Part of Meg Langslow, book 30
First published 2021
Meg Langslow's holiday preparations take a deadly turn when wildlife artist Roderick Castlemayne is murdered in her library. The irascible painter had been working on twelve bird illustrations for her grandfather's nature book while dodging reporters, bill collectors, and angry ex-wives seeking alimony. Now his death has unleashed chaos in multiple forms. Twelve jays have escaped and threaten to nest in the Christmas tree. A blizzard traps everyone in the house with a killer. Meanwhile, Meg's brother Rob and his fiancée Delaney announce plans for a simple New Year's wedding, crushing their mothers' dreams of an elaborate ceremony. As the mothers plot secretly to change the couple's minds, Meg must juggle family drama, help police solve the murder, and recapture the birds before they destroy Christmas entirely.
Genres: christmas, mystery, cozy-mystery, family-drama
Vibes: cozy, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, holiday
Period: Christmas, New Year's
320 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books