Toucan Keep a Secret by Donna Andrews

Donna Andrews ability to consistently deliver funny, entertaining and heart-warming cozy mysteries is one of life’s greatest pleasures. There is no better guarantee of a great reading experience than Donna Andrews name on the cover of a Meg Langslow mystery. In Toucan Keep a Secret, Meg finds herself helping out at Trinity Episcopal for the very pregnant Rev. Robyn Smith who is home on bedrest. While checking on the Toucan that Robyn has agreed to watch, Meg hears a noise and discovers a body on the floor of the columbarium (don’t call it a crypt) next to some broken urns and a ring with a giant red stone.

Meg’s discovery kicks off a murder investigation as well as stirring up one of Caerphilly’s oldest unsolved crimes, the Van der Lynden jewel robbery. Under the helpful guise of contacting next of kin to see how they want their loved one’s remains reinterred, Meg digs into the case uncovering clues that make a murderer very nervous. Was the old robbery related to the new murder? And why was someone breaking into the columbarium in the first place? And why is someone trying to silence the Toucan? The search for all these answers is as much fun as the solution.

Meg’s immediate and extended family including her twins, her husband Michael, mother and father and all the extended clan pitch in once again, as well as the always helpful Shiffley clan. The sense of community and family that is created in these books is as much fun as the murder mystery. Meg leads the charge of helping out the church during Robyn’s pregnancy, helping Robyn get her own house ready for a baby, and taking care of her own immediate and extended family.

Several new characters appear highlighted by the very entertaining Ragnar. It’s a good thing Andrews has such a knack for creating great new characters with the rate people seem to drop dead in Caerphilly. Toucan Keep a Secret delivers another entertaining mystery (or two) filled with interesting characters, clever clues and a most intrepid amateur detective. Long-time fans will be pleased, and there’s always enough backstory for newcomers to jump in at any point in the series. A Donna Andrews book is always a recipe for fun and the recipe is as good as ever here. Highly recommended.

I was provided an advance copy of this book by the publisher.

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