Solving mysteries with Meg continues to perpetually please, even after 37 titles in the series! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy!

Meg is helping her brother by supervising the building of a duck pond in the yard of his new house. She is happy to do so because her own home is a mad house because it is the staging area for the first Mutt March. When the bulldozers uncover a skeleton and the skull has a bullet hole she knows there is a new mystery to be solved. Chief Burke has to go through missing persons to report in hopes of figuring out who the bones belong to. Meg starts at the library and talks to older citizens to see if she might be able to help with the identification. She really doubles down on her search when the woman who sold her brother the house disappears. Could she be the killer, did she know who the bones belong to, or did the killer get to her? Follow as Meg tries to answer those questions and more!

For Duck’s Sake is another absolute delight from Donna Andrews! From the very first page, I was completely drawn back into Meg Langslow’s world—quirky, heartwarming, and endlessly clever. Andrews has a gift for blending laugh-out-loud humor with a tightly woven mystery, and this installment is no exception. The small-town charm, the colorful cast of characters, and of course the ducks all come together in a story that’s both witty and impossible to put down.
As always, Meg’s quick thinking and the community’s antics kept me turning the pages late into the night. What I love most is how Andrews manages to make every new book feel fresh while still giving longtime readers the comfort of returning to beloved characters. It’s like catching up with old friends while being swept along in a brand-new adventure.
Thank you so much to Donna Andrews for the advanced reader copy—it was such a treat to enjoy this mystery early. This is hands-down one of my favorites in the series, and I can’t wait to see what Meg and company get up to next!

Meg returns hosting set up for the Mutt March, an event which will pair shelter dogs with a home. Hundreds of dogs are being staged at Meg’s home as they’re groomed, costumed, trained, and more to be ready for their new home. Meg is taking a respite next door at her brother's house. They’re having a duck pond built as duck eggs are high in protein for the baby. But all is halted as a bone is found. Meanwhile back with the mutts, there’s rumors of a dog fighting gang looking for some new dogs. This is another great installment in one of my favorite series. #ForDucksSake

Meg, already with a schedule filled with all sorts of work including having her backyard as Ground Zero for The Mutt March, figures watching the action while a duck pond is dug outside her brother’s new home will be a break from the chaos.. Things do not go exactly as planned. A body is discovered. The identify of the corpse is unknown, why he was killed is unknown and as more and more information surfaces, it appears he is a member of a nefarious family who have escaped the retribution they deserved. Things get more twisted when Iris, the woman whose family owned the land when the deed was done, disappears. Whether it was voluntary or by force is unknown but her connection to the mystery deepens when yet another surprise is uncovered beneath the earth.

The book is a great mixture of interesting family dynamics, colourful yet believable characters, lots of adorable dogs, and some villainous sorts who mean to do harm and must be stopped. Meg and her family and friends rally and not only does the Mutt March go off even better than hoped but justice is done for those nefarious individuals. It all adds up to a fun read especially in the summer. Five purrs and two paws up.

The latest in the A Meg Langslow Mystery series 'For Duck's Sake' is another winner for Donna Andrews. I delight in her ability to combine a suspenseful mystery involving murder and illegal dog fights with a congenial and lighted hearted narrative. The feelings provided are rewarding because of Donna Andrew's exceptional skill in delivering multilayered situations juxtaposed to a heartwarming family and community life.
I recommend this book, as well as the entire series highly!

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

In For Duck’s Sake, Meg has had enough of planning huge events. When her town decides to have a parade and fair to support an animal adoption event, she successfully pawns off the leadership of it to her uber organized mother. That leaves Meg plenty of time to help the Chief of Police discover the identity of the skeleton found next door and how it came to be buried in her brother’s backyard.

It is always a pleasure to return to Meg’s crazy world. This book keeps up the craziness but focuses more on Meg’s investigative and interviewing skills than usual. The somewhat controlled chaos of her life is more of a setting than a plot device in For Duck’s Sake. It makes a nice change for both Meg but her readers too. There is still room for a few bits of ridiculous moments too; parading dogs dressed as Ewoks and dinosaurs are surely not a common sight.

