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Meg Langslow #1-2
A Murder Hatched
Catch the first two books in Donna Andrews's award-winning laugh-out-loud Meg Lanslow series: this ebook bundle contains Murder with Peacocks and Murder with Puffins.
From ducks to penguins to peacocks to parrots, Donna Andrews knows her birds! And she's channeled all her skill and winning humor into one of the most accomplished, entertaining cozy series around. It all began with Murder with Peacocks, which won the St. Martin's Minotaur/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. Upon learning that her novel had won, Donna acquired a copy of the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds and settled herself down with her zany heroine, blacksmith Meg Langslow. The fun has not stopped since. Murder with Peacocks scooped up the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, along with the Romantic Times award for best first novel and the Lefty award for the funniest mystery.
See how this stunning, laugh-out-loud series all began and meet Meg Langslow, one of the most dynamic and hilarious characters ever to grace the mystery shelves.
From ducks to penguins to peacocks to parrots, Donna Andrews knows her birds! And she's channeled all her skill and winning humor into one of the most accomplished, entertaining cozy series around. It all began with Murder with Peacocks, which won the St. Martin's Minotaur/Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Novel Competition. Upon learning that her novel had won, Donna acquired a copy of the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds and settled herself down with her zany heroine, blacksmith Meg Langslow. The fun has not stopped since. Murder with Peacocks scooped up the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, along with the Romantic Times award for best first novel and the Lefty award for the funniest mystery.
See how this stunning, laugh-out-loud series all began and meet Meg Langslow, one of the most dynamic and hilarious characters ever to grace the mystery shelves.
624 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2008
126 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
Donna Andrews
103 books2,105 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 39 reviews
March 6, 2013
MURDER WITH PEACOCKS
MURDER WITH PEACOCKS probably had about two too many weddings for me. Sure, this novel was entertaining, and it’d be hard not to be with a cast of zany characters and enough murder and mayhem to bring down an entire forest. But it felt like Ms. Andrews tried a bit too hard. I certainly applaud her for her effort, but there was enough craziness for two or three novels compacted in a little over 300 pages.
And the weddings. I understand that women have the entire ceremony planned out from the time they are twelve years old down to the church, flowers, hors d’oeuvre, and possibly even the minister. But three weddings in about three weeks? That seemed about as crazy as a group of peacocks and peahens camped out in the middle of the desert. Or maybe I just needed a bit more focus on the murder and mayhem, since it seemed to catch on about as well as the flu.
I did enjoy the back and forth between Meg and Michael; I would have preferred a bit more of that as well. More relationship and more sleuthing would have made for a better tale. I have high hopes that the second novel will be an improvement over the first.
MURDER WITH PUFFINS
While MURDER WITH PUFFINS did have more of Meg and Michael, I still had to deal with a smaller scale version of the Langslow clan. On a positive note, there was nary a wedding to speak of, after having endured three from MURDER WITH PEACOCKS, all of which had their share of hiccups. The Maine locale proved to be a nice change of pace.
The zaniness still felt a bit forced to me. More often than not, the antics seemed a bit too cute, a bit too over-the-top, and probably even a bit forced. While the relationship and the sleuthing did improve, it still felt like this series was missing something.
Peacocks and Puffins Done.
MURDER WITH PEACOCKS probably had about two too many weddings for me. Sure, this novel was entertaining, and it’d be hard not to be with a cast of zany characters and enough murder and mayhem to bring down an entire forest. But it felt like Ms. Andrews tried a bit too hard. I certainly applaud her for her effort, but there was enough craziness for two or three novels compacted in a little over 300 pages.
And the weddings. I understand that women have the entire ceremony planned out from the time they are twelve years old down to the church, flowers, hors d’oeuvre, and possibly even the minister. But three weddings in about three weeks? That seemed about as crazy as a group of peacocks and peahens camped out in the middle of the desert. Or maybe I just needed a bit more focus on the murder and mayhem, since it seemed to catch on about as well as the flu.
I did enjoy the back and forth between Meg and Michael; I would have preferred a bit more of that as well. More relationship and more sleuthing would have made for a better tale. I have high hopes that the second novel will be an improvement over the first.
MURDER WITH PUFFINS
While MURDER WITH PUFFINS did have more of Meg and Michael, I still had to deal with a smaller scale version of the Langslow clan. On a positive note, there was nary a wedding to speak of, after having endured three from MURDER WITH PEACOCKS, all of which had their share of hiccups. The Maine locale proved to be a nice change of pace.
The zaniness still felt a bit forced to me. More often than not, the antics seemed a bit too cute, a bit too over-the-top, and probably even a bit forced. While the relationship and the sleuthing did improve, it still felt like this series was missing something.
Peacocks and Puffins Done.
