a little hard to read, with so many horses undernourished and not cared for, and that was hard to hear about. But the compassion and hard work of everyone who came together was heart-warming, so that helped. And I loved the mystery and how so many people and creatures came together to find the answers, capture the bad guys, and keep everyone else safe.

I listened to Probable Caws on audio, read to perfection by Bernadette Dunne. As a longtime narrator of this series, Dunne shows an ease with these characters that comes with experience. I have listened to several of the books in this series, so I can identify many of the characters by the tone of her voice alone. Her comfort level with these characters makes the audio books of this series a comfort listen to me, despite the bad guys doing bad things. I value the time I get to spend in Donna Andrews’s Caerphilly. For a part of my heart, getting to spend time with Meg and her family is a visit home.

Egalleys for Probable Caws were provided by Minotaur Books, and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Lanslow lives in a small town with her husband Michael and twin sons. She's a blacksmith by trade, and has been making items for a friend, Ragnar Ragnarsen, who wants to turn his mansion into a moated castle. Just when she thinks she has some time on her hands for new creations, she receives a call from her father asking if she can come to Ragnar's farm and help with the horses. The horses are rescues from Hoof and Hearth, and they have been displaced by due to a dispute. While Abel has no problem keeping them, his brother George wants them off the land so he can sell his half.

George shows up at the farm with a nasty bodyguard who doesn't say anything but is threatening just the same. Told to leave the farm, he isn't happy, but does so, threatening people as he leaves. No one is sad to see him go.

What Meg finds when she arrives as Ragnar's is the testy owner of Hoof and Hearth, along with half the town to help. Many of the horses are in bad shape, and one of them is heavily pregnant and won't allow men near her. Which leaves her grandfather, a zoo veterinarian, to find a female vet. In the meantime, Meg has decided to keep watch over her.

Her boys want to spend the night camping out near the barns, and Meg and Michael go along with their own tent. But during the night Meg fears that the heavy rain may scare some of the horses, and goes to check. What she finds in one of the barns is a man. A very dead man...

Now she's in the middle of a murder investigation, and there's just too many suspects. She doesn't know any of the people that work for Hoof and Hearth besides Abel, and she doesn't think he is a killer. Could it have been George? But he has an air-tight alibi. Is it Helena, the testy owner of the horses? Or someone else? Enlisting the help of her attorney cousin Festus, her computer-savvy nephew Kevin, and anyone else she thinks might be helpful, she sets out to find a killer. Now if she can just stay out of the orbit herself, she might even survive this...

Donna Andrews has created a winner with this book. I will give a bit of a spoiler, that is, this book is heavily saturated with horses, so if you love the creatures, you will love this book. You will also learn quite a bit along the way. Saying that, I love almost all animals, so I found it interesting as well. Especially the crows. I love crows (which is actually a good thing, it turns out!)

Meg tries to be discreet in her questioning, and even if she thinks someone might be guilty, her quick wit gets her out of trouble before she can even get into it. There is a strong reliance on family here, and it's refreshing to read about a protagonist who is not only married, but happily so. I love the (minimal) interactions between Meg and Michael, and even their sons. Everyone seems to be busy and happy.

Finding a killer isn't going to be easy, because of the murder weapon, which is indeed unusual. And when a key piece of evidence goes missing, they need to find it to see if it connects with the murder in any way. There's a lot going on here, and the clues are there (sometimes) but keep reading, because this is at the least an intriguing tale.

When we get closer to the climax of the book, things change. They move around. Surprises pop up that nobody saw coming. Especially Meg. And even I, who reads tons of mysteries, was pleased by all of this, surprised myself (although I did figure out part of it, but not all). I am not going to say anything else as I don't want to ruin this for others. I will say that even if you have not read any of her other books, this will definitely make you want to. Highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but this in no way influenced my review.

[S Mille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg has her morning planned almost planned out: she’s got her forge warming up and debating between making a candelabrum (as requested by her mother) and gargoyles (for Ragnar, the wealthy former heavy metal drummer with Goth sensibilities). Then her father calls, and she reluctantly shuts off the forge.

A horse rescue group, Hoof and Hearth, are having to relocate to Ragnar’s farm, and they need help (including some from Meg and her family) to get the horses settled. They had been using the pastures and barn at the Abernathy farm; unfortunately Mr. Abernathy senior who was in his 90s, recently passed away without a will meaning that ownership should be divided between his two sons. His older son Abel, had been working the farm and wanted to allow Hoof and Hearth to remain, but the younger son George wants to sell his half. In addition to legal issues, there’s been some acts of vandalism at the farm, leading Abel to conclude that the horses are no longer safe at the Abernathy farm.

