Murder comes to Renn Faire. Anyone that has had to stand in a mile-long line to spend a small fortune on a smoked turkey leg (still totally worth it) will understand the temptation to help move things along. But despite the many negatives that spending time outdoors present, a day spent at a Renaissance Festival is a highly enjoyable day worth looking forward to in advance, and to reminisce about when you get home at the end of the day toting several tons of themed merchandise and with the cheers of the joust still ringing in your ears. Unless, of course, you have to work there day after day with a thoroughly obnoxious co-worker for whom shuffling off the mortal coil can't come soon enough.

It takes no time at all to discover who's going to get it, the miscreant is anything but discrete in his bad behaviors, but the story requires a few chapters to pass for the deed to be done because he's so unliked that you need some time for him to demonstrate his behavior to all the people that are going to want to see him dead.

The Langslow's are spending the summer working at the local Renn Faire. In addition to her perennial role of coordinator of everything and everyone, Meg performs blacksmithing demonstrations alongside her mentor, Faulk, with the assistance of her twin teenage sons, Josh and Jamie. Meg's husband, Michael, is a member of the performing staff, acting out political intrigue in the court of Queen Cordelia, who just happens to be played by Meg's grandmother.

While the book first seems to be a fairly straightforward mystery, there's actually a lot going on in the plot, and many of the actors have long histories with each other, both good and bad. By the time the murder is committed, almost everyone is a suspect, including almost all of Meg's family. Only Meg herself (and her two sons, it's a bit early to be roping them into the murder suspect pool) isn't on Chief Burke's list to be questioned.

In between trying to keep the Faire running, given that some people shy away from murder scenes, traversing the emotional landmines of the remaining actors, and keeping the public happy, Meg is out straight collecting clues for the police to follow up on.

Like all of the Meg Langslow mysteries, once all the clues are in, the culprit becomes fairly obvious, but being able to point a finger early tends to require some lucky guesses. Meg doesn't so much prove who done it, as slowly clear the field of who couldn't have done it, and the perpetrator has to be one of the very few left over.

I continue to enjoy the development of Meg and Michael's sons. They're becoming more independent by the book, this time actually helping with the blacksmithing demonstrations. The two are definitely their mother's sons, and while good, obedient, children, neither one are willing to back down before injustice, nor will they stand by if their mother is in trouble. Another book or two, and I think they're going to start becoming entire plot elements of their own.

Thoroughly entertaining, the book is a mixture of family reunion, murder mystery, and a hearty appreciation for the warped, yet hilarious, characters that spring from Donna Andrews' fertile imagination.

Donna Andrews books are always a fun and entertaining read. Her books check out a lot at our public library! A mystery that makes you smile!

In the 27th installment of the Meg Langslow mysteries, Meg and the entire family find them up at Cordelia's art studio for a Ren-Faire! Not to be confused with Wren Fair, which is what world-renowned Zoologist (and Grandfather) Dr. Montgomery Blake thinks when he shows up with some wrens of his own.

But when an overzealous improv actor of Michael's winds up dead, there are many suspects because, let's face it, he was annoying and no one liked him anyway. Between keeping the Renaissance Fair running, keeping Grandfather and Cordelia from bickering, making sure she shows up for her own blacksmithing exhibits, and trying to figure out who the murderer is, Meg has her hands full.

Plenty of good laughs as always with author Donna Andrews, and a mystery worth solving that even I didn't see coming.

(Thanks to the publisher for the free digital ARC.) The Falcon Always Wings Twice is a Renaissance Faire lover's dream. The Ren Faire setting was intricately laid out, with all the backstage drama one would expect from a group of actors in historical cosplay. There's a strong cast of characters, each with their own weaknesses and back stories and family ties. It did feel like it took a while to get to the actual 'murder mystery' part, and some of the characters seemed very nonchalant about one of their group getting killed off. But the amateur detectives eventually rooted out the killer, and we get to enjoy the scenery along the way. It's a fun twist on the cozy mystery.

