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The Koala of Death: A Gunn Zoo Mystery Audiobook
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(3.09) - 183 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
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 Speaks-to-Souls, a shady "animal psychic," and 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 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 a cuddly koala to a panicky wallaby—and all hell breaks loose in the studio. To add to Teddy's woes, the killer zeroes in on her with near-fatal results.
The Koala of Death returns to Gunn Zoo and the social-climbing humans and eccentric animals that made the prizewinning The Anteater of Death so popular. Listeners 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.
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"The Gunn Zoo Mystery by Betty Webb is a brand new series for me. It was enthusiastically recommended by two library patrons and I am glad I followed their recommendations! I've never read a mystery which takes place in a zoo and it was so fun to find out about zoo life. Over the years, I've chosen mysteries which let me in to various worlds--the dog show arena, historical quilts, foodies, different parts of the world and country, and so forth. The main character, Theodora "Teddy" Bentley works in a Southern California zoo and is in charge of anteaters. She also lives on a houseboat nearby at Gunn Landing Harbor. She wakes up to something repeatedly striking her boat which turns out to be the body of a fellow zookeeper. And "thus it begins"... During the story, she ends up taking care of the zoo's koalas while their usual keeper is suspected of murder and the koala "Wanchu" is an integral part of the story. She also ends up having to do TV segment on daytime TV which are very funny. I loved learning more about koalas, lemurs, rhinos and the internal parts of running zoos, including, eek, fundraising. Teddy is a loveable character. I enjoyed getting to know her and the characters surrounding her and she has cats and a dog, as all the zookeepers keep their own menagerie as home. I highly recommend this book. I'm looking forward to reading the actual FIRST book in the series "The anteater of death"."
— Nathalie (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Playful…Webb warmly evokes the unconventional worlds of zoo and marina. Readers don’t even have to be animal lovers to enjoy watching, say, a pushy television host get her comeuppance from a mischievous lemur.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“From mucking out the cages to carrying a lemur with a loose sphincter onto a TV set, Teddy’s adventures will appeal to fans of animal-themed cozies.”
— Library Journal -
“Teddy’s second adventure will appeal to animal lovers who enjoy a bit of social satire with their mystery.”
— Booklist
The Koala of Death Listener Reviews
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" Zoo keeper Teddy Bentley is at hand when the body of a fellow zoo keeper Koala Kate is found. Kate was popular at the zoo but was also known because. Of her appearances with animals from the zoo are presented on morning TV show. The cause of death is murder by strangulation and Teddy can't figure out any good why anyone would want Kate dead. None the less despite strictures of Sheriff Joe who also happens to to be her boyfriend Teddy is looking for a killer. "
— Elizabeth, 2/18/2014 -
" This is a fun cozy mystery series. I enjoy the characters and learing a little about the activities of a zookeeper. My only complaint is that the mystery could have used some more development. If you're looking for a book that gives you all the clues so that you could solve the mystery, keep looking. Key infomation is not shared with the reader until the main character is hiding from the killer and some of the killers actions are not fully explained. With that said, I'll probably read the next book in this series just because I enjoy the characters. "
— Amy, 2/16/2014 -
" Not as zippy as the first book of the series, but still a fun read overall. "
— Rebecca, 1/21/2014 -
" Fun book! Apparently I started on #2 of a series, so I'm going to go back and start with numero uno. Cute characters, a little predictable somewhere in the middle, but still an enjoyable read. "
— Jody, 1/20/2014 -
