The Anteater of Death

This was a credible murder mystery that was just lighthearted enough (can murder be light hearted?) to be a fun read as well. I reccomend you get it for yourself and all your mystery loving friends and family. You will try to solve it yourself, delight in the revengeful humor, cheer on the zookeeper hero, hope for the anteater, get to know the characters in a small coastal town, and be satisfied with the ending. Lastly, you will want more and hope that the author is hard at work with the next in this new series. I can't wait for more.

When one of your favorite mystery authors makes a departure from their regular series, do you follow along? Do you worry about the new characters, and whether you'll be just as happy with the new series? I've been disappointed at times. I've read every one of Robert B. Parker's Spenser books, but I don't care about his characters, Jesse Stone or Sunny Randall. Betty Webb is well-known for her Lena Jones series, and, naturally, since they're set here in Arizona, they are particularly popular here. These are somewhat dark books. Betty herself says that the first one, Desert Noir, sets the tone. So, when she started a new series, a slightly lighter one set in a zoo, readers might have worried a little. There's no need to worry. The Anteater of Death is a stunning debut for the Zoo Mysteries featuring Teddy Bentley. Was Lucy, the anteater, framed? Theodora "Teddy" Bentley was the zookeeper who found a body in the anteater's enclosure at the private Gunn Zoo in California. She worried about her beloved anteater's fate, until she learned Lucy didn't kill the wealthy victim, the husband of one of the Gunn family members. However, she was even more sure that a fellow zookeeper wasn't the killer when Zorah was arrested for the murder. With the sheriff convinced he arrested the killer, Teddy realizes she's the only one who cares enough to find a murderer who is threatening her beloved zoo. The odds are stacked against Teddy. The sheriff is her old boyfriend, Joe Rejas. She and Joe were separated when her socialite mother sent her to boarding school in high school. They both married others, but now they're back in Gunn Landing. She has to fight her attraction to Joe, not only to find a killer, but to protect her zany mother and her scoundrel of a father, a likable con man. She also has to contend with the large, extended Gunn family, and the complications of the Gunn Family Trust, a trust that supports the zoo, but could also doom it. Webb's new mystery is a remarkable book, combining fascinating facts of animal and zoo life with a complicated plot. There's an interesting cast of characters, all with unique traits that animate them. Teddy and her family have a complex relationship that can be amusing, and, for Teddy, frustrating at times. Teddy, and her love of the zoo animals, bring this book to life. Webb's knowledge of zoos and animals shine through in a story that wouldn't be nearly as interesting without the animals. Betty Webb's fans won't be disappointed. She continues to educate readers, this time about zoos and animals. Fans of her Lena Jones series shouldn't hesitate to pick up this mystery. The Anteater of Death is an outstanding traditional mystery. It should bring new readers to Webb's challenging books.

Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (8/08) Theodora "Teddy" Bentley works as a zookeeper at the Gunn Landing Zoo. Following a fundraiser that took place at the zoo, a mauled body is found in the anteater exhibit, leading to suspicions that Lucy (the anteater) is responsible for the death. In order to exonerate Lucy, Teddy, who likes animals more than she likes people, vows to uncover the truth about what happened that fateful night. In doing so, Teddy finds herself in the midst of a family squabble and places herself in danger. "The Anteater of Death" will appeal mainly to adult females. The main character is a strong and independent woman who will stop at nothing to find the truth. Much of the plot revolves around Teddy's relationships. Her high-school flame, Joe Regas, is now the sheriff and working closely with him on this case rekindles their feelings, but neither is certain if this is appropriate. Teddy must also deal with her mother, who constantly tries to get Teddy fired because she thinks her daughter is too good to be cleaning up after animals. The exchanges between Teddy and her mother are quite humorous. A third relationship Teddy faces is with her coworkers. She must decide whom she can trust and wonders if any of them could possibly have been involved in the death. Betty Webb includes many intriguing side stories in this book. She provides a detailed and insightful look into what occurs behind the scenes in a zoo. I found it fascinating, yet somewhat frightening, how the zookeepers interact with the animals. I thought it was clever how the first and last chapters were written from Lucy's point of view. There are also elements that are reminiscent of soap operas, including: a wealthy family that lives in a castle, affairs, and fights over trust money. The unexpected ending may cause the reader to examine her own life and reflect upon how what appears to be true may, in reality, be only a facade. "The Anteater of Death" by Betty Webb is a well-written story that allows the reader to put the evidence together to form a conclusion. This book is the first in the Gunn Zoo Mystery series. I hope the future offerings can live up to the original.

Buy or borrow this book. Do not steal this book....that would make Lucy mad and apparently that's one thing you never want to do....go head to head or toe to talon with an enraged anteater. I have long been a fan of the author's other series but was blown away by this book. Lucy and her keeper Teddy are fresh and wonderful, the zoo and the marina and the castle are superb locations. I thought I pegged the killer early (and I turned out to be right) but that didn't take away from the sheer joy of the book. There is a nice cast of slightly 'different' supporting characters but the craziness is well contained and only adds to the joy...(if you are a reader of the Meg Langslow books by Donna Andrews, the crazy supporting cast is very similar.) And there's a nice love story and a hunky ex boyfriend now the sheriff and an on-the lam father and an entire zoo full of friends...both animal and human. Buy this book borrow this book, read this book and love this book!

Reviewed by Allison King for RebeccasReads (10/08) What do you get when you mix an anteater, upper crust families and murder? A mystery novel full of adventure and fun, while looking for a murderer! The book's main character, Theodora `Teddy' Bentley, works at the local zoo as a zookeeper in charge of a number of animals, including a pregnant anteater. A murder occurs in the anteater's enclosure and everyone wants to blame the animal, but Teddy knows better and puts her self in charge of finding out exactly what happened. The local sheriff Joe, her ex fiancé, even asks for her help in finding some answers to the killing. Teddy runs in to some roadblocks along the way. Her mother doesn't like her working at the zoo, which she finds distracts from Teddy finding a spouse. The upper-crust families want her to stop asking questions around the neighborhood. Family secrets arise left and right, as she gets closer to finding the truth. As Teddy and Joe rekindle their feelings, the stakes get even higher when there is another murder. With the threat of the anteater being taken away or worse, Teddy must find the real murderer. Even at the risk of her family and her own life! "The Anteater of Death" is the first book in the new Gunn Zoo Mystery series by Betty Webb. I am already looking forward to the next one. I was enthralled in Teddy's life. The story moves along fast and easy to read. The moments from Lucy the Anteater's `thoughts' brought an interesting angle to what animals think when humans are around them. The mix of Teddy wanting to lead her own life away from her rich family and her families `family issue' problems, put an interesting underlying storyline to the mystery. Amateur sleuth and zookeeper combine to make this book an intriguing one that I would recommend to others. I love the zoo. My first stop is always the gorilla and chimpanzee exhibit. I've often watched them and wondered what they were thinking, especially about how they feel about people watching and starring at them all day. I would be curious to know why the author chose an anteater out of all the animal choices. This story of a murder mystery tosses in a bit of zoo life to become a book that will have both kids and adults grabbing "The Anteater of Death" off the shelves to read. Take the time to go to your local zoo, but be careful. You don't want to end up in the next mystery at the zoo!!