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Josie Tucker Mysteries #1
The Bride Wore Dead
Just days after Josie is the last-minute bridesmaid at a massive Boston Brahmin wedding, the lovely bride dies on her honeymoon at an exclusive Arizona resort. The mother of the bride thinks Josie, with her...unique people skills, can find out what really happened. Josie discovers the dead bride may not have been the first dead girl. And to Josie's horror, the killer has set his sights on her next.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2013
150 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Kaplan
24 books384 followersAward-winning mystery and fantasy author, EM Kaplan, was an 80s kid, spoonfed on six channels of a VHF dial TV. She grew up reading Agatha Christie and Edgar Rice Burroughs in rural Arizona where there were no sidewalks but plenty of tumbleweeds. A former wannabe spy, trombonist, toilet-cleaner, beginner ninja, and subversive marketeer, she currently lives in the frozen north with her husband, author JD Kaplan, kids, and dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
January 5, 2015
Josie Tucker is, perhaps, the most unlikely amateur detective you're ever going to meet.
She's a journalist by profession.
But she's not a reporter who covers the mean streets and rubs elbows with cops at crime scenes.
No, the sometimes cranky, generally acerbic Ms. Tucker is a food writer.
With stomach problems.
Roped into being a bridesmaid at the wedding of a woman she barely knows, she 's also going broke trying to pay for the dress and the shoes and... well, you get the picture: Josie Tucker is not a happy camper. Her main goal at the beginning of EM Kaplan's 'The Bride Wore Dead' is a simple one: She simply wants to survive the summertime wedding and reception without dying of heat stroke.
She does manage to survive it, but only barely, and thinks that she can finally put a truly dreadful day behind her.
Turns out, however, that she can't.
Why not?
Because the bride turns up dead on her honeymoon and, for reasons that are not immediately clear to her, she's asked to look into what has been ruled an accidental death. Despite the fact she has virtually no skills as an investigator she agrees to do that because, well because it means spending some time at a very fancy desert resort with some cash thrown in to sweeten the deal.
And, besides, she's curious.
In the meantime, she's trying to balance her love life - what there is of it - and she's trying really hard not to fall victim to the same people who killed the blushing (and somewhat bruised) bride.
That's all I'm going to tell you about the plot because to write anything else about it might just allow you to figure out the ending without reading the book and that would be a shame because Kaplan is a very fine writer with a nice light touch when the occasion calls for it. She has a nice narrative sense and, as a result, 'The Bride Wore Dead' moves right along with none of those little bumps in the road that slow a reader down.
(I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of the food that Josie would love to eat more of but can't because there really is something wrong with her stomach... which is a problem for someone who earns her daily bread writing about, well, bread and a lot of other things you'd find on the table.)
The action is fast paced and Ms. Tucker finds herself the object of some unwanted attention by suspects in the case but Kaplan doesn't make the mistake of trying to turn Josie into some kind of Amazon warrior. Josie is a petite heroine who is out of her depth as an investigator and when she gets in trouble she doesn't lay anyone out with a roundhouse kick and a karate chop. Instead, she manages to get out of that trouble in a believable way and that adds credibility to the narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Bride Wore Dead' and highly recommend it.
She's a journalist by profession.
But she's not a reporter who covers the mean streets and rubs elbows with cops at crime scenes.
No, the sometimes cranky, generally acerbic Ms. Tucker is a food writer.
With stomach problems.
Roped into being a bridesmaid at the wedding of a woman she barely knows, she 's also going broke trying to pay for the dress and the shoes and... well, you get the picture: Josie Tucker is not a happy camper. Her main goal at the beginning of EM Kaplan's 'The Bride Wore Dead' is a simple one: She simply wants to survive the summertime wedding and reception without dying of heat stroke.
She does manage to survive it, but only barely, and thinks that she can finally put a truly dreadful day behind her.
Turns out, however, that she can't.
Why not?
Because the bride turns up dead on her honeymoon and, for reasons that are not immediately clear to her, she's asked to look into what has been ruled an accidental death. Despite the fact she has virtually no skills as an investigator she agrees to do that because, well because it means spending some time at a very fancy desert resort with some cash thrown in to sweeten the deal.
And, besides, she's curious.
In the meantime, she's trying to balance her love life - what there is of it - and she's trying really hard not to fall victim to the same people who killed the blushing (and somewhat bruised) bride.
That's all I'm going to tell you about the plot because to write anything else about it might just allow you to figure out the ending without reading the book and that would be a shame because Kaplan is a very fine writer with a nice light touch when the occasion calls for it. She has a nice narrative sense and, as a result, 'The Bride Wore Dead' moves right along with none of those little bumps in the road that slow a reader down.
(I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of the food that Josie would love to eat more of but can't because there really is something wrong with her stomach... which is a problem for someone who earns her daily bread writing about, well, bread and a lot of other things you'd find on the table.)
The action is fast paced and Ms. Tucker finds herself the object of some unwanted attention by suspects in the case but Kaplan doesn't make the mistake of trying to turn Josie into some kind of Amazon warrior. Josie is a petite heroine who is out of her depth as an investigator and when she gets in trouble she doesn't lay anyone out with a roundhouse kick and a karate chop. Instead, she manages to get out of that trouble in a believable way and that adds credibility to the narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed 'The Bride Wore Dead' and highly recommend it.
April 26, 2021
The first book of the series is about 4 friends Josie, Susan, Drew and Benji. Josie and Susan went to a wedding where they both are bridesmaids. Susan knew the bride LeAnn but Josie did not. Josie saw the groom in a bar before and he tried to get into her pants.. LeAnn died and it was suspicious. The book was alright but had curse words in in. And men beating up woman. Josie was half Asian I Loved her character. I might read other books
January 18, 2017
This was a departure from the type of books I generally read, however I'm always willing to try new things. So I grabbed a copy of The Bride Wore Dead by EM Kaplan and cracked it open.
Josie Tucker, the heroine of the story, isn't a detective at all. She's a food critic who is having a possible career-ending medical problem of not being able to stomach any food. Roped into being a bridesmaid for someone she doesn't really know, she complains her way through the sweltering hot ceremony and reception. She makes a lasting impression on both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom.
