Peaches and Schemes
by Anna Gerard
Kindle Edition, 304 pages
Published May 11th 2021
Synopsis:
In Anna Gerard's third delightful Georgia B&B mystery, Nina Fleet learns that despite the satin, lace, and buttercream trappings, weddings often prove to be anything but sweet...
Nina Fleet might be new to the inn-keeping business, but she's savvy enough to know that Cymbeline's tourists aren't enough to keep her fledgling bed and breakfast going. And so, Nina decides to tap into the destination wedding market by taking a booth at the Veils and Vanities Bridal Expo. The twice-yearly event is sponsored by the town's two wedding pros: Virgie Hamilton, the sixty-something owner of Virgie's Formals, and Roxanna Quarry, a Gen X event planner and Nina's new friend. But everything goes wrong during the expo's fashion show, when Roxanna comes tumbling out of an oversized prop wedding cake, strangled to death by her own scarf.
Virgie is arrested for the crime, thanks to Nina's statement to the police about having overheard the woman accusing her partner of embezzlement. Meanwhile, the situation grows tense with her sometimes nemesis and current tenant, the dashing out-of-work actor Harry Westcott. Harry is concentrating on plugging his most recent side hustle ...but he's not too busy to break the news to Nina that her ex-husband is engaged to be married again.
Certain that Virgie's only offense is a bad temper, Nina decides to do her own investigating. First, however, she and Harry retrieve Roxanna's now ownerless dog, planning to foster him until a new home can be found. But local gossip soon convinces Nina that others beside Virgie might have had reason to murder Roxanna. As Nina gets close to the truth, she's putting her own life at danger. And when Virgie vanishes after being bailed out of jail by an unknown benefactor, Nina fears that if she can't find the dress shop owner in time, tying the knot will take on a whole new meaning for them both.
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4.5 stars This is third book in the Georgia B&B series by Anna Gerard. Nina and Harry are back in another jam-packed mystery that will keep you guessing all the way through the story. I really enjoyed Harry in this one. Usually, he is a bit annoying and I want to slap him, but he showed some real emotion here and found I liked him so much better. The whole death scene was pretty awesome, gruesome but awesome. I can just see that body tumbling out of the wedding cake at the most inopportune time helping to put the finger on just the wrong suspect. I totally enjoy this series and really look forward to when another hits the bookstores or my Kindle account. Nina helps to shed some suspicion on one suspect and might possibly have accidentally sent the wrong person to the big house. This is so fun to follow. The major recurring characters really resonate with me and I can’t wait to see what this author can come up with next. Definitely pick this up if you are a cozy mystery lover. |
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions are completely my own.
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