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    The Koala of Death
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    The Koala of Death
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    The Koala of Death
    Ebook332 pages6 hours

    The Koala of Death

    By Betty Webb

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    When zookeeper Theodora "Teddy" Bentley fishes the body of Koala Kate out of Gunn Landing Harbor, she discovers that her fellow zookeeper didn't drown; she was strangled. The clues to Kate's killer implicate other animal keepers at 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 her houseboat is failing. To pay for the repairs, Teddy agrees to appear on a weekly live television broadcast featuring misbehaving animals that range from a cuddly koala to a panicky wallaby - and all hell breaks loose in the TV studio. All the while, the killer is narrowing in on Teddy....

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateJun 30, 2012
    ISBN9781615952526
    Unavailable
    The Koala of Death
    Author

    Betty Webb

    As a journalist, Betty Webb interviewed U.S. presidents, astronauts, and Nobel Prize winners, as well as the homeless, dying, and polygamy runaways. The dark Lena Jones mysteries are based on stories she covered as a reporter. Betty's humorous Gunn Zoo series debuted with the critically acclaimed The Anteater of Death, followed by The Koala of Death. A book reviewer at Mystery Scene Magazine, Betty is a member of National Federation of Press Women, Mystery Writers of America, and the National Organization of Zoo Keepers.

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    Reviews for The Koala of Death

    3.5/5

    69 ratings18 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I'd absolutely recommend this to mystery readers who love animals. But, that said, I admit that it left something to be desired. There were times (especially in the beginning) where I almost felt as if the author was writing an adult story for a younger reader; in other words, things were just a bit too... cute? sweet? One way or another, I on more than one occasion had the impulse to roll my eyes at the main character. But, things did get better. I got more wrapped up in the story, and true to what I'd heard, the animal/wildlife details made the read stick out from other middle-of-the-road mysteries. I'll also admit that there were enough little twists to keep me guessing while also allowing the story to remain more believable than not.So, all told, I'll certainly go on to read the next in the series. Was this the best book I've read this year? Not by a long shot. But, it was an enjoyable mystery, with many memorable moments. And for an animal lover who hung on the passages that revolved around the zoo's wildlife... well, I'll just say that this was something I enjoyed as an escape and looked forward to picking back up each time I walked away from it.I'm hoping for a little bit more (character-wise) from the next in the series, but I have a feeling I'll end up reading the whole series regardless.
    • 3/5
      Theodora Bentley (Teddy) arrives at work at the Gunn Zoo to find that one of her charges, pregnant anteater Lucy, has apparently mauled one of the Zoo Board members. Trying desperately to clear the anteater of any wrongdoing she starts to investigate the death herself. Much to the chagrin of her on again/off again boyfriend, the local sherriff.

