MURDER MOST FOWL is the twenty-ninth book in the “Meg Langslow” cozy mystery series. There’s usually a lot of crazy in a “Meg Langslow” book, no matter how entertaining the crazy may be. In MURDER MOST FOWL, Meg’s husband is directing a production of Macbeth on his home turf. For reasons too petty and ridiculous to name, Michael’s production has the English, Drama, and History departments at the local college at war. Added to the mix of warring college professors and actors, wacky medieval reenactors are supremely odious, demanding, and occasionally criminal. Lovely. Meg finds herself in the usual position of riding herd on several unwieldy groups seemingly determined to commit varying degrees of mischief.

Unlike some mysteries, the murder in this cozy mystery doesn’t happen right away. Donna Andrews creates an environment with several unstable characters, so that the victim is just as much anybody’s guess before it ultimately happens. You know something very bad will happen, but you’re not sure who will snap, and who will push somebody too far. As always, it’s delightful having Meg deal with the miscellaneous nut jobs that populate the narrative. In the end, it’s obnoxious filmmaker Damien Goodwin who is found murdered. Because he wasn’t particularly endearing, and because he recently previewed an inflammatory film he made, there are several suspects to sift through. The film documented highly suspect shenanigans by temporary and longtime locals, in addition to the theatrical production. I found the historical reenactors at Camp Birnam to be the most likely pool of suspects because they were such an odd bunch, but others are top contenders too. Some of the actors in Macbeth are especially cutthroat when it comes to securing their roles. In addition to the murder, Meg’s home keeps getting vandalized. The question soon becomes whether the two things are related or not. The vandalism is nasty and assuredly offensive, but whether there is any deadly intent behind it remains to be seen as the story progresses.

MURDER MOST FOWL is chock full of historical lunacy, Macbeth madness, and includes a suspect list a mile long. I like how Meg’s young sons are helpful and corral the craziness. Meg’s family is around but not in heavy doses as is normally the case. I look forward to reading about the next mystery that vexes Meg Langslow and her brood.

Meg Langslow is one of my favorite characters in a mystery series and this book didn't disappoint. We got to see family and friends and solve a new mystery. These characters are old friends and I always look forward to visiting them again.

When I read this one, I was there in Virginia with my friends and enjoying the time at Meg's farm.

Solving the mystery kept me guessing as I read late into the night. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Meg mysteries are the best! Frightening fungus, renegade reenactors, dueling departments, oh and a murder. Meg is the ultimate steel magnolia, since she lives in Virginia and is a smithy. Plus the family is a hoot, and what a large and diverse family it is and they always add to the cozy factor in each story. This one is no different with an unusual group of suspects and plenty of motive to go around. To quote the very play that Michael, Meg’s husband is directing, “something wicked this way comes.” Wickedly entertaining!

I love the Meg Langslow series. Her crazy family always delights me. I really like that the characters (especially the twins) grow and evolve. I wish I were half as organized as Meg with her notebook that tells her when to breathe! Ms. Andrews always finds new and interesting projects for Meg to organize and mysteries to solve. If you want a fun, interesting book…look no further!

4.5 stars = Loved it! Would re-read.

I am a huge Meg Langslow fan, and this book delivered everything I have come to expect from the series - a large cast with tons of activity; a solid, twisty mystery (or three); some animal antics; and laughs. Some memorable moments in this one that I thoroughly enjoyed. This is a must-read series for me, and this particular book was great.

Murder Most Fowl is the twenty-ninth Meg Langslow mystery and Donna Andrews’s winning formula keeps readers enthralled. It’s summertime and the living is anything but easy for Meg Langslow and her husband Michael, who is directing The Scottish Play (Macbeth, for the uninitiated, which is not to be named because “it’s considered bad luck to actually say it in a theater unless you’re actually performing or rehearsing the play”). Actors and their superstitions. Because of the in-fighting between the history, English, and drama departments at the local university, the cast and crew aren’t permitted to bunk at the college dorms. Instead, Meg is hosting everyone—be it in bedrooms, trailers, or tents in the yard. With all of this on her plate, she certainly didn’t need Josh and Jamie, her twin teenage boys, to announce they’d found a body in the woods but Meg has Debbie Ann, the police department dispatcher, on speed dial. The calvary arrives quickly with Meg’s dad close on their heels, plus someone Meg does not want to film the crime scene, as she explains to Henry Burke, Chief of the Caerphilly Police Department.