So much so that when the bride dies under mysterious circumstances while on her honeymoon, the wealthy mother of the groom enlists Josie's help to find out if her son was the perpetrator. The police have ruled it a tragic accident, but the mother isn't so sure. You get the impression early on she's used her money and influence to bail her sons out of trouble in the past and suspects they may have gone too far this time.
Being a little desperate for cash, Josie accepts Greta's offer. Since she was going to the resort anyway she figures she could poke around a bit. It takes a while for the whole mystery part of the story to get going, but once it does, I was fully engrossed in the story and couldn't put it down.
This book has a lot of everything going for it. A great mystery to keep you guessing and a smart-talking, strong female protagonist with enough flaws to feel human and easy to empathise with. At first she's kind of a hot mess (literally and figuratively) without any brain-to-mouth filter, but as the story progresses you see how complex she is. It's a credit to Ms Kaplan how real she makes Josie feel.
By the end I loved the cast of characters and will definitely read more of Josie Tucker in the future.
Ms Kaplan is a welcome addition to my "to read" shelves.
Josie Tucker, the heroine of the story, isn't a detective at all. She's a food critic who is having a possible career-ending medical problem of not being able to stomach any food. Roped into being a bridesmaid for someone she doesn't really know, she complains her way through the sweltering hot ceremony and reception. She makes a lasting impression on both the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom.
So much so that when the bride dies under mysterious circumstances while on her honeymoon, the wealthy mother of the groom enlists Josie's help to find out if her son was the perpetrator. The police have ruled it a tragic accident, but the mother isn't so sure. You get the impression early on she's used her money and influence to bail her sons out of trouble in the past and suspects they may have gone too far this time.
Being a little desperate for cash, Josie accepts Greta's offer. Since she was going to the resort anyway she figures she could poke around a bit. It takes a while for the whole mystery part of the story to get going, but once it does, I was fully engrossed in the story and couldn't put it down.
This book has a lot of everything going for it. A great mystery to keep you guessing and a smart-talking, strong female protagonist with enough flaws to feel human and easy to empathise with. At first she's kind of a hot mess (literally and figuratively) without any brain-to-mouth filter, but as the story progresses you see how complex she is. It's a credit to Ms Kaplan how real she makes Josie feel.
By the end I loved the cast of characters and will definitely read more of Josie Tucker in the future.
Ms Kaplan is a welcome addition to my "to read" shelves.
November 24, 2015
How does a Food Critic end up investigating a brides death? Josie Tucker, said Food Critic and lover of all foods, is asking herself the same question.
Just a tiny slip of a girl, Josie is in a funk. The paper is making cutbacks, she may or may not be hot for one of her best friends, and to top it off, her stomach has decided to stage war on itself. Suffice it to say Josie is having a bit of a bad run. Her doctor/friend wants her to go to his cousin's spa in Arizona to try and find out why her stomach has rebelled.
When she is roped into being a last minute replacement for a bridesmaid by her friend Susan, she does it, but she's not happy about it.
When the bride dies at the same spa as she was referred to, she is asked to do some amateur investigating. What she finds is a small town where everyone knows everything about everyone.
There are no punches pulled with the telling of what happened to the bride. I cried, I laughed and I completely fell in love with Josie Tucker.
I am definitely going back for more!
May 31, 2015
Among all the indie author works I've read this year, the quality of the writing of this novel is second to none. The characters are well-drawn and engaging and the story zips along without a pause. If I said there's a chick-lit feel to the opening don't write it off as stereotypical. Think Stephanie Plum with gastric issues! It's smart and entertaining, at times very funny and others quite alarming. With locations you could reach out and touch and tension that builds to a dramatic conclusion, I thoroughly recommend this first instalment in the Josie Tucker series.
July 1, 2017
A good cozy mystery, the first book in the Josie Tucker series. When a casual friend is killed on her honeymoon, Josie is asked to travel to the spa in Arizona to “listen.” I found Josie to be a good heroine with enough sass and humor to keep me smiling and turning pages. An enjoyable read and a good first effort.
October 25, 2020
Too dark and violent to be considered a true cozy mystery yet the sleuth here, Josie Tucker, is definitely an amateur and not a very bright one, at that. She's a newspaper's food critic/columnist, not a reporter or a private investigator.
Josie has a serious gastro-intestinal problem which is messing with her professional life - a food writer that can't eat!
She also has a serious attitude problem which is messing with her personal life. I almost rated this book three stars because she was so gosh darn snarky and unlikeable - she's even verbally offensive to her friends (and she supposedly likes them). She is often described as "prickly" so I wonder why anybody even likes her, some instantaneously, as in the case of Mr. Obregon.
That being the case, I still plan to read book two Dim Sum, Dead Some to find out what happens next for Josie and Drew.
Josie has a serious gastro-intestinal problem which is messing with her professional life - a food writer that can't eat!
She also has a serious attitude problem which is messing with her personal life. I almost rated this book three stars because she was so gosh darn snarky and unlikeable - she's even verbally offensive to her friends (and she supposedly likes them). She is often described as "prickly" so I wonder why anybody even likes her, some instantaneously, as in the case of Mr. Obregon.
That being the case, I still plan to read book two Dim Sum, Dead Some to find out what happens next for Josie and Drew.
May 17, 2015
Josie Tucker has one hell of a temper. She's tiny, stubborn, and determined, too. In addition to a terrific title, this first novel launching her adventures in unwanted sleuthing is a rollicking good read. Josie and her gorgeous physician boyfriend/friend finally tell each other how they really feel about each other and stop beating around the bush before the book ends. I get the feeling that he will find himself trying in vain to keep her from further gum-shoeing in the next installment. Good stuff all the way.
June 16, 2015
We are proud to announce that THE BRIDE WORE DEAD by EM Kaplan is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!
April 1, 2021
I learned about E.M. Kaplan through the Authors and Dragons podcast and read here Brandon Thighmaster book written with Steve Wetherell. That can also be found on kindle unlimited. While she calls this an uncozy I think it fits in the cozy mystery catagory. I really enjoyed the book and will read more in the series.
