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Meg Langslow #25
Terns of Endearment
A new side-splitting Meg Langslow mystery from award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Toucan Keep a Secret
Meg's grandfather has been booked to give lectures on a cruise as part of the education/entertainment itinerary, and he's arranged for a passel of family members to join him.
The passengers' vacation quickly becomes a nightmare when they wake up to find themselves broken down and in need of repairs. Things get even worse when a crew member announces to all that a woman has jumped overboard, leaving behind her shoes, shawl, and a note. The note reveals she's a disliked member of a writers' group onboard for a retreat, and the group is split on whether this is in-character for her.
The captain decides not to investigate, saying he'll notify American authorities when they reach their destination. But Meg's father decides they need to look into whether there was possible foul play while the prime suspects are all stuck on board. It'll be a race against the clock to solve this mystery before they make the necessary repairs and return to shore.
Donna Andrews' long-running Meg Langslow series continues to be beloved by its fans, who loyally buy every new installment. Terns of Endearment is a perfect new addition, full of laughter, adventure, and Andrews' wonderful cast of wacky characters.
Meg's grandfather has been booked to give lectures on a cruise as part of the education/entertainment itinerary, and he's arranged for a passel of family members to join him.
The passengers' vacation quickly becomes a nightmare when they wake up to find themselves broken down and in need of repairs. Things get even worse when a crew member announces to all that a woman has jumped overboard, leaving behind her shoes, shawl, and a note. The note reveals she's a disliked member of a writers' group onboard for a retreat, and the group is split on whether this is in-character for her.
The captain decides not to investigate, saying he'll notify American authorities when they reach their destination. But Meg's father decides they need to look into whether there was possible foul play while the prime suspects are all stuck on board. It'll be a race against the clock to solve this mystery before they make the necessary repairs and return to shore.
Donna Andrews' long-running Meg Langslow series continues to be beloved by its fans, who loyally buy every new installment. Terns of Endearment is a perfect new addition, full of laughter, adventure, and Andrews' wonderful cast of wacky characters.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2019
445 people are currently reading
1058 people want to read
About the author
Donna Andrews
101 books2,085 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 344 reviews
August 6, 2019
"Terns of Endearment" is clever, a little convoluted, but nicely done. It gets meta with the writing group and publishing gossip, but it's also interesting. The story's not side-splitting as the blurb says but it is humorous, and it kept me reading; I finished it in a day. Meg and her extended family take a trip aboard a cruise ship from a new cruise line, one that is poorly run and not entirely ethical. You may not want to take a cruise after reading this story, lol. Murphy's Law doesn't just strike but moves in and gets comfy.
Andrews weaves several plots and ties them in with some unlikely coincidences but she makes them work. I enjoyed the story and was caught up in it. Looking back, a lot of it is improbable, and certainly a travel disaster! but as I was reading, I mostly accepted and went along with events. The story is told from Meg's perspective and we don't see a lot of her husband Michael or their sons, though they are around and helping. Her temperamental grandfather is on hand, as is her enthusiastic father, regimental mother, and inspirational cousin Rose Noire. Together, they take over the ship, solve a murder and some related mysteries, investigate a suicide, sort out a plagiarism issue, and eventually make it safely to land. Meg is her usual level-headed self while her errant brother Rob is finally growing up and becoming a more settled adult. I enjoyed the blast from the past regarding Michael's former acting career. While you could read this easily without having read any of the earlier books, as a long time reader, I enjoyed seeing both the changes and the things that haven't changed.
"Terns of Endearment" was fun, engaging, full of quirks and quirky people, and little twists. Twenty five books in and the series is still enjoyable.
Andrews weaves several plots and ties them in with some unlikely coincidences but she makes them work. I enjoyed the story and was caught up in it. Looking back, a lot of it is improbable, and certainly a travel disaster! but as I was reading, I mostly accepted and went along with events. The story is told from Meg's perspective and we don't see a lot of her husband Michael or their sons, though they are around and helping. Her temperamental grandfather is on hand, as is her enthusiastic father, regimental mother, and inspirational cousin Rose Noire. Together, they take over the ship, solve a murder and some related mysteries, investigate a suicide, sort out a plagiarism issue, and eventually make it safely to land. Meg is her usual level-headed self while her errant brother Rob is finally growing up and becoming a more settled adult. I enjoyed the blast from the past regarding Michael's former acting career. While you could read this easily without having read any of the earlier books, as a long time reader, I enjoyed seeing both the changes and the things that haven't changed.
