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In the new Perfect Proposals mystery from the author of Bodice of Evidence and Engaged in Murder , a country club wedding reception becomes the scene of a baffling crime.

The wedding for Pepper Pomeroy’s sister Felicity starts with dearly beloved but it ends with dearly departed when Ashley, the bartender Pepper befriended earlier in the evening, drops dead from a lethal nightcap. Authorities think it’s just a tragic accident. After all, who’d want to kill a virtual stranger at a country club wedding reception? That’s what Pepper wants to know.
 
A search into Ashley’s past reveals a twisty path of secret sororities, well-connected enemies, and an unsolved slaying still shadowing members of high society—including a filthy-rich battle-ax whose demands for the services of Pepper’s Perfect Proposals are starting to sound more like veiled threats. Pepper’s business may be booming but continued success means outsmarting a mysterious culprit who’s still wedded to the idea of murder.
 

276 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 3, 2016

10 people are currently reading
495 people want to read

About the author

Nancy J. Parra

23 books312 followers
Best known for writing plucky heroines, USA Today Bestselling Author, Nancy J. Parra has 30 books published-

Most recently Nancy has five cozy mystery book series going.

All Fudged Up, To Fudge or Not To Fudge, All You Need is Fudge, Oh Say Can You Fudge, All I want For Christmas is Fudge, Oh Fudge, Forever Fudge, Fudge Bites and Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas are part of the USA Today Bestselling Candy-Coated Mystery series (Kensington) -which Nancy writes as Nancy Coco.

Also from Nancy Coco, the Oregon Honeycomb Series which includes: Death Bee Comes Her and a Matter of Hive and Death.


Writing as Nell Hampton, Kale to the Queen is the debut in the Kensington Palace Chef Mystery series.


A Case of Syrah, Syrah and Seven Deadly Zins are part of the Wine Country Tours mystery series.

Gluten for Punishment, Murder Gone A-Rye and Flourless to Stop Him are both part of the Gluten Free Baker's Treat Mystery series. (Berkley Prime Crime)
Then there is Engaged in Murder, Bodice of Evidence and Newlywed Dead, the Perfect Proposal series from Berkley Prime Crime.





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5 stars
49 (30%)
4 stars
69 (42%)
3 stars
34 (21%)
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6 (3%)
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3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Tina.
436 reviews144 followers
May 28, 2016
Heartwarming relationships and characters .

Event Planner and owner of Perfect Proposal's a business where Pepper Plans the perfect marriage proposal and engagement parties for couples, her sister, Felicity is getting married to a high-society man named Warren. Pepper is her maid-of-honour. At the reception Pepper befriends, Ashley a bartender that looks like she has seen better days. When Ashley and her best friend were in college they were shot down and only Ashley survived.

Pepper finds Ashley on the floor of the country club reception unresponsive. Instantly without question, Pepper gives her CPR but her friend died. The detective on the case has a friendly father-daughter relationship with Pepper and they consider the case closed when it's found that Ashley overdosed on alcohol and drugs but Pepper thinks otherwise. Pepper is getting a lot of business from networking at the reception with no shortage of suspects including someone Ashley refused to serve drinks to at the open bar.

Someone at the reception may be a killer. Someone's Proposal may not turn out to be so perfect after all.

Another winner and fast paced winner for author Nancy.J.Parra. The Perfect Proposal's Mysteries are my very favorite reads. Heartwarming relationships and characters. Pepper's father-daughter relationship with the detective on the case, her boyfriend Gage and her friend and sometimes assistant,Toby is looking for love in all the wrong places. A fun premise and a perfect mystery, Pepper's perfect proposals are always entertaining and exciting.

FTC Disclosure Thank you to the publisher and/or author or Net Galley for providing us with a copy of this book for review.This did not influence our thoughts in any way. All the opinions of the book are our own.
Profile Image for Lisa Ks Book Reviews.
842 reviews140 followers
April 27, 2016
Say I do to NEWLYWED DEAD, an engaging mystery, and a perfect marriage with the other books in this series.

Someone dying at a wedding reception is an awful thing. Well, in real life it would be. But for a mystery novel, not only is it perfect, it’s practically mandatory.

