Customer Reviews

No Nest for the Wicket

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I had only just recently discovered the Donna Andrews books and so I was pleased to find that a new one had come out. I'd already read two --- "Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon" and "We'll Always Have Parrots," so "No Nest for the Wicket" makes number three.

Overall, "No Nest for the Wicket" was reasonably good fun. I'm not sure it quite made it up to some of the comic hilarity in "Loon," but I found it overall more enjoyable than "Parrots." In ths book, Meg Langslow is involved with a game called "eXtreme croquet." This rougher version of the leisurely pastime involves "extreme conditions ... plenty of hills, trees, rocks, quicksand, thornbushes, poison ivy..." But soon murder is added to the mix when Meg lands in some thorns and pointy rocks and finds a dead body.

Local politics, historical trickery and a duck with the not-so-creative name of "Duck" all play into the comic mischief that ensues in Andrews' newest offering. And the story of Meg and her fiancé, Mike, continues. If you've enjoyed Donna Andrews stories before, then this story should provide further entertainment. With three down, I plan to take a look at "Murder with Peacocks" and see how this series got started.

No Nest for the Wicket was another Meg Langslow story that was enjoyable to read, although possibly not the best one. However, the proofreading was some of the worst I've ever found. Someone should be checking these a little closer.

I generally enjoy this series, and when I see that the author has a new book out, I always get it. I have sometimes been disappointed because it's not as good as I expected, but that's not the case with this book -- it was one of the better in the series, all of which have a bird reference in the title.

In this case, the nest belongs to a duck -- named Duck. You can imagine what happens when someone calls her... That gives you an idea of the humor in the book. But even funnier is the game that is played throughout the book -- eXtreme croquet! I guess there really is such a game, and it sounds fun -- croquet played on rough terrain rather than the usual flat lawn. The series' "detective," Meg Laslow, lives on a Virginia farm with her fiance Michael. They're renovating an old farmhouse, and since they live in the country, they're hosting an eXtreme croquet tournament.

Almost immediately, Meg stumbles across a body -- an unknown woman who has apparently been murdered with a croquet mallet. Because the murder was on land used for the croquet tournament, it seems likely that someone in the tournament or working on the house committed the murder. Although the sheriff is investigating, Meg is interested in discovering which of the people at her place for the weekend is the killer.

Staying with Meg and Michael are Meg's colorful parents and brother and other assorted family members (where are all these people sleeping? not clear), who add to the humor. Also staying with Meg and Michael is Spike (actually belongs to Michael's mother), a tiny little dog who has been through umpteen dog trainers and still bites unwary people. He also adds to the humor.

I really didn't guess "who dun it," which is to the author's credit, as I read so many mysteries that I often do. Only toward the last 75 pages did I add the person to my "possible killer" list.

If you haven't read any in the series, if you like witty, cozy mysteries, you're likely to enjoy this one. If you are already a fan, you won't be disappointed.

Meg Langslow and her family, as always, are a treat to hang out with. The new obsession eXtreme croquet is a wonderful new obession for her family to throw themselves into and for Spike to terrorize.

I love the extended family of the heroine and the ongoing craziness of the Langslow clan. I just want to know where I can buy a real version of "Lawyers from Hell" -- being an attorney I know just how much of a market there is for this computer game!

Still, the plot in "No Nest for the Wicket" felt a bit forced and much of the humorous bits were variations on scenes/bits from previous books.

This is a good series, but I think Donna Andrews can do better. This is the perfect book to while away a summer afternoon reading on the porch while you sip lemonade. Enjoy!

Croquet as a sport is not dead! It is, in the form of eXtreme Croquet, the current rage in Caerphilly where blacksmith extraordinaire, Meg Langslow's, property (under renovation) is home base for the competing teams.

Croquet is not usually thought of as a game to die for or over, but in Caerphilly, anything is possible. Meg's croquet ball is sent down a cliff where she finds a dead woman whom no one seems to know, but many have had contact with in the past, including her own finance.

As Meg investigates the mysterious woman's death, she must negotiate the cluttered terrain of her own home. Present are crazy family members, a team of students that are better known as the Mountain Morris Mallet Men, local society mavens, workmen, runaway sheep, a duck looking to be a mother, and some nasty poison ivy. With all the distraction, Meg must be able to focus if she is to solve the murder and save her homestead from the invasion of the Mega Mall.

Donna Andrew's novel, No Nest for the Wicket has unique characters and never-ending activity. Yet, for the entire frenetic goings on, it doesn't feel frenetic. It is a fun-filled romp through the land of murder. Her characters are delightful because they are so flawed and are reminiscent of people we all know. Andrews's imagination should be studied! The results are a satisfying read that will make you laugh.

Armchair Interviews says: If you want a fast, fun read where you're entertained, not challenged to think, Andrew's No Nest for the Wicket is the ticket. If murder can result in a feel-good experience, this is it.

During one particular weekend in Caerphilly blacksmith Meg Langslow and her fiancé Marley college drama professor Michael share a weekend that would drive a saint to sin. In addition to living in a stall while their house is undergoing major renovations, her land is being used as the playing field for eXtreme croquet. Meg is participating in the tournament where the field contains difficult obstacles including bogs, quicksand, briar patches, and poison ivy to name a few.

When she falls down the gully while looking for a ball, Meg finds the body of a woman. After the police circulate a picture of the deceased, no one comes forth admitting they knew her. That is until Michael identifies the victim as Lindsay Tyler, a teacher at the nearby college. A host of suspects surface amongst the historical society, the college faculty, and even college students from out of town. Meg makes her inquiries as she now realizes the murdered woman misrepresented herself to gain access to historical documents.

There are no words to adequately describe how amusing this novel is. Meg's interactions with people including her quirky relatives and the situations she ends up in will leave the audience laughing in delight. Her ability to juggle several crises while sleuthing will have readers admire her spirit and determination. Donna Andrews is one of the best authors at providing a humorous whodunit.

Harriet Klausner

This is my first Donna Andrews mystery and it certainly won't be my last. I understand that this is the 7th entry into the series, but although some background would have fleshed the story out better, you certainly don't need to begin this story with book 1!

The book contains a large cast of eccentric, interesting characters that are focused around the death of female corpse that Meg, the protagonist, finds while playing croquet. Turns out her fiance Michael knew the woman from years before--she'd been a teacher at a local college.

There is plenty of humor along with the mystery as Meg strives to solve the murder. Definitely a cozy author I'd recommend.