Overall, For Duck's Sake is a great entry for longtime series fans, though newbies might be better served by starting with a less complex entry. 5 stars from me though! I always look foreword to a new Meg Langslow adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced review copy.

Meg is back to her frantic pace when the whole family is involved in helping find homes for many dogs at the local animal shelter. Of course, nothing goes as planned and when a skeleton is found on her brother, Rob’s, new property there are many questions to be answered. With a missing woman, unknown identity of skeleton, and several other questionable events, this book is a page turner all the way through. I love listening to the audiobooks by Bernadette Dunne!

For Duck’s Sake is another warmly entertaining addition to Donna Andrews’ long-running Meg Langslow series, blending small-town charm, quirky humor, and an engaging mystery. From the opening scene of a bulldozer digging out a duck pond to the surprise unearthing of a skeleton, the book quickly pulls you into Meg’s latest sleuthing adventure. As always, Andrews paints Caerphilly as a place brimming with eccentric characters, lively community events, and a touch of chaos—in this case, the Mutt March and a suspicious disappearance that might just be linked to an old crime.

Meg remains as resourceful and relatable as ever, balancing her knack for solving mysteries with the everyday realities of family and community life. The central case offers multiple threads to follow—missing persons, possible kidnappings, and late-night prowlers—keeping the plot moving at a brisk pace. Andrews excels at weaving humor into her mysteries without diminishing the stakes, and the interplay between recurring characters adds a cozy familiarity that fans of the series will appreciate.

While the solution to the mystery may not come as a complete surprise to seasoned cozy readers, the fun is in the journey rather than the shock value. The mix of animal antics, family interactions, and well-paced investigative beats makes For Duck’s Sake a thoroughly satisfying read. Whether you’re a longtime Meg Langslow follower or a newcomer willing to jump into the series midstream, this installment delivers all the charm, wit, and lighthearted suspense you’d expect from Donna Andrews.

For Duck’s Sake is number thirty seven in the Meg Langslow mysteries but could probably be read as a standalone but will leave you itching to read the rest of the series. Meg is trying to escape the chaos that is the first Mutt March by visiting her brother’s house but winds up smack dab in the middle of another investigation. Construction on a pond leads to the discovery of an old body. Meg begins to investigate to uncover the identity of the unknown victim and his murderer. Wonderful characters drive an interesting and easy to read cozy that leaves you guessing and wanting more Meg. Meg Langslow mysteries deserve a spot on every cozy mystery reader’s must read list. My voluntary and unbiased review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

I've only read a handful of the Meg Langslow mystery series (this is number thirty-seven!) and I've enjoyed some more than others. This one captures all of the glorious chaos that is Meg's life with her family and friends. While they're preparing for the Mutt March, an event that features nearly four hundred costumed dogs who are all currently housed in Meg's yard, a skeleton is unearthed in the neighbor's yard. The thirty or forty year old murder investigation, combined with concerns about dog-nappers and lots of references to previous events in the town's history, kept me happily entertained. I know I'm missing an absolute ton of backstory, and I'd love to go back and read it all one of these days, but I don't mind at all that I don't always know who's who or how they all got together.

For Duck’s Sake Audio and e-book, by Donna Andrews is, as always, a totally entertaining time. The residents of Caerphilly are full of personalities and interesting backstories and we learn more about them every day. Plus, this time, half the town is arranging a Mutt March, in an effort to re-home dogs so there are several hundred dogs on Meg’s property, eating and sleeping, getting groomed and fitted for costumes for the march. Meg’s sons are forming a contingent of Start Wars themed pups with Michael, Meg’s husband, leading the pack in a Darth Vader costume. It doesn’t make for much quiet. Meg has been spending time at Rob and Delaney’s, supervising the digging of their duck pond as Delaney has read that duck eggs contain more protein than chicken eggs and she wants the best for her little girl. Progress is interrupted when the back hoe digs up a human arm. After calling the sheriff and the coroner, her father, she calls her grandfather, who never wants to miss anything and who also runs a DNA lab which might come in handy. Soon there is a whole team out there, including an archeologist from the local college and her students.