In the middle of moving in, however, George and an 'associate' show up to ‘discuss the lawsuit’ with his brother. He’s shoed off back to his RV that’s parked in front of the New Life Baptist Church. Because of the implied threat from George, Meg and her husband Michael are camping near one of the barns with the boys (their twins Jamie and Josh and their buddy Adam) at the other end of the pasture. Meg’s rudely awaken in the middle of the night, first by a loud crack of lightening, then by the horses and crows (who like hanging out in the barn). She goes dashing off to see what’s wrong, only to find a body wearing the mustard colored windbreaker George was earlier.

So who dunnit? The good guys (as Meg thinks of the Hoof and Hearth people) Abel, Hannah, and Tomas don’t have alibis (but excellent motives) while the bad guys have a solid alibi in the form of Deputy Sammy who was checking on the illegally parked RV.

First, I’m a HUGE fan of Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow series. I think I’ve read every book at least twice, and a few more then that. I think Ms. Andrews would have to bump off Spike for me to not a like a book.

Having said that, this is one of my favorites! I loved the horses - Trouble and Spooky stole the show. Throw in Ragnar and the fact we almost get see Meg actually doing some blacksmithing makes this a total winner in my book. One reason I really enjoy this series is the sense of community and everyone jumps in to help with there’s a problem. I like the relationship Meg has with the chief - it’s a bit unique in that they’re just friends, although they’ve become closer as Meg’s twins and chief’s grandson Adam are good friends. And like many of the books in the series, there are a lot of characters, but I think Ms. Andrews does a good job of introducing them without out getting bogged down in details.


Highly recommended - along with the rest of the series. I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

[Carol Blunier · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 I began reading this series back in the late 90s at its beginning and continued to read new releases for a number of years. However, I haven’t kept up with the series so when I saw this 39th installent available on NetGalley as an Advanced Listener Copy, I applied for it and was granted access in exchange for a review.
The characters are much the same as I remember them. This one was a little disappointing because some of the main characters were totally off page. The MC and her mother and grandmother exchange photos and videos by text but that’s it for them. She also did very little of her blacksmithing. There were references to it but almost no time spent in that activity. One thing I like about this series is that while she is nosy and asks some questions, it’s always a situation where she is then immediately informing the police about what she’s learned. She ends up in harm’s way in every book but it’s more a matter of timing rather than stupid decision. I’ve kind of been turned off on cozy mysteries because of the stupid decisions the characters frequently make but that doesn’t happen much with Meg. As a person who isn’t really into animals or especially horses, I’m sure I didn’t vibe with the situations here as much as someone else might. The writing is fina, although I found the chapter breaks were a little annoying since they frequently happen mid conversation. I also started rolling my eyes at the amount of times she used the word organic in describing all the food, even the horse treats. The ending was a bit weak but went along with some of the somewhat unbelievable ideas she’s set up throughout the novel.
My biggest irritation was with the narrator Meg has twins in junior high. If my memory serves, she wasn’t particularly old when she had them, so maybe mid-40s in age in this book. The first person narrator is done by a woman who sounds at least 60, with a gravelly voice. It just totally doesn’t fit the age of the main character. She does different voices for the various characters. It’s okay for some of them but she sounds like a weird old cartoon man for any of the older men. Every time I restarted the audio after a pause i had to get over the narration. I ended up speeding it WAY up to get through it. I didn’t mind the story but the narrator–Ugh. It’s weird too, because I usually like narrators from Macmillan Audio but this was a total miss. I also went to Audible and looked up the first book in the series, which is also narrated by this woman, and review after review said the same thing I’m saying here, yet they apparently ignored all reviews and stuck with the same person for book after book. It really lowered the whole experience.

[Lauren Velasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

### Review of *Probable Caws: A Meg Langslow Mystery* by Donna Andrews

*Probable Caws* offers a delightful blend of cozy mystery, humor, animal-loving characters, and an intriguing murder investigation. Donna Andrews brings readers back into Meg Langslow’s world with a mystery that begins with an unusual rescue mission and quickly develops into a case filled with suspects, secrets, and unexpected complications.

The premise is particularly charming because it brings together two compelling storylines: the effort to protect nearly fifty horses and the investigation into a murder that threatens to disrupt the rescue operation. Ragnar’s ambitious plan to transform his estate into an authentic moated castle adds an entertaining setting, while the conflict between the farm owner's sons introduces a believable source of tension. With one brother determined to preserve the horses’ shelter and the other eager to sell the property to developers, the situation becomes increasingly complicated.

Meg’s involvement makes the story especially appealing. Balancing her passion for blacksmithing, her family responsibilities, and the urgent need to protect the horses gives her plenty to manage. When a murder occurs and several people connected to the rescue organization become suspects, the mystery takes on another layer of intrigue. The possibility that the killer might be someone Meg has come to admire adds an emotional dimension to the investigation.

