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Meg Langslow #3
Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos
Every year, Yorktown, Virginia, relives its role in the Revolutionary War by celebrating the anniversary of the British surrender in 1781. This year, plans include a re-enactment of the original battle and a colonial craft fair. Meg Langslow has returned to her home town for the festivities--and to sell her wrought-iron works of art. Except, of course, for the pink-painted flamingos she reluctantly made for her mother's best friend--she's hoping to deliver them secretly, so she won't get a reputation as "the blacksmith who makes those cute wrought-iron flamingos."
Besides, she has taken on another responsibility--making sure none of her fellow crafters ruin the historical authenticity of the fair with forbidden modern devices--like wrist watches, calculators, or cell phones. She's only doing it to keep peace with the mother of the man she loves. And Michael himself will don the white-and-gold uniform of a French officer for the re-enactment--what actor could resist a role like that?
Meg's also trying to keep her father from scaring too many tourists with his impersonation of an 18th century physician. And to prevent a snooping reporter from publishing any stories about local scandals. Not to mention saving her naive brother, Rob, from the clutches of a con man who might steal the computer game he has invented. It's a tough job--at least, until the swindler is found dead, slain in Meg's booth with one of her own wrought-iron creations.
Now Meg must add another item to her already lengthy to do list: "Don't forget to solve the murder!"
Fortunately, the more trouble Meg faces, the more fun the reader will have--and Meg faces plenty of trouble in this lighthearted and funny novel.
Besides, she has taken on another responsibility--making sure none of her fellow crafters ruin the historical authenticity of the fair with forbidden modern devices--like wrist watches, calculators, or cell phones. She's only doing it to keep peace with the mother of the man she loves. And Michael himself will don the white-and-gold uniform of a French officer for the re-enactment--what actor could resist a role like that?
Meg's also trying to keep her father from scaring too many tourists with his impersonation of an 18th century physician. And to prevent a snooping reporter from publishing any stories about local scandals. Not to mention saving her naive brother, Rob, from the clutches of a con man who might steal the computer game he has invented. It's a tough job--at least, until the swindler is found dead, slain in Meg's booth with one of her own wrought-iron creations.
Now Meg must add another item to her already lengthy to do list: "Don't forget to solve the murder!"
Fortunately, the more trouble Meg faces, the more fun the reader will have--and Meg faces plenty of trouble in this lighthearted and funny novel.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 12, 2001
453 people are currently reading
1694 people want to read
About the author
Donna Andrews
103 books2,095 followersDonna 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...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/donnaa...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 431 reviews
June 5, 2018
Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews is a 2002 St. Martin’s Press publication.
This series so fun!
A craft fair and annual revolutionary reenactment celebrating the anniversary of the British surrender gives Meg a chance to set up a booth and sell her wrought iron art work. But, she must also contend with her boyfriend's mother, who has become the ‘authenticity’ police, making sure everyone is strictly adhering to the customs, dress, and speech of the period. Not only that, Meg’s not so favorite reporter is snooping around constantly, and generally being a pain in the neck. Then there is her father, who is enjoying impersonating an eighteen- century doctor a bit too enthusiastically, and her brother Rob, who may be entering into a bad business arrangement, and Michael’s increasing pressure to have Meg move closer to him so they can see each other more often. If that weren’t enough, a murder is committed and one of Meg’s friends could be arrested, meaning that once more, she must don her sleuthing cap to keep an innocent man from going to prison.
I’m reading through a great many series, but there are three I’m hoping to catch completely up with by year’s end, and this was one of them. But, I hit a major snag when my library lost the digital license to loan these books out. It’s going to take me a little longer to piece the series together than I originally thought, as a result. All the same this book was worth the extra time, money and effort. It got off to a slow start, with the mystery being more about who the victim might be, rather than a whodunit. Finally, almost a hundred pages in, a crime was committed, and we were off the races. From that point on, the story was utterly absorbing, with plenty of surprising developments and revelations. The screwball antics and hilarious dialogue were a nice compliment, propelling the story along at an even faster pace. The mystery kept me guessing until the end and the conclusion was very satisfying. Can't wait to what happens with Meg and her offbeat family next!!
4 stars
This series so fun!
A craft fair and annual revolutionary reenactment celebrating the anniversary of the British surrender gives Meg a chance to set up a booth and sell her wrought iron art work. But, she must also contend with her boyfriend's mother, who has become the ‘authenticity’ police, making sure everyone is strictly adhering to the customs, dress, and speech of the period. Not only that, Meg’s not so favorite reporter is snooping around constantly, and generally being a pain in the neck. Then there is her father, who is enjoying impersonating an eighteen- century doctor a bit too enthusiastically, and her brother Rob, who may be entering into a bad business arrangement, and Michael’s increasing pressure to have Meg move closer to him so they can see each other more often. If that weren’t enough, a murder is committed and one of Meg’s friends could be arrested, meaning that once more, she must don her sleuthing cap to keep an innocent man from going to prison.
I’m reading through a great many series, but there are three I’m hoping to catch completely up with by year’s end, and this was one of them. But, I hit a major snag when my library lost the digital license to loan these books out. It’s going to take me a little longer to piece the series together than I originally thought, as a result. All the same this book was worth the extra time, money and effort. It got off to a slow start, with the mystery being more about who the victim might be, rather than a whodunit. Finally, almost a hundred pages in, a crime was committed, and we were off the races. From that point on, the story was utterly absorbing, with plenty of surprising developments and revelations. The screwball antics and hilarious dialogue were a nice compliment, propelling the story along at an even faster pace. The mystery kept me guessing until the end and the conclusion was very satisfying. Can't wait to what happens with Meg and her offbeat family next!!
4 stars
October 18, 2025
Gosh, this cozy mystery series is just so eccentric and fun. Meg and Michael have been dating for a bit and now are at odds on how to proceed in their relationship—specifically how to spend more time together when they don’t live particularly close to one another. While they’re solving that issue, they’re participating in a Revolutionary War reenactment/craft fair, where Meg is selling her iron works. Unfortunately, there is some intellectual property thievery going on. Even worse, Meg’s most popular item may be the wrought iron flamingos she made for her mother’s friend and she may forever be tagged as the female iron worker who makes the adorable flamingos. The orders won’t stop coming in. This was adorably quirky, filled with hilarious characters, lots of period dressing, birds galore and a fun murder to solve. I can’t wait for the next book.
September 6, 2022
Fun mystery murder book set during a colonial period reenactment with a wrought iron flamingo. Lots of interesting characters and colonial period reenactment. The ending wrapped up nicely.
September 21, 2015
Very, very good. This kept my attention throughout and I loved all of the characters. The one star was taken off simply for it taking me so long to finish and for Micheal's sometimes moodiness. Besides that, however this was an excellent book that I loved. I already have the next on my shelf, so expect me to be reading that soon!
September 26, 2022
This book was much better than the previous ones. The characters are growing on me, who are super quirky. I am definitely going to continue with this series.
July 6, 2014
Donna Andrews stories are leaving me in stitches! Meg Langslow and her family are at their quirky best when they find themselves as part of an annual historical re-enactment festival in their home town Of Yorktown, Virginia.Of course there is a murder, and the body turns up in Meg's booth with one of her creations looking like the murder weapon. Will the Langslows survive the weekend without injury or arrest, will Meg and Michael ever have time alone to discuss their relationship, and will Spike the dog ever stop biting people and escaping his leash? For answer to these questions and many more be sure to read this third story in the Meg Langslow mysteries that are suspenseful and entertaining!
