The thing that I loved this book is that the protagonist is writing a historical detective story so it's like reading two mysteries in one.
Samantha owns a bookstore and is also a mystery writer. While she is very busy at the store for Christmas shopping is also busy with the preparations for her mother's marriage. Unfortunately the wedding planner hired to help them makes everyone crazy. The situation gets even worse when she is found dead and the main suspect is the future groom for a fight they had had earlier. Sam and her weird group of friends will try to solve the case before the wedding.
Although it is the fourth book in the series you can read it as a standalone, I can't wait to read the previous ones too.
This author is really good, her style is brilliant, engaging, the plot is well developed and intertwined, the characters are adorable, the places are impeccably described that really seem to be there.
Highly recommended

Everybody needs a Nana Jo and she isn't even the main character! Samantha aka Sam former high school English teacher and widow is living her dream of owning the house of her dreams, running the bookstore of her dreams out of said renovated multi purpose house, and writing historic mysteries while dating a charming chef who is on his second career as well. Great character development all around from Sam to Nana Jo, Frank and Dawson, the "girls" or as they rather the "Sleuthing Seniors" book club members, her sister Jenna and of course her Mom. Being a part of a wedding can be incredibly stressful and if it wasn't for the great supporting family members I'm not sure how Sam's Mom would survive or Sam for that matter. The wedding planner from hades is making everyone want to kill her, so someone does. Sam and the Sleuthing Seniors must get to it to solve this one before the irate groom is hauled off to the pokey before the wedding march is performed. LOVED the story can't wait to read another!

This was an excellent mystery novel that definitely made me stop and think, with some red herrings thrown in along the way. Absolutely loved it!

I loved Wed, Read & Dead by V.M. Burns. This is such a fun mystery series because we get two stories in one since the protagonist, Sam, writes her own murder mysteries as well. I get just as invested in what happens to Lady Daphne Marsh and the other characters in her story as I do what happens to Sam and her friends. Honestly, this series just gets better. The mysteries are all intriguing and keep you guessing. I did land on who did it at one point, but I second-guessed myself and thought it was someone else. So, it was a pleasant surprise to see I was right in my initial guess. I hope this series continues for a long time.

Note: I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own.

While this was my first read by V. M. Burns, it won’t be my last!

The main character Sam is a young widow who is starting over with a new love and a couple of new careers – writing British historical cozies (how’s that for specific?) and running a mystery bookstore. Her family and friends who’ve become family are a very important part of her life, so she’s rarely sharing the scene with less than a handful of other people. Between her sassy Nana (who would purse whomp if she knew about my coined term, I’m sure of it), her sister and brother-in-law, her nephews, her mom, her mom’s fiance, her new boyfriend Frank, the Sleuthing Seniors (seriously, Irma cracked me up), and the college kids who help out in her store there are a lot of characters to fall in love with. Combined with the suspects and two adorable & heartwarming subplot characters, it could feel a bit crowded but it doesn’t at all. Everyone contributes to the plot in some way and the author maintains a seamless flow.

I also loved how the mystery Sam is writing becomes a story within the story that adds a bit of split-time genre to the mix, as well as helping Sam flesh out the real life mystery as she writes. Burns is clearly multi-talented as “Sam’s” novel is just as entertaining as the “actual” novel.

Bottom Line: Smooth writing, engaging characters, wit, humor (Irma!) and a multi-layered mystery that kept me guessing until very close to the end means I have a new fave author! Add in a bookstore setting & I’m eagerly waiting more books

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Wed, Read & Dead: A Mystery Bookshop Mystery
By V.M. Burns
Kensington
May 2019

