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Meg Langslow #31
Round Up the Usual Peacocks
New York Times, bestselling author Donna Andrews first introduced us to Meg Langslow as a crime-solving bridesmaid. In her 31st mystery, Round Up the Usual Peacocks, Meg returns to her roots, juggling cold cases and wedding guests.
Kevin, Meg's cyber-savvy nephew who lives in the basement, comes to her with a problem. He's become involved as the techie for a true-crime podcast, one that focuses on Virginia cold cases and unsolved crimes. And he thinks their podcast has hit a nerve with someone . . . one of the podcast team has had a brush with death that Kevin thinks was an attempted murder, not an accident.
Kevin rather sheepishly asks for Meg's help in checking out the people involved in a couple of the cases. "Given your ability to find out stuff online, why do you need MY help?" she asks. "Um . . . because I've already done everything I can online. This'll take going around and TALKING to people," he exclaims, with visible horror. "In person!" Not his thing. And no, it can't wait until after the wedding, because he's afraid whoever's after them might take advantage of the chaos of the wedding at Trinity or the reception at Meg and Michael's house to strike again.
So on top of everything she's doing to round up vendors and supplies and take care of demanding out-of-town guests, Meg must hunt down the surviving suspects from three relatively local cold cases so she can figure out if they have it in for the podcasters. Could there be a connection to a musician on the brink of stardom who disappeared two decades ago and hasn't been seen since?
Kevin, Meg's cyber-savvy nephew who lives in the basement, comes to her with a problem. He's become involved as the techie for a true-crime podcast, one that focuses on Virginia cold cases and unsolved crimes. And he thinks their podcast has hit a nerve with someone . . . one of the podcast team has had a brush with death that Kevin thinks was an attempted murder, not an accident.
Kevin rather sheepishly asks for Meg's help in checking out the people involved in a couple of the cases. "Given your ability to find out stuff online, why do you need MY help?" she asks. "Um . . . because I've already done everything I can online. This'll take going around and TALKING to people," he exclaims, with visible horror. "In person!" Not his thing. And no, it can't wait until after the wedding, because he's afraid whoever's after them might take advantage of the chaos of the wedding at Trinity or the reception at Meg and Michael's house to strike again.
So on top of everything she's doing to round up vendors and supplies and take care of demanding out-of-town guests, Meg must hunt down the surviving suspects from three relatively local cold cases so she can figure out if they have it in for the podcasters. Could there be a connection to a musician on the brink of stardom who disappeared two decades ago and hasn't been seen since?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 2, 2022
204 people are currently reading
810 people want to read
About the author
Donna Andrews
103 books2,095 followersDonna Andrews was born in Yorktown, Virginia, the setting of Murder with Peacocks and Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos, and now lives and works in Reston, Virginia. When not writing fiction, Andrews is a self-confessed nerd, rarely found away from her computer, unless she's messing in the garden
http://us.macmillan.com/author/donnaa...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/donnaa...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 336 reviews
August 31, 2022
Meg’s brother is getting married and their mother is working on turning it into the wedding of the century. However, Meg’s nephew, Kevin, comes to her with a request for help. Kevin and a friend have started a true crime podcast focusing on cold cases, and they think one of their episodes hit too close to home since someone has tried to kill Kevin’s friend. Meg begins investigating the most likely cases. But can she figure out what is going on before the wedding?
Longtime fans of this series know this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Meg at weddings involving peacocks. However, this isn’t a retread in any way. And, if you are new to the series, you can jump in here and enjoy the antics. With three cases for Meg to consider, there is plenty to keep her hopping. I was hooked the entire way, even though I suspected where the stories were going. For the record, I was right on some things and wrong on others. The climax was a little weaker than I would have liked, but it was a minor issue. We have the usual large cast of characters, and it was fantastic to spend time with them. There may not be a laugh on every page here, but there are some classic moments that made me laugh. This is a delightful book that will please Meg’s fans old and new.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Longtime fans of this series know this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Meg at weddings involving peacocks. However, this isn’t a retread in any way. And, if you are new to the series, you can jump in here and enjoy the antics. With three cases for Meg to consider, there is plenty to keep her hopping. I was hooked the entire way, even though I suspected where the stories were going. For the record, I was right on some things and wrong on others. The climax was a little weaker than I would have liked, but it was a minor issue. We have the usual large cast of characters, and it was fantastic to spend time with them. There may not be a laugh on every page here, but there are some classic moments that made me laugh. This is a delightful book that will please Meg’s fans old and new.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
November 17, 2022
Peacocks just do not understand their role as decorative objects
“Round Up the Usual Peacock” is part of the “Meg Langslow Mystery” series, but new readers will easily follow along. Meg and Michael are preparing for her brother’s upcoming wedding reception, and any needed details about people, relationships, and past events are included in the current narrative. Readers meet the extended family and learn the complex interpersonal dynamics.
Meg tells the story in a first person narrative driven by driven what people say to her, what she says to others, what she says to herself, and what she says directly to readers. Events occur over just a few days, and Meg has a lot to say about what should happen and what does happen. Her family has a long tradition of owning peacocks, and their role in the upcoming wedding is critical, well, at least an important tradition. The family’s peacocks are molting, and a wedding without peacocks is just unacceptable. Others must be procured.