March 7, 2010
This series is starting to make my head hurt. I don't really care about the characters, and the story wasn't very interesting, but I found that I couldn't just leave this book in the middle to read something better. I had to find out "who dunnit." And I'll probably end up reading the next book in the series because that's how I get about mystery series, and I'll probably give it two stars as well. Sigh...
November 2, 2020
Another great book in the series! This time Meg and Michael are in Yorktown participating in a craft show/battle re-enactment when murder finds them once again. I love the characters and laugh out loud situations in these books. This one was especially fun since I’ve been to the Yorktown battlefield. The story kept me guessing and it was an exciting ending. #readforkimberly
August 2, 2017
Wonder how I managed to arrange it that for two out of the last three books I've read have ornamental flamingos as the murder weapon! Still, the main reason for reading this series is Meg's crazy family, as much as the actual mysteries.
March 2, 2025
Meg is back in her hometown of Yorktown, Virginia for a weekend long craft fair commemorating the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. Everyone raised in Yorktown knows the story of how the British finally surrendered to the Americans, but the craft fair and reenactment are the brain child of Mrs. Waterston, a newcomer who seems to know nothing about history but determined to push HER version of it on everyone to make the event as authentic as possible. She's even recruited anachronism police and has Meg assisting. Mrs. Waterston also happens to be the mother of Meg's boyfriend, Michael. Michael is grumpy about the lack of time the couple can spend together and they are on the verge of an argument Meg hopes can wait until AFTER the fair. Mrs. Fenniman is running for sheriff and has commissioned Meg to make her wrought iron lawn flamingos to annoy the lawn police in her neighborhood and Meg is not happy to have made something so tacky. Meg's slimy cousin Wesley, who works for a bottom level tabloid, is snooping around in hopes of a big story. Meg's brother Rob is also floating around waiting for a businessman to come make a deal to develop his new video game "Lawyers From Hell." Meg is eager to see her blacksmith friend and mentor, Faulk, but soon regrets it when she discovers Rob's potential new business partner is someone Faulk and his partner, Tad, have had negative encounters with. When Meg finds Roger Benson's dead body in her booth with her handmade knife in his back, she knows there will be trouble from the sheriff's new big city deputy. Meg also realizes someone stole her cash box and laptop while messing up her booth. How could she be the murderer? Why would she be so stupid and clumsy? No, then how about her friends? Do they have alibis? Meg refuses to believe Faulk or Tad is a killer. She doesn't know Tad as well but he does have a temper. Since the deputy is too clueless to catch the real killer and Meg needs to reopen her booth to do business, then she'll simply have to do the deputy's work for him!
This story was better than the second but not as good as the first. The murder doesn't happen until the end of chapter 14 when a whole lot of drama already went down. By that time it didn't seem to matter who the victim was and I certainly didn't care who killed him. I thought I guessed who right away but I was wrong. I did guess the murder weapon though. As a historian who has been to two of the three Historic Triangle sites, I love the idea of a period correct craft fair. However, none of these people know the first thing about history. Mrs. Waterston knows nothing at all and doesn't care. It's about power and control for her. Meg only knows a little bit, specifically the battle but nothing about clothing. Yes if there was such a thing as a female glassblower, and there probably is working in Jamestown at the glasshouse, yes she WOULD wear skirts and no she wouldn't be burned to death. Her petticoats would be made from linen and wool, natural materials that don't burn. She would also wear a linen shift and leather jumps - not the same thing as a corset and similar to stays but informal. No the corset wasn't worn yet. Yes stays were meant to push you up and some men wore them to achieve a narrow waist but for women, the purpose was posture and keeping the weight of the petticoats off her hips. And how do I know this? Because I've been to Colonial Williamsburg! (See, look Meg http://thehouseandhomemagazine.com/cu... and https://research.colonialwilliamsburg...)
Meg, as a female blacksmith, is an anachronism too so both women SHOULD be wearing pants and portraying men if Mrs. W REALLY wants to be nit picky. But in Colonial Williamsburg they have found evidence of female blacksmiths. The anachronism police are so laughably clueless. Yes they did have nails (hand forged just like Meg says), glass and pottery in 1781! No plastic, no nylon, not as much cotton. I know that was just supposed to be funny but with everything else going on, it was a distraction and an annoyance.
I can't really warm up to Meg for some reason. She accepts her eccentric family with good grace and sarcastic humor but she can be mean about other people. Her language leaves a lot to be desired in public. There's a lot of d-words in this book. Meg wants to avoid confrontation with Michael. I think she should ditch him ASAP and stay true to herself. She's passionate about her work and wants to and needs to succeed in business. She's an artist and not just a metalworker. Metal happens to be her medium. Meg takes pride in everything she does and takes as long as it needs to make something. Then she must sell and to sell she has to go to shows and craft fairs for which she has to pay a fee that comes out of her profits. Michael is jealous of the time Meg's work takes away from their relationship. MEG isn't complaining that MICHAEL'S work, his passion, is somehow wrong and takes too much time away from their relationship. She's aware that their work schedules are busy and thus they're kept apart a lot but she doesn't seem to mind as much as he does. Michael is also jealous of Meg's friend and mentor who shares her passion for metalwork just because the friend is male. Yikes! HUGE red flag warnings! Meg isn't thrilled when Michael enjoys military reenacting. She knows he's a theater professor and loves cosplay. She doesn't really want to spend weekends at reenactments but if he loves it that much, she'll put up with it. Michael doesn't seem to want a partner but more of a concubine. LOSE HIM!
To be fair, Michael doesn't have an example of a successful, loving partnership. His mother is terrifying! She's a wannabe queen and the craft fair/reenactment is her kingdom. Or in more modern terms, she's a wannabe dictator. She's in over her head and can't possibly manage all those people and get them to do what she wants when she wants the way she wants. She doesn't even know enough to train the anachronism police and she simply doesn't care that people need to earn a living. Mrs. W. somehow bamboozled the National Park Service and forced them to give in. Michael's mom does not like Meg. I think she dislikes how Meg is a modern, independent woman who speaks her mind. She SHOULD like Meg because Meg is the only one her rescue dog Spike likes.
Meg's family is eccentric but not TOO cringy in this story, only a few of them are. Her dad, at least, had a good reason to justify his morbid interest in medical history and at least he's the one booth that's historically accurate and educational! The boys are having a grand time learning. But when Meg's dad gets involved in sleuthing, he becomes a problem. He's too fond of mysteries and is eager for his alibi to be deemed as insufficient so Meg can prove his innocence. He means well but he's clueless. Dr. Lanslow is not as fruit as Meg's mother's family. Young Eric and Duck return. Now 9, Eric accepts Duck is female but still doesn't understand that without Mr. Duck the eggs won't hatch and as far as the adults are aware, Duck is the only duck for miles around and they'd like to keep it that way, thank you. (Unlike the peacocks which keep multiplying). Eric is sweet and wants to make his beloved pet as happy as possible while she's brooding. He's also still young enough to be bribed LOL! Meg's mother is manipulating behind-the-scenes. Cousin Horace actually proves to have more brains that he exhibits when with the family. He assists the police and actually knows what he's doing. He's not so bad, he just wants to be seen and his gorilla costume gets attention.
