Twisted Wedding

Maid Ivy #0.5

by Hazel Smith

A lavish wedding, guest list full of secrets and a bride plunged to her death.

Ivy Stone is excited to spend a weekend helping her friend manage a gorgeous wedding on a private Scottish isle. Before the couple can say ‘I do’ the bride falls to her death and speculations abound. Is it an accident? Suicide? Or murder?

Trapped together while the investigation is underway, Ivy finds herself in a thickening plot of intrigue among the bridesmaids, guests, and a mysterious stranger lurking on the isle.

While dodging flirtation, sampling delicious dishes and falling in love with Monty the pup , our amateur sleuth discovers everyone on the island has secrets. Some they are willing to kill for. One twist leads to another as Ivy races to unmask the true culprit. A murderer in their midst no one ever suspected. ____________ A deliciously addictive cozy mystery full of charm and intrigue with bonus recipes included!

Genres: Cozy Mystery

110 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2022

Reviews

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy travels to a private Scottish Isle to help her friend Jenna, the owner of Darnley Estates with an extravagant wedding that is going to take place there.Ivy, who has been job interviewing, agrees to be apart of the maid services. She is very excited until the drunken groom has to be corralled and then the bride falls from a balcony to her death. Was it an accident or did someone push her on purpose when the lights briefly went out. Ivy, it turns out, is quite the amateur sleuth. I really enjoyed this mystery with all of its twists and surprises.

[BJayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading ”Twisted Wedding”, and in one sitting. It was so good, I couldn’t put it down! I loved everything about it. The mystery, the characters, the setting, the suspense, and so much more!

[Emmalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prequel to I’ve Maid series and introduces Ivy to Monte. It’s the murder at the wedding. Even though it was short, the story and characters are well developed and plotted. The killer is a surprise and overall great storytelling

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted Wedding Earns 5/5 Scottish Brogues…Clever Fun!

“Yankee” Ivy Stone is off to a private Scottish isle to help out her friend Jenna Darney pull off a lavish wedding. But when she arrives, the atmosphere seems awkward and subdued for such a happy occasion. The groom is drunk, intentionally bent on staying that way through the festivities, his side of the chapel to be empty of friends or family, and the dynamic between bride and groom appears very strained. So, why is it that the bride is the one plunging to her death? Ivy witnessed the tragedy, albeit veiled in shadows, but with the police hours away on the mainland, she’s eager to get answers now.

Readers are taken back before Ivy is hired as a regular maid at a famous London hotel in “Mystery Maid” with a twist on a “locked room” mystery. It seems to be a case of suicide or as some hope a tragic accident, but it’s a cozy mystery, so the bride’s troubled connections with her family and friends and secrets eluded to in an overheard conversation brings all that into intriguing question. Although short (less than 100 pages), the drama was still well-developed with cleverly revealed conflicts, entanglements, and a few perilous moments that made the investigation complicated to the end. Greed. Egos. Jealousy. Something more criminal. The final wrap up was an exciting surprise. Helen added marvelous descriptions of the Scottish countryside and the characters, and the use of the brogue in the dialogue made it all very real...I could hear Jenna talking. And a bonus! Try the Smoky Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms as an appetizer, then Millionaire Shortbread with Caramel or Chocolate Ganache with your tea. All around fun read!

Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book from the author. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy Stone agrees to travel from her home in London to a Scottish Isle to help her best friend, Jenna Darney, cater a wedding. It all takes place at Darney Estates, which is owned by Jenna. As the guests all begin to gather, a huge fight breaks out and the bride is dead before the vows can happen.

Everyone involved in the wedding, both guests and staff, are forced to stay at Darney Estates while the police investigate. Ivy can’t help herself and sticks her nose right into the middle of the investigation. She soon discovers there are more than a few possible suspects.

There are three books in the series and this one is a prequel in the Maid Ivy Cozy Mystery series. I loved the characters right from the start. Each one is written to perfection. I can picture this as a movie or TV show. A maid is the perfect cover for an amateur sleuth.

