Bells are ringing and alarms are sounding in Donna Andrews’ latest cheery addition in the New York Times bestselling Meg Langslow series. Meg’s sister-in-law, Delaney, is pregnant. Since her due date is on or around Christmas Day, this is putting a bit of a damper on the usual holiday festivities. Meg and Michael are NOT hosting the usual house full of relatives and parties. Instead, Meg, along with her mother, her grandmother, her cousin Rose Noire, and her good friend Caroline, are militantly doing everything they can think of to keep Delaney quiet and healthy. All the relatives are farmed out to friends and neighbors; all the parties are being held somewhere else; and while Delaney is bored and mutinous, she’s doing well, and they’re managing to maintain a serene, peaceful environment for her . . . until a body is found in Meg and Michael’s yard.

Dru’s Short Musing:
Donna delivers another bonafide tale that I could not put down until all was said and done.

The mystery was both entertaining and kept me engaged from beginning to end. The fun part was trying to figure out who hated the victim that strongly to murder him among the many suspects. The visually descriptive narrative and fetching dialogue, put me in the middle of all the non-stop action as I watch every scene play out until the killer was left standing for all to see. Donna knows how to tell a story that keeps you mystified and glued to the pages until the last words have been spoken. Bonus seeing Josh and Jamie have a larger role in this book. My have the grown and I especially love their conversations about food consumption. Too funny. Boasting an eccentrically lovable, yet quirk cast of characters and a small-town atmosphere, this book will put you in a festive mood and is one of the best Christmas-themed books in the series.

Series Name: Meg Langslow Mystery Book 36
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: October 15, 2024
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link

FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.