MURDER MOST FOWL (Meg Langslow #29) by Donna Andrews will be published August 3rd 2021 by Minotaur Books.
Meg Langslow has a full house this summer. Her husband, Michael, is directing Macbeth, and the majority of the cast and crew are either staying in their large farmhouse or camping on their land. A group of troublemaking medieval reenactors have set up an “authentic” Scottish military camp next door on Meg’s parents farm. And there is also an obnoxious filmmaker staying down the road. The filmmaker, Damien Goodwin, is mainly getting in the way and causing animosity between the theater group, the reenactors, and the members of the drama and history department who are holding lectures in Meg’s massive library. Following a preview of Damien’s film—a film in which he cast everyone in a bad light and proved that a few people had committed some minor crimes—he is found dead in a nearby pasture. His video and computer equipment have also been destroyed along with his footage. The list of suspects is long, and there are a number of other smaller crimes and concerning events taking place in the vicinity—including witchcraft, stolen livestock, vandalism, poisoning, and the ongoing war between the local collages English and Drama departments. After finding Damien’s body, Meg calls in the professionals. She then sets to work helping the local law enforcement catch the murderer.
If you’ve read the rest of the Meg Langslow series, you know what to expect—a humorous mystery in which Meg manages to catch the killer before the police do. There are countless family members popping in and playing roles. Meg’s teenage sons are getting more involved in her crime solving. There is a lot going on in this novel. Multiple smaller crimes take place and are tied in with the murder. There is also a long list of suspects—all of whom have good motive. The identity of the killer kept me guessing until the end. Overall, another funny novel from Donna Andrews and a great addition to the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.