The storyline moved along at a fast pace. It’s complete with many twists, turns and several potential killers. I didn’t figure things out until the end. Oh, there’s also a cute dog named Monty involved. I do love cozies that feature animals.

This is a sweet mystery that can easily be read in one sitting. It made for a delightful afternoon. I’m looking forward to reading more Ivy Stone stories.






Disclosure: I received this book for free as part of the author’s newsletter. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own

[BONNIE SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

This an adorable little cozy read! My first in the series, it is the "prequel" and I look forward to picking up the rest.
A great little recommendation for cozy mystery lovers.

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps some 3.8 would be closer to "reality" for this prequel to the Maid Ivy series of cozy mysteries.
So, we had a girl, trying to get a job as maid, and while waiting for the answer from the hotel(s) she send applications to, she gives help to her friend, Jenna, in organizing some wedding. And faces a murder - of the bride herself, just before the ceremony itself.
Ivy is not very convincing in her sleuthing abilities here; but this may be due to this short novel being an extra to the series (?).
Anyway, in the end she uncovered the hidden killer(s) and she evens comes to be the human companion to a naughty dog (the one that saved her life when she confronted the killers, and were about to be killed herself).

[Helen Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this first story with Ivy who is an excellent maid and sleuth. It was nice to see how she got her job at an old English Hotel as well as how she acquired her dog. It was interesting having a murder take play at a wedding set on a Scottish island. It added to at atmosphere of the story.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a cute comfy mystery. I loved Monty and Ivy, and this book had me guessing who did it until the end. A short but entertaining read. I also want to try the recipes that were in the book after hearing how great they were at the wedding in the book.

[Juliet Minerva Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cozy Mystery Book Club Bingo
Prompt : Adopts a new cozy companion

I was sent this book for free when I subscribed to the author’s newsletter. And this is a winning move as I probably wouldn’t have heard of this otherwise. And giving out a short story as a taster of the series means I got to see the writing style and plot I can expect from the full-length novels.

And I loved it all! The main character is Ivy, and is very curious and ready to dive into trouble at any moment. While I often see the heroines making stupid decisions, she was actually smart in her actions. Despite that, she ended up in trouble quite often, and that made the story very compelling.

Jenna and Drew were interesting too, he was a bit annoying with his pushiness in pursuing Ivy and his absentmindedness. Their accent was also laid on a bit too thick, but living in the UK made it easy for me to understand.

The cute puppy was a great addition and I was happy to know that he won’t stay with Drew, who clearly didn’t care enough, but will follow Ivy in her next adventures.

Finally, the mystery was definitely intricate. Too many times I have been frustrated at how simple and too straightforward the plots are in cosy mysteries, but this time I saw a very nice convoluted mystery. The suspects were many, and every one was giving Ivy pieces of information that she ended up putting together. Maybe I would have liked it if the fact Emma and Selena looked similar was foreshadowed a bit, together with Selena’s motive, in order to give us some clues before the reveal.

But these are minor details and are partially due to the story being a short novella. I am looking forward to reading the next instalment!

[Nordiana Baruzzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her beloved grandmother dies, Ivy Stone sells their house and her maid service agency and moves to London, where she hopes work in housekeeping for a hotel chain. Meanwhile, she accepts helping her friend Jenna cater the wedding from hell.

On the eve of the nuptial the unhappy groom gets roaring drunk and during a tete-a-tete dinner tells the bride he can't go on with it. Destiny Fallow, the bride, mounts on the balcony rail and threatens to jump if he doesn't love her. The lights go off and a few seconds later Destiny hits the pavement, dead. Was she startled by the lights going of and accidentally fall? Did she voluntarily jump? Did Gareth push her? Did someone else? Brent Fallow is sure Gareth killed his daughter, Ivy is sure he wasn't near enough to push her... Who's right? And who's the shabbily dressed man skulking around the hotel? Why doesn't anyone mourn Destiny's death?

I don't particularly like novellas because there isn't enough time to fluff out the characters. And this one is no exception. The characters are somewhat two-dimensional (when not altogether unidimensional). The many typos and the inconsistent attempt at phonetical transcription of the Scottish accent are rather jarring to me.