Plenty is happening with Meg right in the middle of it. Then, Iris, their elderly neighbor who lives on the property disappears. Before too long she texts to say she is fine, that she just needed a peace and quiet. They are all relieved but are still worried. As Meg goes about investigating to whom the body might belong, she meets some interesting people, which is unlikely as she thought she knew everyone in town. It turns into a good mystery, rooted in the past, with drugs, fallout shelters, kidnappings, and more to keep the reader entertained. Excellent book!

The reader is Bernadette Dunn, who I didn’t like at first, but have come to recognize that she is Meg Langslow. Her voice is immediately recognizable and she adapts to all the characters quite well. These books would not be the same without her.

I was invited to read and listen to For Duck’s Sake by St Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #MacMillanAudio #BernadetteDunn #DonnaAndrews #ForDucksSake

There is never a dull moment at the farm owned by Meg Langslow and her husband Michael. Fortunately for her, she has family nearby where she can go when she needs a moment of peace. Her place is the staging area for the Mutt March, a new event where they are having a parade down Main Street with literally hundreds of dogs and dozens of volunteers, to try to get the dogs adopted to loving families. So Meg decides to go to her brother Rob and sister-in-law Delaney’s farm to watch them break ground on a new duck pond.

At least in theory.

Meg’s life is never that simple, though, so it’s not that much of a surprise when the bulldozer operator suddenly turns off his equipment to point out that he’s found bones. Meg calls the police, and the police chief as well as an archeologist from the local college come to take a look. It turns out that they have found a skeleton buried in the yard. However, it wasn’t a recent burial.

As more of the bones are uncovered, the archeologist and Meg’s father, a doctor, determine that the skeleton belong to a man and that he had been killed maybe 30 or 40 years before. They think he had been not much more than a kid, maybe 15-25, but they do know how he died, from the bullet hole in the middle of his skull.

While Meg isn’t running the Mutt March, her mother is, so Meg is involved. Her yard is filled with dogs getting baths and checkups from the local vet, with dogs being trained to use a leash and getting fitted for costumes for the parade. But Meg also finds out that dog fighters from nearby counties may be trying to take dogs to train the fighters, so she’s also keeping an eye out for anyone she doesn’t know or who is acting suspiciously.

Meg does the research to create a list of missing people who may be the skeleton, going through microfilm and talking to old-timers in town. But when Iris, the woman who sold the farm to Rob and Delaney, goes missing, Meg adds another thing to her notebook-that-tells-her-when-to-breathe. Iris texted her to say she was okay, just needed some time to herself, but Meg is still worried. There are dangerous people in town, and she wants to make sure that Iris really is okay. But it’s not until Meg stumbles into an abandoned fallout shelter that she puts herself in the sights of the killers. Will she be able to put the pieces together in time, or will she find herself the next missing person?

For Duck’s Sake is book 37 in Donna Andrews’s popular Meg Langslow mystery series. I have been reading this series for years, and I love how Andrews uses modern storylines and Meg’s extensive family and friend circle to help face any challenge they come up against. I’m also a big animal lover, so I adored this story about the dog adoption parade and how carefully everyone cared for the dogs and vetted the families wanting to adopt.

I listened to For Duck’s Sake as an audio book, narrated to Bernadette Dunne, who has become to me the voice of Meg. I love listening to this series on audio, as it’s entertaining and soothing, and Dunne brings Meg’s voice to life perfectly. She has spent so much time with this family that she can easily keep the large cast of characters straight, which I appreciate. But she matches Meg’s level-headed intelligence with her snark and her Southern sensibilities, which makes for such an entertaining listen. And when you have a story that includes dogs in Ewok costumes, cross-stitched sayings with curse words, and magically multiplying ducks, then I am all-in.

Egalleys for For Duck’s Sake were provided by Minotaur Books and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.

3.5 stars

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!

After 37 books, this series still feels like visiting old friends. The town of Caerphilly and its cast of eccentric, lovable characters remain the heart of the story, and that’s what keeps me coming back. The humor, pacing, and sense of community are all still there, which makes for a comforting and familiar read.

That said, the mystery in this installment didn’t grip me quite as much as previous ones. The plot felt a little thin, and the time spent on the dog-related storyline started to outweigh the central investigation. Still, even with a slightly less compelling mystery, it’s an enjoyable addition to the series—and I’ll definitely keep reading.