"Terns of Endearment" was fun, engaging, full of quirks and quirky people, and little twists. Twenty five books in and the series is still enjoyable.
September 6, 2019
Meg Langslow’s grandfather has taken a job on a cruise ship for one voyage presenting nightly lectures on animals and the environment. Primetime, the cruise line, has offered a discount, so Meg and several other family members have joined this cruise to Bermuda. However, things don’t go as planned. The first morning as sea, the passengers wake up to find that the ship is dead in the water. Then, as the captain is briefing the passengers on the situation, another crew member bursts into the meeting to say that one of the passengers has gone overboard. It appears to be suicide, and the captain is willing to write it off as such, but Meg’s dad isn’t so sure. While the passengers wait for the ship to be fixed, he goads Meg into doing a little investigating. What will she uncover?
Yes, the usual assortment of Meg’s relatives join her for this cruise, and they are up to their usual antics. I don’t find these books as funny as they used to be, but I still find them highly amusing, and I completely enjoyed my time with the characters as usual. The ship is filled with new characters, and I loved how they were developed as the story went along. The action was a little slow getting going, but once the ship got stuck, things really picked up and I was hooked. I finished the book from that point on in about 24 hours, and that included time to sleep and work. The ending is a bit rushed, but everything is explained before we turn the final page. Fans will be delighted to find the series is still going strong twenty-five books in, and I enjoyed a reference to something from the early books in the series. This is another relaxing mystery, although you might not want to take it on your next cruise.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Yes, the usual assortment of Meg’s relatives join her for this cruise, and they are up to their usual antics. I don’t find these books as funny as they used to be, but I still find them highly amusing, and I completely enjoyed my time with the characters as usual. The ship is filled with new characters, and I loved how they were developed as the story went along. The action was a little slow getting going, but once the ship got stuck, things really picked up and I was hooked. I finished the book from that point on in about 24 hours, and that included time to sleep and work. The ending is a bit rushed, but everything is explained before we turn the final page. Fans will be delighted to find the series is still going strong twenty-five books in, and I enjoyed a reference to something from the early books in the series. This is another relaxing mystery, although you might not want to take it on your next cruise.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
August 5, 2019
It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last.
I loved the likeable and well written cast of characters, the setting, and found the plot engrossing and entertaining.
The mystery was excellent and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I loved the likeable and well written cast of characters, the setting, and found the plot engrossing and entertaining.
The mystery was excellent and kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
September 3, 2019
Oh my! I've never been on a cruise and after reading this wonderfully crafted cozy mystery, somehow I doubt I'll ever step aboard to do so. Author Donna Andrews delivers another amusing story of protagonist and professional blacksmith, Meg Langslow, and her quirky yet wonderfully creative and gifted family.
Meg's grandfather, Monty Blake, a well renowned zoologist and environmentalist, has been hired by Pastime Cruise Line to provide lectures on birds and other nature topics as edutainment during the course of the cruise. Monty arranged for discount passage for his dearest friends and family. On day two, early in the morning, the ship's engines power down and the ship is left adrift within the Bermuda Triangle. A couple hours later, it's discovered that a much-loved romance author has left a suicide note, her shawl a precious pair of designer shoes on deck and jumped overboard to her demise. The captain and first mate, being officially in charge in international waters, choose to do nothing but accept the suicide and carry on. Another day goes by; the crew are conspicuously absent, the navigational system remains in tatters and the engines remain silent.
Unsolved "alleged" suicide (possible murder?) really twists in Meg's craw. She engages the assistance of her father and a not so faithful to the company crew member to start a covert investigation. Meanwhile, the irascible passengers are set for mutiny. With the power down, an absent crew and safe food stores diminishing, what can they all do?
Ms. Andrews can truly spin a wonderfully satisfying yarn. Her latest book, #25 in "A Meg Langslow Mystery" series, does not fail to amuse, educate or take us down twisty paths to yet other red herrings. I've loved this series from the start and consider it among the best of the cozy mystery genre.