On the other hand, the mystery is pretty solid and I didn't expect the last minute twist. And I loved Monty the puppy.

I haven't read the other books in the series but I'm not sure I will.

[Susan Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy steps in to help a friend who is short-staffed for the weekend, expecting nothing more than a joyful wedding celebration. Instead, the festivities take a dark turn when a death occurs. While authorities investigate if it is an accident, Ivy’s curiosity tells her otherwise.

As she begins asking questions and poking around, Ivy finds herself uncovering clues that suggest something far more sinister happened. The deeper she digs, the more determined she becomes to uncover the truth—before the case is permanently closed.

This is a fast-paced cozy mystery that keeps you on your toes from start to finish. With an engaging premise and plenty of intrigue, it’s a fun, quick read that mystery lovers will enjoy.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twisted Wedding is a quick cozy mystery introducing Ivy Stone. Ivy travels to Darney Isle and the Darney Estates to help her friend Jenna out with a wedding. She notices that the bride and groom, Gareth O'Connor and Destiny Fallow, don't seem too happy before the wedding. Then while arguing, the bride falls to her death. Did the groom push her, was it an accident, or was it suicide? Ivy does some sleuthing, faces danger, and does whatever she can to solve the murder. She even gets help from Monty, Jenna's brother Drew's pup. I liked Ivy and Monty and this promises to be a fun series.

[Vix · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and quick novella introducing us to Ivy and her sleuthing abilities.

I liked Ivy and I adore Monty, I'm sure the pair will get up to all kinds of mischief together. I also thought Jenny was fun, but I've no idea how Americans will understand her Scottish dialect! The mystery was intriguing and more complicated than initially presented.

There were quite a few moments of suspended disbelief in regards to treatment of the crime scene and handling evidence. I know cosy stories aren't as strict, but most stick to certain guidelines.

Overall, an enjoyable read with a fun mystery to solve that isn't straightforward.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early novel by an outstanding cozy author, the book is a great introduction to Ivy, the Maid who is curious and an impressive investigator. The mystery here that takes place on the eve of a glamorous wedding is a precursor to Ivy's career as head maid at an exclusive London hotel.

[Blake Borate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and enjoyable cozy read. I needed a change of pace and to relax and this was the ticket.

[Mary T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

[Jo Bujarski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know the author says they can be read in any order, but this should be the first one.

[Birdie Song · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great setting, curious characters, tight writing. A fun lighthearted read!

[Jessica Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great intro to the series! Ivy is an engaging character, and her job as a maid would put her in the perfect places to inspect a mystery! I'm looking forward to future chapters, and I really want to make the recipes at the end of this story!

[Coffeebreakwhatever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy Stone leaves America to go to England and get a job! Who does that? Ivy Stone does that! Ivy is a smart, inquisitive, hard-working amateur sleuth just trying to do her job and make a living and she just can't help getting involved when something happens. Ivy takes a job as a server at a pre-wedding reception dinner. As the dinner starts, Ivy meets her fellow servers, the 3 bridesmaids, the bride's father, and fiancee, her friend's (who owns the party location) brother, a mysterious man and Monty. The bride and groom seem to have a little "lovers spat" while in the balcony, and suddenly the lights go out, a scream is heard and when the lights come back on - the bride is laying on the floor dead. having been pushed from the balcony. As the story evolves, "who-dun-it?" gets intriguing. So many people seem to have reason to have wanted the bride dead! There is always a story behind the story, and being an employee, Ivy is able to do some sleuthing to find out facts that the police would probably miss.

What I first liked about the book was - it started right off the bat. A little bit of "setting the scene" but then right to the story. So often, a book goes on for a couple of chapters setting the scene to the point, I sometimes forget what the theme of the story is! I also liked that the story moved along at a good pace, not so fast that you might miss things, but fast enough that you aren't swiping past a few pages of "non-essential" information. The story has specific issues and interactions so you don't get bored.

The characters are great and each possesses a unique personality - some odd, some serious, some silly, some formal, and some are "average", including Monty. Not a dull one among them! But all are involved in some way either with the murder itself or finding the culprit - or distracting Ivy! Some help Ivy, while others hinder her but Ivy is able to take all the "clues" and pull them together to identify the culprit and in such an unusual way. And as a reader, you can see/feel exactly how Ivy finds things or does things and it feels like you are right there with her going, "Oh, yeah!"