      Teddy is not your conventional heroine and, she is surrounded by a wonderful cast of truly zany characters. The book is filled with interesting wildlife facts, that conveniently parallel the human behaviour in the book. This was a fun read!
    • 3/5
      This was a fun mystery. I can not wait to share it with some of my library friends. There was enough adventure to hold my attention and yet it did not overwhelm the story. I liked that most of the story was set in a zoo. I thought I had pegged the murderer, but found out I was wrong. I missed one of the clues the author had given the reader. When I am in need of some "brain candy" I will seek out this author again in the future.
    • 4/5
      A friend was reading this book, THE ANTEATER OF DEATH by Betty Webb. I was so intrigued by the title and cover picture that I had to read it.I do think that a book’s cover art and title provide good access points for a book. They intrigue us, ‘beckon us in’ to find out more. I was definitely curious with this title.THE ANTEATER OF DEATH is the 1st title in Ms. Webb’s Gunn Zoo Mystery series.I liked the flow of the book and Ms. Webb’s acknowledgements. I liked learning more about anteaters. (I did not know that they had such vicious, sharp claws.)Though the mystery was a bit light and many of the characters shallow and silly, the details about the Gunn Zoo animals and how they were cared for made up for the book’s shortcomings.I like a good, detailed ‘sense of place’ and a purpose to the characters. Making the rounds with Theodora Iona Esmeralda Bentley (Teddy) offered me many hours of cheerful and interesting reading (except for the murders, of course).
    • 4/5
      Anteater of Death is a highly entertaining mystery set in a small, California zoo. The story centers around Teddy, the keeper who cares for Lucy, the pregnant, giant anteater. When a dead body is found in Lucy's pen the slimy zoo manager wants to get rid of her. So Teddy has to solve the mystery to save Lucy, and soon many of the other animals at the zoo get involved.This is an easy reading, fast paced book full of likeable characters and a few characters that are fun to hate. The animals add an extra dimension and Webb does a good job of giving them personality without getting too far-fetched. She also uses the animals to inject a lot of good humor into the story. Monkeys are always good for a laugh! There's lots going on between the zoo, Teddy's socialite mother, and her crook of a father, but it all works well in the end.I listened to this book on audio. Hillary Huber does a nice job with the reading, even Lucy the anteater's parts! I will definitely keep an eye out for the next in the series. I can always use another funny, entertaining mystery.
    • 3/5
      This review is about the audiobook from audible.com. Lucy, the Gunn Zoo's pregnant giant anteater, is blamed for the murder of a man found mauled in her enclosure. Her keeper, Theodora "Teddy" Bentley, must find the real killer and save Lucy.This is a cutesy, cozy mystery with occasional annoying lapses into anthropomorphism. I gave it an extra 1/2 star because there were some interesting bits on the behavior and care of zoo animals, human animals end up looking just about as foolish as we are, and because I became very fond of Lucy. She's the most interesting and believable character in the book, if you ignore her "thoughts."
    • 4/5
      Teddy Bentley has disappointed her mother, Caro (images of syrup wouldn't leave my head), by taking a job at the Gunn Zoo rather than enjoying the life of leisure to which she is entitled. Teddy's marriage ended badly, and she prefers to work with animals rather than having much to do with people. Then a dead man is found in the anteater's cage--how can Teddy save the anteater and deal with all her other problems? There are several interlocking threads going on throughout the story, which gave it a little more interest than just the mystery angle. Nothing great, but a quick and enjoyable light read.
    • 4/5
      In Webb’s mystery novel, ex-heiress Teddy Bentley finds solace working at Gunn Zoo and prefers it over her own overbearing upbringing. But when a benefactor is found dead in the anteater enclosure, Teddy finds herself working double time to prove the animal’s innocence. Through twists and turns, Teddy finds herself facing a predatory zoo-director boss and numerous other eccentrics as she hunts down a killer for the truth.An enjoyable, face-paced addition to A Gunn Zoo Mystery series.
    • 2/5
      The only reason this is rated this high is because I liked the anteater, Lucy, and because sometimes it's almost charming when something is this poorly written. Otherwise, this is one of the worse mysteries I've read in a long time. It was mashup of well-used plots combined with descriptions of expensive clothing brands, and the final wrap-up of the who-done-it was disappointingly vague.
    • 4/5
      This is the first in a new series by Betty Webb, who also wrote the Lena Jones series about a private eye in Scottsdale, AZ. I enjoyed the Jones series, so was eager to read the new series about Teddy Bentley, a zoo keeper. Teddy has a complicated family history. Her father fled many years ago after embezzling funds from the law firm where he worked. Teddy's mother is a society matron who has married several times since her husband left, but is currently unmarried and making Teddy's life miserable by trying to force her to fulfill her social obligations. Meanwhile, the husband of someone who had been Teddy's best friend in high school, and who is from the family that owns the zoo, has been murdered. The person who the police think did it is someone Teddy feels must be innocent. Complications include that the police chief was Teddy's boyfriend in high school and her mother broke them up because he wasn't socially acceptable.I liked the book quite a bit, liked Teddy and some of the other characters. Webb also presents quite a spirited defense of zoos and what they do, which comes at an interesting time because I just read Temple Grandin's Animals Make Us Human, which points up some of the problems of zoos but also some possible solutions.The next book in the series, the Koala of Death, is due out soon and I look forward to it.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this one. While the protagonist made some blindingly stupid decisions - all too typical in a cozy series - the writing about the animals more than made up for it. The author does a great job of getting inside an animal's head without anthropomorphism - and clearly gets that people are not all that much more complicated than other animals.

