Author: Donna Andrews
Series: Meg Langslow (Book 36)
Publication: Minotaur Books (October 15, 2024)
Description: Bells are ringing and alarms are sounding in Donna Andrews' latest cheery addition in the New York Times bestselling Meg Langslow series.
Meg's sister-in-law, Delaney, is pregnant. Since her due date is on or around Christmas Day, this is putting a bit of a damper on the usual holiday festivities. Meg and Michael are NOT hosting the usual house full of relatives and parties. Instead, Meg, along with her mother, her grandmother, her cousin Rose Noire, and her good friend Caroline, are militantly doing everything they can think of to keep Delaney quiet and healthy. All the relatives are farmed out to friends and neighbors; all the parties are being held somewhere else; and while Delaney is bored and mutinous, she's doing well, and they're managing to maintain a serene, peaceful environment for her . . . until a body is found in Meg and Michael's yard.
The body turns out to be an attendee at Presumed Innocent, a nearby conference that Meg’s grandmother has organized. Some of the attendees want to learn how to exonerate a friend or family members who has been unjustly convicted, while the rest are avid true crime aficionados. And since the dead guy has been very vocal about his belief that most actual and would-be exonerees are guilty, GUILTY!, nearly everyone at the conference dislikes him. But would any of them hate him enough to kill him? And can Meg still keep Delaney calm in the middle of a murder investigation, all while trying to catch the killer?
My Thoughts: Meg's sister-in-law Delaney is pregnant and due around Christmas Day. Since she's been put on bedrest, the usual holiday festivities are not happening at Meg and Michael's place. Instead, Meg is very involved in her friend Caroline's conference Presumed Innocent which is a gathering of true crime afficionados and those who are trying to help exonerate people wrongly convicted of crimes.
Meg's special task at the conference is to be a trouble shooter. Although care was taken to select the attendees, one person has gotten through who believes that all the actual or would-be exonerees are guilty of the crimes for which they were convicted and is very rude about saying so. Known as the Gadfly, Godfrey Norton is known for his podcast and his disdain for the truth. Not above creating information, he is a very powerful and irritating person.
After torturing one of the exoneree's dog Ruth, he is dismissed from the conference and conference hotel. But that isn't the last Norton is heard from. When his body is found dead out behind Meg's barn, she was to add a murder investigation to her Christmas plans. And most of the suspects are attending the Presumed Innocent convention.
This was an enjoyable story with lots of interesting information about the power of the internet for good or evil. It is not amazing that lies spread more quickly than truth, but it does make it hard for those who are fighting for the truth.
The story does end on a slight cliffhanger which makes me eager for the next book in this long-running series.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
I didn't know this series but seems fun.
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