“The guy with Dad is a documentary filmmaker and an avid blogger,” I said quietly. “Also a jerk with no concept of privacy or boundaries. So unless you want pictures of your crime scene popping up all over the Web—”



“His name?”



“Damien Goodwin,” I said.



The chief strode a few paces toward the approaching figures.



“Mr. Goodwin! Stay where you are!”

An obstreperous Damien Goodwin protests vigorously, shouting that they have no right to take his camera. Meg rescinds Goodwin’s rights to videotape on her property and he finally subsides. Readers come away from Donna Andrews’s stories with a treasure load of extraneous and fascinating details. Take the dead hand reaching up through the leaves of the forest. Meg’s dad leans over the body and snaps off one of the fingers. It’s a delightful walk in the woods for Meg’s beaming father.

“It’s a fungus.” He ambled back in our direction. “Xylaria polymorpha. Commonly known as ‘dead-man’s-toes.’ Commonly known as ‘dead-man’s-fingers,’ or sometimes ‘dead-man’s-toes.’ So called because that’s often what they look like. I have to say, though, I’ve never seen a more lifelike example.”



He handed the pseudo finger to the chief, who didn’t exactly flinch—but you could tell he found it a lot less charming than Dad did.

So no dead body, which disappoints Meg’s blood-thirsty twins. However, Meg informs the chief that there are many lesser crimes being committed. Here’s an incomplete list: sheep stealing by hapless medieval reenactors at what they call Camp Birnam, rampant vandalism including painting bloody footsteps on Meg’s front walk, trashing her library by tossing hundreds of books off the shelves, and decorating her walls with graffiti of the racial epithets variety. Meg is concerned that the destructive activities are intensifying.

“So far no one’s been hurt by anything the vandal has done,” I said. “And apart from the graffiti, there’s been very little property damage. But it feels menacing, as if whoever is doing it was angry. And getting angrier.”

Everyone, including the sheep-stealing reenactors, is invited to a rough cut of Damien Goodwin’s documentary. The venue is the Langslow library. Watching it is an unpleasant experience for everyone in the audience since Damien deftly embarrasses or offends almost everyone. One member of the audience has had quite enough of Damien’s stealthy, brutal masterpiece-in-making. Celia Rivers, the Lady Macbeth of the production, forces a physical halt to the video-streaming, possibly since Damien presents her as a modern-day Wicked Witch of the West.

“Enough!” Celia leaped out of her seat, strode forward, and jerked the TV’s plug out of the electrical outlet. “This is not okay. I am not sitting still for this.” With each “not” she aimed a short, sharp kick at the stand on which the TV was sitting.



“No, wait—” Goodwin scrambled forward and dropped to his knees by the electrical outlet and began fumbling for the plug. Bad idea—for a second, I thought Celia was going to aim a kick at him. But instead, she took a step or two toward the laptop from which Goodwin had been streaming his footage. She picked it up, whacked it against the library table a couple of times, then threw it onto the floor and stomped on it, hard.



“What the hell—” Goodwin shouted.

Indeed. Tech-savvy readers know that where’s there’s a laptop, there’s usually a backup and someone makes sure to eradicate all traces of Goodwin’s nascent documentary. Meg wakes up to a trashed trailer (where Goodwin had been staying) and a dead director. His computer equipment is pulverized. However, Meg’s nephew Kevin, currently living in her basement (and paying rent—he’s no layabout!), is a tech guru and if anyone can ferret out Goodwin’s secrets and get a clue as to his killer, Kevin’s the guy.

Murder Most Fowl has a traditional cozy framework with a closed circle of suspects, many of whom have a reason to hate the victim. That too is typical—an unpopular murder victim. Ko-Ko from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado might have been referencing Damien Goodwin.

As some day it may happen that a victim must be found



I’ve got a little list – I’ve got a little list



Of society offenders who might well be underground



And who never would be missed – who never would be missed

Again, in keeping with a cozy mystery, blood and gore are pretty much offside. What makes Meg Langslow’s world so enticing is her brilliant and ever-expanding team of experts and hands-on helpers. It’s almost fantastical, reading about a madcap world that frequently teeters on the edge of mayhem, as we saw in The Gift of the Magpie.

Good luck guessing the killer because Donna Andrews is masterful at strewing clues and red herrings. What next for the murder-ridden town of Caerphilly? I’m looking forward to a return visit.

Donna Andrews continues the cosy Meg Langslow mystery series in Murder Most Fowl. Period reenactors are causing trouble and Meg's husband is putting together a performance of Macbeth. The two groups do not get along and a videographer turns up dead. Whodunit? Everyone is upset with everyone else. What else can go wrong?