April 16, 2024
2.5 stars ✨
August 7, 2012
Meet Meg Langslow, a blacksmith by trade... reluctant sleuth by circumstances. "A Murder Hatched" is a bundle of the first two Meg Langslow books - Murder with Peacocks and Murder with Puffins.
In Murder with Peacocks, Meg has gone back to her hometown of Yorktown, Virginia to be the Maid-Of-Honor in three back to back summer weddings. Relying on her notebook-that-tells-her-when-to-breathe, Meg takes the summer off from her business to plan and manage every detail for each wedding. The three brides - her best friend, her brother's fiance, and her mom - are more hindrances than helps. Having a very eccentric family constantly gathering for parties doesn't help either.
The summer is made even more difficult when a murder occurs, of the former sister-in-law of the widower Meg's mom is marrying. Meg's dad, a doctor with a passion for poisonous plants and murder mystery novels, can't help but investigate the death - dragging Meg along with him - putting all of them in danger of being the next victims. Thankfully, Meg is helped by Michael - the rumored to be "in-the-closet" son of the dressmaker - when it comes to both the weddings, handling her eccentric family, and the murder investigation.
Murder with Puffins finds Meg on a getaway trip with her boyfriend, Michael, for some very much-needed privacy. Meg is still stuck back home with her crazy family who stuck around after all the weddings. When Meg and Michael finally reach her aunt's cottage on a secluded island in the middle of a hurricane, they're surprised to find it occupied by her entire family. So much for a private getaway!
Trapped on the island due to the hurricane, Meg and Michael have no choice but to try to make the best of it. Soon, they find themselves rushing to solve yet another murder -- before the storm is over and the murderer can escape from the island. Meg's dad is the number one suspect, adding even more reason to solve the crime in a hurry.
Some might find the characters in these two novels to be a little over the top - but they're nothing compared to characters in other popular cozy mystery series like Stephanie Plum. Honestly, they're not very over the top compared to my family and in-laws! I loved the way Meg took everything in stride, and has pretty controlled emotions. I could really identify with her, unlike other female leads who have emotional breakdowns at every wrong turn.
As for the mystery plots, they're well constructed and not over the top. Both plots wrap up nicely, with solutions that you wouldn't necessarily expect -- but completely make sense when you realize all the subtly dropped clues.
I look forward to making my way through this series! I definitely have grown fond of these characters and the author's writing style.
In Murder with Peacocks, Meg has gone back to her hometown of Yorktown, Virginia to be the Maid-Of-Honor in three back to back summer weddings. Relying on her notebook-that-tells-her-when-to-breathe, Meg takes the summer off from her business to plan and manage every detail for each wedding. The three brides - her best friend, her brother's fiance, and her mom - are more hindrances than helps. Having a very eccentric family constantly gathering for parties doesn't help either.
The summer is made even more difficult when a murder occurs, of the former sister-in-law of the widower Meg's mom is marrying. Meg's dad, a doctor with a passion for poisonous plants and murder mystery novels, can't help but investigate the death - dragging Meg along with him - putting all of them in danger of being the next victims. Thankfully, Meg is helped by Michael - the rumored to be "in-the-closet" son of the dressmaker - when it comes to both the weddings, handling her eccentric family, and the murder investigation.
Murder with Puffins finds Meg on a getaway trip with her boyfriend, Michael, for some very much-needed privacy. Meg is still stuck back home with her crazy family who stuck around after all the weddings. When Meg and Michael finally reach her aunt's cottage on a secluded island in the middle of a hurricane, they're surprised to find it occupied by her entire family. So much for a private getaway!
Trapped on the island due to the hurricane, Meg and Michael have no choice but to try to make the best of it. Soon, they find themselves rushing to solve yet another murder -- before the storm is over and the murderer can escape from the island. Meg's dad is the number one suspect, adding even more reason to solve the crime in a hurry.
Some might find the characters in these two novels to be a little over the top - but they're nothing compared to characters in other popular cozy mystery series like Stephanie Plum. Honestly, they're not very over the top compared to my family and in-laws! I loved the way Meg took everything in stride, and has pretty controlled emotions. I could really identify with her, unlike other female leads who have emotional breakdowns at every wrong turn.
As for the mystery plots, they're well constructed and not over the top. Both plots wrap up nicely, with solutions that you wouldn't necessarily expect -- but completely make sense when you realize all the subtly dropped clues.
I look forward to making my way through this series! I definitely have grown fond of these characters and the author's writing style.
October 17, 2010
I don't think i can finish it. I was told that it would be as entertaining as Janet Evanovich but it's not. I think the author finds herself amusing but I can't believe anyone could enjoy the chaos that ensues in this book. It's so predictable except for who did it because the writing is so bad that they all seem guilty but it's obviously not the protagonist, her family, or the gay guy who's not really gay (yeah i picked up on right as he was introduced). I can't explain well why I dislike it so much...think i'll jump to the end to find out who this mysterious killer is then I'll go re-read a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet E to get my sense of humor back.