Well written from beginning to end, NEWLYWED DEAD is a fast moving page turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat in anticipation until the wonderful conclusion.

I propose you pick up a copy of NEWLYWED DEAD, and prepare for a honeymoon of a good time.

Check out the back of the book for a sample wedding menu!
Profile Image for Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews).
1,476 reviews143 followers
May 28, 2016
Newlywed Dead by Nancy J. Parra is a fantastic read. I continue to love this series. If you haven’t read the previous two books don’t worry, this is truly a stand alone read. If you have read the series, then favorite characters like Detective Murphy, Gage, and Toby are back.

Newlywed Dead finds Pepper Pomeroy attending the wedding of her younger sister, Felicity to Warren Evans, a member of Chicago high society. Over the course of the night, Pepper befriends bartender, Ashley Klein. Everything is going great until Pepper discovers Ashley’s lifeless body in the hallway of the country club. The police have ruled Ashley’s death an overdose, but knowing what she knew about Ashley, Pepper disagrees and sets out to get justice for a friendly stranger.

Over the next month or so, Pepper is going to be very busy trying to solve a murder and plan perfect one of a kind proposals for her event planning business, Perfect Proposals. Who knew her sister’s wedding would result in so much business. There’s the surprise engagement of a returning serviceman, a family friend who seems to be very secretive, a bride-to-be who insists on being a part of the whole planning process (even though she wants to be surprised) and a couple who seems to be too young for marriage. But if anyone is up for the challenge, it’s Pepper. What she doesn’t expect is the past and the present to collide in an epic reveal.

There is so much to love about Newlywed Dead I don’t even know where to start. I was able to narrow down the murderer pretty easily, even if I did second guess myself. However, the “why” completely blindsided me. The reveal was EPIC and one I don’t see forgetting anytime soon or if at all. Hopefully, there will be more books of this series to come.

**Received a copy from Berkley Prime Crime in exchange for an honest unbiased opinion.**
Profile Image for Karen.
503 reviews65 followers
May 26, 2016
Newlywed Dead by Nancy J. Parra was a great read. I read it in one night and I was pleasantly surprised that even though I had not read the first two books in the series it was not hard to follow the story. The over the top proposals I have seen on youtube make for a really great cozy mystery job idea! Being married as long as I have now I would never have thought there was an entire industry devoted to making the Proposal an event of such scale. It does make for a really fun story line. The mystery was as intriguing as the job description of main character and proposal event co-ordinator Pepper Pomeroy. This was a fun who-dun-it, and a very good read.
Profile Image for OpenBookSociety.com .
4,104 reviews135 followers
July 21, 2016
http://openbooksociety.com/article/ne...

Newlywed Dead
A Perfect Proposals Mystery, Book #3
By Nancy J Parra
ISBN 9780425270370
Author’s website: www.nancyjparra.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Synopsis:

The wedding for Pepper Pomeroy’s sister Felicity starts with dearly beloved but it ends with dearly departed when Ashley, the bartender Pepper befriended earlier in the evening, drops dead from a lethal nightcap. Authorities think it’s just a tragic accident. After all, who’d want to kill a virtual stranger at a country club wedding reception? That’s what Pepper wants to know.

A search into Ashley’s past reveals a twisty path of secret sororities, well-connected enemies, and an unsolved slaying still shadowing members of high society—including a filthy-rich battle-ax whose demands for the services of Pepper’s Perfect Proposals are starting to sound more like veiled threats. Pepper’s business may be booming but continued success means outsmarting a mysterious culprit who’s still wedded to the idea of murder.

Review:

Newlywed Dead is a great new read by Nancy J. Parra, from whom I have come to anticipate several great things in a cozy mystery. One is how she brings comedy into almost any situation; another is her penchant for strong, purely delightful female protagonists with interesting careers. In this case, she is adept at taking a rather unique small business into a completely credible service. Third in the Perfect Proposals Mystery series, it can be read as a standalone.

