Believe it or not, Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! is the 34th installment of the popular Meg Langslow Mystery series by award winning author Donna Andrews. Who knew that Meg and her blacksmithing could turn into that many well-written and fun novels. In this novel, Meg finds herself competing in a reality television show after her mentor, Faulk, is attacked and can’t compete due to a broken arm. One of the contestants is caught by Meg trying to sabotage the other contestants; he is later found murdered, and since the police aren’t finding the actual murderer quickly, Meg investigates. The novel takes place at Ragnar’s castle, and that adds some charm and mystery, since most readers only dream of hanging out in a castle.

While some readers have most likely followed Meg through all the installments, there are also those who haven’t read the previous novels. However, Andrews presents the characters in such a way that this novel can be read as a standalone and still have an enjoyable reading experience. Meg, et al, are well developed, and Andrews is an excellent storyteller, so the novel is easy to follow. There are plenty of twists and turns in this novel, and the suspense builds throughout.

This series is quite unique because of Meg’s occupation as an ornamental blacksmith – hardly any readers are actually familiar with the particulars in blacksmithing, and it makes for interesting reading, and even a bit of knowledge on the subject.

All told, this is a fun cozy mystery. Many first-time readers of the series will want to pick up the previous novels, as the characters are likeable and interesting.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

What a fun little mystery. I don’t think I have read any of the other books in this series (hard to believe if this is number 34) but it didn’t keep me from following the characters or enjoying the story. Meg gets roped in to a reality competition she didn’t want to participate in. In addition to the regular reality show based drama one of the contestants ends up dead. This was a funny holiday filled who dun it book.

Faithful readers know that Meg Langslow is one of my favorite characters, and Donna Andrews one of my favorite authors. In this year's Christmas book, Meg gets drawn into a reality TV show when her mentor, Faulk, is injured on the set of a blacksmithing challenge that he's participating in. Despite her misgivings, Meg agrees to take Faulk's place. She discovers right away that things are not as they seem, that tension not he set is high, and that some contestants will do anything to advance their chances to win the challenge. There've been numerous reality-tv-inspired mysteries, and I've read several; this is one of the best. The challenge is locate in the mock castle Meg's friend Ragnor, ex-metalhead, has built in the Virginia countryside, and I'm sad we didn't get to see more of the castle in the book. Michael and the twins are present, as are Meg's parents, but unlike other books, we hardly see them or Rose or some of her other family members. And that makes the series string--the author knows we might get a little tired of the same supporting cast, and introducing new folks for Meg to interact with keeps her fresh and entertaining in our minds. That, and there are fewer than usual references to her engagement book that is usually brought up more times that I care for. I enjoyed the mystery, and while I had figure out the whodunnit buy about 3/4 of the way through, getting Meg there was well plotted and well written. As always, highly recommended.

This holiday themed cozy mystery, follows the MC Meg, a blacksmith as she gets roped into competing in a weapon making competition for a reality show. However, Meg soon has to put her amateur detectives hat on as well because the shows contestants are being attacked.

I thought this book was quite good. For context, I have been recently dipping my toes into the cozy mystery genre. I found this book to be significantly less cheesy and saccharine than others in this genre (despite the cheesy title!)

It was well written, and Meg is a very likeable character. I think that this book would be enjoyed by both cozy and standard mystery readers.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and review.

This is another fun Meg Langslow Mystery and I can't believe that its #34. I have read this series since the very first one, Murder with Peacocks.

This title made me smile and as usual, the families' activities and antics kept me entertained. I feel like many of the characters are like old friends and we're getting to visit.again.

This time we get to visit with Ragnar at his castle where a weaponsmithing competition is being filmed. Meg is a last minute and reluctant addition to the competitor list after her mentor is attacked and injured. However, Meg feels compelled to look for the guilty part, in addition to her other obligations. As I love 'forging' shows, I found the description on this one to be a forging show with a baking show elimination method. This is a well-written book with lots of interesting information and just enough twists and turns.

Although I like this mystery series, I will admit that the characters and their relationships are a big part of the reason that I keep returning again and again.

