🎧 Book Review 🎧 This was my first dive into a Meg Lanslow novel and I had no problem jumping right into this boisterous and welcoming family. A mix of mystery and merriment blends together for one jovial read. What is supposed to be a quiet holiday turns into a murder investigation but don’t worry, this is certainly not a dark and depressing holiday read. Rockin' Around the Chickadee is a hilariously heartfelt novel that is brought to life perfect by Bernadette Dunne’s narration.

unpleasant-victims, pet-dog, amateur-sleuth, cozy-mystery, Virginia, situational-humor, verbal-humor, local-law-enforcement, families, relationships, relatives, friends, friendship, frustration, murder, murder-investigation, conference*****

September 11, 2024
This is not an unbiased review because I have loved nearly all of the books in this series, and this one does not disappoint. Meg Langslow is a blacksmith, wife of professor/TV actor Michael Waterston, mother of twin boys, assistant to the mayor, and a member of the far flung quirky Hollingsworth family, and a great amateur sleuth. Any book in this series gives enough info on past books that the reader is never lost.
It's Christmas season and Meg's grandmother is hosting a conference highlighting the Presumed Innocent organization at the local posh resort for those who want to learn how to exonerate a friend or family member who has been unjustly convicted and later proven innocent as well as a number of true crime devotees.
The rotten fruit here is a despicable internet troll/podcaster who appears to believe that anyone who is arrested is guilty and must serve the entire sentence imposed. Of course, this is the guy who turns up dead. And in Meg's back yard no less! There are more than enough people who hated the guy enough to do the deed, but that makes for a ton of suspects and a whole lot of due diligence. Plan to get the audio when it comes out!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Without much hope of winning my preferred venue, I also requested and received an audio copy from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley! Oct 1, 2024
Also got my preordered audio on Oct 15, 2024!
#MegLangslowMysteriesBk36

The entire Caerphilly clan feel like family and I love every visit I have with them. This particular mystery, however, was not my favorite. There wasn’t anything wrong with it; in fact, the solution to the murder was creative, but I think I was missing the rest of the characters that are usually around the house. I wasn’t really invested in the mystery as it never drew me in but I still laughed in all the right spots and enjoyed the time I got to spend with Meg and a few of her family and friends.

Meg Langslow is used to a house filled with family and friends at the holidays, but this year, it’s just the immediate family at home. Her sister-in-law Delaney is on bed rest for a high risk pregnancy, and they are trying to keep the drama to a minimum for her and Rob. So instead of interacting with family this year, Delaney is laying in bed watching the chickadees who come to the bird feeder on the farm. She can even turn on a speaker to listen to them. It’s a great distraction for her, which works for Meg, who has her own distraction.

Meg’s grandmother Cordelia has put together a Presumed Innocent Conference, to bring together those who are interested in true crime and want to help those who are jailed but innocent change their fate. And actually, Meg has a lot of family there, as her cousin Festus is an attorney who helps those who are innocent get out of jail, her nephew Kevin is a true crime podcaster and a computer tech who often helps the police with investigations, her doctor father was the local medical examiner and still helps out as needed, her cousin Horace is a well-respected crime scene investigator, and her grandfather has established a DNA lab originally to help with his work at the zoo but increasingly to help with criminal cases. Add in the local sheriff and some exonerees to tell their stories, and the conference has a full slate of speakers.

But true crime fans and friends and family wanting to help someone prove their innocence are not the only ones at the conference. The podcaster known as The Gadfly, Godfrey Norton, is known for stirring the pot by telling lies about potential exonerees and doing what he can to keep them in jail. Cordelia wouldn’t have let him register for the conference at all, had she known his real name. But he got past her and showed up to stir strife during the talks. However, he took things too far, and Cordelia kicked him out of the conference, and the manager of the hotel kicked him out of his room. He reached out to Meg to try to get her to change Cordelia’s mind (as if that were possible), but she wasn’t able to help him.

And then he turned up dead behind Meg’s barn.

The good news is that there were plenty of crime fighters nearby ready to get started to find Norton’s killer, and the conference means that all the suspects are at the Caerphilly Inn. But it will still take all of their collective skill and expertise, as well as Meg’s ability to bring it all together, to solve the case before the baby comes.

Rockin’ Around the Chickadee is book 36 in the popular Meg Langslow series about her big extended family and their ability to catch killers. These books balance the warmth and comfort of friends and family with the darkness of murder, blending humor with crime science and adding in lots of heart and soul.

I am a big fan of Donna Andrews in general and this series in specific. I have read these for many years now, and I love how the series has morphed. At first, it was a pretty typical cozy series, but it has grown through the years into a modern series that includes true crime podcasts, support for The Innocence Project, and ideas for innovating with DNA research. These characters have gone on a journey, as many true crime enthusiasts have, from merely learning about it from documentaries and podcasts to jumping in to do research and help support those who are doing the work of exonerating the innocent. These books are not just cozy stories, they are a reflection of a larger community, and I for one applaud Andrews for working so hard to keep Meg and her family relevant.