The main family members are the sheriff, Mrs. Fenniman and Wesley. Mrs. Fenniman is the most eccentric family member. She's kin, not even closely related but I guess one relative in common is enough. I admire her for standing up for her convictions even if her beef is with the neighborhood lawn police and their bias against plastic lawn ornaments. Mrs. Fenniman is a homeowner and taxpayer too. She has every right to decorate her lawn the way she wants. Private property. Unfortunately, some of her neighbors don't see it that way and think they have the right to police what others do with their yards. Mrs. Fenniman crossed them with pink plastic flamingos and said flamingos were destroyed. Now it's war! Mrs. Fenniman is running for sheriff, against another relative, using any tactics she can get. She's prepared to fight dirty. Mrs. Fenniman has commissioned Meg to make her 12 wrought iron PINK flamingos. They sound quite beautiful without the lurid pink enamel finish and Meg is actually proud of them but doesn't want to be pigeonholed as the lady blacksmith who makes those cute pink flamingos. (Meg is also a smart businesswoman and knows that if someone is willing to pay twice what she charged her mother's best friend, then so be it!)
Wesley is completely slimy. Meg says he'd sell his grandmother to the devil if it meant getting the story. Yes he just wants to make a living and it's tough but there's journalism and there's tabloid journalism. I think he'd make it up if he had to. Meg's mom promised Welsley Meg would help him find a story but Wesley just keeps hounding Meg, following her and trying to get a juicy story out of anything she says, does or encounters. Instead, she encounters HIM locked in the stocks and then a dead body. Wesley would ordinarily be eager to cover a murder investigation but he's running scared. He fears the killer mistook the victim, who was wearing a rented colonial coat identical to Wesley's and many others, is coming after HIM. He doesn't think Roger Benson was the intended target. Roger Benson was a visiting businessman coming to see Rob about Lawyers From Hell. Rob is pretty clueless and Roger Benson comes across as a sleazy businessman. Who comes to a craft fair, especially a colonial reenactment craft fair and thinks about profit? I think he's probably not on the level and would probably steal Rob's game but who would actually want to play lawyers from hell?
Meg's friend Faulk, a fellow blacksmith, is her friend and mentor. He helped her become the blacksmith and craftswoman she is now. He's a nice guy and doesn't lose his temper often but when he does - watch out! Faulk's boyfriend, Tad, is a computer geek and he accuses Benson of stealing his software and marketing it under Benson's own company name with only minor tweaks. Tad loses his temper and goes ballistic, almost coming to blows with Benson. Later, Faulk accidentally does get into it with Benson and then Benson ends up dead. Could either of them be a killer? Tad supposedly has an alibi but is it airtight? Is the person lying? Faulk does not have an alibi. Meg knows Faulk isn't the murderer but she doesn't know Tad as well. She'd hate for her friend to be hurt by this man but also hate for someone important to him to be accused of a crime he didn't commit. It's up to her to investigate. If Benson proves to be a slimy, sleazy, cheat and thief, then she won't allow Rob to hand over his game or allow a friend to go to jail. I think Tad is correct. Rob is naive and he would absolutely go with the man who promised all sorts of things without checking up on the company and the business ethics!
Meg has it out for Tony Grimes, a copycat blacksmith who doesn't have a creative bone in his body. He copies designs from Meg and Faulk and anyone else but isn't as talented. Tony is lazy and stupid. He can't even hide his crimes that well and it comes back to haunt him. Could he be the murderer? He's definitely up to no good. Meg sure hopes Tony is the murderer. It would solve her problem without forcing her to sue.
The sheriff is totally incompetent. He has no idea how to go about solving a murder and doesn't want to. He also doesn't want to lose his job so he's called in a big city detective to handle the investigation. Wesley claims to have dirt on the sheriff. Could the sheriff be after Wesley's evidence and have mistaken Benson for Wesley? R.B. Montgomery, aka Monty, the deputy, is even more stupid than the sheriff. The sheriff is lazy and incompetent. Monty is arrogant, sexist and incompetent. He can't even find the murder weapon or Meg's cash box. She discovers the cash box by accident and the murder weapon was right under Monty's nose the whole time and Meg finds it first. Monty is quick to judge and make accusations based on personal biases and spends a lot of time leering at Meg's décolletage in her colonial ballgown. He's just awful and would ideally love t arrest Meg, one of her family or friends. He doesn't even care which person was the intended victim and can't be sensitive or sympathetic towards his suspect's partner. Meg's smart mouth is working overtime with this guy.
One new character I like is Amanda, a fellow crafter. A Black woman from Richmond, she's honest about the history of her people in Virginia in colonial times. She's willing to go along with the craft fair but on her own terms. (However, I did see a well-dressed Black man, a property owner, approach Thomas Jefferson in Colonial Williamsburg. He owned human property as well as land). Amanda is a good new friend for Meg. She comes through with the evidence at the end when Meg asks her to, no questions asked. Mrs. Tranh is too funny. She's smarter and more shrewd than she lets on. I think she's the only one who knows how to deal with Mrs. W effectively. Spike, Mrs. W's dog, could be a hero. He could have solved the whole mystery if they had let him. No one pays attention to him because he barks and is nippy but Benson kicked him so I'm betting Spike would remember that and remember Benson's scent. He was growling and barking at Meg's booth just before the murder happened and I bet he smelled his enemy. He smelled three enemies that night and if people understood dog and actually listened to what Spike was trying to tell them, he would be the hero. I like Spike. I think he's cute but he does need a harness and some training. He's a rescue so it has to be gentle and sensitive positive reinforcement training. I hope young Eric takes Spike in hand. I think Eric would be an excellent animal trainer. I don't know if Duck would appreciate a rival though.
This series is fluffy and wacky and good for Friday nights when I'm tired and don't want to think anymore but it's not a top favorite yet.
Content note:
lots of d-word
war reenactment
Michael and Meg keep searching for alone time to be together and he talks about moving in together.
This story was better than the second but not as good as the first. The murder doesn't happen until the end of chapter 14 when a whole lot of drama already went down. By that time it didn't seem to matter who the victim was and I certainly didn't care who killed him. I thought I guessed who right away but I was wrong. I did guess the murder weapon though. As a historian who has been to two of the three Historic Triangle sites, I love the idea of a period correct craft fair. However, none of these people know the first thing about history. Mrs. Waterston knows nothing at all and doesn't care. It's about power and control for her. Meg only knows a little bit, specifically the battle but nothing about clothing. Yes if there was such a thing as a female glassblower, and there probably is working in Jamestown at the glasshouse, yes she WOULD wear skirts and no she wouldn't be burned to death. Her petticoats would be made from linen and wool, natural materials that don't burn. She would also wear a linen shift and leather jumps - not the same thing as a corset and similar to stays but informal. No the corset wasn't worn yet. Yes stays were meant to push you up and some men wore them to achieve a narrow waist but for women, the purpose was posture and keeping the weight of the petticoats off her hips. And how do I know this? Because I've been to Colonial Williamsburg! (See, look Meg http://thehouseandhomemagazine.com/cu... and https://research.colonialwilliamsburg...)
Meg, as a female blacksmith, is an anachronism too so both women SHOULD be wearing pants and portraying men if Mrs. W REALLY wants to be nit picky. But in Colonial Williamsburg they have found evidence of female blacksmiths. The anachronism police are so laughably clueless. Yes they did have nails (hand forged just like Meg says), glass and pottery in 1781! No plastic, no nylon, not as much cotton. I know that was just supposed to be funny but with everything else going on, it was a distraction and an annoyance.
