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Wedding Planner Mystery #3
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue
A celebrity couple getting hitched on Valentine’s Day would be a big boost for Mallory Shepard’s wedding planning business, but someone’s got cold a corpse . . .
Actress Dakota Craig is set to tie the knot with her famous musician boyfriend at Mallory’s Pennsylvania B&B on the most romantic day of the year. Best of all, the whole thing will air on the reality TV show I Do . But the maid of honor has dropped out of the wedding party—by dropping dead.
A lot of people insist the show must go on, so Mallory’s investigation keeps getting sidetracked by everything from a meddling mother to a foot of snow to a side project making arrangements for a high school Winter Ball. But if she doesn’t catch the noxious culprit, the bride might wind up with a funeral wreath instead of a bouquet . . .
Praise for Engaged in Death
“I had great fun reading the adventures of nouveau sleuth Mallory Shepard as she wrangles corpses, kittens, and a cheating fiancé in this charming debut mystery.”
—Laura Levine, author of Murder Has Nine Lives
Actress Dakota Craig is set to tie the knot with her famous musician boyfriend at Mallory’s Pennsylvania B&B on the most romantic day of the year. Best of all, the whole thing will air on the reality TV show I Do . But the maid of honor has dropped out of the wedding party—by dropping dead.
A lot of people insist the show must go on, so Mallory’s investigation keeps getting sidetracked by everything from a meddling mother to a foot of snow to a side project making arrangements for a high school Winter Ball. But if she doesn’t catch the noxious culprit, the bride might wind up with a funeral wreath instead of a bouquet . . .
Praise for Engaged in Death
“I had great fun reading the adventures of nouveau sleuth Mallory Shepard as she wrangles corpses, kittens, and a cheating fiancé in this charming debut mystery.”
—Laura Levine, author of Murder Has Nine Lives
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 30, 2018
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427 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
February 3, 2018
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Mallory and Rachel have their hands’ full preparing for a celebrity wedding that will be airing on television and the Winter Ball for the local high school. The B&B is full of the crew from I Do, the show featuring actress Dakota Craig and her famous musician boyfriend, Beau Wright’s wedding set to take place on Valentine’s Day. One problem, the maid of honor is found dead right in the middle of the Winter Ball. The bride decides to go through with the ceremony but her mother, the show’s host and it’s producer all have demands Mallory doesn’t know if she can fulfill, especially because it seems the bride’s wishes are being ignored. And of course, there is a murder investigation that could put a halt to everyone’s plans.
This is a fantastic twisted up mystery story.
You may need a scorecard to keep track of all the players. Dakota Craig grew up and attended school in Port Quincy. Her school friend, Ginger Crevecoeur is to be her maid of honor, Ellie Barnes, and her sister Leah the bridesmaids. Ginger is the headmistress of Dunlap Women’s Academy and Ellie is the drama teacher. They all attended the academy and Leah is a current student. Ellie and Leah’s mother, Iris, owns a nursery with several greenhouses and will be providing special flowers for the wedding events. Mallory’s almost mother-in-law Helene is on the academy board and she is the one who forced the Winter Ball into Mallory’s hands. Adrienne, the host of I Do, also happens to be Summer’s mother, ex of the man Mallory is dating. Adrienne left when Summer was a baby and they have just recently reconnected. Xavier, the show’s producer has a past linked to Roxanne, Dakota’s very overbearing mother, and the reason why the wedding is being broadcast. Xavier has also made Mallory and Rachel an offer that may be too good to pass up.
While there are a lot of characters, the mystery is so worth the time to get everybody straight. It is very well written and plotted. Twists on top of twists kept me guessing from beginning to end. How Mallory kept her cool and keep things straight was just amazing to me. The murder takes place when the B&B is full of all the guests at the Winter Ball. Recent events have Mallory thinking she knows who the killer is, she just has to prove it and while doing so more suspects come to light. I escaped right into this book and had my own thoughts about the guilty party. I was so close, but I was wrong again.
I enjoyed all the author’s descriptions are the people, their clothes and the places they went. She makes it so easy to picture everything clearly. Thistle Park B&B is much larger than I originally thought and sounds like under Mallory and Rachel’s care it has become an amazing place.
This is a wonderful cozy series. I have loved every book and do recommend reading them in order for maximum enjoyment.
I am excited about what is coming up with these characters. There is a teaser chapter for Gown With The Wind at the back of the book.
Mallory and Rachel have their hands’ full preparing for a celebrity wedding that will be airing on television and the Winter Ball for the local high school. The B&B is full of the crew from I Do, the show featuring actress Dakota Craig and her famous musician boyfriend, Beau Wright’s wedding set to take place on Valentine’s Day. One problem, the maid of honor is found dead right in the middle of the Winter Ball. The bride decides to go through with the ceremony but her mother, the show’s host and it’s producer all have demands Mallory doesn’t know if she can fulfill, especially because it seems the bride’s wishes are being ignored. And of course, there is a murder investigation that could put a halt to everyone’s plans.
This is a fantastic twisted up mystery story.
You may need a scorecard to keep track of all the players. Dakota Craig grew up and attended school in Port Quincy. Her school friend, Ginger Crevecoeur is to be her maid of honor, Ellie Barnes, and her sister Leah the bridesmaids. Ginger is the headmistress of Dunlap Women’s Academy and Ellie is the drama teacher. They all attended the academy and Leah is a current student. Ellie and Leah’s mother, Iris, owns a nursery with several greenhouses and will be providing special flowers for the wedding events. Mallory’s almost mother-in-law Helene is on the academy board and she is the one who forced the Winter Ball into Mallory’s hands. Adrienne, the host of I Do, also happens to be Summer’s mother, ex of the man Mallory is dating. Adrienne left when Summer was a baby and they have just recently reconnected. Xavier, the show’s producer has a past linked to Roxanne, Dakota’s very overbearing mother, and the reason why the wedding is being broadcast. Xavier has also made Mallory and Rachel an offer that may be too good to pass up.