There is a lot to do to prepare for the wedding, but extended family members have various avocations, interests, and jobs in addition to wrangling the hesitant peacocks. Nephew Kevin has a true crime podcast, and he needs help with the research for an upcoming episode. This project stirs up complicated past events that some would have preferred to remain hidden forever. However, there is no statute of limitations on murder, so the investigation continues.
Andrews balances the serious murder investigation with the hilarity provided by the peacocks who do not fully understand their roles as “wedding decorations.” In the process, various humans and animals were “wounded,” but no permanent damaged occurred except what resulted from laughing.
I received a review copy of “Round Up the Usual Peacocks” from Donna Andrews, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books. It was a beautiful wedding, and sometimes making people happy is the most important work.
“Round Up the Usual Peacocks” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books.
“Round Up the Usual Peacock” is part of the “Meg Langslow Mystery” series, but new readers will easily follow along. Meg and Michael are preparing for her brother’s upcoming wedding reception, and any needed details about people, relationships, and past events are included in the current narrative. Readers meet the extended family and learn the complex interpersonal dynamics.
Meg tells the story in a first person narrative driven by driven what people say to her, what she says to others, what she says to herself, and what she says directly to readers. Events occur over just a few days, and Meg has a lot to say about what should happen and what does happen. Her family has a long tradition of owning peacocks, and their role in the upcoming wedding is critical, well, at least an important tradition. The family’s peacocks are molting, and a wedding without peacocks is just unacceptable. Others must be procured.
There is a lot to do to prepare for the wedding, but extended family members have various avocations, interests, and jobs in addition to wrangling the hesitant peacocks. Nephew Kevin has a true crime podcast, and he needs help with the research for an upcoming episode. This project stirs up complicated past events that some would have preferred to remain hidden forever. However, there is no statute of limitations on murder, so the investigation continues.
Andrews balances the serious murder investigation with the hilarity provided by the peacocks who do not fully understand their roles as “wedding decorations.” In the process, various humans and animals were “wounded,” but no permanent damaged occurred except what resulted from laughing.
I received a review copy of “Round Up the Usual Peacocks” from Donna Andrews, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books. It was a beautiful wedding, and sometimes making people happy is the most important work.
“Round Up the Usual Peacocks” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books.
January 16, 2023
Meg is in the midst of being forced to work on preparations for her brother's wedding when her nephew asks her for help. He and a friend have started a cold case podcast, but someone just tried to run over his friend. Maybe one of those cases isn't so cold after all. Meg is thrilled to be able to dodge wedding minutiae ... and yes, round up a few peacocks in the process.This was terrific! So much fun! Meg has a great voice; her family is crazy but within normal, enjoyable parameters; and the tension was maintained across three(!) cold case mysteries, all of which were tied up to perfect satisfaction.
This story held up fine as a standalone despite being the 31st in its series. I love the bird theme for all the titles, and I'm hoping to read all of these in order over the next couple years. How have I never heard of this series before?
Read
August 2, 2022I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and decided to try this, without managing to notice the plainly written #31 right there next to the title. It was the peacocks that got me.
The author does a good job of introducing everyone, but the problem is, there are so very many people to introduce that I was at sea among characters who were mostly floating heads. I think if I knew everyone's backstory this tale would have resonated a lot more.
The peacocks have to do with an upcoming wedding of characters who were a sea of names. Once we got to the mystery, which begins with the narrator's nephew, who has started a true crime podcast, nearly getting killed, the pacing zipped along. I really liked that the narrator wasn't obnoxiously poking her way into an investigation that nobody wanted her in, and also that the local gendarmerie didn't blow her off when she had important data to offer.
The mystery resolved well, and though I never really connected with any of the characters, I think that's due to me picking up a series cold more than thirty books in, and not the fault of the author. Which makes me want to begin at the beginning.
The author does a good job of introducing everyone, but the problem is, there are so very many people to introduce that I was at sea among characters who were mostly floating heads. I think if I knew everyone's backstory this tale would have resonated a lot more.
The peacocks have to do with an upcoming wedding of characters who were a sea of names. Once we got to the mystery, which begins with the narrator's nephew, who has started a true crime podcast, nearly getting killed, the pacing zipped along. I really liked that the narrator wasn't obnoxiously poking her way into an investigation that nobody wanted her in, and also that the local gendarmerie didn't blow her off when she had important data to offer.
The mystery resolved well, and though I never really connected with any of the characters, I think that's due to me picking up a series cold more than thirty books in, and not the fault of the author. Which makes me want to begin at the beginning.
August 2, 2025
Just as fabulously funny the fourth time round! The last scene is priceless!!!!!! :-)
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I have no words...well, maybe two. Peacock Armageddon. Bwahahahaha!!!! I love Donna Andrews whacky sense of humour and the droll delivery Bernadette Dunne brings to the audio narration. A match made in heaven! In fact, if you told me I had to whittle down my audible collection to only one series, Meg Langslow would be it (and I have 490 titles in my collection.) It's a series I have enjoyed 're-reading' and feel a keen desire to do another Langslow binge in my near future. (All except for the first book which is my least favourite and the one I read pretty near the end of my last reading spree.)