Meg’s family is all working at her grandmother’s Renaissance Faire for the summer. Along with the regular Ren faire attractions there is an on-going play to entertain the tourists with the actors creating improvisational scenes throughout the day all around the faire in an on-going story of who will succeed Queen Cordelia - aka Meg’s grandmother - to the throne of the mythical kingdom of Albion. One of the least popular actors is found murdered in the woods and the search for the killer is just one problem for Meg as she worries over the health of her friend and mentor Faulk and tries to keep her grandfather from annoying her grandmother.

The characters are fun and not so off-the-wall as to be unbelievable. The action moves quickly and while Meg solves the mystery, her actions in doing so seem totally reasonable unlike many cozy mystery sleuths.

While it is likely that having reading all 26 previous books in the series might help with a few of the minor background details of family relationships and so forth this is also easily read as the first foray into Meg’s family. I had sort of drifted away from this series for a few years though this one reminds me of why I so enjoyed the series and I will be looking up the ones I have not yet read as well as keeping my eye out for the next installment. Highly recommended ~

The Falcon Always Wings Twice but Donna Andrews
When Meg’s grandmother, Cordelia, hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center, the whole family is put to work. But Grandfather is more excited to discover a pair of falcons breeding at the fairgrounds. When one of the actors, performing at the fair, is found dead, Grandfather is the prime suspect.

I enjoyed reading about the Renaissance Festival and its history.. I enjoyed the family characters. Then we have the murder and many suspects. The killer was a surprise to me. I recommend this book. I have enjoyed all the Donna Andrews’ books.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review.

My library is getting in the way of my reading all the Meg Langslow books in order by not having all the Meg Langslow books available on audiobook (and they have only recently moved to curbside pick up of titles; another pandemic fallout). But NetGalley gave me the chance to jump ahead and read the latest Meg mystery. The twins are 11 (11!) and don't figure nearly so prominently in this book. Hey, I like kids, I just like them to be tertiary characters in my murder mysteries. This time, Meg and Family are participating in a Renaissance Faire, and murder makes an appearance one stormy night when the most disagreeable cast member is killed. I liked the send up of Ren Faires (I know folks who love them!) and enjoyed having Cordelia and Meg's grandfather represent the family rther than the boys. And do we ever learn er grandfather's name? Cordelia is never called grandmother but Cordelia, another strong woman in the family who overpowers the men in her orbit. It's not that I don't like Cordelia, but I adore Grandfather. He's warm while she's cool; he's interested in everything while she's interested in things that she decides merit her attention and not interested in anything else. He's rumpled and funny and she's a bit domineering and scary. No wonder their marriage didn't last long. Another winner in the Meg Langslow series, this was fun to read, with more entertaining characters entering the Langslow Orbit (Faulk and Tad--I want more of Tad in particular). Recommended.

Donna Andrews carries on the Meg Lansdowne mysteries with the Falcon Always Wings Twice. Murder at a Renaissance Faire in which Meg's grandmother reigns as queen. An unpopular actor who has harrassed many other actors is found knifed to death. Too many suspects. to count. Whodunit? Read and enjoy this cozy.

The entire family is involved when Meg Langslow's grandmother Cordelia hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center. Meg handles the blacksmithing with the help of her twin boys, Michael handles the performers/performances. Meg's father is the doctor on duty and Cordelia is the queen. Even Meg's grandfather turns up and helps with the falcons.
When one of the actors performing at the fair is found dead, there's no shortage of suspects.

I read this a couple of months ago when I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review, but it looks like I forgot to do the review. It was no hardship to re-read the book. I am a big fan of this series and unlike some other long running series, this one still works for me. The author still comes up with different story lines that still manage to work with the characters' situations and personalities.

