Julia Lanchester must defend her love nest from an invasive species: her boyfriend’s sister. And then there’s the little matter of murder . . . “The cuckoo comes in April and sings its song in May. In June it changes tune and July it flies away.” Wedding bells are ringing in the small British village of Smeaton-under-Lyme. Julia Lanchester’s second-in-command at the local tourist center is … second-in-command at the local tourist center is finally getting married, and the lovebirds are giving Julia and her live-in boyfriend, Michael Sedgwick, ideas about their own future. But before anyone can say “Will you,” Michael’s flighty older sister, Pammy, crashes the party, fresh off a breakup and lugging all her worldly possessions around with her in a tangle of plastic bags.
Before long, Julia’s cozy cottage starts feeling more like Pammy’s bachelorette pad. To keep herself from going cuckoo, Julia throws herself into her pet projects at work—until death disrupts her plans. First a body is found on the estate. Then the police discover that Pammy was the last one to see the man alive. And soon Julia gets the feeling that if she ever wants her home—or her boyfriend—back, she’ll have to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if it means breaking a few eggs.
Marty Wingate’s captivating mysteries can be enjoyed together or separately, in any order:
The Birds of a Feather series: THE RHYME OF THE MAGPIE | EMPTY NEST | EVERY TRICK IN THE ROOK | FAREWELL, MY CUCKOO
“Marty Wingate’s Birds of a Feather mysteries provide a perfect blend of quirky characters and atmosphere.”—Christine Goff, bestselling author of the Birdwatcher’s Mystery series
The Potting Shed series: THE GARDEN PLOT | THE RED BOOK OF PRIMROSE HOUSE | BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE | THE SKELETON GARDEN | THE BLUEBONNET BETRAYAL | BEST-LAID PLANTS
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“Farewell, my Cuckoo” earns 5+/5 Chirps, Squawks, Peeps…Murderously Fun!
I became a fan of Marty Wingate after reading books in her very popular Potting Shed Mystery series, so it was easy to become a fan of her Birds of a Feather series trading flora for feathers and gardens for the tops of trees. Starting with book four “Farewell my Cuckoo” was great for this newbie since she revisited background and character connections without any spoilers of the three previous murder mysteries. She penned a clever mystery starting by keeping the identity of the victim hidden and building the suspense with all the possible deserving characters. We start with an unidentified dead body with a suspicious head wound and authorities looking at several uninvited visitors popping into the quaint English hamlet. Micheal Sedgwick’s sister Pammy interrupted Julia Lancaster’s expectation that he might propose, and the “just tonight” turns into “end of the week,” maybe. Also arriving in town we have the “Man-Who-Could-Not-Be-Pleased” Tony Brightbill, a former one-night stand/self-taught ornithologist Gavin Lecky, and, of course, several tourists pop in and out enjoying the farmers’ market, festivals, fishing, and historical landmarks. All of this made the subsequent investigation by the amateurs and professionals intriguing with more than a few nail-biting predicaments. Marty’s description brought to life the flora, the fauna, the feathered creatures along with the village and all of its shops, cottages, and ruins. But, she didn’t rely on just the narrative, she provided engaging dialogue to illustrate the emotions and personalities of a rich group of characters. Julia Lancaster is a delight—strong and more capable than she believes, and the supporting cast of fathers, boyfriends, BFFs, and a few quirky visitors adds humor and a few incidents of “they need a bite from Karma.” I highly recommend this newest release…
This series is filled with interesting characters and location.
The cuckoo metaphor is perfect. Their home and life are taken over by his sister.
The question of who the murdered man is and how he came to be murder is fascinating, albeit, sad.
Well done all around.
Fun series. I enjoy Mary Wingate’s style and learning bits about different birds. In this story, Julia and Michael have an unexpected houseguest, Pammy, Michael’s sister. So much chaos with Pammy, murder, and other intrigue. These are fun, relaxing, getaways.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! It’s back to the picturesque village of Smeaton-under-Lyme where Julia Lanchester is still managing the TIC, wedding bells are ringing for Akash and Vesta, Michael’s sister Pammy stops in for a surprise visit along with all of her worldly possessions, and free-spirit Willow stumbles upon a dead body in the churchyard. Who is the dead man, and why did someone kill him? Will Pammy ever leave? And will Michael and Julia be next to take a trip down the aisle? Author Marty Wingate answers all of these questions (and more!!!) in this fast-paced very cozy read. I adore the Birds of a Feather series and anxiously awaited the arrival of Farewell, My Cuckoo – it did not disappoint!
