Falling from the sky is not a pleasant way to die.Madi is horrified when she witnesses a strange, fatal paragliding incident. But when her private detective boyfriend, Lowell, arrives on the scene, he recognises the dead man right away.Does someone know about Lowell’s dark past that he shared with the victim?Who are the man and woman – who turn up in the village wearing suits and asking questions … wearing suits and asking questions – really working for?
All of a sudden, Lowell is on the list of suspects for a crime where the only witness to murder is a monkey.
Pick up your copy of this mystery novel today, and see if you can crack the case before Madi does!
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This was an original Cozy Mystery about Madi reviewing the animals in a zoo in France and witnesses an accident that turns into a murder. The characters work well together all through the book. I didn’t guess who did the murders until the last chapter.
Terrific tale. Madi saves the animals of a rural french zoo. She also figures out the murder culprit without anyone’s aid.
Parrots and Payback (a prequel) – A cute, little prequel about another day at the zoo with some of our favorite characters. A quick read where readers familiar with Mad’s zoo will know what’s going on. I personally would read this after The Peacock’s Poison, but that’s how I did it. LOL. 5*
Penguins and Mortal Peril #1 – A good thriller. A well written, intriguing suspense with a well thought out, twisting plot and believable characters. There’s interesting information about the zoo and its animals. Madi is an intelligent, caring person, especially with the animals, and takes loving care of the zoo. There’s also humor; beware of furry pyschos. The animals are a good part of the story and some even have their own personalities. I finished the book in one sitting, immersed in the mystery. If you liked Blooming, you’ll like this book, too. 5*
The Silence of the Snakes #2 – Spellbinding! Ruby just gets better with each book she writes. A well written, intriguing suspense with believable characters and a plot that doesn’t let the reader put down the book until the last page. This is a substantial story, not a weak cozy, that would make Christie proud to write. Don’t let this series pass you by, they’re must reads. 5*
Murder is a Monkey’s Game #3 – Another well written, intriguing suspense this time set in France. There’s an interesting plot that holds the reader’s attention, although a bit slower when compared to the previous two books. The characters are still interesting and the relationships between the characters are realistic and entertaining. While not necessary since each book is a standalone, I would recommend reading the books in order. Madi’s story is continuously evolving and her growth as a character, too. I contacted the author to review her work many books ago. 5*
Lions and the Living Dead #4 – Her best book yet! This is a substantial and intriguing suspense with a well written, fast paced plot and believable characters. The main characters continue to evolve and the new characters are developed enough to have weight. The descriptions and storylines are vivid and full. The dialog realistic. The story flows from page to page making it difficult to put the book down. I stayed up late to finish it. 5*
The Peacock’s Poison #5 – Another well written, well thought out story with our Madi and her crew. A longer book than usual, but just as substantial, that keeps the reader immersed in the pages until the end. Someone did their homework and makes it look bad for Madi. Poor dummy, bad move. Each book in the series gets better and the books always have you thinking. I watched this author mature as an author and her work doesn’t disappoint. I have to recommend this series as must reads. Start with Penguins #1 to meet Madi and finish with Lions. If these are the only two books of the series you read, you picked well. But don’t miss out on Silence and Monkey’s Game. Sequentially is how they should be read, but it’s not necessary, they’re all standalones. 5*
A Memory for Murder #6 – Oh my gosh! This book has it all: intrigue; romance; subterfuge; romance; stings; murders; and the list goes on. Every book in this series gets better and better, and this is the “betterest”. The amazing plot swings the reader in every direction; yah, some things are figured out, but there are some characters that are questionable. The characters, old and new, are interesting, have grown or have enough background where needed. Their dialog is realistic and there’s no stupidity in second guessing or questioning everything – just straight thoughts and actions. I couldn’t put this book down until I had finished it. The is the most substantial book by Ms. Loren and I’m looking forward to #7. I’m happy I volunteered to review her work. She has immense growth as an author since the first book I read by her, Snowed In With Death. 5*
Whales and a Watery Grave #7 – What what a way to die! Sorry, but the murder of this victim is extremely different from the usual murders found in other mystery books, which complicates the investigation. Ms. Loren does another fabulous job with this book, its characters and the murder itself. Well written, intriguing and suspenseful, the story line holds the reader glued to the pages, which zip by quickly. There’s continued growth with our favorite characters and the new characters are developed enough to either like or dislike them. The animal characters always add something to the stories. A simple, relaxing holiday in Mallorca isn’t in the cards for Madi and Auryn with the complex, intriguing murder, there’s suspects everywhere. 5*
Foxes and Fatal Attraction #9 – I just love the expressions of the fox and the hound, such a funny cover; it makes you wonder what has the clever fox happy and the hound worried. Well the story does give you that info. Another intriguing, substantial murder mystery with all of our favorite characters and the return of an old favorite or two, of which one brings even more secrets and subterfuge to Madi’s present and future. The animals still play a large part in the story and add to the humor, which blends in well with the drama and intrigue. Another wonderful addition to a great series. 5*
Madi is evaluating a small zoo in France. The stories in this series just keep getting better. Madi and Lowell’s relationship continues to evolve. The plot is interesting and should keep you guessing. Ruby Loren delivers another great cozy mystery with vivid characters and a well thought out plot.
