Book Review: We'll Always Have Parrots by Donna Andrews

We'll Always Have Parrots
Author: Donna Andrews
Series: Meg Langslow (Book 5)
Publication: Minotaur Books; Reissue edition (February 7, 2006)

Description: In We'll Always Have Parrots, Meg Langslow travels with her fiancé Michael to a fan convention for Porfiria, Queen of the Jungle--a cheesy cult TV show on which Michael has a minor role. Michael hopes the weekend will give him a chance to talk Miss Wynncliffe-Jones, the show's temperamental leading lady and executive producer out of enforcing a certain provision in Michael's contract.

Of course, Michael's not the only person whose career the dictatorial star has manipulated. So when the star is found murdered, the police have plenty of suspects. Trouble is, Meg doesn't believe they're going to arrest the right one. Soon she finds herself following the murderer's trail through a hotel filled with egotistical actors, costumed fans, and a motley flock of monkeys and parrots who, rebelling against their role as live scenery, have escaped from their cages to take an active (and noisy) role in the festivities.

My Thoughts: Meg and Michael are weekending at a convention for the cult TV show in which Michael plays the part of a wizard. Besides dealing with the death of the owner/star/executive producer of the program they have to deal with an influx of parrots and monkeys and one tiger. 

No one liked Miss Wyncliffe-Jones who played the lead in the program and the convention is rife with suspects from fellow cast members to other attendees to the cheated author of the comic books the series was based on. 

Even though Meg doesn't set out to investigate the crime, she does find herself hearing things that she feels she needs to bring to the attention of the police. And, having been the one to find the body including the scrap of paper clutched in the victim's hand, Meg has a head start on the police. She has even more of a head start because she's familiar with the culture of fan conventions. 

Having attended a convention or two in my life, I appreciated the picture Andrews paints of what life is like at a con. I liked the way Meg is a little corner of sanity in a crazy situation. This was a fun episode in the series. 

Favorite Quote:

"Whose idea was it to turn all these parrots loose?" I asked.

"It wasn't anyone's idea," the gawky young wizard said. "When we went to bed, they were all in cages."

Yes, I could see cages, dotted among the fake foliage overhead. Cages whose doors now hung wide open.

"Well, I suppose you could say it was the monkeys' idea," the diminutive Amazon said, trying to disentangle the umbrella, which had gotten caught in a philodendron.

"Monkey?" I echoed. 

"We also have monkeys," she said, as if this were an additional feature rather than another problem. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.