It' I believe that this is my 34th Meg Langslow mystery! Cozy mysteries are a decadent "filler" genre for me; sandwiched in between the nonfiction and literary fiction. I've enjoyed watching the characters. Develop, your personalities come out, and the seeing her boys grow up. This book had a particularly interesting topic with the Blades Of Glory reality show competition about blacksmithing weapons. I love it when I can learn something new while reading, I only wish this story had continued throughout the competition instead of cutting short after the second round. Maybe it'll get picked up in the next book? Anyway, this book was set in an interesting setting with the usual cast of characters & at times, tongue in cheek humor.

I was excited to read Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! after reading the last book in the series Birder, She Wrote as I really enjoyed it. I discovered this series when I reviewed last year's Christmas book, Dashing Through the Snowbirds. I haven't had a chance to go back and read the earlier books, but I still hope to.

If you are a fan of the reality show Forged in Fire, then you will probably get a kick out of this book. I'm not a fan of reality TV in general and I haven't seen the blacksmithing competition (though I have met one of the contestants). Still, it was interesting. Andrews has a real knack for creating great characters.

I'll be honest that I didn't love this book as much as the previous book. Since I finished it I've been trying to figure out why. I think it is because the characters that live there don't have as big of a role as they did in the previous book. I love series because I really get to know the characters and while I know it is necessary to have "one-off" characters, I like to have the core cast front and center as much as possible. Some of the town people were new to me (I'm aware that there are 30-some books in the series and these characters could have appeared before) like Ragnar and Faulk. I would have liked to get to know them more but they had a small part. The cast in the book is large so I get that they don't get a lot of page space but it doesn't mean I don't wish they appeared more.

It is a Christmas book with tree trimming, gingerbread house making, and even caroling. But all of that is in the background and there isn't really a Christmasy theme to the book. So whether you are looking for a festive book for the season or just want a fun mystery, this book fits the bill.

My review will published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/10/let-it-crow-let-it-crow-let-it-crow-by.html

In the latest Meg Lanslow Mysteries book, Let It Crow! Let It Crow!, Let It Crow!, Meg has been roped into participating in a reality TV weapon-smithing competition that has been organized by a blacksmith friend. Originally, Meg was only supposed to be helping with behind the scenes issues but the night before the filming starts, someone attacks Faulk, her blacksmithing mentor, breaking his arm and eliminating him from the contest before it begins. Once she discovers that Faulk and his husband Tad have loaned a considerable amount of money to the production, Meg agrees to step in as his replacement to keep the project from failing. With the show being filmed during the December, but it is not certain when it will air, conflicts begin arising quickly as the venue has a number of Christmas activities planned with all the pertinent decorations.  In addition to the attack on Faulk, one of the competitors is quickly eliminated due to his sabotaging other contestants and is later found murdered in a field at Ragnarsheim, the estate that is hosting the competition.

As with all of the books in this series, the protagonist is joined by a variety of her friends and family during the course of the investigation.  Throughout this series, the author has managed to maintain incredible consistency in how the characters are portrayed and interact with others in the community.  I am especially pleased to see the author bring Meg back to her avocation of blacksmithing as some of the earlier books only referred to her career in a remote manner but the inclusion here allows her to be portrayed as a very positive role model who is not defined by age, gender or family background.

Throughout this installment the author included enough misdirects and red herrings to keep the reader involved until the end in trying to solve the mystery along with Meg and the police with the final reveal of motive and culprit coming as a surprise to not only the reader but also to Meg herself.  I hope that future installments of this series will continue to include more action on the blacksmithing front to allow Meg to remain a strong individual with all of her diverse interests included.

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

OOh! I was so excited to read another cozy mystery by Donna Andrews featuring Meg and her close-knit family. After an attack on her blacksmith mentor that left him with a broken arm, Meg agrees to take his place as a competitor on a reality show featuring swordsmiths squaring off against each other. Set at her friends castle and surrounded by friends and family, Meg not only competes but sets out to discover who attacked Faulk and also who was trying to sabotage the competitors. But then there is a murder. Could this be tied to the attack on Meg's friend? As she investigates, is she in danger? Again, I love how the whole family works together and how Meg is unflappable. Fast paced, lots of twists and turns, I like how Andrews walks through the mysteries and evidence and makes the reader a part of the solution. I thought it fascinating to learn about crows whereas I would have dismissed them before, and how they helped move the story along. Just a fun read and well written. Oh, and did I say that it takes place at Christmas time? I love the references to Charles Dickens' Christmas Carol and all the Ghosts. Good to read anytime but perfect for this holiday season. Many thanks to #netgalley #st.martinspress #letitcrowletitcrowletitcrow #donnaandrews for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! by Donna Andrews in exchange for an honest review. It published October 10, 2023.
Yet another fun installation in this wonderful series. I absolutely loved the blacksmithing angle and the competition show subgenre in cozy mysteries holds a special place in my heart. This one is great! Another great thing about this one is that although it's set at Christmas, it's Christmas adjacent, and could be read any time of the year!

