Fudge and Marriage
Candy-Coated Mysteries #13
By Nancy Coco
ISBN 9781496743725
Author’s website: nancyjcoco.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
Only two things might ruin fudge maker Allie McMurphy’s wedding: murder—and her mother …
June is always beautiful on Mackinac Island, which is why Allie chose this month for her wedding to police officer Rex Manning—definitely Mackinac Island’s finest in more ways than one. But if her mother has her way, that’s the last choice Allie will get to make. Allie’s the furthest thing from a Bridezilla—but it looks like she has a Momzilla on her hands. Why else have her mother and extended family shown up a full two weeks before the nuptials to drive Allie to dizzying distraction?
Honestly, a murder investigation is far less stressful—and as it happens, Allie just found Velma French dead on the ground beside the rock that killed her, with her rival Myrtle sobbing nearby. Things don’t look good for Myrtle, but all may not be what it seems. Allie vows to solve the crime before she walks down the aisle. But a killer has other ideas—and they seem to be focused on Allie herself . . . (From Goodreads)
Review:
What a joy it was to have a front row seat for Allie and Rex’s wedding! It is in June, a week before Mackinac Island’s Lilac festival. I could almost smell the lilacs blooming through the final preparations for this happy event! Jenn, Allie’s best friend, is the matron of honor and the event planner. Jenn has tailored Allie’s dream wedding perfectly, and it is less than two weeks away. All necessary arrangements have been made for adequate coverage at Allie’s McMurphy Hotel to provide coverage so she and Rex can have a short honeymoon.
The nightmare began when Allie found one of her friends from the senior center, Velma, murdered, outside the library. Myrtle, another senior, knelt down, weeping next to Velma. Myrtle and Velma had been rivals over almost everything since they were children. Moments earlier, the two had a nasty spat in the library. The police see Myrtle as the most likely suspect, but none of her friends believe it, especially when she seemed to be suffering ill effects from seeing the remains of her longtime frenemy.
The nightmare worsened that day when Allie’s mom, Ann, a true Momzilla, arrived without notice, two weeks early with a few family members and friends from Detroit’s high society. Their arrival forced Allie send people with reservations to another hotel for one night. The next day, Ann and her entourage would relocate to the Grand Hotel. The “quaint” Historic McMurphy Hotel, in Allie’s father’s family for generations, isn’t up to their standards, yet they all expected Allie to give them rooms for free.
Ann, who had eloped with Allie’s father, thought she could change Allie’s complete wedding plan of having an outdoor wedding and reception to include anyone on the island desiring to attend. Caterers were to come and barbecue all the meats, and islanders would provide potluck. Mom wouldn’t even say Rex’s name. Mom tried to set up a cozy little wedding and reception at the Grand Hotel that Allie refused. The discussions sounded so real that I almost started to hyperventilate! Especially when, the night before the wedding, Allie’s mother finally found a way to drive a wedge between the couple.
Several islanders wanted Allie to help solve Velma’s murder and keep Myrtle out of prison. Unknown to Allie, her aunt Ginny followed the Mackinac Island news through the newspaper and her friends still on the island, and was so proud of Allie! Ginny loved mysteries, and finally divulged that when she was younger, she would look into various crimes and anonymously call the tip line with what she found. I came to love Ginny almost as much as Allie. They are both gems! Ginny was welcomed into the “book club” group of older ladies who slipped around to get information. The book club is a euphemism for when they get together to discuss what they have learned about people involved with the murder.
The regular characters are part of the reason that this is one of my favorite series. The people in the pages come to life through the author’s talent. I again learned more about both Allie and Rex, and began to understand more about Allie’s mother. The characters are realistic, and most are engaging. More than once, I thought “You go, Allie!!” The island itself comes to life through the descriptions. The murder was a tough one. It is hard to imagine that a person could be murdered on a sunny day, near the library, and nobody saw or heard a thing. I had a pair of pet suspects even while trying to find a motive. I was shocked and saddened to learn who really did it and why. I highly recommend this, and any of the other mysteries in this series. You will find a twisty plot, quirky characters, a close-knit community, and much humor throughout.