" Another fun read by this author. As with The Anteater of Death, the animals are interesting characters in their own right. I would definitely read another, and hope their will be more in the series. This author has written other books, so I may try one of them as well. "
— Annm, 1/13/2014 -
" A fun read. "Teddy" Bentley, a zookeeper, hauls a body out of the water outside of her live in boat in the marina. It is the body of another zookeeper. It gets better as it goes along. I hope there will be more in this series. "
— Lynn, 1/11/2014 -
" Very cool book with lots of zoological info that is shared in a natural manner. Interesting characters and mystery. I would highly recommend this one! "
— Syrdarya, 1/8/2014 -
" 3.5 for fun. Second in zoo series (after Anteater of Death)fun, quirky characters and nice animals. "
— Leslie, 1/2/2014 -
" I enjoyed this light hearted cozy mystery, especially as it has the zoo setting and I used to work at one. Not highbrow literature, but jolly and entertaining. "
— Catherine, 12/31/2013 -
" This is the second one in this series. I enjoyed the setting-a zoo- and the story and characters. It was a very enjoyable read, as was the first, Anteater of Death! "
— Andrea, 12/18/2013 -
" Not nearly as good as the first one. I got bored less than a third of the way through. "
— Miki, 12/16/2013 -
" It seems that I would like a book taking place in a zoo much more than I did. Loved hearing about the animals and the characters and story were OK. There just seems to be something missing. And lots of typos! "
— Nick, 12/15/2013 -
" Entertaining, lightweight mystery. I have a problem with zoos, even those that have caring, professional staff so the many descriptions of the confined animals probably colored my view. "
— Brenda, 12/4/2013 -
" I love the zookeeper stories. Not only are they good mysteries but I learned a lot about zoo animals. "
— Shirl, 11/29/2013 -
" Terrible book, probably would make a good movie. Do not recommend for anyone with literary integrity. "
— Sonny, 5/25/2013 -
" This was an interesting mystery. Zoo keeper turned impromptu investigator. The style reminded me of a less-experienced Sue Grafton. I was thrown off by numerous typos, so I wondered who was the text editor. "
— Sharaa, 11/2/2012 -
" Engaging protagonist, interesting tidbits about a zookeepers life. An enjoyable fun, light "listen" Will def. be adding here other two zoo mysteries to my audible basket. "
— Kelly, 10/9/2012 -
" Still good as far as the mystery goes; I like the information/interaction with animals. But again, Teddy is still a little annoying. "
— Joanne, 10/7/2012 -
" cute book, fun to read "
— Alison, 4/24/2012 -
" Enjoyable light mystery with a strong female protagonist "
— Lms, 2/27/2012 -
" believablility in mc compromised by the mother's manipulations--not amusing, super creepy, minus a star. "
— Jane, 12/9/2011 -
" Meh. Couple of typos, same bad simile problem, and disappointed she didn't reuse more characters from the first novel, when there was no obvious need to create new ones for the plot. "
— Allison, 4/21/2011 -
" Very cool book with lots of zoological info that is shared in a natural manner. Interesting characters and mystery. I would highly recommend this one! "
— Syrdarya, 4/1/2011 -
" A fun read. "Teddy" Bentley, a zookeeper, hauls a body out of the water outside of her live in boat in the marina. It is the body of another zookeeper. It gets better as it goes along. I hope there will be more in this series. "
— Lynn, 1/8/2011 -
" I enjoyed just reading the names of the different animals. A mystery that takes place in a zoo, with a zookeeper who solves the crimes. "
— Laura, 11/9/2010 -
" 3.5 for fun. Second in zoo series (after Anteater of Death)fun, quirky characters and nice animals. "
— Leslie, 9/9/2010 -
" Entertaining, lightweight mystery. I have a problem with zoos, even those that have caring, professional staff so the many descriptions of the confined animals probably colored my view. "
— Brenda, 6/11/2010
About Betty Webb
Betty Webb worked as a journalist and often bases her mystery novels on stories she covered as a reporter. Currently a creative writing teacher at Phoenix College, she is a member of the National Federation of Press Women, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and the Society of Southwestern Authors.
About Hillary Huber
Hillary Huber, a Los Angeles–based voice talent with hundreds of commercials and promos under her belt, was bitten by the audiobook bug in 2005. She now records books on a regular basis and has been nominated for several Audie Awards and won numerous Earphones Awards.