Murder With Peacocks (A Meg Lanslow Mystery)

Book Description

Three Weddings....And a MurderSo far Meg Langslow's summer is not going swimmingly. Down in her small Virginia hometown, she's maid of honor at the nuptuals of three loved ones--each of whom has dumped the planning in her capable hands. One bride is set on including a Native American herbal purification ceremony, while another wants live peacocks on the law. Only help from the town's drop-dead gorgeous hunk, disappointingly rumored to be gay, keeps Meg afloat in a sea of dotty relatives and outrageous neighbors.And, in whirl of summer parties and picnics, Souther hospitality is strained to the limit by an offenseive newcomer who hints at skeletons in the guests' closets. But it seems this lady has offended one too many when she's found dead in suspicious circumstances, followed by a string of accidents--some fatal. Soon, level-headed Meg's to-do list extends from flower arragements and bridal registries to catching a killer--before the next catered event is her own funeral....

Customer Reviews:

Murder With Peacocks.......2007-08-16

This is my first Meg Mystery by Donna Andrews. I am definitely going to buy more of her books. It was not only a mystery but a funny and slightly romatic book. Another book that was hard to put down.

I can see why it won a prize!.......2007-07-12

So, we've got a duck, a small boy, a nutty father who's a doctor and knows all about poisons and climbs trees, a ditzy mother, three brides, a handsome actor who's also running a dress making shop and a bunch of clunky would-be suitors to our heroine Meg; Meg the iron sculptor come wedding planner. Oh yeh, and then there are peacocks!

This is the type of book that I'd love to see as a made for TV movie! Full of silly gags, improbable situations, wonderful earthy characters; all of it mixed all with a taste of murder. Wonderful writing and use of language; you just want to be there. This is the first 'Meg' that I've read but can't wait to taste them all. Enjoy!

Numerous Issues but Great Potential.......2007-01-22

I actually didn't mean to read this book - I love puffins and picked up Murder with Puffins at a bookstore. However, it was fairly obvious right from the start that this was a sequel and that I had to read the first book first. I tracked won Murder with Peacocks down and was impressed with the Agatha Award posted on the cover. I settled in for an evening read.

It's important to accept up front that this is meant to be a lighthearted read. The book doesn't hide this at all - it trumpets it from the start. Meg Langslow is a single ironworker who returns to her small hometown in order to be maid of honor - not to just one bride, but to three. The story is really all about those wedding preparations, the insane cast of family members, the owner of the dress shop (a gorgeous, literate hunk who everyone thinks is gay) and then a few deaths that are thrown in to annoy the wedding plans.

This is one of those books where I loved the details but cringed repeatedly at the plot itself. Meg is supposed to be a smart, educated, take-care-of-herself chick who embraces the un-girly craft of metalwork and living far from home. However, when it comes to actions, she's a doormat. She lets everyone in her life use her - her family, her friends, even strangers. The main reason she likes Michael is that he's nice to look at. The educated part is an afterthought. For some reason every other man around her is drawn to her like moths to a flame, and she judges many of them by their body shape. I just didn't find her character very rounded, or to be honest, someone I'd root for. People she's grown up with her entire life are dropping dead left and right and she doesn't care at all.

I also found the plot frustrating. It was clearly obvious from moment one that Michael was not gay - and these two spend TONS of time together, pretty much every waking moment. However, the only times he ever tries to tell her the truth, they're cut off. All the other times they're alone for hours on end, he doesn't say a word. The situation was silly enough to make you lose your involvement with the story. There are many other too-bizarre coincidences.

With so many people dropping dead left and right, the cops seem rather blithe about it all. The villagers seem to care more about themselves than about anyone who's gone. There's never any sense of *why* Meg's boyfriend is with his fiance, or *why* Meg's mom left her dad and chose this new guy. It's all contrived plot. There's an incredibly tiny amount of sleuthing that goes on, but most of it is chore running, and the occasional stumbling over clues. The ending scene in particular seems extremely kludgy.

I'm not saying I disliked the story - I read it through in a few hours, and there were numerous funny parts. It seems like it would have been *so* easy to structure it so that the constant "I'm about to tell her but some inane thing interrupts us" situations weren't happening - or that more depth was given to the characters so their actions rang true. Meg being such a shallow, spineless doormat was a continual frustration. It was a superb story crying to get out, but being bogged down by a lack of coherency. Even with the issues here, I'm actually really psyched to read the second book now. If this is what Donna Andrews did with her first try, I'm sure Puffins will solve many of these issues.

All That and a Bag of Chips.......2006-08-05

This was a really fun book to read. Not a 'serious' mystery, a more amiable one. I enjoyed it thoroughly and would recommend it to anyone wanting a captivating, yet light-hearted read.

