Publishers Weekly
09/10/2018
Andrews’s entertaining 24th Meg Langslow mystery (after Toucan Keep a Secret) finds Meg regretting her decision to direct the annual Christmas pageant at Trinity Episcopal Church in the picturesque town of Caerphilly, Va., especially after a baby called Lark is left in the manger with a note suggesting that her father is Meg’s brother, Rob. Rob hopes he isn’t the father, and Meg sets out to find someone else who might be. Meanwhile, Lark’s missing mother, Janet Caverly, turns up outside Meg’s house, and tells Meg that Janet’s husband, Mark, assistant accountant in neighboring Clay County, is being framed for the murder of a coworker after the two of them discovered that county officials were laundering money for their illegal moonshine and marijuana business. When word comes down that Mark has been captured and is languishing in the Clay County jail, half of the men in Caerphilly plan a commando raid to break him out. But the vigilantes end up captured themselves, and it falls to Meg to organize an all-female rescue mission with sheep, drones, and a mob of carolers on Christmas Eve. Full of odd yet charming characters, this Christmas tale will charm cozy mystery fans. Agent: Ellen Geiger, Frances Goldin Literary. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"Andrews manages her large cast with dexterity and drops clues to the culprits’ identity, but the ending will catch most readers by surprise." —Publishers Weekly on How the Finch Stole Christmas!
"[A] satisfying, humorous entry in the long-running series." —Booklist on How the Finch Stole Christmas!
"Intrigue...amusement...Andrews reliably delivers. She also manages to slip in profundities and sentiments that warm the heart."—New York Journal of Books on Nightingale Before Christmas
The small town of Caerphilly, VA and its inhabitants provide a charming backdrop for this Christmas cozy.—Library Journal on Nightingale Before Christmas
"Meg, as well as her quirky extended family, makes this humorous cozy a holiday treat."—Booklist on Duck the Halls
"Andrews leavens the action with her trademark humor, including dueling Christmas dinners and an extravagant—and extravagantly funny—live nativity scene."—Publishers Weekly on Duck the Halls
"Produces at least one chuckle—and sometimes a guffaw—per page. Joy to the world, indeed."—Richmond Times-Dispatch on Six Geese A-Slaying
"Andrews . . . scores points for her witty writing and abundance of Yuletide tinsel and tradition."—The Columbia, SC State on Six Geese A-Slaying
"Firmly in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie's Christmas books."—Toronto Globe and Mail on Six Geese A-Slaying
"If you long for more fun mysteries, a la Janet Evanovich, you'll love Donna Andrews's Meg Langslow series." —Charlotte Observer
"A long-running series that gets better all the time. A fine blend of academic satire, screwball comedy, and murder." —Booklist on Lord of the Wings
"With its well-spun plots and distinctive characters, Andrews’s amusing avian-named series shows no signs of growing stale." —Publishers Weekly on Die Like an Eagle
NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile
Narrator Bernadette Dunne impressively channels Meg Langslow as she deals with the discovery of a live baby in the manger of Trinity Episcopal Church's nativity scene. With voices that perfectly suit each character and need no mention of the speaker to recognize, Dunne gets listeners invested in this delightful audiobook, which soon begins to sound so realistic that listeners will feel they’ve become part of the action. When the men of Caerphilly get into trouble, Dunne uses strong pacing and clever intonations to increase the growing drama as the women of Caerphilly, armed with their brains, come to the rescue. Listeners will find themselves laughing and cheering as they’re drawn into the action of this humorous audiobook. V.M.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
