Dashing Through the Snowbirds

Meg Langslow #32

by Donna Andrews

Dashing Through the Snowbirds is the next merry installment of Donna Andrews's New York Times bestselling Meg Langslow mystery series.Christmas in Caerphilly is wonderful! Unless you’re a Canadian whose inconsiderate boss is forcing you to spend the holiday there, far from family and friends, with only a slim chance of a white Christmas. Meg already has her hands full, trying to make the season festive for the dozen programmers who are staying with her and Michael while working on a rush project with her brother’s software company. At least it’s an interesting project, since the Canadian company is doing forensic genealogy and DNA analysis.When the inconsiderate boss is found murdered, there are too many suspects. Even before their Christmas in exile, his own employees had plenty of motives, and the growing number of people suing the company for faulty DNA analysis and invasion of their genetic privacy include at least one notorious murderer. Can Meg crack the case in time to keep the Yuletide bright?

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

449 pages, Library Binding

First published October 11, 2022

About the author

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

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

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Meg Langslow cozy mystery series for its eccentric characters and good mystery plots in every book. In DASHING THROUGH THE SNOWBIRDS, Meg and her family are hosting a team of Canadian programmers working for her brother Rob’s Mutant Wizards company. They are writing code for DNA analysis and the work has branched into forensic work at times, which has led to some unhappy customers. The CEO of the forensic company is an unlikeable guy who unsurprisingly winds up dead, and there is a long suspect list. This book had lots of fun Canadian moments, and we got to see all my favorite side characters. 5/5 stars.

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a few days before Christmas, but Meg’s house isn’t full of visiting relatives like normal. Instead, it’s full of Canadians who are there trying to finish up a rush project. They are working with Mutant Wizards, Meg’s brother’s computer company. Their CEO, however, is less than ethical. Just as Meg starts to learn some of the things he’s been doing recently, he is killed out in her yard. Is she harboring a killer in her house?

It had a very busy couple of weeks, and I hadn’t realized just how stressful until I sat down with this book and began to truly relax while visiting Meg’s world again. As with the other Christmas entries in the series, the Christmas spirit comes through on every page. But it never forgets it is a murder mystery. The climax could have been a little stronger, but I’m being nitpicky there. I absolutely love this cast of characters, and I delighted in spending more time with them. They had me smiling and laughing as I read. If you need a dose of Christmas spirit, this book will definitely give it to you.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3-3.5 stars

So far I've read three books in this long-running cozy mystery series (32!) and all have been the author's delightful Christmas stories. In this season's edition, Meg Langslow of Caerphilly, Virginia, finds herself with a dozen unexpected houseguests this Christmas, all employees of a Toronto-based genealogy firm called AcerGen. Meg's brother Rob and his company Mutant Wizards have been hired to work with the AcerGen people to design a new website with lots of bells and whistles, sort of a Canadian version of Ancestry.com. It's a rush job and hopefully it will be operational by New Year's Day. But there are rumors beginning to surface that AcerGen has messed up DNA testing and are being sued, so the board is being advised by their lawyer to terminate their contract. But before that can happen, someone decides to terminate AcerGen's president, a man who has been a total JERK! Suspects abound. Can Meg help Chief Burke find the guilty party quickly so everyone can be home in time for Christmas?

A lovely setting and a fun cast of characters, including the family pets, make this a thoroughly enjoyable holiday read guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit. Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

I received an arc of this new cozy mystery from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as great the fourth time around. These Meg Langslow mysteries never get old for me. :-)

----

Just as zany and heartwarming and laugh-out-loudable as I've come to expect from a Meg Langslow Christmas! I tried to hold off listening to this one (Bernadette Dunne is there perfect narrator for this series!!!) but I just couldn't resist the lure of a new a Meg adventure. And these Christmas ones are extra special because the whole extended Langslow clan comes together and mayhem inevitably ensues. Also loved the Canadian references -- a group of Canadian programmers are stuck in Caerphilly over Christmas and Meg and Michael are stuck hosting them. Had to chuckle over the collective "The Canadians" popping up everywhere -- as if we are some kind of alien species. Bwahahaha!