July 12, 2016
There was so much about this book I loved. The writing was an absolute delight - consistently excellent narrative prose combined with beautifully delivered characterisation and sharp, spiky, amusing dialogue.
Very much 4.5 stars for me and only fell short of the mark in a couple of key areas. Firstly, although in part a wonderfully observed offbeat rom-com, the mystery plot itself was somewhat wafer thin. Secondly, the structure drove me a tad scatty...only 4 chapters from memory and the scene breaks were rather random (one scene actually runs for nearly 10% of the book!).
Personally, I'd love to see Kaplan write an out and out rom-com and leave the mystery stuff to others. Technically and talent wise, in my opinion, EM is very much amongst the cream of Indie Writing.
Overall, incredibly enjoyable!
Very much 4.5 stars for me and only fell short of the mark in a couple of key areas. Firstly, although in part a wonderfully observed offbeat rom-com, the mystery plot itself was somewhat wafer thin. Secondly, the structure drove me a tad scatty...only 4 chapters from memory and the scene breaks were rather random (one scene actually runs for nearly 10% of the book!).
Personally, I'd love to see Kaplan write an out and out rom-com and leave the mystery stuff to others. Technically and talent wise, in my opinion, EM is very much amongst the cream of Indie Writing.
Overall, incredibly enjoyable!
May 8, 2017
Hmmm, a strange one, but not necessarily a bad one. In fact it was quite good. Josie's not really likable, she's too prickly for that. But people take to her and talk to her. The situations a bit unbelievable, but it's a story, not real life. She talks to everyone on her list and they talk to her. She knows what happened to the poor mistreated bride because the killer stood there and told her while she was digging her own grave. But she wasn't quite dead when they buried her, so she didn't stay buried. She walked to the 7-11 and called for help. Now the problem is someone else's and she can recover and get her own life straightened out and fall in love. A happy ending? Well, we will just have to see where her new relationship with the mother of the two killers leads her in her next book.
May 29, 2015
I just finished, The Bride Word Dead, and I can attest that it is a gratifyingly tasty read—suspenseful to the last page. At first, Josie Tucker was a shallow, funny, and self-deprecating young woman, with just a touch of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plumb, but as the novel progressed, she became an increasingly complex character: dangerously inquisitive and amazingly courageous when dealing with two sadistic, psychopathic brothers. The reader is treated with some of the inner thoughts of Josie Tucker, but not all. Some aspects of her of her motivation remain enigmatic, but maybe they will be revealed in the next novel, Dim Sum, Dead Some. I can hardly wait. I also want to know, is Drew to good to be true?
December 31, 2013
I always enjoy a good mystery. Having grown up enjoying a game where I often had to figure out if the murderer was Colonel Mustard or Professor Plum, committing the murder with perhaps a knife in rooms such as a kitchen or a dining room often entranced me. With all this talk of mustard, plums, kitchens and dining rooms, I am now getting hungry, and this book also mentions food as it plays its own roll in the setup of this story.
The Bride Wore Dead is most definitely an enjoyable novel with great characters, wonderful dialog, and an engrossing plot. Plus much of the story takes place in a state that is near and dear to my heart. I highly recommend it.
The Bride Wore Dead is most definitely an enjoyable novel with great characters, wonderful dialog, and an engrossing plot. Plus much of the story takes place in a state that is near and dear to my heart. I highly recommend it.
April 16, 2016
***** A GREAT RIDE!
Having already read little snippets of Ms. Kaplan’s droll humor through her blog, I picked up The Bride Wore Dead for a light, funny read. But what I got was SO much more! Oh, humor was definitely present throughout––that was a given––but I hadn’t bargained on such likeable characters and the leading female Josie’s ancestral background and her upbringing being so touching, and, at the same time, unique to this mystery genre. And murder mystery it truly is, with sick, twisted killers, a slow, steady tension buildup plot that explodes into a true ‘edge-of-your-seater,’ and a wonderful romantic male figure you will want to bring home for yourself. Highly recommended.
Having already read little snippets of Ms. Kaplan’s droll humor through her blog, I picked up The Bride Wore Dead for a light, funny read. But what I got was SO much more! Oh, humor was definitely present throughout––that was a given––but I hadn’t bargained on such likeable characters and the leading female Josie’s ancestral background and her upbringing being so touching, and, at the same time, unique to this mystery genre. And murder mystery it truly is, with sick, twisted killers, a slow, steady tension buildup plot that explodes into a true ‘edge-of-your-seater,’ and a wonderful romantic male figure you will want to bring home for yourself. Highly recommended.
March 1, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! I loved how the author was able to justify this non-sleuth as the "detective" in this story and make it actually plausible. The villains were truly frightening but still believable as characters. The way the story gradually unfolded the life of the victim was well-paced. The addition of a side-story romance made it all the more enjoyable to read. The character of Josie is intelligent and strong but flawed in a way that makes the reader like her and want her to succeed in her endeavors.
December 7, 2013
This book was suspenseful, humorous, and just wonderful! It has so many incredible elements, that it keeps you reading; even if you need to get some sleep! The characters are interesting and well-written. The antagonist is likable and believable and the villains are truly sinister! I got chills reading this! Such amazing writing! Can't wait for the second book!
January 28, 2014
EM does a great job of making you love the good guys and despise the bad guys, and it's hard to find a place to stop, because you want to know what's going to happen next. I definitely fell in love with the snark of Josie Tucker, and I can't wait to read more of her adventures.
September 14, 2018
I have to start this review by stating that I received a free copy of this story from an online giveaway.
Overall, I wasn't a fan of this story. I'm sorry, but I had a hard time staying focused, and it didn't make sense to me. Why in the world would the groom's mother want Josie to investigate her deceased daughter-in-law's death? Okay, had Josie been some sort of reporter or investigator, then that would have been fine (made more sense). Josie is a food critic though! None of these people even knew each other; they met at the practice/rehearsal and the wedding. With how Josie is, I doubt there was much buddy-buddy action between her and Leann's mother much less Peter's mother. Can someone explain? I wanted to like this story, especially with all the 4-5 stars, but when the plot or storyline go over my head, I just can't.
