We'll Always Have Pa (Lib)(CD) [Audio CD]

Donna Andrews (Author)

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Books on Tape (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1415901287
• ISBN-13: 978-1415901281
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,414,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zany look at culture with charming protagonist. A good one., April 17, 2004

By 

booksforabuck "BooksForABuck" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: We'll Always Have Parrots (Hardcover)

It's an ordinary convention, celebrating the stars of a 'B' grade television show, Porfira, Queen of the Jungle. Meg Langslow accompanies her actor-boyfriend Michael and hopes to sell some of her swords (Meg is a blacksmith). But ordinary SF conventions are anything but ordinary. Parrots and monkeys escape and run wild in the hotel, space-suit clad fans mingle with angry writers and actors, and everyone is angry with leading lady Wynncliffe-Jones. But when the actress ends up killed, her dying words echoed by an African Gray parrot, Meg knows she needs to get to the bottom of the mystery. Because if she doesn't, her boyfriend is likely to be a chief suspect.

With occasional assistance from her nerotic doctor-father, Meg explores the world of comic books (graphic novels) on which Porfira was based, the 1960s culture that spawned some pretty good art and bad story-telling, and the web of contracts and bad will that Wynncliffe-Jones used to maintain control over the Porfira franchise.

This was a very funny book. Author Donna Andrews has an eye for the zany world of fantasy fans, prima-donna actors, and ambivalent family relations. Protagonist Meg Langslow makes a good and sympathetic character with real personality and skills.

I picked up my first Meg Langslow mystery, Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon, because of the title and WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARROTS is another great title. What's great, though, is finding a book that can live up to a title like this. And Andrews delivers exactly that book. Anyone who enjoys a slightly zany approach to mystery, kick-ass female protagonists, and a tongue-in-cheek look at American culture will want to get their hands on this one. Highly recommended.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars So-So, February 25, 2004

By 

Sharon (Grove City, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We'll Always Have Parrots (Hardcover)

I think the Meg Langslow mysteries are charming, funny, and witty and I very much looked forward this installment. I did not find We'll Always Have Parrots up to that standard. Like the other characters in the book, I did not lament that the victim was murdered and about halfway through the book I decided that I no longer cared who murdered her. I went ahead and finished it until the end but it took longer than previous Donna Andrews' books. For some reason I found the almost exclusive use of calling the main character the QB annoying and after a while I just wanted all the parrots and monkeys to fade into the background. I missed Michael and Meg's father playing more prominent roles. With Michael playing such a minor role and he being the reason behind Meg's desire to solve the mystery, I just felt it could have been better. Every series has their less than best book. We'll Always Have Parrots was that one for me but I look forward to the next one in hopes that it will be as enjoyable as the first three were.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a Conventional Murder, July 8, 2004

By 

Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: We'll Always Have Parrots (Hardcover)

Meg isn't thrilled to be spending the weekend at the convention for Porfiria, the TV show that boyfriend Michael stars in. This year's festivities have been enhanced by the addition of monkeys and parrots, which have escaped from their cages and are wandering the hotel at random. Meg is hoping to make some money off her swords in the dealer room to keep the weekend from being a complete loss.

All that's before the star of the show is murdered. Nicknamed the QB (which doesn't stand for Queen Bee), there isn't a person who works on the show who didn't have some beef with her. Despite protests that she's not going to get involved, Meg begins collecting clues. But can she follow them back to the real killer before the convention ends?

If you are at all familiar with the books in the Meg Langslow series, you know to expect plenty of antics along with your mystery. This book is no exception. Donna Andrews pokes gentle fun at fandom with some of the over the top antics. I grinned and laughed my way through the entire book. At the same time, there's a great mystery. While it takes a while to get going, it is a cleverly plotted story with several nice twists before the ending.

Donna Andrews continues to set the bar high for herself. How she manages to juggle everything she puts in these stories is beyond me. But they are a fun ride none-the-less. If you love humorous mysteries, be sure to check this series out.