I listened to Rockin’ Around the Chickadee on audio, and narrator Bernadette Dunne knocked it out of the park again. I have listened to many of these book on audio, and Dunne is now the voice of Meg in my head. I think she understands Meg’s intelligence and tenacity as well as her dedication to her family, and Dunne brings her to life in these books. I especially love listening to the Christmas mysteries in the car, riding around doing all those holiday errands. If, like me, you have a low tolerance for Christmas music, then you should give it a try.

Egalleys for Rockin’ Around the Chickadee were provided by Minotaur Books and a copy of the audiobook was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Another fun mystery for Meg and the gang to solve. This one was really close to home! Like in her backyard. There is so much going on at the moment in Meg’s life, a convention at the Inn, which friends and family are involved in. Her sister in law due any day now and on bed rest staying in her home. The twins on Christmas vacation and since not planning the usual huge Christmas party at her home she with her curiosity peak gets in the middle of another murder to solve.
I did read and switched over to the audiobook, which I truly enjoyed listening to. Does help if you have read a few of her previous books for the background of the characters.

Another sweet addition to Donna Andrews Christmas collection!

In this one, Meg’s sister in law (Delaney) is very pregnant, and due at Christmastime! The one thing the entire family is trying to do is the keep her calm and comfortable leading up to the delivery.
This becomes very difficult once a dead body is found in their backyard!

The usual suspects are in the midst of the story, and I did not see the culprit until til they were revealed in the finale!

Lots of fun! Lots of characters! Small town vibes! Family camaraderie, big time! And…Christmas Cozy Shenanigans and Reading!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released TODAY!! 10/15/24!!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#RockinAroundTheChickadee by # DonnaAndrews and narrated beautifully by #BernadetteDunne.

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This installment of the long-running Meg Langslow series includes interesting tidbits about identical twins (of special interest to me now that I'm the grandparent of a pair), a concert including Christmas and Chanukah music, and a hat-tip to stay-at-home moms. As usual, solving the mystery is a bit of a group project, spread between officials and unsanctioned community members. I'm sure that series devotees wouldn't have it any other way. It's a fine cozy mystery holiday read—fun, easy, and reliable entertainment. Bernadette Dunne continues to provide series narration.

Ever wondered what it would be like to go to a symposium where they teach you about the ins and outs of the law for regular citizens to help those who may have been wronged from the system? Well, you get to do that in this book. There’s a symposium held to help. You understand the law and the ins and outs and different things you can do and understand how evidence works to be able to try and swing things into your favor for your friends. of course, in the middle of this one of the most popular people against this type of thing ends up getting murdered, but who did it? Follow along as we figure out how this annoying person was killed and why he was killed. Such a good mystery read I really enjoyed it. I thought the idea behind this was absolutely amazing if you like a good murder mystery and this is definitely the book for you.

I’ve read a few books in this cozy mystery previously, and listening to this one reminded me to pick up the rest of the series. So good. And the narrator, Bernadette Dunne, has such a warm voice it’s perfect!

Delaney is pregnant and due around Christmas. Meg and Michael have decided to move the holiday festivities elsewhere, so Michael’s sister can relax during her pregnancy.

And all is silent and calm, until an attendee of the nearby Presumed Innocent conference ends up in their backyard. You know all those true crime junkies are all suspects. Meg has her hands full trying to catch the killer and keep Delaney calm.

An easy read that I totally enjoyed and finished in one night. I really like Meg, and I can’t wait to read more about her adventures.

RECOMMEND

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #RockinAroundTheChickadee in exchange for an honest review.

Donna Andrews’ Rockin’ Around the Chickadee is my first introduction to the Meg Langslow Mystery series. Meg is celebrating differently this Christmas season. Her sister Delaney is experiencing a difficult pregnancy, so the family is working to keep her quiet and calm. Simultaneously, her grandmother is holding a Presumed Innocent conference in a nearby hotel. When the man who is 100% opposed to the work of the conference is found murdered in Michael and Meg’s yard, the holiday, naturally, takes a turn.
I liked Meg right away. She is frank and down to earth. She loves her family, and takes a fairly no nonsense view of managing them. Like many women she juggles her family with work and a variety of other commitments. I appreciate that even in her role as detective she enlists her twin sons in helping to solve the murder. It’s kind of adorable. What a fun and quirky community has been created around Meg Langslow. This book is my introduction to the series, and I sure hope to get to know them better. If you are new to Meg Langslow mysteries as well, I promise you can hop right in and enjoy the work - but be prepared to add to your TBR pile. The Christmas bits here were lovely…I will be especially seeking out the other Christmas books in the series. I just love lights, celebrations, holiday songs, and all that goes with the genre.
If, like me, you enjoy a good cozy mystery, Rockin’ Around the Chickadee by Donna Andrews is a good one - with fun twists and turns and a family vibe. The Christmas elements add to the loveliness. Grab a copy for your holiday reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book! What a fun way to get into the holiday spirit! This is a cozy murder mystery set in December. There is much merriment and holiday decor amidst the murder of a not-so-likeable character. I enjoyed the book and want to read more of Donna Andrews books now.

