Cockatiels at Seven
Donna Andrews
Reviewed by Barb Radmore
Cockatiels at Seven is number nine in the series starring Meg Langslow
but it was the first one I have read. I sure have been missing out on a
good thing. Since the series first started in 1998 I am not sure how
these have gotten by me all these years. I will need to catch up now.
Meg is hoping to get a full day of work at her forge to try to
replenish her blacksmithing stock but her plans are ruined when she
gets a visit from an old acquaintance. Karen asks her to baby sit her
little boy for just a little while so she can run an errand. Although
Meg is not used to small children she agrees since it will not be for
very long. Karen's manner is puzzling, her nervousness is apparent but
Meg does not give it too much thought until Karen fails to show up to
get Timmy. She has left a large amount of clothes and other baby
equipment, a suspiciously large amount. When Meg goes to look for her
the next day she finds the police already there. In fact they seem to
show up every place she goes to look for Karen- her work place
included. It seems Karen could have gotten involved in an embezzling
scheme with her ex-husband but, even though all the signs point towards
her guilt, Meg is not convinced. She does her own investigating while
either black mailing one of her many relatives to baby sit Timmy or
toting him along with her. She is not surprised to discover that it is
not easy playing detective with an active two year old on your hip. Her
husband hopes maybe her time with Timmy might convince her it is time
to start a family of their own. In addition to keeping track of Timmy,
delving into the mystery of where Karen is, Meg is curious what her
father and grandfather may be up to. With storing snakes in her
basement and birds on the third floor she is not sure what else they
may be into.
This book is very much character driven. I can not speak for the rest
of the series but can guess they are similar. Meg's extended family
plays a large role in every aspect of the story. This book can stand
alone as a mystery but it would be very helpful to have read the ones
before it. I think the relationships of the characters would be much
clearer, a bit more enjoyable, if you know the events in the earlier
books. The characters are quirky and unique, each playing his or her
own role in the story line. They flit in and out of the story just as
they scurry in and out of Meg's house. The mystery in the book holds
its own, it is well developed and well plotted. But it is the
characters that keep this book entertaining and will bring me back for
more.
(I am curious how one has room full of birds and a brother living in
one's house and not be aware of it. I think I would notice I imagine
this is something that may have been explained in an earlier book!)
The series will continue with Six Geese A-Slaying in October 2008 so we
have something to look forward to.