Things are busy for Meg Langslow in this 12th book in the series. Because the heating plant isn't operational at the college, she and her husband Michael are hosting a bunch of drama students as they prepare for their latest production and a clutch of computer students have taken over the basement. In addition, Michael asks Meg to host the Spanish playwright of the upcoming production.

The chairman of the English department comes to tell them all that the play must be cancelled because the graduate student who is producing it didn't ask for permission. She and her minion from Administrative Services have done nothing but throw roadblocks into the paths of all drama students and are vehemently opposed to the formation of a separate Drama department.

When the body of the English Department Chair is found in Meg and Michael's library, Chief Burke and his department all descend on the house to try to solve the case. However, Deputy Sammy is distracted by the recent hit-and-run accident his dog suffered and wants to track down the driver.

It soon becomes apparent that many people had reasons to want the professor dead and most of them are currently in residence at Meg and Michael's. Meg who is eight-and-a-half-months pregnant finds herself overhearing all sorts of things she wants to share with the Chief while on the way to the bathroom or trying to get upstairs to take a nap.

This was another fun entry into this engaging humorous mystery series. I enjoyed the narration. I really like Meg and the assorted characters who surround her. ( )

Probably a 4 star book, really. But I was so unamused by her descriptions and treated to uncomfortable memories of pregnancy. So it wasn't as fluffy an experience as usual. ( )

Stork Raving Mad by Donna Andrews is a 2010 Minotaur publication.

This is a long running cozy mystery series I have been gradually reading through. Meg Langslow is the first-person narrator, and she is outrageously funny. The last chapter I read in this series was flat- but I was positive it was just a one-off- and I was right.

This twelfth installment sees Meg back to her usual self- except now she is very, very pregnant- with TWINS! If that weren’t enough to try someone’s patience, her home has been turned into a makeshift hotel for Michael’s drama students due to do a heating problem on campus. Meg, though, is as cool as a cucumber…

Until...

A member of the University faculty is murdered in their home- and it might not bode well for Michael's long- awaited tenure!

Meg was exceptionally sharp in this installment. The various names she gives the twins were hysterically funny.

I don’t know how Andrews manages to create such solid mysteries amid Meg’s always chaotic life, but it works.

While the recurring characters all make an appearance, some more prominent than others, this episode mostly featured Meg and her grandfather. The cast of characters was maybe a little too large, but I managed to keep everything straight. Lots of great revelations, zany dialogue, and comedy-

Overall, another wildly entertaining effort from Donna Andrews. Looking forward to reading lucky thirteen in the series, soon!!

4 stars ( )

Second reading and I love finding the bits I underlined the first time around. You know I enjoyed a book if there is stuff underlined in it.

Reread May 2020. Another winner.

Reread October 2023-still love these ( )

historical-fiction, cozy-mystery, situational-humor, verbal-humor, family-dynamics

The Rolls is already a valuable antique in the time of the story which also includes Princess style corded phones, multiple radio stations, and phone booths. There's also a Renaissance gala on a family estate, the missing Rollers and the murder victims total two of each, a multiplicity of suspects and red herrings, and a disgraceful police chief making a mess only Max and a real cop can untangle. But Sarah is the one with the creative imagination that leads to the resolution. And it's great fun!
Andi Arndt is the very enjoyable narrator. ( )