The combination of animal rescue, family conflict, eccentric personalities, and murder investigation gives this installment the ingredients cozy mystery readers often enjoy. The horse-centered storyline also offers a refreshing change of setting and subject matter, while the humor and familiar characters promise the warmth that makes a long-running series so enjoyable.

Overall, *Probable Caws* sounds like an entertaining addition to the Meg Langslow mysteries. It offers a satisfying mix of suspense, charm, and humor, with a heroine whose determination to protect vulnerable animals is just as important as her desire to uncover the truth. Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries featuring animals, engaging communities, and clever investigations should find plenty to look forward to.

**Review note:** This review is based on the book description provided, rather than a full reading of the novel.

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg Lanslow’s dad phones and asks if she can come to Ragnar Ragnarsen’s farm to help with the horses. Abel Abernathy had been looking after his dad’s farm where he had been taking care of 47 rescued horses. But, when his dad dies without a will, Abel’s brother, George, wants the farm sold. Abel is fighting him but when it seems someone is harassing the horses, Ragnar agrees to take them until another solution can be found. Despite knowing little of horses, Meg can’t say no to her dad or Ragnar so she and her family join the many volunteers to help. When the boys want to camp near the barn, she and her husband decide to set up their own tent beside them. But when a storm blows in, Meg worries it might be upsetting the horses so she heads for the barn. What she finds is not just some very unsettled horses but a very dead man but was his death an accident or was it murder. Once again, Meg finds herself pulled into another murder investigation with too many suspects, some of whom are clearly very dangerous.

Probable Caws is the 39th novel in the Meg Langslow Mystery series by Donna Andrews and it is still one of the best cozy mystery series available. Andrews is a deft hand at creating characters that the reader can care about including Meg, strong and resourceful, her quirky family and her veterinarian dad, even the many horses we get to meet and, of course, the community of Caerphilly who are always willing to rally around whenever needed.

The story is well-written and well-paced with an interesting mystery and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. There is also a nice thread of humour running through the story, something I always appreciate in a cozy. Probable Caws gets a high recommendation from me whether you are a longtime fan of the series or this will be your first outing to Caerphilly.

I read an eARC of this book from St. Martin’s Press while listening to the audiobook from Macmillan Audio narrated by Bernadette Dunne who does an exceptional job.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say, "Where there's a will, there's a way," while quietly thinking, "Where there's a will, there's relatives." What if there's no will and the surviving progeny cannot agree on asset distribution?

Someone's been harassing the rescued horse's at the Abernathy Farm, part of the estate in question. Abel Abernathy feels certain that the harassment is of his brother George's making and that the horses need to be relocated until the estate is settled. All hands are on deck as horses descend upon Ragnarshjem, the gothic Virginia spread of Ragnar Ragnersen. Our plucky blacksmith Meg Langslow is on site to help and soon other family members report for duty. Storms rolled over the land that evening unsettling the horses and awakening Meg. Leave it to her to be first on scene of yet another puzzling death. Was it accidental or pure murder?

Ms. Andrews is brilliant in her character creation: featuring a strong yet compassionate female lead with a highly eccentric family and great secondary characters makes for amusing reading. Her world building of Ragnarshjem is wonder-filled with its gothic theme and limited color palette. The writing is solid and quite amusing at times. There's a lot of interesting information regarding equine care and of other fauna throughout the story. When readers ask me for recommendations for a cozy mystery series, hands-down, it is this one. If you enjoy cozies, then this book could well be one for you.

I am grateful to Ms. Andrews and her publisher, Minotaur Books, for having provided a complimentary uncorrected digital copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.


Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication date: August 4, 2026
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-1250407320w.

[Stephanie McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to SMP & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a long-time fan of this series and am always impressed by the breadth of the topics covered in a little Virginia-based cozy series. This time, we are again at Ragnar Ragnarsen's compound, Ragnarshjem (I *think* I spelled that all correctly?). A horse rescue has unexpectedly had to house their horses in Ragnar's massive barns and other outbuildings after their regular spot has had issues: the farm owner is in a legal dispute with his nasty brother after their elderly father dies intestate, and it's suspected that the brother and his "assistant" (read: criminal heavy) have been messing with the horses in order to force them off the land.

Of course, most of Caerphilly comes to help, as there are several horses who have just come from a livestock auction, and it's clear that they have not been well-treated or well-fed. There is a large cast of characters (larger than usual, even), among them Abel, the farmer; George, his dastardly brother; Lefty, George's henchman; Helena, the head of the rescue; and Tomas, her helper. It's not long before Lefty is found in one of the barns with his skull stove in from a large, chained metal hook used for hauling bales of hay to the loft. He is very dead, but who is responsible? It's up to Chief Burke - and Meg - to find out.

