Cover Image: Birder, She Wrote

Birder, She Wrote

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Member Reviews

Meg’s grandmother Cordelia is being interviewed for an article in an obscure magazine by a reporter who seems to not be very interested in her subject. On a joint outing with a local to discover where a long lost African American cemetery may be they discover the body of a nasty neighbor. With many suspects Meg helps to try and exonerate the obvious one, his closest neighbor a bee keeper and bird photographer, who had several disagreements with the victim over his keeping of bee hives. To top it off the victim murdered all the bees. With the help of the Caerphilly community justice is served. Another great book.

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Meg is an amateur detective, wife, mom, daugther, and granddaughter. She's recruited to help placate the NIMBYs (not in my backyard) who are opposed to any "farming" activities. But when a reporter starts interviewing her grandmother for a genteel Southern ladies’ magazine, Meg wonders is something more sinister is happening. Can Meg protect her grandmother – and the town of Caerphilly before the killer finds another victim?
While this book does include a bird watcher and information about feeding and protecting hummingbirds, it's also a lesson in beekeeping. I enjoyed that part of the story but did skim some longer paragraphs.
The mystery is predictable but fun, too. I appreciate that several folks were interested in finding and preserving a historic African-American grave.
I have only read one other book in this lengthy series, but I quickly caught up on the family dynamics, so it could stand alone.

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This was a fun cozy mystery. I love the play on Murder She Wrote which was why I had to read it. Cozy mysteries are always a good time and some of my favorites. I will absolutely be reading this authors other books.

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There is always that neighbor who complains about everything. In this community, there is a whole neighborhood that finds fault in everything especially anything done by the locals. They see themselves as the top of society and don't want nature to interfere with the perfection they are trying to find…until one ends up dead. Then it becomes a matter of guessing who was angry enough about the bees or other animals to take maters into their own hand.
A cozy mystery with all the required parts: nosy neighbors, amateur sleuth, unique characters, and red herrings everywhere. Like many other cozy mysteries, this one starts off relatively slow. It takes a couple of chapters to get to the murder as the author builds up the backgrounds and the characters. 
The reader is drawn into this community and becomes invested in the people and the history. It is easy to relate to any of the characters as they deal with everyday life issues and the unique issues that come with the death of a member of the community. 
It's not an intense story with suspense around every corner. This is a more easy paced story that you can stop and pickup anytime you want. It's not until the actual climax occurs that the reader gets a feeling of intense action. The style tends to be more within the mind of the narrator. 
An easy read that would be great for a quiet weekend or during your travels. Can you guess who did it? I did, but the author had enough red herrings to have me second-guessing myself. An enjoyable story.

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How can you not enjoy Meg Langslow and the crazy cast of characters from Caerphilly. In Birder, She Wrote, Meg is back, this time being roped into her father's foray into beekeeping. After murder befalls yet another victim, it is up to Meg to solve the crime and save the day.

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I have been provided with a review copy of Birder, She Wrote from NetGalley for an impartial review. I was just drawn into this wonderful story and I just couldn’t get enough of it. It was just so easy to get lost in this great story. I just didn’t want it to end. I just lost myself in and I just couldn’t get enough of these interesting characters. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

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Donna Andrews never disappoints! Another fun adventure with our favorite Caerphilly family. You can expect all the regular highlights, sharp wit, animal knowledge, descriptive scenes and loveable characters (well with the exception of one or two . . .) all wrapped up in one great read.

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As a long-time fan of the Meg Langslow series, this one did not disappoint! I found that the overall beekeeping theme was unique and fresh, and there was no lacking on the part of Meg's unusual but loveable extended family. Donna Andrews delivers humor and a good murder mystery with likeable new characters and a relatable protagonist.

If you have been following this series for a while you may remember Mrs. Griswold from Lord of the Wings. The only aspect of Birder, She Wrote is that Mrs. Griswold went from a friendly old lady to a grouchy mean one. I'm not sure if this is a different Mrs. Griswold, but that part I wasn't fond of.

Overall a very entertaining read.

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This is a fun series and never fails to deliver laughs, a well plotted mystery and always interesting characters. I look forward to the new adventures of Meg et all every year and this one did not disappoint. I highly recommend the whole series!

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Meg Langslow keeps a running to-do list, what supplies are needed, and where she should be when. That goes for her twin boys, her husband, friends, and family as well. She manages to do more by noon than most people could do in a week.

Near the top of her current list is to talk to the NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard folks) about their never-ending concerns. The current topic is bees, as in the hives. A neighbor, not in the subdivision, has ten hives. The NIMBYs, who have every outdoor accessory or gadget, are rarely outside so you’d think bees wouldn’t be high on their list. It’s right at the top.

Also for today, Meg is on a search for a lost cemetery that dates back to the Civil War. Her friends have an idea where it is but with damaged, missing, or never-there headstones it’s not going to be easy to locate.

If that’s not enough, her grandmother, Cordelia, is visiting and brought along a ‘content provider’ for a small (tiny) magazine. Britni is supposed to write about Cordelia’s interests but shows no interest in anything Cordelia does. Britni reluctantly rides along on the cemetery search.

A while back, Meg rescued nine Pomeranian puppies. Most are now in training to be cadaver dogs or search and rescue dogs. Several of them are along to help find the cemetery but instead find a dead body—one that didn’t belong in the cemetery and is only recently dead.

Things keep escalating to the point of undercover operations involving hidden cameras, night vision goggles, alleged blackmail, a missing husband, a bully hummingbird, and vandalism.