Review by Cynthia Chow

In just three weeks, Samantha Washington’s mother will be walking down the aisle with her wealthy fiancé Harold Robertson. He is more than willing to give his bride the Christmas Eve wedding of her dreams, but the arrival of Harold’s snobby relatives threatens to bulldoze over Grace Hamilton’s plans. After sneering over their planned reception and ceremony locations, Harold’s sister-in-law Margaret hires exclusive wedding planner Lydia Lighthouse to take over the event. The pretentious Lydia disregards Grace’s wishes in favor of far more costlier options, but before she can rack up even more enormous fees, Lydia is murdered. Terrified that police will arrest Harold when they learn of his fury over being swindled on wedding deposits, Grace begs her daughter to intervene and investigate. Normally Detective Bradley “Stinky” Pitt would order Sam to stay out police business, but with wealthy big shots and political figures pressuring him to solve the case quickly the detective’s willing to accept all of the help he can get.

To escape from the stress of now having to solve a murder and finish planning her mother’s wedding, Sam retreats into her fictional world of 1930s England. Through writing cozy mysteries documenting the adventures of the Marsh family, Sam works out her personal conflicts and finds peace. Now more than ever does her art imitate life, as Sam has Lady Daphne’s snobbish wedding planner disrupting both the upstairs and downstairs of Wickfield Lodge before the ceremony that is to occur in two weeks. Just as Sam and The Sleuthing Seniors mystery book club follow a trail of infuriated clients and business associates with reasons for wanting to strangle and literally stab the wedding planner in the back, excerpts from Sam’s chapters depict Lady Elizabeth and her family tracking down the disreputable victim’s killer.

While this fourth of the series can be enjoyed any time of the year, its emotional sentiment is perfect for the holiday season. Two orphans appearing in Frank’s restaurant – a situation reflected in Sam’s novel as young siblings flee Hitler – have the childless writer opening up her heart in order to give her charges the best Christmas possible. The entire town of North Harbor, Michigan comes together to create a last-minute wedding, and their generosity and good humor only highlights the pretentiousness of some of Harold’s family. The stress of weddings and Christmas can always be relied upon for humor and shenanigans, and when they are combined here the results are thoroughly enjoyable. Readers are in for an entertaining and genuinely moving mystery full of good-natured banter and a compelling mystery-within-a-mystery. By delivering two strong stories wrapped into one novel, the author more than satisfies fans of cozies and British historical mystery series.