Now I'm in the mood to give all the Meg Langslow Christmas books a re-listen.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg and Michael have dozens of programmers staying at their home during the holidays so they can finish a project for her brothers company. When the boss who has brought them all to Caerphilly is found murdered the suspect list is endless. The motives for his murder are many, they range from faulty DNA results to invasion of privacy. Meg is doing her best to track down the killer while maintaining the holiday spirit for everyone. With so many questions to be answered can Meg find the murderer before.the whole holiday is ruined for all?

[Carlymor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, funny Meg Langslow mystery. I've read a few of these, all completely out of order, and enjoyed them. This had the usual quirkiness and funny moments with Meg's family. The mystery was also pretty good, dealing with forensic genealogy and a murdered boss who had been not exactly ethical with his clients' personal DNA information. Of course Meg solves the case in the end and there is plenty of Christmas cheer also.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read. This series never grows old. The characters are as eccentric and loveable as ever.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Christmas mystery by Donna Andrews, this one involving visiting Canadian programmers who are staying with Meg and Michael as they work on a contract at Meg's brother's computer business. When there's a murder, Meg must help eliminate a lot of suspects, and ultimately is in danger herself. I will say this is one of the few Andrews' books where I've been ahead of Meg on identifying the culprit.

[Emily Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dashing Through the Snowbirds
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/11/22
Author: Donna Andrews
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Pages: 304
GR: 4.41

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Minotaur Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Christmas in Caerphilly is wonderful! Unless you’re a Canadian whose inconsiderate boss is forcing you to spend the holiday there, far from family and friends. Meg already has her hands full, trying to make the season festive for the dozen programmers who are staying with her and Michael while working on a rush project with her brother’s software company. When the inconsiderate boss is found murdered, there are too many suspects. Even before their Christmas in exile, his own employees had plenty of motives, and the growing number of people suing the company for faulty DNA analysis and invasion of their genetic privacy include at least one notorious murderer. Can Meg crack the case in time to keep the Yuletide bright?

My Thoughts: I do not read many cozy mystery, mostly thriller or romance novels, but this book has opened me up to a new genre! This is part of a series, no. 32 in the Meg Langslow Mystery. You can read this as a standalone. There is a lot packed and going on in this book, but it just works. I will be going to read some, if not all, the other books in the series. Meg’s family is just fun, enjoyable, and just makes me smile. The structure and pacing of the mystery works very well. I love the small town feel and how the holidays are celebrated, it just reminds you that Christmas is always in your heart. The characters are well developed with depth, they are witty, humorous, mysterious, and just crafted so well. The author’s writing style is complex, funny, creative, and kept me engaged. For most series, when there are 3-5 books, I have no problem enjoying the whole series, but this one has over 30 books, and based on this writing style, I do believe that I would enjoy every book! This book publishes next month and I highly recommend checking out this book and other books in the series!

[Lizzytish · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s Christmas time again in Meg’s world and chaos and good cheer once again abound along with murder! Meg is trying to entertain Canadians that are working with Mutant Wizards, a feral cat is on the loose ready to give birth, and what is Meg’s father building in the backyard? Oh, and Casey has a stalker and the juncos are returning by the flocks!

[K.A. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOWBIRDS is the thirty-second book in the well-loved Meg Langslow Mystery series by Donna Andrews. Once again, the author brings Christmas to life on the pages. Filled with holiday cheer, family and friends gathered from near and far, delectable feasts, and… murder. Favorite characters populate the story with protagonist Meg Langslow taking the lead as she tries to entertain a group of Canadian employees forced to spend the holidays stuck at her home. I especially enjoyed how Meg’s nephew is getting involved in the investigations. He’s become a great sidekick.

I appreciated the theme of genealogy and DNA analysis and what can go wrong with a corrupt company that handles such sensitive information. The plot was well-paced and while there was a bit of technical information to make it feel more authentic, the storyline never bogged down. In fact, the humor woven throughout and the matter-of-fact attitude of Meg gave the book a holly jolly feeling. While you can easily read the book as a standalone, this is one of those series you’ll love starting from the beginning to get to the know the characters as cherished friends.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, thanks to MacMillan Audio. Narrator Bernadette Dunn masterfully captures the voice and attitude of Meg Langslow, as well as the other characters in the book. Her impressive voice range never left any doubt as to who was speaking and added to the overall enjoyment of the book.

