While helping search for an old cemetery in the woods, Meg Langslow stumbles upon the freshly dead body of "Wally the Weird." Walter is one of the many NIMBYs (Not In My BackYard) people to settle in Caerphilly County, and he, along with his neighbors, are driving Meg crazy with his constant complaining about everything. The top suspect appears to be Edgar, a local farmer who Walter and the NIMBYs have been recently quarrelling with over his bee hives. When Edgar is cleared of suspicion, Meg gets caught up in finding Walter's killer. There is no shortage of people who might have been motivated to murder Walter. Meg is also on the trail of the "exterminator" who wiped out Edgar's bee hives as well as the person responsible for blackmailing several NIMBYs. There is also a reporter following around Meg's grandmother who seems to have questionable motives for conducting an interview, and Meg is determined to figure out her true purpose.

I have read all the books in the Meg Langslow series, and BIRDER, SHE WROTE is a solid addition to the series. Yes, I had the killer figured out from the beginning. But that did not stop me from enjoying the story. There were plenty of suspects and various motives to keep it interesting. I did miss some of the main characters who were not as prominent in this novel as they were in some other books. Overall, BIRDER, SHE WROTE is an enjoyable read.

Donna Andrew's mysteries bring me an inordinate amount of joy, and this is no exception. The antics Meg and her family get up to are always entertaining, and I'm already eager for more!

I have loved all the books in Donna Andrews’ Meg Langslow cozy mystery series and “Birder, She Wrote”, the thirty-fifth book in the series, is no exception. It is filled with the usual quirky characters that make this series so much fun – mostly Meg’s large extended family but also some of the neighbors. There are also the usual quirky situations and animals – bees (lots of lots of bees), dogs (lots and lots of dogs), and a nosy reporter who seems out of her elements as she profiles Meg’s grandmother for a Southern ladies magazine. Mixed in all of this is the murder mystery – truthfully, while there were plenty of suspects I did figure out early on who the killer was – still this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of visiting Meg and her family again.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Birder, She Wrote by Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow Mystery #33) 5 stars

Meg Langslow is relaxing in her hammock and trying not to think of the all the chores she has to do in her capacity as mother, daughter, volunteer, and part-time assistant to the Mayor of Caerphilly. Unfortunately, ugly problems appear at a fast pace – a missing beekeeper, agricultural sabotage, the need to placate a bunch of NIMBY’s and Meg’s grandmother being interviewed by a clueless reporter. When the death of one of those NIMBY’s is discovered Meg is recruited to do some discreet investigating.

I totally enjoyed reading this mystery. Ms. Andrews always presents a humorous picture of Meg Langslow and the people surrounding her. Of special note are the various Pomeranians that contribute to the solving of the mystery (They were adorable). I look forward to next Christmas themed Meg Langslow “Let It Crow, Let It Crow, Let It Crow” coming out October 2023

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC

What will Meg do about the beehives in her yard that her father put there? Why are there people in the town that are so against them? A rivalry across town lines may be getting out of control, and someone may end up hurt or worse. Donna Andrews keeps the mysteries coming, and I scoop up every one for a weekend of fun.

I don't know if anyone is more accomplished in the cozy genre than Donna Andrews. She always delivers, and 'Birder, She Wrote' is no exception. I only have one issue in that I miss the interactions between Meg and Michael. He always seems busy with other things and they seldom intersect. Just saying...

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Meg has been busy dealing with the NIMBYs (Not-In-My-Backyards). This is a group I'm very familiar with, neighbors who plow under land that's been farmed for hundreds of years, plunk down a McMansion, and then spend the rest of their days complaining about everything that was already there when they bought the land. When one of them turns up dead in the middle of the woods no one is exactly grief-stricken and the list of people who might have wanted to put an extra hole or two in the man grows by the day. But have no fear! Meg's massive extended family (both two-legged and four-legged) are on the case!

When I started this series I got hooked really fast and I binge read it 4-6 books at a time. It's kind of torture now waiting for each book to come out. Fortunately Andrews is pretty prolific so I don't have to wait too long. This series is one that kind of breaks the rules a bit for me. Lots of characters, convenient characters who just happen to be experts in whatever is needed at that moment, animals who pull off feats that normal pets couldn't accomplish. Andrews has done such an amazing job of developing this series that none of these things are a negative in this series. Yes, there are tons of characters, but they've been introduced over the course of many books and they're all so unique that it's not at all difficult to differentiate between them and all the talents that they have have evolved from passions that they've pursed over the course of the series. The pets have wild skills but they're so stinking cute!

This series has been one of my very favorite since I started reading it and it continues to be really good, even after over 30 books. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading cozies!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Meg is back again, for another fun filled mystery! This series just keeps getting better and better, I love the characters and the funny antics Meg gets into!! I hope there are several more books to come, I would highly recommend this book to everyone!!

I love this series, mainly because of the quirky characters. But, also because I always seem to learn something! If Donna Andrews wants to write them, then I want to read them!

I love Donna Andrews and her Meg Langslow series. Meg and her quirky family are so entertaining and there is always a fun adventure in every chapter. This installment of the series revolves around bees, a neighborhood of McMansions, a slave-era cemetery, and a Southern ladies magazine. Yes, these all have something in common and I highly suggest you read Birder, She Wrote to see how they all come together. Donna Andrews never disappoints.