This is one of my favorite series and this latest entry didn't disappoint me. I'm glad I wasn't drinking a beverage when I started it or my e-reader would have drowned. The various shades of pink for the crazy brides maids dresses that Sam has to try on and model had me in stitches. Later, when table clothes come up in conversation, I lost it again. By then I knew who I wanted to be the murder victim. Sam, Nanna Jo, her mom, Grace and her sister all wanted a piece of her. I wanted to join the line, as well. I've become very fond of Grace and I was right there with the others, angry that anyone would reduce her to tears.
In fairly short order, the victim is dispatched but then more trouble comes calling. The local cop isn't very good at his job and this case looks like a slam dunk with Grace's groom set to take the fall for murder. Witnesses heard him threaten to strangle her. To save the wedding and her mother's happiness, Sam, Nana Jo and the gang of students, senior citizens and assorted others all set out help Sam find out who dunnit and fast. It's just three weeks before Christmas and Grace has her heart set on a Christmas Eve wedding. Time is running out.
Sometimes having two story lines alternating can be a put off for me but not when V M Burns writes. At the same time we are following a current murder investigation, Sam is writing about a wedding being planned with the same dates but in 1938. I found myself pulled along from 1938 to now with great anticipation.
If you are new to this series, not to worry, this one stands alone but I'll bet you will want to go back and play catchup with the previous three books. For myself, I have mystery #5, Bookmarked For Murder, on my TBR list.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley, for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is book 4 in the "Mystery Bookshop Series". I have read and enjoyed the entire series which I highly recommend. This series is a delightful blend of books and dogs that all cozy readers will love. The books always include a great sense of humor and likable characters with a fast paced sleuth that keeps me guessing. This was a exciting addition to the series and I highly recommend this book . Any reader that has not read the previous books can easily pick up the story and characters as the author does a excellent job of introducing the key characters in each book.
In this next in series our protagonist Samantha Washington is busy running her mystery bookstore and helping to plan her Mother's wedding to take place on Xmas eve. Sam lives in an apartment above the bookstore along with her two adorable poodles, Oreo and Snickers who are a great addition to the books. Sam is dating Frank Patterson, the proprietor of North Harbor Café. They have a nice relationship but it does not overshadow the story. She has a large extended family including her Grandmother who lives nearby. Her family is close and they often assist her with the bookstore and solving the murder cases she is involved in.
When the wedding planner is murdered and her Moms intended is suspect number one to the police, Same begins to investigate with the help of her feisty Grandma and a group of "sleuthing seniors". She has a wide range of clues and suspects which soon lead her to the right conclusion.
This is such a fun addition to the series. I enjoy the variety of supporting characters and how friendly everyone is . The sleuth is fast paced and kept me guessing. I look forward to the next in series. Thank you to Net Galley and to the publisher for the ARC for review. My opinion is my own.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Samantha’s mom Grace who is set to be married on Christmas Eve to Harold Robertson. With just 3 weeks to make all the arrangements including the dresses for the bride and her daughters who will be her bridesmaids. The family gets together to meet the groom’s family and go over details. That is when his sister-in-law reveals her gift of a wedding planner even as she degrades the bride feeling she is not good enough for her brother-in-law. The wedding planner makes her grand entrance. Lydia Lighthouse flaunts all the lavish wedding she has planned. But her ideas fall short of what the couple wants and come with huge price tags. The groom can certainly afford them but when the planner continues with her plan ignoring Grace, her betrothed becomes livid. Later when Lydia is found dead no one is really shocked but when Harold is named the main suspect, Sam, Nana Jo, and the Sleuthing Seniors gather and use all their resources to find the killer.

Sam also opens her home to some special guests and works on her next book which also features a wedding. It takes place in England in 1938 at the home of Lord William March. And it includes a murder too.

What a fabulous book!

The first chapter was so funny. I was laughing out loud. Things get serious after that but Ms. Burns laces her mysteries with humor and I love that.

The characters in this story are so well crafted. From the youngsters to the seniors and everyone in between. There is a real sense of family in this story. A family that is so inclusive of not just blood relatives but the people that have been brought together through life choices and chances. It warms my heart to witness how Sam and Nana Jo open their hearts to others and how it expounds from there. This group of people comes together for all occasions even to solve a murder. Some investigate, some keep the bookstore going so Sam can pursue leads, while others try to get the wedding plans under control.

Two characters that always steal my heart are Sam’s toy poodles, Snickers, and Oreo. I too have 2 dogs, not poodles, but border collie mixes, one who happens to be named Oreo. In this story, we learn how much Sam’s Oreo enjoyed playing in the snow. His snowful joy mirrored my Oreo perfectly. Snickers doesn’t like the snow much at all and that behavior mirrored my other dog Nerabelle too. It was almost as if Ms. Burns had visited us.

The story includes two mysteries and I love that Sam uses her writing to settle her mind to ponder the clues in her real-life mystery. Both are well-plotted with great twists and turns. New readers to this series will have to get used to the switching back and forth from present day to Sam’s historical mystery but now look forward to it. In fact, I can’t wait for the parallel storyline to start.

Engaging and fun characters, two intriguing mysteries, romance that doesn’t go too far, and great dialogue all make this story so entertaining. I love the bookshop setting too!

I have enjoyed every book in this series and in Ms. Burns Dog Club Mysteries too. So much so, the last book in this series, The Novel Art of Murder was the first book this year to have a place on my Best Reads List for 2019. This book will join it as it now is my favorite book in this series. I can’t wait for the next one!