October 29, 2010
It didn't take me long to figure out that this was not the book for me. It was recommended to me by a friend, and fellow English teacher, as being hysterical. I found it irritating and juvenile. I can see why someone might find this the perfect light reading, but just way off the mark for my tastes.
November 1, 2020
Still enjoying this "flashback" of rereading the first couple of books, but this is definitely a case where the series got stronger as it went on.
August 2, 2024
A sweet little cozy mystery. The author keeps the action coming and the dialogue snappy.
August 14, 2010
ss... werewolf potion... sister fulfills brother's wish, but turns exboyfriend professor into a dog...
1st story – Murder with Peacocks…
Meg… blacksmith / iron artist… has a ‘notebook-that-tells-me-when-to-breathe” to record all of her ‘to dos’… returning to home, Yorktown, Virginia (a town with a history, and with family ties that go way back)… because she is Maid of Honor in 3 weddings (her best friend’s, her brother’s, and her mother’s) – and the prime go-to gal
Meg’s mother, “… Mother’s tendency to enlist anyone within range as unpaid labor.” (p 10) and when she sees her daughter for the first time in months, “Hello, dear… There’s lemonade in the refrigerator. Why don’t you help your sister with lunch? We’ll all be able to teat that much sooner.” (p11) My new hero!!! She’s a bit flaky (ditsy?), looks on the bright side, had an amicable divorce with Meg’s father a few years earlier, for no apparent reason… social, friendly, warm…
Meg’s father – retired doctor, still spends most of his time at the house, is very involved in keeping up the yards and fixing things… his garden holds many poisonous plants – and loves to tell people about how the plants & how the poisons work – which worries Jake, so he unsuccessfully tries to arrange accidents…
Jake – a relatively new neighbor… his wife died a year earlier, after an illness… he is engaged to Mother, but is very boring and passive, no one knows what Mother sees in him… it ends up that he murdered his wife (poisoning), and killed his sister-in-law (right after Meg arrived home) because she was trying to black mail him… was marrying Mother, because he thought she knew (she only commented that she knew about the rice pudding that he made it for his wife – Mother meaning that he cooked something when most men do not, and then talking about married people keeping secrets)…
Emily & Steven… leaving all of the wedding planning to Meg… end up with a Renaissance themed wedding, due to the lateness of looking at dresses, and falling in love with Samantha’s last year’s never used ones… they are setting Meg up with Steven’s brother Barry – whom Meg cannot stand, too big, to slow, too…..
Samantha and Rob… Samantha wants peacocks, because she knows the yard will not be blooming at the end of summer, and had heard peacocks would add color… leaving Meg to make her dreams come true… was engaged to a man a year earlier who was accused of embezzling millions of dollars, money of the people of Yorktown, and the money was still missing… Samantha is quite controlling and bitchy, and the rest of the family (with the exception of Mom) isn’t quite sure her brother’s marrying her… Rob is taking the bar the week before the wedding, but is more interested in a game he & his friends are creating called “Kill the Lawyers”…
Michael What-a-Waste – the summer manager for Be-Stitched – Dressmakers, in lieu of his mother, who has had a face lift (but wants everyone to believe she broke her leg)… He is gorgeous, teaches theater at a college nearby… and after rejecting passes by some of Samantha’s bridesmaids, he accepted that they spread that he was gay (thinking it would make the summer pass easier) until he meets Meg… He takes Meg’s father’s advice, that Meg runs from men she is attracted to & she needs to be friends first for a guy to be successful… so he shows up a lot to help Meg out – and periodically tries to tell her that he’s not gay, and that he’s interested in her, but something always interrupts them…
So… in between making the weddings work, and helping her father detect what really happened to Jake’s sister-in-law & causing the other accidents… this humorous story is quite entertaining… Emily & Steven have a beautiful wedding, and the wedding party survives the heat in the Renaissance outfits… Barry is finally shamed into leaving Meg alone when she catches him peeping at her from the tree… Samantha goes through with the wedding with Rob (after all it was so beautiful), but runs off with one of the ushers after the wedding (rumor has it with the embezzled money), so Rob is free to get an annulment & sell his game… and at Mother & Jake’s wedding, when the minister asks if anyone objects to the marriage, Father speaks up and says he objects because he believes he murdered his first wife and doesn’t want to see the same thing happen to Mother… and Meg finally puts all of the pieces together, and announces how & why… and Michael rescues her (or at least distracts Jake) from Jake who has a gun on her as he tries to escape… and Mother and Father remarry… and Michael finally gets Meg in a corner, and has her word that she will allow no other distractions; but then can’t find the words to tell her, so he kisses her, and she is happy… and he takes her to his house to finish the conversation – and … yes you guessed it… his mother has returned home….
