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The Gift of the Magpie: A Meg Langslow Mystery (Meg Langslow Mysteries Book 28) Kindle Edition

by Donna Andrews (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 951 ratings
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New York Times bestselling author Donna Andrews returns with another Meg Langslow mystery written "firmly in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie's Christmas books" (Toronto Globe and Mail).

The 28th book and the seventh Christmas mystery in the Meg Langslow series, The Gift of the Magpie is yet another wonderfully merry and funny book from New York Times bestselling author Donna Andrews.

Meg’s running Caerphilly’s Helping Hands for the Holidays project, in which neighbors help each other with things they can’t do and can’t afford to have done. Her hopes for a relatively peaceful (if busy) Christmas vanish when someone murders Harvey the Hoarder, whose house the Helping Hands were decluttering. Was there any truth to the rumor that he had something valuable hidden beneath all his junk? Was one of his friends, neighbors, or relatives greedy enough to murder him for the rumored treasure? And what about the magpie that has been bringing her family bits of tinsel and costume jewelry—does the bird’s latest gift hold a clue to solving the crime?

Full of intrigue, this Christmas mystery will take readers home to Caerphilly, where the suspense falls as thick as the snow.

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  1. Book 28 of 36
    Meg Langslow Mysteries
  2. Print length
    295 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Minotaur Books
  6. Publication date
    October 20, 2020
  7. File size
    3334 KB
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  9. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Donna Andrews and the Meg Langslow Mystery Series:

"Andrews lays on the good cheer with a trowel." ―Kirkus Reviews on The Gift of the Magpie

"Caerphilly, with its endearing residents, is the kind of place every cozy fan would like to escape to during stressful times. Andrews consistently entertains." ―Publishers Weekly on The Gift of the Magpie

"Andrews deftly juggles franchise characters, newbies, red herrings, Renaissance tidbits, and murder most welcome." ―Kirkus Reviews on The Falcon Always Wings Twice

“Exceptional....[with] plenty of twists and turns en route to the satisfying ending. As always, spending time with Meg and her wonderful family is a delight. Andrews reinforces her place at the top of the cozy subgenre." ―Publishers Weekly on Owl Be Home for Christmas

“One of Andrews’ most successful balancing acts between creating a brand-new whodunit and showcasing her zany regulars.” ―Kirkus Reviews on Owl Be Home for Christmas

"Andrews smoothly combines a clever plot with distinctive and endearing characters. Cozy fans will wish this long-running series never ends." ―Publishers Weekly on Terns of Endearment

" Full of odd yet charming characters, this Christmas tale will charm cozy mystery fans.” ―Publishers Weekly on Lark! The Herald Angels Sing

"Intrigue...amusement...Andrews reliably delivers. She also manages to slip in profundities and sentiments that warm the heart." ―New York Journal of Books on Nightingale Before Christmas

About the Author

DONNA ANDREWS has won the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, an RT Book Reviews Award for best first novel, and four Lefty and two Toby Bromberg Awards for funniest mystery. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and Novelists, Inc. Andrews lives in Reston, Virginia. She has written over 30 books in the Meg Langslow mystery series.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B084M1Q36J
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books (October 20, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 20, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3334 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 295 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 951 ratings

About the author

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Donna Andrews

Donna Andrews

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I've been writing since I learned to print, but didn't get published until Murder with Peacocks won the Malice Domestic/St. Martins Press Best First Traditional Mystery contest in spring 1998. Since then I've written six more comic mysteries books featuring ornamental blacksmith Meg Langslow: Murder with Puffins (2000), Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos (2001), Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon (2003), We'll Always Have Parrots (2004), Owls Well That Ends Well (2005), and No Nest for the Wicket (August 2006). I've also started another series in with the sleuth, Turing Hopper, is an artificial intelligence personality living inside a corporate computer: You've Got Murder (2002), Click Here for Murder (2003), Access Denied (2004), and Delete All Suspects (2005).