Additionally, I felt there were too many coincidences for my liking. For example, Josie is having stomach issues. Her doc thinks she may have a food allergy. Okay, that's different. But speaking of allergy, the deceased bride also had a "debilitating" allergy (caused her death). Then there's the fact that Josie is heading on vacation, which just happens to be the same place that said bride died at. Lastly, Josie finds out that Obregon's grandson is gay. Okay, no problem there. But when she talks with the old lady on the plane...surprise! Her grandson is also gay and dying of AIDS.
Question/Comments:
Josie and Susan are heading to the wedding and she's surprised that she'll have to pose in the wedding photos. Why? Additionally, when she's in the vehicle, she lifts up her bride's maid dress to knee level to show Susan that she shaved her legs. How long was the dress considering she ended up closing a portion of it in the car door without knowing? She's not wearing a wedding dress.
Drew, Josie's doc, thinks she might have an allergy (as previously mentioned) to a certain food(s). Why didn't he take a blood sample to confirm this, especially considering Josie has been loosing so much weight?
I've never been to a Catholic wedding before. But...I'm wondering why Josie would be arm-in-arm with a groomsman, while the priest is praying before Peter and Leann? Don't the bridesmaids usually stand on one side, while the groomsmen stand on the other? Then once the couple kisses, a bridesmaid and groomsman come together and walk down the aisle arm-in-arm. Right?
At one point, Micheal is referred to as "The groom's [Peter's] older brother." Later on, it changes to "My elder son, Peter." So, is Peter the oldest or Micheal?
I assume the author used Greta Williams' full name when referring to her character as a way to show how important she felt she was? As in, her position or something along those that line?
There's "...nothing like being at the point of a new relationship where you can eat garlic and not feel self-conscious." Huh? In a NEW relationship? I'm pretty sure the only time a person in a relationship feels unself-conscious after eating garlic is when they've been together for a good while.
Greta Williams is talking to Josie. "'Thank you so much, she said with that delicate, pronounced 'ess'." I couldn't figure this part out. Where (what word) is the "ess" sound coming from?
I wasn't really a fan of Josie because she seemed to constantly get offended by someone or something. For example: "Susan didn't mean to come across as harsh as she did." What because she said that Josie was drawn to the intellectual guys? Based on the writing, I didn't understand why Josie would have been offended/upset about that.
"His breath was warm and alcoholic from more than just wine." How is someone's breath alcoholic? I get what the author was trying to say- his breath smelled like alcohol, but based on the way it's written, it just sounds strange.
Anyone that has read my reviews will know why I'm questioning this next part, although it might seem petty. But, I can't help but notice that Josie never showered after getting home from the wedding. She's drunk, throws up repeatedly throughout the night, sleeps on the bathroom floor, removes her dress, then puts on clean clothes. No shower even after all the sweating and throwing up? With the amount of detail the author uses throughout this story, I think she forgot about the shower.
Josie's doctor wants her to take a vacation to de-stress and hopefully get her stomach under control. Yes, so taking an investigative job of a complete stranger will help her. Sorry, but no.
What made Greta William's think people would be willing to talk to Josie about Leann's death? Actually, I found it funny that she thought the one doctor that had a stroke a month prior would have talked to her. I mean, hello! Patient confidentiality. Had Leann's mother put in a call, maybe...but even still doubtful. EDIT: after doing a little research in this area, I realized that the majority of the time its still against the law for a doctor to discuss the patient even after death. But there are circumstances in which the doctor can reveal facts about the patient if it's important to the family. Basically, its depends on whether it's information that those living need to know, for example, Leann had three abortions. While that's sad news, it's not necessarily something her family/friends need to know.
How did Josie not question the fact Obregon knew the phone number of the room Josie would be staying in. I doubt she even knew it yet. But having a resort give out the room number to a complete stranger that's not even staying at the resort? Very questionable!
At one point, Josie refers to it as post-traumatic stress syndrome, then PTSD. Everyone knows it as PTSD, so why bother with the syndrome aspect? Just wondering...
At another point, Josie wonders if Greta had a secret vendetta against Leann, wonders if Greta hated her. That wouldn't have even made sense though considering she thinks her son killed Leann, plus it was Greta that paid Josie to find out what happened to her.
Libby is driving Josie to her aunt/uncle's house. "The empty lots they passed...gave up sweet bursts of moisture and cooler air." Huh? Was Josie getting out of the car to randomly stand in these areas to take a sniff? This just sounded weird.
Josie is thinking about the ring she wears on her thumb finger. "She'd taken to wearing the ring after the funeral [of her father]...this ring looked a lot like the original, but it was not the same ring." So where did she get this ring, and what happened to the original?
Josie arrives at her aunt's house. Why does she tell her aunt about running into Kelly Peters...a girl from high school that she hadn't even been friends with. Strange...
It's strange that someone or something is turning 50 based on Libby's first comment relating to a party taking place at her parents' house that weekend. Yet, hints are thrown out here and there, but it's not until Josie invites Patrick to her aunt/uncle's 50th-anniversary party that I even knew what the party was for...
Josie is talking with Patrick after she first arrives at the resort. She's thinking of his fingernails for whatever reason, "...neatly trimmed nails, no more black polish on them." Where did the black polish comment come from? Yet, later on, Patrick ends up picking some black polish off his pinkie nail.
Josie is talking to Lillian. "We aren't in communication with your [Josie's] doctor here." Yet, Josie thinks they are just because her doctor is cousins to the owner of the resort. This makes me think of the word 'assume.' Assuming things makes an ass out of 'u' and 'me.' I would use that word here.
I found it funny that Josie would assume (using that word again) that Lillian had inferred that Josie was somehow a part of the local police force, even though she hadn't said anything that would make any normal person assume such a thing. But when she realizes Lillian is referring to her darker skin, "Josie might as well have ripped her a new one for her racist remarks. Josie had been focusing so hard on keeping her anger down..." Seriously? Yes, because Lillian was obviously trying to come across as being racist and offend Josie. This is a perfect example of why I'm not a fan of the Josie character, easily getting offended over things people say when that person wasn't trying to offend. This makes me think of another coincidence in the story; I think this would be #4 coincidence. Similar to Lillian's comment, Patrick also implies the long-ago Indian girl he knew was something different because of her darker skin. Josie's thoughts? "If he thought she might accept his apology on behalf of brown girls everywhere, he had another thing coming."