Meg's grandfather, Monty Blake, a well renowned zoologist and environmentalist, has been hired by Pastime Cruise Line to provide lectures on birds and other nature topics as edutainment during the course of the cruise. Monty arranged for discount passage for his dearest friends and family. On day two, early in the morning, the ship's engines power down and the ship is left adrift within the Bermuda Triangle. A couple hours later, it's discovered that a much-loved romance author has left a suicide note, her shawl a precious pair of designer shoes on deck and jumped overboard to her demise. The captain and first mate, being officially in charge in international waters, choose to do nothing but accept the suicide and carry on. Another day goes by; the crew are conspicuously absent, the navigational system remains in tatters and the engines remain silent.
Unsolved "alleged" suicide (possible murder?) really twists in Meg's craw. She engages the assistance of her father and a not so faithful to the company crew member to start a covert investigation. Meanwhile, the irascible passengers are set for mutiny. With the power down, an absent crew and safe food stores diminishing, what can they all do?
Ms. Andrews can truly spin a wonderfully satisfying yarn. Her latest book, #25 in "A Meg Langslow Mystery" series, does not fail to amuse, educate or take us down twisty paths to yet other red herrings. I've loved this series from the start and consider it among the best of the cozy mystery genre.
June 28, 2025
I've reread...or relistened...to the whole series now and I can see me making that an annual event. I adore Meg and her zany clan and I love the way the author weaves so much humour into each story along with very clever mysteries. Plus, she has a way of pulling diverse characters together to work for the overall good of some just cause in each book. Always brilliant, and heartwarming too. Anxiously awaiting the 2021 Christmas novel which comes out very soon.
Addition: Just re-listened to this one a fifth time and was just as enchanted. Meg Langslow has to be my favourite cozy mystery series ever!
Addition: Just re-listened to this one a fifth time and was just as enchanted. Meg Langslow has to be my favourite cozy mystery series ever!
June 26, 2021
love these....my new guilty pleasure...😁
January 15, 2024
Another of the Meg Langslow that I missed the first round but boy, was this one a treat. I loved it! Meg and her family are taking a cruise on a second-rate cruise liner who hired Dr. Blake to give lectures. And everything that can go wrong does.
I love the plot; I love the characters; I even love the outcome. The two people who I wanted to be punished get punished. In the end, it's an enjoyable story and got added to my favorite list or shelf.
I love the plot; I love the characters; I even love the outcome. The two people who I wanted to be punished get punished. In the end, it's an enjoyable story and got added to my favorite list or shelf.
August 6, 2019
I read and really enjoyed a bunch of the early titles in this series, published back in the early 2000s. Then, between kid-raising and stressful job and a bunch of other stuff, I sort of lost track of this series, so I was happy to receive an ARC of Terns of Endearment from the publisher/Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. And in the process of reading this most recent title, I remembered why I liked the series so much way back when. Sometimes in long-running series, the later books can feel a bit diluted – that was not at all the case here. I don’t give five-star rankings easily, but Terns of Endearment gets one!
The thing that I probably like the most about this book (and the others in the series) is Meg’s slightly wacky, but not crazy over-the-top, family. It can be tough to walk the fine line between creating funny, engaging characters and ending up instead with caricatures, but Andrews does it well. The protagonist, Meg, has the role of the “sane one”, whom everyone expects to just be able to get things done. And in this book she delivers, whether it’s organizing passengers to deal with tough conditions on their cruise, or organizing her extended family to figure out who committed the various crimes taking place on board, or just organizing with her husband and closest family to keep their kids safe, occupied, and happy.
Meg’s family, on the other hand, are an almost unbelievably assorted crew, where everyone has their own little odd streak. But they all still feel believable, and the dialog (one of the hardest parts to get right, I think) works, even with their various quirks. And those quirks add up together to the ability to deal with both the practical and the criminal challenges they will face.
Andrews is one of the very small group of authors whom I have to read alone, since I’m likely to end up laughing out loud at some point. I’m glad I had a chance to rediscover this series, and now I’m going to have to find and read a bunch of the in-between titles – oh darn!
And finally, as a side note, I was amused to read about the problems that one of the characters in the book had finding new “were-animals” (going as far as dreaming up a were-squid) to populate a long-running fictional paranormal romance series. Somehow I imagine that that character’s struggles may mimic those of Andrews herself to find new birds (and puns) to put in her titles. I hope she finds many more!