Three cold cases, a wedding of epic proportions and the usual bedlam that ensues when Meg's large and eccentric extended family gather together. Double-over with laughter scenes abound as do the subtle one line zingers that keep me in stitches as well. I love Caerphilly, love the people -- missed the mayor in this one though, hopefully he'll be back for the Christmas book which is due out in October. eeeppp, must preorder it now. May this series never end!
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I have no words...well, maybe two. Peacock Armageddon. Bwahahahaha!!!! I love Donna Andrews whacky sense of humour and the droll delivery Bernadette Dunne brings to the audio narration. A match made in heaven! In fact, if you told me I had to whittle down my audible collection to only one series, Meg Langslow would be it (and I have 490 titles in my collection.) It's a series I have enjoyed 're-reading' and feel a keen desire to do another Langslow binge in my near future. (All except for the first book which is my least favourite and the one I read pretty near the end of my last reading spree.)
Three cold cases, a wedding of epic proportions and the usual bedlam that ensues when Meg's large and eccentric extended family gather together. Double-over with laughter scenes abound as do the subtle one line zingers that keep me in stitches as well. I love Caerphilly, love the people -- missed the mayor in this one though, hopefully he'll be back for the Christmas book which is due out in October. eeeppp, must preorder it now. May this series never end!
July 21, 2022
HAVE ADDED AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
Duration 10h 33m
As I said in my ebook review, the Meg Langslow series never disappoints. This is also true of the audio version courtesy of #MacmilanAudio and #StMartinsPress - #MinotaurBooks.
Narrator Bernadette Dunn does an excellent job capturing Meg's often zen-like ability to stay cool, calm, and collected, even when faced with difficult, even wild situations. Since there is frequently a large cast in the series, I was particularly interested in seeing how Dunne differentiated voices. I was particularly fond of the voice she used for Meg's mother. She captured "mother" nicely, using that slightly exasperated, slightly uppity tone that conveys she can't imagine how anyone could argue, so why have you disappointed me, but I still love you voice well. The different voices add to the experience, I must admit. The audio version of the, well, let's call it "the llamas and guests meet the visiting peacocks" scene, definitely made it come alive for me, cheering the arrival of Border Collie Lad to save the day. Grandfather's voice is slightly impatient, while Michael remains the ever calm voice of sanity. Kudos to Dunn for her interpretation of characters.
To be honest, I'm amazed at how much a talented voice actor's change of pace, tone, or touch of "oh, wow" can add to the story. I will definitely continue to read and enjoy the print versions of this series but take every chance I get to listen to the audio, too. The plot moved along steadily, chapter breaks defined by a slight pause then simply announcing "Chapter (whatever)". Bottom line, a fun experience and nice diversion from reality.
EBOOK/Original review follows:
This series never disappoints.
Despite the chaos about her, Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow always seems to maintain her almost zen-like calm while dealing with the bad guys. In this, the 31st book of the series, she actually solves three cold cases. Her nephew Kevin and Casey, a friend, were doing a true crime podcast, a very modern touch to the plot, and had managed to rile up someone enough to make them attempt to run down Casey. Spooked and more at home in front of a computer than dealing with people, Kevin asks Meg to help investigate. Since helping Kevin sounds like a great excuse to avoid some of the wedding planning chaos going on, Meg readily agrees.
I won't detail the plot, it's readily available elsewhere, but will say that the wedding hoopla takes a backseat to the investigation although, quite frankly, is the source of some absolutely hilarious scenes involving Meg. Who knew herding dogs could herd peacocks? Or that peacocks make great watchdogs, er, watch...birds? Well, when they're not attacking you. Have you ever heard a peacock shriek? It isn't a pleasant sound, so just the image conjured up of their possible participation in the wedding program is amusing. Beautifully feathered, yes. Peaceful and serene, no.
So, first, what is the Clay County involvement in the cases? Why the heck are they stalking Meg's movements? Second, in this day and age, why would any college department resist converting its records to digital files? Could the answer to the death of a professor be hidden there? Third, what happened to the talented singer/college girl who simply seems to have disappeared? Did her stalker kill her? If not, could she still be around to be found? And, will Meg really wind up creating a gargoyle collection, so to speak, for Ragnor? Sounds like they're fit right in.
These questions are only the tip of the iceberg as Meg organizes and does errands for the upcoming wedding, listens to the previous podcasts, talks to Chief Burke, keeps her guests safe, wrangles peacocks, avoids Spike's bad tempered bites, and dodges bad guys. This is a can't-put-it-down read, full of both tense and hilarious moments with lots of critters. My friends who have herding dogs will love it, I'm sure. Lad, you're my furry hero in this one.
Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for my "wedding invite". It was fun to see Meg come full circle from the beginning as she dealt with a wedding, quirky relatives one can't help but love, and helps put the bad guys away.