I couldn't figure out why Josie would think the fact she showed up at the doctor's office wearing sandals, a t-shirt, and shorts questionable? Strange? Weird? She's in Arizona. It's summer (I think), at least warm weather.
Clean sweat...What is that, and what does it smell like?
If the police escort suspects to the station when the temperature is over eighty degrees, what do they do when it's below?
Josie calls Susan to check-in. She mentions how she's trying to apologize to Benjy for her comments at the wedding. "I'm not really talking to Drew right at the moment and I want to avoid calling their house." Since when is she not talking to him? Hasn't she been repeatedly calling him? Of course, he hasn't been answering, much less Benjy.
Continuing with the above conversation, Josie asks Susan to apologize to Benjy for her "...before you leave..." and Susan states "...But I'm probably not going to be seeing him before I go." Well, where is Susan going? Why... she's going to California for a week. BUT she doesn't state this fact until AFTER the above dialogue is said; so how did Josie originally know Susan was going anywhere?
How old is Josie? At one point, there's a comment from Susan about her being in her mid-twenties, I believe. But when she's getting her massage, she states that she didn't tell Tammy what years she was in high school because it was probably ten years before Tammy was in high school.
I know who Clay "the server" is. Why it's repeatedly mentioned instead of simply "Clay," I don't know?!
If the local coroner, and I would assume the police as well, thought that Leann's death was accidental, why was Det. Flores eager to help Josie by showing her complaints filed against the Williams' brothers? Additionally, Flores knows Obregon, how?
Flores tells Josie that Peter Williams isn't a good guy when it comes to women. Josie agrees...yet she already knew that. How did she know this? Well thinking back at her first interaction with him when they were younger, and he had grabbed her arm when he was drunk, she automatically associates him as being a bad guy with no additional information about him?
So Flores' "emotion" that rules him on a daily basis is duty. And there was Patrick's "emotion" which was intellectual stimulation. Yeah, pretty sure neither of those are emotions.
Josie is looking over the police reports for the Williams. "In each of the instances, the offender was noted as Williams." Obviously. Who else would it have been?
Josie's talking to the lady in the clothing store. The lady comments how only those with money can stay at the resort, and for whatever reason, this gets Josie's temper flaring. Why? What made Josie think those in town thought of Leann as an outsider? Wha...t because they didn't help her or step in when they knew Peter was beating her? Seriously though, how many people would step in? Very few.
Josie and Patrick arrive at her aunt/uncles house. Libby is talking to her about how attractive Patrick/Rod is. Josie ends up thinking about how she's "...unused to the idea of Patrick being good looking." Since when? Doesn't she usually think about how attractive he is whenever they're together?
When someone wants to have fresh breath, who "carefully" flavors their breath? That just sounded very strange to me.
So Josie had no clue who Patrick really was and ends up saying that it was because he'd been using a different name. Yet, she then says that she's seen his picture in the magazines a couple of times, "It's hard not to." So how did she not recognize him, if she'd seem him before?
Why did Patrick/Rod state that the driver who almost killed them, while they went for a walk, had his hand on his head?
Micheal tells Josie that Leann had been stung by a bee he'd put in his mouth, which he transferred to her when they kissed. Her face was getting puffy and splotchy, yet when he stood up to go to the food area, Leann walked with him without anyone realizing anything was wrong with her. I just don't get it. How was she walking calmly when she was basically dying?
"Help I've fallen and can't get up." Seriously? Obviously, Josie isn't trying to be funny considering she'd been left for dead, so why would the author have used that line when she's basically out in the desert by herself and not trying to be funny?
The ending. Of course, the William brothers get away. What happens to them? They're shot in the head (both of them? by one person?) when they tried to steal someone's car. Huh? Didn't they have their own car? Couldn't they have taken a car when no one was around? The fact that a person shot both of them in the head...very cheesy and questionable! Sorry but no.
Overall, I wasn't a fan of this story. I'm sorry, but I had a hard time staying focused, and it didn't make sense to me. Why in the world would the groom's mother want Josie to investigate her deceased daughter-in-law's death? Okay, had Josie been some sort of reporter or investigator, then that would have been fine (made more sense). Josie is a food critic though! None of these people even knew each other; they met at the practice/rehearsal and the wedding. With how Josie is, I doubt there was much buddy-buddy action between her and Leann's mother much less Peter's mother. Can someone explain? I wanted to like this story, especially with all the 4-5 stars, but when the plot or storyline go over my head, I just can't.
Additionally, I felt there were too many coincidences for my liking. For example, Josie is having stomach issues. Her doc thinks she may have a food allergy. Okay, that's different. But speaking of allergy, the deceased bride also had a "debilitating" allergy (caused her death). Then there's the fact that Josie is heading on vacation, which just happens to be the same place that said bride died at. Lastly, Josie finds out that Obregon's grandson is gay. Okay, no problem there. But when she talks with the old lady on the plane...surprise! Her grandson is also gay and dying of AIDS.
Question/Comments:
Josie and Susan are heading to the wedding and she's surprised that she'll have to pose in the wedding photos. Why? Additionally, when she's in the vehicle, she lifts up her bride's maid dress to knee level to show Susan that she shaved her legs. How long was the dress considering she ended up closing a portion of it in the car door without knowing? She's not wearing a wedding dress.
Drew, Josie's doc, thinks she might have an allergy (as previously mentioned) to a certain food(s). Why didn't he take a blood sample to confirm this, especially considering Josie has been loosing so much weight?
I've never been to a Catholic wedding before. But...I'm wondering why Josie would be arm-in-arm with a groomsman, while the priest is praying before Peter and Leann? Don't the bridesmaids usually stand on one side, while the groomsmen stand on the other? Then once the couple kisses, a bridesmaid and groomsman come together and walk down the aisle arm-in-arm. Right?
At one point, Micheal is referred to as "The groom's [Peter's] older brother." Later on, it changes to "My elder son, Peter." So, is Peter the oldest or Micheal?
