Murder With Peacocks

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Summary: More of Meg and Michael! I want to meet HIS mother!
Review: This is one of the best books I've read in years--and as I read a LOT of mysteries, that's saying a lot. The plot was original, the characters wonderful, the ending romantic enough to read on Valentine's Day and even my 9 year old son laughed out loud at some of the zany dialogue. I don't know if these characters can be built into a series, but I'd certainly take a chance on buying a next installment. Think the wonderful humor of early Barbara Michaels without the supernatural.

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Summary: Orginal plot + wonderful characters + wit= great read
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of a small town murder. This book had me laughing out loud at two in the morning as I followed disasters large and larger in the life of the iron working craftsperson turned wedding planner, Meg Langslow. Ms Andrews certainly has my vote for the best new author of the year. Her sense of humor leaves me wanting more. I hope her next book hits the shelves soon!

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Summary: An Absolutely Wonderful Find
Review: Donna Andrews' keen wit and obvious affection for her band of wonderful eccentrics makes Murder with Peacocks a fun read. Anyone who's ever lived in a small town, planned a wedding, or enjoyed crazy relatives will delight in discovering this new author. A well-crafted mystery plot brings it all together and makes it impossible to put down. Murder with Peacocks takes its place with the best of the cozy genre. It's a must-read for fans of Charlotte MacLeod, as well as Margaret Maron, Joan Hess, Dorothy Cannell, and Anne George.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully Fun to Read!
Review: As a first time author, Donna Andrews has come into the mystery world with a bang, or, I should say, the screech of a peacock. "Murder With Peacocks" is a delightful romp through the terror of three weddings and the budding of new love that just can't seem to get started. Ms. Andrews has given us a heroine with whom we can identify - Meg. She's tall, but not svelte, she's strong but not built, she's cute but not beautiful, and she's a blacksmith with a brain and a wonderfully dry sense of humor. Hurray for Ms. Andrews - lets hope there's lots more where this came from!

Rating:
Summary: delightfully deserving of its award
Review: My thought that the reviews had given away too much of the plot was erroroneous. This author knows how to tapdance. She managed to keep the several sub-plots moving cleanly and made me laugh out loud. I seldom re-read any book, but am re-reading this one. Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie have a rival. The situations and the characters were a big part of the fun, but I especially enjoyed the dialogue and Meg's managment style.

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Summary: A Laugh-Out-Loud "cozy" mystery!
Review: If you like the wonderfully funny and witty writing sytle of Anne George's Southern Sisters mysteries, you will love this book. I giggled and chuckled out loud all through the book. Meg Langslow (the main character) is the "level-headed" heroine in the midst of a unique and hysterical family. The multiple weddings theme also adds to the fun. I can't wait for Donna Andrews' next book -- I hope she continues the saga of Meg and her family. I am also proud that Donna Andrews is a resident of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, like myself.

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Summary: Absolutely Hilarious!
Review: My mother first picked up this book from the library for me when we went on vacation, and at the time I didn't think I would enjoy it. However, I started reading it and I couldn't help laughing out loud in certain sections of the book. AT this point in time I've read the book over seven times and still chuckle at the same spots. Especially on bad days when I'm down it lifts me up high and lets me enjoy the rest of the day. I could recommend this book to almost anyone who enjoys a light hearted, fun-filled, absolutely hilarious book that still leaves you snickering after your finnished.

Rating:
Summary: Quite entertaining
Review: As a general rule, if a book description or review states that a particular book has a lot of humor, I will be skeptical. Adding humor into a mystery series can be hit or miss and sometimes at the expense of good writing. In "Murder With Peacocks", Donna Andrews gives us a "hit". . . . and good writing. The reader is brought into the life of Meg Lanslow as she tries to organize weddings over the summer around her crazy relatives and friends. At the start of the wedding season, someone dies and Meg's busybody father immediately goes into action to find out what happened. Of course, he drags Meg into the situation as well, and the two of them eventually become targets themselves.

If you like getting into the nitty gritty details of detective work - be warned - you won't find much of that here. This is a light, fast-paced story with a very diverse cast of characters that provide many humorous moments throughout the book. I was laughing so hard at one particular scene, my husband came in and took the book away. The ongoing interaction between Meg and "rumored to be gay" hunky Michael is a clever aspect that adds appeal to both characters. The ending wasn't a huge surprise, but the book was so entertaining I didn't mind. This is definitely a very good "cozy mystery".

Other good examples of fun, entertaining mysteries I would recommend are "Murder boogies with Elvis" by Anne George and "Taken to the Cleaners" by Dolores Johnson.


Rating:
Summary: Hilarious Fun!
Review: If you laugh along with Janet Evanovich, you'll love this book. Meg Lanslow is a witty, very lovable heroine and has a fabulously zany family to boot. Just terrific!

Rating:
Summary: Yawn
Review: So let me just start by stating that I wasn't expecting great literature when I picked up this book. I just wanted a light, breezy summer read. Uggh! Breezy it was! I was so disappointed with this book. The characters were not developed and completely one dimensional. The main character Meg, was the most boring of them all. The supposed wacky, eccentric characters were completely forced and not all that interesting or fun to read about. The "mystery" is ridiculous and the weak motives of the murderer and one of the brides was completely unbelievable. Don't waste your money or your time!!!!