Duration 10h 33m
As I said in my ebook review, the Meg Langslow series never disappoints. This is also true of the audio version courtesy of #MacmilanAudio and #StMartinsPress - #MinotaurBooks.
Narrator Bernadette Dunn does an excellent job capturing Meg's often zen-like ability to stay cool, calm, and collected, even when faced with difficult, even wild situations. Since there is frequently a large cast in the series, I was particularly interested in seeing how Dunne differentiated voices. I was particularly fond of the voice she used for Meg's mother. She captured "mother" nicely, using that slightly exasperated, slightly uppity tone that conveys she can't imagine how anyone could argue, so why have you disappointed me, but I still love you voice well. The different voices add to the experience, I must admit. The audio version of the, well, let's call it "the llamas and guests meet the visiting peacocks" scene, definitely made it come alive for me, cheering the arrival of Border Collie Lad to save the day. Grandfather's voice is slightly impatient, while Michael remains the ever calm voice of sanity. Kudos to Dunn for her interpretation of characters.
To be honest, I'm amazed at how much a talented voice actor's change of pace, tone, or touch of "oh, wow" can add to the story. I will definitely continue to read and enjoy the print versions of this series but take every chance I get to listen to the audio, too. The plot moved along steadily, chapter breaks defined by a slight pause then simply announcing "Chapter (whatever)". Bottom line, a fun experience and nice diversion from reality.
EBOOK/Original review follows:
This series never disappoints.
Despite the chaos about her, Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow always seems to maintain her almost zen-like calm while dealing with the bad guys. In this, the 31st book of the series, she actually solves three cold cases. Her nephew Kevin and Casey, a friend, were doing a true crime podcast, a very modern touch to the plot, and had managed to rile up someone enough to make them attempt to run down Casey. Spooked and more at home in front of a computer than dealing with people, Kevin asks Meg to help investigate. Since helping Kevin sounds like a great excuse to avoid some of the wedding planning chaos going on, Meg readily agrees.
I won't detail the plot, it's readily available elsewhere, but will say that the wedding hoopla takes a backseat to the investigation although, quite frankly, is the source of some absolutely hilarious scenes involving Meg. Who knew herding dogs could herd peacocks? Or that peacocks make great watchdogs, er, watch...birds? Well, when they're not attacking you. Have you ever heard a peacock shriek? It isn't a pleasant sound, so just the image conjured up of their possible participation in the wedding program is amusing. Beautifully feathered, yes. Peaceful and serene, no.
So, first, what is the Clay County involvement in the cases? Why the heck are they stalking Meg's movements? Second, in this day and age, why would any college department resist converting its records to digital files? Could the answer to the death of a professor be hidden there? Third, what happened to the talented singer/college girl who simply seems to have disappeared? Did her stalker kill her? If not, could she still be around to be found? And, will Meg really wind up creating a gargoyle collection, so to speak, for Ragnor? Sounds like they're fit right in.
These questions are only the tip of the iceberg as Meg organizes and does errands for the upcoming wedding, listens to the previous podcasts, talks to Chief Burke, keeps her guests safe, wrangles peacocks, avoids Spike's bad tempered bites, and dodges bad guys. This is a can't-put-it-down read, full of both tense and hilarious moments with lots of critters. My friends who have herding dogs will love it, I'm sure. Lad, you're my furry hero in this one.
Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for my "wedding invite". It was fun to see Meg come full circle from the beginning as she dealt with a wedding, quirky relatives one can't help but love, and helps put the bad guys away.
June 13, 2022
I never know what I’m going to laugh about when I read one of the books in this series, but molting peacocks caught me off guard.
Meg is a great character and her wild and colorful family always make me laugh.
I enjoyed this story with all the cold cases and the podcast, it was really interesting to see how much effort it takes when investigating a cold case.
I’m looking forward to seeing what I will be laughing about next in this quirky series by Donna Andrews.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Meg is a great character and her wild and colorful family always make me laugh.
I enjoyed this story with all the cold cases and the podcast, it was really interesting to see how much effort it takes when investigating a cold case.
I’m looking forward to seeing what I will be laughing about next in this quirky series by Donna Andrews.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
August 23, 2022
Meg's nephew Kevin has a problem and he hopes she will be able to help him solve it. He and a friend run a true crime podcast that deals with cases that happened in the area. One of their members was almost killed making Kevin believe that one of their podcast might have been the cause. Meg agrees to talk to a few people and to see what she can come up with. So while she is dealing with an upcoming wedding she has to find time to help Kevin with his problem. Meg begins with the surviving suspects from the cases the podcast has done. Is their someone among them trying to keep people quite. Follow along and see if Meg can figure things out before something happens to her nephew.
August 6, 2022
I really liked this book. I liked that they were working 3 cold cases. It kept things very interesting. This is the 31st book in the series and my first. I had no clue as to who was related and their back stories but I was able to read this as a stand alone. I will definitely be reading more of the series.
December 27, 2025
Always entertaining, as usual. Listened to audiobook.