Also, when reading a mystery - you know as the reader, we always start to form our own opinions along the way as to "who-dun-it" and why. Twice, I thought I knew who did it, but in the end - I was wrong! And then when revealed who the murderer was - WHY they did it is also revealed and that is also surprising!

[Mazzy Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful, snack-sized, easy-paced, easy-reading cozy mystery. A great tempter to explore more in the series.

[DJ McCready · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twisted plot, not just a twisted wedding. The bride who seems so pleasant and well-off dies falling off a balcony before the wedding. Her fiancee, drunk, disheveled is a mess and ready to confess because he thinks maybe he bumped into her when the lights went off.

To say more would be to reveal the ending but Maid Ivy between duties helping her friend make sure the wedding is everything money could buy manages to follow multiple leads before finding the killer to be far different than any leads she had followed.

The book is good enough that I have started to read another by this author.

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is a charming, suspenseful cozy mystery that draws readers into the lush world of Darney Estates, where a glamorous wedding weekend spirals into a murder investigation.

Hazel Smith crafts a vivid, atmospheric setting that feels both luxurious and claustrophobic, perfect for the unfolding drama.

Ivy Stone, the warmhearted and sharp-eyed heroine, is a standout; relatable, intuitive, and impossible not to root for.

The cast of colourful secondary characters, from Ivy’s spirited friend Jenna to the brooding groom, Gareth, brings life and tension to every scene.

Smith’s writing style is fluid and engaging, blending humour, suspense, and emotional depth with ease.

The dialogue feels natural, and the plot unfolds at a satisfying pace, keeping the reader eager to turn the next page.

The most enjoyable aspect is the seamless mix of cozy warmth with genuine mystery.

Both Ivy’s personal journey and the central whodunit will captivate readers.

However, some coincidences feel a little too convenient, and the mid-book pacing slows. A few character motivations would benefit from deeper exploration.

Twisted Wedding is a strong, atmospheric cozy mystery with an appealing heroine, a vivid setting, and a straightforward but enjoyable whodunnit at its core.

With a few improvements to plot complexity, pacing, and emotional depth, Hazel Smith could elevate this from a very satisfactory cozy to an excellent one.

[Merry Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This definitely a twisted wedding! A wonderful book you just must read in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. We have wonderfully developed characters. Ivy Stone the main character in this book comes to a private island in Scotland to help her Scottish friend, Jenna who is short handed and has to put off a spectacular wedding. Jenna's brother Drew was supposed to be there to help too with the other hired workers but he didn't show until much later. And Drew has now gotten himself a beautiful Great Dane, Monty who seems to be a handful. We also have a very drunk bridegroom, a bride, Destiny, who evoked sympathy in pleading with her drunk husband to be, Gareth her father, a belligerent, arrogant, obnoxious businessman who is also very sketchy. Strange guests, including the bridesmaids, who were all about the party and a strange disheveled man who keeps hiding in the building but showing up at odd times. When the bride, sitting on the balcony railing proclaims to her drunk fiance, that she will throw herself off the railing if he doesn't proclaim his love for her. And did she? We now have a dead bride. Is it an accident, suicide or murder? Is the groom a murderer? Is the sketchy man that keeps hiding the murderer? Is the bride's father a murderer? Is it even murder? This is a wonderful first book to a great protagonist, who must do what's right and try to figure out what happened, while waiting for an answer to her interview with the Hotel LaFontaine in London for a job as a maid there. Wow, so much packed into a short fast paced book you just can't put down. I can't wait to read more with Ivy and of course the adorable protective dog, Monty! I received an ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

[Chad Barrus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy takes a trip to a Scottish Isle to help a friend handle a wedding over the weekend and is present
when the bride to be falls to her death. Unfortunately, the lights go out just before the woman falls so it isn’t clear if it was murder or suicide or an accident. Using her skills as an observer of human nature and her curiosity to find the truth, Ivy sets out to do just that.
It soon turns out that the bride to be wasn’t as nice as she would like people to believe and even her bridesmaids weren’t happy with her! Other suspects also come into the picture so it’s a real whodunnit for Ivy to figure out especially since the father of the bride to be accuses Ivy of trying to kill him!

