A wedding and a murder? With preparations for her upcoming wedding to handsome Wes Wesson, a Center City police lieutenant, on track and her DIY Bridal Crafts class at Hawkeye Haven’s community center wrapped up, DIY Diva Laurel McMillan looks forward to a calm pre-nuptial week to finalize her wedding plans. There’s only one problem: the week turns out to be anything but calm. Laurel and Wes … week turns out to be anything but calm. Laurel and Wes narrowly escape being run down in the parking lot of their favorite restaurant. Laurel’s bridal shower is interrupted by a mysterious stranger who sends Laurel’s lovable chocolate Labrador retriever Bear into a frenzy, and when Laurel and Wes go to meet Lisa, their real estate agent, at a house she promised to show them, they discover Lisa’s sister’s body floating in the pool. Strangely, Lisa seems more concerned with selling houses than she does with her sister’s death. After Lisa’s mother inadvertently reveals family secrets, Laurel wonders whether Lisa could have killed her own sister. Will the mayhem and murder stop before Laurel discovers the key to the killer’s game plan?
Includes recipes and project instructions for a birdcage veil and a doggie bow tie.
This is the third book in the DIY Diva Mystery series.
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I think this is the best book in the series so far with unforgettable characters and a great must-solve mystery with interesting suspects, twists and turns that I couldn’t put down and really didn’t want it to end when I got to the last page. I really like DIY Diva Laurel McMillan and her dynamic with everyone in Center City, Iowa, especially her fiance police lieutenant Wes Wesson. Ms. Darnell has knocked another cozy out of the park and I can’t wait to find out what’s next for Laurel, Wes and the rest of the gang in book four. I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Death by Proxy is the third book in the DIY Diva Mystery series. It is also the third book I have read by Paula Darnell and rivals my enjoyment of the first book in the series. When reading, I felt as if I had come home. The neighbourhood felt real, as did Laurel and the gang.
Favourite quote:
“Then he looked up at me with his big brown eyes, and cocked his head to the side. I could almost hear him saying ‘please, I want some more,’ like Oliver Twist in the Dickens novel”.
Laurel is to marry the Centre City police lieutenant, Wes Wesson, and while preparations are underway for this event and they are looking for a place to live together – a body is found floating in the pool of a house they are being shown. And the body is the sister of the real estate agent Lisa!!! There are other mysterious events that happen before and after this event, but I leave those for the reader to discover.
What I can say is that the story-line is interesting and engaging (or at least I thought so) with enough red herrings, twists and turns to keep my interest throughout. I like cozy mysteries generally and I really enjoy cozy mysteries that keep me guessing until the end, which Death by Proxy did.
The reader also gets some good story-line with Bear, Laurel’s chocolate Labrador retriever. And who doesn’t like to read about a HEA (happily ever after), if the mystery gets solved before the wedding day!
My only beef with the story-line is who really tries to solve a mystery so close to their wedding? I was amazed that Laurel could figure out “whodunit” and “get to the church on time” – so to speak 🙂 .
I like having the recipes and DIY Diva projects spelled out for me at the end of the book. I hope to try them myself as time permits, especially the dog treats (a Christmas gift perhaps for all my puppy/dog friends!)
If you are fan of the cozy mystery genre, then I highly suggest this series (A DIY Diva Mystery) and title Death by Proxy specifically by Paula Darnell. I for one cannot wait to crack the spine of the next book in the series, if there is to be one… and this reader is sure hoping so!
Bear, a chocolate Labrador retriever
owned by Lauren McMillian is going
to be in her wedding to Wes Wesson,
a Center City police lieutenant.
Lauren McMillian does DIY craft
classes at the Hawkeye Haven
Community Center located in Center
City, Iowa. She is doing a bridal series.
With all the wedding preparations, she
is not prepared to be nearly run down
in a parking lot, to have dead black roses
delivered during her bridal shower or a
dead body in the pool of a house their
real estate going to show them.