July 28, 2022
For some reason, the action in this, the latest in the Meg Lanslow series, was not as gripping as in earlier books. That, combined with the fact that one of the mysteries in the plot was obvious, lead to my low score.
August 4, 2022
ROUND UP THE USUAL PEACOCKS, the thirty-first book in the Meg Langslow Mysteries by Donna Andrews, continued to capture my attention in the same way as previous books in this highly entertaining series. It’s been a treat following the protagonist, Meg Langslow, over the years. And while this can be read as a standalone, the character development over the course of the series is well worth making your way through each book.
With a fast-paced plot centered on cold cases being highlighted by Meg’s nephew’s podcast, the reader is taken for a whirlwind of a ride. The author throws in attacking peacocks, an attempted murder on the co-podcaster, business college shenanigans, past their prime rock musicians, and Meg’s brother’s upcoming wedding nuptials. Despite the frantic pace, Meg keeps her cool and meticulously attends to every detail. With humorous dialog and situations, I found myself chuckling out loud on numerous occasions. The characters themselves are creatively developed and they’ve all taken on a life of their own, including the animals. As Meg delves into the cold cases at her nephew’s behest, it becomes apparent that someone isn’t happy about it. But which cold case is it? It was enjoyable following along with Meg as she hunts down clues and questions potential suspects. With an edge-of-your seat reveal, the clues dropped into place, and the various threads of the subplots came together in a highly satisfying conclusion.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version, thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books. I’ve been a longtime fan of the narrator, Bernadette Dunne, and am thrilled that she’s continued to narrate this series. She effectively captures Meg’s calm demeanor while giving each character individual voice characteristics that are consistent over the course of the series. Listening to the narration really brought certain scenes to life, especially the out-of-control, laugh-out-loud scenes which made it all the more enjoyable.
With a fast-paced plot centered on cold cases being highlighted by Meg’s nephew’s podcast, the reader is taken for a whirlwind of a ride. The author throws in attacking peacocks, an attempted murder on the co-podcaster, business college shenanigans, past their prime rock musicians, and Meg’s brother’s upcoming wedding nuptials. Despite the frantic pace, Meg keeps her cool and meticulously attends to every detail. With humorous dialog and situations, I found myself chuckling out loud on numerous occasions. The characters themselves are creatively developed and they’ve all taken on a life of their own, including the animals. As Meg delves into the cold cases at her nephew’s behest, it becomes apparent that someone isn’t happy about it. But which cold case is it? It was enjoyable following along with Meg as she hunts down clues and questions potential suspects. With an edge-of-your seat reveal, the clues dropped into place, and the various threads of the subplots came together in a highly satisfying conclusion.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook version, thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books. I’ve been a longtime fan of the narrator, Bernadette Dunne, and am thrilled that she’s continued to narrate this series. She effectively captures Meg’s calm demeanor while giving each character individual voice characteristics that are consistent over the course of the series. Listening to the narration really brought certain scenes to life, especially the out-of-control, laugh-out-loud scenes which made it all the more enjoyable.
September 8, 2023
This was one of the worst audiobooks I ever tried to listen to. The reader had the voice of a female smoker of about age 87. She portrayed all characters with that voice. When she said she was going to watch a movie with Michael (her husband),I could only imagine that she was going to watch a movie with her young grandson. When she talked about encounters with “Mother”, I could only imagine that mother must be over 100. The story itself was pretty insipid. I have a feeling that this is typical Donna Andrews because it has almost 5 stars and she has written about 148 books. I think this is not an author for me.
August 2, 2022
Book 31 in the series! (I listened to the audio version)
This is probably one of my favorite cozy series, Ms. Andrews is always good for an engaging, humorous story, and this one was no different. This book is a nod back to where we all started in book 1, with Meg rounding up peacocks for a wedding. While only a brief portion of the book, the peacock scenes had me giggling out loud.
There was a lot going on in this book, and it was fast paced and entertaining, with much of the usual crew and some nice new characters thrown in as well. It's honestly been so much fun watching all of the usual cast grow and evolve. This book can probably be read as a stand alone, but the large cast of characters may confuse at first, and really, go read them all, they're so worth it!
Note: I rarely listen to audio books, most of the time I have voices for characters in my head, and don't care for the narrator's version. But I've quite enjoyed Bernadette Dunne in several books in this series, so when I saw the audio book was available on NetGalley I jumped at it. I'm glad I did, and I'm actually looking at getting more audio books, because it makes the time on my treadmill go awfully fast, haha.
Now I am off to read #32, this year's holiday book. Please keep them coming, Ms. Andrews!
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*
This is probably one of my favorite cozy series, Ms. Andrews is always good for an engaging, humorous story, and this one was no different. This book is a nod back to where we all started in book 1, with Meg rounding up peacocks for a wedding. While only a brief portion of the book, the peacock scenes had me giggling out loud.
There was a lot going on in this book, and it was fast paced and entertaining, with much of the usual crew and some nice new characters thrown in as well. It's honestly been so much fun watching all of the usual cast grow and evolve. This book can probably be read as a stand alone, but the large cast of characters may confuse at first, and really, go read them all, they're so worth it!