I assume the author used Greta Williams' full name when referring to her character as a way to show how important she felt she was? As in, her position or something along those that line?
There's "...nothing like being at the point of a new relationship where you can eat garlic and not feel self-conscious." Huh? In a NEW relationship? I'm pretty sure the only time a person in a relationship feels unself-conscious after eating garlic is when they've been together for a good while.
Greta Williams is talking to Josie. "'Thank you so much, she said with that delicate, pronounced 'ess'." I couldn't figure this part out. Where (what word) is the "ess" sound coming from?
I wasn't really a fan of Josie because she seemed to constantly get offended by someone or something. For example: "Susan didn't mean to come across as harsh as she did." What because she said that Josie was drawn to the intellectual guys? Based on the writing, I didn't understand why Josie would have been offended/upset about that.
"His breath was warm and alcoholic from more than just wine." How is someone's breath alcoholic? I get what the author was trying to say- his breath smelled like alcohol, but based on the way it's written, it just sounds strange.
Anyone that has read my reviews will know why I'm questioning this next part, although it might seem petty. But, I can't help but notice that Josie never showered after getting home from the wedding. She's drunk, throws up repeatedly throughout the night, sleeps on the bathroom floor, removes her dress, then puts on clean clothes. No shower even after all the sweating and throwing up? With the amount of detail the author uses throughout this story, I think she forgot about the shower.
Josie's doctor wants her to take a vacation to de-stress and hopefully get her stomach under control. Yes, so taking an investigative job of a complete stranger will help her. Sorry, but no.
What made Greta William's think people would be willing to talk to Josie about Leann's death? Actually, I found it funny that she thought the one doctor that had a stroke a month prior would have talked to her. I mean, hello! Patient confidentiality. Had Leann's mother put in a call, maybe...but even still doubtful. EDIT: after doing a little research in this area, I realized that the majority of the time its still against the law for a doctor to discuss the patient even after death. But there are circumstances in which the doctor can reveal facts about the patient if it's important to the family. Basically, its depends on whether it's information that those living need to know, for example, Leann had three abortions. While that's sad news, it's not necessarily something her family/friends need to know.
How did Josie not question the fact Obregon knew the phone number of the room Josie would be staying in. I doubt she even knew it yet. But having a resort give out the room number to a complete stranger that's not even staying at the resort? Very questionable!
At one point, Josie refers to it as post-traumatic stress syndrome, then PTSD. Everyone knows it as PTSD, so why bother with the syndrome aspect? Just wondering...
At another point, Josie wonders if Greta had a secret vendetta against Leann, wonders if Greta hated her. That wouldn't have even made sense though considering she thinks her son killed Leann, plus it was Greta that paid Josie to find out what happened to her.
Libby is driving Josie to her aunt/uncle's house. "The empty lots they passed...gave up sweet bursts of moisture and cooler air." Huh? Was Josie getting out of the car to randomly stand in these areas to take a sniff? This just sounded weird.
Josie is thinking about the ring she wears on her thumb finger. "She'd taken to wearing the ring after the funeral [of her father]...this ring looked a lot like the original, but it was not the same ring." So where did she get this ring, and what happened to the original?
Josie arrives at her aunt's house. Why does she tell her aunt about running into Kelly Peters...a girl from high school that she hadn't even been friends with. Strange...
It's strange that someone or something is turning 50 based on Libby's first comment relating to a party taking place at her parents' house that weekend. Yet, hints are thrown out here and there, but it's not until Josie invites Patrick to her aunt/uncle's 50th-anniversary party that I even knew what the party was for...
Josie is talking with Patrick after she first arrives at the resort. She's thinking of his fingernails for whatever reason, "...neatly trimmed nails, no more black polish on them." Where did the black polish comment come from? Yet, later on, Patrick ends up picking some black polish off his pinkie nail.
Josie is talking to Lillian. "We aren't in communication with your [Josie's] doctor here." Yet, Josie thinks they are just because her doctor is cousins to the owner of the resort. This makes me think of the word 'assume.' Assuming things makes an ass out of 'u' and 'me.' I would use that word here.
I found it funny that Josie would assume (using that word again) that Lillian had inferred that Josie was somehow a part of the local police force, even though she hadn't said anything that would make any normal person assume such a thing. But when she realizes Lillian is referring to her darker skin, "Josie might as well have ripped her a new one for her racist remarks. Josie had been focusing so hard on keeping her anger down..." Seriously? Yes, because Lillian was obviously trying to come across as being racist and offend Josie. This is a perfect example of why I'm not a fan of the Josie character, easily getting offended over things people say when that person wasn't trying to offend. This makes me think of another coincidence in the story; I think this would be #4 coincidence. Similar to Lillian's comment, Patrick also implies the long-ago Indian girl he knew was something different because of her darker skin. Josie's thoughts? "If he thought she might accept his apology on behalf of brown girls everywhere, he had another thing coming."
I couldn't figure out why Josie would think the fact she showed up at the doctor's office wearing sandals, a t-shirt, and shorts questionable? Strange? Weird? She's in Arizona. It's summer (I think), at least warm weather.
Clean sweat...What is that, and what does it smell like?
If the police escort suspects to the station when the temperature is over eighty degrees, what do they do when it's below?
Josie calls Susan to check-in. She mentions how she's trying to apologize to Benjy for her comments at the wedding. "I'm not really talking to Drew right at the moment and I want to avoid calling their house." Since when is she not talking to him? Hasn't she been repeatedly calling him? Of course, he hasn't been answering, much less Benjy.
Continuing with the above conversation, Josie asks Susan to apologize to Benjy for her "...before you leave..." and Susan states "...But I'm probably not going to be seeing him before I go." Well, where is Susan going? Why... she's going to California for a week. BUT she doesn't state this fact until AFTER the above dialogue is said; so how did Josie originally know Susan was going anywhere?
How old is Josie? At one point, there's a comment from Susan about her being in her mid-twenties, I believe. But when she's getting her massage, she states that she didn't tell Tammy what years she was in high school because it was probably ten years before Tammy was in high school.