For Anyone with a Crazy Family.......2006-07-15

For anyone with a crazy family - and that's just about everyone - Murder with Peacocks will make you laugh out loud. I was completely swept away by this breezy and fast-paced tale, which somehow manages to blend weddings, blacksmithing, and peacocks with flair. I also felt that Donna Andrews managed to capture the small-town atmosphere just about perfectly, while juggling her many plot threads. This was my first Meg Lanslow mystery, but it definitely won't be my last! (P.S. to anyone who thinks all these family antics are over the top: You clearly have never been to an Italian wedding....)

Murder with Peacocks (A Meg Langslow Mystery)

Average customer rating:

Murder with Peacocks (A Meg Langslow Mystery)
Donna Andrews
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JV7MMO

Average customer rating:

Murder With Peacocks (A Meg Langslow Mystery)
Donna Andrews
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTV3EY

Average customer rating:

Murder with Peacocks (A Meg Langslow Mystery)
Donna Andrews
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTEBOI

Average customer rating:

Murder, with Peacocks

Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 141764768X

Customer Reviews:

A unique vampire story collection.......2003-02-25

There were a couple of things I didn't understand until I got this book home - this is a vampire science fiction book, and none of these stories are new. The oldest story is copyright 1933, and the most recent is copyright 1988. Focusing on the scientific vampire makes this a really different collection than the usual. They did a good job finding interesting stories.

Book Description

DNA. Free will. Secret government projects. That was just the beginning. For centuries mankind has been living under the assumption that they were free. It's time they knew the truth.... All his life Rayce Schifren knew he wanted to make the world a better place. So when the FBI invited him to join their ranks, he jumped at the chance. But when events begin to occur that contradict his black-and-white worldview, he may be forced to consider where his loyalties lie. In a virtually disease-free world, Laura Mylan is a medical mystery. No one has ever been able to cure her of her genetic disorder, much less tell her what it is. But the answer lies much deeper than she could ever guess. Max Owen has lived his entire life behind a fence--all because of some genetic defect he doesn't even understand. But after deciding to see what's on the other side, he realizes he's in for more than he bargained for. ...For some it will mean betrayals. Others will become heroes.

Download Description

Average customer rating:

Exceptional Cook Book!

A new family favorite!

Leave the cooking to the chefs

Disappointing

Cooks will want this for their home collections

Comfort Food Makeovers: Healthy Alternatives to Your Favorite Homestyle Dishes
Elaine Magee
Manufacturer: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Low Fat | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Lighten Up: Low-Fat Versions of More Than 100 of America's Best-Known and Best-Loved Recipes

Fry Light, Fry Right: Fried-Food Flavor Without Deep Frying

Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites

The Biggest Loser Cookbook: More Than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes Adapted from NBC's Hit Show

The Flax Cookbook: Recipes and Strategies for Getting the Most from the Most Powerful Plant on the Planet

ASIN: 157912464X

Book Description

Mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, chocolate chip cookies, ice cream, soup...these are the comfort foods we crave—but many of us are afraid to eat them because of their high fat and calorie content. Now, thanks to Elaine Magee, we can eat our favorite comfort foods in a healthful way! Comfort Food Makeovers provides 116 easy, mouthwatering recipes for your favorite comfort foods that are full of flavor and texture yet healthy enough to eat anytime.

Magee, the author of Fry Light, Fry Right! truly knows how to cook the healthy way, and she is on a mission to teach the world how to use ingredients and techniques to lighten a recipe without losing the flavor: incorporate reduced-fat ingredients, boost the fiber, and always cut down on serving sizes. She keeps us tempted with main dishes such as American Meatloaf and Butter-Baked Chicken, savory side dishes such as Potatoes with Leeks and Gruyere, and decadent desserts such as One-Bowl Brownies and Triple Chocolate Decadence Cookies. The delicious recipes in Comfort Food Makeovers will make you think twice before eating the full-fat, full-calorie versions of your favorite comfort foods ever again!

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional Cook Book!.......2006-08-16

I purchased this book because I've been looking for heathly alternatives for my family. The use of detailed comparisions for nutrients is incredibly helpful and there are so many useful tips for cutting back on fat and calories! I never imagined I could make a healthy and delicious chicken pot pie. Elaine shows that you can still enjoy old fashioned comfort foods and not feel guilty about it. The format is simple to follow and there is a great variety of recipes.

