Swan for the Money (Meg Langslow Series #11)

Meg pregnant!!! Oh Brother.

Good not great. Wished for more prenancy moments, (mood swings, cravings, etc.) Rob is missed.

I enjoy Donna Andrews series.

Her books are always fun and fast paced.

Another Wonderful Adventure with the Langslow Family

The next installment in the Meg & Michael's story is great; always fun to see what everyone is up to. Like the way characters from past books get woven into the new story.

Swan for the Money

I just love Donna Andrews. I read her first book this summer and just had to read the rest. The Swan for the money is not as funny as the first, but I really enjoyed it. You never know what will happen. Her family is just as crazy as mine. A very enjoyable read.

Andrews has done it again

I always look forward to the next Meg Langslow adventure and this was not a disapointment. Bring on the next in the series!

Love 'em!

I love all Donna Andrews' books.

cozy series new to me....

Swan for the Money is the 11th novel in the Meg Langslow series, but was a first for me.

Meg has volunteered to organize the local competitive rose show - her parent's new hobby. It's being held on the estate of Mrs. Winkleson. Now, Mrs. Winkleson hasn't ingratiated herself with the others in the group. Between her insistence that everything on her estate be black, grey or white - including the livestock - and the growing (pun intended!) suspicion that her rose propogation techniques may not be on the up and up, she is causing some headaches. Meg's grandfather and his cronies are skulking about the estate as well, looking for animal rights abuses among those colour coordinated animals. And when a body is found on the grounds of the estate......

Donna Andrews has created a wonderfully warm, cozy mystery series. No overt violence, lots of humour and and an eclectic group of characters. There is such a mix of ages in the characters that this series would appeal to a variety of ages. Some of the characters are over the top (the murder victim in this case) but they're great fun to read. It took me a couple of chapters to get up to speed with who's who, but after that it was no problem. I found the descriptions of the competitors and the goings on at the rose show quite funny, reminding me of the mockumentary Best in Show that spoofed dog shows. Meg herself is a great recurring vehicle - an amateur sleuth who can't stop herself from helping solve the mysteries that she stumbles into.

There's no great mystery as to whodunit, but the read itself is the most enjoyable part, not the solving.

Fans of any of the themed series out there, such as Diane Mott Davidson, Carolyn Haines or Joanne Fluke would enjoy this series.

comedic amateur sleuth

For once, Meg Langslow believes her parents have taken up a safe hobby that could not harm anyone. They are growing roses especially working on hybrids with a hope of creating a black version. Elated with their new pastime that is so safe, Meg agrees to organize the Caerphilly Garden Club first annual rose show.

The event is being held on the Winkleson estate because wealthy, influential but mean spirited Mrs. Winkleson wanted a home court advantage with everyone owing her favors and those who do not she bullies so she can win the Black Sawn Trophy. Meg goes to see the estate's beautiful fenced in rose garden, but instead of beautiful blooming flowers, she finds a dead female contestant. Soon afterward, the hostess becomes unconscious after taking a drink. It looks like someone was trying to kill her using cyanide. Meg as usual snoops, but quickly finds everyone including servants, but especially the club members have strong motives to kill Mrs. Wilkerson.

Donna Andrews is highly regarded for her comedic often slapstick amateur sleuths (see SIX GEESE A-SLAYING); her latest is once again a hilarious whodunit as eccentricity, including Meg's parents, runs rampart throughout the plot. The contestants are to say the least an unconventional crowd of oddballs, misfits, geeks, and hermits in which Ms. Andrews uses hyperbole to emphasis the diverse differences. Between protecting her out of control parents and dealing with belligerent club members, harried servants and sinister killer swans, Meg has her work cut out solving the rose garden murder.

Harriet Klausner

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