Pepper Pomeroy owns Pepper’s Perfect Proposals, a service that helps plan the perfect, surprise proposal event for couples who can afford to go all out to begin their lives together. She has contacts who can provide the best catering or background events, such as the toy soldier department of F.A.O. Schwartz for a member of the military. Pepper’s sister Felicity and fiancé Warren were among her first clients, and this novel opens to their wedding, a day they have diligently worked to make perfect for Felicity. Bodies tend to show up where Pepper goes, including the events surrounding Warren’s proposal to Felicity and similar.

After the newly married couple leaves the reception, Pepper spends some time with one of the ladies tending bar. Ashley seems to be a genuinely caring young woman who Pepper would enjoy as a friend, or at least a business associate; they discussed various cocktails that may have been popular in the 1940’s and 50’s as Pepper was considering the era as a theme for future proposal events. A veteran of the country club crowd events, Ashley was familiar with some of the more colorful attendees. She had a wisdom beyond her years and the misfortune of enduring terrible headaches. And by the end of the wedding reception, Ashley was dead, possibly from a combination of alcohol and drugs. Pepper wants to find justice and truth for Ashley, so she visits Ashley’s mom and follows the trail of clues all while planning several perfectly unique wedding proposals.

Pepper is a delightfully interesting young woman, as is her new friend, Ashley. They both seem to be very loyal women, as do Pepper’s friends. Neither are taken in by the glitz and glamor of the country club ladies; they are happy to work for the members of the club but remain true to who they are. At least Pepper does, as Ashley’s memories from being shot and near death several years prior are wiped clean. I hated to see Ashley die, as did Pepper. Pepper is very likable, as are some of her clients; other clients are a bit eccentric. The author brings together this eclectic group who fit together into the whole of this delightful yet suspenseful tale.

The plot has been planned and executed with care. I absolutely couldn’t guess who the real bad guy / gal was, and was completely surprised with the outcome. Reading the details of each proposal event and how they were woven into the plot so intricately was amazing! It is a seasoned author who can so well accomplish the feat of sharing how well she knows her subject. I chased a red herring or two amid the plot twists and turns. I do enjoy cozy mysteries that have this perfect balance of suspense, humor, and unique careers or circumstances; this one rocks!

I highly recommend Newlywed Dead to those who enjoy reading mysteries that include unique careers, a fun and lovable protagonist, and suspense that includes a serving of romance. I can’t wait to see who Pepper helps to the path of matrimony in the next Perfect Proposals Mystery!

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for LORI CASWELL.
2,866 reviews328 followers
May 23, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts

Pepper Pomeroy’s sister Felicity says I do and left the reception before bartender, Ashley’s very public demise. Drug and alcohol can be a lethal combo but Pepper believes there is much more to the story. The police has categorized the death as accidental so Pepper will have to investigate on her own. She follows clues that take her from the country club set to all the way back into Ashley’s past. Her business may be Perfect Proposals but she’s a pretty perfect sleuth too.

The story starts with Felicity’s wedding and the murder but we also follow Pepper as she meets with clients and plans and executes some Perfect Proposals and engagement parties. I really enjoyed this, as one was pretty low key and another was off the charts elaborate. She deals with some truly lovely people and some that are pretty darn crazy. All these characters were written so cleverly, the really jumped off the pages.

This was a really fast paced story. I whipped right through it. Action, drama, mystery, mayhem with great characters. This Perfect Proposal Mystery was positively perfect. Engaging from start to finish.
836 reviews10 followers
May 10, 2016
The Perfect Package!

A thoroughly enjoyable modern mystery with enough twists & red-herrings to keep the story interesting! I love Pepper's perfect proposals! So very inventive & a great guide if you are planning a proposal in the near future. I always get a chuckle out of Pepper's geeky friend Toby. He kind of reminds me of a rich Sheldon on Big Bang Theory.
Profile Image for Laurien Berenson.
Author 57 books843 followers
May 9, 2016
Pepper Pomeroy is an engaging character and her wedding proposal business makes a wonderful backdrop to this mystery. This is the first book in this series that I have read, but it definitely won't be the last.
Profile Image for Nancy H.
3,123 reviews
April 23, 2018
Another good entry in the Perfect Proposals Mystery series, this is a story of challenging situations for the proposal planner and of course, a murder in the midst of everything!
Profile Image for Dharia Scarab.
3,255 reviews8 followers
July 5, 2016

Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...

