Veil of Lies

Bunburry #21

by Helena Marchmont

Wedding bells are ringing in Bunburry - but not everyone is celebrating...

Alfie and Emma are finally planning their big day in the idyllic Cotswold village of Bunburry. With the legendary wedding planner Elizabeth Ravensdale in charge, perfection seems guaranteed. But when a body is discovered, the dream of a flawless celebration quickly unravels. While the police are convinced they’ve found their culprit, the Bunburry triangle senses that something doesn’t add up. Determined to uncover the truth, Alfie and his friends launch their own investigation - only to find that love isn’t the only thing in the air.

Can they untangle a web of secrets before a veil of lies ruins more than just the wedding day?

Helena Marchmont is the pen name of Scottish author Olga Wojtas, who lives in Edinburgh and works as a journalist. Her popular cosy crime series Bunburry, set in a fictional Cotswold village, combines British humour, eccentric characters, and classic mystery elements. Wojtas, a recipient of the Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award, is also the author of the Miss Blaine Mystery series and numerous short stories.

Genres: Audiobook

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2026

About the author

Helena Marchmont is a pseudonym of Olga Wojtas, who was born and brought up in Edinburgh. She was encouraged to write by an inspirational English teacher, Iona M. Cameron. Olga won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2015, has had more than 30 short stories published in magazines and anthologies and recently published her first mystery Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5 stars
I liked the Bunburry series once, but with every new book I get more and more irritated.

Alfie has become such a pushover and people pleaser, he couldn't say no if his life depended on it; Marge just walking over everybodies boundaries (deciding what's best for the business without asking Liz for her opinion, stealing data from the victim's laptop, demanding that the whole village gets invited to the wedding, etc); Old Tom telling everybody and their grandma about the engagement, even though he was told it was still a secret; Emma not caring one bit about the wedding.
Oscar's appearance is too short (and by book 21 everybody knows, that he only answers his landline and hates mobile phones, no need to repeat that every book, same for the butler persona).

I think, this is where I'll stop reading (listening to) the series, even though I really enjoy Nathaniel Parker's voice, but Helena Marchmont/Olga Wojtas makes me wanting to scream at her and her characters.

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it's a cozy well written series with a wonderful cast of characters who grow and develop from book to book. You can read this in one sitting, laughing all the way. Helena Marchmont is a clever, witty writer with a sense of the absurd who delights in a well turned phrase. YES. Thank you. An escape to remember.

[Kaija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lukijana ihana Nathaniel Parker.
Rakastan Parkerin eläytymistä ja luentaa, sen rytmitystä ja ääntämistä. Bunburryssa rupeaa asiat olemaan kunnossa ja olipas hauskaa, että pitkän jahkailun jälkeen Alfien ja Emman suhde on etenemässä häihin asti. Tarina oli nokkela ja pidin myös siitä, että vanhat keskeiset hahmot oli nostettu keskipisteeseen.

[Dawn Neri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy meets Wedding Planning

While finding out the news of their engagement has already spread far and wide, Alfie heads to see if the local Minister can marry them and find a wedding planner. While on this journey, one of the wedding planner's staff goes missing. Can Alfie and Emma solve this mystery and still get their wedding set up?

[Lavada Haga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

I love all of the Bunburry books! The village and the characters are great. It really has a cozy feeling. In this addition Alfie and Emma are soon to be married. But Emma must solve a murder first.

[Judith K. Weishaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wedding Plans And Murder

I love the way this writer has a great way of words. She portrays the characters in such a way you'd actually like them if they were real plus I can't guess the guilty person.

[Liz O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite cozy series of all time. It’s everything a cozy should be, with the added plus of being beautifully written. Absolutely flawless, and I can’t wait for the next one. Still
hoping that Oscar will get his own series spin off…

[Faith Trinkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the latest in a string of greatness

Once I discovered this series I started anticipating the next book as soon as I finished the previous one. They're so well written and entertaining. I can't wait for the wedding!

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

An addictive series of British village novellas with an endearing cast of characters and a lot of humor.