The thing that I probably like the most about this book (and the others in the series) is Meg’s slightly wacky, but not crazy over-the-top, family. It can be tough to walk the fine line between creating funny, engaging characters and ending up instead with caricatures, but Andrews does it well. The protagonist, Meg, has the role of the “sane one”, whom everyone expects to just be able to get things done. And in this book she delivers, whether it’s organizing passengers to deal with tough conditions on their cruise, or organizing her extended family to figure out who committed the various crimes taking place on board, or just organizing with her husband and closest family to keep their kids safe, occupied, and happy.
Meg’s family, on the other hand, are an almost unbelievably assorted crew, where everyone has their own little odd streak. But they all still feel believable, and the dialog (one of the hardest parts to get right, I think) works, even with their various quirks. And those quirks add up together to the ability to deal with both the practical and the criminal challenges they will face.
Andrews is one of the very small group of authors whom I have to read alone, since I’m likely to end up laughing out loud at some point. I’m glad I had a chance to rediscover this series, and now I’m going to have to find and read a bunch of the in-between titles – oh darn!
And finally, as a side note, I was amused to read about the problems that one of the characters in the book had finding new “were-animals” (going as far as dreaming up a were-squid) to populate a long-running fictional paranormal romance series. Somehow I imagine that that character’s struggles may mimic those of Andrews herself to find new birds (and puns) to put in her titles. I hope she finds many more!
June 26, 2021
Cruise. Terns of Endearment by Donna Andrews is not set in Caerphilly, but rather on a cruise ship on the high seas on the way to Bermuda, where Meg's grandfather, Dr. J. Montgomery Blake is giving a series of lectures on the birds, fish, and sea creatures they see as they sail. But they don't sail long; the ship stops and apparently no one on the minimalist crew can fix it. No electricity, no running water, no refrigeration for the food and drink, no light, no air-conditioning, no phone reception or internet, no movement, no way to summon the coast guard or owners of the cruise line. Then half the short crew come down with food poisoning from eating tainted beef stew. In addition a passenger apparently jumps overboard, and one of the crew members is thrown overboard. Fortunately 14 or 15 members of Meg's extended family are on the cruise ship to hear her grandfather, and together they work with the other passengers to make life reasonably tolerable while they await rescuing. Meg's Dad is a physician so he tends the sick crew and urges Meg to solve the murders, but to be careful because they both suspect someone on the crew is keeping them from continuing the trip and probably guilty of the murders.
Several passengers, most notably 3 fiction writers (the fourth, Desiree St. Christophe, is the passenger who either jumped or was pushed overboard) and three drunken nasty men, as well as a few crewmen, are added to the usual characters.
This is not however Andrews' best novel. In spite of Dr. Blake being the reason for the cruise, the only animal in the story is one poor crippled tern. The trip is so awful that even though there are some humorous cruise situations, they are too tense to be really funny. The mystery is certainly original to the series, and it is well-described, but it is hard to become engaged in the action. The idea of the writers and their conflicts is fairly interesting, but just not enough to make this a top Meg Langslow novel.
Several passengers, most notably 3 fiction writers (the fourth, Desiree St. Christophe, is the passenger who either jumped or was pushed overboard) and three drunken nasty men, as well as a few crewmen, are added to the usual characters.
This is not however Andrews' best novel. In spite of Dr. Blake being the reason for the cruise, the only animal in the story is one poor crippled tern. The trip is so awful that even though there are some humorous cruise situations, they are too tense to be really funny. The mystery is certainly original to the series, and it is well-described, but it is hard to become engaged in the action. The idea of the writers and their conflicts is fairly interesting, but just not enough to make this a top Meg Langslow novel.
August 7, 2019
in this 25th book of the series Meg is off on a cruise with her family, her grandfather booked the ship so that he could give lectures on one of his favorite subjects, birds. Things start off well but when they wake up one morning to find themselves broken down, and in the Bermuda Triangle of all places things take a different turn for the worse. One of the passengers seems to have committed suicide leaving only an note and her shoes behind making everyone one wonder what brought her to that point. Not everyone thinks that the woman would have committed suicide, they say that wasn't like her so the Captain agrees to investigate and call the American authorities to let them know what is going on. Meg is intrigued by what all has happened and can't help but do her own investigating. When Meg's grandfathers assistant, Trevor, goes missing things become much more worrisome. Where is Trevor and what could have happened to him? Follow along as Meg does her best to work both mysteries and come up with the answers to all the questions that she has been asking. Will she be able to figure out the truth about what is going on before something more sinister happens or will she be to late. This is a great series for anyone who loves a fun cozy mystery and birds!
