"Bridal Bedlam" By Hazel Smith: Review/Giveaway

Review by Tracy Condie

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win an ebook copy of this book and a link to purchase it.

In book 7of the Maid Ivy Cozy mystery series, Ivy will be stepping into a different sort of maid role. Ivy is the maid-of-honor for her Scottish friend Jenna, and the wedding party will be staying at Hotel LaFontaine. Ivy and Jenna had quite the adventure in Twisted Wedding, a Maid Ivy prequel, and Ivy is so excited to help Jenna have the wedding of her dreams. Alas, all too quickly that dream becomes a nightmare when the wedding photographer, Clifford Hill, is found dead in the ballroom shortly after the wedding party arrives at the hotel.


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This and the other books in the series are stand-alone cozies so there is no need to read the prequel to see how close Ivy and Jenna are. I couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting to be friends with Ivy. She is a Midwestern girl with mad cleaning skills and a good head on her shoulder thanks to her Gramma Stone. Ivy is also incredibly kind and looks for the good and bright in situations. Unless those situations involve murder then she is looking for clues. Ivy isn’t alone in her sleuthing. In addition to her furry sidekick, Monty, the Great Dane, Ivy also has Élise, Moira, and Kat who are friends as well as coworkers.

Ivy has several suspects to choose from when she isn’t busy balancing her maid-of-honor duties and her head-housekeeper duties. Our author did a great job of creating a soon to be Monster-in-law who is a very likely suspect. Clifford’s body has not even left the building, before Pauline Elloway, the aforementioned MIL, hires a replacement photographer. Surely it could have waited or been left to the efficient wedding planner, Imogen. Susan Klein, the replacement photographer, has nothing good to say about the deceased and seems a little smug about getting the job. The groom’s sister, Addison, on the other hand, seems somewhat distraught and bothered by the murder. Secrets abound but that is nothing new for Ivy. One thing she has learned while working among the rich and elite is that everyone has something they are trying to hide, like the aloof best man, Thatcher Witherspoon, whose gaze seems to linger a little more on Jenna than one would expect. This wedding seems to run into more than the usual hiccups, but Ivy is determined to see to it that Jenna and Clyde make it to the church on time.

Ms. Smith delivers a well-crafted cozy that checks all the boxes while keeping you entertained, guessing, and craving really good food. Thankfully, this story has the recipe for Simple Canapes like the ones Moira served during the dinner at the start of the story. My advice is to turn to the recipes first, so you have a little something to nosh on because you won’t want to put this book down until you know who did the deed.

To enter to win an ebook copy of Bridal Bedlam, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line "bedlam,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen January 25, 2025. US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via comment please include your email address so we can contact you. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section in Kings River Life and in our mystery category here on KRL News & Reviews. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. And check out our new mystery podcast which features mystery short stories and first chapters read by local actors! A new episode goes up next week.

You can click here to purchase this book.

 

Tracy Condie is a paralegal by day and cozy armchair sleuth by night. When she is not working or reading, she enjoys preparing the recipes found in culinary cozies or researching recipes of meal items described therein and sharing reviews of both books and food on Instagram and on KRL. She lives in Corona, California with her husband and dog Zoolie, and looks forward to visiting with their grown sons when their time permits.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.

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