From USA Today bestselling author Leslie Langtry comes a former CIA agent turned Girl Scout Troop leader, and a murder that will keep you guessing until the end!Just as Merry Wrath’s former career as a CIA agent seems to be fading into a distant memory, the agent turned Girl Scout troop leader discovers that her beloved little suburban ranch house may not be what it seems. When a masked gunman … masked gunman breaks in to demand the return of “Nye,” she fears that she may not have been the first spy to live there. What…or who is “Nye?”
And when Merry trips over the dead body of that same gunman later at the zoo, she realizes that her favorite king vulture and his mouthy scarlet macaw friend may be witnesses to a murder. Suddenly this becomes much more personal, and her list of suspects grows from a cosplaying teenaged demigod zookeeper, to a possible plot by the Russians… which may even include Merry’s old arch-nemesis.
Things aren’t going well for her Girl Scout troop either, as a new addition causes trouble, and the girls begin to turn against each other—sparking way more than just preteen angst. From a dangerous close encounter with a mythical red wolf, to a jovial, geriatric group of Russian expats who brew their own mind-bending vodka, Merry Wrath worries that if she doesn’t find the killer soon, this case may be her last.
Merry Wrath Mysteries:
Merit Badge Murder – book #1
Mint Cookie Murder – book #2
Scout Camp Mystery – short story in the “Killer Beach Reads” collection
Marshmallow S’More Murder – book #3
Movie Night Murder – book #4
Mud Run Murder – book #5
Fishing Badge Murder – short story in the “Pushing Up Daisies” collection
Motto for Murder – book #6
Map Skills Murder – book #7
Mean Girl Murder – book #8
Marriage Vow Murder – book #9
Mystery Night Murder – book #10
Meerkats and Murder– book #11
Make Believe Murder – book #12
What critics are saying about Leslie Langtry’s books:
“I laughed so hard I cried on multiple occasions while reading MARSHMALLOW S’MORE MURDER! Girl Scouts, the CIA, and the Yakuza… what could possibly go wrong?”
~ Fresh Fiction
“Darkly funny and wildly over the top, this mystery answers the burning question, ‘Do assassin skills and Girl Scout merit badges mix…”
~ RT BOOKreviews
“Mixing a deadly sense of humor and plenty of sexy sizzle, Leslie Langtry creates a brilliantly original, laughter-rich mix of contemporary romance and suspense.”
~ Chicago Tribune
“Langtry gets the fun started from page one with a myriad of clever details.”
~ Publisher’s Weekly
more
I love the Merry Wrath mysteries. They are laugh-out-loud funny. Meerkats and Murder didn’t disappoint.
Never a spoiler in my reviews! If you love hijinx and laugh out loud mystery stories, this one is for you! How can you not love Merry Wrath, her Girl Scouts, spies, murder, I could go on and on, but you just need to get this book! You can start here or start and the beginning of the series, either way, you WILL NOT be disappointed with the stories, characters or the pace! Realistic characters that you would love to be friends with! Always twists and turns that keep you guessing till the end, this talented author hands us the best kind of cozy! This installment is so good, the only reason it took me two days to read it was because I had to go to sleep…I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and am providing my unsolicited, honest assessment of this book. Get it now!
I loved this book! full of twists and turns and interesting complex quirky characters. This is a very enjoyable read!
Merry Wrath’s adventures in sleuthing continue in marvelous fashion. This series keeps getting better and continues to bring laugh out loud fun and well developed mysteries. Each new adventure has returning favorites like Rex, Riley, Kelly, and the scouts, along with new characters perfectly mixed in for a great story. The who dunnit keeps me guessing even past the moment where Merry declares she knows who it is. That’s when I yell loudly at the book that I don’t know yet and feverishly keep reading until Merry spells it out for me. I highly recommend any Merry Wrath mystery for pure fun and entertainment.
This story includes late night visits to the zoo where Merry visits her favorite vulture, Mr. Fancy Pants, the parrot Dickey who declares he “knows what you did” and Merry’s new furry friend the wolf. Read the book to find out if Merry breaks the birds out of the zoo, for their protection of course, or returns them to the zoo, or both. The story includes a troublesome newcomer to the scout troop, Betty’s adventures in trying to eliminate this newcomer, a counselor (because, well, Betty, duh) and is that Lana still lurking undetected tormenting Merry? Oh wow, I just love these books and can’t wait for the next one.
I was provided an ARC of this book by the publisher for my honest review.
Meerkats and Murder earns 5/5 Armed Cat Collars…Engaging with a Few Giggles!
It’s just another gathering of the troop as Merry and Kelly enjoy the young girls’ creative writing efforts on their newest project. Although they were asked to write about contemporary social media and bullying issues they might face, they are more interested in spies, terrorists, and murder. However, art imitates life when Merry is later surprised by a masked man with a gun demanding to know where “Nye” is. The intruder escapes, but later she finds a note dropped in his escape with her address and the initials “JH.” Ok, it’s time to use the spy skills: informal questioning, checking with her former CIA handler, a bit of hacking, and…“CLASSIFIED”? The identity of “JH” leads to surprises, secrets, and a dead body! But, circumstances provide Merry an interesting sidekick…a nine-year-old dynamo!
You go, girl…girls! Leslie Langtry’s writing style is very entertaining including delightful snarky insights and humorous comments that make me eager for every new Merry Wrath book. This very clever, intriguing mystery once again has Merry’s past giving her trouble: old nemeses, Russian spies, and missing documents. However, the girls are having trouble at school bringing up some non-spy issues. I greatly enjoyed the first-person narrative sharing Merry’s inner thoughts, many of her experiences, often dangers, as a spy, and snarky comments and descriptions that always provide the giggles. Beyond clever, entertaining, and with just the right amount of humor. Don’t forget the sister-in-law taxidermists and a plethora of “fur” friends to round out this now “Top Ten” favorite series.
I do love bonuses with my cozies, so what could I suggest for this Merry Wrath Mystery series? Maybe some CIA tricks like best moves to disarm an assassin, how to store your uzi, safety tips for storing plutonium in your basement? Or a recipe for “Spy—C Stew” or ways to use Russian vodka…just saying.
I just love this series, and each book is unique in its own way. Merry and her girl scout troop have a new member, and nobody likes her! There is a very good reason for this, which I will not tell for fear of spoiling it, but this girl causes all kinds of trouble. Betty is getting even smarter (and more dangerous), and is actually bonding with Merry more, her hero and role model. Mr. Fancy Pants plays a major role in this book, and there is a lot of activity taking place at the local zoo (did I say kidnapped birds???) Now I know you will want to read this book if you are at all familiar with the Merry Wrath series! Very nice, definitely a page turner. Well done, bravo!
Ex CIA agent & scout troop leader Merry Wrath continues to discover bodies in Meerkats and Murder. Ms. Langtry’s adventures of the world’s most unlikely scout troop leader and her scouts continue to captivate me. Scout Betty really gets to shine in this book. With the usual cast of characters, plus several more Russians and new zoo animals, Ms. Langtry continues to spin Merry’s adventures in Who’s There, Iowa. Once again I was stumped by the quite surprising ending. You don’t want to miss this adventure!
That was an intense adventure. Those girls are tough but geeze that was a bit much for even this group.
I love this series. The characters, the community, and the unfolding story are endearing, hilarious, and sometimes convoluted yet entertaining. I do hope that she continues with this series!
A zany, crazy fun mystery with a great ending. I love this series!