I haven’t read anything previous by Donna Andrews but boy, am I going to start now. Her cozy little mystery featuring Meg Lanslow as the town’s super sleuth and helper to the police department, along with the whole cast of characters that are her eccentric family make this a delightful read. On the eve that her mother is preparing for the biggest wedding of the year for her brother and involving the whole town in helping out, Meg’s introverted nephew Kevin comes to her for help. After he and his friend started a true crime podcast, his friend was almost run down late at night after a recent broadcast. Kevin needs Meg’s help to find who was involved and to prevent anything bad happening further to disrupt the wedding. Meg sets off to look at some cold cases that Kevin featured, with permission of the police chief, as trouble and intrigue follows her. To add to her plate, Meg’s mother has given her plenty of tasks to complete, one where she needs to bring replacement peacocks in for ambiance. Can she do all this before the wedding?
Lots of twists and turns, and an interesting cast of characters that are very non-stereotypical. Lots of hijinks with the animals and all the folly of the wedding event growing out of hand make this at times comical. I love that Abby just takes everything in stride and is a very strong character, even though she has a notebook that tells her “how to breathe”. The bond within her family and throughout the whole town is very heart-warming and just the place you want to be to while away an afternoon as you try to figure out all the mysteries with Abby. I did not see the ending coming when it did. I look forward to reading more about Meg and her family’s adventures and antics.
Many thanks to #netgalley #rounduptheusua peacocks #donnaandrews #st.martinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Meg Lanslow is at it again, but this time it’s a cold case that gets real warm when her nephew and his friend start a podcast, and trouble ensues. If cozy mysteries with a bit of sass are what you enjoy, this book will hit the spot. Small town antics, birds creating drama, and a slew of suspects will keep the reader on their toes and being secretly grateful to not have any peacocks!

Another great read by Donna Andrews. I enjoyed the cozy mystery plot and love the characters! A super fun read to enjoy that won't disappoint!

Never disappoints. I look forward to new Donna Andrews books like a visit from an old friend. from her first Peacocks to her latest, Meg Langslow and her "interesting" family grow and develop as characters - not an author who freezes our heroine in time, thus making each book fresh.

This is puzzling, intriguing mystery, with a twist of comic relief! Meg and her family are preparing for a big wedding in the family, sometimes with hilarious results. At the same time, her young nephew enlists her aid to investigate three local cold cases he and his friend have used for their true crime podcast, after someone tries to hit his friend with a car. Donna Andrews always creates wonderful, quirky characters that I just love, along with some equally terrifying suspects. This is quite a complex mystery that kept me guessing until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the book! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. It is a great addition to this series.

You know that Meg can not host a normal wedding at her home, not even with all the relatives in town to help out. It's time for her brother Rob's wedding but of course that's not enough for Meg. No she has to help her nephew Kevin solve some cold cases he and his friend have discovered while working on their true crime podcast. Of course Meg gets herself into a bit of trouble while helping and has to enlist the aid of some interesting characters along with some family members. ( I would love to see a copy of her family tree) Of course Meg saves the day, solves the mystery and keeps Kevin's friend safe. And the wedding, it goes off without a hitch in spite of the peacocks.
I have loved all of the Meg Langslow stories and am always surprised when a new one comes out. Until the next one.

Round Up The Usual Peacocks is the 31st in this delightful series. and this book does not disappoint! Meg Langslow's nephew Kevin comes to her for help. He and his friend started a true crime podcast featuring Virginia cold cases. After someone tries to harm his friend, he believes they've ruffled someone's feathers. Meg gladly gets out of most of her bridesmaids duties so she can focus on the three cold cases. With the help of Kevin and Chief Burke, Meg hopes to have some answers before her brother's wedding. Lots of suspects and twists and turns. This book focuses more on solving the mystery, which I like, but there is still plenty of hijinks with her hilarious family, all the critters, and of course the peacocks. A great read. I highly recommend this book. Thank you netgalley for the advance copy!

I enjoyed this latest tale from Donna Andrews immensely. Meg Langslow is an extraordinary person to put up with all the activities, chores, and living arrangements her vast family spawns. Perhaps husband Michael is even more exceptional to cheerfully live with it all. The entire family is in place to prepare for the wedding of Meg's brother Rob and his intended, Delaney. Meg has been sidetracked (much to her relief) to help out nephew Kevin and his podcast partner Casey when someone tries to run Casey down. Both believe one of their cold case podcasts hit a nerve. Meg is chasing down clues when not engaged in wedding duties and peacock wrangling. When does that woman and her notebook-that-tells-her-when-to-breathe get a chance to relax and enjoy some quiet?

