Death at the Waterline: A Destination Wedding Travel and Dog Cozy Mystery

by Maisy Marple

Wedding planner Lila Fairweather has built her career on flawless destination weddings, and the Montgomery-Reyes ceremony at the stunning Coral Cove Resort in Sunpetal Shores is supposed to be her crowning achievement. The bride is radiant, the groom is devoted, and the beach views are absolutely spectacular. But when Lila arrives for her dawn walkthrough and discovers the best man washed up dead near the wedding arch, her picture-perfect event becomes a crime scene. Now, with guests arriving by the hour and a killer hiding among the wedding party, Lila must use her keen eye for detail and her uncanny ability to get people talking to unravel a web of secrets, lies, and betrayal before the big day is ruined forever.

As the local detective digs into the victim's past, Lila discovers that the charming best man wasn't nearly as beloved as everyone believed. Old grudges, stolen money, and broken promises connect the wedding party in ways no one expected, and everyone seems to be hiding something. With help from Biscuit, the resort's lovable golden retriever who has a talent for turning up in all the wrong places with all the right clues, Lila finds herself drawn deeper into a mystery that threatens not just the wedding, but the lives of everyone she's trying to protect.

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with beautiful settings, witty banter, and satisfying sleuthing, Death at the Waterline is the first book in the Destination Wedding Mystery Series. Join Lila Fairweather as she proves that when it comes to saving the day, a good wedding planner is always prepared for anything—even murder.

118 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2025

Reviews

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent cozy mystery. Just over a hundred pages; so a quick read. Author Marple keeps the plot tight and to the point. I really liked how the wedding planner protagonist worked with the lead female detective to trap the murderer. Loved Biscuit, the Resort dog! I’m looking forward to reading all six stories in this series, and highly recommend this author, Maisy Marple.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The main character is Lila, the wedding planner. When Lila goes to check on how everything is being set up on a beach, she finds the body of the best man. When the cops show up, the lead detective takes a liking to her. Lila has good insights, memory the take on the wedding party. They are hoping to figure this out quickly and the wedding will go on but there are no way of knowing for sure. With Lila's help, they start to close in on the killer. But they also learn that the best man was a crook who hurt a lot of people. They decide to let the wedding happen . After the wedding, they take away the Sloane, the Maid of Honor. Is she the one or is it someone else from the wedding? Can they figure this out before everyone heads for home?

[G. Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of Maisy Marples' books just finished. This book was really good. There were times of laughter and times of deep sorrow. A death which could have ruined a wedding but the Wedding Planner was really good at her job and she went over and above board
to make this wedding happen. All I can say is go get this book and read what the wedding planner did to help, you won't be sorry. I am going to check out the rest of the books in this series. Happy reading.

[Alice Hazelbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wedding, an ocean and oleander!

The perfect setting for a wedding, ocean side and beautiful. But a betrayal, hard feelings and a murder complicate things. Lila, the wedding planner, has her hands full, for sure! Even the local dog gets credit for helping find clues!