Round Up the Usual Peacocks: A Meg Langslow Mystery

Kevin, Meg's nephew, asks for her help investigating a potential attempted murder connected to a true-crime podcast he's working on. Meg must navigate three cold cases and determine if there's a connection to a missing musician before the wedding.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 June 2023
Publisher: Minotaur Books,US

Kevin, Meg's tech-savvy nephew, who resides in the basement, approaches her with a problem. He has taken up the role of a techie for a true-crime podcast that delves into Virginia cold cases and unsolved crimes. Kevin believes that their podcast has struck a chord with someone, and he suspects that one of the podcast team members has encountered a near-death experience that Kevin believes was an attempted murder, rather than an accident.

Kevin, feeling somewhat embarrassed, asks for Meg's assistance in investigating the individuals involved in a couple of the cases. "Given your expertise in finding information online, why do you need MY help?" Meg asks, somewhat perplexed. "Um, well, I've already done as much online research as possible. This will require me to go out and talk to people, which isn't really my thing. And, no, it can't wait until after the wedding, because I'm afraid that whoever is after us might take advantage of the chaos of the wedding at Trinity or the reception at Meg and Michael's house to strike again."

Kevin's request adds to Meg's already overwhelming workload, as she is tasked with rounding up vendors and supplies, as well as attending to the demands of out-of-town guests. On top of that, Meg must hunt down the surviving suspects from three relatively local cold cases in order to determine if they have a vendetta against the podcast team. Could there be a connection to a musician who disappeared two decades ago and has not been seen since?

Meg sets out on her mission, determined to unravel the mysteries and protect the podcast team from any further harm. She begins by reviewing the evidence from the cold cases and interviewing witnesses who may have information about the suspects. As she digs deeper, she discovers that the cases are interconnected in ways she never could have imagined.

One of the cases involves a young musician who went missing shortly before his debut album was released. The album was a huge success, but the musician never returned home. Meg discovers that the musician had a close relationship with one of the podcast team members, and that there were rumors of foul play surrounding his disappearance.

As Meg continues to investigate, she becomes increasingly aware of the danger she and the podcast team are in. They receive threatening messages, and someone tries to break into their office. Meg must use all of her skills and resources to stay one step ahead of the attackers and uncover the truth behind the cold cases.

In the end, Meg discovers that the musician's disappearance was not an isolated incident, but part of a larger conspiracy. The podcast team had stumbled upon a secret that had been buried for decades, and the people who wanted it kept hidden were willing to do anything to protect it.

With the help of Kevin and a few trusted allies, Meg is able to expose the truth and bring the conspirators to justice. The podcast team is able to continue their work, and the musician's family finally receives closure. Meg emerges as a hero, and her reputation as a skilled investigator is enhanced.

As Meg reflects on the experience, she realizes that sometimes the most important discoveries are made when you step outside of your comfort zone and take risks. She is grateful for the opportunity to help Kevin and the podcast team, and she knows that she will never forget the lessons she learned during this case.

Dimension: 171 x 105 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781250892805