Murder in White Lace by Karen Sue Walker

I’ve read lots of cosy mysteries. Coffee stores, yarn stores, bakers. None of the settings have given me nearly so much joy as the bridal boutique managed by Max. Brides come in looking for a dress and then Max makes their dreams come true. Even for Tiffany, the Goth who is in love with an accountant.

Every bride-to-be, except Jennifer. She is rude, demanding, and constantly changing her mind. At last, she’s happy with her wedding gown – then falls down dead in the fitting room. Suddenly, the supporting cast of hundreds (individually charming but a bit overwhelming) insist that Max investigate, because apparently she’s great at that. The sexy police detective insists she leave it to the professionals before she even decides to ask around, but as they come across as incompetent and short-sighted, I don’t blame her for doing her own thing. If a threatening note comes while you have the alleged killer in custody, might that not be a hint that you have the wrong person?

Murder in White Lace follows all the rules of a classic cosy mystery: small town murder, main character investigates to clear own name or name of friend, lots of suspects with motive, main character considers leaving but eventually stays due to friendly persuasion or act of God, and romantic lead is set up for following books.

The strength of this book lies in the setting and the characters. The bridal boutique, as mentioned previously, is adorable, and Crystal Shores comes across as a town where everyone knows everything about everyone. It’s not gossip if it’s just two friends catching up, you know? There are a lot of supporting characters in this series and most of them drop by the store early on to be introduced – I probably should’ve noted them down because they pop up again at game nights and at restaurants. Their abundance does not make them any less charming, however, and I hope they stay in Crystal Shores.

I wasn’t terribly impressed with the chemistry between Max and Detective Cruz and the ending was a tad bittersweet for my tastes, but you know what? I enjoyed this book. It’s fun, fluffy, and fashionable, and I look forward to reading the next one.

Four fashionable stars

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.