This one is especially enjoyable with its Renaissance Faire setting and Meg doing some actual blacksmithing (one almost forgets her vocation since it's usually not part of the stories any more). Her extended family continues to impart some light hearted moments. Grandfather is dressed in a costume that kept having me envision him dressed as Mickey Mouse's sorcerer character from Fantasia. (I've never really thought about this before, but I'm surprised Meg's in laws haven't paid a visit, we know next to nothing about Michael aside from his acting career. Perhaps it was addressed early on and I've forgotten it over the years.)

I think this stands up well enough on it's own, but if you are new to the series, I'd really recommend you read them all. If you've enjoyed any of these books, I'm sure Falcon will not let you down.

Donna Andrews knocks it out of the park once again with The Falcon Always Wings Twice, the latest Meg Langslow mystery. This time Meg and the family are at grandmother Cordelia’s Renaissance Faire. Husband Michael is coordinating all the actors who are entertaining fairgoers while Meg is Cordelia’s second-in-command along with tending the blacksmithing booth with her mentor Faulk.

Meg's grandfather shows up and discovers that the Faire also hosts a pair of falcons. That means grandfather is not going away anytime soon despite Cordelia’s wishes. When one of the particularly disagreeable actors is found dead in the woods, the local police suddenly have a Faire full of suspects and Meg has a mystery on her hands to go with her myriad other duties.

Fortunately, Meg has a group of family and friends with a diverse set of talents to help her keep the Faire running smoothly and solve the murder of the dead actor.

This is an extremely entertaining, humorous, and clever series. Cordelia's Kraft Center, which is home to the Renaissance Faire, makes for a great setting that takes us out of the normal confines of Caerphilly. Andrews’ books are always clever and the characters are endlessly entertaining; both the familiar ones and the new ones she manages to introduce or further develop in each story. Perhaps what she does best is create a mood. Andrews makes the reader feel like they are at the Renaissance Faire. You can feel the summer weather, you can smell the food and you can taste the refreshing beverages. She so completely captures the experience that these books let you disappear from your world and enter hers for a few hours.

The plot of The Falcon Always Wings Twice is inventive. The murder victim was disagreeable which leads to a number of suspects with perfectly understandable motives for murder. There's humor on every page and each clue either helps you eliminate a suspect or point more strongly towards one. Meg rides to the rescue in the end once again but it's the journey, not the solution, that's the real pleasure.

The Falcon Always Wings Twice is another great entry in this long-running series and perfect for all cozy mystery lovers and for anyone who just likes to escape into another world for a few hours. Highly recommended.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.

The Falcon Always Wing Twice: A Meg Langslow Mystery
By Donna Andrews
Minotaur
August 2020

Review by Cynthia Chow

Readers will be delighted to find blacksmith Meg Langslow once again in the midst of absurdity and a setting perfect for her unique family, not to mention her professional skills. The Riverton Renaissance Faire is being organized by Meg’s grandmother Cordelia, which means that the Biscuit Mountain Craft Center is awash with role-playing royalty and wannabe actors. Meg’s Caerphilly Professor and professional actor Michael is of course one of these players, and his “Game” rivalry and sword duels against George Sims are a highlight of the Ren Faire storylines. Less welcome are the bully tactics and acts of harassment by the egotistical Terrance Cox, who manages to offend nearly everyone under the guise of playing his part in the story. Meg’ grandfather Dr. Montgomery Blake has unexpectedly arrived under the misconception that they were hosting a “Wren” fair, and the famous ornithologist, environmentalist, and zoologist is disappointed until he finds that a falcon at least is onsite to add to the Faire’s atmosphere. It’s an unfortunately coincidence that his forced pre-dawn owling expedition leads them to Terrance’s knifed-in-the-back body. As Meg’s forensic-loving father jumps into the investigation, the abundance of suspects makes it a no-brainer that police will need Meg’s help in solving the crime. Pretty much everyone had a motive in wanting the lecherous, obnoxious, and probably criminal man dead, and with a cast of actors and pretenders overflowing on site and at Camp Anachronism (where cellphones and the Internet flourish), sifting out the murderer will be a challenge.