I can't really warm up to Meg for some reason. She accepts her eccentric family with good grace and sarcastic humor but she can be mean about other people. Her language leaves a lot to be desired in public. There's a lot of d-words in this book. Meg wants to avoid confrontation with Michael. I think she should ditch him ASAP and stay true to herself. She's passionate about her work and wants to and needs to succeed in business. She's an artist and not just a metalworker. Metal happens to be her medium. Meg takes pride in everything she does and takes as long as it needs to make something. Then she must sell and to sell she has to go to shows and craft fairs for which she has to pay a fee that comes out of her profits. Michael is jealous of the time Meg's work takes away from their relationship. MEG isn't complaining that MICHAEL'S work, his passion, is somehow wrong and takes too much time away from their relationship. She's aware that their work schedules are busy and thus they're kept apart a lot but she doesn't seem to mind as much as he does. Michael is also jealous of Meg's friend and mentor who shares her passion for metalwork just because the friend is male. Yikes! HUGE red flag warnings! Meg isn't thrilled when Michael enjoys military reenacting. She knows he's a theater professor and loves cosplay. She doesn't really want to spend weekends at reenactments but if he loves it that much, she'll put up with it. Michael doesn't seem to want a partner but more of a concubine. LOSE HIM!
To be fair, Michael doesn't have an example of a successful, loving partnership. His mother is terrifying! She's a wannabe queen and the craft fair/reenactment is her kingdom. Or in more modern terms, she's a wannabe dictator. She's in over her head and can't possibly manage all those people and get them to do what she wants when she wants the way she wants. She doesn't even know enough to train the anachronism police and she simply doesn't care that people need to earn a living. Mrs. W. somehow bamboozled the National Park Service and forced them to give in. Michael's mom does not like Meg. I think she dislikes how Meg is a modern, independent woman who speaks her mind. She SHOULD like Meg because Meg is the only one her rescue dog Spike likes.
Meg's family is eccentric but not TOO cringy in this story, only a few of them are. Her dad, at least, had a good reason to justify his morbid interest in medical history and at least he's the one booth that's historically accurate and educational! The boys are having a grand time learning. But when Meg's dad gets involved in sleuthing, he becomes a problem. He's too fond of mysteries and is eager for his alibi to be deemed as insufficient so Meg can prove his innocence. He means well but he's clueless. Dr. Lanslow is not as fruit as Meg's mother's family. Young Eric and Duck return. Now 9, Eric accepts Duck is female but still doesn't understand that without Mr. Duck the eggs won't hatch and as far as the adults are aware, Duck is the only duck for miles around and they'd like to keep it that way, thank you. (Unlike the peacocks which keep multiplying). Eric is sweet and wants to make his beloved pet as happy as possible while she's brooding. He's also still young enough to be bribed LOL! Meg's mother is manipulating behind-the-scenes. Cousin Horace actually proves to have more brains that he exhibits when with the family. He assists the police and actually knows what he's doing. He's not so bad, he just wants to be seen and his gorilla costume gets attention.
The main family members are the sheriff, Mrs. Fenniman and Wesley. Mrs. Fenniman is the most eccentric family member. She's kin, not even closely related but I guess one relative in common is enough. I admire her for standing up for her convictions even if her beef is with the neighborhood lawn police and their bias against plastic lawn ornaments. Mrs. Fenniman is a homeowner and taxpayer too. She has every right to decorate her lawn the way she wants. Private property. Unfortunately, some of her neighbors don't see it that way and think they have the right to police what others do with their yards. Mrs. Fenniman crossed them with pink plastic flamingos and said flamingos were destroyed. Now it's war! Mrs. Fenniman is running for sheriff, against another relative, using any tactics she can get. She's prepared to fight dirty. Mrs. Fenniman has commissioned Meg to make her 12 wrought iron PINK flamingos. They sound quite beautiful without the lurid pink enamel finish and Meg is actually proud of them but doesn't want to be pigeonholed as the lady blacksmith who makes those cute pink flamingos. (Meg is also a smart businesswoman and knows that if someone is willing to pay twice what she charged her mother's best friend, then so be it!)
Wesley is completely slimy. Meg says he'd sell his grandmother to the devil if it meant getting the story. Yes he just wants to make a living and it's tough but there's journalism and there's tabloid journalism. I think he'd make it up if he had to. Meg's mom promised Welsley Meg would help him find a story but Wesley just keeps hounding Meg, following her and trying to get a juicy story out of anything she says, does or encounters. Instead, she encounters HIM locked in the stocks and then a dead body. Wesley would ordinarily be eager to cover a murder investigation but he's running scared. He fears the killer mistook the victim, who was wearing a rented colonial coat identical to Wesley's and many others, is coming after HIM. He doesn't think Roger Benson was the intended target. Roger Benson was a visiting businessman coming to see Rob about Lawyers From Hell. Rob is pretty clueless and Roger Benson comes across as a sleazy businessman. Who comes to a craft fair, especially a colonial reenactment craft fair and thinks about profit? I think he's probably not on the level and would probably steal Rob's game but who would actually want to play lawyers from hell?
Meg's friend Faulk, a fellow blacksmith, is her friend and mentor. He helped her become the blacksmith and craftswoman she is now. He's a nice guy and doesn't lose his temper often but when he does - watch out! Faulk's boyfriend, Tad, is a computer geek and he accuses Benson of stealing his software and marketing it under Benson's own company name with only minor tweaks. Tad loses his temper and goes ballistic, almost coming to blows with Benson. Later, Faulk accidentally does get into it with Benson and then Benson ends up dead. Could either of them be a killer? Tad supposedly has an alibi but is it airtight? Is the person lying? Faulk does not have an alibi. Meg knows Faulk isn't the murderer but she doesn't know Tad as well. She'd hate for her friend to be hurt by this man but also hate for someone important to him to be accused of a crime he didn't commit. It's up to her to investigate. If Benson proves to be a slimy, sleazy, cheat and thief, then she won't allow Rob to hand over his game or allow a friend to go to jail. I think Tad is correct. Rob is naive and he would absolutely go with the man who promised all sorts of things without checking up on the company and the business ethics!
Meg has it out for Tony Grimes, a copycat blacksmith who doesn't have a creative bone in his body. He copies designs from Meg and Faulk and anyone else but isn't as talented. Tony is lazy and stupid. He can't even hide his crimes that well and it comes back to haunt him. Could he be the murderer? He's definitely up to no good. Meg sure hopes Tony is the murderer. It would solve her problem without forcing her to sue.
The sheriff is totally incompetent. He has no idea how to go about solving a murder and doesn't want to. He also doesn't want to lose his job so he's called in a big city detective to handle the investigation. Wesley claims to have dirt on the sheriff. Could the sheriff be after Wesley's evidence and have mistaken Benson for Wesley? R.B. Montgomery, aka Monty, the deputy, is even more stupid than the sheriff. The sheriff is lazy and incompetent. Monty is arrogant, sexist and incompetent. He can't even find the murder weapon or Meg's cash box. She discovers the cash box by accident and the murder weapon was right under Monty's nose the whole time and Meg finds it first. Monty is quick to judge and make accusations based on personal biases and spends a lot of time leering at Meg's décolletage in her colonial ballgown. He's just awful and would ideally love t arrest Meg, one of her family or friends. He doesn't even care which person was the intended victim and can't be sensitive or sympathetic towards his suspect's partner. Meg's smart mouth is working overtime with this guy.