A new family favorite!.......2006-08-12

I am new Elaine Magee fan with regards to her general cook books (have and loved her What to Eat for Headaches book) so I can only speak to this cook book, but I love her cooking style! I personally DON'T want cookbooks by chefs. I end up spending twenty dollars on the book only to make one or two recipes only. Chef's only have two things in mind...looks and taste. They don't care about making the recipe easy and convenient and healthful. Elaine does this oh so well. The other reviewer totally missed the point. This isn't a book about fancy food, it's a book about making over America's favorite comfort foods to be as healthful as possible. I have personally made 10 dishes so far from the book and not only did I love them, so did my kids who can be so hard to please! Somehow Elaine has managed to make the recipes over so they still taste great but with fewer calories and less saturated fat. You can see the "before" and "after" nutritional analysis for yourself on every page. Thanks Elaine for another wonderful and practical book.

Leave the cooking to the chefs.......2006-07-30

I find it fascinating that publishers aren't catching on that nutritionists don't make food that's in the ballpark of chefs. If you want a healthy cookbook, buy one from a trained chef who specialized in healthy food. This is a perfect example. Good idea, terrible execution (meaning the finished dishes leave much to be desired).

Disappointing.......2006-07-28

I really expected this book to be pretty good. The recipe titles are enticing and some of Elaine Magee's other books are better (not the best out there, but definitely better). She must have had a tight deadline or she was bored or something on this one because the food is mediocre at best. You can find so many better (and even healthier) versions of the same dishes online for free.

Cooks will want this for their home collections.......2006-05-25

Usually there are two answers to old favorite recipes which have long been packed in calories and fat as well as comfort: abstain or modify until it's entirely. So it's refreshing to find COMFORT FOOD MAKEOVERS: HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO YOUR FAVORITE HOMESTYLE DISHES does neither: it modifies dishes to omit the calories - but not the original comforting tastes. From a leaner Beef Shepherd's Pie which uses a lean sirloin roast and fat-free half-and-half to a light version of the classic cream-laden Fettuccine Alfredo - truly an achievement, done with light cream cheese, divided whole milk or fat-free half and half, and butter or substitute - all dishes retain their original appeal while boasting makeovers that work. While plastic comb binding may not make for durable library lending long-term, it will delight cooks who will want this for their home collections.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

Book Description

With the plethora of dog training books on the market, how do you choose which is right for you and your new puppy? We've tried to address this issue by offering a new series of training books designed to be clear, concise and reliable in our training message. Author Steve Smith is an award-winning dog writer who is the editor of Retriever Journal and Pointing Dog Journal and the author of the best-selling Just Labs. His expertise on dog training is easy to access in this book as he discusses the Lab personality, breed characteristics and history, selecting a litter and puppy, early obedience training and socialization, land and water retriever training, training for tricks, grooming, preventative care, typical Lab ailments and general canine ailments. The informative and entertaining text is illustrated with over 100 color photographs to help you effectively train your Lab.

Customer Reviews:

The title says it all!.......2001-06-07

Interested in Labradors? Thinking of incorporating one in your family life? This title contains necessary information about labs reaching from "choosing a puppy" to "hunting training". It neither a big training manual nor a small photo album of labs. It is exactly what you need to get started with your new puppy. Enjoy it!

Average customer rating:

Relicarios: Devotional Miniatures from the Americas

Relicarios: Devotional Miniatures from the Americas
Martha J. Egan
Manufacturer: Museum of New Mexico Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Religious | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Devotionals | Worship & Devotion | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Art and Faith in Mexico: The Nineteenth-Century Retablo Tradition

Milagros: Votive Offerings from the Americas

ASIN: 0890132534

Customer Reviews:

Relicarios: Devotional Miniatures from the Americas.......2000-03-17

Author Martha Egan has a shop called Pachamama in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There she sells antique and traditional folk art from Latin America. Her studies of Latin American folk art have led her to write this book. She has also written a book about milagros and a novel about art brokering and smuggling. She is currently working on a book about Latin American jewelry.

On 13 Feb 2000, I attended her lecture at the San Antonio Museum of Art where Martha has her private collection of relicarios on loan for exhibit. I encourage you to see this exhibit while it is at SAMOA.

Relicarios are devotional miniature pendants or lockets. They sometimes contain bits of bone, tooth, or cloth, reputedly from a saint. Many have survived from the conquest because they were treasured by families or the church. They are often elaborate and finely crafted. Materials used to make relicarios include wood, metal, bone, ivory, and shell.

Relicarios were worn suspended around the neck from a chain or cord. Some are displayed on walls or hung onto church sculptures of saints to honor an answered prayer. Relicarios are still used today as a talisman to "inspire, comfort, and protect the bearer from harm."

A miniature painting or sculpture of a saint is sometimes protected by glass on a relicario. Some relicarios are two-sided works of art. For this reason, SAMOA displays some relicarios so thay can be viewed from both sides.

