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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Loved the live wickets, August 25, 2006
This review is from: No Nest for the Wicket (Meg Langslow Mysteries) (Hardcover)
As usual, I got some good chuckles....love croquet, and now have a hankering to play X-treme croquet. The storyline actually rates 5 stars, but....and I continue to flog this pet peeve to death...who is doing the proofreading? It has to be a gaggle of first graders! On page 256, line 9, can anyone interpret this sentence?..."How big does do we need for one little duck?"
Most of the errors were just spelling, an extra letter here, not enough letters there, but, sentences like the one in quotes sure makes one slam on the brakes and release the cruise control.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very funny and enjoyable mystery, September 4, 2006
This review is from: No Nest for the Wicket (Meg Langslow Mysteries) (Hardcover)
Blacksmith Meg Langslow learns exactly how dangerous a game of eXtreme Croquet can get when she follows her roqueted ball into a bog--where she finds a dead woman. It turns out that the dead woman was a bit of a trouble-maker, as well as a former girlfriend of Meg's fiance, Michael. All of the croquet players deny knowing anything about her, but the truth gradually comes out. With the fate of what might become the country's largest outlet mall (in Meg's back yard, of all places) involved, the stakes are high. Could it be members of the historical society? Or perhaps the developer? Then again, surely it isn't Michael--despite ending the relationship on a negative note.
The local sheriff isn't much interested in Meg's help, but she can't stop herself. She talks with the locals (including the family working on restoring the farmhouse where she hopes, eventually to live and from which the workmen had a great view of the croquet game) and starts trying to narrow down the suspect list. Unfortunately, the list seems to keep growing.
Author Donna Andrews combines charming characters with an intriguing story in a truly enjoyable mystery. Meg might be a bit odd in her own right, but she's definitely the normal one in her family--and her family is at the croquet match in full force. Her doctor-father's not-so-secret wish to be a forensic scientist comes into play, as does her mother's constant planning, her cousin's herbal druidry (or is it dryadry), her brother's computer incompetence (you'd think that would be a problem considering he's President of a computer game company), all play important roles.
Between late-night sheep shearing, Spike-the-dog's bad habits, and the egg-laying scheming of Duck the duck, I found myself chuckling through this entertaining story. I'm happy to recommend NO NEST FOR THE WICKET--great title, too.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable, but not on Par with the Last Couple, September 16, 2006
This review is from: No Nest for the Wicket (Meg Langslow Mysteries) (Hardcover)
Meg's family is hosting an eXtreme croquet tournament near Meg's house, and Meg has gotten roped into playing. Not that she hates it, but the sport is a little wild for her tastes.
After Meg's ball gets roqueted into a gully, Meg finds a dead body. While the woman had obviously been hit by a croquet mallet, she wasn't playing in the tournament. In fact, Meg and the other contestants have no idea who she is.
It's Michael who makes the identification. The victim used to be a professor at the local college and had made quite a few enemies in town. What was she doing back in the area? And who knew about it and wanted to kill her?
This series has become a favorite because of the great plots and the laugh out loud moments. Unfortunately, this entry doesn't live up to the last couple. Mainly, it was because the book wasn't as funny as it could have been. Much of the humor has been done before and better in the earlier books. Not that this book isn't enjoyable. I still found myself laughing and smiling, just not as much as previously.
Fortunately, the plot is very engaging. There are several twists and plenty of red herrings before the final solution is revealed. I did feel the climax was a bit abrupt, but it was logical.
The returning characters are their usual charming selves. It's always a pleasure to spend time with Meg and her family even if murder is the result. The new characters are interesting as well. They could have used a little more development, but I could easily keep everyone straight.
While not up to the usual standards for this series, this is still a book well worth reading. It's a fast moving mystery that will keep you entertained from start to finish.
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