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mike Finn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Donna Andrews is a very accomplished storyteller who, over the course of more than thirty novels, has created an eccentric but relatable cast of characters in the little town of Caerphilly, Virginia most of whom seem to be related one way or another to Meg Langslow.

When you visit Meg at Christmas, two things are guaranteed: chaotic festive fun as her family members throw themselves into the seasonal celebrations, and a murder, usually of someone who is quite hard to like and which Meg will end up entangled in because she notices things that other people miss.

'Dashing Through The Snowbirds' changes up the formula by adding in a group of Canadian software engineers working towards a New Year deadline in collaboration with Meg's brother's software company Mutant Wizards and who are all staying in Meg's house. Their boss, who we are repeatedly told is American (presumably because he's a narcissist and a bully and so couldn't be Canadian) is the one who I assumed from the beginning was marked for death but when, how, why and by whom were all unknown and actually quite surprising. This time, Meg not only inserts herself into the investigation but becomes a likely target of the killer or killers. As she puts it, she feels like she's the goat in 'Jurassic Park' that's been tethered to attract the attention of the T Rex.

There's a good, moderately complicated murder mystery here, with a rich field of suspects and multiple tense, potentially lethal encounters. I thought the story stood up and I didn't guess who was behind the killing.

Yet the murder and the subsequent investigation are not the main attraction in this Christmas book. We spend a long time in Caerphilly before anyone is killed and even during the investigation, a lot of the focus is on individual family members and on the challenge of keeping a bunch of Canadians happy. This includes setting up bird feeders to attract the Juncos and serving up homemade poutine.

I enjoyed the sense of calm emanating from the book. Meg may be surrounded by chaos and in the sights of an unknown murderer but she is never really out of her comfort zone. She thrives on having her family around her. She revels in their eccentricities and loves the challenge of finding ways to make everyone's life easier. Sometimes she can come across as a little smug but she's kind and clever, meas well and gets things done, so being a little smug just makes her charmingly human. Of course, she's also quite good at figuring out who the murderer is. Something even the local Sheriff has started to accept.

I enjoyed my Christmas in Caerphilly. Despite the violence and the danger, I always knew that Meg would prevail, people would be nicer to one another than you might expect and that the real spirit of Christmas was in continuing to hope for the best even in the cold and the dark.

I recommend the audiobook version, narrated in her own distinctive style by Bernadette Dunne. Click on the SoundCloud link to hear a sample.

https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/das...

[Nancy Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Number thirty-two of the Meg Langslow mysteries finds Meg dealing with relatives, the community, Canadians, and a man that is about to be killed. It is, after all, Christmas in Caerphilly.

When her brother Rob's company, Mutant Wizards, takes on a programming job connected to a DNA company, Meg discovers that there is controversy connected to that company and the man who is its CEO. The question is: who is angry enough with him and his company to want him dead?

Per usual, the person who is killed probably deserves it, and Meg spends her time tracking down the killer with the help of the local police.

These cozy mysteries always have quirky characters and some humor, and this one is no exception, which starts with a punny title.

[Donna Huber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good Christmas cozy mystery. I think fans of the series will really enjoy it. As I haven't read any of this series I was a little lost as to who everyone is, but the characters are great and easily likable. Read my full review at Girl Who Reads.

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of this series from the beginning, it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed joining Meg's family for the Christmas run-up. I often wonder if I keep coming back as much for their antics and the animals as I do the mystery. In this case, the mystery is who killed the obnoxious, mean-spirited Scrooge, er, Ian The antics, oh, too many to mention although can't ignore that surprise ice rink in the back pasture. Humor, always. Meg has a zen like ability to face danger and remain calm or find the perfectly snarky comeback to someone's comments. Fortunately, we only "hear" most of them in her head though I did like the snarky, surely intentional misinterpretation of someone's comment about wanting to remain silent and a lawyer. Nope, not telling. See if you guessed right and read the book. Enjoy those, oops, gold sprayed Pomeranians, too, although they are now shaved naked Poms dressed in an abundance of outfits supplied by friends and family. Well, they were decorating.