Note: I rarely listen to audio books, most of the time I have voices for characters in my head, and don't care for the narrator's version. But I've quite enjoyed Bernadette Dunne in several books in this series, so when I saw the audio book was available on NetGalley I jumped at it. I'm glad I did, and I'm actually looking at getting more audio books, because it makes the time on my treadmill go awfully fast, haha.
Now I am off to read #32, this year's holiday book. Please keep them coming, Ms. Andrews!
*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*
June 23, 2024
This 31st in series cozy mystery was another wonderful addition to the Meg Langslow series. Ms. Andrews has crafted yet another spectacular adventure for Meg and her eccentric family.
Meg's brother Rob is finally tying the knot with his lovely fiancé, well at least finally...publicly. His mother and future mother-in-law have all matters in hand and are directing any and all family members with wedding prep duties. When Meg's nephew, Kevin, seeks Meg's assistance to help him figure out which cold crime podcast he and his buddy Casey produced has triggered a murderous response, Meg is only too happy to assist - anything to get away from mom's piling on of wedding duties. There's also the matter of finding worthy peacock substitutes for the molting pair on Meg's farm - the show must go on. Can Meg narrow down the suspects and make it safe to carry on with the wedding festivities without a hitch (other than the planned one)? Only time will tell.
When people ask me for recommendations for a cozy mystery series, hands-down, it is this one. The writing is solid, humorous, engaging, and always leaves me with a smile. The scene with the peacocks going bezerk on the wedding guests and decorations was worth the cost of the book alone. Absolutely hilarious! There were essentially three cold cases being simultaneously reviewed - much like a three-ring circus. The warmth among the characters leaves a warm fuzzy every time.
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publiation Date: May 23, 2023
Number of pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1250892805
Meg's brother Rob is finally tying the knot with his lovely fiancé, well at least finally...publicly. His mother and future mother-in-law have all matters in hand and are directing any and all family members with wedding prep duties. When Meg's nephew, Kevin, seeks Meg's assistance to help him figure out which cold crime podcast he and his buddy Casey produced has triggered a murderous response, Meg is only too happy to assist - anything to get away from mom's piling on of wedding duties. There's also the matter of finding worthy peacock substitutes for the molting pair on Meg's farm - the show must go on. Can Meg narrow down the suspects and make it safe to carry on with the wedding festivities without a hitch (other than the planned one)? Only time will tell.
When people ask me for recommendations for a cozy mystery series, hands-down, it is this one. The writing is solid, humorous, engaging, and always leaves me with a smile. The scene with the peacocks going bezerk on the wedding guests and decorations was worth the cost of the book alone. Absolutely hilarious! There were essentially three cold cases being simultaneously reviewed - much like a three-ring circus. The warmth among the characters leaves a warm fuzzy every time.
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publiation Date: May 23, 2023
Number of pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1250892805
July 20, 2022
Meg will do almost anything to get out of assisting her mother with her brother Rob's way over-the-top wedding preparations. So, when her nephew Kevin comes to ask for help, Meg is all-in.
Computer nerd Kevin and his friend Casey have started a true crime podcast. Someone isn't pleased. In fact, Casey was almost hit by a car when he was walking back to campus one evening. The main problem is that the two don't know which of their podcasts stirred someone up.
After some discussion, they decide to focus on three of the more local crimes. The first has to do with a man perhaps wrongly accused of murder in the death of a convenience store clerk. The second has to do with a twenty-six-year-old cheating scandal in the Business Department of the college where Meg's husband teaches. The final case has to do with a disappearance of an up-and-coming young singer who disappeared without a trace two decades ago.
As Meg looks for suspects and witness to these crimes, she's also running errands for her mother. One of the errands includes borrowing some non-molting peacocks to provide ambience at the wedding reception. What she gets is chaos as the peacocks are very aggressive and attack relatives trying to get the yard ready for the festivities. The solution relies on a herding sheep dog who gathers them up and then trains a bunch of Pomeranians to herd.
This was a fun addition to a long-running series. I really like Meg and all of her crazy relatives.
Computer nerd Kevin and his friend Casey have started a true crime podcast. Someone isn't pleased. In fact, Casey was almost hit by a car when he was walking back to campus one evening. The main problem is that the two don't know which of their podcasts stirred someone up.
After some discussion, they decide to focus on three of the more local crimes. The first has to do with a man perhaps wrongly accused of murder in the death of a convenience store clerk. The second has to do with a twenty-six-year-old cheating scandal in the Business Department of the college where Meg's husband teaches. The final case has to do with a disappearance of an up-and-coming young singer who disappeared without a trace two decades ago.
As Meg looks for suspects and witness to these crimes, she's also running errands for her mother. One of the errands includes borrowing some non-molting peacocks to provide ambience at the wedding reception. What she gets is chaos as the peacocks are very aggressive and attack relatives trying to get the yard ready for the festivities. The solution relies on a herding sheep dog who gathers them up and then trains a bunch of Pomeranians to herd.
