Publication date: October 10, 2023

#34 in the Meg Langslow Series

Summary

Christmas time is approaching and filming is just about to start on “Blades of Glory”, a reality show where blacksmiths compete to create the most authentic, efficient and beautiful weapons. Meg has been helping out on set because it is being held at her neighbor Ragnar’s castle, and because her mentor, Faulk, is one of the competitors, but she has absolutely no interest in competing. Reality TV is not her thing. Then Faulk is attacked and his injury prevents him from competing. When Meg learns that Faulk stands to lose a lot of money if the filming doesn’t continue, she reluctantly steps in for him as a contestant. Her hope is that by keeping a closer eye on the rest of the group, she might figure out who attacked Faulk. Then a contestant is killed.

My Thoughts

This is a very enjoyable book in a very enjoyable series! 

The story has humor and quirky characters. I suspect I’d enjoy reading about the town of Caerphilly even without the murders. The pacing is perfect throughout, and there is just the right amount of suspense. 

The mystery is very well structured. There are many potential motives, some red herrings, and just enough clues scattered around to allow the reader to figure out who did it without it being too obvious. The pool of suspects is also just the right size for the length of the book.

This is book #34 in the series, but would be fine as a standalone or as an introduction to the series. 

What Else I Liked

• Donna Andrews always knows how to bring the Christmas spirit to her Christmas mysteries. Meg’s mother is engaged to decorate the castle. Among other things, the tree has black glass ornaments of ravens, owls, bats, and dragons. (How amazing does that sound?!) There is even festive clothing from Meg’s reindeer pajamas to Spike’s red and green doggie sweater. Christmas music play lists range from Renaissance and Medieval to traditional and rock ’n roll. While children play games like Pin the Red nose on Rudolph, the adults wrap presents for charity. There’s wassail, feasts, and fires in the fireplaces; there’s caroling and building gingerbread houses. Of course there is snow! And the story wraps up with a Christmas sleigh parade through town to look at the lights. 5/5 for the holiday atmosphere.

• Meg is such a great character. She is smart, talented, level-headed, proactive and compassionate. She speaks her mind and doesn’t let people get away with bullying people or animals. Unlike many an amateur detective, Meg actually reports things she knows to people who need to know them. 

• As amazing as Meg is, when I grow up I want to be Ragnar. He is eccentric, exceptionally wealthy, exceedingly generous, and he lives in a castle with an enormous library and lots of secret passages and a moon garden. Plus, as I mentioned above, I have Christmas tree envy. Ragnar is basically a big Norwegian death metal teddy bear. 

• One of my favorite scenes was the Christmas war against the producers. 
• Meg has some great sayings, many picked up from her grandmother. There is the sad, but true – “You can’t fix stupid.” However, my personal favorite is the classic, “Not my circus. Not my monkeys.” 

• I have always loved crows and this book does them justice! 

• Meg always makes blacksmithing seem so cool! 

Potential Triggers

• Sexual harassment
• Drug addiction

My Rating 5/5

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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About the Author

Donna Andrews was born in Yorktown, Virginia and lives in Reston, Virginia. She has won the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry Awards, an RT Book Reviews Award for best first novel, and four Lefty and two Toby Bromberg Awards for funniest mystery. She is the author of the Meg Langslow and Turing Hopper series.

A member of MWA, Sisters in Crime, and the Private Investigators and Security Association, Andrews spends her free time gardening, conquering the world (but only in Civiliation IV), and watching her twin nephews play baseball, basketball, and track.

She blogs at http://femmesfatales.typepad.com/

For more information check out her website http://donnaandrews.com.

(Photo credit to Joe Henson Photography)