Meg Langslow is once again up to her ears in organized chaos - her husband Michael is directing Macbeth and much of the cast and crew is staying in their house, their barn or camped out on their lawn. A group of historical reenactors is camped out in the forest nearby but tend to wander in around meal times to mingle with the crowd for free food. A large group of visiting relatives, while staying with Meg’s parents, show up each day to help cook as well as join in for meals. As if that wasn’t enough there is a vandal causing trouble at Meg’s home, the reenactors seem to have a habit of “borrowing” local livestock, someone is in the woods practicing black magic over a campfire, and the man hired to film the play’s production screens a rough cut of his video so far which shows everyone at their worst and embarrassing moments. And then he turns up dead. Meg contends with finding the murderer, finding a poisoner who may or may not also be the murderer, locating a missing dagger, and dealing with a bunch of puppies. Pretty much a typical week in Meg’s life.

The books in this series are light, quick reads with a satisfying cast of characters. I look forward to each new entry. Highly recommended.

It's so hard to believe this is the 29th book in the Meg Lanslow series. My how all the characters have grown and stuck around this small town. Meg's husband is directing Macbeth for the summer and there is a group of reenactors camping nearby recreating an old Scottish camp. When a dead body is discovered and a film maker is documenting everything, the family is in turmoil. Now the film maker is dead too and the local police are working hard to keep the count to 2. Always a good cozy story with Meg. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the 29th in Donna Andrews' engaging cozy series starring blacksmith Meg Langslow, her extended family, and growing entourage of friends and associates. Meg keeps them all organized!

This time, Meg's husband Michael is director for a Macbeth production, and Meg is putting up most of those involved in their home.

Filmmaker Damien Goodwin is trying to document the production, and is constantly in the way. When he's murdered, Meg catches the killer but her own survival is touch and go.

It will take more than measured breathing and her notebook that tells her when to breathe for Meg to make it through the summer. Not only is her husband, Michael, working with a group of actors on a production of Macbeth, but the actors are staying at their house and reenactors camping on their property. No one is surprised when a nosy camera man is found dead because no one liked him. Soon, Meg is tracking down clues and searching for a.murderer. Will she be in time to stop another murder?
My thanks to the publisher and to net galley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

I love Meg Lanslow and all her cozy mysteries. There's a lot of humor, friendship and excellent sleuthing around animals. Love it!! I received an e-ARC of this book by the author and publishing via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Murder Most Fowl by Donna Andrews is the 29th book in the Meg Langslow series, and another great addition. I love this series, and the wonderful characters. Caerphilly sounds like a great town, with all their quirky people and large families. The plot of the stories are always well written and developed and often make me laugh out loud. This book has more twists. and turns, that kept me reading page after page. I strongly recommend this book and the whole series for anyone who likes well written cozy mysteries that are unique and delightful.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I like that Meg doesn't have to do everything, although she definitely is the lead person.. She has a great working relationship with the law officers, but still manages to get in to trouble with the killer. We have just a few moments with different members of Meg's crazy family. It is always so nice to visit with the characters in the book. Once again the mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this next book Megs husband is busy directing a production of Macbeth for the college he works at. Their home has become a hotel for the cast and crew with all the rooms filled up. Along with the play there is a group of actors who have set up a medieval camp not far from their home. Meg is past being irritated by this group and can't wait for the whole thing to be over with. She also has to deal with film maker Damien Goodwin who is making a documentary of the whole production. When Damien ends up murdered no one is really shocked, the man had plenty of people around who disliked him. Some of the motives for his death were obvious and then there were others that Meg knew she was going to have to dig for. Follow along as she digs into the lives of all those a part of the whole production. Will she figure out who the killer is before someone else ends up dead?

This series never fails to entertain! With many returning characters who, after so many books, are as familiar as old friends, as well as a houseful (or yard full as it may be!) of zany over the top actors, historians, and film-makers, the colourful characters make the book.
Once again the Langslows are hosting a large event involving a Shakespearean play, historical re-enactment, and extended family. The whole escapade is being captured by a documentary filmmaker. But not everyone will make it out of Caerphilly alive.
Murder Most Fowl is exactly what fans of Donna Andrew’s have come to expect; a well crafted, light-hearted, laugh-out-loud cozy mystery.