While there are a lot of characters, the mystery is so worth the time to get everybody straight. It is very well written and plotted. Twists on top of twists kept me guessing from beginning to end. How Mallory kept her cool and keep things straight was just amazing to me. The murder takes place when the B&B is full of all the guests at the Winter Ball. Recent events have Mallory thinking she knows who the killer is, she just has to prove it and while doing so more suspects come to light. I escaped right into this book and had my own thoughts about the guilty party. I was so close, but I was wrong again.
I enjoyed all the author’s descriptions are the people, their clothes and the places they went. She makes it so easy to picture everything clearly. Thistle Park B&B is much larger than I originally thought and sounds like under Mallory and Rachel’s care it has become an amazing place.
This is a wonderful cozy series. I have loved every book and do recommend reading them in order for maximum enjoyment.
I am excited about what is coming up with these characters. There is a teaser chapter for Gown With The Wind at the back of the book.
January 31, 2018
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is the third book in the Wedding Planner Mystery series. It has become one of my favorite cozy mystery series. Stephanie Blackmoore’s style of writing is smooth and descriptive. The characters are well developed. The story telling flows and the plot is well developed. There are red herrings and interesting twists to keep you totally engaged in the story. Mallory and her sister Rachel plan weddings and host them at the Thistle Park B&B. They have been in business for less than a year, so when the opportunity arises to host a celebrity wedding on a reality TV show to be filmed at their B&B, they are thrilled about the positive publicity it could bring them. However, things rarely go as planned in cozies and soon a very expensive tiara is missing a dear friend of the bride is murdered. The suspect list grows long and he dynamics between the characters is stellar. It is an enjoyable read. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my rating. I have provided an unbiased and honest review.
March 8, 2025
4.25 🌟
Mood/Seasonal Reading: Valentine’s Day
Another decent install meant in a series I’m finding myself flying through.
I think the characters and the author’s ability to weave a fast-paced story are what make this series so enjoyable for me. This book had a more intriguing mystery to it than the last as well.
However, I will admit after reading three in a row I’m starting to notice a few cracks. For example, the main character is far too much of a push over when it comes to saying yes to awful situations for herself and her business. Her sister, who I found myself hesitant about in book one but enjoying in book two, reverted back to her whiney character traits. Yet, she does still have some spunk to make her likeable.
The author loves to weave multiple mysteries and twists into one book. While this makes these far more entertaining than most it can sometimes feel like too much. Like the motives fall flat in favour of the twist and shock.
Finally, I really dislike the confronting the killer/ putting yourself in danger trait that so many cozies have. It’s my least favourite part and this main character is not immune to it. I could do without this trope for sure.
Overall, despite my criticisms outlined here, it’s a really enjoyable cozy series. I fly through them, love the characters and the author’s ability to introduce many while making them unique enough not to be confusing. The setting and business idea is great and I will absolutely be picking up the fourth book.
Mood/Seasonal Reading: Valentine’s Day
Another decent install meant in a series I’m finding myself flying through.
I think the characters and the author’s ability to weave a fast-paced story are what make this series so enjoyable for me. This book had a more intriguing mystery to it than the last as well.
However, I will admit after reading three in a row I’m starting to notice a few cracks. For example, the main character is far too much of a push over when it comes to saying yes to awful situations for herself and her business. Her sister, who I found myself hesitant about in book one but enjoying in book two, reverted back to her whiney character traits. Yet, she does still have some spunk to make her likeable.
The author loves to weave multiple mysteries and twists into one book. While this makes these far more entertaining than most it can sometimes feel like too much. Like the motives fall flat in favour of the twist and shock.
Finally, I really dislike the confronting the killer/ putting yourself in danger trait that so many cozies have. It’s my least favourite part and this main character is not immune to it. I could do without this trope for sure.
Overall, despite my criticisms outlined here, it’s a really enjoyable cozy series. I fly through them, love the characters and the author’s ability to introduce many while making them unique enough not to be confusing. The setting and business idea is great and I will absolutely be picking up the fourth book.
January 30, 2018
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is one of those books where only a few pages in I know I'm going to have to find and read everything else written by the author! This 3rd installment in the Wedding Planner cozy mystery series by author Stephanie Blackmoore finds heartthrobs Dakota and Beau ready to tie the knot at Thistle Park Bed and Breakfast. B & B owners, and sisters, Mallory and Rachel, have also agreed to let the reality tv show, I Do, film their nuptials on site, and follow along with the wedding preparations. Too bad that while filming, a local woman and friend of the bride is found murdered in the same manner as a Hollywood starlet had been thirteen years earlier. Is there a connection? Will the murderer be caught? Will the wedding take place? Suspects are everywhere, and at times my head was spinning, but I really enjoyed this fast-paced cozy! 5 stars!
January 16, 2018
I very much enjoy this series and thought this book was highly entertaining. The characters are well written, the plot was fast paced and the mystery engaging. One of the things I particularly enjoy about the series is the relationship between the sisters, Mallory and Rachel. It is a good dynamic between two different personalities (which I can relate to having my own sister). They complement each other and at the same time there is that sisterly tension thrown into the mix. The mystery was really well done and kept me guessing until the very end. I will definitely be back to see what Mallory and Rachel have in store for them with the next wedding they plan.