A Renaissance Faire is the perfect setting for Meg and her many family members, as it allows for a surfeit of humor, chaos, and laugh-out-loud moments. Meg’s gift for creating lethal weapons complements her handsome husband’s learned-for-a-role fencing skills, giving them ample opportunities for real and fictional combats. Meg’s List That Tell Her To Breathe is once again wielded to help her track down the many suspects who were offended by Terrance and his antics, while her imperious Mother organizes the volunteered into practical tasks and duties. Astoundingly the 27th of the series, characters continue to grow and entertain readers with their clever observations, witty banter, and placid reactions to disaster. This thoroughly enjoyable novel incorporates everything fans have grown to love about this series without resting on its laurels by continuing to surprise with twists and timely topics.

4 stars = Great! Might re-read. Another terrific Meg Langslow mystery. There's so much here to love - Meg and her fabulous and quirky family, blacksmithing scenes (which haven't been as prevalent in the more recent books), a Renaissance Faire, and a twisty mystery. The Faire is a brilliant place to showcase not only Meg's friends and family but also to bring in new characters for the mystery. I loved the setting. I was also proud of my sleuthing powers because I was able to figure out the killer.

I think new readers can drop in here to enjoy this story without having to read the series in order. But if you love Meg's family like I do, you will want to go back and get to know them gradually through the whole series. Series fans will NOT want to miss this one! (There's also a new Christmas book coming in October - The Gift of the Magpie - that you don't want to miss either.)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 27 in the series.

Donna Andrews is one of my go to authors when I need something to make me laugh. The entire Meg Langslow series is laugh out loud funny, and this one did not disappoint.

Biscuit Mountain has been turned into a Ren Faire on weekends, complete with a falconer, jousting, games, turkey legs, and mead and ale. And of course, crafts people, like Meg and Faulk. It's wonderful to see all of our favorite characters again, and for the most part they're all having a grand time. Apart from one bothersome actor with an affinity for mean-spirited pranks, anyway.

The entire Ren Faire storyline was amusing and I would love to see Donna Andrews return there again some time.

If you're looking at picking up this book without having read any of the others in the series, it's a stand alone story, but do yourself a favor and start from the beginning, it's such a fun series you'll be glad you did.

In this next book of the series Megs grandmother has brought the family together to help her out with her Renaissance Fair she'll be holding at the craft center. Meg is happy to take part as a blacksmith and even her twin boys will be performing. All is going well with the fair until Meg's grandfather comes across a rare pair of falcons. He's worried about the treatment of the birds especially with all the activity that is happening around them. When a death of a performer happens Meg's grandfather soon becomes the main suspect. You see the dead man is who her grandfather thought was abusing the falcons. Meh doesn't want to get involved with another murder but with her grandfather in the police's sights she knows she must figure out who the real culprit is. Follow along as Meg roams throughout the fair asking questions in search of the killer. Will she be able to put all the clues together and find a murderer or will her grandfather be arrested in the end?

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Meg Langslow is my favorite amateur sleuth, save for perhaps Poirot. I wouldn't want her life (her family is omnipresent and has no boundaries - {shiver}), but I do enjoy her adventures. This book sees her managing a Ren Faire at Grandma Cordelia's arts compound during the summer. Since it's a medieval-themed setup, there are plenty of costumes and an ongoing "play" dramatizing the struggle between the players who wish to succeed "Queen Cordelia" to the throne. Naturally, Michael is center stage, being an actor, and we are introduced to a whole troupe of thespians playing their parts in "The Game," some more artfully than others. When one of the less well-liked players is murdered, there's no shortage of suspects, including just about every other actor, an activist protesting leather goods at one of the sales stalls, and a supposedly genius stage director who shows up unannounced and tries to take control of the Faire.
Needless to say, Donna Andrews has done it again (after an uncharacteristically weak story a couple of books back she is well on her game). All your faves make appearances (Mother is a bit out of the picture due to a foot injury, and no Shiffleys since it's not Caerphilly this time, but we do see Rob again!), and it's nice to see a bit more of Michael this go-round. I always say I like how these characters are comforting in their sameness but we always see the passage of time in them - the twins are tweens now, and I really like that the characters are not static.
Another great outing from Ms. Andrews. I always enjoy this escapist literature, but now mores so than ever.