What a great add to Marty Wingate’s Birds of a Feather Mystery series! This fourth in series can be read as a standalone or in order. I was captivated by the author’s descriptions of the symphony of birds, butterflies, and vegetation in England. Her love for the land is evident, enthralling the reader with the breathtaking beauty of the area around Suffolk, England. As someone who eagerly looks forward to each book in this series, I think this is the best – but don’t miss the earlier ones!
Julia is manager of the TIC, Tourist Information Center, at Fotheringham Estate in Smeaton-Under-Lyme. Linus, Lord Fotheringham, is owner of the village estate which includes his residence, ancient abbey ruins, St. Swithun’s, and many shops and farms. The estate is open to the public for hiking, bicycling, picnics, and fishing. Julia is also daughter to Rupert Lanchester, acclaimed ornithologist, best known for A Bird in the Hand, a beloved TV show.
Michael, Rupert’s personal assistant and producer, and Julia are looking forward to an evening together after attending a wedding. They headed toward the tiny abode that is part of Julia’s payment package, and saw someone at the entry surrounded by grocery bags. Pammy, Michael’s sister, has come for a short visit after leaving her boyfriend. Their lives change as she takes up residence for what seems like forever in the sitting room, kind of like a cuckoo infiltrating a nest.
Julia is at St. Swithun’s when Willow, an esteemed school teacher, races in and collapses after literally tripping over a dead man at the pond. He has no ID, just a unique collection in a small packet. Julia, who promised to not get involved in any more investigations, refers to him as That Poor Man. Based on verbal ID’s from those on the estate, he is recognized as Bob, very knowledgeable about the nature of the area and who has helped at many farms. The search is on to determine not only who he is, but to find his killer – as That Poor Man was murdered.
I really like Julia, who I can easily picture out on the estate. She is witty, intelligent, and well-liked by most. Michael is a great for her as they balance each other out even while listening to and watching birds. At least until Pammy shows up with nowhere to go. I came to like the delightful Pammy very much during her stay; the girl has a huge, kind heart. The shop owners are also very likable as they work together and respect each other. I appreciate the investigators, especially Tess, recent a friend of Julia’s.
Ms. Wingate treats us to her delightful humor, whether it be Pammy and her subjects or a comparison with the Cuckoo poem. Julia’s creativity is evident as she comes up with new events to bring in new tourists and plans updated brochures. As they learn more about That Poor Man, it is hard to believe that he had enemies. Suspects are few, including a farmers and a couple visitors. I’m not sure how I guessed who the bad guy/gal is. There was only one incident that gave me a hint until the motive came later. One suspect seems to have the most to hide until two others are revealed. I was very satisfied with the breathtaking denouement, leading to a calm, sweet finale, and highly recommend this, especially to those who love the beauty of birds, vegetation, and the English countryside.
From a grateful heart: I received an e-arc from the author and NetGalley, and this is my honest review. A review was not required.
Farewell, My Cuckoo is the fourth entry in Marty Wingate’s Birds of a Feather mystery series. When manager of the Tourist Information Center for the Fotheringill Estate, Julia Lanchester and her love Michael Sedgwick arrive back to their Pipit Cottage after the lovely wedding of her second in command, they do so with stars in their eyes and unspoken plans of their own. But what they find is his slightly older and very flighty sister Pammy sitting on their doorstep surrounded by her meager belongings stuffed in plastic bags. She is seeking a place to stay for the night having just left her married boyfriend. But like the cuckoo, when she moves in she takes over the living area and it becomes a trial for Julia and Michael.
Julia throws herself into work projects, but the project she didn’t expect was to be thrown into the middle of a police investigation to solve the murder of an unknown man on the church grounds. She also didn’t expect to learn that Pammy would be the last person other than the killer to have seen the man alive.
As the list of suspects grows there are more on the list from outside than there are locals. DI Tess Callow is on the case, but that has never kept Julia from following bits and pieces to be sure if they are indeed important before turning them over to Tess. When Pammy does the same, they find themselves at the mercy of the murderer.
Another well written and intricately plotted story from Marty Wingate. I have always enjoyed her work, as I did once again, and I do recommend this book.