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley.
I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Kensington, through Netgalley.
January 29, 2018
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is the third book in the A Wedding Planner Mystery series.
Renovation of Rachel’s Victorian home, Thistle Park, have been completed and the wedding planning side is starting to take off. Mallory and her sister, Rachel, have to events coming up almost back to back. The first is the wedding of Dakota Craig, a former teenage star in a teenage based soap opera, and her intended, Beau Wright a Country music star and the second is to provide the venue for the Winter Ball for the Dunlap Women’s Academy, which she was conned into by her almost mother-in-law. She was excited to be hosting Dakota’s wedding as it was to be part of the reality TV show, I Do, and would provide some great publicity. That excitement was quelled when she learns that the host of the show, Adrienne Larson, is the mother of Summer, daughter of Mallory love interest, Garrett.
Mallory begins to wonder if being on I Do is going to worth the publicity, having to deal Adrienne’s continuing cutting comments and changes and with Roxanne, the bride’s mother, is bullying stage mother that tells her daughter what she will have in her wedding.
Soon, the question was whether there would be a wedding. As things were beginning to wrap at The Winter Ball For Dunlap Women’s Academy, it was noticed that the Head Mistress, Ginger, and also the maid of honor for Dakota’s wedding is missing. When Mallory goes to her office she finds the lifeless body of Ginger at her desk.
There is no shortage of suspects for Mallory to sift through. Helen Pierce, a member of the board at Dunlap, who had had a not so nice discussion with Ginger about policy at the school, Dr. Jennings whose daughter was about to be expelled and several members of the bridal party, itself will need to come under close scrutiny. Dakota, Ginger and bridesmaids had all grown up to together. They had all visited Dakota on the set of the show she was in and when the star of that show died. Mallory will discover that death had similar to Ginger’s.
Another well-plotted and written story with a cast of interesting and believable characters. This has plenty of twist and turns.
Delicious recipes are also included in the book,
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this great series.
Renovation of Rachel’s Victorian home, Thistle Park, have been completed and the wedding planning side is starting to take off. Mallory and her sister, Rachel, have to events coming up almost back to back. The first is the wedding of Dakota Craig, a former teenage star in a teenage based soap opera, and her intended, Beau Wright a Country music star and the second is to provide the venue for the Winter Ball for the Dunlap Women’s Academy, which she was conned into by her almost mother-in-law. She was excited to be hosting Dakota’s wedding as it was to be part of the reality TV show, I Do, and would provide some great publicity. That excitement was quelled when she learns that the host of the show, Adrienne Larson, is the mother of Summer, daughter of Mallory love interest, Garrett.
Mallory begins to wonder if being on I Do is going to worth the publicity, having to deal Adrienne’s continuing cutting comments and changes and with Roxanne, the bride’s mother, is bullying stage mother that tells her daughter what she will have in her wedding.
Soon, the question was whether there would be a wedding. As things were beginning to wrap at The Winter Ball For Dunlap Women’s Academy, it was noticed that the Head Mistress, Ginger, and also the maid of honor for Dakota’s wedding is missing. When Mallory goes to her office she finds the lifeless body of Ginger at her desk.
There is no shortage of suspects for Mallory to sift through. Helen Pierce, a member of the board at Dunlap, who had had a not so nice discussion with Ginger about policy at the school, Dr. Jennings whose daughter was about to be expelled and several members of the bridal party, itself will need to come under close scrutiny. Dakota, Ginger and bridesmaids had all grown up to together. They had all visited Dakota on the set of the show she was in and when the star of that show died. Mallory will discover that death had similar to Ginger’s.
Another well-plotted and written story with a cast of interesting and believable characters. This has plenty of twist and turns.
Delicious recipes are also included in the book,
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this great series.
January 16, 2018
The third book of this series is very original with many clever twists and turns that keep you changing your mind about what happened and who the killer was. However, several times I lost track of what was occurring due to the many and lengthy descriptions of the clothing and the areas. The play on the title is delightful. Mallory is extremely busy as she agrees to host a Winter's Ball, allow the filming for the reality show, I Do of creativity wedding all very close together. All plans come to a halt when a murder occurred at the Ball. Missing at the same time is a diamond crown that is worth $50,000. The evidence points to several persons of interest. Mallory must find an answer before there is another death. I recommend this book and series. Recipes mention are included in the book.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Book for the copy I received for a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclosure: Many thanks to Kensington Book for the copy I received for a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
February 1, 2018
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue by Stephanie Blackmoore is the 3rd book in the Wedding Planner Mystery series, and another great book. Mallory Shepard and her sister Rachel have opened her bed and breakfast in Port Quincy, Pennsylvania and are hosting a celebrity wedding. Everything will be filmed for a reality show, and on top of that Mallory boyfriends ex wife is the hostess of the show. There is not a dull moment in this book, not only is this book funny, it has a great mystery. There are twists and turns around every corner. Just when I thought I figured out the murderer/thief is, it changes. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries full of quirky characters and a likable protagonist, I strongly recommend this book/series.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
January 9, 2019
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is the third book in the Wedding Planner Mystery series. I have enjoyed this series and it seems to get better with each book. In this outing, Mallory and her sister Rachel are still trying to get their Wedding Planning Business and Thistle Park B&B off the ground. They spent a lot of money renovating the old mansion so when the opportunity arises to host a celebrity wedding on a reality TV show, they are happy to oblige. They hope that the positive publicity it will bring to them will keep them afloat and book up their schedule. However, things rarely go as planned. Before the wedding, they are putting on a debutante ball, where a very expensive tiara is stolen and a dear friend of the bride is murdered. The suspect list is long and the wedding still has to go on.
