The Real Macaw

By Donna Andrews

The Lanslows are now the proud parents of twins, but still can't keep her family from invading every minute of their lives.  Now Meg's grandfather has "rescued" the animals from the local shelter, and of course has no where to keep them except for Meg and Michael's house.  And of course the man who was supposed to find homes and shelter for the animals is found murdered.  But this time Meg is trying her hardest to stay away from sleuthing, even though everyone assumes she will be her nosy self.  She wants to worry about her twin boys, not a murderer.

I keep saying that I'm done with this series, mostly because I want to throttle Meg's family.  With her parents living on a farm close by, why do they always pick on Meg? So freaking what if her mother doesn't like a mess, they all need to leave the Lanslows alone already, especially now that they have twins. And it's not just her family... Meg now has a foster child when his mother is stationed overseas.  For such a strong person, she is a real doormat.

Wish You Were Here

By Rita Mae Brown

"Harry" Haristeen is the postmistress in Crozet, a small, cozy, nosy town in Virginia.  So when people begin receiving anonymous tombstone postcards saying "Wish You Were Here", then ending up dead, Harry realizes that people in Crozet must have a few secrets worth killing for -- and her pet corgi and cat are trying to help by ferreting out their own clues.

This book was not appealing at all.  Probably what bothered me the most, besides Harry's stupid, self-centered almost-ex husband, was the lame banter in between the pets in town.  I cannot figure out why people think these comments are cute & witty! And, of course, the bigoted stuck-up mayor's wife, the Bible-thumping know it all widow... the list of retreaded characters go on forever.  What a waste of my time...

Under the Dog Star

By Sandra Parshall

Crazy happenings in Mason County, Virginia yet again.  Pet dogs disappearing, rumors of a dog fighting operation, and wild, abandoned dogs roaming the country side in search of livestock.  It all comes to a head when Dr Gordon Hall is killed outside of his home, his throat torn out.  Sheriff's Department investigator Tom Bridger believes that someone was waiting for Hall, and used an attack dog to murder him. Veterinarian Rachel Goddard, meanwhile, is desperately trying to capture and rehabilitate the wild dogs before the locals shoot them.

I like these stories as long as I try to imagine them separately.  Otherwise, it's a crippling blow to rural Virginia tourism, since every story makes you wonder how anyone is still alive.  Thank goodness I like the characters, and I love animals.

Broken Places: A Rachel Goddard Mystery

By Sandra Parshall

Rachel Goddard, the local veterinarian, is once again trapped in the midst of murder.  Her friend, Ben, has recently moved to town.  When she stops by to check on his dog, Ben is arguing with Cam Taylor, the local newspaper editor.  While driving home, Rachel notices Cam's car on the side of the road, hears a shot, and discovers Cam's body in the woods. 

Later that morning, the Deputy Sheriff Tom Bridger drives to Cam's house to inform his widow.  He finds her car out front, and the house on fire.  Later, her body is recovered from the wreckage.  Who would kill both the husband and wife within hours of each other? Rachel refuses to believe that her friend Ben had anything to do with it.  Tom is not so sure, but has plenty of other suspects.

In the meantime Tom's ex-girlfriend, Lindsay, returns to Mason County.  She just happens to be the Taylor's daughter, and will do anything to get Tom back.  How much will she dig up in Rachel's past?  And will it lead to the end of Rachel & Tom's romance?

These stories are turning into a Murder, She Wrote serial, but I still like them.  I'm just glad I don't live in this county.  Lindsay's character is over-the-top crazy, but that's what keeps this story interesting.  I usually get bored with series since I get sick of the same characters (yes, I realize this is weird).  I only wish she didn't become more compassionate at the end.  Lindsay should have stayed crazy.

The Heat of the Moon

By Sarah Parshall

Veterinarian Rachel Goddard has a panicky flashback when a child's dog is injured.  Is she just imagining her sister as a child, crying and terrified during a rainstorm?  Her mother sees no reason to discuss the past, and no reason to talk about their dead father.  When Rachel tries to discover the truth on her own, her manipulative mother does everything she can to stop her.  Only Luke, Rachel's boss, seems to sympathize and support her, which only turns Rachel's mother & sister against him.  But Rachel has no idea what she is about to uncover about her family.

This was kind of a cross between Mommie Dearest meets James Herriot. Weird combination, but it works.  There are the inevitable plot holes, but the characters were interesting and the story suspenseful.  I just kept wondering why she keep her revelations from her sister --- every time she talked to her, she either flipped out, or ran & told their mother.  Rachel could have saved herself a lot of grief by leaving her sister out of the loop.

Disturbing the Dead

By Sandra Parshall

Tom Bridger returns to his hometown after a car accident takes the lives of all but himself and his nephew.  He joins the sheriff's department, and is thrown into solving the only case his father couldn't --- the disappearance of a local woman.  Meanwhile, he is falling in love with Rachel Goddard, a local veterinarian who is trying to escape her own past.  After Rachel hires the dead woman's niece, both women become targets.  Tom must solve the murder, unravel old secrets, and protect Rachel.

This is supposedly the second book about Rachel Goddard, but except for it having her in the story, there is no continuity.  This is a stand-alone story about a vet and a deputy sheriff.  That being said, it's a good mystery.  There wasn't much to follow Rachel's story from the first book, including her relationship with her boyfriend.  It was kind of more realistic for him to overprotect her, and for Rachel to want to get away from him and her hometown.

Rin Tin Tin: The Life And The Legend

Rin Tin Tin: The Life And The Legend by Susan Orlean

The story of the original German Shepherd hero Rin Tin Tin, rescued during WWI by Lee Duncan, and trained as one of the original "Wonder Dogs" of silent films.  Orlean also includes how the German Shepherd breed became popular, how dogs went from ranch protectors to doted family pets, and how obedience training developed after WWI.  The author admits that no one agrees on how many Rin Tin Tins there were, hence the subtitle.

The readers who didn't enjoy the book are not used to Orleans' style of writing.  This is not just a story of Rin Tin Tin... if so, it would have stopped after around page one hundred, when the first Rin Tin Tin dies.  The author typically includes a background of the era, and the people who were important at the time.  If you can follow along, it's an interesting read. Since I have a short attention span, I love her writing style.

Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon

Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews

In Meg Lanslow's third adventure, her boyfriend Michael is in California, so she is left on her own to solve the troubles surrounding her brother Rob's computer game company, Mutant Wizards.  A fired employee seeking revenge, a practical joker murdered while riding a traveling mail cart, along with rabid computer game fans are among Meg's problems.

I usually give up on book series after the first few (I get bored with the same personality quirks), but I'm still enjoying Meg & her nutty family.  Maybe because the character focus shifts with every book... the first focused on Meg & Michael, the second on Meg's parents, and this third one on her brother Rob.  Plus, it's pretty clean.  I hope my enthusiasm and attention span holds up.