Love this book and characters. You’re really getting two stories in one. Weddings are usually stressful, but this one, well, it has to rank right up there. Throw in a murder and some other little extras and you have yourself a great story. Nana Jo and “the girls”. They are an absolute hoot! You can’t beat the older generation for a good time. Have you ever had your DNA tested? I think it might be interesting to see what you find out. I loved hanging out with Sam, Frank, Nana Jo, Dawson, and family and friends. Can’t wait till next time! I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

This is the first book I’ve read in the Mystery Bookshop series, and I have no idea why! I have known of the books, and if I check my TBR I’m sure I have the others there. Well, better late than never they say. But oh, the time I have wasted!

From the very first page of WED, READ & DEAD, I enjoyed the flow of the story. Yes. The first page. Can’t you just tell when you start a book rather or not it’s the one for you? I can. The words just seem natural and, well, flowing. Author V.M. Burns certainly has that style of writing I seek out.

From the characters, the location, the theme, and of course the mystery, I can’t find one bad thing to say about WED, READ & DEAD. The wonderfully twisty plot held me captive until the reveal. We’ll I’ve read in some reviews that those readers solved it easily, I myself didn’t see it coming. I love that protagonist Samantha Washington owns a mystery bookstore. It is a dream of mine. I also like that the character is writing a cozy mystery, and we get to read it as well! Kudos to author Burns for writing a book within this book!

I could spend all day listing positive adjectives about WED, READ & DEAD. Instead of doing that I’ll just say this. Read. This. Book! Now I’m off to search my TBR for the first three!

In Wed, Read & Dead, the fourth book in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series, bookstore owner and author Samantha "Sam" Washington is juggling the holiday shopping rush at the bookstore and the upcoming wedding of her mother, Grace Hamilton to Harold Robinson, a member of one of Southwestern Michigan’s wealthiest families. With just three weeks until the nuptials, a wedding planner is hired to orchestrate the special day. But Lydia Lighthouse, touted as the wedding planner to the elite is in reality a planner-zilla intent on staging an extravagant, outlandish affair, steamrolling over the bride’s wishes for a private, elegant wedding. Harold is outraged by Lydia’s bullying behavior toward his beloved Grace and the mounting wedding expenses being incurred—and tells Lydia so in a very heated public conversation. It is thus no surprise that Harold becomes the prime suspect when Lydia is found murdered soon thereafter.

With no time to waste, Sam—together with the formidable Nana Jo and her group of Sleuthing Seniors—springs into action to clear the prospective groom’s name before the wedding. Implementing both the standard and non-conventional research methods they’ve honed through previous investigations, the resourceful team unearths a treasure trove of information, revealing a number of suspects with axes to grind against Lydia. But who among these persons of interest is the killer?

While the Sleuthing Seniors work their connections to dig up dirt on the suspects, Sam once again takes to writing to help her process her thoughts. The latest British cozy mystery novel she’s working on features a plot similar to the crime at hand. Through writing, Sam focuses her attention on connections between the clues, leading the way to resolutions in both “real” life and the novel she is creating.

In the Mystery Bookshop series, Burns has established an inviting bookstore setting and team of close-knit family members and friends who become more endearing with each new book in the series. Their laugh-out loud antics and loyal devotion to one another are delightful to behold. Rounding out the cast of characters are Sam's two faithful poodles, Snickers and Oreo, who appear on the series' book covers.

Also of note is Burns’s "novel within a novel" technique, which has Sam writing cozy murder mysteries set in England between the two world wars. It is thus that readers are actually following the developments in two murder mysteries—one in the present day and one in the last century. I've read three of the four books in the series (note to self: track down and read book #2), and am of the opinion that Burns’s novels demonstrate cozy mystery writing at its very best.

Wed, Read And Dead is the fourth book in the Mystery Bookshop Mysteries series.