The interactions between the characters in this series is quite interesting. Helene, the grand dame of town is the character that readers will love to hate. She is demanding, arrogant, obnoxious and rude to pretty much everyone. Mallory is outwardly poised and professional, even though in her head she is ready to let her have it. The other main characters from previous books are here and continue to support Mallory. I liked that her sister Rachel played a bigger part in this book and we got to learn more about her. Stephanie Blackmoore’s writing style is quite descriptive and her characters are well developed. The story is well paced and the plot is well developed. There are red herrings and interesting twists that kept me engaged in the story. I always like a mystery where I do not figure out who the culprit is and this one kept me guessing right to the end. I definitely recommend this book and series to Cozy Mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, opinions and ideas shared are my own.
The interactions between the characters in this series is quite interesting. Helene, the grand dame of town is the character that readers will love to hate. She is demanding, arrogant, obnoxious and rude to pretty much everyone. Mallory is outwardly poised and professional, even though in her head she is ready to let her have it. The other main characters from previous books are here and continue to support Mallory. I liked that her sister Rachel played a bigger part in this book and we got to learn more about her. Stephanie Blackmoore’s writing style is quite descriptive and her characters are well developed. The story is well paced and the plot is well developed. There are red herrings and interesting twists that kept me engaged in the story. I always like a mystery where I do not figure out who the culprit is and this one kept me guessing right to the end. I definitely recommend this book and series to Cozy Mystery lovers. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon my request. The rating, opinions and ideas shared are my own.
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February 17, 2018This is the 3rd book in Stephanie Blackwell's Wedding Planner mystery and if you enjoyed the previous books you will definitely enjoy this one. Some new characters come to town to keep the reader engaged and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. I will definitely look for the next book in this series.
April 19, 2020
4.5 Stars
I have to take off half a star for this one because Rachel got on my nerves! She was a whiny sister and tried making it all about her! Otherwise, I enjoyed this mystery. There were a couple things going on and I was able to guess one of the things. Even with the multiple happenings, I never felt overwhelmed or got confused. Good book!
I have to take off half a star for this one because Rachel got on my nerves! She was a whiny sister and tried making it all about her! Otherwise, I enjoyed this mystery. There were a couple things going on and I was able to guess one of the things. Even with the multiple happenings, I never felt overwhelmed or got confused. Good book!
July 9, 2018
Mallory and her sister, Rachel, run Thistle Inn, a B&B, and are also wedding planners. Actress Dakota and country singer Beau are getting married at the inn on Valentine's Day. In addition, the wedding is getting filmed for the reality TV show, I Do. Though the hostess of the show is causing issues, this is going to be great exposure for Mallory and Rachel's wedding planning business and the inn. When the maid of honour is found murdered, the wedding still goes on but any number of people could have killed her.
In addition, Mallory and Rachel got roped into hosting the local high school's Winter Ball. It should be an easy project except Helene, Mallory's almost-mother-in-law, is on the planning committee and the rest of the committee had overruled everything she had wanted while she was out of town. Though inwardly Mallory is happy about it, she has to experience the wrath of Helene when it's discovered.
This is the third in the Wedding Planner Mystery series and I liked it (I recently read the first two). You don't need to have read the first ones as this one works well as a stand alone (there is enough background information provided).
I liked the writing style ... it is written in first person perspective from Mallory's point of view. I thought the story was interesting and there were lots of people who could have "dunnit". It kept me guessing until the end. I found there was a lot going on, though ... so many sub-plots. There are recipes at the end which sound delicious.
Mallory is dating her neighbour, Garrett. They started dating in book two and I'm not finding a lot of attraction or heat between them ... they hold hands and he kisses her forehead. Maybe because it's considered a "cozy mystery"?
I look forward to reading others in this series and by this author.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/07...
In addition, Mallory and Rachel got roped into hosting the local high school's Winter Ball. It should be an easy project except Helene, Mallory's almost-mother-in-law, is on the planning committee and the rest of the committee had overruled everything she had wanted while she was out of town. Though inwardly Mallory is happy about it, she has to experience the wrath of Helene when it's discovered.
This is the third in the Wedding Planner Mystery series and I liked it (I recently read the first two). You don't need to have read the first ones as this one works well as a stand alone (there is enough background information provided).
I liked the writing style ... it is written in first person perspective from Mallory's point of view. I thought the story was interesting and there were lots of people who could have "dunnit". It kept me guessing until the end. I found there was a lot going on, though ... so many sub-plots. There are recipes at the end which sound delicious.
Mallory is dating her neighbour, Garrett. They started dating in book two and I'm not finding a lot of attraction or heat between them ... they hold hands and he kisses her forehead. Maybe because it's considered a "cozy mystery"?
I look forward to reading others in this series and by this author.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/07...
December 31, 2017
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is the third book in Stephanie Blackmoore’s Wedding Planner Mystery series. The story flows at a steady pace that kept me engaged throughout the entire book. The storyline is well plotted and the characters are well developed and likeable. There are enough twists and turns, red herrings, and suspects to keep the reader guessing.
