Synopses & Reviews
This time, Meg has got herself into a Holy mess!"A yuletide funfest."—Richmond Times-DispatchIn Duck the Halls, the brilliantly funny Donna Andrews delivers boughs of holly and barrels of laughs with Meg's latest adventure in her award-winning, New York Times bestselling series. A few nights before Christmas, Meg Langslow is awakened when volunteer fireman Michael is summoned to the New Life Baptist Church, where someone has rigged a cage full of skunks in the choir loft. The lengthy process of de-skunking the church requires its annual pre-Christmas concert to relocate to Trinity Episcopal, where Mother insists the show must go on, despite the budget-related protests of Mr. Vess, an elderly vestryman. Meanwhile, when Meg helps her grandfather take the skunks to the zoo, they discover that his boa has been stolen. . .only to turn up later during the concert, slithering out from the ribbon-bedecked evergreens. The next morning is Sunday, and the congregation of St. Bybligs, the local Catholic church, arrives to find it completely filled with several hundred ducks."Extravagantly funny." —Publishers WeeklyIts clear that some serious holiday pranksters are on the loose, and Meg is determined to find them. But before she can, a fire breaks out at Trinity, and Mr. Vess is found dead. Who would have murdered such a harmless—if slightly cranky—old man? Who has the time, during the busy holiday season, to herd all of these animals into the towns churches? And will Meg ever be able to finish all of her shopping, wrapping, cooking, caroling, and decorating in time for Christmas Eve?"A quirky…humorous…holiday treat." —Booklist
Review
Praise for Duck the Halls
“Andrews leavens the action with her trademark humor, including dueling Christmas dinners and an extravagant—and extravagantly funny—live nativity scene.” -Publishers Weekly
Praise for Six Geese A-Slaying:
“Produces at least one chuckle—and sometimes a guffaw—per page. Joy to the world, indeed.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Andrews . . . scores points for her witty writing and abundance of Yuletide tinsel and tradition.” —The Columbia, SC State
“Firmly in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie's Christmas books.” —Toronto Globe and Mail
Review
PRAISE FOR DONNA ANDREWS AND HER MEG LANGSLOW MYSTERIES
DUCK THE HALLS"Andrews leavens the action with her trademark humor, including dueling Christmas dinners and an extravagant—and extravagantly funny—live nativity scene." —
Publishers Weekly "
Duck the Halls offers a wealth of yuletide yuks amid the Christmas carnage, and Andrews faithful fans will flock to greet the birth of her latest funfest."—
Richmond Times-Dispatch"Meg, as well as her quirky extended family, makes this humorous cozy a holiday treat." —
BooklistHEN OF THE BASKERVILLES "The 15th novel in this bird-themed popular cozy mystery series offers more fine-feathered foibles to chuckle over. Andrews ever-present humor and detailed animal lore will be familiar pleasures, and the grounded and endearing heroine offers the perfect balance to the silly shenanigans in this neatly plotted potboiler."—RT Book Reviews"Diverting…Enjoyable."—Publishers Weekly SOME LIKE IT HAWK"Uproarious."—Criminal Element"[This] series gets better all the time." —Booklist THE REAL MACAW"As always, Andrews laces this entertaining whodunit with wit, a fine storyline, and characters weve come to know and love."—Richmond Times-Dispatch
Synopsis
'Tis the season to be jolly - and for Meg Langslow to round up stray animals of all sorts as well as a killer. Duck the Halls
The brilliantly funny Donna Andrews delivers boughs of holly and barrels of laughs with Meg's latest adventure in her award-winning, New York Times bestselling series. A few nights before Christmas, Meg is awakened when volunteer fireman Michael is summoned to the New Life Baptist Church, where someone has rigged a cage full of skunks in the choir loft. The lengthy process of de-skunking the church requires its annual pre-Christmas concert to relocate to Trinity Episcopal, where Mother insists the show must go on, despite the budget-related protests of Mr. Vess, an elderly vestryman. Meanwhile, when Meg helps her grandfather take the skunks to the zoo, they discover that his boa has been stolen - only to turn up later during the concert, slithering out from the ribbon-bedecked evergreens. The next morning is Sunday, and the congregation of St. Byblig's, the local Catholic church, arrive to find it completely filled with several hundred ducks.
It's clear that some serious holiday pranksters are on the loose, and Meg is determined to find them. But before she can, a fire breaks out at Trinity, and Mr. Vess is discovered dead. Who would have murdered such a harmless - if slightly cranky - old man? Who has the time during the busy holiday season to herd all of these animals into the town's churches? And will Meg ever be able to finish all of her shopping, wrapping, cooking, caroling, and decorating in time for Christmas Eve? A Yuletide treasure for the ages, Duck the Halls is guaranteed to put the "ho ho hos" into readers' holidays.
Synopsis
A new side-splitting Meg Langslow mystery from award-winning,
New York Times bestselling author of
Six Geese A Slaying, just in time for the holidays
The brilliantly funny and talented Donna Andrews delivers another winner in the acclaimed avian-themed series that mystery readers have come to love. A few nights before Christmas, Meg is awakened when Michael is summoned to the New Life Baptist Church, where someone has rigged a cage full of skunks in the choir loft. The lengthy process of de-skunking the church requires its annual pre-Christmas concert to relocate to Trinity Episcopal, where Mother insists the show must go on, despite the budget-related protests of Mr. Otis, an elderly vestryman. Meanwhile, when Meg helps her grandfather take the skunks to the zoo, they discover that his boa has been stolen—only to turn up later during the concert slithering out from the ribbon-bedecked evergreens.
Its clear that some serious holiday pranksters are on the loose, and Meg is determined to find them. But before she can, a fire breaks out at Trinity, and Mr. Otis is discovered dead. Could this be a bit of nasty revenge from the now deposed Pruitt family? Or harassment from the Evil Lender? As Meg searches for answers she also races to finish all of her Christmas shopping, wrapping, cooking, caroling, and decorating in time to make the season jolly for Michael and the twins.
Guaranteed to put the "ho ho hos" into the holidays of cozy lovers everywhere, Duck the Halls is a gut-bustingly funny mystery, the latest from the award-winning Donna Andrews.
About the Author
DONNA ANDREWS is a winner of the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, a Romantic Times Award for best first novel, and three Lefty and two Toby Bromberg awards for funniest mystery. She is a member of MWA, Sisters in Crime, and the Private Investigators and Security Association. Andrews lives in Reston, Virginia.