Kevin, Meg's cyber-savvy nephew who lives in the basement, comes to her with a problem. He's become involved as the techie for a true-crime podcast, one that focuses on Virginia cold cases and unsolved crimes. And he thinks their podcast has hit a nerve with someone . . . one of the podcast team has had a brush with death that Kevin thinks was an attempted murder, not an accident. I have been reading this series for almost 25 years and have come to feel as though Meg and her family are close friends. this series never gets stale and the mystery itself is always perplexing, full of twists and totally satisfying at the end. Looking forward to Meg and familys next adventure. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

It has been awhile since I've been in the world of Donna Andrew's A Meg Langslow Mystery series, and I am delighted to come back. The humor and familiarity of the characters are still rich and engaging. Unlike many cozy mysteries the main character has an excellent working relationship with local law enforcement, something that I appreciate and make Meg's decisions more believable. I recommend the series and know I won't stay away again.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Another fun entry in Donna Andrew’s’ mystery series. Rob and Delaney finally marry and the whole family is back! Animals, peacocks and a mystery bring us back to Ragnar who we haven’t seen much lately. Highly recommended for fans of the series.

Donna Andrews is a new-to-me author, so this is the first book I’ve read by her. It’s a fun whodunit with a lot going on. Meg’s nephew, Kevin, has started a true-crime podcast with a friend. When his friend is nearly killed by a hit and run, they try to figure out who might be at fault and why. The cases they are discussing are all old and they can’t figure out why anyone would care about what they might have uncovered after all these years. They enlist Meg’s help in doing research on a couple of the cases that don’t seem too dangerous. Meg is busy helping her mother plan her brother’s wedding, so she finds herself juggling her wedding duties with crime solving.

Family dynamics, an old suicide, secrets, wrongdoing, danger, drama, humor, peacocks wreaking havoc, herding dogs, and more!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow Mystery #31) 5 stars

Meg is busy preparing for a massive family event – the wedding of Rob and Delaney. Various chores include landscaping, corralling animals, and logistics. In the midst of this massive endeavor, Kevin, Meg’s cyber-savvy nephew come to her with a mystery. He and a friend have started a true-crime podcast that focuses on Virginia cold cases. Unfortunately, his friend nearly gets hurt walking home when a car comes out of nowhere in the wee hours of the morning. They think it has to do with the podcast and asks Meg to look into the matter. Since this will get Meg out of wedding prep hell, she agrees. There are several possibilities among the recent podcasts and Meg will look into each one to find the culprit.

This was an enjoyable read; in fact I dropped all my other reading plans to read this one as soon as I got approved. I was not disappointed; there was one section that had to do with corralling wayward peacocks that had me laughing for several minutes. I was surprised by the resolution of the various cases and that is what makes for a great cozy mystery. I can’t wait for the next book in the series “Dashing Through the Snowbirds” coming out in October 2022.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books, in return for an honest review. While the thirty-first book in this series, it is easily read as a standalone and always a joy to return to the busy life of Meg Langslow and her extended family. This time, there’s an over-the-top wedding, orchestrated by Meg’s mother but held on Meg’s large property. Modern, interesting plot about the impacts of a true-crime podcast on Meg’s nephew and his co-reporter while there’s also the investigation into the actual cold case crimes they reported. Can’t wait for the next in this series!

This series never disappoints.

Despite the chaos about her, Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow always seems to maintain her almost zen-like calm while dealing with the bad guys. In this, the 31st book of the series, she actually solves three cold cases. Her nephew Kevin and Casey, a friend, were doing a true crime podcast, a very modern touch to the plot, and had managed to rile up someone enough to make them attempt to run down Casey. Spooked and more at home in front of a computer than dealing with people, Kevin asks Meg to help investigate. Since helping Kevin sounds like a great excuse to avoid some of the wedding planning chaos going on, Meg readily agrees.

I won't detail the plot, it's readily available elsewhere, but will say that the wedding hoopla takes a backseat to the investigation although, quite frankly, is the source of some absolutely hilarious scenes involving Meg. Who knew herding dogs could herd peacocks? Or that peacocks make great watchdogs, er, watch...birds? Well, when they're not attacking you. Have you ever heard a peacock shriek? It isn't a pleasant sound, so just the image conjured up of their possible participation in the wedding program is amusing. Beautifully feathered, yes. Peaceful and serene, no.