While digging a pond, the crow finds a body of a murder victim. Meg and the family wind up, trying to help identify the body only to antagonize a murderer. Can they solve the mystery of who the body is as well as who killed them, or will Meg be next?

I really like how the author use the ducks to set the stage for this entry in this year. It is well written I found myself chuckling at times and laughing at others. Absolutely enjoyed every single page of it.

It’s been a little while since I read a #MegLangslow mystery. But I was happy to be able to jump back in. It felt like no time at all had passed.

There’s ducks and dogs and all the animals made me smile. Of course there’s a mystery to solve surrounding a skeleton found on her brother’s property and a missing person. The two storylines kept things interesting and added depth to the read.

I always love when there is humor woven into a book. I loved the banter between the characters. It added some charm to the story.

While the mystery wasn’t filled with twists and turns, it lived up to what it promised. An engaging cozy mystery with a litter of fun and lovable characters.

Bernadette Dunne did a good job bringing out the charm in the setting, characters and story. She brought Meg and the other characters to life and kept the lightheartedness throughout her narration.

For Duck's Sake is the latest in Donna Andrews long running Meg Langslow Mystery Series. Sometimes series when they run a long time can run out of ideas and become boring, but I always find Andrews stories full of charm. This novel certainly has a lot going on it. Meg must help with the town's dog adoption festival including a doggie parade of the adoptable canines. On top of that her brother and his family are putting in a duck pond on their nearby property (hence the ducks in the title). When the digging for the pond unearths a body, a mystery about both who the body is as well as why they were murdered is added to the mix. Unlike some cozies the body is found early on in the story so if you are a new reader and like your mysteries focused on solving the crime, you will enjoy this story. There are plenty of appearances though of Meg's quirky family and friends like New Age Maven Rose Noir, kind hearted vet Clarence, and Meg's cantankerous grandfather for long term series fans to enjoy. All the various plot threads knit together nicely in the end. I'm looking forward to Meg's next outing in the Winter holiday themed, Five Golden Wings, which will be available in October.

For Duck's Sake is book #37 in the Meg Langslow Mysteries series by Donna Andrews. Audiobook narrated by Bernadette Dunne.

I was concerned when I realized that this was book #37 in the series. There was no way to catch up on the series quickly so I jumped on in with this book. I was surprised how easy it was to get into it. There are a lot of characters and I’m sure reading the earlier books would have been beneficial, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying this book. I really like the idea of the Mutt March and it was funny how trying to escape the madness at home, Meg leaves and goes to Rob’s where a skeleton is found.

I was part way through reading the book when I was given the opportunity to also review the audiobook so I switched over to that and I really enjoyed that as well. I recommend either the book or the audiobook. Both were high-quality. The narrator of the audiobook really brought the characters to life. I look forward to catching up on this series.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the copy of this book and audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

You know that this is a cozy mystery. The things that happen would only happen in a cozy mystery (kind of like there are things that happen in Hallmark Christmas movies that would never happen in real life), yet you just go with it because it makes the story so much fun.

In this installment, Caerphilly is hosting a Mutt Parade and has 300+ dogs camping out in Meg's backyard. A whole crew of people is there to wash, feed, walk, and dress the dogs. Yes, I said dress. Many are wearing costumes in the parade - like the group of dogs dressed as Ewoks for the Star Wars entry. Of course, they get a tip that there may be a dog-fighting ring trying to get their hands on some bait dogs.

But a possible dog-knapping is not their only concern. While digging for a duck pond, a skeleton is discovered. This leads down memory lane for several of the characters.

For Duck's Sake is book 37 in the series, but you don't need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. It's only the 6th book I've read in the series.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Thursday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/08/3-fun-mysteries-to-read-now.html

I am a big fan of this series and eagerly await each new addition Luckily, the author has been publishing two books
In a year, with one being a Christmas edition.

The Meg Langslow mysteries are well plotted with an engaging heroine with a large quirky family and supporting friends. They are a treat to read and I devour them in one sitting.

I highly recommend this latest mystery and encourage you to discover the backlist.