Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews ****

Donna Andrews' latest mystery farce of rural life in the village of Caerphilly VA centers around a fair and, of course, the requisite murder … and heritage farm animals like Red Wattles, Tamworths, Russian Orloffs, Sumatrans, Red Polls, Dutch Belteds, Baltimore Albums, and Kubotas. The first two are pigs, then two chickens, two cows, and, just to keep you honest, a quilt and a tractor.

The Hen of the Baskervilles by Donna Andrews opens with the a dastardly crime spree at the fair, called Un-Fair, including the smashing of a prize pumpkin, and thefts of Russian Orloffs and a Baltimore Album. In a village where nothing is easy, the Un-Fair is situated on the county
line, with the midway in Clay County. Said county is the home of all sorts of back country stereotype adjectives such as ignorant, inbred, and corrupt.

The victim (Brett Riordan) has left his well-loved wife Molly, that is well-loved by everyone except himself, to run off with the hated Genette Sedgewick. Thus generating a surplus of suspects.

With this background Meg Langslow and all her assorted relatives must solve the murder of a cheating husband … if you want to know any more, I recommend you read this enjoyable romp at the fair.


I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads First Read giveaway on May 21, 2013. I received my copy on June 12, 2013.