Meg’s family enters the bee business. A hive is delivered to the property, and Meg’s father begins his on-the-job training. Besides accommodating the new honey bees, the needs of the resident hummingbirds must be considered, including a bully hummer that is wreaking havoc.

A magazine reporter is also wreaking havoc at the homestead attempting to interview Meg’s grandmother Cordelia. Also in the mix, are a group of homeowners from the nearby McMansion community comprised of at least three NIMBYs, (Not In My Backyard) as Meg and friends call the residents. They are constantly complaining about the adjoining farms, even though the farms were there first.

When the murdered body of one of the NIMBYs is discovered in a nearby forest known for its drug activity, the owner of the closest farm is the primary suspect. Meg assists the local sheriff in investigating and solving the case, sort of a Virginia version of Maine's Jessica Fletcher.

The book is well written, well edited, and entertaining. I enjoyed learning about bee life and beekeeping.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The focus is more on the bees than the birds in this entry in the long-running Meg Langslow series. Clashes between an upscale community and their rural neighbors, plus the usual shenanigans and colorful characters enliven a solid mystery.

Recommended.

My favorite series! Common sense Meg, fascinating grandmother Cordelia, the multi talented family, and whole group of friends are back to solve the murder of a NIMBY and solve the mystery of the destruction of a friend’s beehives. I’m fascinated with beekeeping, so was thrilled to find Meg’s family have added bees to their menagerie and that it would be central to the plot of the book. I was also excited to learn more about about Pastor Washington, and his family, both past and present. Birder, She Wrote is one of my favorite books in the series!

I really enjoyed this book and I love the series. An investigation into finding an old graveyard turns up a dead body, of Wally the Weird. He lives in the Nimby area of mcmansions. He liked snooping on people and being an overall disagreeable person. The suspect list is long. A fantastic book filled with murder and blackmail. I'm a big fan of this series. I can't wait to read more.

Donna Andrews has written another fabulous, twisting mystery with a touch of humor as the latest installment in this series. Meg soon finds herself in the midst of an investigation of both a murder and a blackmail scheme, as well as the destruction of a friend's beehives. With the help of the family, Meg sets out find the culprits, and ultimately finds herself in grave danger. The book has a complex and twisted plot that kept me guessing throughout. It is well researched in the aspects of both beekeeping and hummingbird, and this type extensive research is evident in all of Donna Andrew's books. I loved this book and look forward to reading more in the series! Thank you to the author, the publisher and Negalley for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions of the review are my own.

I received a free copy of, Birder, She Wrote, by Donna Andrews, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Meg thought she was going to have a nice relaxing time, but that changed quickly. Someone killed off all her neighbors bees, her grandma is in town, with a nosy reporter, and then someone is murdered. Meg has to figure out who the killer is. Donna Andrew is a great mystery writer, this is a good book, it kept me guessing.

cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth, apiary, pet-dog, family-dynamics, family, friendship, forensics, small-town, unpleasant-neighbors, situational-humor, verbal-humor, relatives, murder-investigation, murder, Virginia, law-enforcement, reporter, NIMBY, entitled-attitude*****

Welcome back to the addictive, funny cozy mystery series that is always a fun read even if you've never read any of the earlier ones.
Laugh your way through the suspects, zany family members, goofy homeowners and their McMansions, facts about bees, amazing plot twists, and red herrings!
This cannot be an unbiased review because I reread some of them (the print copies walk away so now I have them in audio) and wait with bated breath for each new one.
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

After 33 books, I can still read this series because the author does nothing that makes me hate the series or Meg. The books are always a quick, enjoyable read.

However, she has given Meg such a wonderful group of characters to play off of and 50% of them get a mention here, but they are totally under used. Instead, we get plenty of new characters, only one of whom may appear in the future. Not a bad thing, but 33 books later I, for one, am invested in the characters I've been following for so many books/years. Why can't they be more than a line here or there?

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I recently discovered this series and I'm finding it lots of fun. With over thirty books, it'll satisfy the most dedicated binge-readers. In the latest, Meg is hoping for a relaxing day in the hammock when she gets roped into dealing with nosy demanding neighbors and a reporter trying to profile her grandmother. This was a satisfying read with just the right dose of zany.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.

I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but I am definitely going to. Even though this was the 33rd book in the series, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. Yes, it took a bit before I figured out who was who (there are a ton of secondary characters), but the author uses a deft hand letting you in on the relationships.

I had to laugh so much at this book. I love her use of “NIMBYs” (Not In My BackYard) people who move into farming communities and then complain about the smell (hey, you move next door to a farm, you’re gonna get “aromas”), the animals, the lack of “high class” eateries, etc. I live in that type of small town and in the spring, that “fresh country scent” is powerful. I especially loved the bit about the dog’s name being “Whatever” (thanks to the answer to a question put to her teenage daughter). And how every time the daughter said that, the dog came running, looking for a treat and now the daughter doesn’t use the phrase as often. I laughed so hard at that—and could see someone doing that just for that reason.

There were actually three mysteries going on here—the murder, blackmail, and who killed off the bee hives. What I found interesting is that the author must have really done her homework on bees and beekeeping as well as hummingbirds and what they need. Very well done.

Recommendation: I definitely recommend this author and at least this cozy as it’s the only one I’ve read. But I will be reading more. She is worth the time.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”