The Penguin Who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews

Donna Andrews has done it again. The Penguin Who Knew Too Much is the eighth and latest in the Meg Langslow Mystery Series. Like the previous books in the series this one is witty and well written.
The book starts off with Meg's father joyfully asking her to guess what he's found in the basement. She jokingly answers "A body?" and he replies "Oh, rats---you already knew? Well, how soon will the police get here? I need to move the penguins---we don't want them any more upset then they already are."
Meg is off and running from there. With the dubious help of family and friends Meg and Michael are moving into their renovated house, throwing an over the top house warming party and planning to elope in the middle of it all. Now Meg has to add solving the murder to her list of things to do.
Oh, yes then there is the problem of the zoo animals. The local zoo is bankrupt and the missing owner has fostered out all of the animals. Unfortunately what was supposed to be a few days of fostering has turned into weeks. Meg’s dad’s solution to the problem is simple, just bring the unwanted animals to Meg’s house. She’ll take care of everything. Of course he forgets to tell her about this plan until people start dropping them off.
Actually the murder and animals are only a few of Meg’s problems. There’s the claustrophobic medical examiner who is so traumatized by having to go into the basement to pronounce the body that he can’t get into his car to go home. A world famous zoologist who has taken an interest in saving the zoo. And then there’s the nephews of the previous owner who are looking for the body an uncle who went missing twelve years ago.
This is a well written mystery that is also highly amusing. Anyone who has read the rest of the series will be glad to attend another Hollingsworth (Meg’s mother’s side of the family) get-together with a little murder on-the-side. For those who are new to Meg's world, get ready to enjoy the ride.