Christmas. animals and a murder three ingredients for a delightful mystery. Well written plot. A new author to me and I will be reading more of her books. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Wedding Planner Mallory Shepard is working with the March family on a few events including Olivia March’s wedding and a Paws and Poinsettias fundraiser for the Port Quincy Animal Shelter. Olivia is Mallory’s best friend and her family has recently come to town to do a large real estate development.

Mallory’s mom and step-dad have returned to Port Quincy too and her mom can’t wait to go back to work. She decides she wants to work for the March development group staging their new homes and wants Mallory to help her get the job. The problem is they already have a stager. Carole doesn’t back down, in fact, she works with just one member of the March family and changes all the decorations for the Paws and Poinsettias event without letting Mallory or the rest of the family know. The company’s current stager and Mallory had work hard to create the perfect theme and they are not happy.

When the stager dies suddenly at the party, the punch is suspect and so is Carole. Again, Mallory’s juggling talents come into play as she tries to solve the murder, put on a wedding, find a missing cat, locate some missing toys, handle unexpected guests, and find how a baby left in a manger 30 years ago ties into everything else happening this holiday season in Port Quincy.

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Let me just start by saying I now see Blue Hawaiian Punch and my favorite Blue Hawaiian Cocktail in a completely different way now that I know how easily they can become a weapon of murder!

I continue to be amazed by Mallory Shepard. Within this story, it seems everything is thrown at her but the kitchen sink but she handles it all with just a bit of assistance from her sister Rachel. Mallory is a strong protagonist. Working with family is tough but she and Rachel are pulling it off. It is made difficult this time when their mother and step-dad move into the B&B while they look for a new home. All these characters are well-written and are constantly evolving. The family dynamics are believable and fluid, especially when more unexpected guests need a place to stay.

Ms. Blackmoore fills these pages with drama and excitement. I loved the holiday theme and all the holiday events taking place. She blends mystery with family, friendship, romance, and humor in an entertaining way. We get to know the new characters a bit before the murder takes place. Then the author serves up twist after twist and assorted clues that are sure to keep all readers guessing. I really thought I was on the right trail only to have another clue explained to show me I was totally wrong. Driven to get the family under one roof for the holidays really drove the key character to solve the case.

Marry Christmas Murder is a fast-paced story that entangles several threads but Blackmoore unites them all by the end and just in time for a Merry Christmas!

The Wedding Planner Mysteries can all be read on their own, but I encourage you to read them all for maximum enjoyment.

Marry Christmas Murder is an engaging cosy mystery with several twists and turns. I loved several of the characters, which is well written and the book had a nice Christmas feel to it without being overly cheesy.

I have enjoyed every book in this series and #5 may be my favorite. Mallory has a stressful job as a wedding planner but she loves it despite all that can go wrong. Normally one thinks of bridezilla's and control freak mother of the bride as the usual problems but homicide isn't on the list unless it's in a cozy mystery. Mallory was putting things together for her friend Olivia's wedding in March and now, at Christmas, the big event is a charity event called Paws and Pointsettias. Soon enough Mallory is having to deal with much more than that. Olivia decides she wants to get married on December 23 - okay, that's workable. Then her parents show up and say they are staying - again, that's good. Things start to go pear shaped when her mother pulls a stunt that angers the house stager. Mom wants the job and goes behind the scenes and changes things that the current stager has set up. Not nice but would that conflict lead Mallory's mother to commit murder? It sure has landed her as prime suspect.
The characters are well defined and are people I wouldn't mind spending time with. Family and friends show their strong relationships and their support of each other. There is a very good puzzle with fair clues plus some red herrings as a deflection. This entry can easily be read as a stand alone but, if you are new to this series, go get the previous books and binge read them. I'm ready for the next mystery.

