Murder with Puffins (Meg Langslow Mysteries)

Anyone who would appreciate a well written mystery along with humor and appealing characters will enjoy this book. The series should be read from the beginning as you are introduced to the zany family of the female protagonist who is very likable and somehow I think we can all relate. The mysteries are bird themed which adds a quirky base to the story depending on location or event, quite interesting. Kudos to the author for writing an involving mystery without compromising the value of the story by adding "fowl" (pun intended) language or gore.

Great series enjoying the characters. Super cosy mysteries.

All Meg wanted was a quiet weekend alone with her boyfriend Michael. She thought she'd hit the perfect solution when she remembered the family cabin on the island of Monhegan. When they arrive, however, they find that the island is in the path of hurricane Gladys. Furthermore, her family has also decided get away for a few days. Trapped in the small cabin with her family on an island full of stranded birdwatchers, Meg and Michael try to make the best of it.Then a local celebrity is found murdered near his house. His list of enemies includes most of the island, but Meg's dad is the chief suspect. Now, Meg is searching the rain soaked island for clues, hoping she can clear her dad before the real killer leaves when the ferry resumes after the storm.While I enjoyed the first book in this series, I loved this one. The plot is more focused here. It starts out slowly, but once the body is found, things quickly get moving. There are several great plot twists, and the story reaches a satisfying conclusion. Yet, the book is still filled with the humor that made the first fun to read. And the characters are alive and interesting as well.Anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted mystery need look no further then this series. I'm already planning my next visit with Meg and her family and hope to enjoy many more to come.

Donna Andrews does it again! I enjoyed Murder with Puffins even more than I enjoyed Peacocks. The humor alone made this book an absolute delightful read. I laughed through the entire book. The characters seemed to jump off of the pages. The "birders" in the story were hilarious. Miss Andrew's descriptions of characters and events take on a life of their own. I become so caught up with the characters, that I forget about the mystery at the beginning of the story. When the mystery falls into place, the story takes another fun avenue. This mystery takes a lot of turns and twists. I enjoyed trying to figure out who "did it". I can't wait for the next book!

Meg, the delightful heroine of Andrews' first mystery, MURDER WITH PEACOCKS, is back with another charming, often hilarious mystery. Instead of the south, the book is set on a New England island, in the middle of a hurricane. Meg and Mike escaped there for some quiet time. Ha! Not with Meg's parents, relatives, and assorted loony inhabitants of the island (not to mention the puffins) around. Meg and her long suffering boyfriend are drawn into a delightful mystery concerning the murder of the dastardly island painter. The mystery is engrossing, the characters likeable, and Andrews' writing is first rate. What more could you want in a book? Great reading!

In Murder with Puffins, Donna Andrews moves Meg Langslow, her new sweetheart Micheal, and the most interesting of the cast of characters from Murder with Peacocks to an island off the coast of Maine - thereby showing us that her comic flair flourishes on Maine's rocky coast as well as the southern sun of her first book. I thoroughly enjoyed this second book, which maintains the charm and zany plotting of her first book while developing her cast of characters. I'm already longing for the next in the series. I can't wait to see where she takes Meg and company next.

Meg and Michael have a healthy romantic relationship, but struggle to find some private intimate time together. She lives with her parents and he rents a room in a professor's house. Even when they go dining in a restaurant they have no privacy as everyone seems to recognize Meg as the person who recently solved a big profile murder case. Though fame may last for fifteen minutes, Michael shakes his head in disbelief when other diners constantly bombard Meg for autographs or ask her prurient questions. Seeking some quality time by themselves, Meg and Michael go Aunt Phoebe's cabin on Monehegan Island off of the Maine coast.When they arrive, they find the abode filled with other people including Phoebe, Meg's immediate family, and an old family friend. A nasty storm traps everyone on the island. To get away, the couple takes long walks together. On one of their treks, they come across the murdered corpse of famous artist, local resident Victor Resnick. Circumstantial evidence points towards Meg's father or aunt as being the most likely perpetrators to have killed the villainous Mr. Resnick. The intrepid Meg and her valiant beau plan to prove otherwise.Donna Andrews first novel, MURDER WITH PEACOCKS, won the 1997 St. Martin's Malice Domestic Award. Her second book, MURDER WITH PUFFINS, proves that Ms. Andrews was no rookie flash, but a talented author with the potential of becoming a superstar. Her likable characters are offbeat and endearing and enhance the fast-paced, entertaining story line. Fans of regional amateur sleuth tales will gain much pleasure from this wonderful novel.Harriet Klausner