Wed, Read & Dead
Sam’s mother can’t wait to wed her wealthy beau, Harold Robertson. The big mystery is how they’re going to pull off a lavish wedding in three weeks. Harold’s snobby sister-in-law proposes a solution: engage flamboyant wedding planner Lydia Lighthouse. But their beacon of hope quickly sends everyone into a blind rage, most of all, the groom-to-be. So when the maddening micromanager is strangled with her own scarf, it’s a shock, but not a surprise.
It’s a case of art imitating life as Sam pens her next historical mystery set in England between the wars. Lady Daphne Marsh insists on marrying Lord James Browning on Christmas Eve, three weeks hence. But when the fop planning their wedding ends up with a knife in his back, she vows to nab the backstabber before she walks down the aisle.
Meanwhile, when she’s not writing, Sam and her beloved and boisterous Nana Jo rush to shine a light on Lydia’s killer. With her help, her mother’s new husband won’t spend his honeymoon behind bars.
Series: Mystery Bookshop – Book #4
Author: V.M. Burns
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Bookstore
Publisher: Kensington Books
Page Count: 272
Rating:
Arriving soon from Kensington Books is the new addition “Wed, Read & Dead” to the Mystery Bookshop Series by V.M. Burns. There is a cozy within a cozy in this book; both will make readers happy, keep them intrigued, and turning the page.
Wed, Read & Dead is a two-for-one book. The main character, Samantha Washington, owns a mystery bookstore and writes mysteries as well. She is always busy but finds time to write while doing everything else her day demands, like helping her mother plan her wedding, and solving murders.
The characters in this cozy mystery book are lovable; they are talented and make readers want to stop by for a visit. Sam’s grandmother, Nana Jo, is special, and caring while managing to keep her family, and occasionally those not in her family, in line. No one messes with Sam and Nana Jo’s family and gets by with it for long. They are exactly the type of relatives we all wish we had in our corner.
These characters hold the reader’s attention and remain a happy part of their days long after the book has been read and put away. These are great characters, and a cozy mystery book has to have compelling characters to keep readers coming back.
The location of Michigan is truly descriptive, and readers will enjoy learning a bit about a state that played such a huge part in the history of the United States. If you have never spent time in this northern state, you will want to after reading this book.
The villain(s) throughout the book is completely believable, and a true reprobate, and yet, in some small way help bring everyone together in the end. The unmasking is lively without putting the characters in more danger than they can handle. The ending satisfies the reader as an ending to a mystery should.
Both mysteries in the book are easily solved without being too easy. The historical book, Sam is writing mirrors what is going on in her family and life and makes for a fun read. Ms. Burns is a wonderful writer; her prose is fluid even when going from one story to the other. This is one of the best cozy mystery books coming out this month, and I highly recommend Wed, Read & Dead to readers of all types of mysteries.
Readers will get a thrill from this book. If you enjoy authors such as Vicki Delany http://vickidelany.com/ and her series “A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery” https://www.thecozyreview.com/the-cat-of-the-baskervilles/ or the Ellery Adams http://www.elleryadamsmysteries.com/ series “Secret, Book & Scone Society Mystery” https://www.thecozyreview.com/secret-book-scone-society/ you will fall in love with this series and author.
About the Author:
Valerie Burns was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Urban Studies. Valerie later went on to get a Master of Science in Administration from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.
By day Valerie is a Training Manager at a call center for an appliance manufacturer. At night, Valerie writes cozy mysteries, children’s books, and screenplays. Valerie currently lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her two poodles.
VM is represented by Dawn Dowdle at Blue Ridge Literary Agency.
Contact VM: author@vmburns.com
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