November's Books

Meg Lanslow’s husband Michael is directing a local production of “A Christmas Carol,” with their sons Jamie and Josh playing Tiny Tim and Young Scrooge. Famous (and over-the-hill) actor Malcolm Haver, known for a popular television series decades ago, has been brought in to play Scrooge. Haver has been drinking steadily since he got to town, and Michael is worried that he won’t be able to perform his role. There is also a subplot about a rare finch smuggling ring, and Meg’s grandfather, who runs a animal rehabilitation center, is expecting a Fish and Wildlife agent to stop by. Meg gets tangled up with the bird smugglers when she is tailing the actor, hoping to keep him from obtaining alcohol. She stumbles upon a barn with a rare tiger, a chimpanzee, and  dozens of Golden Retriever puppies.

This is the 22^nd book in the series, and the fourth Christmas themed one. Meg is an interesting character—she is a blacksmith who does ornamental ironwork. All the books have puns in their titles, and birds figure prominently. They are good, page-turning reads—this one had a twist at the end. There is humor, and they are not gory murders, but more towards the cozy side of the genre. I’ve read maybe a third of her books, and have not been disappointed. If you start at the beginning of the series, you will follow along as Meg finds romance, marries, has children, and the children grow up.

 

Writing and selling your mystery novel: revised by Hallie Ephron
Some Like it Hawk by Donna Andrews
Pontoon: a novel of Lake Wobegon by Garrison Keillor
How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews
The Shooting in the Shop by Simon Brett
The Poisoning in the Pub by Simon Brett
Douglas Adams' Starship Titanic by Terry Jones
Murder Goes Mumming by Alisa Craig
Death Under the Dryer by Simon Brett
Dead Room Farce by Simon Brett
The Torso in the Town by Simon Brett