Jay to the World by Donna Andrews ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The Christmas season is underway in Caerphilly. The members of the Hollingsworth clan, Meg’s mother’s family, are beginning to arrive in force, and Mother has several special projects underway this year. One is the playhouse she’s having built for Brynn, her two-year-old granddaughter. Brynn is a bright, lively child who loves animals, especially a wounded jay that she and Meg are trying to rehabilitate. She’s also hoping to play matchmaker and set up her cousin with an old friend of hers who was recently widowed.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook is provided for an honest review.

November 2026; Macmillan Audio; 9781250451989
audio (9h 13m), ebooks, print; cozy mystery

There's a crime wave in Caerphilly this Christmas season. Luckily, it isn't leaving a string of dead bodies, so the merry vibe is still strong in the newest book in Donna Andrews's Meg Langslow series, Jay to the World.

I love listening to this series. The story is easy to follow. Even though the cast of characters is large, they are diverse and Bernadette Dunne gives them all their own unique voice. I really like just hanging out with the characters, which is why I prefer the audiobook. I can almost imagine I'm in Caerphilly.

Jay to the World is book 40 in the series, but don't feel like you have to start at the very beginning. I only started the series four years ago when I listened to Dashing Through Snowbirds. It was that year's Christmas book, so I have a particular affinity for the holiday stories in this series. While I have enjoyed the other books in the series, I really look forward to the Christmas book. So far I haven't been disappointed, and I'm not sure Christmas reading would be quite the same without a holiday story. Hopefully Donna Andrews won't stop writing them, and I'll never have to find out.

It is a cozy mystery, so there is a murder, but the other crimes are just as interesting and not easily solved. They are actually more the focus of the mystery aspect of the book.

But the highlight is spending time with Meg's extended family and friends. I love the older lady from the nursing home. I can't remember her name (that's the problem with listening to the book - you can't easily flip through to find a character's name), and I don't think she's appeared in any of the books I've read. She is a hoot! (The pun wasn't intended, but as soon as I wrote it, I giggled.) 

If you are looking for some Christmas cheer, join this merry flock this season for a light-hearted read focused on friends and family.

Buy Jay to the World at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of the how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us. Get even more book news in your inbox, sign up for our newsletter today! Or Follow Girl Who Reads with Bloglovin. Girl Who Reads is an Amazon advertising affiliate; a small commission is earned when purchases are made at Amazon using any Amazon links on this site. Thank you for supporting Girl Who Reads.