One new character I like is Amanda, a fellow crafter. A Black woman from Richmond, she's honest about the history of her people in Virginia in colonial times. She's willing to go along with the craft fair but on her own terms. (However, I did see a well-dressed Black man, a property owner, approach Thomas Jefferson in Colonial Williamsburg. He owned human property as well as land). Amanda is a good new friend for Meg. She comes through with the evidence at the end when Meg asks her to, no questions asked. Mrs. Tranh is too funny. She's smarter and more shrewd than she lets on. I think she's the only one who knows how to deal with Mrs. W effectively. Spike, Mrs. W's dog, could be a hero. He could have solved the whole mystery if they had let him. No one pays attention to him because he barks and is nippy but Benson kicked him so I'm betting Spike would remember that and remember Benson's scent. He was growling and barking at Meg's booth just before the murder happened and I bet he smelled his enemy. He smelled three enemies that night and if people understood dog and actually listened to what Spike was trying to tell them, he would be the hero. I like Spike. I think he's cute but he does need a harness and some training. He's a rescue so it has to be gentle and sensitive positive reinforcement training. I hope young Eric takes Spike in hand. I think Eric would be an excellent animal trainer. I don't know if Duck would appreciate a rival though.
This series is fluffy and wacky and good for Friday nights when I'm tired and don't want to think anymore but it's not a top favorite yet.
Content note:
lots of d-word
war reenactment
Michael and Meg keep searching for alone time to be together and he talks about moving in together.
November 14, 2019
When I'm looking for a fun, light read, this series seems to be a good place to go. This installment of the Meg Langslow series was a good read. Meg and her boyfriend are hitting a critical point in their long-distance relationship, Meg is enduring a weekend in costume selling her ironwork at a historical reenactment - and someone gets killed in her craft stall.
The usual wacky folks from Yorktown, Virginia make their appearance. As someone from Virginia (and one of my closest friends was from Yorktown!), I've been to more than a few events of the type described in this book and Andrews portrays it well. Not only did the battle reenactment feel familiar, but I loved how she gently poked fun at some of the antics of the organizer.
The mystery was a well-constructed puzzle and I enjoyed this read. I don't normally go for cozies, but these are so funny that I have to make an exception.
The usual wacky folks from Yorktown, Virginia make their appearance. As someone from Virginia (and one of my closest friends was from Yorktown!), I've been to more than a few events of the type described in this book and Andrews portrays it well. Not only did the battle reenactment feel familiar, but I loved how she gently poked fun at some of the antics of the organizer.
The mystery was a well-constructed puzzle and I enjoyed this read. I don't normally go for cozies, but these are so funny that I have to make an exception.
January 30, 2020
I love how rich the stories are in this series and not just all about the "murder."
April 12, 2023
Another great book in the Meg Langslow series. This has become one of my favorite cozy series. I love Meg, Michael and Meg's crazy family. I don't like Michael's mother in this volume but I don't like her in most volumes.
The mystery was good and I was happy to see who the murderer was.
The mystery was good and I was happy to see who the murderer was.
January 29, 2008
Yesterday I finished another cozy mystery for the monthly discussion at the cozy group. I’m sad to say that for the first time I didn’t much enjoy the book chosen.
A reenactment of the siege of Yorktown features a crafts fair, so ornamental blacksmith Meg Langslow dresses in costume and peddles her wares. An entrepreneur working with Meg's brother comes to near-blows with several craftspeople--including Meg, who has hidden a dozen modern pink flamingos under her counter. When the man is killed by one of Meg's birds, Meg is determined to find the culprit.
I think my main problem was the type of humour that I didn’t find humorous in the least. Like when Meg finds the body and her first thought is “Well at least he’s in period!”. I’m afraid this doesn’t sound funny to me. And most of the characters seemed like some sort of caricature of real people, talk about extended families with weird members.
From my point of view the first half of the book suffers from too much dialogue, too many characters introduced... it ruined the suspense as the villain, victim is immediately set apart and then it takes forever for the murder to happen. After the murder I think we spend too much time with Meg's crazy relatives and after a while the action just couldn't hold my interest anymore.
I had thought this theme would be just my thing with reenactment of an historical battle and a craft fair but the truth is that it didn't work for me. A C.
A reenactment of the siege of Yorktown features a crafts fair, so ornamental blacksmith Meg Langslow dresses in costume and peddles her wares. An entrepreneur working with Meg's brother comes to near-blows with several craftspeople--including Meg, who has hidden a dozen modern pink flamingos under her counter. When the man is killed by one of Meg's birds, Meg is determined to find the culprit.
I think my main problem was the type of humour that I didn’t find humorous in the least. Like when Meg finds the body and her first thought is “Well at least he’s in period!”. I’m afraid this doesn’t sound funny to me. And most of the characters seemed like some sort of caricature of real people, talk about extended families with weird members.
From my point of view the first half of the book suffers from too much dialogue, too many characters introduced... it ruined the suspense as the villain, victim is immediately set apart and then it takes forever for the murder to happen. After the murder I think we spend too much time with Meg's crazy relatives and after a while the action just couldn't hold my interest anymore.
I had thought this theme would be just my thing with reenactment of an historical battle and a craft fair but the truth is that it didn't work for me. A C.
October 11, 2014
Donna Andrews' bird mysteries are a total treat. In book three, Meg and her boyfriend Michael, are participating in an enactment of the 1781 siege of Yorktown. Michael's demanding mother is in charge and allows nothing from present day to be seen, said, or tasted anywhere during the celebration.
Meg is participating in the crafts fair, selling her exquisite iron works. She has competition with some second class crafters, but she's also trying to keep her special order, flamingos under wraps so buyers will consider her a serious blacksmith. Unfortunately, the flamingoes are brought out from hiding and one ends up stabbed in the back of a local businessman disliked by one and all. Her birds, her murder? Or her brother and good friends who were seen arguing with the dead man?
This book was full of history and tales from present day re-enactments. The characters from this series continue to grow, and the competition between the couple's moms gets more complicated. Meg's Dad's love of mystery is tested and he tries to get himself accused of the murder. Humor abounds and the mystery follows a number of possible suspects until the very end. These books have shown their merit by the long list of this series to date. Excellent cozies and fast reads!!
Meg is participating in the crafts fair, selling her exquisite iron works. She has competition with some second class crafters, but she's also trying to keep her special order, flamingos under wraps so buyers will consider her a serious blacksmith. Unfortunately, the flamingoes are brought out from hiding and one ends up stabbed in the back of a local businessman disliked by one and all. Her birds, her murder? Or her brother and good friends who were seen arguing with the dead man?
This book was full of history and tales from present day re-enactments. The characters from this series continue to grow, and the competition between the couple's moms gets more complicated. Meg's Dad's love of mystery is tested and he tries to get himself accused of the murder. Humor abounds and the mystery follows a number of possible suspects until the very end. These books have shown their merit by the long list of this series to date. Excellent cozies and fast reads!!
December 8, 2020
I'm kinda on the fence. Neither of the sequels have been as screwball-comedy-esque as the first. This one had one scene that had potential but, unfortunately, the lead-in was too long. Also there were too many reoccurring small characters from the other books that I just didn't remember. And the new characters were all introduced at once in the beginning and, therefore, hard to separate from each other.
I thought Amanda had some potential(as a new character) but she was glossed over. Nor was I a fan of where Michael and Meg's relationship was at. Personally, in view of the length of the series, it could go much slower.
I know that physical comedy is hard to write but she did such a good job in her first book that I have high hopes.