I should preface this review by saying that Donna Andrews is one of my favorite mystery authors; in fact, she is one of my favorite writers in any genre. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed Murder Most Fowl. Not only is it filled with Andrews' usual cast of interesting and enjoyable, often eccentric, characters and some just as interesting new ones, the plot moves quickly and is brought to a satisfying conclusion. While not as complex as the plots of some of her previous books, it kept me interested and entertained to the end. I was happy to see the development of some recurring characters (Rose Noire, Horace) and, of course, the twins are always a welcome addition to any book. The plot involves a production of Shakespeare's "The Scottish Play" and its associated curses and legends. I do think some minor points may be confusing to readers who are not familiar with the series, but this should not detract from enjoying the book. As always happens when I finish one of Andrews' books, I immediately start looking forward to the next one.

It is always a pleasure to dip into Meg, Michael, and the (now twelve-year-old!) twins’ wacky world. Murder Most Fowl is the twenty-ninth book in the series. It’s full of the usual fun relative-filled hijinks—along with murder, attempted murder, theft, vandalism, racism, The Scottish Play, actors, and reenactors. Oh, and goslings, sheep, cows, and lots and lots of puppies.

Murder Most Fowl is the best! I was totally surprised by the killer reveal, which is always fun. The appearing and disappearing animals were enjoyable too. After reading the entire series as they were published, the characters seem as familiar as my family. Though funnier, much funnier.

If you are looking for a hilarious and joyful story with believable characters, look no further. Murder Most Fowl ticks all those boxes. 5 stars and a favorite!

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

In an amazing Shakespearean synchronicity, I read two books, back to back, featuring MacBeth. How often does that happen? And in case you were concerned, it's only bad luck to say the name of the Scottish Play in a theater.

"Murder Most Fowl", the 29th in the series, was actually my first Meg Lanslow. A friend, who is a true cozy aficionado, reviewed a couple other titles for my blog Book Keeping a while back.

THE STORY: Meg's husband is directing a summer production of Macbeth. Rather than deal with the political nonsense at the local college, he brings the cast and crew to Caerphilly to rehearse lodging them in guest rooms and tents on their property complicating Meg's life. Random incidents and vandalism begin and ultimately a death. Could these acts have been caught on film? Caerphilly’s chief of police, with Meg's help, must uncover the same secrets the filmmaker did if they want to catch a killer.

THE FIRST LINE: "Mom?" I kept my eyes firmly closed and focused on breathing in and out in the slow, deliberate way that was supposed to make you feel better when you were stressed. One. . .two. . .

WHAT I THOUGHT: With titles like "No Nest for the Wicked", "Owl Be Home for Christmas", "Toucan Keep a Secret", and "Gone Gull", you know what to expect in this series. Lots of quirky characters surrounding an amateur sleuth in a small town with lots of suspicious things going on. There will be a crime but nothing too disturbing. You can mostly tell the bad guys from the good guys who will ultimately win in the end. All this will be delivered with interesting information about the world and gentle humor. Donna Andrews has the cozy formula down cold and still delivers a fun puzzle for the reader to try to solve time after time.

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended for all cozy readers!

DISCLAIMER: Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Minotaur Books for the advance copy for an honest review.

"Out, damned spot! out, I say!—One: two: why,
Then, 'tis time to do't.—Hell is murky!—Fie, my
Lord, fie! a soldier, and afeard? What need we
Fear who knows it, when none can call our power to
Account?—Yet who would have thought the old man
To have had so much blood in him."
**Lady Macbeth**

Oh how I enjoyed this venture into Meg's world - I love how, at 29 [and counting] books, these still feel fresh and fun and entertaining as the first ones did. I love how you know the main set of characters that are going to be in each one and when they show up in the story, it is like meeting with old friends. I love how we get new people to me, though inevitably, that means someone is going to be murdered [though not always - a few of her books have had no murder in them and that has been extremely refreshing] and someone is a killer - all things that happen in this one. Michael is putting on "The Scottish Play" in D.C. and they are running rehearsals in Caerphilly at the college and staying at Meg and Michael's house [God love them] rather than incur the expense of staying in DC. There is also a reenactment camp staying close by, supposedly there at the invitation of the History dept, but things are NOT turning out as planned there [this is my shocked face]. There is a vandal loose, Rose Noire is sure that something evil is happening, cast members are getting sick, Meg's take on the "Scottish Dagger" comes up missing, geese and puppies suddenly appear and murder occurs - all in a days work for Meg and Company right?

This was a really good read and while I had guessed who the killer was, the why [and some other details] were completely wrong so that is a huge WIN in my book, and the end was just really sweet. This is, hands down, one of my all-time favorite series and should Ms. Andrews ever decide to retire, I may never recover. Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Donna Andrews, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.