Rating: 
Summary: Murder and Mayhem off the Coast of Maine
Review: All Meg wanted was a quiet weekend alone with her boyfriend Michael. She thought she'd hit the perfect solution when she remembered the family cabin on the island of Monhegan. When they arrive, however, they find that the island is in the path of hurricane Gladys. Furthermore, her family has also decided get away for a few days. Trapped in the small cabin with her family on an island full of stranded birdwatchers, Meg and Michael try to make the best of it.Then a local celebrity is found murdered near his house. His list of enemies includes most of the island, but Meg's dad is the chief suspect. Now, Meg is searching the rain soaked island for clues, hoping she can clear her dad before the real killer leaves when the ferry resumes after the storm. While I enjoyed the first book in this series, I loved this one. The plot is more focused here. It starts out slowly, but once the body is found, things quickly get moving. There are several great plot twists, and the story reaches a satisfying conclusion. Yet, the book is still filled with the humor that made the first fun to read. And the characters are alive and interesting as well. Anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted mystery need look no further then this series. I'm already planning my next visit with Meg and her family and hope to enjoy many more to come.
Rating:
Summary: Murder and Mayhem off the Coast of Maine
Review: All Meg wanted was a quiet weekend alone with her boyfriend Michael. She thought she'd hit the perfect solution when she remembered the family cabin on the island of Monhegan. When they arrive, however, they find that the island is in the path of hurricane Gladys. Furthermore, her family has also decided get away for a few days. Trapped in the small cabin with her family on an island full of stranded birdwatchers, Meg and Michael try to make the best of it. Then a local celebrity is found murdered near his house. His list of enemies includes most of the island, but Meg's dad is the chief suspect. Now, Meg is searching the rain soaked island for clues, hoping she can clear her dad before the real killer leaves when the ferry resumes after the storm. While I enjoyed the first book in this series, I loved this one. The plot is more focused here. It starts out slowly, but once the body is found, things quickly get moving. There are several great plot twists, and the story reaches a satisfying conclusion. Yet, the book is still filled with the humor that made the first fun to read. And the characters are alive and interesting as well. Anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted mystery need look no further then this series. I'm already planning my next visit with Meg and her family and hope to enjoy many more to come.
Rating: 
Summary: not as good as Murder With Peacocks
Review: As a mystery writer with my first book in initial release, I was genuinely impressed by the recognition Donna Andrews received in connection with her first book, MURDER WITH PEACOCKS. It received every nomination in sight and won a number of those awards. Ms. Andrews' second book, MURDER WITH PUFFINS is perhaps even better than her first. Meg Langslow and her significant other Michael are trying to spend some time alone together, and they travel to a cottage along the coast of Maine. Of course, their plans are foiled. It seems Meg's entire family has joined the loving couple in Maine, and a man who may have been a long ago lover of her mother's is murdered. Meg's father becomes a prime suspect, and in this charming cozy, Meg must clear her father and find the actual murderer. Great book.
Rating:
Summary: Meg Langslow's Charming Return
Review: As a mystery writer with my first book in initial release, I was genuinely impressed by the recognition Donna Andrews received in connection with her first book, MURDER WITH PEACOCKS. It received every nomination in sight and won a number of those awards. Ms. Andrews' second book, MURDER WITH PUFFINS is perhaps even better than her first. Meg Langslow and her significant other Michael are trying to spend some time alone together, and they travel to a cottage along the coast of Maine. Of course, their plans are foiled. It seems Meg's entire family has joined the loving couple in Maine, and a man who may have been a long ago lover of her mother's is murdered. Meg's father becomes a prime suspect, and in this charming cozy, Meg must clear her father and find the actual murderer. Great book.
Rating:
Summary: It was good, but
Review: Donna Andrew's second book was good but certainly did not measure up to her first book, Murder with Peacocks. Missing was the wacky craziness that had you laughing out loud and turning the pages as quick as you could to find out the ending. Murder with Puffins carried you along, but there seemed to be a lot lacking from the first. You read and felt like you didn't get as involved with the characters as you did in the first book. I was able to pick this one up and put it down a number of times with no problem, where with the first one I sat and read it from cover to cover without putting it down at all. After having such a wonderful hit her first time, I know it must be hard to measure up to that the second time. Don't get me wrong, Murder with Puffins was still a good mystery, just not as good as Murder with Peacocks. If you haven't read either of the author's books, I would suggest reading Puffins first and then read Peacocks which in my opinion was a 5 rating.
Rating:
Summary: Puffins, Peacocks, maybe a Plover!
Review: Donna Andrews does it again! I enjoyed Murder with Puffins even more than I enjoyed Peacocks. The humor alone made this book an absolute delightful read. I laughed through the entire book. The characters seemed to jump off of the pages. The "birders" in the story were hilarious. Miss Andrew's descriptions of characters and events take on a life of their own. I become so caught up with the characters, that I forget about the mystery at the beginning of the story. When the mystery falls into place, the story takes another fun avenue. This mystery takes a lot of turns and twists. I enjoyed trying to figure out who "did it". I can't wait for the next book!
Rating:
Summary: A good second book, but not as good as the first
Review: I found Murder with Puffins to be funny in some parts. But I keep waiting for something really good to happen. The first book kept me in stitches but I found Murder with Puffins almost boring. I felt as if there wasn't any new material being used in this book. I so enjoyed reading Murder with Peacocks and was disappointed with Puffins. I hope Ms. Andrews next book brings something new to the mystery that I so hoped Puffins would be.
Rating: 
Summary: Two Stars
Review: I really like Donna Andrew's "bird series." However, I gave up reading Murder with Puffins 2/3 of the way through ; it was too grey. The weather was grey, the houses were grey, the character development and interaction were grey. I found myself rooting for the hurricane to wipe out the town, especially the bird watchers; this is not a good sign. I sincerely recommend Murder by Peacocks and Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamings, but I would fly right over this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing second for Donna Andrews
Review: I so much enjoyed "Murder with Peacocks" that I had high hopes for "Puffins," but was disappointed from top to bottom. It was a meandering, plotless story, lacking utterly in the humor, romance, excitement, and pace of the first. The characters were as drab as the setting. The writing felt self-conscious; the dilemmas were tepid; worst of all, Michael totally lost his spark. He was not believable as a male -- or even as much of a person. Pretty much a sidekick dishrag. He was so endearing in "Peacocks!" I only bothered to finish it because I was up feeding the baby anyway. Was this a rush job? And the attemps to "puffinize" the book with cutesy puffin titles were embarrassing.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing second for Donna Andrews
Review: I so much enjoyed "Murder with Peacocks" that I had high hopes for "Puffins," but was disappointed from top to bottom. It was a meandering, plotless story, lacking utterly in the humor, romance, excitement, and pace of the first. The characters were as drab as the setting. The writing felt self-conscious; the dilemmas were tepid; worst of all, Michael totally lost his spark. He was not believable as a male -- or even as much of a person. Pretty much a sidekick dishrag. He was so endearing in "Peacocks!" I only bothered to finish it because I was up feeding the baby anyway. Was this a rush job? And the attemps to "puffinize" the book with cutesy puffin titles were embarrassing.
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