Marry Christmas Murder by Stephanie Blackmoore is book five in the Wedding Planner Mystery series. This is a great series. It can be read as a stand alone but you will want to read them all!
Mallory is serving a dinner tasting for the Spring wedding for her friend , Olivia March, at her B&B that is decked out for Christmas when a bomb is dropped, Olivia wants the wedding moved before Christmas.! Since she is willing to cut the guest list to family and only close friends, Mallory is confident she can pull it off and the date is changed to December 23rd. Now add her mother and step-father moving back to Port Quincy from Florida and staying at the B&B.
Mallory is also assisting the head stager for March Homes at a fundraiser when her mother goes behind their back and changes all of the decorations as she wants hired as a part time stager for the company. That night the stager ends up dead from drinking an anti-freeze spiked punch. Mallory knows it's just a matter of time before her mother is arrested for the murder since all signs point to her.
Blackmoore gives plenty of twists and turns in this well written cozy. You have great characters, romance, humor, family love, and friendship. There are recipes included.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Kensington Books for an honest review.

Marry Christmas Murder is the fifth book in Wedding Planner Mystery series.

Mallory and her sister, Rachel, are quite busy preparing or the Christmas season with their family and at the same time planning a charity event, Paws and Poinsettia, and the wedding of her friend Olivia. Then things start to go wrong, Mallory and Rachel’s parents have arrived planning on moving permanently back to Port Quincy, at the Paws and Poinsettia auction, a stager, Lacey Adams, for March homes and sponsor of the event, dies from a poisoned drink and Olivia wants to move the wedding to December 23rd, just a week away.

Mallory’s mother replaces Lacey at March Homes and when a bottle of antifreeze the type of poison used on Lacey, mom becomes the prime suspect. Now Mallory has to work to clear her mother’s name. A subplot to the story involves Garrett, the man is she is looking forward to having a relationship with has been offered teaching position in Pittsburgh. His job would take him far away enough that they would have to have a weekend relationship and Mallory doubts that will work. She doesn’t want to lose Garrett and his teenage daughter, Summer.
It’s always enjoyable to visit with the residents of Port Quincy to visit with the wonderful residents. This book has a well-written and plotted story with plenty of twists and turns and red herrings.

Delicious sounding recipes are also included with this book.

I will be watching for the next book in the series.

Marry Christmas Murder by Stephanie Blackmoore is the 5th book in the Wedding Planner Mystery series, and another great book. Mallory Shepard and her sister Rachel have opened the bed and breakfast and wedding planner business in Port Quincy, Pennsylvania. Mallory is busy planning the Christmas Eve gala, Paws and Poinsettias, to help the animal shelter. On top of that Mallory's friend Olivia, and moved up her wedding to December 23rd, what could possibly go wrong? There is not a dull moment in this book, not only is this book funny, it has a great mystery. There are twists and turns around every corner. Just when I thought I figured out the murderer/thief is, it changes. I found this book to be a quick read, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I have read all the books in the series, and am never disappointed. If you love cozy mysteries full of quirky characters and a likable protagonist, I strongly recommend this book/series.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Kensington Publishing. Thank you.

The Wedding Planner Mysteries by Stephanie Blackmoore have been a delightful must-read series for me from the first book. Marry Christmas Murder, the fifth book in the series, yields a tense mystery but still maintains the fun interaction between the sisters, the adorable Summer who is growing up too fast, and the winsome and hot Garrett. The girls have maintained a family holiday tradition my closing the B&B to both guests and weddings just before Christmas but when Mallory’s best friend insists on moving her wedding up to Christmas week, Mallory and Rachel can’t refuse. The change would be tough enough since time is so limited, but the death of an employ of the bride’s family complicates matters even more, especially when it looks like their mother is the most likely suspect. No matter how much they trust Truman to find the real killer, the twosome can’t help digging into the other possibilities. It seems that everyone is throwing suspicion on people that Mallory had not even considered leaving her perplexed and frustrated.

The mystery had me hooked the whole time and there was no way I could figure out all the nuances. I love that in a mystery. Since I always suspect everyone, I did hit on at least part of the resolution, but there were some real surprises at the end.