As for the crime, it kept me guessing. Just when you think Meg has rounded up the last of the suspects, another appears. Heck, they even include a cyber stalker for good measure who has decided Casey, half of the crime podcast team with Kevin, is her soul mate. Never mind she has never laid eyes on him. The crime centers about a quite current topic, however, DNA testing and it's legit uses.

So, who whacked Ian with the hockey stick in the pasture at the ice rink? There are multiple suspects who'd wish him dead, that's for sure. Was the person in the silver car cruising past Meg and Michael's home involved? How many uses can you think of for a dumbwaiter? What happened to the soon-to-be mama cat in the manger at the church nativity? Can Juncos really predict the weather? Is it suspicious that Maeve planned to basically quit on Friday anyway? How much would it cost to outfit your town's police force with electric cars? Do you know what "curds and whey" is the ol' fashioned term for? Who is that supposed lawyer that is looking for Ian? In fact, who are all those strangers that keep turning up? What mischief is Meg's grandfather into now that is annoying Caroline? Will the Canadians get home in time for Christmas? And, oh, there is always more in a Meg Langslow story? Trust me, you won't be bored. Even now, on book 32, this series hasn't gone stale.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress - #MinotaurBooks for letting me spend some time hanging out with Meg's family and friends, not to mention the dogs, llamas, peacocks, oh, never mind. I'd be here all day listing all the much loved critters in their lives.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Christmas season (or lead up to, anyway) would not be complete without Meg Langslow and her amazing family. I am always guaranteed a great read with a sold mystery, humorous scenes with her extended family and guests, and a few new animals added to their menagerie. This mystery was particularly interesting because of the genealogy angle. I’m sad that I read my Christmas book early this year but I’ll just have to read it again closer to the date. This is in my top 5 favorite series so I’m glad, despite the length of the series, that each mystery is fresh and new.

Audiobook was excellent, no issues.

I received a copy from #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an honest review.

[vicinthemeadow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect read for just after christmas! We follow two tech companies as they collaborate on a program when one's leader winds up murdered.

The reference to the other company as "the Canadians" was too good. The poutine. The bread. I was wheezing. Is this how Americans see us? Anyways, I loved the bits of bird inclusion in this and overall excited to continue more from this series!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems like I was just reading Andrews' annual Christmas tale. I always like the books in this series. Meg is a likable, smart protagonist. All of her extended family show up, no matter how briefly. Like the last book, Kevin, a younger cousin, has one of the larger secondary roles. I wonder if that's a trend that will be continuing. It would be nice for Meg is have a foil.

We do have an assortment of suspects, but the mystery element is weak in that Meg doesn't do a whole lot of investigating, she has others do it primarily off page. The killer basically outs themself, by the end it could have easily been at least three people.

I would like to go back to the book where Michael and Meg find and describe their house. It's like a TARDIS given how it seems to fit any number of people.

I received my copy of Dashing from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirty-second in the Meg Langslow cozy mystery series revolving around an amateur sleuth who happens to be a mom and a blacksmith — who is amazingly organized. The focus is on a rush job to create new software.

My Take
Oh man, Ian is an idiot, which we learn through Andrews’ use of first person protagonist point-of-view from Meg’s perspective! Not understanding remote work. Not grasping the concept that making hotel reservations around Christmas may not be possible. Ian thinks Virginia is next door to Florida. And yep, you got it. Surprise. Meg and Michael have a whole new pool of campers. I don’t know why Meg is allowing Ian to use any room in their house for an office when he has a temporary office at Mutant Wizards.

It’s so sweet how Meg and her family do so much to make their “guests” welcome. In return Angela and Maeve want to gift them with a “map”, but are horrified at how convoluted their family tree is, especially with the Langslows’ preferred method of titling their relatives.

And while Meg is a prominent character, she’s not doing much in the organizing or blacksmithing end of things.

Ooh, Dad is doing something mysterious in the back pasture! Mother, of course, isn’t so mysterious with her Christmas decorating, just over the top per usual, although . . . there are rules.

I do have to get all stuffy. Sure, the Meg Langslow series is FICTION. I know it. Yet, I still wonder how the Langslows can afford to do all that they do. That gift of Dad’s? Wow. It’s so very thoughtful and put together. And expensive. Mother’s decorating? Expensive and where do they store it all?