I know who Clay "the server" is. Why it's repeatedly mentioned instead of simply "Clay," I don't know?!
If the local coroner, and I would assume the police as well, thought that Leann's death was accidental, why was Det. Flores eager to help Josie by showing her complaints filed against the Williams' brothers? Additionally, Flores knows Obregon, how?
Flores tells Josie that Peter Williams isn't a good guy when it comes to women. Josie agrees...yet she already knew that. How did she know this? Well thinking back at her first interaction with him when they were younger, and he had grabbed her arm when he was drunk, she automatically associates him as being a bad guy with no additional information about him?
So Flores' "emotion" that rules him on a daily basis is duty. And there was Patrick's "emotion" which was intellectual stimulation. Yeah, pretty sure neither of those are emotions.
Josie is looking over the police reports for the Williams. "In each of the instances, the offender was noted as Williams." Obviously. Who else would it have been?
Josie's talking to the lady in the clothing store. The lady comments how only those with money can stay at the resort, and for whatever reason, this gets Josie's temper flaring. Why? What made Josie think those in town thought of Leann as an outsider? Wha...t because they didn't help her or step in when they knew Peter was beating her? Seriously though, how many people would step in? Very few.
Josie and Patrick arrive at her aunt/uncles house. Libby is talking to her about how attractive Patrick/Rod is. Josie ends up thinking about how she's "...unused to the idea of Patrick being good looking." Since when? Doesn't she usually think about how attractive he is whenever they're together?
When someone wants to have fresh breath, who "carefully" flavors their breath? That just sounded very strange to me.
So Josie had no clue who Patrick really was and ends up saying that it was because he'd been using a different name. Yet, she then says that she's seen his picture in the magazines a couple of times, "It's hard not to." So how did she not recognize him, if she'd seem him before?
Why did Patrick/Rod state that the driver who almost killed them, while they went for a walk, had his hand on his head?
Micheal tells Josie that Leann had been stung by a bee he'd put in his mouth, which he transferred to her when they kissed. Her face was getting puffy and splotchy, yet when he stood up to go to the food area, Leann walked with him without anyone realizing anything was wrong with her. I just don't get it. How was she walking calmly when she was basically dying?
"Help I've fallen and can't get up." Seriously? Obviously, Josie isn't trying to be funny considering she'd been left for dead, so why would the author have used that line when she's basically out in the desert by herself and not trying to be funny?
The ending. Of course, the William brothers get away. What happens to them? They're shot in the head (both of them? by one person?) when they tried to steal someone's car. Huh? Didn't they have their own car? Couldn't they have taken a car when no one was around? The fact that a person shot both of them in the head...very cheesy and questionable! Sorry but no.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2020
I want to start off with this book being the first mystery novel that I listened to. The majority of mystery novels that I have read mostly includes horror as the major theme, so I might be mistaken in a lot of my misconceptions about pure mystery books.
My main problems with this book are featured around the main character’s motivations, including why she agrees to get involved in the case. My other issues with the novel involve spoilers and I don’t want to ruin the book for other readers.
Plot:
Josie Tucker is a food critic who has been having problems keeping food down. Pressured by her friends to go to a wedding. Later on, we find out that a character has died under strange circumstances and Josie is hired by the groom’s mother to find out what happened.
Characters.
Josie Tucker is a food critic. We discover that she has family troubles and had been into some trouble in her teen years. She loves food and is depressed when she is unable to eat what she wants to.
Her troubled past is brought up over the book but it never really helps with the overall story. In some events I expected her to deal with problems physically than hiding.
What I like:
It's well written and the first page grabs your attention.
What I didn’t like:
I don’t know if I would call this a mystery. It has more romantic and thriller elements. I do think that some more stalking elements in the middle chapters would have made the book stronger.
My main problems with this book are featured around the main character’s motivations, including why she agrees to get involved in the case. My other issues with the novel involve spoilers and I don’t want to ruin the book for other readers.
Plot:
Josie Tucker is a food critic who has been having problems keeping food down. Pressured by her friends to go to a wedding. Later on, we find out that a character has died under strange circumstances and Josie is hired by the groom’s mother to find out what happened.
Characters.
Josie Tucker is a food critic. We discover that she has family troubles and had been into some trouble in her teen years. She loves food and is depressed when she is unable to eat what she wants to.
Her troubled past is brought up over the book but it never really helps with the overall story. In some events I expected her to deal with problems physically than hiding.
What I like:
It's well written and the first page grabs your attention.
What I didn’t like:
I don’t know if I would call this a mystery. It has more romantic and thriller elements. I do think that some more stalking elements in the middle chapters would have made the book stronger.
May 21, 2017
Josie Tucker is a food columnist with digestive issues, and a generally rude person who admits that she doesn’t like most people. She’s talked into taking the place of a dropped-out bridesmaid at the wedding of a couple she doesn’t really know. A week after the wedding, the bride drops dead while on a honeymoon at the Castle Ranch in Arizona. The bride’s mother-in-law asks Josie to do some discreet investigation into what everyone is calling a murder. Josie agrees because she happens to be going to the Ranch to consult with a nutritionist for her digestion problem anyway.
Although the author clearly states that the protagonist is snarky, I found her just a little too unlikable for my taste. And the timelines were off between the time of the wedding and the trip to Arizona, and in the back story about her parents, which made reading a little confusing. Sorry to say, this just wasn’t my kind of book, too many back stories and a stifling amount of detail about Josie’s feelings toward everyone and everything, made it a little hard to get into. But don’t let one person’s opinion stop you from reading it. According to the dozens of five star reviews, there were other readers who really liked it. And you might just like it, too.
Although the author clearly states that the protagonist is snarky, I found her just a little too unlikable for my taste. And the timelines were off between the time of the wedding and the trip to Arizona, and in the back story about her parents, which made reading a little confusing. Sorry to say, this just wasn’t my kind of book, too many back stories and a stifling amount of detail about Josie’s feelings toward everyone and everything, made it a little hard to get into. But don’t let one person’s opinion stop you from reading it. According to the dozens of five star reviews, there were other readers who really liked it. And you might just like it, too.
