Murder with Peacocks

Oh the fun at 3 wedding. Great cosy mystery

It's certainly easy to see how or why this book won the the St. Martin's Press Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Contest. The author rarely sets a foot wrong in this witty look at what can happen to one family in which there will be three weddings during one summer in Virginia. The characters are absolutely unique in their own way, but are lovingly patterned after those found in large families, complete with eccentrics and lovable elderly relatives and precocious kids.Meg Langslow is the calm, sane one--the one everyone always turns to for help, only this time she may well have bitten off more than she can reasonably chew, as her idea of having a summer off from her welding/sculpting career lands her with the awesome task of wedding planner for the wedding of her Mom (the second time around, with suitable interference from Dad, who's still very much present); her brother Rob to Samantha (who nobody much seems to care for) and, finally her best friend Eileen, to Steven. Meg is also Eileen's maid of honor. The village dressmaker, while on a visit to Florida, had some kind of accident, leaving her gorgeous son in charge. Of course, he's the most gorgeous unattached male in town, and Meg is instantly smitten, but rumors quickly put the cabosh on that relationship even before it can settle very firmly in her mind. Nevertheless, Michael does seem to be always somewhat nearby whenever Meg needs a helping hand. And as the first wedding day draws ever nearer, she seems to need several helping hands. The small-town observations are dead-on, and the wry, witty voice of Meg as she describes the goings-on will have you laughing out loud when you're not just merely chuckling. And the peacocks? You won't believe. You'll just have to read the book to find out for yourself. You won't mind it a bit. Promise.

How would you like to be maid of honor for three weddings? Your Mom's (to a dishwater dull guy), your best friend's (who wants velvet in July), and your sister-in-law-to-be (who needs a personality makeover). Well, that's that problem confronting Meg, the wonderful ironworker heroine of Ms. Andrew's delightful mystery. All sorts of weird Southern relatives are thrown in the mix. There's the gay subsitute dressmaker, Michael and his nasty dog, Spike. The mystery, starting with the murder of Mrs. Grover, the dishwater dull guy's ex-sister-in-law (family connections are very important in this novel), is clever and satisfying. All in all, one of the best mystery debuts I've read in years! More please!

Move over, Janet Evanovich and Jennifer Crusie! Here comes another terrific author who writes hilarious mysteries! MURDER WITH PEACOCKS is a great read - very funny and very entertaining! The main character is Meg, a bridesmaid in three weddings this summer. Then a murder occurs. In between writing invitations, booking peacocks and other sundry bridesmaid duties, she attempts to solve the mystery.Add other fun characters, hilarious situations and a dropdeadgorgeous leading man (who I imagined to look like Greg Montgomery from Dharma and Greg), and you will have finished this book in no time! Bravo, newcomer Donna Andrews! Write some more - you're GOOOOOD!!

A delightful heroine, Meg, overworked, has amazing energy to organize three weddings for difficult brides-to-be, one of whom is her mother. In spite of a murder here and there and near-fatal ``accidents," Meg tries to organize everything from fittings for gowns to addressing hundreds of invitations and even ``renting`` peacocks for her brother's wedding. In between her hectuc schedule, she tries to solve the murders as well, all the while hampered by demanding brides-to-be, relatives, an eccentric father and fatuous mother, and a host of zany characters.A fun book to read, as a mystery, and as a comedy and good natured farce on weddings, their rituals, and the entanglements of a small town where almost everyone is related.. Even the animals are fun... Duck, the Dog Spike, and of course, the peacocks.The unraveling of the mystery leaves some questions unanswered, but it's fun getting all the way to the end.