In Dashing through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews, Christmas in Caerphilly is already busy enough for Meg Langslow. The Canadians, a group of a dozen programmers, who are doing forensic genealogy and DNA are stuck far from home and family with an unreasonable boss named Ian Meredith. The timing is his idea along with something very suspicious going on with his handling of the DNA and protocols on privacy. Meg’s mother has decorated every surface with Christmas cheer to the point that the stairway railings must be cleared for them to be of any use. There’s the pregnant cat that somebody needs to find and rescue so it can give birth in a safe place. Meg’s father has a secret Christmas surprise under construction beyond some of the hedges in the back yard. Shared interest in bird watching lightens the mood, especially when juncos are spotted since they are harbingers of snow and will bring a white Christmas that seems more like home to the Canadians. Cousin Nora keeps everybody fed in “full-bore French haute cuisine” through it all. Life in Caerphilly bustles with energy.
As if there was not enough going on with Christmas, lawsuits looming in the background, and looking out for the white Christmas, Ian is murdered. Since nobody loves Ian except his adoptive father, the suspects include all the people he brought with him and everybody he has met in Caerphilly. Will Meg be able to keep all her ducks in a row and also get the mystery solved before Christmas?
This light-hearted mystery is a fitting read for creating a relaxing time in the midst of your own Christmas if it tends to be as hectic as Meg’s.