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
951 global ratings
Who Used a Helping Hand to Murder?
4 Stars
Who Used a Helping Hand to Murder?
This year at Christmas, the churches in Caerphilly, Virginia have started a Helping Hands for the Holidays charity event, and Meg is right in the thick of it, organizing and helping. One of their projects is helping Harvey the Hoarder declutter and fix up his house before the county is called to intervene. Day one goes pretty well, but when Meg shows up for the second day, she finds him lying in a pool of blood in the garage. Are the rumors of a treasure hidden in the house true? Did that get Harvey killed?I always enjoy visiting Meg, and this book was no exception. The sub-plots involving her large family slow down the main mystery early on, but as a fan of the series and the characters, that’s a minor complaint. Once the mystery gets going, it is strong with several good suspects and twists before we reach the great climax. The sub-plots still weave in and out of the main mystery, and I really enjoyed them and the Christmas spirit they give us. I didn’t find this book quite as funny as some of the others, maybe because it left me contemplating which side of the hoarder or collector line I’m on. If you are looking for an entertaining mystery set at Christmas, there’s still time this year to cozy up to the fire and enjoy this mystery.
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Top reviews from the United States

Kathryn E. Baxter
5.0 out of 5 stars Humorous Cozy Mystery
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2021
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4.5 / 5.0 Stars

This was the perfect holiday cozy mystery replete with humor and a fun little poke at the human condition. It's the 28th book in series and shows no sign of slowing down or getting stale. I've been on board with this series since inception and have been an ardent fan ever since.

Our protagonist, Meg Langslow, is heading up the Helping Hands army of neighborly service providers. Harvey the Hoarders hovel is in deep need of attention before the town building inspector condemns the home. Rumor has it that somewhere amidst this mess there is a fortune left by Harvey's grandfather. Can Meg convince Harvey that clearing out his cluttered home is in his best interest, get everything repaired timely so that Harvey may keep his home and manage to hold Harvey's vulture cousins at bay? Only time will tell.

Author Donna Andrews is an absolute genius when it comes to writing engaging and humorous cozy mysteries. This particular one is one of her best, in my opinion. It pokes fun at family dynamics - good and bad, provides a bit of philosophic pondering and is laugh out loud hilarious at times. If cozy mysteries are your jam, then this one is for you!
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5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure or Trash ?
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2022
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Another wonderful Christmas mystery from Donna. Meg's charitable group ,Helping Hands, takes on the task of decluttering a hoarder's home so that it can be repaired. It becomes a community effort to clear the house and to keep avaricous cousins and neighbors at bay. The coordination that happens is amazing. The ending is quite unexpected. A great read!
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A Faithful Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Sympathy for a Hoarder
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2020
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So, let's just say (to be frank) I'm a BIG fan of Ms Andrews' books! I've probably read (and reread) EVERY book she's written available on Kindle. (And, just WHY are her IT books not yet available??) This particular book had me going back to me trying to help a "hoarder" with her problems, so I definitely could identify with Meg's angst about this book's victim. Her characters are always fleshed out wonderfully. Each person is vividly drawn; the town and county are areas I've enjoyed visiting with each book in the series - I'm tempted to go explore Virginia so I can buy a house nearby. In fact, given what's going on in Covid-19 real life - I definitely want to live in Caerphilly vs my home town. Get your copy of this book NOW; it's a pleasure waiting for you!
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Jan
4.0 out of 5 stars Saved this to read right before Christmas
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2020
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As soon as there is a notice, I immediately preorder the newest of this series, so I’ve had this book for some months now. I intentionally saved it to read during December, and I’m glad I did. There’s always a fun Christmas vibe in Donna Andrews’ holiday books that make them so nice for reading at the holiday.

This time, Meg is coordinating Helping Hands - a volunteer group providing services for townsfolk who need help with repairs, projects, gardening, or other things. Yes, the time frame is a little compressed and probably impossible in real life, but it’s still an enjoyable story. I don’t want to get into detail about the mystery as it would be too easy to give things away. Let’s just say that things do indeed get wrapped up before Christmas. Although I do wish that the magpies had a bigger role in the book - there’s just something about magpies who orchestrate a coordinated escape from the zoo that begs for a bigger role in the book.