I love this series. I have loved it from book one and I do not think one book in the series has disappointed me, and let me tell you why - Donna Andrews is an extremely gifted writer, who does not jump on tropey bandwagons and writes what she knows and loves [and that is Meg and her family]. She is consistent in turning out great stories and mysteries and while they are not always edge-of-your seat mysteries/reveals, they are ALWAYS well-written and good and more often than not, I have no idea who the killer was [which happened in this book - talk about a SHOCK!!] and with that and the amount of laughter I also get from the books [because they are just hilarious as well], equals time well spent in a book, which is ALL we can really hope for.

In this Christmas edition, Meg finds herself at Ragnar's house, getting ready to work in the background of a weaponsmithing competition that her mentor Faulk is participating in [and one that she had declined to be a participant of] and that Ragnar is hosting [I seriously want to visit Ragnar's house. S E R I O U S L Y]. Then someone tries to kill Faulk and Meg is forced to join the competition and well...stuff happens. LOTS of serious stuff. And silly stuff. And lovely stuff from Jamie and Josh[it is so sweet when they calmly come to wake their mom up at O'dark early and feed her caffeine and love] and Michael [who, because it is AWESOME, come to stay at Ragnar's too]. And some seriously hilarious moments. And all of that leads up to the reveal that just came out of nowhere for me [maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention? I was really wrapped up in the whole show business and how stupid people can really be. Oh my goodness] and lead to a very satisfying end to a really good read for me [I know that the minute I started reading this, my whole being sighed with relief at the idea of reading something that was so familiar and comforting]. I highly recommend this series.

I was able to get the audiobook ARC of this book and I realized that the more I listen to the narrator for this series, the more I am getting into her cadence of how she voices each character and that has become better for me. While I am still not in love with the voices she uses for Meg's Dad [this is the one that grates on me the most] and Caroline [I just cannot fathom the Caroline of the books having that speaking voice, but that is just me], I have settled in with everyone else and it made for a really enjoyable listen [she does Ragnar very well]. I look forward to listening to future books and also looking forward to rereading this series and being able to listen to them from the beginning. Well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Donna Andrews, Bernadette Dunne - Narrator, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to SMP & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series, and I'm happy to say that this instalment is up to my exacting standards lol. In this Christmas adjacent story (it's the run-up to the holiday, so there's Mother decorating Ragnar's castle as you'd expect), Meg finds herself thrust into taking a spot in a blacksmithing/weapon designing reality show, similar to Forged In Fire, after her friend and mentor, Faulk is attacked and his arm broken. Of course, the show is being shot in Ragnar's castle [actually in large tents on the grounds, as Ragnar refused a complete redesign of his interiors for the sake of filming], and the contestants (and Meg, and Michael and the twins) are staying on-site during the competition.

The vicious attack on Faulk is bad enough, but when one of the contestants is murdered, that turns up the heat on the situation, and pretty much everyone, including the contestants, the annoying producers, and the crew are all suspects. Andrews executes a clean, believable plot while still providing all of the fun quirkiness I've come to love about this series.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a pretty perfect cozy. Donna Andrews has a lot of fun here with reality TV and gender stereotypes. When a bladesmithing reality show ends up needing an extra contestant, amateur detective (and talented smith) Meg Langslow gets unwillingly drafted. She soon finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery. Lots of fabulous characters, terrific settings, and a very likeable main character.