This was a fun addition to a long-running series. I really like Meg and all of her crazy relatives.
September 24, 2022
There are very few series that will hold me through 31 books. (In fact, Lawrence Block's wonderful books and the late Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld books are the only other series that I can think of where my attention was held from the first book to the last.)
That said, it was with anticipation that I picked up Donna Andrews' 31st Meg Langslow mystery, Round Up the Usual Peacocks. I was not disappointed. Ms. Langslow and her whole crazy, funny extended family are back, this time to celebrate her brother Rob's wedding. It also involves three cold cases, all of which are over 20 years old. The interesting ways the cases end up being resolved (two openly, and one "secretly") are satisfying, of course. Also satisfying are the hallmarks of the Langslow mysteries: the huge family, the dysfunctional animals, the next county- with its corruption, at least one bit of less than legit action by the sleuths, and a ton of chuckles along the way.
One little note, this time around, Ms. Andrews namechecks one of my favorite writers, and one of his friends and favorite writers. This made me smile, of course.
I do recommend this series, but do read it in order if possible, so you have the best chance of growing into "the family."
That said, it was with anticipation that I picked up Donna Andrews' 31st Meg Langslow mystery, Round Up the Usual Peacocks. I was not disappointed. Ms. Langslow and her whole crazy, funny extended family are back, this time to celebrate her brother Rob's wedding. It also involves three cold cases, all of which are over 20 years old. The interesting ways the cases end up being resolved (two openly, and one "secretly") are satisfying, of course. Also satisfying are the hallmarks of the Langslow mysteries: the huge family, the dysfunctional animals, the next county- with its corruption, at least one bit of less than legit action by the sleuths, and a ton of chuckles along the way.
One little note, this time around, Ms. Andrews namechecks one of my favorite writers, and one of his friends and favorite writers. This made me smile, of course.
I do recommend this series, but do read it in order if possible, so you have the best chance of growing into "the family."
August 14, 2022
Meg's mother is micromanaging Meg's brother's wedding to an extent that's amazing - decorative peacocks? Painting the sidewalks? Braiding ribbons in the llama's fur? (Yes, it's stunning that everyone scurries to do her bidding, and yet, they do.)
Meanwhile Meg's cousin and a friend have started a true crime podcast that led someone to try to run the friend down. Meg leaps at the chance to dig into the whys of that to avoid helping her mother. Although, resourceful Mom finds ways to put Meg to work (picking up more peacocks) while she's digging into the past.
There were a few moments that got kinda preachy, but they were truly few. I figured out at least one mystery before the book was half over, but the others took longer. Overall, it was another enjoyable, and often funny, adventure.
Meanwhile Meg's cousin and a friend have started a true crime podcast that led someone to try to run the friend down. Meg leaps at the chance to dig into the whys of that to avoid helping her mother. Although, resourceful Mom finds ways to put Meg to work (picking up more peacocks) while she's digging into the past.
There were a few moments that got kinda preachy, but they were truly few. I figured out at least one mystery before the book was half over, but the others took longer. Overall, it was another enjoyable, and often funny, adventure.
September 5, 2022
Meg Langslow's brother Rob is getting married, and this time her mother is going to plan every detail. Rob and his fiancee said they'd let the two mothers have everything their own way, as long as they didn't have to do any work on the celebration. That leaves Meg, until her nephew Kevin says that his true crime podcast has brought some negative attention. An excuse--she's investigate to insure that trouble doesn't interrupt the wedding. As a special treat for fans, Meg has three cold cases to investigate--all fairly local, and all recently broadcast on the podcast. Which stirred up trouble: the case of the long-missing singer, the case of the newly-released murderer from Clay County, or the case of the business professor's suicide? Of course, there are wedding chores, including the eponymous peacocks, to contend with, and Meg's always eccentric family and friends.
July 8, 2022
This is an intriguing mystery, with quite a cast of characters! As the family plans a wedding, including peacocks, Meg discovers that her nephew and a friend have created a true crime podcast. Unfortunately, one of the cold cases they have used has uncovered a crime that is not quite "cold." Someone has tried to run over the nephew's friend with a car. Meg and the two young men delve into the cases and uncover various secrets from the past. Meanwhile, the wedding plans keep going, with some hilarious results. Love the quirky characters in these books! The mystery is quite a puzzle and kept me guessing till the end. and the suspects in the older crime turn out to be quite terrifying. I have enjoyed other books in this series, and this is a great addition to the series! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy my wife received. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
July 25, 2022
Meg's brother Rob is getting married-yay! Meg has to do much of the work for the wedding-boo! So of course she's more than interested when her nephew Kevin asks for her help because his buddy Casey might have been targeted because of their work on a podcast about cold case crimes. There's a lot (a lot) going on in this latest installment in a very (very) long running series but that's ok- and it will be fine as a standalone as long as the new reader is willing to go along for the ride. I love the characters - including the animals- and how they interact with each other. Meg's instincts aren't always the best but she's an ace at solving crime and keeping a sense of humor. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fun cozy read.