So, first, what is the Clay County involvement in the cases? Why the heck are they stalking Meg's movements? Second, in this day and age, why would any college department resist converting its records to digital files? Could the answer to the death of a professor be hidden there? Third, what happened to the talented singer/college girl who simply seems to have disappeared? Did her stalker kill her? If not, could she still be around to be found? And, will Meg really wind up creating a gargoyle collection, so to speak, for Ragnor? Sounds like they're fit right in.

These questions are only the tip of the iceberg as Meg organizes and does errands for the upcoming wedding, listens to the previous podcasts, talks to Chief Burke, keeps her guests safe, wrangles peacocks, avoids Spike's bad tempered bites, and dodges bad guys. This is a can't-put-it-down read, full of both tense and hilarious moments with lots of critters. My friends who have herding dogs will love it, I'm sure. Lad, you're my furry hero in this one.

Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for my "wedding invite". It was fun to see Meg come full circle from the beginning as she dealt with a wedding, quirky relatives one can't help but love, and helps put the bad guys away.

Meg’s nephew comes to her seeking help in solving a cold case that he and a body are covering on their podcast. When the boys are threatened over one case, Meg agrees to help them because sometimes it multiple approaches to solve a murder.

Using a family wedding to keep her sleuthing undercover, Meg digs to find out what from all those years ago had it in for the victim then and the boys now. Is the killer still alive and worried the boys are getting close, or will the killer go to any ends to stop the truth from coming out?

This is the 31st book in this series and you don’t get this far in a series if you haven’t mastered the art of the whodunit…which the author has done and done well. With a solid whodunit and red herrings galore, you will find yourself changing your mind as new clues are uncovered and guessing right up to the end. Best of all, if you haven’t read any books in the series? You’ve got 30 more to bing one! And you will want to once you’ve read this one!

I received an early copy from NetGallery, in exchange for an honest review
In this 31st book of the Meg Langslow series, plans for Rob and Delaney’s wedding are in full swing, Meg is asked by her nephew Kevin to look into a hit and run accident that happened to his podcast partner Casey. Kevin and Casey did a few podcasts that could be the reason behind the hit and run, a case of a missing singer, a case of a hold up at a gas station, and a cheating scandal at the school, that resulted in the young professor’s death. How does everything turn out? you need to read this book to find out! I really love this series, and this book was no exception! I love returning to Caerphilly and all its quirky inhabitants, Meg’s family are so funny and entertaining. Then there’s Ragnar, I just so love his gothic mansion and the whole gargoyle, and back and red theme!! Lots of investigating in this book will keep you on your toes, with a satisfying conclusion that will you wanting more of Meg and the gang!! I highly recommend this book!!!

** Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.**

This book is apparently Number 31 in the Meg Lanslow series.
Although I haven't read the preceding books to this one, I thoroughly enjoyed it as a standalone book.
It was full of adventure, and had three different mysteries that Meg had to solve, all while planning a huge wedding on her family's farm! The characters were very interesting and of great variety. Her family and friends were quite amusing, and the villains formidable! There were also some extremely hilarious scenes, especially involving peacocks and other assorted fowl and animals!
Highly recommend!

I read an ARC of this book via #NetGalley. Another fun entry in this long-running series and a throwback to the very first book, Murder with Peacocks. Meg and assorted friends and family members are investigating cold cases to see whether one of them has ramifications in the present. Great characterization and clever plotting with some funny moments. The final scene after the wedding felt a bit unnecessary and fell flat for me. The series is best read in order or close to it so the characters' actions make sense in line with their development and scenes in past books.

Donna Andrews has done it again! Meg and her family are absolutely hilarious, and this has become my favorite series over the years. In this installment, Meg’s brother and fiancé get married and are using Meg’s house and yard for the reception. The mother’s are in overdrive, using every person available, including Meg. However, when Kevin, Meg’s nephew, and his friend stumble upon a not-so-cold case, Meg is drafted into helping them. With the help of Kevin, Chief Burke, and a few other friends, Meg is able to solve the case and still show at the wedding. I did miss grandfather and Meg’s parents, as they had a smaller role than usual, but still a great read!