She does do a decent job at including a diverse number of characters and I found her inclusion of the topic of slavery during her treatment of a revolutionary War reenactment appropriate. No glossing over that here. I will give the series one more try...
I thought Amanda had some potential(as a new character) but she was glossed over. Nor was I a fan of where Michael and Meg's relationship was at. Personally, in view of the length of the series, it could go much slower.
I know that physical comedy is hard to write but she did such a good job in her first book that I have high hopes.
She does do a decent job at including a diverse number of characters and I found her inclusion of the topic of slavery during her treatment of a revolutionary War reenactment appropriate. No glossing over that here. I will give the series one more try...
March 26, 2019
4.5 stars
This series has really hit its stride. A colonial craft fair and battle reenactment is a great setting for a cozy mystery. Add some bright pink hand-forged flamingos, and let the games begin!
This series has really hit its stride. A colonial craft fair and battle reenactment is a great setting for a cozy mystery. Add some bright pink hand-forged flamingos, and let the games begin!
June 13, 2022
It would have been a three star but the gazillion times the word anachronism was used drove me crazy
December 30, 2022
Third in the Meg Langslow cozy mystery series revolving around an amateur sleuth who is also a blacksmith. The focus is on maintaining the historical accuracy of a craft fair plying alongside a reenactment in October of 2005 in Yorktown of the 1781 surrender by the British in the Revolutionary War.
My Take
Oh my lord. Mrs Waterston is too obsessed with historical accuracy! No eyeglasses unless they're wire rims. Then she insists on cannons going off hour after hour to give a real feel for what citizens felt back then. As for her officious "Town Watch", oh lordy, I do love Meg's revenge at the end, lol.
Yeah, and Amanda is not thrilled at having to dress up like Aunt Jemima. Nor am I sure everyone is thrilled with having to use period tents, although Meg is discovering the delights of corsets.
Michael better keep his mother far from Meg — she's having second thoughts of her as her mother-in-law, who's making digs at Meg all story long. It does not help that everyone is trying to encourage Michael to ask the big question while Meg and Michael are at a crossroads with dating while living in separate towns, and he wants more time with her.
If only Meg weren't so effective, so organized, so practical. Everyone thinks only Meg can talk to Mrs Waterston. Meg twisted arms for crafters to participate, harassed newspapers to provide publicity, and browbeat relatives and friends to show up. It does crack me up how Meg comes up with these off-the-cuff "excuses" to ward Mrs Waterston off, lol. That woman does not consider the dangers of some of the costume stylings, among many other issues.
Naturally, there are areas of conflict, including Michael's jealousy and his burgeoning excitement about reenactments, lawsuits, software piracy, being gay, the feuding between Michael's mother and Meg's, the rapidly spiraling fines, blackmail, Duck's unexpected aid in stopping the nighttime cannon fire, the elect-the-sheriff feud between the current sheriff and Mrs Fenniman, and so much more action with a number of characters driving it.
Lol, the crafters seem to get some revenge with those soft tomatoes at the stocks, even as Meg gets some from the overzealous Monty handling the weapon she warned him about. Serves the bugger right, lol.
I like Faulk's point about knowing everything about making weapons in the traditional way, so as to really understand the steel. It turns out well for Meg as many of the participants on the military side are eager for well-made weapons. She's also quite practical on the old-fashioned hardware that make it easier to have an authentic camp.
It's sad that Faulk's family has such an issue with his being gay.
I swear, Meg's dad has more hobbies! Antique medical equipment (most of them made by Meg), birdwatching, reading at least six mystery novels a week, his passion for being a suspect, gardening, helping to detect mysteries, etc. Thank god he wasn't there when Meg and Michael help make black powder charges!
There's more laughter — I have to think it's due to Mrs Waterston's reaction to learning who the real killer that's sets everyone off.
We know all this from Andrews' use of first person protagonist point-of-view from Meg's perspective.
Hmm, I don't think the diversity training took . . . Although, the Town Watch's emphasis on anachronisms took well, ROFLMAO, for everyone else.
The Story
It's Mrs Waterston's first year as chairwoman of Yorktown Day, and Meg has unfortunately agreed to ensure none of her fellow crafters ruin the historical authenticity of the fair with forbidden modern devices . . . all in an effort to keep the peace with her.
On the plus side, the craft fair is being a bonanza for Meg's ironmongery — if only no one discovers she's the creator of the commissioned flamingos. She does not want to be stereotyped for them!
Michael is having fun as well donning the white-and-gold uniform of a French officer for the reenactment — what actor could resist a role like that?
As usual, Meg's family is adding their own angles with Dad scaring many of the tourists with his impersonation of an 18th century physician. Her naive brother Rob is falling to the dubious charms of a con man while dodging a snoopy reporter.
Then the swindler is found dead, slain in Meg's booth with one of her own wrought-iron creations.
The Characters
Meg Langslow is a snoopy blacksmith who can't leave a stone unturned. It's her attention to detail that finds her Mrs Waterston's deputy in ensuring all participants of the craft fair are anachronism-free. She and Professor Michael Waterston, who is with the Drama Department at Caerphilly College, have been together for a year now. Michael will be in French military costume with his fellow officers spouting French and kissing Meg's hand in the Gatinois chasseurs unit.
Meg's Family
Dad, Dr James Langslow, is having a ball with his period-accurate medical tent, down to the last gory detail. Mother, Margaret Hollingsworth Langslow, is quite sneaky in turning the tables on Mrs Waterston. Rob is Meg's feckless brother, who squeaked by the Virginia bar exam last year and who has turned out to be good at producing video games. Pam is their older sister with six kids. Mrs Fenniman is Mother's best friend, and she's running for sheriff of Yorktown. She's also the person who commissioned those revenge-driven wrought-iron flamingos from Meg. Eric McReady is Meg's nephew still accompanied by Duck who's laying eggs everywhere. And the Langslows still have that flock of peacocks from Murder with Peacocks , 1.
Yorktown Day Reenactment and Craft Fair
The hypercritical Dahlia Waterston, a.k.a. Madame Von Steuben, is Michael's mother and in charge of Yorktown Day, with excessive attention to detail. She owns Be-Stitched, a dressmaking shop in Yorktown. Well, she owns half with Mrs Tranh owning the other half and hiring and managing the business side. Spike is her ill-mannered dog. Great-aunt Agatha used to be the committee chair for the annual Yorktown Day celebration. The "Town Watch", a.k.a. "the Anachronism Police", consists of overzealous idiots.
Eileen is Meg's best friend and a fellow craftswoman. She married Steven in Murder with Peacocks , and they have a son, Samuel. Amanda, an African-American weaver, is across from Meg's and Eileen's booth. Merry is a glassblower. Tony Grimes, who runs a hardware store by day, fancies himself a blacksmith and copies (badly) the work of other smiths.
Faulk, a.k.a. William Faulkner Cates, is an old friend of Meg's who had introduced her to ironworking and is now mentoring her on creating daggers and swords. Thaddeus "Tad" Jackson is Faulk's life partner and driving Mrs Waterston nuts with his perception of what an African man was wearing in Colonial America, lol. Tad is the inventor of CraftWorks, a program crafters use to run their businesses. He's also noted for his hot temper that isn't always merited, and he told Meg he was an only child.
Captain Jess, Mel (his day job is as a private investigator and bounty hunter), Danny, and Xavier are part of the artillery component. Aunt Phoebe is an avid birder. Uncle Stanley is a federal judge. Didier is the chef from Le Rivage.