I look forward to the next story.
Book 2 – Murder with Puffins –
Meg and Michael… summer is over, Meg’s still at her parent’s house as her tenant needs more time to finish his sculpture and Michael’s relegated to a couch as he has been staying in homes of faculty members on sabbatical, but it didn’t work out this year, and he hasn’t found his own place…
It’s the fall, so Meg gets the brilliant idea of sneaking Michael to her aunt’s summer cottage on the island of Monhegan, and hour off the coast… unfortunately, a hurricane deviated from its course and is heading for the island, making their boat trip very rocky …. And then when they get on the island, aunt Pheobe & her brother are already there, as well as her parents… and space is limited, power is limited, and the storm is windy & dropping lots of rain…
The full time islanders & the birders (who come in the fall) are up in arms about painter Resnick, who has owned property on the island forever, and built a monstrous house of glass (not the best for a nature paradise with birds & crazy weather)… his paintings have not done too well in recent years, so he making plans to build a private resort on the island, and is blackmailing the other property owners to gain their properties… He shoots at people… he electrocutes bids… his house has a painting of her mother (whom he dated when they were both teens on the island many years ago) nude,…
And when Meg & Michael find him face down in a tide pool dead, Meg is concerned her father will end up at the prime suspect, as he is known to not get along with him (but who did?) and he wasn’t home the night before (the storm forced him to whole up)… so Meg & Michael snoop around and question people to figure out whodoneit.
When the weather somewhat clears up, and the police come they have found the murderer j- one of the residents being blackmailed – and they leave – and Michael surprises her with 3 days at a nearby resort…
1st story – Murder with Peacocks…
Meg… blacksmith / iron artist… has a ‘notebook-that-tells-me-when-to-breathe” to record all of her ‘to dos’… returning to home, Yorktown, Virginia (a town with a history, and with family ties that go way back)… because she is Maid of Honor in 3 weddings (her best friend’s, her brother’s, and her mother’s) – and the prime go-to gal
Meg’s mother, “… Mother’s tendency to enlist anyone within range as unpaid labor.” (p 10) and when she sees her daughter for the first time in months, “Hello, dear… There’s lemonade in the refrigerator. Why don’t you help your sister with lunch? We’ll all be able to teat that much sooner.” (p11) My new hero!!! She’s a bit flaky (ditsy?), looks on the bright side, had an amicable divorce with Meg’s father a few years earlier, for no apparent reason… social, friendly, warm…
Meg’s father – retired doctor, still spends most of his time at the house, is very involved in keeping up the yards and fixing things… his garden holds many poisonous plants – and loves to tell people about how the plants & how the poisons work – which worries Jake, so he unsuccessfully tries to arrange accidents…
Jake – a relatively new neighbor… his wife died a year earlier, after an illness… he is engaged to Mother, but is very boring and passive, no one knows what Mother sees in him… it ends up that he murdered his wife (poisoning), and killed his sister-in-law (right after Meg arrived home) because she was trying to black mail him… was marrying Mother, because he thought she knew (she only commented that she knew about the rice pudding that he made it for his wife – Mother meaning that he cooked something when most men do not, and then talking about married people keeping secrets)…
Emily & Steven… leaving all of the wedding planning to Meg… end up with a Renaissance themed wedding, due to the lateness of looking at dresses, and falling in love with Samantha’s last year’s never used ones… they are setting Meg up with Steven’s brother Barry – whom Meg cannot stand, too big, to slow, too…..
Samantha and Rob… Samantha wants peacocks, because she knows the yard will not be blooming at the end of summer, and had heard peacocks would add color… leaving Meg to make her dreams come true… was engaged to a man a year earlier who was accused of embezzling millions of dollars, money of the people of Yorktown, and the money was still missing… Samantha is quite controlling and bitchy, and the rest of the family (with the exception of Mom) isn’t quite sure her brother’s marrying her… Rob is taking the bar the week before the wedding, but is more interested in a game he & his friends are creating called “Kill the Lawyers”…
Michael What-a-Waste – the summer manager for Be-Stitched – Dressmakers, in lieu of his mother, who has had a face lift (but wants everyone to believe she broke her leg)… He is gorgeous, teaches theater at a college nearby… and after rejecting passes by some of Samantha’s bridesmaids, he accepted that they spread that he was gay (thinking it would make the summer pass easier) until he meets Meg… He takes Meg’s father’s advice, that Meg runs from men she is attracted to & she needs to be friends first for a guy to be successful… so he shows up a lot to help Meg out – and periodically tries to tell her that he’s not gay, and that he’s interested in her, but something always interrupts them…
So… in between making the weddings work, and helping her father detect what really happened to Jake’s sister-in-law & causing the other accidents… this humorous story is quite entertaining… Emily & Steven have a beautiful wedding, and the wedding party survives the heat in the Renaissance outfits… Barry is finally shamed into leaving Meg alone when she catches him peeping at her from the tree… Samantha goes through with the wedding with Rob (after all it was so beautiful), but runs off with one of the ushers after the wedding (rumor has it with the embezzled money), so Rob is free to get an annulment & sell his game… and at Mother & Jake’s wedding, when the minister asks if anyone objects to the marriage, Father speaks up and says he objects because he believes he murdered his first wife and doesn’t want to see the same thing happen to Mother… and Meg finally puts all of the pieces together, and announces how & why… and Michael rescues her (or at least distracts Jake) from Jake who has a gun on her as he tries to escape… and Mother and Father remarry… and Michael finally gets Meg in a corner, and has her word that she will allow no other distractions; but then can’t find the words to tell her, so he kisses her, and she is happy… and he takes her to his house to finish the conversation – and … yes you guessed it… his mother has returned home….