In her book, Martha describes the ancient origins of relicarios from Greek and Roman times in which "the physical remains of gods or heroes were thought to have magical properties, and possession of such treasures conferred religious and political status upon the owner." Encolpium contained a bit of cloth dipped in the oil from lamps burned in front of saints' sarcophagi. The cloth could also have been dipped in a martyr's blood, or could have come from clothing worn by a saint.

As with anything of value, authenticity of relics is questionable. Martha cites "no fewer than a dozen heads and sixty fingers of Saint John the Baptist (this is spite of the alleged burning of his corpse by Emperor Julian in the fourth century); seven foreskins from the infant Jesus; fifteen arms of Saint James; thirty bodies of Saint George; and six breasts of Saint Agatha." When Saint Elisabeth of Thuringia was buried, her body was quickly torn apart by devotees. John Calvin asked for an end to all this relic madness in 1543.

Martha's book is an interesting read.

Customer Reviews:

The Right Storage is the Wrong Book.......2002-12-15

The photos in this book are only so-so. There are some interesting tips for making your own storage containers, but their so called "clever" storage solutions are not very clever. This book seems outdated. A better book is Simple Solutions Storage Space by Cahill.

Customer Reviews:

Contemporary Jewellery in Australia and New Zealand.......2000-05-01

This is a really thorough review of recent work in the two countries... with some familiar names and some lesser known artists. It's a nice change of pace from american and european jewelry.

Book Description

'They became so successful, so quickly, that none of us were prepared for it.' - Suzanne de Passe, Motown Records What can be said about Michael Jackson, that hasn't already been said? Yes so much of what is written about Michael is either inaccurate or negative. The aim of this book is to tell Michael's incredible story as accurately, honestly and comprehensively as possible by focusing on hi music. The book includes a complete, chronological listing of every album (including track listings), one-off singles and collaborations Michael released in the USA and/or UK: In the pre-Motown era For Motown, solo and with the Jackson 5 With the Jacksons The book also features a complete USA and UK chartography, discographies from both the USA and the UK, a videography and a fascinating listing of Jackson rarities from around the world.

Customer Reviews:

really strong Book.......2003-01-16

this is really cool a book that covers early MJ&His Career&whatnot.this Book does a Great job of refelcting on the artistic side of MJ&going over His work.also a Great reflection on Jermaine,Tito,Marlon,Jackie&later Randy.it's about time the real reason why people got into MJ is mentioned&showcased fr more here with this book.

MJJ The Early Years.......2002-12-04

Any fan of Michael of any age is perfect for this book. Full of very rare stories of each album, and photos. Pure heart and soul of one man from a child to growing, but fully grown. Get a view of Michael we don't ever see anymore. From the J5 to solo with his bros, to acting as a man of his own in Epic. A true and beautiful book.

The Jackson Machine.......2002-12-02

Michael Joseph Jackson has made milions smile with his voice, passion and love, but what a lot of people don't know is where his roots of love come from. Michael is a man of soul, way back with the legendary Jackson 5.
With the book MJ The Early Years, it captavates Michael from way before Steeltown, to Steeltown, Motown, Jackson's, and every album and song that help led up to who Michael is today. Many unheard of people are discovered in this amazing book. I urge you to give it a try! You will love it, and most of all: It will place you in a state of shock!

The Jackson Machine.......2002-12-02

Michael Jackson the Early Years: An incredible book! The very first in a long time to tell you just where Michael came from. MJ The Early Years, paints you a picture of the Jackson household, telling you the ever lasting story of Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael.Remember Dancing Machine, I Want You Back, Ben? Well these are all here with the stories to back them up! You think you know so many things about Michael, and how the J5 started... You don't until reading this book. I dare YOU to try it.

Michael Jackson More Than A Thriller.......2002-11-30

At last a book covering Michael Jackson's early days, both as a solo artist and as the lead singer of The Jackson 5. Not only are Jackson's many recordings with Motown covered, but there is also fascinating account of his humble beginnings from Gary Indiana to Steeltown Records where is first ever recordings were produced. Rounding the main chapters off is a section on The Jacksons, who enjoyed success themselves after leaving Motown in 1975.

Written in an entertaining format, each album is taken individually with an appropriate essay of the period, covering facts, single releases and chart information. All this with additional material on unreleased recordings, a comprehensive discography, chartography, videography and an exclusive Jackson poll.

The last decade or so as seen the media concentrate more on Jackson's eccentricities than his prolific singer/songwriter credits. One glance at Michael Jackson The Early Years reminds everyone that Jackson's career spans a lot further than Off The Wall and Thriller, and if anything puts him up there with all of the universally recognised greats such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Any fan of Jackson or of popular music, interested in what makes a legend should look no further than this book, as it covers the backbone of an industrious career.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books