This is the newest in a long series, and I am looking forward to diving into Meg's backstory, but the story works as a standalone. The action unwinds in the lead-up to Christmas, so it's a perfect snowy day with a cuppa book. 4 and a half stars from me. Thanks to #NetGalley for the e-arc. #Bookstagram

Meg has agreed to replace her mentor in the upcoming weapon smithing competition due to him being attacked and unable to participate. She hates that the competition is being filmed in December because its such a crazy month for her and the family. Meg joins the cast but soon.learns that all the contestants feel like woman shouldn't be blacksmiths. It doesn't help that several people already have grudges against others not to mention a feud or two. Follow along to see if this competition becomes cutthroat or will Meg get by without murder finding its way into her path.

Thank you to Donna Andrews, her publisher and Netgalley, I received this as an ARC. This is my honest review.

This book was incredible. It's the latest in the Meg Langslow series and I loved it! Meg is preparing for Christmas and her friend Ragnar is using his property for a Swordsmithing Competition called Blades of Glory. Meg's friend and smithing mentor Faulk is going to be part of the competition.

Faulk gets attacked and has to bow out of the competition and reluctantly Meg steps into his place. She is trying to figure out who attacked Faulk when someone is murdered. Now she's trying to solve both mysteries. Was it the same person, or two different people?

The Christmas vibes with this one are terrific. They are hosting this event in a castle and the host Ragnar loves everything Gothic, so the decorations are Christmas Gothic and they sound so fun. There are also feasts, sledding, snow, gingerbread houses and more. Having Meg's husband and sons at the castle makes it even more fun.

Donna Andrews' 'Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!' proves to be an engaging addition to the Meg Langslow series, brimming with holiday sleuthing. Meg's unexpected entry into the weaponsmithing competition sets the stage for a thrilling mystery. Andrews skillfully weaves a tale of intrigue, interwoven with the complexities of a Christmas-time investigation. As Meg grapples with the dynamics of a competitive world and the challenges of her own bustling life, readers are taken on a rollercoaster ride of twists and turns.

Against the picturesque backdrop of Ragnarshjem, Andrews paints a vivid picture of a high-stakes competition, rife with old grudges and brewing conflicts. With a mix of humor and suspense, 'Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow!' is a delightful page-turner that leaves readers guessing until the very end.

Let it crow! Let it crow! Let it crow! by Donna Andrews.

I got sucked into this world so fast my head is still spinning!! This cozy mystery had me hooked from the start and I was so excited to learn this series is 34 books long!! Good news, my library has them all…. Bad news…. I have to wait but seriously Meg…. OMG MEG!! She just became my new favorite MC!

The pace was perfect and I loved the twists and for once, I didn’t guess who the killer was. This was a win win for me. All my favorite things rolled into one book! Christmas and a mystery…. Little romance and humor… This book was exactly what I needed. I finished it all in one sitting and I am so glad I got to read it. Such a clever book.

5 stars! All the Stars! TAKE MY STARS!!!!

Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! I know the holidays are quickly approaching when the latest humorous cozy mystery featuring Meg Landslow comes out. There is nothing better to get you in a holiday mood!

Meg’s friend and patron, Ragnar, has opened up his massive estate to a reality competition. The topic is blacksmithing, bladesmithing for the purists. When one of the contestants is attacked and hospitalized, Meg is forced to compete as a last-minute replacement. Can she both find the attacker and not embarrass herself during the show? With the help of her husband, twin sons, and a plethora of relatives, she should have no trouble.

I love this series! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! contains an interesting backstage look at reality shows. However, as usual, Meg’s crazy life and her funny point of view is the best part. 5 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Six swordmakers swording, five backstabbing bladesmiths, four crows a-circling, three judges judging, two misogynistic morons, and one dead body.

Donna Andrews is one of my favorite authors of all time. Let it Crow! Let it Crow! Let it Crow! is the 34th book in the Meg Langslow Mystery series, and it is fantastic! The author consistently keeps her books interesting, timely, and fun.

Meg steps in when her friend and mentor Faulk is attacked and left with a broken arm the night before he’s scheduled to start filming a reality show. He and his husband are heavily invested in the reality show, Blades of Glory, and failing to produce the show could leave them flat broke. So armed with her favorite blacksmithing tools, her husband and twin sons, Meg and family move to Ragnarshjem, where the show is filming, for the holidays. As the only female on the show, Meg is met with some hostility in the predominantly male field, and someone aims to win at all costs, no matter the consequences.

