Eight for the Birds

Murder with Peacocks, Donna Andrews, 1999, St. Martin’s Press. Genre: Mystery. 332 pages. Finished 8/26/2012.

Murder with Puffins, Donna Andrews, 2000, St. Martin’s Press. Genre: Mystery. 281 pages. Finished 8/31/2012. 

Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos, Donna Andrews, 2001, St. Martin’s Minotaur.Genre: Mystery. 293 pages. Finished 9/2/2012. 

Owls Well that Ends Well, Donna Andrews, 2005, St. Martin’s Minotaur. 293 pages. Finished 9/4/12. 

The Penguin Who Knew Too Much, Donna Andrews, 2007, St. Martin’s Minotaur. Genre: Mystery. 262 pages. Finished 9/8/12. 

Cockatiels at Seven, Donna Andrews, 2008, St. Martin’s Minotaur. Genre: Mystery. 296 pages. Finished 9/9/12.

Six Geese A-Slaying, Donna Andrews, 2008, St. Martin’s Minotaur. Genre: Mystery. 279 pages. Finished 9/14/12. 

Swan for the Money, Donna Andrews,  2009, Minotaur Books. Genre: Mystery. 306 pages. Finished 9/19/12. 

LesOpinion: Donna Andrews's reluctant sleuth, Meg Langslow, is a tall, voluptuous, sarcastic artisanal blacksmith plagued with a large and eccentric family in coastal Virginia. Despite the silly bird-themed titles, this series of comedic mysteries won me over with its slapstick style and animal-loving themes. More along the lines of Susan Wittig Albert than Jeffrey Deaver, Andrews's mysteries manage to be smart page-turners without being bloody and terrifying. If you enjoy a lite mystery, these books are for you.