Mallory Shephard and her sister, Rachel, have renovated Thistle Park, the home Mallory inherited from her ex-fiancé, Keith Pierce’s, grandmother in Port Quincy, Pennsylvania and turned it into a B&B and wedding/event venue. Mallory and Rachel find themselves extremely busy. They are preparing for the wedding of actress, Dakota Craig, and country singer, Beau Wright, which will be filmed for the reality television series, I Do, and a modern-day, debutante ball for the Dunlap Women’s Academy, the local girls boarding school, that Keith’s mother, Helene Pierce, forced them to host for free. Dakota grew up in Port Quincy and wanted the wedding to take place there and have her childhood friends take part in the ceremony. They are also having to deal with Dakota’s demanding mother, Roxanne, and I Do’s host, Adrienne Larson. Mallory is taken aback when she learns that Adrienne is the mother who abandoned thirteen-year-old Summer Davis shortly after her birth. Summer is the daughter of Garrett Davies, Mallory’s current boyfriend. Dakota’s best friend and maid of honor, Ginger Crevecoeur, is murdered during the Winter Ball and before Chief of Police Truman Davies and his partner, Faith Hendricks, can apprehend a suspect, Xavier Morris, I Do’s director, is poisoned. When Adrienne is arrested, Garrett volunteers to represent her and Truman asks Mallory, who people tend to confide in, to unofficially help him in the investigation.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
Mallory Shephard and her sister, Rachel, have renovated Thistle Park, the home Mallory inherited from her ex-fiancé, Keith Pierce’s, grandmother in Port Quincy, Pennsylvania and turned it into a B&B and wedding/event venue. Mallory and Rachel find themselves extremely busy. They are preparing for the wedding of actress, Dakota Craig, and country singer, Beau Wright, which will be filmed for the reality television series, I Do, and a modern-day, debutante ball for the Dunlap Women’s Academy, the local girls boarding school, that Keith’s mother, Helene Pierce, forced them to host for free. Dakota grew up in Port Quincy and wanted the wedding to take place there and have her childhood friends take part in the ceremony. They are also having to deal with Dakota’s demanding mother, Roxanne, and I Do’s host, Adrienne Larson. Mallory is taken aback when she learns that Adrienne is the mother who abandoned thirteen-year-old Summer Davis shortly after her birth. Summer is the daughter of Garrett Davies, Mallory’s current boyfriend. Dakota’s best friend and maid of honor, Ginger Crevecoeur, is murdered during the Winter Ball and before Chief of Police Truman Davies and his partner, Faith Hendricks, can apprehend a suspect, Xavier Morris, I Do’s director, is poisoned. When Adrienne is arrested, Garrett volunteers to represent her and Truman asks Mallory, who people tend to confide in, to unofficially help him in the investigation.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
December 24, 2017
Mallory was faced with a dilemma her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend was back in town along with camera crew for the reality wedding her B and B was hosting, but this stressful event was marred by jealousy past and present, murder, attempted murder and a lot of he did it, and she did it, fingers pointing all over, even Mallory got in the game. I find she was a bit too emotionally involved to do a great job of investigating and it took too long for her to figure out the clues and culprits, almost getting herself killed on two occasions. This story had a few unrequited loves and loves gone sour, it also showed that a second chance could be the charm, not just in love but catching a killer. The storyline was okay and the characters were not bad, just the sleuth was slow on the draw, I guess she had too much on her plate.
January 30, 2018
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is a whirlwind cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.
There are many twists and turns and other mysteries all centered around the anticipated marriage of Dakota Craig and her famous country musician fiance.
Planning weddings is what Mallory and her sister Rachel do best- but neither of them are prepared for all the drama that comes along with this wedding.
A missing tiara, a momager who doesn't give her daughter a chance to think for herself, old grudges and murder are just a few of the goings on in this fantastic story.
Fans of this series will enjoy all the dynamics that make this story a wonderful addition to the series.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
#MurderBorrowed,murderBlue #NetGalley
There are many twists and turns and other mysteries all centered around the anticipated marriage of Dakota Craig and her famous country musician fiance.
Planning weddings is what Mallory and her sister Rachel do best- but neither of them are prepared for all the drama that comes along with this wedding.
A missing tiara, a momager who doesn't give her daughter a chance to think for herself, old grudges and murder are just a few of the goings on in this fantastic story.
Fans of this series will enjoy all the dynamics that make this story a wonderful addition to the series.
I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
#MurderBorrowed,murderBlue #NetGalley
September 30, 2025
This is the third in the Wedding Planner Mystery series. It was kind of a mess. There were SO MANY characters I found it really had to remember who was who. There were so many murder(s) and attempted murders that every time the MC tried to figure out what happened, it devolved into a mess. The younger sister Rachel was super annoying as well. I liked the first two in this series really well, so I'll read more when I come across them, but this one was just...too much.
January 16, 2018
**I voluntarily read this ARC**
This is one of my favorite series. I love when settings feel authentic, and I always feel like I'm in the Pittsburgh area when I'm reading these books. I really liked the plot. Mallory has the chance of a lifetime with this show, only to have it marred by a murder. There are also a few interesting surprises along the way. The ending was a major shock.
This is one of my favorite series. I love when settings feel authentic, and I always feel like I'm in the Pittsburgh area when I'm reading these books. I really liked the plot. Mallory has the chance of a lifetime with this show, only to have it marred by a murder. There are also a few interesting surprises along the way. The ending was a major shock.
February 10, 2022
Why does she keep telling you the same thing over and over? She introduces characters multiple times. Does Rachel ever do any work? She seems pretty worthless as a partner. Mallory doesn’t seem to have much spine.
December 31, 2017
Loved this book. Excited to see what happens in the next one, but this was fabulous. Loved the storyline and all the crazy characters.