August 19, 2021
A little slow for me.
August 7, 2019
Meg Langslow's grandfather Dr. Blake has been booked to give lectures on a Pastime cruise to Bermuda. Most of his family members have joined him for a fun vacation. But the trip turns into a nightmare when the ship is dead in the water without power and in need of repairs. Things get even worse when a woman has jumped overboard, leaving behind her shoes, shawl, and a note. Why would celebrated romance author Desiree St. Christophe commit suicide? The diva was disliked by a writers' group who came on the cruise for their annual retreat so no one was unhappy about Desiree's death. To avoid publicity, the ship's captain decides not to investigate or publicize Desiree's death but Meg's medical examiner father thinks they need to rule out foul play so he and Meg do their own sleuthing. As conditions on board the ship continue to deteriorate with most of the crew stricken with food poisoning, it's up to Meg and her family to corral the passengers to get the ship running.
Normally I enjoy plenty of hi-jinks and humor in Donna Andrews' mysteries but I found very little of that in this book.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
Normally I enjoy plenty of hi-jinks and humor in Donna Andrews' mysteries but I found very little of that in this book.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
August 9, 2019
Murder on the high seas - NOT exactly what Meg Langslow and her family signed up for when they join her Grandfather on a cruise where he will be lecturing. Never mind that the ship and its crew seem hinky, the rooms are not exactly as promised and the food is iffy, when a passenger goes missing, then all the crew members disappear and the captain cannot be found, I am SURE it has nothing to do with the fact that the ship is stalled right in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. Nope, that cannot be it at all! ;-)
A great romp on the high seas and it is one that keeps you guessing that is for sure. One star was taken away from my rating as I had a couple of things figured out [because they seemed practical], but it was still an almost 5 star read. I love these books so much and always am looking forward to another adventure with Meg and her family!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A great romp on the high seas and it is one that keeps you guessing that is for sure. One star was taken away from my rating as I had a couple of things figured out [because they seemed practical], but it was still an almost 5 star read. I love these books so much and always am looking forward to another adventure with Meg and her family!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2019
Andrews neatly managed to get a large portion of Meg's family in one place by putting them on a cruise ship, stranding it, and having multiple murders on board. Again, I am astounded at Meg's ability to have everyone but her take care of her twins. While I wouldn't call it side splitting, there was enough humor to amuse and take my mind off the horror of both murder and a cruise ship with no electricity, no running water, no way to contact the shore, and a crew struck with food poisoning or norovirus. I loved the little looks into the world of romance fiction writing. Also, I will probably never go on a cruise now.
August 12, 2019
I giggled throughout this book. It's what I expect out of this series, and it didn't let me down. The characters are kookie, but they're the adorable type. We're not in Caerphilly this go around, but stranded in the Bermuda Triangle, stressing out Rose Noir quite horribly. There is an awful lot going on, but it was all good fun. On the plus side, I didn't peg all parts of the mystery. (Not that I read these for the mystery, but it's fun when I don't figure all of it out). I can't wait for October, I missed Chief Burke in this one.
September 6, 2019
Donna has once again placed our intrepid heroes in a dire situation where lives are on the line and only Meg and her band of family misfits can save the day. Or in this case a cruise ships passengers.
September 8, 2019
While I have always believed there is no such thing as a bad cruise, this book has proved me wrong.
Meg's grandfather, Dr. J. Montgomery Blake, has been hired by the budget cruiseline Pastime to give educational speeches while on his way to Bermuda to film a documentary. However, when the company offered an extremely generous discount for any family or friends wishing to accompany him, they did not expect 12 of the clan to take them up on their offer.