Samantha “Sam” Washington’s mother, Grace, is planning on getting married in three weeks and if Sam has to try on one more, less than beautiful, bridesmaid dress, she will scream. Grace is more concerned with meeting her husband-to-be, Harold Roberstson’s family. Her fears were well-founded when she met her future sister-in-law, Margaret. Margaret is snobbery personified and looked down on Grace and the rest of her family. As a wedding gift for Grace and Harold, she had hired a wedding planner. Big mistake!! The Wedding Planner, Lydia Lighthouse seems to more interested in lining her pockets with Harold’s money, rather than planning the wedding that Grace wants. Soon, Lydia’s body is found, having been strangled with her scarf. Sam and her Senior Sleuths begin to investigate who might have killed her, as Harold had a big argument the day before her body was found.

Sam, in addition to running her bookstore and a little sleuthing from time to time, is also an aspiring author. Early in her writing career, Sam has learned that if she works on her book set in the 1930’s English countryside it helps her deal with the current mystery. So, we get a story inside a story. The English countryside mystery center around Lord William Marsh and his wife Lady Elizabeth and their nieces, Lady Daphne and Lady Penelope.

I love this series, it is well-written and has a wonderful cast of characters. The book reads at a good pace. The Senior Sleuths are a real hoot and will have you laughing at their antics. Most all of the characters from previous books are back once again to give help and support to Sam.

I can’t wait for the next book in this very enjoyable book. The next book is Bookmarked For Murder and will be out in November of this year.

Art Imitates Life in This Episode
This is the fourth book of this series. As in the prior episodes, the reader is getting 2 mysteries in one as our heroine solves a mystery in her life, she is also writing a British country mystery that the reader also gets to enjoy. Both stories are fun to read. The plots and their execution are very entertaining. There is a lot going on in both stories but they are never confusing. I have enjoyed reading this series and it is one of my favorites. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

I swear each book in this series is even better then the one before! It is like getting two books for the price of one. We get the current time mystery being solved my Sam the owner of the mystery bookstore while she also writes a historical cozy for us to follow. Provides a great taste of both for the reader to savor though the main mystery gets the most page time as it should. Sam's mom is getting married to a really rich man in a short amount of time. Well of course this causes tension as the two worlds collide. Add in a wedding planner from hell to really get the story moving. I must say I was rooting for her demise so I was quite pleased when it happened. The twists were great as the clues popped up being found by all the quirky friends and family helping her. I need a Nana Jo like hers. that woman is such a hoot!! if you are looking for a fantastic cozy to while away the afternoon look no further then this gem. I totally loved it so I give it 5/5 stars.

This is the fourth book in the Mystery Bookshop series. It opens directly after book 3 finishes. Sam's mother announced her intention to marry Harold at the end of book 3 and now she wants to be married by Christmas, which is 3 weeks away. Harold's sister-in-law brings in a wedding planner who seems a bit shady. A couple of days later the wedding planner is dead. Harold is a suspect because he was very angry about the wedding planner making Sam's mom cry.
Sam needs to find out who the killer is STAT so that her mother's wedding can proceed. As she learns more about Lydia Lighthouse, the wedding planner, Sam starts a new mystery set in 1938 England that parallels the events of real life.
I love how we get two mysteries in one book with this series. As always, the main group of characters are engaging and fun. There is no sadness for the victim in this case because she truly wasn't a nice person...not that I would encourage murder as a solution. She just needed to be stopped.
There are lots of details that would allow someone to pick up the fourth book and read it as a standalone, but the true pleasure comes from reading this series from the first book.

I hate to give poor reviews; however, this book has a modern-day murder to solve, at the same time, "Sam" is writing a book that takes place in 1938! Obviously too dull, or she could have stayed in modern times. I became frustrated with her lack of time with her boyfriend, Frank. In my opinion, he deserves better. I should have known by how long it took me to read; I should have stopped, gone on to another book! A good book, I can read in three to five hours, this one drug on, for what seems like forever.
Thank you Netgalley.
carolintallahassee.com

Now, who killed the wedding planner?
Wed, Read & Dead by V.M. Burns is the fourth book in this beautiful series. Ms. Burns has created a fascinating world filled with wonderful characters. It’s a gripping tale especially the way she intersperses the story with the book that the main character is writing.