I feel like a broken record but I just loved this latest installment of Meg Langslow's cozy mystery series. Rockin' Around the Chickadee have Meg's grandmother hosting a Presumed Innocent conference, for aiding people wrongly convicted. A podcaster and internet troll Godfrey Norton, who doesn't believe in mistaken convictions shows up to harass the people in attendance. After a few shenanigans from Norton, he is kicked out of the convention and turns up dead the next day. This was a great mystery, with a lot of interesting suspects. It takes place just before Christmas, and there are some lovely Christmas scenes as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced listener copy. The audiobook
is great and Bernadette Dunne does an amazing job narrating, as usual. She has all the voices for all the regular characters down pat. She is a joy to listen to. I highly recommend this book, it's a fun holiday cozy mystery. 4.5 stars

3.5 stars. Not an overly Christmas story, just happened to be set near the Christmas season, just like the Innocence Project Conference that Cordelia and Kevin have planned in Caerphilly. The conference aims to shed light on wrongful convictions, with even a few exonerees in attendance. But when an annoying true crime fanatic ends up dead outside Meg's barn, the conference attendees are the prime suspects. Will everyone at the Innocence Project Conference be so innocent?

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rockin’ Around the Chickadee AUDIO by Donna Andrews is the newest Meg Langslow mystery which finds us at at conference, organized by Meg’s grandmother, focusing on those wrongly accused and how to get their convictions overturned. Of course, Festus, as a lawyer, is hugely involved, as are all the law enforcement people in town. Meg meets come very interesting people and Kevin, who is normally in the basement, has met a woman who seems to interest him. That and the fact it is nearly Christmas is keeping everyone busy. Rob and Delaney are expecting heir baby any day and still without a house to buy, but that will work out. If not, Meg has plenty of bedrooms.

I love this series, which wasn’t what I said when I was first introduced. These are a group of interesting people, mostly family, who live in the Small town of Carfilly, Virginia. They are a group of characters, well-written and by this time, well-rounded. It is an amusing cozy mystery which presents some interesting cases to solve. This is one of them. Many of the people here are already accused murderers and no one liked this guy. Meg works hard to figure it out and, of course, is successful.

Bernadette Dunn is the narrator and I didn’t like her at first, either, but I have changed my mind. I thought she made Meg sound to old, and I still think that, but it seems to fit her personality. She makes listening very entertaining.

I was invited to listen to Rockin’ Around the Chickadee by MacMillan Audio. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #MacMillanAudio #DonnaAndrews #BernadetteDunn #RockinAroundTheChickadee

The latest Meg Lanslow mystery, Rockin' Around the Chickadee, will be out soon and fans of the series will be thrilled with this newest entry.. Donna Andrews, author of the series, has won numerous awards for the mystery series and one doesn't disappoint. Meg's grandmother has organized a conference, called the Presumed Innocent Conference, to explore the wrongly convicted. Meg's sister-in-law, Delaney, is pregnant and due near Christmas, with strict instructions for bedrest leading up to the big event. The family are all trying to help Delaney stay calm, but it's tough when a dead body turns up on her property!

The body belongs to a conference attendee, one who has ruffled feathers by claiming most people incarcerated are definitely guilty. As many of the other conference members are seeking to get someone exonerated, or have been themselves, the field of suspects is wide open. So, while attempting to figure out who the murderer is, Meg also has to help keep her sister-in-law calm and on an even keel.

The unabridged audio book I listened to, courtesy of NetGalley, was read by Bernadette Dunne, who has narrated other books in the series as well as a wide range of books in other genres.

This was a cozy, festive murder mystery. I thought the true crime convention right before Christmas was an interesting touch. It set up the murder mystery well by having an unlikeable attendee end up as the victim. When everyone has a reason to not like the attendee, how do you narrow down the suspect pool. I will say the mystery ended up fairly easy to solve but meant you could just relax and watch the story unfold. I really enjoyed the holiday family dynamic and the struggle when holidays don’t go to plan/deviate from traditions. I read this via narration and Bernadette Dunne absolutely nailed the narration. I don’t think I would have enjoyed this as much as I did without her narration. She brought the cheer, holiday shenanigans, and mystery to life. I would recommend checking out the audiobook for this.

