I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
The Real Macaw
by
Donna Andrews
It is part of the Meg Langslow #13 series and is a cozy mystery in Hardcover edition that was published by Minotaur Books on July 19, 2011 and has 309 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Some Like It Hawk, The Hen of the Baskervilles, Duck the Halls, The Good, the Bad, and the Emus, Lord of the Wings, The Nightingale Before Christmas, Die Like an Eagle, Gone Gull, How the Finch Stole Christmas!, Toucan Keep a Secret, Lark! The Herald Angels Sing, The Falcon Always Wings Twice, The Gift of the Magpie, The Twelve Jays of Christmas, Murder with Peacocks, Murder with Puffins, Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos, Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon, We’ll Always Have Parrots, Owls Well That Ends Well, Terns of Endearment, Between a Flock and a Hard Place, No Nest for the Wicket, The Penguin Who Knew Too Much, Cockatiels at Seven, Six Geese A-Slaying, Stork Raving Mad, Owl Be Home for Christmas, Murder Most Fowl, Round Up the Usual Peacocks, Dashing Through the Snowbirds, Birder, She Wrote, Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!, Rockin' Around the Chickadee
Thirteenth in the Meg Langslow mystery series based at her and Michael’s farm.
My Take
I do so love this series. It has such a comic combination of eccentric family members with a homey atmosphere. Meg’s family, the Hollingsworths, turn out in support of each other for absolutely anything. From moving the county offices into barns to babysitting Meg and Michael Langslow’s new twin boys to suing unscrupulous developers. And it always seems to revolve around the Langslows’ farm; it’s certainly a community center!
The Story
The key is an illegal animal rescue maneuver that finds all the occupants of the Caerphilly animal shelter in Meg’s living room. Seems the mayor decided to save money by eliminating the no-kill rule. And when Parker Blair didn’t show up with his furniture truck…well, Meg’s place seemed the most reasonable refuge.
The town of Caerphilly has been bled dry by the Pruitts and the creditors are coming. The Pruitts plan to pay off the loans using eminent domain to raise the cash. Only, the Pruitts reckoned without Meg Langslow, her family, and the community.
The Characters
Meg Langslow is a blacksmith and she’s just had twin boys, Josh and Jamie. She also has a reputation for nosiness and solving crimes. She and the police chief seem to have learned each others’ limitations. Her husband, Michael, is a drama professor at the college and he is incredibly patient and understanding.
Dad is a retired doctor and just adores “helping” the police chief solve any crimes that crop up…and there certainly seem to be a number of murders in the little town of Caerphilly. Mom is well-bred and insistent on the proper manner of doing whether it’s social or decorative and very good at corralling people to do what she thinks is best. Grandfather is a nationally-known animal rescue celebrity and only recently reconciled with his family. A bit of a curmudgeon with a very high sense of entitlement.
The Cover and Title
The cover is perfect! A baby pink background showcases a macaw flying across it tipping over a baby bottle full of milk. For it’s the babies waking Meg up at all hours that enables her to hear those funny, fumbling noises in the night.
The title is also perfect as it’s The Real Macaw that provides the key.