Yorktown PD
Horace Hollingsworth, a cousin with a chemistry degree who was sent off to forensics training, does love a costume, especially his gorilla suit. The sheriff is incompetent. Ranulf Brakenridge "Monty" Montgomery is the new deputy with big-city police experience. Ricky and Fred are fellow deputies. Ricky's mom is also Aunt Alice.
Wesley Hatcher is the world's sneakiest, muckraking reporter — and a distant cousin — currently working for a third-rate tabloid, the Super Snooper. The landscaping sub-committee of the Visual Enhancement and Aesthetics Committee despises plastic lawn ornaments. Justin is fascinated by Dad's leeches.
Roger Benson represents the software company who wants to produce "Lawyers from Hell", Rob's video game invention. Cooper and Anthony had been a pulp mill company purposefully run into the ground.
The Cover and Title
The cover's background starts with a summer blue sky gradating into a soft green just above three lush green plants from which three pink flamingos emerge. At the top is the title in deep pink with the author's name at the bottom with an info blurb below that in white.
The title is true in so many ways, in the Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos.
My Take
Oh my lord. Mrs Waterston is too obsessed with historical accuracy! No eyeglasses unless they're wire rims. Then she insists on cannons going off hour after hour to give a real feel for what citizens felt back then. As for her officious "Town Watch", oh lordy, I do love Meg's revenge at the end, lol.
Yeah, and Amanda is not thrilled at having to dress up like Aunt Jemima. Nor am I sure everyone is thrilled with having to use period tents, although Meg is discovering the delights of corsets.
Michael better keep his mother far from Meg — she's having second thoughts of her as her mother-in-law, who's making digs at Meg all story long. It does not help that everyone is trying to encourage Michael to ask the big question while Meg and Michael are at a crossroads with dating while living in separate towns, and he wants more time with her.
If only Meg weren't so effective, so organized, so practical. Everyone thinks only Meg can talk to Mrs Waterston. Meg twisted arms for crafters to participate, harassed newspapers to provide publicity, and browbeat relatives and friends to show up. It does crack me up how Meg comes up with these off-the-cuff "excuses" to ward Mrs Waterston off, lol. That woman does not consider the dangers of some of the costume stylings, among many other issues.
Naturally, there are areas of conflict, including Michael's jealousy and his burgeoning excitement about reenactments, lawsuits, software piracy, being gay, the feuding between Michael's mother and Meg's, the rapidly spiraling fines, blackmail, Duck's unexpected aid in stopping the nighttime cannon fire, the elect-the-sheriff feud between the current sheriff and Mrs Fenniman, and so much more action with a number of characters driving it.
Lol, the crafters seem to get some revenge with those soft tomatoes at the stocks, even as Meg gets some from the overzealous Monty handling the weapon she warned him about. Serves the bugger right, lol.
I like Faulk's point about knowing everything about making weapons in the traditional way, so as to really understand the steel. It turns out well for Meg as many of the participants on the military side are eager for well-made weapons. She's also quite practical on the old-fashioned hardware that make it easier to have an authentic camp.
It's sad that Faulk's family has such an issue with his being gay.
I swear, Meg's dad has more hobbies! Antique medical equipment (most of them made by Meg), birdwatching, reading at least six mystery novels a week, his passion for being a suspect, gardening, helping to detect mysteries, etc. Thank god he wasn't there when Meg and Michael help make black powder charges!
There's more laughter — I have to think it's due to Mrs Waterston's reaction to learning who the real killer that's sets everyone off.
We know all this from Andrews' use of first person protagonist point-of-view from Meg's perspective.
Hmm, I don't think the diversity training took . . . Although, the Town Watch's emphasis on anachronisms took well, ROFLMAO, for everyone else.
The Story
It's Mrs Waterston's first year as chairwoman of Yorktown Day, and Meg has unfortunately agreed to ensure none of her fellow crafters ruin the historical authenticity of the fair with forbidden modern devices . . . all in an effort to keep the peace with her.
On the plus side, the craft fair is being a bonanza for Meg's ironmongery — if only no one discovers she's the creator of the commissioned flamingos. She does not want to be stereotyped for them!
Michael is having fun as well donning the white-and-gold uniform of a French officer for the reenactment — what actor could resist a role like that?
As usual, Meg's family is adding their own angles with Dad scaring many of the tourists with his impersonation of an 18th century physician. Her naive brother Rob is falling to the dubious charms of a con man while dodging a snoopy reporter.
Then the swindler is found dead, slain in Meg's booth with one of her own wrought-iron creations.
The Characters
Meg Langslow is a snoopy blacksmith who can't leave a stone unturned. It's her attention to detail that finds her Mrs Waterston's deputy in ensuring all participants of the craft fair are anachronism-free. She and Professor Michael Waterston, who is with the Drama Department at Caerphilly College, have been together for a year now. Michael will be in French military costume with his fellow officers spouting French and kissing Meg's hand in the Gatinois chasseurs unit.
Meg's Family
Dad, Dr James Langslow, is having a ball with his period-accurate medical tent, down to the last gory detail. Mother, Margaret Hollingsworth Langslow, is quite sneaky in turning the tables on Mrs Waterston. Rob is Meg's feckless brother, who squeaked by the Virginia bar exam last year and who has turned out to be good at producing video games. Pam is their older sister with six kids. Mrs Fenniman is Mother's best friend, and she's running for sheriff of Yorktown. She's also the person who commissioned those revenge-driven wrought-iron flamingos from Meg. Eric McReady is Meg's nephew still accompanied by Duck who's laying eggs everywhere. And the Langslows still have that flock of peacocks from Murder with Peacocks , 1.
Yorktown Day Reenactment and Craft Fair
The hypercritical Dahlia Waterston, a.k.a. Madame Von Steuben, is Michael's mother and in charge of Yorktown Day, with excessive attention to detail. She owns Be-Stitched, a dressmaking shop in Yorktown. Well, she owns half with Mrs Tranh owning the other half and hiring and managing the business side. Spike is her ill-mannered dog. Great-aunt Agatha used to be the committee chair for the annual Yorktown Day celebration. The "Town Watch", a.k.a. "the Anachronism Police", consists of overzealous idiots.
Eileen is Meg's best friend and a fellow craftswoman. She married Steven in Murder with Peacocks , and they have a son, Samuel. Amanda, an African-American weaver, is across from Meg's and Eileen's booth. Merry is a glassblower. Tony Grimes, who runs a hardware store by day, fancies himself a blacksmith and copies (badly) the work of other smiths.
Faulk, a.k.a. William Faulkner Cates, is an old friend of Meg's who had introduced her to ironworking and is now mentoring her on creating daggers and swords. Thaddeus "Tad" Jackson is Faulk's life partner and driving Mrs Waterston nuts with his perception of what an African man was wearing in Colonial America, lol. Tad is the inventor of CraftWorks, a program crafters use to run their businesses. He's also noted for his hot temper that isn't always merited, and he told Meg he was an only child.
Captain Jess, Mel (his day job is as a private investigator and bounty hunter), Danny, and Xavier are part of the artillery component. Aunt Phoebe is an avid birder. Uncle Stanley is a federal judge. Didier is the chef from Le Rivage.
Yorktown PD
Horace Hollingsworth, a cousin with a chemistry degree who was sent off to forensics training, does love a costume, especially his gorilla suit. The sheriff is incompetent. Ranulf Brakenridge "Monty" Montgomery is the new deputy with big-city police experience. Ricky and Fred are fellow deputies. Ricky's mom is also Aunt Alice.