What I like:
• The story is written in the first-person narrative that works well with every single one of Ms. Burns novels. We get to know more about the main character, and I liked being able to learn about her this way. Sam is a pretty awesome character.
• I love that Sam is not only a cozy mystery writer, but she also owns and lives above her mystery bookstore. That is a bookworm’s dream.
• Sam is a very caring person and takes in children that she think needs help in this book. Of course, she is trying to solve a mystery and get a wedding organized in three weeks.
• Her grandma and her grandma’s friends are so awesome and are a hoot. I especially love Irma.
• I solved the mystery ahead of the sleuth, and I am so proud of myself. Granted I didn’t fully know the reason but once I did figure it out it all made sense.

What I don’t like:
I don’t have any dislikes about this story since I loved it so much. Well except for Detective Pitts he isn’t a nice person, but you need someone like him to make real.

Five Star
Wed, Read & Dead by V.M. Burns is an excellent book. Ms. Burns has a great series with these wonderfully developed characters, charming setting and adorable poodles, Snickers and Ores. I am putting the first three books of this series on my TBR list. I am giving it a five-star rating and recommending it to anyone that likes cozy mysteries. Seriously, you will like it.

Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by,
Karen the Baroness.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tour. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

If you would like to read more reviews like this one please go to baronessbooktrove.com

This is the fourth book in the Mystery Bookshop series and the first that I read. I will now go back and read this series from the beginning. This is a character driven, humorous, cozy mystery with so much going on, I had no problem whipping through this book. The main murder does not take place until about 30% of the way in, but that did not deter my enjoyment of this story. Sam's and Jenna's mother is getting married to wealthy Harold and he will do whatever it takes to make his bride-to-be happy. She really does not know what she wants in this wedding, but only has three weeks to plan it. I laughed loudly during the scene of Sam trying on bridesmaid dresses in bubble gum pink. When she falls over, I almost did the same. Not only is there the mystery of the murder, but there is a side mystery about two runaway children which just about broke my heart. I love the characters in this story. I would love to meet Nana Jo, Dorothy, Ruby Mae and Irma and spend time with them, they are so quirky and hilarious. I love their sleuthing and they all just happen to know someone. Frank, Sam's boyfriend is also a great character, but so are all the rest. V.M. Burns has penned an enjoyable story. The plot kept me hooked, but it is the characters that will keep me reading this series. So, two mysteries in one, humour, adorable kids that will break your heart, sassy seniors, the MC owns a bookstore and lots of food all add up to a wonderful cozy mystery that I can't recommend enough. Pick this one up, you won't be disappointed.

Sam Washington runs a mystery bookstore with help from her grandmother, Nana Jo, her twin nephews, and Dawson, the student she took in several books ago (the series starts with The Plot is Murder). In the latest volume she’s also preparing to be a bridesmaid at her mother’s wedding – at least, that is, until a body shows up!

True to the series, one of their friends/family is top of the list of suspicions – and Sam and the ‘Silver Sleuths’ must solve the crime quickly enough to keep that person out of jail and the wedding from being ruined.

I largely enjoyed this book. It doesn’t vary vastly from the previous three, with regular breaks to read bits of Sam’s own ‘period English’ mystery. These provide a bit of a break, a comparison that makes the rest of the book look better (sorry, Sam!), but most importantly a way for Sam’s subconscious to start solving the real-life mystery.

However, as the ‘who why and how dunnit’ elements start to be revealed, it all felt very familiar. I don’t pay enough attention to my cosy reads to pinpoint it exactly, but I could’ve sworn the same plot had been used elsewhere.

Still, I think what I like most about it all is how nice the group is, supportive of each other, making this a lovely as well as non-taxing kind of a read. There are times for that!