When I selected Karen Sue Walker’s “Murder in White Lace,” I knew it would follow the same old format found in cozy mysteries, but I was ready for something quick and light.
Max Walters returned to her hometown of Crystal Shores, California, almost a year ago. She’d moved to New York to work in one of the big fashion design houses with hopes of working her way up to designer, but so far she’d been relegated to the pattern shop. When her mother was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, Max came home to care for her.
It has been six months since her mom passed away, but Max is still living above her dad’s garage and working at Wedding Belles Bridal Shop. The shop owner has finally taken a vacation, leaving Max in charge.
Max is capable of running the shop, but she could really use an assistant. Especially now. Jennifer Burns is getting married for the third time, and she’s an absolute “Bridezilla,” making Max cringe at the thought of her final fitting.
Jennifer grew up with nothing, but managed to use two marriages to climb the financial ladder. Now a successful real estate agent and properties owner, Jennifer has a well-earned reputation for being difficult. She’s marrying local musician Chad Stevenson and insists the wedding be perfect. During what was to be her final fitting, she demands Max make major changes to her gown and have it ready by 8 p.m. Eager to get rid of the woman, Max agrees.
She is a little surprised when her friend Andy’s wife, Stacy, drops off last-minute cake samples for Jennifer to try. Andy and Stacy will be taking over his family’s bakery. Within minutes of donning her gown, Jennifer collapses. She is rushed to the hospital but dies soon after.
Detective Jason Cruz tells her that Jennifer was poisoned, and the suspect list is a long one. Max has a reputation for “finding” things. She chalks it up to being observant and a bit snoopy, but others insist she has a special skill.
When Andy is arrested, Max is certain that he is innocent, but Detective Cruz has warned her to stay out of it. Max tries, but her friends just keep giving her information that simply must be checked out.
Max had been wishing for an assistant, so when a Japanese/American college student arrives and more or less takes over, Max is pleased and confused. Something about Keiko spurs Max to reexamine many of her life choices.
Keiko’s presence helps Max juggle running the shop with the news that her old boss wants to hire her back as an assistant designer and the need to find out who killed Jennifer and why.
A conversation with Cruz convinces Max that he doubts Andy’s guilt, too. The police believe the texts between Jennifer and Andy are proof of an affair, but Max knows that Andy is devoted to Stacy. There must be another explanation. When she finally gets to speak with Andy, he tells her that there was no affair. He was planning to surprise Stacy by purchasing her dream home, and Jennifer was his real estate agent.
Max is relieved to confirm her friend’s innocence but must face the fact that a murderer is still hiding in Crystal Shores. The case comes to a sudden end when Stacy barges into the shop with plans to kill Max. She’d found the texts from Jennifer and assumed Andy was cheating with her. In a jealous rage Stacy put the poison in the cake samples and almost got away with it.
During a celebration dinner Max announces that she has decided to stay in Crystal Shores and use her many talents to design and create custom gowns and spend time with the best friends a person could have. I’m sure book two will continue in the same vein.
This can be a hectic time of year. Let your public library help you relax with a good book or two. Just go in soon and check it out.
AT A GLANCE
Book: “Murder in White Lace” (Bridal Shop Mysteries, Book 1)
Author: Karen Sue Walker
Publisher: Laragray Press
Year published: 2016
Number of pages: 190
Bridezilla is murdered; Max hunts down killer