I gotta say, I like Randall’s color ideas about the supplies. I wonder if we can do that here in my apartment building??

I keep going on about how supportive and compassionate the protagonistseses are, as well as the townspeople, and it truly comes through even more with how Mutant Wizards employees come through.

Andrews does keep it silly with family interaction, their reactions to the 
“bad” guys, the “surprises” provided by auto-correct, the Langslow-Waterston’s protective critters, the individual quirks of the characters, and it still dumbfounds me that Little Miss Muffet’s curds-and-whey is just cottage cheese!

On the non-silly side, there is a lot of concern about saving face and reputations while getting Mutant Wizards out from under a failing concern. Meanwhile, Grandfather has been influenced into DNA tech and seems to be going even further with analysis. Great does love to experiment.

Hmm, some of the cousins have a banned book group. It seems most of the family are book enablers. People after my own heart, lol.

It’s fun to watch how Christmas in Caerphilly evolves, revenue-wise, for the town. It does sound beautiful, and I’d love to delve into this Dickensian experience.

There’s plenty going on: the AcerGen employees are working all hours; Ian is ensuring they work constantly even as he harasses them; his way over-the-top rudeness; the elusive (and pregnant) yellow tabby cat; a menacing stalker; the mixed-blessings of Dad's gift; and, Meg's unusual efforts to ease the Canadians' stay in Caerphilly.

The Story
A Canadian company wants to break into the genetics testing aspect of tracing your genealogy and expects Mutant Wizards to make the bells and whistles work.

Only, Festus has discovered a desperate need to terminate that contract. But not break it. Yep, there’s a difference. Not only that, but AcerGen is not paying salaries on time.

As for their morals and ethics about genetics . . .?

Almost as bad is that missing kitty.

The Characters
Meg Langslow and Dr Michael Waterston, a drama professor at the college, have a huge farmhouse they make available to anyone in need. Jamie and Josh are their twin sons. Spike is the furball who only tolerates Meg because she provided him with the twins. Skulk is the larger of the two barn cats; Lurk is the other. The Twinmobile is the SUV they use to haul the boys and their friends around. Dad, Dr James Langslow, is the local medical examiner who has a variety of interests including owling, mysteries, animal rights, gardening, and more. Mother subsumes her worries with decorating.

Rob Langslow, Meg’s brother, runs a computer gaming company, Mutant Wizards, although they’ve been diversifying. Lawyers From Hell was the first game. Delaney is Rob’s new wife ( Round Up the Usual Peacocks , 31). Tinkerbell is Rob’s Irish wolfhound. The “airheaded” Kristyn is a part-time receptionist and one of Michael’s drama grad students. Other employees include Ash, who’s against littering, and Kevin McReady, Meg’s nephew who lives in their basement and is Rob’s left-hand man and a department head — he can make data sit up and beg (Widget is his Pomeranian). The Pit is an open-air common area at Mutant Wizards with a huge wall of windows. The brilliant Kevin and his friend Casey run Virginia Crime Time , exploring true-crime in Virginia through podcasts.

Rose Noire is Meg’s cousin who operates an organic herb farm. Winter Solstice, a.k.a. Winnie, is Rose’s Pomeranian. Cordelia Lee Mason is Meg’s paternal grandmother, recently found ( The Good, the Bad, and the Emus , 17). The legendary Cousin Nora shows up. Cousin Festus Holllingsworth is a brilliant attorney who prefers tilting at windmills. He’s also Mutant Wizards’ outside counsel. Dr J Montgomery “Monty” Blake, a.k.a. Grandfather and Great, is Dad’s father, a world famous naturalist, and an environmentalist who owns the Caerphilly Zoo. Manoj Batra is part of the zoo staff. Blake’s Brigade is an informal group of enthusiasts who support Dr Blake’s passions. Caroline Willner runs the Willner Wildlife Sanctuary and is a good friend of Monty’s. Uncle “Tut”, a.k.a. Thomas Underwood Taliaferro Hollingsworth, is a mostly retired attorney who is on the Mutant Wizards board. Aunt Ida knows everything about the family tree. Emma is a very young cousin. Uncle Wes plays the harp.

Bowling — “how hard can it be?”