      Unsurprisingly, I have a bit of a crush on the love interest :) If anything knocks me out of this series, it will be the protagonist making plot-driven-yet-stupid relationship decisions. She gets a pass for now, since this is just the first book in the series and I want to hear more about the zoo and all its denizens. Hopefully that won't happen in later installments :)
    • 3/5
      Book on CD read by Hillary HuberZookeeper Theodora (Teddy) Bentley is responsible for the Gunn Zoo’s Giant Anteater, Lucy. When cleaning Lucy’s enclosure Teddy finds the body of a man. But Teddy is certain that he wasn’t killed by Lucy, and she has to prove it. As cozy mysteries go, this is a pretty good one. A zookeeper is an interesting – and different – occupation for an amateur sleuth. Teddy’s life is complicated by a mother (Caro) who is a former beauty queen and socialite, and a father who is wanted by the feds for embezzling. As if that’s not enough to deal with, the local Sheriff is a former high-school flame, and it seems the attraction is still hot. Of course, Caro disapproves of the migrant-worker’s son and persists in trying to introduce Teddy to a wealthy eligible bachelor. And then a few miscreants at the harbor where Teddy moors her boat – The Merilee – are threatening to have her evicted from her berth.Webb gives tidbits of information on the animals Teddy cares for, as well as the joys and challenges of living aboard a refitted trawler. We get some back story on Teddy and Sheriff Joe Rejas, as well as Teddy’s family. Teddy is a strong female lead, intelligent and self-sufficient, if a little foolhardy at times. There were plenty of suspects to keep me guessing, and a reasonably satisfactory ending. I’ll definitely read more of this series.Hillary Huber’s performance on the audio was less than stellar. She has good pacing, but I really hated the voices she used for most of the characters.
    • 5/5
      First Line: Intrigued by the commotion underneath the banana palm, Lucy curled her four-inch claws under her leathery pads and moved forward on her knuckles to investigate.If Lucy, the pregnant Giant Anteater at the Gunn Zoo in central California, didn't kill the man found dead in her enclosure, who did? It's up to her keeper, Teddy Bentley, to find out before the anteater is shipped to another zoo in disgrace.Before Teddy can really get started, another human bites the dust, the monkeys have a hissy fit, the wolves are in a tizzy, and the rich Harbor folks are trying to evict Teddy from her houseboat. Has Teddy got what it takes to save Lucy-- and herself?I have long been a fan of Webb's series set right here in the Phoenix metropolitan area which feature P.I. Lena Jones. I also know that Webb can do humor after reading her blog entry about being left at a truck stop while on a book tour. When I learned that she was starting a new-- and cozier-- series featuring a zookeeper, I was eager to try it out.Although The Anteater of Death features one of those characters I want to slap-- the Annoying Mother-- I really enjoyed the book. Teddy has a good sense of humor that made me laugh out loud more than once, she truly cares for animals, she deals as best she can with The Mother, and she has good instincts on how to conduct an investigation: "Since I couldn't seem to find any actual clues, the solution to the mystery might be found in behavior. For all their purported brainpower, people are still animals. Deny them food, exercise, or sex, and they get cranky. Threaten them and they become downright dangerous."Although the Bad Guy should've been obvious to me, the reveal came as a surprise-- mostly because the book was filled with attention grabbers, both two- and four-legged. This isn't called a "Gunn Zoo mystery" for nothing. Animals do play significant roles in the book, so if you're allergic, this may not be the book-- or the series-- for you. I loved the plot, the setting, most of the characters, and all the animals.
    • 4/5
      Rating: 3.5* of fiveThe Book Description: 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 mother, a former beauty queen 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.My Review: Very pleasant read, enjoyable way to wile away a few hours, and a chance to go behind the scenes of a zoo.Plus I now love Lucy the Anteater as a character.None of the human characters left me with such warm feelings, though I like Teddy and can see she'll be interesting as time goes by. Joe, her love interest, is clearly being set up as a complex character with A Past, and Teddy's mother Caro is more to my liking by the end than she is at the beginning.But. And this is a big one. The killer and the motive for the killings of the two characters who die...well, it wasn't deft, and it wasn't in keeping with the build-up. Way too little made of the killer, at least for the sake of the big reveal, so we're not given any click of puzzle pieces coming together until too late to make it fully satisfying.Still and all, it's a darn sight more fun to see a mystery keep me guessing than require me to close my eyes and will the knowledge away every twenty pages! So this series is a next, please, as I move on to book two. Always a good feeling for a serial series murderer...I mean murder mystery fan.Of course I do.
    • 4/5
      Lucy, the anteater at Gunn Zoo, is pregnant. When a man is found murdered in her enclosure, she is initially blamed, but they soon find out he was shot before he ended up in her enclosure. Her zookeeper Teddy (Theodora) tries to help out her former (high school) boyfriend (now sheriff), Joe, with the investigation. I really liked this – of course a lot of my enjoyment was due to the zoo animals. I also loved that the first and last chapters were from Lucy's point of view. I'm definitely planning to read more in the series.
    • 4/5
      I liked the main characters as well as the setting and look forward to reading the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      Excellent murder mystery set against a zoo backdrop. Zookeeper and ex-socialite Teddi Bentley tries to save a giant anteater when a man is found dead in the animal's enclosure. Turns out he was shot but the anteater is not out of trouble. Appealing lead character, believable plot that turns her on to her sleuthing path, interesting bits of zoolore, all the elements come together for a fun read
    • 4/5
      This is a fun easy read, a nice mostly 'cozy' mystery. We meet Teddy, her family and her friends at the Gunn Zoo and one of her best friends Lucy the Giant Anteater is blamed for killing one of the management, until it became obvious that the man was dead before Lucy swiped him, but then her human friend was blamed instead.Teddy is a magnet for danger and often doesn't see it until it's almost too late, being so focused on what she is trying to do at any one time. It's a good series worth a read, and you always learn about some interesting animals along the way.