If you are a horse girl, this is for you. I'm not, really, so for me this was not as entertaining as some of the previous instalments. It does feature crows as well as horses (hence the "Caws"), so that particular itch is scratched for me. There was markedly less Grandfather than usual (thank jeebus), but many regulars are missing (Mother! Randall makes a brief appearance but the action plays out over a weekend so Meg isn't at work).

3.5 stars rounded up

[Diane Knutzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank-you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my arc copy!

3 ⭐️

I love the Meg Langslow mystery series and this was another good addition to the series.

Donna Andrews has a way of writing that is fun, has continuous action and keeps you guessing all at once. The way the stories are written are easy to read and usually easy to follow.

I did find this particular book to be a little harder to follow. Some of the clues just weren’t adding up and felt like they were jumping around a bit.

I did also think that compared with some of the other books in this series, it lacked some of the action packed writing I was expecting based off the previous books.

I also thought this particular story lacked depth. While it was good, it didn’t have that special something that stuck with me or kept me captivated.

I continued to enjoy the characters in this book. They are the same witty and well balanced characters that we see throughout the rest of the series. I love how the author continues to keep their same personalities while writing new mysteries. This is the 39th book of the series and the characters still feel exactly how they did when I read the first book. I really appreciate that the quality of character has not degraded over the course of the series.

I love how original the plot is. I have read a lot of books, but haven’t read a book with a plot like this. I also love how animals are always involved in the plot.

I appreciate how the author can make a murder mystery book into cozy murder mystery book. While being a serious book, it is more lighthearted and easier to read. Less heavy. You get invested in the characters and the investigation. It is great how our main FMC is a relatable character investigating to find the truth.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to the next book in the Meg Langslow series!

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This installment of the long-running Meg Langslow series finds our favorite blacksmith and amateur sleuth on the case of a dead body at her friend Ragnar's castle. Ragnar has agreed to temporarily house some horses from a rescue organization that has recently been forced to move hem from the farm where they have been staying due to conflict between two brothers over their father's estate. When someone ends up killed during the night, Meg must help find out what happened and hope to keep both horses and humans safe while doing so.

This book is full of the same wit and charm that fans have come to expect from this series. Meg is such a well-loved and well-developed character at this point that fans are always happy to read about her escapades, and this one is particularly interesting because of the setting. I love the books that feature Ragnar and his eccentric castle with its black-and-white color scheme, menagerie of eclectic animals, and endless descriptions of the food and amenities he has for his guests. We also get to read about a range of new characters in this one that add a bi of intrigue. There are, of course, appearances by some of our much-loved, familiar side characters as well; although, Meg's crazy family does not feature as heavily in this one as they do in some of the other books.

The only part I wasn't sure about was the ending. I'm not sure how believable or satisfying I found it. However, I also don't think it detracted from the overall enjoyment I got from reading this.

Bottom line: Read this series if you are a cozy mystery fan, if you enjoy quirky characters, or if you are simply looking for a light, fun read with many more books in the series for when you've finished this one.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probable Caws AUDIO by Donna Andrews is a Meg Langslow Mystery and features not only Meg, but her neighbors, friends, and families. Her neighbor, Ragnar Ragnarsen, is one of her clients: she has made multiple blacksmithing projects, mostly gargoyles, for him. The man is made of money and knows what he wants. But, he is generous to a fault and in this instance he has allowed a horse rescue with realty problems to bring the horses to his property until other arrangements can be made. Forty-seven horses. So, calling all volunteers, including Meg, Mike, her husband, and their twin boys. There is plenty to do. The realty problems stem from an elderly man who has died, who had been allowed the horse rescue to graze its horses on his property. There was no will and so the two brothers were feuding over the property. Well, at least one of them was. Of course, he arrived at Ragnar’s property to confront is brother, until Ragnar had him tossed off the property and banned him. But, for some reason his muscle ended up dead in one of the barns later that night.

Meg is busy, as are all the other volunteers, but while working she is always observing and she sees plenty of interesting things which eventually coalesce into evidence and eventually, a solution. Interesting things were happening on the property: violent geese, a pregnant mare who hated men, and a crow-training project. All fun. More fun than investigating really. Lots of it.

Bernadette Dunne is the narrator who has a very distinctive voice, totally Meg’s. I enjoy every minute of listening to her version of this delightful book.

I was invited to listen to Probable Caws by Macmillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacmillanAudio #BernadetteDunne #DonnaAndrews #ProbableCaws