Caerphilly, Virginia, is . . .
. . . home base for Meg and Michael, Mutant Wizards, and Caerphilly College. Randall Shiffley is the mayor. While he’s mayor, he’s turned over management of the Shiffley Construction Company. Stanley Denton is a private investigator and a friend ( The Good, the Bad, and the Emus , 17). Ellie Drayer is the head librarian. Seth Early is Meg and Michael’s neighbor who raises sheep. Wandering sheep. Exploring sheep. Deacon Washington, another neighbor who also attends the New Life Baptist Church, has a farm. Mrs Dahlgren is the persnickety Methodist church secretary where the Reverend Trask presides. Dr Clarence Rutledge, a devoted veterinarian who owns the Caerphilly Veterinary Hospital, works for the town and the zoo. Lucas Plunkett is Clarence’s valuable assistant ( Round Up the Usual Peacocks ). The tabby will become Merry. Flugleman’s Feed Store is running low on feeders and bird food. The Spare Attic is a storage facility. The Haven is a budget motel Rob fixed up as units for his employees. The Reverend Robyn. The Caerphilly Inn is a five-star hotel managed by Ekaterina. Osgood Shiffley runs a gas station. Dr Smoot is a vampire enthusiast. Janet and Fred know how to use a Zamboni.

Henry Burke is the police chief who’s married to Minerva, the director of the New Life Baptist Church — she’s also on the Mutant Wizards board. They’re raising their three orphaned grandsons: Adam, Calvin, and Frank. Willie Mays is their Pomeranian. Burke’s deputies include Vern Shiffley, Cousin Horace Hollingsworth (Watson is his Pomeranian), and Aida Butler (her Pomeranian is Whatever).

AcerGen . . .
. . . wants to be an ancestry.com but is focused on the Canadian market. The incredibly rude and idiotic Ian Meredith, a.k.a. Sasquatch, is the president. Hmmm, is Andrews sure that Ian is Canadian? Ian’s father, Gordon Meredith, is/was the founder of the company. Ian has forced twelve of his employees to come along, including Claudine who is the Québecois project manager; Angela and Maeve are avid birdwatchers; “Eeyore”, who finally smiles; and, Rhea. Clive is back at home base.

DNA Gnostics is a medical testing firm AcerGen uses. Quest and LabCorp no longer do business with AcerGen.

Cyrus Runk is a convicted murderer. His lawyers are with Mason, Morgan, and Friedman and include the beefy William T Morgan. I believe the Innocence Project helps those unfairly convicted. A Brady violation is when the prosecution doesn’t turn over evidence helpful to the defense. Mr Confessions-R-Us just can’t help it. CODIS is the Combined DNA Index System kept by the FBI. AFIS is for fingerprints.

Katherine Anne Koenigslutter is a Wisconsinite angry about a DNA mix-up. Elias Boyd claims to be a half-sibling. Jerosha Fawn, a.k.a. CatLady517, is a fan of Virginia Crime Time. Alfred Sloan is an attorney in Wisconsin.

Clay County is . . .
. . . Caerphilly County’s mortal enemy. The Clay County Motor Lodge is also known as the Roach Motel or Bedbugs and Beyond.

The Cover and Title
The background of the cover gradates from a deep mint green with snowflakes falling to white and then to a pale mint at the bottom. At the very top is the author’s name (with the last three letters of her last name tumbling) in the soft mint. Below it is an info blurb in a greenish yellow. Below that is the story graphic of a red toboggan rushing down the hill, spraying up blasts of snow, with owls riding on it, wearing scarves and hats. The best part is the sled hitting that poor snowman with his body parts flying through the air. Below the sled is the title in a deep red. The series info is in the deep mint and just to the right of the title and below the snowman.

The title is a play on the havoc Ian plays on his employees, Dashing Through the Snowbirds.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meg and her whole crazy extended family are back in the extra-Christmas-e, Dashing Through the Snowbirds.

Meg's brother Rob is hosting (at Meg's house of course) a Canadian team of software developers as part of a new contract his company just landed. However, there are big troubles brewing within the affiliated company. The CEO, Ian, is just plain obnoxious. His company's financials may be much darker than they appear in the contractual documents. Worst of all, that leaves a boatload of suspects when he is found bludgeoned in Meg’s back pasture. All of this drama fails to even dent the prevailing Christmas cheer felt throughout the book.