What is happening??? Who is responsible
for these deeds???
The story keeps a steady stream of intrigue
and suspense flowing while the plot moves
along at a fast past with many twists, turns,
and diversions.
The characters are intricately designed.
They are colorful, quirky, well fleshed out
making several suspects among them.
Add romance, humor, a special event to
make this an entertaining read.
This is book # 3 in the DIY Diva Mysteries
series. It can be read as a stand alone.
The reader is provided recipes and how to
crafts for dogs following the end of the story.
A Highly Recommended Read!!!
I volunteered to read Death by Design .
Thanks to the Review Crew for the
opportunity. My opinion is voluntary and
is my own.
Death by Proxy by Paula Darnell is a cozy mystery with real people in it. They are not young and beautiful, they do not have exotic jobs, the crimes are not exotic. Laurel is a middle aged widow who has climbed out of her grief to eventually start her own crafting business, DIY Diva, and is currently experimenting with, and writing a book about DIY for weddings. Part of the research is her own forthcoming wedding to Detective Duane Wesson, Wes, who she met during a murder investigation. This is the week. Also they are house hunting. Not in a big hurry, Wes will move into Laurel’s house until they find their own. As they are waiting to meet the realtor at their latest possibility (not a great possibility but they can’t seem to communicate with their realtor) they discover a body in the pool. Wes jumps in and pulls her out, rendering CPR until the ambulance arrives. She makes it to the hospital alive, but passes during the night. Odd things are happening, beyond the mysterious death, but Laurel and Wes can’t seem to get a handle on them: they narrowly miss getting run over by a truck, twice; black flowers are delivered to her wedding shower, etc.
I like Laurel. She is sensible and clever. She has a fabulous Lab named Bear and she has lost of friends. She deserves the happiness this second marriage will bring. Although she is worried about being married to a cop, she doesn’t let it consume her. She has a nice life. Wes is a good guy, who loves Laurel and is ready for his second chance. He loves Bear, too, which is a requirement, and Bear loves him so life is good. When the mastermind is caught, it is a surprise to everyone, including this reader. It was a pretty good story and pretty plausible. It was all about timing as usual, it all came together at the end, somewhat accidentally, and the wedding came off without a hitch. I enjoyed the read. I recommend it.
I received a free ARC of Death by Proxy from Cozy Mystery Review Crew. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own.
Death by Proxy by Paula Darnell is a cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. It has wonderful characters, a dog, a great plot and recipes! The story is mixed with craft ideas and wedding plans along with Laurel and Wes getting married. Can they solve the murder mystery and still have a wonderful wedding and honeymoon without being victims themselves?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story that I won from a contest and I always review every book that I read. I highly recommend this book especially if you love cozy mysteries.
I have read all of the books in this series and have enjoyed them. In the latest installment Laurel is planning her wedding and teaching a DIY bridal series to the residents of Hawkeye Haven. Laurel and Wes are also looking for a new house for after the wedding, but unfortunately they find a woman floating in the pool at one of the houses that they go to tour and she doesn’t make it. No one else is there and so they are involved in another mystery. I loved the birdcage hat idea that was part of the DIY bridal crafts that were discussed in the book, but also that other things were happening in the book other than the wedding planning. Bear is also always entertaining and adds to the coziness of the book. This is a very good series and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Cozy Mystery Review Crew. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I really enjoyed this book. Laurel is a smart, talented woman with the best dog, her chocolate lab, Bear. The story held my attention all the way through with twisty turns and red herrings. The characters are interesting and the the pacing steady. I look forward to the next in the series.
I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving my honest review.
Death by Proxy is A DIY Diva Mystery. I loved this cozy mystery and can’t wait for the next one. The characters are likable and relatable, although some have their little quirks. The storyline engaged my interest from the start and kept it throughout this well-written story. This story has humour, murder, twists, danger, and a wedding.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.