Owls Well That Ends Well

March 15, 2005
Andrews' sixth Meg Langslow tale is a loony, utterly delightful affair featuring the zany Meg, her affable boyfriend, Michael, and a collection of Meg's wacky relatives. Meg and Michael have bought a dilapidated mansion containing a huge collection of possessions from deceased owner Edwina Sprocket. Agreeing to sell the items and give the remaining Sprockets a cut, Meg and Michael prepare for a huge yard sale--with Meg's entire extended family camping out in the house; however, the discovery of a dead body puts a damper on the festivities. The dead man is a local antiques dealer, but suspicion quickly turns to Professor Giles Rathbone, whose owl bookend was the murder weapon. Meg has a vested interest in clearing Giles--he's one of Michael's few supporters on the tenure committee. As usual, Andrews provides plenty of fun, including Meg's penchant for reciting collective nouns that pertain to birds, such as a "parliament of owls" and a "murmuration of starlings." Another laugh-out-loud lark that will leave readers singing Andrews' praises.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)