I've been reading this series since the beginning, and I always look forward to the holiday tales to get me in the spirit of the season. Meg, Michael and the whole extremely large family seem as familiar as my own family now. While this book can be read as a standalone, the characters’ stories do have a series-spanning theme that should also be explored.

I love the characters, the atmosphere, the mystery and especially the humor in Dashing Through the Snowbirds. I think you will too. 5 stars and a favorite! Don’t miss it!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

[Shoshana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow books are always fun, and this one was no exception. Andrews must be delightful in real life because her sense of humor infuses her books, and the zaniness of Meg's family and friends lights up the pages. There is always something highly amusing going on.

"Dashing Through the Snowbirds" is one of the Christmas-themed books; they are uniformly enjoyable. This time Meg's got Canadians staying with her, a dozen of them, including the murder victim. I don't like spoilers so I won't give any. Suffice it to say that Meg solves the mystery and the book ends satisfactorily.

This is #32 in this long-running series. As one would expect, some books are better than others. This is a particularly good one,and is heartily recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[marita lazarus · Rating 4 out of 5]

my first read of this well-established series and I'm hooked. Thank God there are 32 of them so I can catch up and read them.

I loved all the characters. I loved the story setting. I loved that it was Christmas time. Its just a cute all-around good book!!!!!.

Premise of the story is a young and obnoxious CEO of a genealogy/dna firm in Canada brings his overworked team down from Canada to work with the programers at Meg's brother's firm. Most of the Canadians and the obnoxious Ian are staying with Meg at the house on the farm. Fast forward, and Ian is found with his head whacked in outside on the ice rink (yes an Ice rink lol). 4 good suspects, lots of food, family and critters made this an enjoyable read.

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! As it was my first one by this author, I wasn't sure what to expect but this family is very entertaining. 😆

As for the mystery, it was very put together. I kept up but still didn't figure it out. 🙌🏽 I liked the elements of realism and that the FMC didn't do stupid stuff just to solve the crime. 😍

The little side mysteries were just as fun as the main one! And made it a very entertaining and funny book. The DNA topic was fascinating as well. Definitely brought up some points I'd never considered. 🤔

I'm definitely going to read another from this series! 😃 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Observations:
1. Less convoluted than recent mysteries in this series.
2. More believable gathering of people than in recent books.
3. Much less frantic driving across the county.
4. Michael - almost invisible, with only a few lines.
5. Rose Noire - almost invisible. Did she say anything?
6. Wondering about the number of bedrooms in that house. And bathrooms.
7. Wanted a title with word play about juncos. Any ideas?

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun mystery read in the Meg Langslow mystery series. The Christmas elements along with a great plot make for a wonderful Christmas read.
Lots of intrigue and interesting suspects await you in Dashing Through the Snowbirds.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Kyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another holiday murder mystery solved by Meg's family and friends. I love how she weaves together generations (who help each other understand the techie stuff and the old fashioned stuff). She makes the gore light, and keeps everyone working together for things to come out right. It's just a light mystery with lots of family and holiday stuff to make it feel good.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of, Dashing Through the Snowbirds, by Donna Andrews. Megan is not that happy spending Christmas in the US, instead of her native Canada. When murders start happening, it gets to be pretty interesting. Can Meg solve the mystery?

[Sylvia Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a little over the top. How many times must our heroine be threatened, by various crazy and/or just plain bad people, before we achieve an ending? Any real person would need years of therapy to recover from all of this! Still had some of the charm and warmth and humor I expect from the series, though.

[Jenna (readinginjennaland) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Christmas time in Caerphilly. Meg has her hands full with unexpected guests in her home. Mutant Wizards is in a contract with Acergen, a DNA genealogy website from Canada. The CEO decided it needed to be done right before the New Year. The CEO is also an awful boss and person. Between keeping the Canadians happy and finding an unconscious person. Meg has a lot on her plate.

This is the 32nd book in the series and now my second novel. I really need to read the first 30 novels so I can understand who each person is. I was a tad confused about who is who. But the story and the writing is so good that it didn't deter me from loving it.

[Cook Memorial Public Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended by Karen. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore...