No Nest for the Wicket

I generally enjoy this series, and when I see that the author has a new book out, I always get it. I have sometimes been disappointed because it's not as good as I expected, but that's not the case with this book -- it was one of the better in the series, all of which have a bird reference in the title. In this case, the nest belongs to a duck -- named Duck. You can imagine what happens when someone calls her... That gives you an idea of the humor in the book. But even funnier is the game that is played throughout the book -- eXtreme croquet! I guess there really is such a game, and it sounds fun -- croquet played on rough terrain rather than the usual flat lawn. The series' "detective," Meg Laslow, lives on a Virginia farm with her fiance Michael. They're renovating an old farmhouse, and since they live in the country, they're hosting an eXtreme croquet tournament. Almost immediately, Meg stumbles across a body -- an unknown woman who has apparently been murdered with a croquet mallet. Because the murder was on land used for the croquet tournament, it seems likely that someone in the tournament or working on the house committed the murder. Although the sheriff is investigating, Meg is interested in discovering which of the people at her place for the weekend is the killer. Staying with Meg and Michael are Meg's colorful parents and brother and other assorted family members (where are all these people sleeping? not clear), who add to the humor. Also staying with Meg and Michael is Spike (actually belongs to Michael's mother), a tiny little dog who has been through umpteen dog trainers and still bites unwary people. He also adds to the humor. I really didn't guess "who dun it," which is to the author's credit, as I read so many mysteries that I often do. Only toward the last 75 pages did I add the person to my "possible killer" list. If you haven't read any in the series, if you like witty, cozy mysteries, you're likely to enjoy this one. If you are already a fan, you won't be disappointed.

Meg and her circle are on top of their wacky game in this fun mystery. What a great introduction to extreme croquet. I expect a Duck fan club to appear on the Internet somewhere.

Donna Andrews is getting better with each book. Extreme croquet sounds like fun! Of course Meg finds a body and we get to follow along as she and Micheal finds the truth. We find out more about Micheal's past and I am glad that he is now has a past. I will admit, I was able to figure out who the murderer was quite early but that didn't bother me. The characters of the Dames were lovely. I love the ending - Mother and Father and the farm next door. Perfect. Duck, and the ducklings, will have a pond. Spike, my favorite character, will have many woodland creatures to terrorize. And in the next book, maybe a wedding! I will be looking forward to that.

Blacksmith Meg Langslow learns exactly how dangerous a game of eXtreme Croquet can get when she follows her roqueted ball into a bog--where she finds a dead woman. It turns out that the dead woman was a bit of a trouble-maker, as well as a former girlfriend of Meg's fiance, Michael. All of the croquet players deny knowing anything about her, but the truth gradually comes out. With the fate of what might become the country's largest outlet mall (in Meg's back yard, of all places) involved, the stakes are high. Could it be members of the historical society? Or perhaps the developer? Then again, surely it isn't Michael--despite ending the relationship on a negative note. The local sheriff isn't much interested in Meg's help, but she can't stop herself. She talks with the locals (including the family working on restoring the farmhouse where she hopes, eventually to live and from which the workmen had a great view of the croquet game) and starts trying to narrow down the suspect list. Unfortunately, the list seems to keep growing. Author Donna Andrews combines charming characters with an intriguing story in a truly enjoyable mystery. Meg might be a bit odd in her own right, but she's definitely the normal one in her family--and her family is at the croquet match in full force. Her doctor-father's not-so-secret wish to be a forensic scientist comes into play, as does her mother's constant planning, her cousin's herbal druidry (or is it dryadry), her brother's computer incompetence (you'd think that would be a problem considering he's President of a computer game company), all play important roles. Between late-night sheep shearing, Spike-the-dog's bad habits, and the egg-laying scheming of Duck the duck, I found myself chuckling through this entertaining story. I'm happy to recommend NO NEST FOR THE WICKET--great title, too.

During one particular weekend in Caerphilly blacksmith Meg Langslow and her fiancé Marley college drama professor Michael share a weekend that would drive a saint to sin. In addition to living in a stall while their house is undergoing major renovations, her land is being used as the playing field for eXtreme croquet. Meg is participating in the tournament where the field contains difficult obstacles including bogs, quicksand, briar patches, and poison ivy to name a few. When she falls down the gully while looking for a ball, Meg finds the body of a woman. After the police circulate a picture of the deceased, no one comes forth admitting they knew her. That is until Michael identifies the victim as Lindsay Tyler, a teacher at the nearby college. A host of suspects surface amongst the historical society, the college faculty, and even college students from out of town. Meg makes her inquiries as she now realizes the murdered woman misrepresented herself to gain access to historical documents. There are no words to adequately describe how amusing this novel is. Meg's interactions with people including her quirky relatives and the situations she ends up in will leave the audience laughing in delight. Her ability to juggle several crises while sleuthing will have readers admire her spirit and determination. Donna Andrews is one of the best authors at providing a humorous whodunit. Harriet Klausner