1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.

2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.

3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.

4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.

5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
2,939 reviews38 followers
May 9, 2016
This is the 3rd book in the mystery series about Pepper's proposals business. It starts with her sister's wedding, where she talks to a barmaid and really likes her. The barmaid is found dead at the reception and Pepper wants to find out why. You get to read about how Pepper plans ways for someone to propose with all the bells and whistles. It is amazing to read about the over the top ways that people propose and how much money they spend to do it.
Profile Image for Jenni Schell.
553 reviews46 followers
June 7, 2016
I admit it, I am a huge fan of Nancy Parra aka Coco books. They always leave me wanting more. This latest venture into the Perfect Proposal Mystery Series is just that PERFECT. Pepper finds herself in the middle of a murder that happened at her sister's wedding reception. The killer is not whom you would expect and surprised me until the very end. Bravo.
775 reviews6 followers
June 11, 2016
I love the entire premise of a proposal business. I especially enjoyed reading how Pepper juggled three proposals and solved the murder. The main character is wonderful and the supporting cast is equally a delight. I can't wait to see what happens in the future and I look forward to Pepper getting her own proposal!
556 reviews
May 18, 2016
This woman's business is over the top marriage proposals. This book, the third in the series, has several interesting proposals that put those you see on Pinterest to shame. I love that one was a lesbian couple - a book keeping up with the times.
Profile Image for Jen Petro-Roy.
Author 6 books366 followers
May 27, 2016
I really enjoy Pepper and the world of this series, but as a mystery, this fell flat. There was really no investigating, just a "realization" and a big reveal at the end. Still, a fun read.
Profile Image for Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy.
2,022 reviews66 followers
April 20, 2022
This was another fun one in the Perfect Proposals Mystery series. Pepper’s sister has her lavish wedding. Everything is perfect until the bartender collapses and dies. The guests seem to be more displeased with being required to be questioned than being distressed that a young woman has died. After all according to one guest she basically deserved it. The characters in this series are fun to get to know. I especially love Toby. He is definitely a work in progress in the romance department. I also love Pepper’s nosy neighbor. You will be taken into the world of high society where money is no object, and people are classified by their income tax bracket. However, this does not keep Pepper from investigating the death that is deemed accidental. There is romance, mystery and humor. This is a quick, clean read.
149 reviews1 follower
October 3, 2022
I bought this book used without realizing it was #3 in a series. I am not the type to read books out of order. But it really wasn’t a big deal. There was a self contained plot and all the characters made sense. I didn’t feel like I missed anything important skipping the first two books in the series. While planning proposals for a living does not interest me in the least, this book was enough of a page turner for me. It had just the right amount of characters to keep things moving, without requiring the reader to remember too much information in order to keep up. I did not solve the mystery which is a plus in my mind, not that I really tried. I just kept reading one rainy day without giving it too much thought and it was a great way to spend the day. I recommend it to anyone who likes cozy mysteries.
Profile Image for Denise Kulesa.
395 reviews2 followers
July 24, 2023
Nancy J. Parra delivers another winner in the Perfect Proposals series.

Pepper does not believe the drug overdose ruling of Ashley, the bartender who died during the reception for Pepper's sister and brother in law. While planning a double proposal event, Pepper discovers who the murderer is. The two unsuspecting women for the proposals will not be getting that: Jen is the murderer and Samantha Lyn has realized bad choices ruin lives so she is not about to marry someone she does not love.
659 reviews3 followers
October 22, 2020
While attending her sister's reception, Pepper strikes up a conversation with the bartender.
The bartender tells Pepper that she was shot and left for dead at her home coming parade and her girlfriend was in fact killed.

However, when the bartender shows up dead, Pepper refuses to let the issue drop as a drug overdose!!