The Falcon Always Wings Twice is such a delight - I absolutely love the Meg Langslow series. This latest entry finds Meg and Co. helping out her grandmother Cordelia run a Renaissance Faire at the infamous craft collective on Biscuit Mountain. In true Meg style, this might be the most organized festival ever run, but that doesn't stop perhaps one of the most unlikable characters to ever appear in a cozy from winding up dead. With a victim this unlikable, the suspect list feels neverending.

The Falcon Always Wings Twice reminds me of The Hen of the Baskervilles - an earlier book from the series that takes place during a fair. Both are incredibly fun reads with interesting characters. To be honest, I've had trouble staying focused on books lately - but, returning to this series pulled me in and I forgot about the real world for a while. I got a few much-needed laughs and the suspense kept me so enthralled that I was surprised to realize I finished the book in a single sitting. I always look forward to the holiday books in this series and I can't wait for the next book coming out in October, The Gift of the Magpie.

thoroughly enjoy this series and each book I've read confirms my love for it. Meg is a pretty even keel heroine with a fascinating career (she's a blacksmith), two entertaining boys, and a likable husband. They are the calm in the storm that is Meg's family. I adore her family and love every time any of them make an appearance on page but I'm also so glad they're not mine (except for her dad - he'd be fun to talk forensics with). Andrews does a good job of making them larger then life and quirkier without turning them into caricatures or making them annoying - to the reader that is they regularly drive Meg bonkers.

The mystery on this one was fabulous. The victim, Terrence, is around for the first third of the book, and it is pretty easy to see why he was murdered. It's actually more difficult to find someone who DIDN'T want to kill him! I wasn't sure who the actual murderer was until the end but I enjoyed every page of getting there!

This series is so long running but as with most cozies it's pretty easy to jump right in. While I have read several of them I haven't read anywhere close to the whole series and every once in awhile a character from a previous book shows up that I've never met before. Andrews does a really good job of telling you just what you need to know about the character without doing an overload.

Meg and family are running a Renaissance Faire on the weekends in The Falcon Always Wings Twice. And what does Meg’s curmudgeonly ornithologist Grandfather bring to the Ren Fest? Wrens, of course!

However, Grand is also first on the suspect list when an universally disliked actor at the Faire is murdered. It seems one of the actor’s pranks endangered one of the Faire’s falcons. Meg has to find the real killer to save her grandfather from jail—with the help of her extended family.

I love these books. I have been reading them all these years as soon as they are published. They never fail to put a smile on my face or a guffaw in my throat. Few cozy mysteries are genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. But Meg, Michael, their twin boys, along with their large extended family are a 1930s screwball comedy in a book. The situations they find themselves in!

The mystery is a challenge to solve as well. But my favorite part are the characters. At this point, they feel so much like family that each book feels like an annual family reunion.

If you want to be carried off to a world of normal family interactions and large gatherings of people, The Falcon Always Wings Twice is the perfect vehicle. Plus, it is truly uproarious! 5 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Falcon Always Wings Twice brings us back to Biscuit Mountain, where Meg's grandmother Cordelia is hosting a Renaissance Faire for the summer. Most of our favorite characters have all returned, and I'm glad to see so much of Meg's husband, Michael in the story.

One of the actors who is working the Renaissance Faire has been causing a lot of issues, and Meg has had enough of his antics. However, one morning, he is found dead in the woods. Meg now needs to figure out if there is a killer hiding in the faire.

As usual, Ms Andrews combines mystery, family mayhem and fun in the story. This was another enjoyable book in the Meg Langslow series!