Gunn Zoo Mysteries (Audio)
1 primary work • 3 total works
Book 3
Zookeeper Theodora "Teddy" Bentley takes Alejandro, the Gunn Zoo llama, to a Monterey Bay - area Renaissance Faire only to discover the still - warm body of the Reverend Victor Emerson, owner of the local wedding chapel, dressed in his royal robes as Henry the Eighth. At first it appears as if Aljandro stomped the man to death, but a closer look reveals a crossbow dart in the man's back. Teddy's investigation proves the "reverend" isn't really a reverend at all - - he's an escaped convict, and every marriage he's performed in the past twenty years is null and void. Teddy's mother Caro, a spoiled ex - beauty queen, becomes the chief suspect and is immediately jailed when she causes a riot in the courtroom.The "reverend" had twice married Caro to wealthy men, and when both marriages failed, Caro received large financial settlements. Now she may have to give all that money back, certainly a good enough reason to commit murder. But Caro wasn't the only person gunning for Victor. The child of the man Victor once murdered may have wanted to kill him, too, and at one point, even Teddy herself if handcuffed and jailed.
Even worse, Teddy's embezzling father flies in from exile in Costa Rica to help spring Caro from jail, thus putting his own freedom in jeapoardy. As Teddy continues her investigation, she finds herself up to her ears in girl gang members, squabbling boat liveaboarders, Renaissance Faire actors and stuntmen, and assorted animals. Written with a humorous touch, "The Llama of Death" portrays Renaissance Faire life, and gives the reader a rare behind - the - scenes look at modern zoos.
Even worse, Teddy's embezzling father flies in from exile in Costa Rica to help spring Caro from jail, thus putting his own freedom in jeapoardy. As Teddy continues her investigation, she finds herself up to her ears in girl gang members, squabbling boat liveaboarders, Renaissance Faire actors and stuntmen, and assorted animals. Written with a humorous touch, "The Llama of Death" portrays Renaissance Faire life, and gives the reader a rare behind - the - scenes look at modern zoos.
The Anteater was framed! But if Lucy, the pregnant Giant Anteater from Belize, didn't kill the man found dead in her enclosure, who did? California zookeeper Teddy Bentley must find the real murderer before her furry friend is shipped off to another zoo in disgrace. Then another human bites the dust, the monkeys riot, and the wolves go nuts. Things get worse when the snooty folks at Gunn Landing Harbor attempt to evict Teddy from the Merilee, her beloved houseboat. That's just the beginning. Her father, on the lam from the Feds for embezzling millions, gets targeted by a local gangster; and Caro, Teddy's socialite and former beauty queen mother who loathes Teddy's dangerous job, starts introducing her to eligible bachelors. But Teddy has already given her heart to Sheriff Joe Rejas, a migrant worker's son. Caro is not pleased. Zoo life, animal lore, and the leaky ups and downs of Central Coast California houseboat living create a thrilling backdrop for murder...Betty Webb, author of the popular Lena Jones mystery series, has been a journalist and book reviewer for the past 20 years. As a reporter, she has interviewed U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners, astronauts who walked on the moon, the homeless, and polygamy runaways.
Her Lena Jones detective series - Desert Run, Desert Shadows, Desert Wives, Desert Noir, and Desert Cut - has garnered rave reviews from the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and other prestigious national publications.
Her Lena Jones detective series - Desert Run, Desert Shadows, Desert Wives, Desert Noir, and Desert Cut - has garnered rave reviews from the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and other prestigious national publications.
When zoo keeper Theodora "Teddy" Bentley fishes the body of Koala Kate out of Gunn Landing Harbor, she discovers that her fellow zoo keeper didn't drown; she was strangled. The clues to Koala Kate's killer implicate other animal keepers at the Gunn Zoo, including Outback Bill, marsupial keeper and Kate's Aussie ex - boyfriend; and Robin Chase, the big cat keeper who's got it in for Teddy. Also displaying suspicious behavior are several "liveaboarders" at the harbor; Speaks - To - Souls, a shady "animal psychic"; and even Caro, Teddy's much - married, ex - beauty queen mother. But murderers aren't all Teddy has to worry about. Her embezzling father is still on the run from the Feds, and the motor on the Merilee, her beloved houseboat is failing. To pay for the repairs, Teddy agrees to appear on a weekly live television broadcast featuring misbehaving animals that range from Wanchu, a cuddly koala, to Abim, a panicky wallaby - and all hell breaks loose in the TV studio. To add to Teddy's woes, the killer zeroes in on her with near - fatal results.
"The Koala of Death" brings a return to Gunn Zoo and the social - climbing humans and eccentric animals that made the prize - winning "The Anteater of Death" so popular. Readers will enjoy this behind - the - scenes peek at zoo life, and learn that poor little rich girls like Teddy lead much more complicated lives that they'd ever imagine - especially when they're tracking killers.
"The Koala of Death" brings a return to Gunn Zoo and the social - climbing humans and eccentric animals that made the prize - winning "The Anteater of Death" so popular. Readers will enjoy this behind - the - scenes peek at zoo life, and learn that poor little rich girls like Teddy lead much more complicated lives that they'd ever imagine - especially when they're tracking killers.