It’s the Christmas season in Caerphilly but, with Delaney, Meg Langslow’s sister-in-law, very pregnant, festivities are being held away from the house. Among these activities is a Presumed Innocent Project sponsored by Cordelia, Meg’s grandmother which has attracted many people including exonerees, others seeking help to exonerate friends or relatives, as well as true crime bloggers and their fans. When a body of one of those bloggers is found dead behind the Langslow house, Chief Burke has his hands full given the number of suspects. The blogger had believed that the vast majority of exonerees were guilty, had been rude and obnoxious to other attendees, disruptive during the conference and was finally tossed out of the host hotel when he abused an attendee’s dog. With all this facing the chief, Meg jumps in to help by doing her own sleuthing.

Rockin’ Around the Chickadees is the 36th entry in the Meg Langslow cozy mystery series by Donna Andrews and, as always, it is a whole lotta fun. Reading one of these books always feels like linking up with old friends and meeting new ones while providing an entertaining mystery to grab my attention. I also appreciated the information about the number of wrongful incarcerations that led to the actual Innocence Project and thought their work fit perfectly with the Christmas season.

I read the book from St Martin’s Press while listening to the a audiobook from Macmillan Audio narrated by Bernadette Dunne who does an excellent job of giving individual voices to very large cast of characters.

Thanks to Netgalley, St Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are my own

I discovered this series two years ago when I was looking for Christmas cozy mysteries and picked up Dashing Through the Snowbirds. While I've kept up with the new books as they've come out, I haven't gone back and read the older titles (yet!). So if you are new to the series and worried about starting with Rockin's Around the Chickadee which is book 36, don't be. These can easily be read as stand-alone novels.

I love listening to this series. I've read one or two, but I always enjoy more the ones that I get the audiobooks for. Bernadette Dunne does a great job with all the characters. I've listened to a few other books that Dunne has narrated but she must be really good at coming up with unique voices as I didn't realize she had read the others.

It might be because they are keeping the holidays low-key, but it isn't the focus of the story. There is no holiday magic where the curmudgeon has a life-altering experience and becomes joyous and generous or the unlucky-in-love girl finds her soul mate under the mistletoe. But it does make a nice background setting for the story.

I did like the comment about holiday decorating. I'm paraphrasing as I don't remember how it was stated but it was something along the lines of Christmas decorations should look like joy vomited all over the place. It's a great comment and though I don't always have the time and energy, when I do I tend to "over decorate" but now I'm just going to think that I'm vomiting joy everywhere.

If you read my review of the last book Between a Flock and a Hard Place, then you know I had a small complaint about how late in the novel the murder occurred. That isn't the case in this book. It happens early on and while some of the conference is mentioned the story stays focused on the case.

There is a new character that we meet because of the true-crime conference that I hope we get to see again. I really liked Ezekiel. I'm not sure we will get to see him again as often these background characters only appear once. But he got a job locally so maybe he will make an appearance from time to time in future novels. As having been falsely accused and imprisoned, I think his character brings a different perspective to the cast of characters.

Whether you don't care for the Hallmark-worthy holiday stories or need a break from the overly sweet Christmas romance novels, you should add this book to your Christmas reading list.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Sunday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2024/10/rockin-around-chickadee-by-donna.html

Rockin' Around the Chickadee is Donna Andrews's 36th book in the Meg Langslow Mysteries. If you haven't read the first 35, you could still jump right into this series for a holiday read. It continues with characters introduced in previous books but contains a stand-alone mystery with a true crime twist and a holiday backdrop.

The story starts with cheerful chickadees in the backyard and then quickly builds a mystery that initially seems impossible to solve. The mystery is fair, and the clues were planted in smart places. I enjoyed the True Crime conference backdrop. The sleuth is easy to root for.

Bernadette Dunne, the audiobook narrator, does a nice job of bringing the characters to life. She delivers the humorous lines just right, and her pacing is always very good in the suspenseful parts. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook bit by bit every night before I went to bed. It was good, cozy, bedtime listening with a puzzling mystery and fun, quirky characters. I also learned something about chickadee calls that I didn't know before reading this. I always enjoy a good bird fact.

Thanks to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

In the midst of a True Crime conference being organized by Meg Langslow's grandmother, there are many people with different interests. And one guy who goes by a fake name and he is a "difficult" individual. When he turns up dead, there are many people who can be considered suspects.

This book is part of a long series and there are many characters who part of the continuing story. Since this is the first book in the series that I've read, I was able to read the book without knowing the character histories, but I think it would have been better to have been familiar with them.

Although this is a cozy mystery, its length is that of a typical novel, that is to say, longer than most cozy mysteries. I listened to the audio version of the book. The narrator has a unique voice, which was perfect for the book. And she had different voices for characters.