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Available 4.15.24


The Llama Of Death

The Llama Of Death, January 2013
by Betty Webb

Poisoned Pen Press
Featuring: Theodora "Teddy" Bentley
250 pages
ISBN: 1464200661
EAN: 9781464200663
Kindle: B00AY7OW4E
Paperback / e-Book
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"Teddy Buntley doesn't expect to find murder at a Ren Faire."

Fresh Fiction Review

The Llama Of Death
Betty Webb

Reviewed by Leanne Davis
Posted April 3, 2013

Literature and Fiction

Under protest, Teddy Buntly, takes Alejandro, a llama, to the Renaissance Faire. Teddy is a zookeeper at the Gun Zoo which is privately owned. When the owner says go, Teddy goes. Alejandro loves children but doesn't much like adults; especially, his former owner. The former owner attends the fair drunk and tries to give Alejandro a beer upsetting both Alejandro and Teddy. That night, Alejandro, causes a ruckus. When Teddy investigates, she finds a body.

Henry the VIII, as played by the local "reverend", Victor Emerson is found dead at Alejandro's feet. With Teddy's boyfriend, the sheriff off for some Homeland Security training, the case is left in the hands of his second in command. He is making such a hash of the case, Teddy has to step in to try and solve the mystery. Even after Alejandro is cleared, Teddy continues the investigation since Elvin has charged her mother with murder.

Caro was married twice by Victor and is collecting some serious alimony. When it is learned that Victor was an escaped prisoner with no legal right to marry anyone, Caro has just as much motive for murder as anyone else.

This was my first exposure to this series but it won't be my last. Teddy's life is complicated. Her mother makes a practice of marrying and divorcing. Her father is an embezzler who lives outside the US. Her job involves a lot of hard work and she lives on an old boat which badly needs repair and lots of it. None of this gets Teddy down. She loves her home, her boat and her job.

The books are extremely funny with the unusual characters and interesting situations. If you like comedic mysteries, don't miss this series.

Learn more about The Llama Of Death

SUMMARY

Zookeeper Theodora "Teddy" Bentley takes Alejandro, the Gunn Zoo llama, to a Monterey Bay-area Renaissance Faire only to discover the still-warm body of the Reverend Victor Emerson, owner of the local wedding chapel, dressed in his royal robes as Henry the Eighth. At first it appears as if Aljandro stomped the man to death, but a closer look reveals a crossbow dart in the man's back. Teddy's investigation proves the "reverend" isn't really a reverend at all -- he's an escaped convict, and every marriage he's performed in the past twenty years is null and void. Teddy's mother Caro, a spoiled ex-beauty queen, becomes the chief suspect and is immediately jailed when she causes a riot in the courtroom.The "reverend" had twice married Caro to wealthy men, and when both marriages failed, Caro received large financial settlements. Now she may have to give all that money back, certainly a good enough reason to commit murder. But Caro wasn't the only person gunning for Victor. The child of the man Victor once murdered may have wanted to kill him, too, and at one point, even Teddy herself if handcuffed and jailed. Even worse, Teddy's embezzling father flies in from exile in Costa Rica to help spring Caro from jail, thus putting his own freedom in jeapoardy. As Teddy continues her investigation, she finds herself up to her ears in girl gang members, squabbling boat liveaboarders, Renaissance Faire actors and stuntmen, and assorted animals. Written with a humorous touch, "The Llama of Death" portrays Renaissance Faire life, and gives the reader a rare behind-the-scenes look at modern zoos.


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