This is book thirty-three in the series with book thirty-four, Let It Crow, Let It Crow, Let It Crow, available for pre-order and coming on October 10, 2023. Information on beekeeping is threaded throughout the story seamlessly, never interfering with the plot. All the favorite characters are involved in some way—the twins, Grandfather, Dad who is always a treat, and Spike, the little terrorist dog.

Birder She Wrote is a delight to read.

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Escape to the charming town of Caerphilly County, Virginia, with Donna Andrews' delightful cozy mystery, "Birder, She Wrote."

Meg Langslow, our beloved mystery-solving quilter, has her hands full this time around. Amidst the tranquility of a warm spring day, a dead body is discovered in the heart of a popular birding area. The victim, a local birdwatcher known for his gruff demeanor, leaves behind a trail of puzzling clues that pique Meg's curiosity.

As Meg delves into the investigation, she finds herself entangled in a web of suspects, secrets, and hidden motives. From disgruntled neighbors to disgruntled ex-wives, there's no shortage of people with reasons to want the victim out of the picture.

Andrews masterfully blends humor, suspense, and a touch of romance into her captivating story. Meg's quirky personality and sharp wit make her an endearing protagonist, and her interactions with her colorful cast of friends and family are a constant source of entertainment.

The mystery itself is well-crafted, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the very end. Andrews cleverly weaves in birdwatching references and local lore, adding depth and authenticity to the setting.

"Birder, She Wrote" is a delightful addition to the Meg Langslow mystery series. Whether you're a seasoned fan or a newcomer to the world of Caerphilly County, you'll find yourself captivated by Meg's adventures and eager to unravel the truth behind the birder's demise.

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I love the Meg Langslow Mystery Series and this book was not disappointing! It was an enjoyable read with lots of action and many interesting characters that kept me guessing what happened and who killed the most hated man in town. I liked the subplot of finding Edgar who had been missing for a few days. It really added to the complexity of the story. I also liked that the community worked together to find the killer and helped Edgar set his beehives back up. I felt like I was gaining more knowledge about bees with all the bee facts woven throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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I have read all of Donna Andrews book. This book Birder, she wrote did not disappoint me it's up to par to the rest of her books. It was a very enjoyable book. I am used to her characters. Everyone was in on this mystery even Meg's kids who are getting quite big. It was amazing with an amazing end to top it off. I enjoy reading mysteries. Keep up the great work, TY Net galley for sending me the arc books!

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I have been wanting to read books in this series for a while. The story line and book covers captured my attention. So, I was glad to finally have the opportunity to read one of the books in the Meg Langslow series. However, it was just meh. It wasn’t a bad book. But it wasn’t one that really kept my attention and made me want to read more in the series. I think it would have been better if I had read earlier books because while some of the characters were interesting, others were not. And there were so many characters that it made the mystery a little difficult to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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3.5 stars
Enjoyable cozy mystery with good supporting characters. Apparently, this is the 33rd in the series(!), but worked fine as a standalone.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

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Donna Andrews books in the Lanslow family series are some of my favorites. I love Meg’s wacky relatives and the Caerphilly residents. Somehow Meg manages to get things in order. This time it was settling problems with a group of newcomers including one of them being murder victim. Side plots of a disappeared bee keeper and a “not so honest” magazine writer keep things lively. I can’t wait for the next installment.

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Donna Andrews brings the Langslow family back in Birder She Wrote which is the 33rd installment of her Meg Lanslow Mystery series. In this book, Meg is tasked by Mayor Shiffley to intervene in a dispute between a group of newcomers to Caerphilly and the neighboring long-time farmers. Adding to the tensions, Meg’s grandmother is being interviewed for a profile in a Southern ladies magazine but asks Meg to accompany her and Deacon Washington in a search for a long-lost African-American cemetery. Unfortunately during the course of the search for the cemetery, the group happens across the body of one of the newcomers who has obviously been murdered and one of the neighboring farmers has disappeared leading him to become an initial suspect in the case.

As with the earlier installments of this series, the author has woven an intricate tale that incorporates numerous individuals from the community and the protagonist’s family. Through creative storytelling, the author also introduces her readers to the intricate details of what can occur when people who have lived in an urban area their entire lives move to an area where there are working farms and the accompanying inherent activities. Within this story, the author also throws numerous twists into the situations that the characters find themselves in leading the reader down one path to prospective motives and culprits just to switch it up to a totally surprising conclusion in the end.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and am leaving this review voluntarily.

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For fans of Meg Langslow mysteries, this addition to the series will provide the same entertainment and mysterious happenings as the previous ones. Fans will feel like part of the family as the novel features characters from previous novels, such as Grandfather (zoologist and wildlife expert), Dad (physician and wildlife lover), Meg (blacksmith sleuth), and her husband and sons. Readers new to the series will be able to jump right in and get cozy, as the author has honed her craft well and does a fine job of introducing the characters and setting quickly.

In this novel, Meg and friends become involved with snobby neighbors, bee keepers, and a magazine reporter, as they assist local law enforcement in solving crimes of blackmail and murder! To me the quirky characters are the best parts of the novels, although readers can learn a lot about wildlife and nature as they read these novels. The characters have matured along with the series and this adds to the realism of these cozy novels.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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Donna Andrews is one of my favorite authors. Her new book Birder, She Wrote is so enjoyable. Happy reading!

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

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This is book 33 in the Meg Langslow series. It has certainly changed over the years and I love that the book is relevant in today's world. The NIMBY's are complaining about the neighboring farm's bee hives. Meg has become the go between between the long time residents of Caerphilly and the newcomers who have built their mega homes . I learned a lot about the bee and hummingbird population while enjoying a good cozy mystery. All your favorite characters are back. You can enjoy this book as a stand alone but Meg and her crazy family are fun in all the books.

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