DASHING THROUGH THE SNOWBIRDS by Donna Andrews

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, 304 pages

4****

Blurb: Dashing Through the Snowbirds is the next merry installment of Donna Andrews’s New York Times bestselling Meg Langslow mystery series. Christmas in Caerphilly is wonderful! Unless you’re a Canadian whose inconsiderate boss is forcing you to spend the holiday there, far from family and friends, with only a slim chance of a white Christmas. Meg already has her hands full, trying to make the season festive for the dozen programmers who are staying with her and Michael while working on a rush project with her brother’s software company. At least it’s an interesting project, since the Canadian company is doing forensic genealogy and DNA analysis. When the inconsiderate boss is found murdered, there are too many suspects. Even before their Christmas in exile, his own employees had plenty of motives, and the growing number of people suing the company for faulty DNA analysis and invasion of their genetic privacy include at least one notorious murderer. Can Meg crack the case in time to keep the Yuletide bright?

Thoughts: It’s Christmas time in Caerphilly, VA. Meg’s mother has décorated the house to the rafters and her father has a super surprise for them all out in the back field that Meg has been keeping secret. But the biggest surprise was the crowd of Canadians who descended on her home. They were there to work on a major programming project with Meg’s brother and arrived with no notice – and all the hotels and B&Bs in town filled. Their boss is an overbearing, nasty person who expects everything handed to him on a silver platter and doesn’t care who he puts out as long as he gets his way.

So yeah, he’s the victim. But who is the murderer? That’s a question Meg helps solve. I have to say, I was pretty sure I knew who it was from the beginning so no surprise to me when I was right. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the story. I really did.

I’m coming into this story not having read any of the previous ones in the series. That might be a bit of a problem, but the author had a deft hand at letting you in on the background of the characters. I do know, though, that having read this one, I’m going to pick more up to pick up on some of the stuff I’m missing with the characters (and exactly how big is the house where Meg lives?). Yes, it was mildly confusing at times as to the setting and relationships of some of the people, but overall a very good story.

Recommendation: A definite cozy mystery purchase. The story was entertaining with a satisfying ending.

Disclaimer: Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this ARC. I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”