I do get where some reviewers’ comments are coming from in terms of Meg being the one who walks into danger and has to get out of it, but I also think that is one of the problems of first-person narratives - you don’t know what’s happening outside the frame of the narrator. I don’t think this should change as Meg’s salty yet thoughtful perspective is a welcome one.

I love Meg’s family, but am starting to miss them in these most recent books. It would be fun to have future books get back a little more to the craziness and family-centric hijinks that accompanied the books situated when Meg and Michael first settled in Caerphilly and bought their monster of a house. Those had a French door farce feel to them that I imagine can be very difficult to write but that truly contributes to the hilarity and fun that is Meg’s family and Caerphilly. At the very least, it would be nice to see Meg and Michael walking together through a mystery. It’s not like Michael has to be the only person watching the twins, and I do miss that he is not as central to the mysteries as he has been in past books.

Regardless, I do enjoy the Meg Langslow books. Even though there can be some wait time between books, I’d much rather Donna Andrews took her time to give us such fun books than have these stories crunched out (often by a syndicate of writers) simply for sales. Donna Andrews does it right and readers benefit as a result. I would say that, if you haven’t read any other books of this series, this is not a place to start. The cast of characters and location have built over time. There is much that is unspoken but understood that undergirds the action and would be difficult to pick up on if you are not a reader of the series. Catching up by reading 29 books is a massive task. What I would recommend is reading the first three for sure to get a better grip on Meg’s family connections, the Owl’s Well That Ends Well which is where Meg and Michael move into their big old house in Caerphilly and introduces the Caerphilly crowd, and then pick and choose from the rest. That will give you a good grounding for reading the series and you’ll be kept busy for a long time as you gradually add more books to that list. If you already are a Meg Langslow fan, say no more and read the book. Maybe not one of the best ones but certainly heartwarming and a nice addition to the series.
6 people found this helpful
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Bridget Landry
5.0 out of 5 stars another fun book
Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2021
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Good characters, fun plot twists, all that you would expect from a Meg Langslow book. Michael and the boys don't figure as much as in past books, which is a little sad, as they are good characters, but I'm always happy to spend time (especially holidays) with Meg's family and friends, especially when there's a spot of murder involved.
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E. MUSSER
5.0 out of 5 stars very good read
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2021
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I haave read every one of Donna Andrew's books in this series. I just received her latest one and will reading it next. I love the personalities in this book and Megs large family and gathrtings. They sound a lot like ours here but on a slightly grander scale.
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S. Ashdown
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for Christmas
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2022
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Meg Langslow Christmas Mysteries are a fun read. They are the best out of many others I've read. I look forward to reading it each Christmas season.
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Lois Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Meg Christmas Chaos!
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2020
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Laughed my way through the latest entry into this fabulous series. Meg and the gang have the Helping Hands Society offering help, but not charity, to the locals. One is Harvey The Hoarder. He's endearing -- quite different from the hoarders on TV -- and (no spoiler here) it's so sad when he's murdered. So many nefarious suspects. At the same time, the Christmas season is a rainy one in Caerphilly (plays into the plot!), and Grandfather is as loony as ever. All of the regulars are. Appreciated this mystery on so many levels. One of the best. Can't wait for the next mayhem!
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Top reviews from other countries