July 23, 2020
This was a good read. Mallory is a wedding planner. She is given an opportunity to do a big wedding live on tv. Unfortunately, the bridesmaid is killed. Now she has to find out who is behind it. Needless to say, with everything going on things get crazy. Thankfully in the end Mallory gets it all figured out.
October 12, 2020
I really enjoy this series do far
January 12, 2018
Reality TV invades small Pennsylvania town B&B for a celebrity wedding. An engaging and entertaining cozy mystery. Many possible suspects. Just when you think the murder(s) solved, another possibility arises. Fun guessing game. The publisher provided a copy via NetGalley for my voluntary review.
February 17, 2018
I really enjoyed this book! It's the third book in the Wedding Planner series, and the most entertaining. Mallory Shepherd plans weddings for her Thistle Park B&B, and her latest wedding features the televised nuptials of TV star Dakota Craig, who marrying a famous musician named Beau. Dakota is a local and used to attend school locally. Mallory is holding the Winter Ball for the high school just before the wedding, but she's pretty sure she can juggle it all until the school's headmistress, who is also Dakota's maid of honor, is found dead in her office.
Mallory steps in to investigate the murder to save her friends and her B&B. The plot is well crafted, the characters are fun and interesting and the writing flows smoothly.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it. Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mallory steps in to investigate the murder to save her friends and her B&B. The plot is well crafted, the characters are fun and interesting and the writing flows smoothly.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it. Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2021
Why arethey all so pathetic? just stand up to people, they act like children. very repetitive ini nformation. we get told about fifteen times that Rachel has sworn off men three months prior. Helena is such a caricature and that nobody ever tells her to get stuffed is pitiful. every problem that comes up is entirely their own fault - everyone simply MUST be married in two weeks. I wonder if Blackmore has ever planned a wedding. it doesn't seem like it
January 12, 2019
Interesting story in this 3rd offering of the Wedding Planner cozy series. While this isn’t my favorite cozy series by a long shot, the series does have good storylines and intruiging mysteries. I love the characters of Garrett and Truman and the rest of the cast is likable with a few exceptions. It was an okay read for me.
October 3, 2018
Murder Borrowed Murder Blue is a good book but it does not compare to the first two books of the series. There is action throughout but it seemed to drag. I would recommend it for fans of the series but not as the starter book.
February 10, 2018
Not as strong as the first two in the series, but still an enjoyable addition to the Wedding Planner Mystery series.
In this third installment, Mallory and her sister, Rachel, are trying to keep their heads above water: first, they are putting on the Winter Ball for the Dunlap Academy, for free, I might add, because Mallory owed her arch nemesis, Helene (her ex-fiance's mother), a favor from the last book, and this was what Helene cashed it in for. Then, immediately after, the two are going to hold the wedding of an actress and a country music star, which is being filmed for a reality TV show.
With so much insanity going on, murder is the last thing Mallory needs, but that's what she gets when the headmistress of Dunlap Academy and the maid of honor to the upcoming wedding, Ginger, is found dead in Mallory's office the night of the Winter Ball. She is locked in with a vase full of ammonia and bleach, making her death immediately deemed purposeful.
Mallory doesn't mean to get involved, but she can't help it when it happened on her property and it involves her clients, Dakota and Beau (bride and groom, respectively). Unfortunately, the suspect list is a mile long, and with so many of them unpleasant, it isn't easy to clear anyone's name. Add to it the arrival of Adrienne, host of the wedding TV show and ex-girlfriend of Mallory's current boyfriend, Garrett, along with way too many love triangles, and poor Mallory has way too much on her plate.
Due to the larger than normal cast of unlikeable secondary characters (of which I wasn't a fan), there wasn't much room for development for the main cast; Mallory's relationship with her sister experienced some conflict that was never properly resolved; her relationship with Garrett only barely made an appearance as he was too busy playing overprotective dad to his daughter, Summer; and speaking of whom, Summer almost regressed as a character, mimicking her mom like a child rather than doing more growing as befitting someone her age. There was just too much going on in the book. That being said, I did enjoy the plot, as it was a pretty in-depth mystery that included a death from over a decade ago, along with the personal histories of so many people. I was frustrated at Mallory's constantly thwarted attempts to plan Dakota's wedding, as well as a last-minute elopement for her ex, Keith, and his new bride, Becca (whose failure to escape Helene sets up the plot for the next book). I have to say, though, I was very shocked when the true murderer was finally revealed; there were so many other more likely suspects that the real culprit caught me off guard. The climax and resolution both happened kind of quickly, which messed with the book's pacing a bit as most of it went slowly, if not dragged on a bit. So, while not my favorite, I still enjoyed the easiness of the read; sometimes it's nice to pick up a mindless mystery and let it carry you away.
In this third installment, Mallory and her sister, Rachel, are trying to keep their heads above water: first, they are putting on the Winter Ball for the Dunlap Academy, for free, I might add, because Mallory owed her arch nemesis, Helene (her ex-fiance's mother), a favor from the last book, and this was what Helene cashed it in for. Then, immediately after, the two are going to hold the wedding of an actress and a country music star, which is being filmed for a reality TV show.
With so much insanity going on, murder is the last thing Mallory needs, but that's what she gets when the headmistress of Dunlap Academy and the maid of honor to the upcoming wedding, Ginger, is found dead in Mallory's office the night of the Winter Ball. She is locked in with a vase full of ammonia and bleach, making her death immediately deemed purposeful.
Mallory doesn't mean to get involved, but she can't help it when it happened on her property and it involves her clients, Dakota and Beau (bride and groom, respectively). Unfortunately, the suspect list is a mile long, and with so many of them unpleasant, it isn't easy to clear anyone's name. Add to it the arrival of Adrienne, host of the wedding TV show and ex-girlfriend of Mallory's current boyfriend, Garrett, along with way too many love triangles, and poor Mallory has way too much on her plate.
