Newlywed Theodora “Teddy” Bentley thinks things are going pretty great in her life, until she gets out of bed and heads to work at the Gunn Zoo. On the way, she spots police cars and discovers that a body has been pulled out of the water next to her houseboat. The deceased is one Cliff Flaherty, who is a writer for a local children’s marionette show which stars a group of dinosaurs and one red panda. The panda is a new addition, inspired by the Gunn Zoo’s acquisition of a red panda named Poonya (and hence the title of the book).
As it turns out, the death is not the only upset in
Teddy’s day. Her mother-in-law Colleen,
a newly minted mystery writer, takes a DNA test as research for a new book and
turns up a son that Teddy’s husband Joe didn’t know he had. What’s more, Dylan, the aforementioned son,
is so anxious to meet his biological family that he has come to Gunn Landing to
meet them all.
When Dylan is arrested for Flaherty’s murder, things really get complicated. After all, Joe is the local sheriff who now
is sidelined from the investigation because a family member is involved. His hands are tied, so it’s up to Teddy to
figure out whodunit—and why.
This is the sixth in Webb’s delightful series, though
it can be read as a standalone. A good
bit of the appeal for me is the way that an exotic animal is introduced and the
reader learns about its species as well as the particular individual’s
personality. I really like the “behind the scenes” look at the zoo and the
dedicated keepers who care for the animals.
It’s not an easy job; while Teddy is genuinely fond of all of her
charges, she is also aware that some are dangerous and some who appear cute and
cuddly are not the nicest of creatures.
Teddy is her usual headstrong self, determined to get
Dylan off the hook and her family back to normal. To do so, she needs to investigate the people
who knew Flaherty best, those who worked with him on the television show, and
in the process she (and we) learn about the ancient art of marionettes. As with the animals, Webb treats the show and
its artists with respect. I thought the
characterization of some of the puppeteers was especially well done, and I
found one of the medical aspects of the plot to intriguing.
You don’t have to have read the other books in the
series to enjoy this one, but you will find a little extra delight in meeting
some of the previous titular animals again.
The previous books in the series are:
The Anteater of Death
The Koala of Death
The Llama of Death
The Puffin of Death
The Otter of Death
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