October 13, 2022
Too many characters, including a Casey and a Cassie. Everyone seems to know tons of people connected to the case she's working on. How a podcast in a small town becomes known to the perps is odd. This book was a slog. The peacocks have nothing to do with the crime. Meg has unlimited access to the chief of police and everyone else. She merely has to phone someone to gain access and obtain information. The leit motif, the wedding, is preposterous. The bride and groom had already eloped. How would they acquire another marriage license? Scads if relatives came to the house to prepare for the wedding. The mother keeps adding more tasks and more invitees. At the tension part why would Meg go to someone's house when it's clear it's a rouse? This book is bad and dumb.
June 28, 2022
This is puzzling, intriguing mystery, with a twist of comic relief! Meg and her family are preparing for a big wedding in the family, sometimes with hilarious results. At the same time, her young nephew enlists her aid to investigate three local cold cases he and his friend have used for their true crime podcast, after someone tries to hit his friend with a car. Donna Andrews always creates wonderful, quirky characters that I just love, along with some equally terrifying suspects. This is quite a complex mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the book! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. It is a great addition to this series.
September 8, 2022
Donna Andrews has done it again! Meg is trying to (avoid) helping her mother plan Rob and Delaney's wedding, when her nephew comes to her to ask for help in figuring out who nearly ran down his friend, and if it was related to their new true crime podcast.
We follow Meg as she tries to solve 3 mysteries at once. I had one case solved almost immediately during an encounter at Ragnar's house. The other two were much more difficult to figure out. Andrews sprinkles humor throughout and I was literally laughing out loud when the borrowed peacocks went on the rampage. Nothing about Meg's life is normal, and yet I feel like I can relate to her so much that she and I are the same person.
We follow Meg as she tries to solve 3 mysteries at once. I had one case solved almost immediately during an encounter at Ragnar's house. The other two were much more difficult to figure out. Andrews sprinkles humor throughout and I was literally laughing out loud when the borrowed peacocks went on the rampage. Nothing about Meg's life is normal, and yet I feel like I can relate to her so much that she and I are the same person.
August 16, 2022
This is book 31 in the Meg Langslow series and it isn't getting old at all. The series has changed over the years with marriage, children and family but the writing is still crisp and the mysteries are still fun to read. This one is moving into the technology age as someone is trying to kill Kevin's podcast partner about a cold case murder. With the family all in town for the wedding it's chaos and mayhem. I enjoy this series and this one could be read as a stand alone.
June 20, 2022
Meg’s nephew comes to her seeking help in solving a cold case that he and a body are covering on their podcast. When the boys are threatened over one case, Meg agrees to help them because sometimes it multiple approaches to solve a murder.
Using a family wedding to keep her sleuthing undercover, Meg digs to find out what from all those years ago had it in for the victim then and the boys now. Is the killer still alive and worried the boys are getting close, or will the killer go to any ends to stop the truth from coming out?
This is the 31st book in this series and you don’t get this far in a series if you haven’t mastered the art of the whodunit…which the author has done and done well. With a solid whodunit and red herrings galore, you will find yourself changing your mind as new clues are uncovered and guessing right up to the end. Best of all, if you haven’t read any books in the series? You’ve got 30 more to bing one! And you will want to once you’ve read this one!
Using a family wedding to keep her sleuthing undercover, Meg digs to find out what from all those years ago had it in for the victim then and the boys now. Is the killer still alive and worried the boys are getting close, or will the killer go to any ends to stop the truth from coming out?
This is the 31st book in this series and you don’t get this far in a series if you haven’t mastered the art of the whodunit…which the author has done and done well. With a solid whodunit and red herrings galore, you will find yourself changing your mind as new clues are uncovered and guessing right up to the end. Best of all, if you haven’t read any books in the series? You’ve got 30 more to bing one! And you will want to once you’ve read this one!
July 22, 2022
This is one of my absolute favorite series! It's book 31 and it hasn't gotten stale. The series keeps moving on, changing with the times, with good character development and the mysteries are always fresh and new. Round Up the Usual Peacocks is my favorite in the series so far. The addition of a podcast hosted by her nephew and three cold cases moved this one to the top of the list. Bonus points for the feisty peacocks - the funniest part of the story. I just can't get enough of Meg and her family.
Narration was excellent - no issues.
I received a copy from #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, and #MacMillanAudio for an honest review.
Narration was excellent - no issues.
I received a copy from #NetGalley, #StMartinsPress, and #MacMillanAudio for an honest review.
August 11, 2022
What can I say? It’s Meg and family! Her brother Rob is getting married and Mom is planning it along with doling out many crazy projects for all the extended family. Oh dear, the peacocks are molting! And Meg’s cousin started a true crimes podcast involving cold cases that might not be so cold. Who tried to run over Kevin’s partner? Oh and all the Norwegian food! Just a lot of fun and chaos.
August 6, 2022
One of the things I love about this series is that they are definitely examples of "the journey is more important than the destination." If you haven't ready any of these books, they're mysteries with a very screwball-comedy type of feel. Yes, I pretty much figured out "whodunit" pretty early on, for each of the parts, but the characters & their interactions are just fun.
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