BIRDER, SHE WROTE is the thirty-third book in the Meg Langslow cozy mystery series written by Donna Andrews. This story takes place during the summer and bird and bee fun facts abound. The latest project for Meg’s dad involves installing a new beehive in her backyard. This proves to be a more complicated process than some would otherwise assume. As usual for this series, Meg has several tasks to occupy her time. In addition to the assist with the bees, she’s tagged to get the newbie wealthy whiny neighbors to simmer down with their many gripes. Lastly, it’s while she’s helping search for a historic and forgotten cemetery that her group stumbles upon a murder victim.
The murdered man was, predictably, not very well liked so the suspects are many for Meg to sort through. Since several of the suspects lived near the victim, it begs the question - how well do you really know your neighbors? Meg takes a deep dive and digs up all the secrets the locals and newly-locals might be hiding in order to find the best and most likely motive. In addition to the shady neighbors, and people who have legitimate beefs with the victim because of his odious personality, there is a female reporter who keeps popping up like a bad penny. From the first mention of the bees, I admit that I was hoping for somebody to unleash them on whoever turned out to be the villain. The real sense of danger in this mystery, for me, was when it looked like the murderer might have his sights set on Cordelia. It’s always a little unsettling when a favorite character in a cozy series becomes a possible target.
BIRDER, SHE WROTE explores the dark hearts hidden under polished and preening exteriors. The mystery was delightful, and I love spending time with Meg and the other recurring characters. Donna Andrews did a fabulous job of having the settings in this story come alive for the reader. I enjoyed the hummingbird trivia in BIRDER, SHE WROTE. I look forward to reading the next Meg Langslow mystery.
Meg is relaxing in the hammock, taste-testing Michael’s latest batch of Arnold Palmers and watching the hummingbirds at their feeders when her hopes for a relaxing early summer morning are dashed.
First her father recruits her to help him install a new batch of bees in the hive in her backyard. Then Mayor Shiffley recruits her to placate the NIMBYs (Not in my backyard), as she calls them -- a group of newcomers to Caerphilly who have built McMansions next door to working farms and then do their best to make life miserable for the farmers. And finally Meg’s grandmother, shows up, trailed by a nosy reporter who is writing a feature on her for a genteel Southern ladies’ magazine.
Cordelia drafts Meg to accompany her and Deacon Washington of the New Life Baptist Church--and the reporter, alas--in their search for a long-lost African-American cemetery.
Unfortunately what they discover is not an ancient cemetery but a fresh corpse. Can Meg protect her grandmother--and Caerphilly--from the reporter who seems to see the worst in everything . . . and help crack the case before the killer finds another victim?
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