Wesley Hatcher is the world's sneakiest, muckraking reporter — and a distant cousin — currently working for a third-rate tabloid, the Super Snooper. The landscaping sub-committee of the Visual Enhancement and Aesthetics Committee despises plastic lawn ornaments. Justin is fascinated by Dad's leeches.
Roger Benson represents the software company who wants to produce "Lawyers from Hell", Rob's video game invention. Cooper and Anthony had been a pulp mill company purposefully run into the ground.
The Cover and Title
The cover's background starts with a summer blue sky gradating into a soft green just above three lush green plants from which three pink flamingos emerge. At the top is the title in deep pink with the author's name at the bottom with an info blurb below that in white.
The title is true in so many ways, in the Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos.
April 21, 2021
4 stars!
This series has unexpectedly and quickly become a comfort series for me, I’m so glad I have so many more books to go. This is not perfect - I definitely think the pacing could use work, for starters. but the ending of this book (and the first book of the series) was SO satisfying. I really enjoyed the setting and ofc hanging out with Meg and Michael, so much so that I didn’t mind the relatively slow build up and arguably irrelevant details. Can’t wait for the next book!
This series has unexpectedly and quickly become a comfort series for me, I’m so glad I have so many more books to go. This is not perfect - I definitely think the pacing could use work, for starters. but the ending of this book (and the first book of the series) was SO satisfying. I really enjoyed the setting and ofc hanging out with Meg and Michael, so much so that I didn’t mind the relatively slow build up and arguably irrelevant details. Can’t wait for the next book!
June 23, 2024
I think this is my favorite in this series thus far! Ten stars!
Though I am not especially interested in war-filled reenactments I did find the details of this setting quite fascinating and admire Andrews' obvious detailed research. The mystery blended in well and I am anxious to continue with this series!
Though I am not especially interested in war-filled reenactments I did find the details of this setting quite fascinating and admire Andrews' obvious detailed research. The mystery blended in well and I am anxious to continue with this series!
August 29, 2024
3.5 stars. I’ve really started to enjoy this funny, quirky series. And I really love how inventive the author has been with the settings and circumstances around each mystery.
January 10, 2016
Blacksmith Meg Langslow has been roped into running a craft fair at a Yorktown Battle reenactment, organized by her boyfriend Michael's mother, and Meg is already regretting it. Michael's mother is running rampant over everyone and everything, particularly Meg, and fining the crafters hundreds of dollars for any modern anachronisms (including things that the "Town Watch" think are anachronisms even though they aren't). As if that weren't enough, Meg's brother is contemplating a deal with a shady software developer whom some friends of Meg are planning to sue, another blacksmith keeps (badly) plagiarizing Meg's designs, the cannons are firing all night, and Michael keeps wanting to talk about their future--which will involve Meg moving back to her hometown. All hell then breaks loose when the shady developer is found dead in Meg's booth, stabbed with Meg's dagger, and the new local police detective just wants a fast arrest--whether he gets the right person or not. So once more, it's up to Meg to sort out the true murderer before anyone else gets killed.
This is another fun series, completely and delightfully unbelievable, peopled with an excess of quirky characters and situations you only wish could be real. If you're looking for a light, humorous mystery series that still has sympathetic characters, try it out.
This is another fun series, completely and delightfully unbelievable, peopled with an excess of quirky characters and situations you only wish could be real. If you're looking for a light, humorous mystery series that still has sympathetic characters, try it out.
January 4, 2025
Book #3 in the Meg Langslow mystery series. Not as a delightful as the first, but a significant improvement on the second, so I'm going to call it a win. Meg continues to be one of the few members of her family who is able to pretend to be somewhat normal (and since she's related to almost everyone in town, that's a whole lot of quirky characters). Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos (which is one of the most delightful titles I've ever encountered) features a Revolutionary War reenactment that could have come straight out of Stars Hollow, a murder victim everyone wants dead, and relationship negotiations as Meg and her boyfriend try to solve both a murder and their long-distance problem.
Update, 1/2/25:
An entertaining listen. All of ^^that^^ still applies.
After having listened to several of the mysteries later in the series, I find I much appreciate the settled, older Meg of the later books as opposed to this younger Meg who is still figuring out her relationship with Michael.
Update, 1/2/25:
An entertaining listen. All of ^^that^^ still applies.
After having listened to several of the mysteries later in the series, I find I much appreciate the settled, older Meg of the later books as opposed to this younger Meg who is still figuring out her relationship with Michael.
December 8, 2015
To make points with Mrs Waterson Meg agrees to be her assistant at mock Battle of Yorktown's craft fair. Everyone is dress in period clothing. Michael is a stickler for authentic items. several of Meg'family are at the show. Rob is dispose to meet with a software person Roger Benson. Meg and Rob learns he might be scammer and don't want to gave the source code.. They want to know more before dealing with him. Later Roger is found dead in Meg's stall with her handcrafted stuck in him. Will the sheriff arrest Meg or Rob, who kill RB.? Mrs Fenniganan has problems with the "yard police" about her plastic pink flamingos. She commissioned Meg to make her a dozen pink iron ones. Rob finds and in very funny scenes get Meg a lot of orders
December 6, 2008
How does a community ban on plastic yard ornaments fit in with a revolutionary war reenactment, a murder, and blacksmithing? Leave it to Meg Langslow's character to bring the story together in Yorktown VA where she and the handy boyfriend character Michael, who we really know far too little about, are participating in the festivities of encampment and craft show in period garb and with cannons firing.
Not much meat on the bones of this one in the series, but the story behind her making iron flamingos is believable to any condo or Homeowners' association resident and the rest of the book is lightweight entertainment with amusing conversation and colorful characters.
Not much meat on the bones of this one in the series, but the story behind her making iron flamingos is believable to any condo or Homeowners' association resident and the rest of the book is lightweight entertainment with amusing conversation and colorful characters.
November 8, 2013
Though I still like the characters very much, I'm not all that impressed with the writing. My friend Heather mentioned this observation--her constant use of a certain word, anachronism, and it got old real quick. I'm constantly telling my students not to sound like a thesaurus--simple language is actually the best. I'll probably continue reading the series because I want to see where the characters go. And perhaps because it took me so long to read it, my enthusiasm for the book waned. It will be awhile before I pick up another of her books.
January 18, 2025
Goodness -- my sixth listen and still enamoured with all things Meg Langslow. Loved all the blacksmithing details in this one as well as the battle re-enactment scenes which, of course, turned into carefully orchestrated chaos. :-)
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First read this one in 2020 and this is my fourth read 'listen' and it's just as much fun as the first three times round! Especially enjoyed this third Meg Langslow book as it features her blacksmithing which is an unusual profession for a heroine.
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First read this one in 2020 and this is my fourth read 'listen' and it's just as much fun as the first three times round! Especially enjoyed this third Meg Langslow book as it features her blacksmithing which is an unusual profession for a heroine.
May 29, 2019
Another fun audiobook from this series. I liked the setting of a historical craft fair, and the fact that there was some tension in Meg and Michael's relationship, but that it was realistic and not overly dramatic. I wasn't as into the mystery as I was in the first two books, but I really read these more for the characters anyway.
January 16, 2021
Meg is running a craft fair connected with a celebration of the Battle of Yorktown, run by her boyfriend Michael's difficult mother. When a businessman meeting with Meg's brother Rob is killed in Meg's booth, the new policeman in town suspects Meg and Rob equally.
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