After only one happy day on board ship, Meg wakes up during the night and finds that the engines are quiet. Why are they stopped in the middle of nowhere? In the morning they find the personal belongings of an obnoxious writer on deck, along with a suicide note. From there things start to go even further downhill. There is no power. Food is going bad and temperature is in the humid 90's. The crew have mysteriously disappeared and the passengers, organized by the ever efficient Meg and her family. have taken over the cleaning of the ship and feeding of the passengers. The captain has been drinking and it would appear that he has not notified the Coast Guard of their problems.
Meg becomes friendly with a group of 4 female writers, who are mourning the suicide death of their friend and fellow writer. After hearing their story, Meg's physician father thinks the death may not have been suicide.
Meg Langslow has always been my hero. No matter what happens, she and her family can get things done. When one of the writers says that she needs to talk to a doctor or crime scene specialist so she can write a difficult scene in her book, Meg introduces the writer to her doctor and medical examiner father. If she needs further help, she will call in her crime scene investigator cousin. When another new friend needs to power her computer, Meg summons her brother's girlfriend, who just happens to be testing solar powered chargers on the sun deck. A third writer is having trouble writing a chapter involving sword play. She is shocked to find that Meg's husband, a former television idol of hers, is on board and teaches a class on swordplay at the college where he works. No matter what the problem, there is an expert in Meg's family who can make the problem go away.
While this book is not destined to become a literary classic, it is a fun read for fans of cruising and of capable Meg and her always entertaining family.
Meg's grandfather, Dr. J. Montgomery Blake, has been hired by the budget cruiseline Pastime to give educational speeches while on his way to Bermuda to film a documentary. However, when the company offered an extremely generous discount for any family or friends wishing to accompany him, they did not expect 12 of the clan to take them up on their offer.
After only one happy day on board ship, Meg wakes up during the night and finds that the engines are quiet. Why are they stopped in the middle of nowhere? In the morning they find the personal belongings of an obnoxious writer on deck, along with a suicide note. From there things start to go even further downhill. There is no power. Food is going bad and temperature is in the humid 90's. The crew have mysteriously disappeared and the passengers, organized by the ever efficient Meg and her family. have taken over the cleaning of the ship and feeding of the passengers. The captain has been drinking and it would appear that he has not notified the Coast Guard of their problems.
Meg becomes friendly with a group of 4 female writers, who are mourning the suicide death of their friend and fellow writer. After hearing their story, Meg's physician father thinks the death may not have been suicide.
Meg Langslow has always been my hero. No matter what happens, she and her family can get things done. When one of the writers says that she needs to talk to a doctor or crime scene specialist so she can write a difficult scene in her book, Meg introduces the writer to her doctor and medical examiner father. If she needs further help, she will call in her crime scene investigator cousin. When another new friend needs to power her computer, Meg summons her brother's girlfriend, who just happens to be testing solar powered chargers on the sun deck. A third writer is having trouble writing a chapter involving sword play. She is shocked to find that Meg's husband, a former television idol of hers, is on board and teaches a class on swordplay at the college where he works. No matter what the problem, there is an expert in Meg's family who can make the problem go away.
While this book is not destined to become a literary classic, it is a fun read for fans of cruising and of capable Meg and her always entertaining family.
February 5, 2020
This is book number 25 of the Meg Langslow series of books by Donna Andrews. I read How the Finch Stole Christmas last year and loved it. I don't know what has taken me so long to read another book in the series.
I can honestly say how happy I am that I picked this book to read! I plan to read the rest of the series for sure.
There was more than one mystery in this book. There is the mystery of what the captain believes is the suicide of Desiree St Christophe that Meg and her family think is murder.
there is the body of crew member Anton that Meg and Dad discover when they sneak into Desiree's cabin and they don't know who killed him. Even more who came in and threw the body overboard while Meg and dad hid in the bathroom to not be seen, and can't see who it was.
Also, a mystery of why the ship had problems and is stuck in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and neither the coast guard or anybody else is coming to help.
Finally, there is the question of where is the crew during all this upheaval?
I would also like to say this book was so funny at times! I really enjoyed the type of humor the book used.
this is a must-read book!
I can honestly say how happy I am that I picked this book to read! I plan to read the rest of the series for sure.
There was more than one mystery in this book. There is the mystery of what the captain believes is the suicide of Desiree St Christophe that Meg and her family think is murder.
there is the body of crew member Anton that Meg and Dad discover when they sneak into Desiree's cabin and they don't know who killed him. Even more who came in and threw the body overboard while Meg and dad hid in the bathroom to not be seen, and can't see who it was.