I liked this cozy mystery prequel to the Ivy Stone series and the reader gets introduced to Monty, Ivy’s future Great Dane pup! I recommend this book as a great read especially if you’re not able to get out due to inclement weather! What better way is there than to relax with a good cozy mystery to take you to places far away and pretend that you are there enjoying the scenes in person!

You can get this book by subscribing to the author’s newsletter so don’t delay and get it today! Then get the Ivy Stone series to continue Ivy’s adventures in her new employment at a prestigious hotel in London!

I think you’ll enjoy it and will want to continue following her adventures! I know I will!

[Priscilla King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy could have chosen other careers, but she wants to be a hotel maid. She likes physical work...and getting to know lots of different, interesting people better than they think she knows them. I like Ivy.

In this prequel, Ivy's not yet working at a posh hotel in London. While waiting to interview there she's working at friends' place in Scotland, making everything neat and pretty for a big wedding. She soon realizes that the people in the wedding party aren't very nice and don't even like each other very much. She hears the bride moaning that she might as well die, the bridegroom slurring "Why don't you?"...and then the bride goes whoosh and plop over the ledge. But Ivy's pretty sure the bridegroom wasn't close enough to have pushed her, so she wants to find out who did.

With help from her friends, especially a sloppy immature young man who admires her and an equally sloppy and adoring Great Dane, Ivy will solve the mystery. What's not to love is that, if you liked the Scottish country atmosphere in this novel, you'll hate that they're losing Ivy to London.

[Marie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a prequel to the book series “A Maid Ivy Cozy Mystery Book. Ivy Stone is an American who moves to London to start a new life after her grandmother dies. She’s a maid and is helping out a friend at her resort, the Darney Estates, during a weekend wedding event. She’s present when the obnoxious bride accidentally falls off her room’s balcony after loudly arguing with her husband-to-be. While others think that her death is just a tragic suicide, Ivy sees other factors that suggest it was a pre-planned suicide. While investigating this case, Ivy meets the man of her dreams, a black Great Dane puppy, Montgomery.
I enjoyed this book. I feel like I was investigating this crime scene alongside Ivy. Every person she interviews gives you clues, but who can you believe? Who is lying and who is telling the truth? Who is the murderer? Did they act alone? Or was the bride’s death really a tragic accident?

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ivy goes to help her friend Jenna with a wedding. During the dinner the night before the wedding, the bride falls to her death in front of all the guests. The groom was on the balcony with her. Did he push her to her death? Why does Ivy and Jenna feel disquiet about the wedding and the guests?

I liked this story. Ivy had moved from the US to London after her grandmother's death. She hasn't found a job yet so is free to go to her friend's ancestral island. Jenna is short-staffed and asks Ivy to help. I like that Ivy pitches in wherever she is needed. I also liked Jenna's concern that Ivy is investigating the death. Jenna is not happy when Ivy is injured during her investigations. I loved that Ivy ends up with a Great Dane puppy at the end of the weekend, but I understand why she does.

While Ivy could put the clues together, I needed the explanation at the end. It made sense though it was simple. I look forward to more of this series.

[Jerry Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted Wedding doesn’t qualify as a fast-paced read, a page turner, only because of the author’s use of weird spelling in the dialogue of two of the main characters, Jenna and her brother Drew. Both speak with a heavy Scottish Brogue and Haze attempts to show this by using words like tae, dinnae, cannae, and wernae. This slows the reader’s progress down because he/she has to stop and figure out what was being said. Thankfully, all the other characters speak plain English.

The Twisted Wedding is a well-plotted tale, an enjoyable read once you get past the first few chapters and have figured out what all those strange sounding words mean in plain English. I never would have guessed the way this story ends. Hazel had me guessing about who the actual murderer was right until the end.

I will read more of the books in the Maid Ivy Mystery series.