Dying Before "I Do"

Jennifer Marsh #7

by Judy Fitzwater

Jennifer Marsh is back in DYING BEFORE "I DO"! Love and murder: two words that should never go together. But when Jennifer and long-time beau Sam Culpepper finally decide to tie the knot, murder rears its ugly head to intervene. Now Jennifer has more to contend with than choosing colors and flowers for the most important day of her life. She and Sam must thwart whoever is bent on keeping the secrets of an old kidnapping case. One man is dead, and young reporter Teague McAfee is next in line. Jennifer finds herself embroiled in a twisty tale of love gone wrong, while dodging her friends who are determined to give Jennifer and Sam the perfect wedding. This 7th installment in the delightful JENNIFER MARSH MYSTERIES is sure to satisfy fans of the series. All of Jennifer's writer friends--Leigh Ann, Teri, April, and Monique--plus Emmie Walker and Muffy are back to help Jennifer plan her wedding and solve the mystery as bullets, arrows, and poison threaten to derail it.

226 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2014

About the author

Judy Fitzwater loves a great mystery. That's why she started writing novels, and why her Jennifer Marsh mystery series was born. Murder is nothing to laugh at, but how Jennifer thinks is, and that's what made writing the Jennifer books so much fun. The first in the series, DYING TO GET PUBLISHED, was sold without an agent to Ballantine Books, a division of Random House. It went on to receive an Agatha Award nomination and become an 8-book series. The latest Jennifer book is DYING AT HONEYMOON INN. She has also written two suspense novels, DROWNING IN AIR and NO SAFE PLACE. Less humor in these but lots of action, adventure, danger, and intrigue. VACATIONING WITH THE DEAD, a fun-filled romantic romp, is a paranormal romance filled with ghosts. She invites you to join her in the adventure, danger, and comedy that inhabit her books. Her most recent publication is THE ROCKY ROAD TO PUBLISHING: ADVICE ON WRITING. It's a fun read packed with advice and info on writing and publishing.

Reviews

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

This is the seventh book of the series but the first one I have read. I felt it was okay as a stand alone book but I really wish I had read the other books first. The characters were all well developed, they had a lot of past together, that were mentioned. Lots of characters that you may have met in earlier stories. (I admit I am wanting to read for myself to find out the full story)

Jennifer Marsh is the main character. She is a mystery writer that has not been published except for her true crime books. She likes to follow murders. Her boy friend is Sam. Jennifer takes a job to write at a tabloid newspaper to be undercover to find out why one of the reporters was murdered.

Sam Culpepper is a journalist. He won't propose to Jennifer because he knows how she feels about marriage, but he has let her know he will say yes when she does. She can't email, text or write it either but clearly be asked.

Jennifer finally feels ready and has the evening all planned but it does not go at all like she thinks it will go.

Jennifer's friends make her have a wedding with lots of details. She is more into solving a murder than planning a wedding. Her friends decide to help her find out more without being asked.

Lots of mysteries, murders and kidnapping to keep Jennifer and Sam occupied. It is also a clean read.
I hope Jennifer keeps her new job for awhile she does a good job at it.

I want to read the first six books in this series if I can find the time. With all my books I agreed to read pile getting bigger never smaller.

I loved the writer group and enjoyed seeing what one might look like. How they were all friends supporting each other.

I was given Dying Before I Do to read so I could give a honest review and be part of it's blog tour.

[Computerscientist · Rating 5 out of 5]

It feels like it has been forever since the last Jennifer Marsh book but as soon as I started it, it felt like she had never been gone. She and all of her friends are back and just as funny, zany and lovable as ever. This may be my favorite book of the series (but I think I have said that will every one of them).

The mystery is well constructed and believable. The characters are everything I remembered from the preceding six books. The way the plot of the story wraps around Jennifer's somewhat distracted wedding preparations is perfect.

I had feared that there would never be another Jennifer book. Thankfully my fears were not fulfilled. But -- I want more, another one, please?

If you have read any of the series you know what to expect. If you haven't, what's wrong with you? You are missing some of the most delightful reading opportunities available. I cannot recommend this too highly. Try it, you'll like it!! I am sure!

[Alannah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fun mystery. If this is the end of the Jennifer Marsh series, it's a fabulous way to go. My only complaint is that it could have used better editing. I found a number of misspellings and erroneous punctuation. Other than that, though, this was a delightful way to relax on a Sunday.