Also, a mystery of why the ship had problems and is stuck in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and neither the coast guard or anybody else is coming to help.
Finally, there is the question of where is the crew during all this upheaval?
I would also like to say this book was so funny at times! I really enjoyed the type of humor the book used.
this is a must-read book!
June 27, 2021
If you have to be trapped on the cruise from hell, make sure you take Meg Lanslow and her extended family with you! When their ship stalls in the water and loses all power somewhere near the Bermuda Triangle, things look pretty bleak. Then folks start disappearing, and it another lovely, complicated situation for Meg to untangle.
I liked everything about this book, except one tiny problem I'll get to in a minute. There are plenty of interesting characters and shady situations to keep the reader interested, and enough problems pile up to keep the plot moving quite well. I pretty much loved every minute of listening to this story, until Meg had a too-stupid-to-live moment toward the end. Meg is strong willed and curious, but not careless, and I was really disappointed by that. I could think of a few other ways that could have been handled and I wish the author had chosen one of those. Still, it's a small problem in a really fun book. 5 happy stars.
I liked everything about this book, except one tiny problem I'll get to in a minute. There are plenty of interesting characters and shady situations to keep the reader interested, and enough problems pile up to keep the plot moving quite well. I pretty much loved every minute of listening to this story, until Meg had a too-stupid-to-live moment toward the end. Meg is strong willed and curious, but not careless, and I was really disappointed by that. I could think of a few other ways that could have been handled and I wish the author had chosen one of those. Still, it's a small problem in a really fun book. 5 happy stars.
June 2, 2025
Meg & family take a cruise and it goes worse than you'd ever imagine. It was so much fun to read about though.
I love the way Donna Andrews writes about communities, multi-generational families and households. And I just cannot get enough of the way she writes domestic chaos and non-human characters. For me, the mystery is just the excuse for the goodness that is the characters, the setting, and the book itself.
I love the way Donna Andrews writes about communities, multi-generational families and households. And I just cannot get enough of the way she writes domestic chaos and non-human characters. For me, the mystery is just the excuse for the goodness that is the characters, the setting, and the book itself.
August 4, 2019
Donna Andrew's Terns of Endearment is all about a cruise gone wrong. A lot of Meg Langslow's family and friends are onboard a lesser-known cruise line when things start going horribly wrong.
Terns of Endearment was an original plot and I enjoyed that very much. I also liked the cruising part up to a point.
There were a lot of characters and I found that hard to keep up with at times. I also felt like the story drug in places.
This was not the best Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow mystery but was still entertaining and enjoyable.
Terns of Endearment was an original plot and I enjoyed that very much. I also liked the cruising part up to a point.
There were a lot of characters and I found that hard to keep up with at times. I also felt like the story drug in places.
This was not the best Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow mystery but was still entertaining and enjoyable.
August 24, 2019
Another fun story that takes place on a cruise ship.
September 5, 2019
Come sail away with Meg and family as they take a cruise on the high seas. Not only does everything go wrong, but there are mysterious murders. Mayhem abounds when Meg is around. Nice twisty plot and just a fun read for when one needs to take their mind off of more serious matters.
August 18, 2021
The books in this series are always fun to read! How about being on a disabled cruise ship in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle? Love the characters.
June 14, 2022
Another fun mystery romp from Donna Andrews, this time on a cruise where everything that can go wrong does.
June 20, 2023
Easy read. Learned not to ever take a cruise!!!!
August 24, 2019
Silly, silly, silly. If you're a fan of the series, you'll enjoy it. Great fun.
October 28, 2019
Wow, book 25 in this series! I am finally caught up except for #26 just released a week (ish) ago :) This installment took place on an ill fated cruise ship sailing near the Bermuda Triangle. I enjoyed listening to this one :)
July 30, 2019
I'm enjoying this series enough that I've gone back and started at the beginning. I really enjoy Meg's and Michael's relationship and how they work together to raise their kids and solve the mystery. The mysteries always keep me guessing.
March 27, 2021
Not as good as the others, sadly. I’m guessing that Donna Andrews was getting tired of the series
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