I look forward to the next story.
Book 2 – Murder with Puffins –
Meg and Michael… summer is over, Meg’s still at her parent’s house as her tenant needs more time to finish his sculpture and Michael’s relegated to a couch as he has been staying in homes of faculty members on sabbatical, but it didn’t work out this year, and he hasn’t found his own place…
It’s the fall, so Meg gets the brilliant idea of sneaking Michael to her aunt’s summer cottage on the island of Monhegan, and hour off the coast… unfortunately, a hurricane deviated from its course and is heading for the island, making their boat trip very rocky …. And then when they get on the island, aunt Pheobe & her brother are already there, as well as her parents… and space is limited, power is limited, and the storm is windy & dropping lots of rain…
The full time islanders & the birders (who come in the fall) are up in arms about painter Resnick, who has owned property on the island forever, and built a monstrous house of glass (not the best for a nature paradise with birds & crazy weather)… his paintings have not done too well in recent years, so he making plans to build a private resort on the island, and is blackmailing the other property owners to gain their properties… He shoots at people… he electrocutes bids… his house has a painting of her mother (whom he dated when they were both teens on the island many years ago) nude,…
And when Meg & Michael find him face down in a tide pool dead, Meg is concerned her father will end up at the prime suspect, as he is known to not get along with him (but who did?) and he wasn’t home the night before (the storm forced him to whole up)… so Meg & Michael snoop around and question people to figure out whodoneit.
When the weather somewhat clears up, and the police come they have found the murderer j- one of the residents being blackmailed – and they leave – and Michael surprises her with 3 days at a nearby resort…
September 19, 2019
The first two books of Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow series, Murder with Peacocks and Murder with Puffins, are included in this book. I had just finished one of her AI books about Turing and her detectives and decided to try this series. I'm glad I did as I enjoyed both of them. One of the blurbs on this book compares Langslow with Evanovich. The humor is sometimes more subtle, but these books do include funny people and funny situations. Much of the humor comes from Meg's family, especially her parents. In the first book, Meg is bridesmaid in three different weddings and is trying to cope with all of the brides' demands when a body is discovered. Because one of the grooms (Meg's mother's fiance) is a suspect, Meg has to look into the murder. In the second book, Meg and her boyfriend visit a family cottage on an island in hopes of a romantic weekend. When they arrive, they find Meg's parents already at the cottage. When they find a dead body on the island, Meg is afraid that her father will be a suspect and therefore, must look into the murder. I liked both of these and will continue to read more of Andrews' books!
September 12, 2018
What happened?...
After having so much fun reading Murder with Peacocks I thought I was on to a winner of a series. However Murder with Puffins brought me down to earth with a thud. Our protagonists try to slip off to a secluded island for a romantic getaway (and to get away from her over the top, eccentric family) only to have that backfire on them big time, as the entire family had descended onto the island for some unknown reason. Now everyone is stuck in the same house as a hurricane is headed their way.
The unsurprising murder of a cantankerous and creepy neighbour was not a big shock, and the complete chaos that ensues, not only due to said murder, but because of the hurricane barrelling towards the island, didn't grab me as much as I thought it would. The characters were over the top and I just didn't care who did it (as long as it wasn't Meg's adorable father).
I will continue on with the next book, because I really did enjoy the first book, and hope that this was just a glitch in an otherwise fun series.
Murder with Puffins 2.5 stars.
After having so much fun reading Murder with Peacocks I thought I was on to a winner of a series. However Murder with Puffins brought me down to earth with a thud. Our protagonists try to slip off to a secluded island for a romantic getaway (and to get away from her over the top, eccentric family) only to have that backfire on them big time, as the entire family had descended onto the island for some unknown reason. Now everyone is stuck in the same house as a hurricane is headed their way.