Due to the larger than normal cast of unlikeable secondary characters (of which I wasn't a fan), there wasn't much room for development for the main cast; Mallory's relationship with her sister experienced some conflict that was never properly resolved; her relationship with Garrett only barely made an appearance as he was too busy playing overprotective dad to his daughter, Summer; and speaking of whom, Summer almost regressed as a character, mimicking her mom like a child rather than doing more growing as befitting someone her age. There was just too much going on in the book. That being said, I did enjoy the plot, as it was a pretty in-depth mystery that included a death from over a decade ago, along with the personal histories of so many people. I was frustrated at Mallory's constantly thwarted attempts to plan Dakota's wedding, as well as a last-minute elopement for her ex, Keith, and his new bride, Becca (whose failure to escape Helene sets up the plot for the next book). I have to say, though, I was very shocked when the true murderer was finally revealed; there were so many other more likely suspects that the real culprit caught me off guard. The climax and resolution both happened kind of quickly, which messed with the book's pacing a bit as most of it went slowly, if not dragged on a bit. So, while not my favorite, I still enjoyed the easiness of the read; sometimes it's nice to pick up a mindless mystery and let it carry you away.
April 12, 2021
Mallory Shepard is settling in nicely in her mansion, deeded to her by her ex-fiancé's grandmother. She's turned it into a thriving B&B and wedding planning business, along with her sister Rachel, who does the baking. She's agreed to host a wedding for a TV reality show called I Do, with the celebrity wedding to be actress Dakota Craig and her country-star boyfriend, Beau Wright. But she was also strong-armed a while back to host the Winter Ball for a girls' academy by her almost-ex-mother-in-law, Helene Pierce, and it coincides with the show, so she's doubly busy.
When everyone arrives, she's happy to see that they're pleased with her ideas, making things go a bit smoother. But when the maid of honor turns up dead the night of the Winter Ball in Mallory's office, suddenly things go haywire. Now Mallory has another murder on her hands - to the consternation of police chief Truman Davies. As if that's not bad enough, she's discovered that the host of the show is her boyfriend Garrett Davies' ex -- and mother of his daughter Summer. Not to mention that her sister has a one-track mind and is hounding Mallory for another reason. Now she's trying to figure everything out, including if running the B&B was such a good idea in the first place...
This is the third book in the series, and I felt that in many ways it was better than the second. But, I still do not like Rachel. She's manipulative, selfish, self-centered, and spiteful. She attacks Mallory with snide remarks, and even thinks it's fine that Mallory suffers as long as she gets what she wants! What a sister. I wouldn't have anything to do with her. I'd tell her to get out and hire another baker. Especially since Rachel doesn't help Mallory with any of the cleaning duties, either. She's practically worthless, as far as sisters go.
Unfortunately, that made parts of the book irritating. Even so, I still enjoyed the story line, and Mallory definitely had her hands full with trying to plan a wedding -- several times over -- and keep everyone happy in the process. Her relationship with Garrett is undergoing a few problems because of the ex, but she does try not to let it bother her. And yes, we do have Helene Pierce throwing her weight around occasionally -- I wish she'd just go away, too. I really abhor the 'evil nemesis' in books, almost as much as I abhor love triangles (and try to avoid books that have them).
But finding a killer isn't all that easy when there are so many suspects -- a houseful of them, actually -- and trying to figure out who had motive to kill the woman is difficult, especially when Mallory thinks that everyone loved the woman. But when it comes down to the wire, Mallory figures it out almost too late, and of course the murderer is apprehended (as we know they will be) and we're given a taste of what is to come next in the series. Recommended.
When everyone arrives, she's happy to see that they're pleased with her ideas, making things go a bit smoother. But when the maid of honor turns up dead the night of the Winter Ball in Mallory's office, suddenly things go haywire. Now Mallory has another murder on her hands - to the consternation of police chief Truman Davies. As if that's not bad enough, she's discovered that the host of the show is her boyfriend Garrett Davies' ex -- and mother of his daughter Summer. Not to mention that her sister has a one-track mind and is hounding Mallory for another reason. Now she's trying to figure everything out, including if running the B&B was such a good idea in the first place...
This is the third book in the series, and I felt that in many ways it was better than the second. But, I still do not like Rachel. She's manipulative, selfish, self-centered, and spiteful. She attacks Mallory with snide remarks, and even thinks it's fine that Mallory suffers as long as she gets what she wants! What a sister. I wouldn't have anything to do with her. I'd tell her to get out and hire another baker. Especially since Rachel doesn't help Mallory with any of the cleaning duties, either. She's practically worthless, as far as sisters go.
Unfortunately, that made parts of the book irritating. Even so, I still enjoyed the story line, and Mallory definitely had her hands full with trying to plan a wedding -- several times over -- and keep everyone happy in the process. Her relationship with Garrett is undergoing a few problems because of the ex, but she does try not to let it bother her. And yes, we do have Helene Pierce throwing her weight around occasionally -- I wish she'd just go away, too. I really abhor the 'evil nemesis' in books, almost as much as I abhor love triangles (and try to avoid books that have them).
But finding a killer isn't all that easy when there are so many suspects -- a houseful of them, actually -- and trying to figure out who had motive to kill the woman is difficult, especially when Mallory thinks that everyone loved the woman. But when it comes down to the wire, Mallory figures it out almost too late, and of course the murderer is apprehended (as we know they will be) and we're given a taste of what is to come next in the series. Recommended.