A few days before I started reading this story, I was donating platelets, which means I’m a captive audience for 90 minutes. One of the other donors was watching Forged in Fire on the TV, and I would occasionally watch as well. So when I started Let it Crow! and read that Meg Langslow would be competing in a wanna-be reality sword-making show, it brought the story alive even more than it usually does.

There’s never a dull moment in a Meg Langslow mystery. I love the humor Donna Andrews writes with, as well as the strong family and friendship ties. The plots are always so interesting, and the author imparts bird lore without sounding like she’s lecturing about the species. This book is more focused around Meg’s profession, and it was fascinating to read about the process of forging swords and knives out of steel. And with it being Christmastime, and set at a castle brings a special atmosphere to the whole story. As always, I’m looking forward to the next in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for letting me read an advanced copy. I’m happy to leave my honest opinion in this review. #LetItCrowLetItCrowLetItCrow

It’s Christmas again in Caerphilly, but Meg Langslow isn’t at home surrounded by family as usual. Instead, she’s working as a gofer at her friend Ragnar’s farm. Her blacksmithing teacher and mentor Faulk has agreed to be in a blade-making competition, and Meg has agreed to hang around and help things go smoothly, even though she has no interest in competing herself. There are six bladesmiths who will be competing until there in only one left standing. The filming is taking place in a tent at Ragnar’s, so that’s where Meg is spending her time.

But when Faulk is attacked and left with a broken arm and a possible concussion, Meg is asked to step in and compete for him. Meg is reluctant, but when she finds out that Faulk and his partner Tad had also invested money in the production, she feels like she has to help them out. The host is another of Faulk’s former students, Alec, who never found as much success at the forge as Meg had. He had helped put the production together, tapping friends to compete and finding the producers. Alec was also the one who got Faulk and Tad to invest in Blades of Glory.

Now that Meg has decided to compete, her husband Michael and twin boys move out to the farm also (it’s a really big farm). And since one of the competitors was attacked, the police chief sends one of his deputies to take over Meg’s place as gofer and to keep an eye on the other competitors. But even with an undercover deputy, Meg still uncovers sabotage on the set during the first day’s competition. They were tasked with making knives 6-8 inches long, and someone was turning the dials on the forges, either making them too hot or not hot enough to make a strong knife.

Meg takes some inspiration from the crows that have been hanging around the tent and adds a decorative note to the handle of her dagger. And after a long and exhausting first day, she falls into bed and sleeps hard, resting up for more days of competing and for the upcoming holidays, which will offer a break from the blade-making. The snow is holding off so far, but the decorating and baking are going full-tilt in the castle, with Meg’s mother overseeing the abundant Christmas decorations and her cousin Rose Noire helping Ragnar’s cook in the kitchen.

But when one of the competitors is found dead in the cow pasture, Meg knows that there is more going on with Blades of Glory than meets the eye. She can find help for some of the issues, like the production assistant—a relative of one of the producers—who is unhappy with her work and is getting harassed by one of the contestants. She can help Ragnar keep the secret passageway in the library working smoothly. She can help the police chief find clues that will lead to a murderer. But she can’t talk her way out of the moment the killer decides she knows too much and pulls a gun on her. Will she be able to find help in time, or will there be another murder?

Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! is the latest book in Donna Andrews’ popular Meg Langslow mysteries. This Christmas-themed mystery is number 34 in these cozies that center on Meg and her extended family in the small Virginia town of Caerphilly. As Meg’s group of family and friends grow, her resources for solving crime and helping her community grows stronger and smarter, making these novels smart and current and generous.

I have loved these books for years, ever since Meg found penguins in her basement, and they just keep getting better. This one involves a blade-making competition a little like the popular Forged in Fire series (although this production company is sketchy, to say the least), and I could not be happier about that. In fact, I think I may have begged the universe for it several years ago, wishing I could see a female blacksmith as strong as Meg compete. I thought her intelligence and work ethic would take her far, and no matter what happened, she would always be the winner in my book. So this is more than just another wonderful, witty, warm-hearted mystery novel, this is a true gift for fans like me who also love a good knife competition. I don’t even know what to ask for next, except to say more, please more. And to say thank you!

Egalleys for Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! were provided by Minotaur Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.