The unsurprising murder of a cantankerous and creepy neighbour was not a big shock, and the complete chaos that ensues, not only due to said murder, but because of the hurricane barrelling towards the island, didn't grab me as much as I thought it would. The characters were over the top and I just didn't care who did it (as long as it wasn't Meg's adorable father).
I will continue on with the next book, because I really did enjoy the first book, and hope that this was just a glitch in an otherwise fun series.
Murder with Puffins 2.5 stars.
August 23, 2024
I like this whole series, but re-reading the first 2 books and I don't remember Meg and family living elsewhere and also, her sister is never mentioned in later books that I recall. Enjoyed the re-read anyway as it was great catching up with them from the beginning. But poor Meg having to do so much for her family and not getting any alone time at all, actually even reading it makes me exhausted.
June 18, 2019
Great stories
There are two stories in the book, both full length and both excellent! There was constant action in both stories and totally different in context and plot. I am keeping this author on my favorites list!
There are two stories in the book, both full length and both excellent! There was constant action in both stories and totally different in context and plot. I am keeping this author on my favorites list!
December 6, 2020
Major eye-roll.
A super-sweet, white bread, vanilla mystery / lame romance.
Characters with no depth, set in privilegeville 'merica.
If you're looking for a book to read that is 100% fluff - this is it.
I read the first book in this 2-part book. Not worth wasting time on the second half.
A super-sweet, white bread, vanilla mystery / lame romance.
Characters with no depth, set in privilegeville 'merica.
If you're looking for a book to read that is 100% fluff - this is it.
I read the first book in this 2-part book. Not worth wasting time on the second half.
December 17, 2017
Love Donna's books. Laughs, mystery, romance all combined.
February 27, 2019
It was a good read. I think the books get better as she progresses, which is a pleasant change
June 29, 2014
My policy is to always finish a book I start. I know some people don't want to "waste time with a bad book" when "there are so many good books to read", but I don't feel that way about it. I've never read a book which I didn't find valuable in some way, and one book, which I wasn't enjoying very much, had a great last line. :)
Without that "rule", though, I honestly think I would have abandoned this book part way through.
It's not that it's a terrible book: the sentences all make sense, the characters are distinct enough from each other, and the plot is logical*.
It's just that I found it...really uninvolving.
Interestingly, my Significant Other felt the same way.
The publisher thought, I presume, that it would appeal to readers of Janet Evanonich's Stephanie Plum series (I am one of those, although I didn't start that series at the beginning).
There are some similarities: the main character is self-deprecating (despite others finding her attractive), gets involved in crimes but isn't professionally trained at it, has unsuitable suitors, and wacky recurring (there are two books in this volume) relatives.
However, I just didn't find it amusing or intriguing. I wasn't interested in the solving the crimes and I was smiling at the absurdity and the dialog, like I do with Stephanie Plum.
I also found parts of it offensive. There is a case of mistaken identity which allowed characters to show prejudice...and that wasn't really redeemed by other characters.
I also have to say that I was quite surprised to find out at the end that it was published by a traditional publisher (St. Martin's Press, which is owned by Macmillan). It's not that it was poorly proofread (there were a few errors, but that's common), but that it wasn't more tightly edited. It was little things, like repeating the same words or using words which seemed out of place for a given character..."lugubrious", for example, while a perfectly fine word, didn't seem to fit in with the character's manner of speaking.
On the plus side, it worked quite well with text-to-speech.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend it...but if you did end up stuck in a cabin and that's what you had to read, it would work for that. :)
One last thing: the second book was an improvement over the first, and it's possible that the series continued to improve over time.
* I pictured the author having Post-It notes with plot elements on a big cork board, and tying them together with strings to keep track. It all came together, even if it wasn't driving me to see what was going to happen next
Without that "rule", though, I honestly think I would have abandoned this book part way through.
It's not that it's a terrible book: the sentences all make sense, the characters are distinct enough from each other, and the plot is logical*.
It's just that I found it...really uninvolving.
Interestingly, my Significant Other felt the same way.
The publisher thought, I presume, that it would appeal to readers of Janet Evanonich's Stephanie Plum series (I am one of those, although I didn't start that series at the beginning).
There are some similarities: the main character is self-deprecating (despite others finding her attractive), gets involved in crimes but isn't professionally trained at it, has unsuitable suitors, and wacky recurring (there are two books in this volume) relatives.
However, I just didn't find it amusing or intriguing. I wasn't interested in the solving the crimes and I was smiling at the absurdity and the dialog, like I do with Stephanie Plum.
I also found parts of it offensive. There is a case of mistaken identity which allowed characters to show prejudice...and that wasn't really redeemed by other characters.
