3rd Book in Series
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Baby Boomer Mysteries Press (July 1, 2012)
Mass Market Paperback: 237 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0985779900
E-Book File Size: 455 KB
ASIN: B008LC1OK4
Empty-nester Carol Andrews is thrilled when daughter Jenny announces her engagement. She’s dreamed of planning her daughter’s wedding since the day Jenny was born. But with only two months to pull together a destination wedding on Nantucket, Jenny insists on hiring Cinderella Weddings to organize the event. Father-of-the-bride Jim objects to the cost, and Carol objects to having her opinion ignored. When Carol finds the wedding planner dead at the bottom of a creepy staircase at a Nantucket inn, and the cheating husband of Carol’s BFF Nancy is accused of her death, Carol has more to worry about than getting to the church on time!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
I have really enjoyed the Baby Boomer Mystery Series. I really enjoyed this one until the last few chapters too.
Carol Andrews is a great character and her “Beloved” Jim wasn’t even driving me crazy this time as he had in previous installments. I enjoy that the story is told from Carol’s point of view and the reader is even treated to what she is thinking. She also converses directly with the reader at times. This really makes her sense of humor shine and makes us chuckle as well.
I love the idea of a destination wedding and Nantucket sounds like an ideal place to have one.
Santangelo crafted a great murder too and was very clever to connect the current murder to another death that happened in the exact same place many years ago. The book was well written and was flowing perfectly.
Then suddenly the topic of cyber-bullying is introduced and the whole thing started to fall apart for me. I just didn’t believe the final outcome of the mystery. This theme needed to be developed more and sooner in the story to make it credible for me.
But the thing that really turned me off was the way two very important parts of the story, events that were building throughout the entire book are wrapped up in the final chapter with Carol basically telling us what happened or what her “beloved” allowed her share with us. I really felt cheated. Like I was one of the wedding guests cut from the final list of invitations but was invited over to look at the pictures months after the event happened. This isn’t meant to be a spoiler but it really fits one of the two important things that happened.
I have the next book in the series, Class Reunions Can Be Murder
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I don’t remember seeing a three star review here, not that there haven’t been any (or less starred reviews). I just don’t recall any. It encourages me that you don’t love every book, makes me more trusting of your reviews.
I hadn’t heard of this series before and your use of “beloved” worries me, but it sounds interesting enough to check out the first book if my library has it.
I also appreciate your honest reviews. Even if I don’t agree (which so far hasn’t happened yet), I know I’ll get an honest view point. BTW, I use the term “Beloved” for my sweetie because, well … because we’re the age we are and we’re not married, but we live together and no other term seems quite right. Partner is too business-like; “boyfriend” seems odd when I’m almost 53; significant other is too dry … But I can see where it might become cloying.
Thanks for the review. I have not read this series yet.
Sue B
Thanks for sharing your review. Love your honesty. This is a series I haven’t heard of before.
How do you set up your reading schedule?