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Gayle
5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading
Reviewed in Canada on August 8, 2023
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Prefect gift for my 85 year old mother, she oves this series
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Fuchs Joan
5.0 out of 5 stars Sicherer Wert
Reviewed in Germany on December 29, 2022
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Auch hier findet sich wieder eine spannende, vertrackte Geschichte, bei der man noch etwas lern. Gefällig konfus mit witzigen Charakteren kann man das Buch in einem Zug auslesen. Ich habe auch oft gelacht. Ein Wohlfühlbuch mit Tiefgang. Gerne mehr.
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Janice Muise
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the Best!!!!
Reviewed in Canada on October 24, 2021
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LOVE Donna Andrews books. I absolutely am crazy about Megs entire family and I'm nuts over the humour, friendship, love and of course, mystery and intrigue that Donna Andrews incorporates with every single page. I can never put her books down! As soon as a new one comes in, I bookmark the book I'm currently reading, set in on my bedside table or my book bag and pick up my coveted Donna Andrews book. I hope this series never, ever ends!
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Wierdbrew
5.0 out of 5 stars Die just Keep getting better and better!!!!!!!!!
Reviewed in Germany on December 8, 2022
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Unbelievable, apparently the sky's not the limit, she's already got there! This book's even better than her previous one--beyond believable! Anyone who likes amusing, tongue-on-cheek mysteries should Love this book.
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Andy
4.0 out of 5 stars Meg's back! And so (mostly) is the Christmas spirit in Caerphilly.
Reviewed in Canada on November 19, 2020
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I'm a big fan of Donna Andrews' Meg Langslow books. Unlike so many writers in a genre known for its punning titles, she's genuinely funny--funny enough that I've read most of her books more than once. I might remember the plots, but I'm almost bound to catch jokes I missed the first time through. And I love the world she's created in the warm-hearted (if murder-prone) college town of Caerphilly, Virginia, where most--though not all--of her Meg mysteries take place.

It's a small town where nothing happens on a small scale: yard sales turn into carnivals that could rival state fairs, state fairs get cancelled but the un-Fairs that replace them end up being many times bigger and better, and no holiday passes by without some sort of crowd-drawing festival that jams the town square with tourists, food booths (often run by the various churches, so one can choose between Baptist fried chicken, Catholic fried fish, and Episcopal ham), and opportunities to dress up in absurd costumes and commit murder undetected. In spite of the murder rate in Caerphilly and the number of victims and killers the town seems to attract (mostly unpleasant curmudgeons, whose deaths or future imprisonments no reader could really regret), if I could pick a fictional place to live in for real, this would be it. There's a sense of community in Caerphilly that is just the antidote to the real world I've needed these past few months--or, indeed, these past few years. People know each other and take care of each other there. A sentimental fantasy? Perhaps, but what a pleasant one. And Andrews has too keen a sense of the absurd to let the sentiment become too cloying.

This year, instead of organizing another massive tourist festival to help pay off the town's debts, Meg is running "Helping Hands," a charitable project organized by Caerphilly's indefatigable mayor, Randall Shiffley, in which town residents donate their time and skills to help their neighbors make repairs or carry out other tasks in their homes that they haven't been able to manage on their own. We're soon focused on a reclusive hoarder, whose house will be condemned if Meg can't persuade him to let the Helping Hands crew clean it and fix it up right away. Reluctantly, he gives in--and timidly begins to blossom in the warmth of his new friends' kindness. But the state of his house isn't the poor man's only problem--his next-door neighbors and a slew of relatives and acquaintances all seem to be trying to get hold of it, or into it. And then Meg finds him lying on his garage floor in a pool of blood, and of course she can't rest until she finds out who would want to kill such a harmless man, and why.

I can't claim that the mystery in this one is actually very mysterious, and the timing--two days before Christmas!--makes the scale of the "Helping Hands" project seem not just comically exaggerated but downright impossible: who would ever have enough time right before Christmas to do that much work for someone they don't even know? Meg goes on rather too much about the horrors of hoarding useless stuff--a theme she's worked changes on in earlier books as well. And I have to admit that I missed the exuberant way Andrews usually evokes the cliches of the Christmas season. It's raining through much of this book--which is, admittedly, much more realistic for Virginia in December than Caerphilly's usual snowstorms--and we don't get to spend much time in Meg and Michael's house, which in Christmases past has always been overflowing with Meg's Mother's over-the-top Christmas decorations and visiting relatives holding competitions to see who can cook the most elaborate Christmas dinners.

But there's a surprising and thoroughly satisfying turn near the end of the story that more than makes up for anything that may have seemed missing in the mystery plot, and Andrews does an excellent job of working in most of her old familiar characters. It's been a while since she set a book in Caerphilly. (I can't count last year's effort, since the storm that snowed Meg and her family in at the Caerphilly Inn also kept most of my favorite characters out of the story altogether). I've missed it--and them!
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