Great read, can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Sherri Smith.
628 reviews6 followers
March 24, 2018
Great end to a wonderful series, although I'd love to read more of Pepper's adventures.
Profile Image for Diane.
1,148 reviews
December 8, 2018
Really enjoyed this book and all the crazy stuff that goes in making the perfect
proposal or one that the person will like
Profile Image for Janet.
3,335 reviews24 followers
May 22, 2019
Really cute mystery. This is the first book I've read in this series, but it was perfectly fine on its own. I liked the overall plot and Pepper as the amateur sleuth.
Profile Image for Susan Moxley.
1,080 reviews21 followers
June 18, 2019
A Books it will show you that love can be surprising emotional and even filled with a little bit of mystery. This book will keep you guessing till the very end.
790 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2017
This title can be misleading. The characters mostly are not married and a wedding in the beginning set the scene for the mystery. The story was set in Chicago and the ending was well done. The next book in this series has set the ground work for another story.
222 reviews
March 6, 2017
Interesting series about a event planner, specializing in engagement parties, who keeps finding dead bodies.
Profile Image for Jeanie.
1,311 reviews1 follower
October 4, 2016
What a suspenseful read that is at times very sad, as well as includes the author's trademark humor! I know that if Nancy is the author, the book will bring LOL humor as well as an intriguing mystery, and she doesn't disappoint in this 3rd novel in the Perfect Proposals series. It is the first one in the series that I have read, and it can easily be read as a standalone.

Pepper Pomeroy has a unique business, as she is hired to help a man or woman propose to their significant other in a style that fits the couple and specifically the person being proposed to. Her sister's wedding has successfully finished, and Pepper is chatting with one of the bartenders. The bartender is someone that Pepper has something in common with as young ladies in business, and they make plans to meet at a later time to help each other with some business contacts and friendship. It was not meant to be, however. The young woman who had already gone through so much after being in a serious accident had died for no apparent reason just as she was getting off shift. Pepper didn't buy that the gal overdosed and sought to find the bad guy while working at her business.

Suspense, romance, and rubbing elbows with the uppity ladies of the country club are but the beginning of this 'investigation'. I really like Pepper, her loyalty to family and friends. She works hard and seeks justice even harder. While she gets into some sticky situations, she also gets into some humorous situations.

This is a must-read for cozy mystery lovers who enjoy unique careers coupled wtih fun and intrigue!
Profile Image for Andrea Stoeckel.
3,142 reviews132 followers
February 2, 2017
" My parents believed in consequences. It wasn't always fun but it helped me understand the world better".

Pepper Pomeroy, on the strength of setting up her sister's engagement proposal by her now husband, has started a small business: Pepper's Perfect Proposals, and at her sister's wedding reception, she is approached by potential clients with some strange situations. However, what has touched her was one of the bartenders, who later is found dead in the back area.

Being discouraged from delving into this death, she begins working with these diverse couples in planning some over the top proposals. From a sweet surprise to a proposal that will hit the local news, Pepper is not only able to pull these together but also work with a monied clueless friend who has never really dated, seeing women as assets over partners.

However, the death doesn't sit well and on top of her job, she begins delving into Ashley's death. And what she finds is in itself over the top. All while balancing her own new relationship.

This is a book that has set on the TBR shelf for too long. I just spent two hours finishing it before breakfast. I loved Pepper and the premise is marvelous. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Becky.
501 reviews8 followers
May 30, 2016
The first few chapters made me think this book was actually from a different publisher whose books are written in a simpler style. Then the writing improved and by then I was already hooked on the story. A good thing, because by Book 3 a reader likes the main character and her/his cronies who are part of each story. The work that Pepper Pomeroy puts into her Perfect Proposals is very interesting to read about and the proposals are fun. I like knowing those details! Then there is the crime mystery! A very clever whodunit and reveal!
242 reviews4 followers
May 26, 2023
This is a bad book. It's rife with stereotypes and misogyny. Pepper is so sanctimonious at times.

"The picture was of a girl who looked like she was a natural for a model, not a PhD in physics."

Right. Because someone can't be beautiful AND smart, oh no no. Unless it's our heroine, of course! But she must never know how beautiful she is, or else that would spoil her. Hey author, it's 2023. Get with the times. Even if you want to imply that it's a catfish, there are other ways to go about it: "The picture was suspicious. It looked more like a stock photo than a dating profile picture."
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