Madigan Amos, a former zookeeper is
now wildlife habitat consultant. She is
currently on site at the L’airelle Zoological
Park near a tiny French village. The village
is tucked away in a mountain valley with
detailed description of both the village, it’s
surroundings, visitors and colorful, quirky
village inhabitants.
Madi’s detective friend, Lowell Adagio has
taken holiday time to join her while she is
on location here.
A pair of paragliders swoop out of the sky
heading toward the zoo. A man falls down
into the big cat enclosure. The man is DEAD.
The fall did not kill him. The man was dead
before the fall. He was dropped into the zoo
on purpose. Why??
Lowell recognizes and identifies the man as a
private investigator that had worked on a case
with him previously. The man was also known
to be a village drunkard and not very pleasant.
But why was he killed? Was it personal or a
result of his profession??
Secretive British government agents, a
mysterious box of candy, a dog painted with
a heart on its back, anonymous phone calls
at several persons homes, flavored black
spiders, balls with treats inside for the big
cats, investigating trip to the paragliding
school, an annoying old woman, an antagonist
law enforcement officer, village activities,
monkeys running free plus a pregnant dog
make this book an intriguing read.
A well plotted puzzle with many twists and
turns to keep the reader totally engrossed.
This is book # 3 in the Madigan Amos Zoo
Mysteries series. It can be read as a stand alone.
A highly recommended read.
“Murder is a Monkey’s Game” earns 5+/5 Mischievous Monkey Mayhem!
Ruby Loren’s Madigan Amos Zoo Mystery series is everything I enjoy in a ‘cozy’ mystery: murder, yes, but cleverly treated with a distant view, placing more of an emphasis on character development, realistic dialogue, delightful descriptions, reasonable investigation styles, interesting setting or thematic focus, and maybe even a hint of romance and a few giggles. In this third book Ruby has it all. She sends Madison “Madi” Amos to my all-time favorite destination…France! She has been hired by the L’airelle Zoological Park as a consultant which provides many opportunities to share interesting information about zoo management, animals, and their behaviors. It is a great gig for her and her boyfriend Lowell Adagio who joins her to enjoy the area and strengthen their evolving relationship. Then, grabbing one’s attention right off, the mystery literally falls from the sky. A clever twist to “means” falls into Madi’s lap…well, really the big cat enclosure, and the victim, a PI himself with a questionable history, is identified by Lowell as someone he knew when undercover in a previous investigation. Perfect, Lowell becomes a ‘personne d’intérêt’ by the French police giving him and Madi the imperative to collaborate and uncover motives and opportunities…my inner “Sherlock” was stumped right to the end. Sprinkled throughout we get additional felonies to widen the suspect pool, descriptions putting you right there, dialogue as if you’re eavesdropping, and a few emotional outbursts as you react to a very entertaining page-turner. I loved it! I really enjoy the different ‘zoo’ settings in this series with the potential of taking me anywhere in the world, and Madi is ingenious, creative, and great fun!
Another Great Cozy Zoo Mystery
This is such a wonderfully fun series. All of the stories are great stand-alone reads, too. As in the other books, this is a nice insight into the inner workings of a zoo. The mystery is a nice plot that is impossible to guess until the end. There are some fun twists to the story and a slew of quirky characters. This author’s writing is right up my alley and I try to read all of her books. I received a free (ARC) copy of this book and voluntarily chose to share my honest review.