I also have to say that I was quite surprised to find out at the end that it was published by a traditional publisher (St. Martin's Press, which is owned by Macmillan). It's not that it was poorly proofread (there were a few errors, but that's common), but that it wasn't more tightly edited. It was little things, like repeating the same words or using words which seemed out of place for a given character..."lugubrious", for example, while a perfectly fine word, didn't seem to fit in with the character's manner of speaking.
On the plus side, it worked quite well with text-to-speech.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend it...but if you did end up stuck in a cabin and that's what you had to read, it would work for that. :)
One last thing: the second book was an improvement over the first, and it's possible that the series continued to improve over time.
* I pictured the author having Post-It notes with plot elements on a big cork board, and tying them together with strings to keep track. It all came together, even if it wasn't driving me to see what was going to happen next
August 17, 2014
This author is certainly witty about using the theme of birds in her mysteries and I'll have to say she probably knows quite a bit about fowl.
In this book are the two first books in her cozy mystery series featuring Meg Langslow, an ironworks artist. In the first, she is planning not one but three weddings: her mother's, her best friend's and her brother's wedding. And its like a bit of Luci Arnez -- the brides keep changing their minds about their themes or adding new details, while Meg gets herself into and out of crazy situations ... all the while trying to solve a murder. And the cherry on top of this sugary confection? The dressmaker's son is a hunk but the town has him pegged as gay. Only its fairly obvious that he is not gay and he's attracted to Meg, who is resisting her own attraction to him.
In the second book, the happy couple -- who have admitted their mutual feelings -- are trying to find some privacy for their romance and take a ferry to a small island off the coast of Maine. What is supposed to be a romantic get away is nothing but starting with the rough ride out to the island, a surprise that her parents, her brother and a couple of other relatives and friends are about, the murder of a man who was once a boyfriend of her mother, and a hurricane. You may ask how much trouble could happen but you'd have to read the book to find that there is plenty that can with Meg and Michael.
These are light, easy to read book and you could do worse when spending a couple of hours curled up with this mystery series.
In this book are the two first books in her cozy mystery series featuring Meg Langslow, an ironworks artist. In the first, she is planning not one but three weddings: her mother's, her best friend's and her brother's wedding. And its like a bit of Luci Arnez -- the brides keep changing their minds about their themes or adding new details, while Meg gets herself into and out of crazy situations ... all the while trying to solve a murder. And the cherry on top of this sugary confection? The dressmaker's son is a hunk but the town has him pegged as gay. Only its fairly obvious that he is not gay and he's attracted to Meg, who is resisting her own attraction to him.
In the second book, the happy couple -- who have admitted their mutual feelings -- are trying to find some privacy for their romance and take a ferry to a small island off the coast of Maine. What is supposed to be a romantic get away is nothing but starting with the rough ride out to the island, a surprise that her parents, her brother and a couple of other relatives and friends are about, the murder of a man who was once a boyfriend of her mother, and a hurricane. You may ask how much trouble could happen but you'd have to read the book to find that there is plenty that can with Meg and Michael.
These are light, easy to read book and you could do worse when spending a couple of hours curled up with this mystery series.
July 11, 2012
How much fun can a writer create with a truly crazy family (immediate and extended into the hundreds by "distance cousins"), an eccentric old money setting, Peafowl, Puffins and renegade murders?
Andrew is a genius at portraying her heroine, Meg Langslow, as the voice of reason amongst the cacophony of aviary and human voices. A faithful daughter she seemingly lacks the savoir faire and insouciance of her mother, father and brother who simply sit back and drink either champagne or tall ice teas (depending on the time of day if not the appropriateness of the occasion) while the world implodes.
Poor Meg is the one who ensures that her nieces and nephews don't blow each other up, that the groom gets to the church on time, that the peacocks are fed, that her father doesn't fall of cliffs, etc. Just watching her thanklessly ward of danger to her love ones is exhausting but hysterical.
I loved this book. I love Donna Andrews wit. I wish the Langslows were my neighbors!
Andrew is a genius at portraying her heroine, Meg Langslow, as the voice of reason amongst the cacophony of aviary and human voices. A faithful daughter she seemingly lacks the savoir faire and insouciance of her mother, father and brother who simply sit back and drink either champagne or tall ice teas (depending on the time of day if not the appropriateness of the occasion) while the world implodes.
Poor Meg is the one who ensures that her nieces and nephews don't blow each other up, that the groom gets to the church on time, that the peacocks are fed, that her father doesn't fall of cliffs, etc. Just watching her thanklessly ward of danger to her love ones is exhausting but hysterical.
I loved this book. I love Donna Andrews wit. I wish the Langslows were my neighbors!
October 1, 2012
Having read the 14th Meg Langslow book I wanted to go back to the begining to see where the romance between Meg and Michael started. The library only had A Murder Hatched which is a compendium of Murder with Peacocks and Murder with Puffins.
