Laura Durham

Meh. Seriously, the characters were well-drawn and likeable, but the plot was ridiculous. I am prepared to suspend a certain amount of disbelief when reading cozies, but this had zero plausibility. Detective Reese would have shut Annabelle down so fast, it would make your head spin. This isn't some podunk town where everybody knows everybody. It's Washington DC and I would suppose the cops would be a bit more professional than Reese and company. And I think Boyd was a cabinet member or some such. That would have been a big bloody deal and Annabelle, Kate and Richard would all have been taken in for questioning. Honestly, don't write down to your readers.… (altro)

I enjoyed this book not just because the mystery was fun but because the characters were well-developed (for the 1st in the series) as well as the setting - right in my neighborhood so the little details of road names and getting around in traffic were spot on.

Annabelle Archer is a wedding planner and we all know how family and wedding party members can be a bit over the top, so when the MOB is found dead before the cake is cut, the wedding planner (Annabelle) has some damage control to handle.

Will definitely be looking for the next in the series.… (altro)

Since I am pressed for time just going to say that I really enjoyed the first book in this series. It was everything you want a cozy mystery to be. Not gory, funny, and a cast of memorable characters.

The main character is Annabelle Archer, wedding planner. When a demanding mother of the bride ends up murdered on the wedding day (can you imagine) Annabelle starts snooping though everyone tells her to give it up.

Things I loved:

I loved that this took place in Washington D.C. Apparently the author has visited or lived in and around D.C. She actually describes Georgetown, the Key Bridge, and Chevy Chase in accurate terms. I always get a kick out of books that take place in a city I commute to every day.

Annabelle and her sidekicks (her employee Kate and her friend and caterer Richard) are hilarious. Plus all of the food Richard was supposedly making sounded delicious. Too bad no recipes though.

Annabelle being a terrible at times amateur sleuth cracked me up. She definitely has a couple of memorable run-ins with clients and a photographer.

The book was short enough that you didn't feel like it went on overly long. The writing was concise and the flow was okay throughout.

Things I didn't love:
Eh to the detective. I know that all cozy's must have a love interest (so it is written) but the detective was a big snooze to me.

The next door neighbor was aggravating and not in a cute way. In a, too bad she didn't end up maimed way to me.

There is no real why for why Annabelle starts investigating. In most cozy mysteries the first book (so it is written) the main character always is seen as a suspect. The synopsis says that Annabelle's friend Richard is considered one. However, he really isn't and I forget at what percent when the police arrest someone else.… (altro)

Though I enjoy this cozy mystery that takes place in Washington, D.C. I have to say that this one ended up bugging me a lot. The reveal behind the murder was nonsensical and I got really tired of Annabelle's friends telling her who she should go out with. They were aggravating to the extreme to me in this one. I also cannot stand the next door neighbor who invites herself in. Probably because I am an introvert (with extrovert tendencies) I just found myself ready to pummel this person. I with that Annabelle would stand up for herself more and get more of a personality too.

"For Better of Hearse" has Annabelle dealing with another dead body. A loathsome chef is found dead before one of her weddings (seriously how does she still have a job?) and when one of Annabelle's friends is accused she takes it upon herself to investigate. I think my main issue with this series is that there is not a real organic way for Annabelle to keep investigating. She's a wedding planner. Why in the world the police don't warn her for being involved with things is baffling. It's one thing when the main character is a private investigator or something.

I also couldn't stand Annabelle's friends in this one, Richard and Kate were off-putting about a potential love interest. I liked the idea of someone else being interested in Annabelle since I am not a fan of the detective character at all. He's bland and jerky.

The writing is good. I was more interested in the wedding planning details though of the crazy brides to be. I found myself annoyed anytime we went back to the murder mystery cause I really didn't care. Maybe I should just read some chick lit wedding planning romance books or something.

The setting of DC is always a favorite of mine and Durham definitely knows her way around the city. I just find it hard to believe that the rich of DC would not be shunning Annabelle's wedding planning business after two of her weddings have been ruined by dead bodies.… (altro)