“‘Til death do us part” could be closer than the bride realizes in Victoria Gilbert’s tantalizing fifth Blue Ridge Library mystery.The pursuit to acquire a rare illustrated book turns deadly, and on the eve of her upcoming wedding, library director Amy Webber is drawn into a web of treachery and betrayal that could derail her happy day–and maybe just claim her life.Planning a wedding can be … life.
Planning a wedding can be murder–sometimes literally. At a party celebrating their upcoming nuptials, Taylorsford, Virginia library director Amy Webber and her fiancé Richard Muir discover the body of art dealer Oscar Selvaggio–a bitter rival of their host, Kurt Kendrick.
Both had been in a heated battle to purchase a rare illustrated volume created by William Morris’s Kelmscott Press, so suspicion immediately falls upon Kurt. Amy knows that Kurt has a closet-full of skeletons from his past–but she can’t believe he’s guilty of murder.
Amidst an avalanche of wedding preparations, Amy begins an investigation with the help of her aunt Lydia Talbot and the new mayor of Taylorsford, Sunshine “Sunny” Fields. Much to Lydia’s
dismay, her boyfriend, art expert Hugh Chen, becomes convinced of Kurt’s guilt and launches an investigation of his own. As the case hits painfully close to home, the stakes become impossibly high–and the danger all too real.
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During the reception celebrating Amy and Richards upcoming wedding at the home of an art dealer with questionable ethics Amy once again finds a body. This one happens to be a rival art dealer who is in pursuit to acquire a rare illustrated book that her host is also interested in purchasing.
As the suspect list grows and old indiscretions are close to resurfacing Amy worries that the fallout could impact her wedding negatively. As the wedding date gets closer she is more desperate to get to the bottom of the mystery.
The worlds of art dealing and collectors is explored as is te world of dance. Richard is a dance professor, It is an interesting story filled with likable characters. Even some of the shady ones are endearing, This is a stand alone novel even with the previous connections being explored more deeply between the main characters, I enjoy the stories much better when supporting characters are just as well written as the main ones. This one fits the bill nicely.
This is my first book in this series and while there are many characters with a history I didn’t think it made it difficult to follow along and enjoy, but I think reading earlier books in the series would have added to the experience as well as fleshing out some of the other characters and their backgrounds.
The book blurb sets up the story very well so won’t rehash.
Amy doesn’t believe Kurt murdered Oscar Selvaggio, although his past is murky enough to believe he is capable of it. She believes the murder is somehow related to the book so starts to research it and discovers ties to family and friends There is another subplot with a wanted drug dealer and her brother who is investigating those ties.
A very solid mystery that is wrapped up with a bit of danger.
And an added bonus Amy and Richard’s wedding at the end.
A Deadly Edition by Victoria Gilbert was another book by this author that grabbed me on the first page and I didn’t want to stop reading until I reached the end. I adore this series and I’m always excited when I find a new one in this series.
Ms. Gilbert’s writing is descriptive of not only scenery but of each character to the point that I feel like I would recognize each character if I met them on the street in Taylorsford. The plot was intricate and quickly paced with plenty of twists, several suspects (some obvious and some not) and a dramatic reveal that caused me to hold my breath in suspense. A sweet ending with Richard and Amy’s wedding day rounded this book to be a perfect read for me.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
A Mystery Before the Wedding
Library director Amy Webber, and her awesome fiancé Richard believe their sleuthing days are over. When an unexpected visitor is found murdered during their wedding announcement party. With so many circumstantial guests in attendance, where can Amy even start? There is a lot for Amy to agonize about on top of her wedding plans, when her investigation starts unearthing some shady family history. Victoria Gilbert knows her cozy mystery, and her art history. The William Morris Kelmscott Chaucer is a fantastic book, and it is easy to see why someone would kill for it! It takes a while for Amy to gain momentum in finding her suspect due to her wedding planning, job, dancing lessons, family gatherings, and the large amount of people mysteriously involved. This book is an enjoyable read for the cozy mystery enthusiast, with a sweet romantic ending.