OK I've read both books before - Murder with Peacocks was just as funny as before but Murder with Puffins was a little disappointing. I could feel the frustration building between Meg and Michael as they find themselves in a cabin full of relatives but I started feeling frustrated at the book itself - it took ages before it started to go somewhere. I feel that this book suffered from second book syndrome. Donna Andrews did very well with her first book but the second falls a little flat.
OK I've read both books before - Murder with Peacocks was just as funny as before but Murder with Puffins was a little disappointing. I could feel the frustration building between Meg and Michael as they find themselves in a cabin full of relatives but I started feeling frustrated at the book itself - it took ages before it started to go somewhere. I feel that this book suffered from second book syndrome. Donna Andrews did very well with her first book but the second falls a little flat.
July 13, 2015
Erring on the side of generosity…actually more of a 3.5 than 4 but still enjoyable. Clearly I am an latecomer to the Meg Langslow series but am enjoying catching up. What interested me most, however, was not the story or characters. This time what caught my attention from the vantage point of 2015 was the use of the digital camera. I checked the copyright and the Puffin story was copyrighted in 2000. Technology has moved so fast--it seems like we have always had digital cameras! (and this from the photography editor of her high school yearbook…)
Technically two books in one, but nice to have them both together.
Technically two books in one, but nice to have them both together.
May 12, 2021
I usually enjoy cozy mysteries I didn't like this one. I solely chose it because there were birds involved, and I can normally get on board with a broad range of cozy mysteries. The problem with this one is that there's not much mystery to it. The murder happens about 25% into the story, too late for this genre, and nothing interesting happens apart from the main character attending family parties and being involved in preparing three weddings. It was terribly boring.
The story is set in Virginia but the people in the book talk like English and there's an English atmosphere that felt completely out of place. I didn't care for the story or any of the characters.
The story is set in Virginia but the people in the book talk like English and there's an English atmosphere that felt completely out of place. I didn't care for the story or any of the characters.
April 14, 2017
Entertaining book. I'm confused why, with the exception of her father and love interest, the family is so useless and expect Meg to do everything without complaint from her. That bothered me. Besides that, fun light hearted book. I don't really get the Janet Evanovich comparison. I smiled but didn't laugh reading this. I would read more if I stumble upon them but won't be actively looking for more. Between 3 and 4 stars
January 1, 2012
A great Summer read, even in Winter. Funny and well written, it was a pleasurable read if not a stupendous one. This would be a perfect book to take with you on vacation. It's not exactly a page turner, but more something you can put down and pick back up easily. I liked it and will probably read it again.
July 5, 2014
I enjoy Donna Andrews' books. This was a combination of two books and it seems to be the beginning of Meg Langslow investigative career. I have read more recent ones that I enjoyed more. The first book in this combination was Murder with Peacocks and I enjoyed it most. If you have never read Donna Andrews do not judge her by this 2 in 1 book.
July 10, 2014
I would recommend this book as a fun, light summertime read. Since it is actually the first two books in the series, you get a sense of where this series will go. I hope the later books develop the characters more. The wide variety of characters introduced so far certainly gives the author much to work with. I just didn't feel invested in any particular character by the end of the second book.
July 23, 2014
Fairly solid mysteries but the characters are a little too 'wacky' (JAZZ HANDS) for me. And the main character is such a sap - she whines and moans about all the responsibility dumped on her by other characters, but does nothing to stand up for herself. I was waiting for a scene where she exploded and put folks in their place but it never came.
June 25, 2025
Meg Langslow's first two books of the series
A boxed set of Murder with Peacocks and Murder with Puffins included. Meg is single with several admirers who don't understand the word NO. Meg meets Michael, later her husband in the series. in the Murder with Peacocks story. In Murder with Puffins, their romantic interlude is interrupted with family and murder.
A boxed set of Murder with Peacocks and Murder with Puffins included. Meg is single with several admirers who don't understand the word NO. Meg meets Michael, later her husband in the series. in the Murder with Peacocks story. In Murder with Puffins, their romantic interlude is interrupted with family and murder.
July 30, 2012
Very amusing read that reminded me of the early Stephanie Plum novels. I had a chuckle though when reading the second of the two books when everyone was oohing and ahhing over someone having a digital camera. Obviously these weren't written terribly recently. :)
June 3, 2014
Entertaining story from the beginning to the end. Cast is full of crazy characters and Meg and Michael do quite a bit of sleuthing. In the first part Meg organizes three weddings in all its minute details and you are quite happy when the ordeal is all over.
July 25, 2020
Murder with Peacocks was a funny novel about preparations for 3 weddings, each one different in style. One bride insisted on peacocks to be roaming gardens during the reception. A murder among the neighbors and Meg begins her sleuthing career on the case.
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