June 5, 2017
Josie Tucker is a food critic for the local paper. She has one major problem she can't eat any food without it upsetting her stomach. In the Bride Wore Dead Josie is asked to be a replacement Bridesmaid at the last minute. Leann Ash the Bride dies on her Honeymoon and and the Brides Mother asks Josie to investigate. Josie's Dr friend is sending her to a spa where they specialize in people with special diet requirements. Josie begins her investigation it seems the Groom isn't all that upset about his Wive's death. She also finds out Leann had a series of abortions and she may have been abused by her Husband and his brother. As Josie begins to get closer to who killed Leann the killer kidnaps her from her room !Can Josie find a way to escape? Is anyone even looking for her? Will the killer or killers be caught? And brought to justice? Read the Bride wore Dead in order to find out the answer!!!!
October 27, 2019
I chose this book specifically because it was labeled as "un-cozy". I was interested in what cozy rules the author might break and if the story would still work. First, "un-cozy" is a correct label, but I'm not sure that this one meets any of the rules of a cozy except for the fact the investigator isn't a detective. The writing was good but the story seemed to meander a bit. I enjoyed the contrast of the various characters as well as the vivid settings. I had a hard time suspending my disbelief at some of the plot points. The main character's flaws were serious enough that she bordered on unlikable. I didn't feel the ending was twisty enough. Usually, in a cozy there is a bit of surprise and a feeling of "of course, why didn't I see that" at the end. However, the author did leave me with a desire to read another now that Josie is set up for future investigations.
May 27, 2025
This is the first book in the Josie Tucker Mysteries series by E.M. Kaplan. Josie Tucker is a cranky food critic who unexpectedly finds herself investigating a murder. Just days after serving as a last-minute bridesmaid at a lavish Boston wedding, the bride dies mysteriously on her honeymoon at an exclusive Arizona resort. Suspecting foul play, the bride’s mother turns to sharp-witted and socially astute Josie to unravel the mystery. As Josie digs deeper, she realizes the dead bride may not have been the first victim, and worse, the killer may have set their sights on her next. I found this cozy mystery to be an absolute delight, filled with witty humor, suspenseful twists, and charming storytelling.
March 1, 2019
The subtitle of this is “An Un-Cozy, Un-Culinary” mystery, and it is truly refreshing and original. Josie Tucker is a food critic, desperately struggling with her finances and her health when she gets roped into being a last minute stand-in bridesmaid, only to later learn the bride ends up dead on the honeymoon—was it an accident or murder? The bride’s mother enlists Josie and sends her on a quest for the truth.
Josie is a smart, bitingly funny, flawed but engaging protagonist, and the book is full of fantastic, memorable characters who feel real. I finished this first book and immediately bought the next book in the series!
Josie is a smart, bitingly funny, flawed but engaging protagonist, and the book is full of fantastic, memorable characters who feel real. I finished this first book and immediately bought the next book in the series!
March 24, 2017
Kindle Unlimited, Characters basically believable, overall, situations slightly less, okay idea but too much working up to actual crime, too much detail otherwise, and even when over isn't really over, just drags on. Not a cozy and not really a mystery much, would have been better to have just worked character around some other kind of story.
A Josie Tucker Omnibus: Three Snarky, Un-Cozy, Un-Culinary Humorous Mysteries
The Bride Wore Dead: An Un-Cozy Un-Culinary Josie Tucker Mystery (Josie Tucker Mysteries Book 1)
Dim Sum, Dead Some: An Un-Cozy Un-Culinary Josie Tucker Mystery (Josie Tucker Mysteries Book 2)
Dead Man on Campus: An Un-Cozy Un-Culinary Josie Tucker Mystery (Josie Tucker Mysteries Book 3)
A Josie Tucker Omnibus: Three Snarky, Un-Cozy, Un-Culinary Humorous Mysteries
The Bride Wore Dead: An Un-Cozy Un-Culinary Josie Tucker Mystery (Josie Tucker Mysteries Book 1)
Dim Sum, Dead Some: An Un-Cozy Un-Culinary Josie Tucker Mystery (Josie Tucker Mysteries Book 2)
Dead Man on Campus: An Un-Cozy Un-Culinary Josie Tucker Mystery (Josie Tucker Mysteries Book 3)
July 24, 2018
Enjoyed the story, characters and dialogue. Would have given it 5 stars if it hadn't been for the many grammatical errors. It is a shame, because this writer has promise.
I am soooo sick of writers handing in shoddy work for publication. If you do not care about your work, then nobody else will either. If I did not get many of these books through "Freebooksy", I would not read them. Getting them free tells me whether or not I want to continue on as a fan or to avoid their future efforts.
Wake up writers, wake up!!!!!
I am soooo sick of writers handing in shoddy work for publication. If you do not care about your work, then nobody else will either. If I did not get many of these books through "Freebooksy", I would not read them. Getting them free tells me whether or not I want to continue on as a fan or to avoid their future efforts.
Wake up writers, wake up!!!!!
March 7, 2018
This is a girly kind of read with a huge emphasis on Josies relationships with her friends, her crush, her family, even the people she meets along the way. She is a quirky pig headed and unpredictable character who gets into more than she bargained for. It’s well written and makes you feel like Josie could be any one of your girl friends who just got herself into a bad spot. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 1, 2018
The book is good. The characters were perfect. But this book should be listed by the author that there are triggers in this book. Which is why it took so long for me to get all the way through it. Being a survivor of domestic violence, there was plenty in this book to start the nightmares back up. But I finished it. I gave it 4 stars for those triggers. I can't read this again, but I do recommend it to others.
June 18, 2019
Not just another (yawn) series
The main character has some serious flaws. I think I could be her friend. Light reads lately have been way too light. This character has diarrhea and is a grumpy b*tch. She is not so sweet that she makes my teeth hurt. I can actually care what happens to her. Cheers for E.M. Kaplan for writing a very real fictional character. I'm a fan after one book.
The main character has some serious flaws. I think I could be her friend. Light reads lately have been way too light. This character has diarrhea and is a grumpy b*tch. She is not so sweet that she makes my teeth hurt. I can actually care what happens to her. Cheers for E.M. Kaplan for writing a very real fictional character. I'm a fan after one book.
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