January 26, 2018
Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue is the third installment in the Wedding Planner Mystery series set in the small town of Port Quincy, PA featuring Mallory Shepard, owner of Thistle Park B&B. Mallory and her sister Rachel are looking forward to a busy week at the B&B. They'll be hosting the debutante Winter Ball for the posh Dunlap Women's Academy followed by the celebrity wedding of actress Dakota Craig to country music superstar Beau Wright.
The celebrity wedding also brings the cast of the reality show, I Do to the B&B, which includes the ex-girlfriend of Mallory's boyfriend Garrett Davies. Mallory's got her hands full trying to deal with the demands of the producer, the ever changing ideas of the show's hostess and Dakota's bullying mother and momager.
To add to the complications Mallory is butting heads with her ex-fiance Keith's mother, Helene over the preparations for the Winter Ball. Helene is on the board of Dunlap and wants things done her way including crowning the Belle of the Ball with the schools recently discovered and valuable tiara. Helene, who helped get the B&B on its feet, thinks that Mallory should do whatever she demands including siding against the school's headmistress Ginger Crevecoeur.
A murder, poisoning, theft, drug abuse and academic cheating quickly overtake the small town and Mal is determined against the advice of Police Chief Truman Davies to find the killer and save the reputation of Thistle Park. With plenty of suspects all of whom are either related or share a past, Mallorys snooping lands her front and center in the killer's sights.
A fast paced plot with well-developed and returning characters. The author's finely tuned writing style will transport any reader into the heart of Port Quincy.
I received an advanced copy of Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.
The celebrity wedding also brings the cast of the reality show, I Do to the B&B, which includes the ex-girlfriend of Mallory's boyfriend Garrett Davies. Mallory's got her hands full trying to deal with the demands of the producer, the ever changing ideas of the show's hostess and Dakota's bullying mother and momager.
To add to the complications Mallory is butting heads with her ex-fiance Keith's mother, Helene over the preparations for the Winter Ball. Helene is on the board of Dunlap and wants things done her way including crowning the Belle of the Ball with the schools recently discovered and valuable tiara. Helene, who helped get the B&B on its feet, thinks that Mallory should do whatever she demands including siding against the school's headmistress Ginger Crevecoeur.
A murder, poisoning, theft, drug abuse and academic cheating quickly overtake the small town and Mal is determined against the advice of Police Chief Truman Davies to find the killer and save the reputation of Thistle Park. With plenty of suspects all of whom are either related or share a past, Mallorys snooping lands her front and center in the killer's sights.
A fast paced plot with well-developed and returning characters. The author's finely tuned writing style will transport any reader into the heart of Port Quincy.
I received an advanced copy of Murder Borrowed, Murder Blue from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.
February 20, 2018
Princess Fuzzypants here:
Mallory and her sister Rachel's wedding planning business cum B & B is going great guns. She has attracted the attention of a celebrity couple who want her to organize their dream wedding. The dream turns to nightmare quickly as Mallory finds herself pushed to the limit by her almost Mother in Law Helene who traps her into holding a Winter Gala for the private school in town just after the wedding party and tv crew for a reality show arrive to film the entire thing. Can anyone spell stress!
The school's headmistress is murdered at Mallory's desk during the festivities, the very pricey tiara that was going to be put on the head of one of the students is stolen and things go from bad to worse.
Beau, the prospective groom is a lothario. Dakota, the bride, has a stage mother who micromanages her daughter, Mallory is expected to pull miracles out of a hat and oh yes, someone is poisoning people with belladonna. Not making life any easier is the offer from the tv director for a wedding destination show for the two sisters while Mallory is torn emotionally over what is happening to her boyfriend, his daughter and the mother of the child, who just happens to be the hostess of the show they are filming.
There are so many moving parts in this book it leads the reader all over the place. The parts are well oiled so it is a fun ride. In fact, it kept me guessing almost to the very end. I also liked that Mallory does not go overboard and throw herself into reckless situations, with one minor, okay maybe not so minor exception. She has a rather unexpected method for stopping a murderer.
But I am not going to tell more. Mew will just have to read the book.
I give it five purrs and two paws up
Mallory and her sister Rachel's wedding planning business cum B & B is going great guns. She has attracted the attention of a celebrity couple who want her to organize their dream wedding. The dream turns to nightmare quickly as Mallory finds herself pushed to the limit by her almost Mother in Law Helene who traps her into holding a Winter Gala for the private school in town just after the wedding party and tv crew for a reality show arrive to film the entire thing. Can anyone spell stress!
The school's headmistress is murdered at Mallory's desk during the festivities, the very pricey tiara that was going to be put on the head of one of the students is stolen and things go from bad to worse.
Beau, the prospective groom is a lothario. Dakota, the bride, has a stage mother who micromanages her daughter, Mallory is expected to pull miracles out of a hat and oh yes, someone is poisoning people with belladonna. Not making life any easier is the offer from the tv director for a wedding destination show for the two sisters while Mallory is torn emotionally over what is happening to her boyfriend, his daughter and the mother of the child, who just happens to be the hostess of the show they are filming.
There are so many moving parts in this book it leads the reader all over the place. The parts are well oiled so it is a fun ride. In fact, it kept me guessing almost to the very end. I also liked that Mallory does not go overboard and throw herself into reckless situations, with one minor, okay maybe not so minor exception. She has a rather unexpected method for stopping a murderer.
But I am not going to tell more. Mew will just have to read the book.
I give it five purrs and two paws up
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