I requested and received an ARC of Marry Christmas Murder from Kensington Publishing via NetGalley. I enjoy sharing my delight in books through reviews and have done so since long before I knew what an ARC was. Books and authors deserve the recognition brought by reader reviews.
#MarryChristmasMurder #NetGalley #Kensington

Mallory Shepard usually plans weddings but she is also using her skills to organize a Christmas Eve charity function for her best friend, Olivia. Mallory's mom thinks the event could be a springboard for even more work. However, Mallory has to put everything she is doing on hold to protect her mom's innocence when she becomes the prime suspect in a murder.

I've read one other book in the series and really enjoyed this one with its Christmas theme. The book is fast-paced and kept my interest because of the storyline as well as the characters. The main plot, as well as all the side plots, are all entertaining. Of all the characters, I especially like Mallory and her sister Rachel and how they interact and how well they work together. I like how everything is resolved by the end and look forward to reading other books in this charming series.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Kensington Books. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Merry Christmas Murder by Stephanie Blackmoore is the fifth book in The Wedding Planner Mystery series but can be read as a standalone.

In this particular installment Mallory and Rachel are busy with organizing Mallory's best friend Olivia's wedding.
Olivia's family is in real estate and since Mallory's mother has decided to settle in Port Quincy for good,she is trying to snag the position in their company to stage the homes.
That doesn't sit well with the person who is currently holding that position. So when she ends up dead, Mallory's mother ends up being the prime suspect.
Again Mallory can't help it but involve herself in the investigation to clear her mother's name.

I like that there is natural progression of the characters through the series. Their personal and professional lives are moving forward and both are very relatable and likable characters.
We also get to know the small community of Port Quincy as some old characters appear again and again.
I appreciate that book is not overcome with wedding details as they might not appeal to all readers, it touches lightly on wedding preparations and whole craziness that goes with it but in never overshadows the mystery.

Mystery is as always engaging and absorbing, the pace of the book is fast and there is never a dull moment.
Author provides enough twist and turns and red herrings to keep readers drown in.

Another gem in a highly successful series.

Mallory KNOW her mom Carole didn't kill Lacey in order to get her job as a house stager. For sure. Mallory's already got a lot on her plate given that her friend Olivia moved her wedding up from the spring to Christmas and she's the one doing the planning. She can't however, let her mom take the rap for poisoning Leah so she, along with her sister Rachel and her future father in law Truman untangle the case to find the real villain. This a fun series featuring a delightful pair of sisters and some slightly implausible plot lines. Would you hire a wedding planner who seems to be dealing with murder at every turn? Well, you should because Mallory is an ace at both. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. This would be fine as a standalone but I know I'm looking forward to the next one!

Marry Christmas Murder is the fifth installment in the Wedding Planner Mystery series featuring Mallory Shepard and her sister Rachel, owners of the Thistle Park B & B located in the small town of Port Quincy, PA. Mallory is excited to be planning for the Spring wedding of her best friend Olivia March and preparing for the upcoming Paws and Poinsettias, animal charity event hosted by Olivia's family.

The March family has a reputation for being shrewd land developers and now that they've made their way to Port Quincy and purchased large tracts of land, some of the townspeople are not too happy. A huge part of their development business is the home staging department, and it seems that current designer Lacey Adams is having issues with some March family members. When Mallory's mother, Carole announces that she and her husband have sold their home in Florida and are moving back to Port Quincy full time, Mallory and Rachel are pleasantly surprised. That is until Carole announces that she wants the designer's job and Lacey drops dead at the Paws and Poinsettias event, leaving all fingers pointing to Carole as the killer.

Desperate to get her mother out of jail before Christmas, Mallory sets out with the help of beau Garrett Davies and his father Chief of Police Truman Davies to clear her mother's name. A fast paced plot that includes a baby in a manger, twisted and sinister family dynamics, a shotgun wedding and a relationship put to the test.

I received an advanced copy of Marry Christmas Murder from NetGalley via Kensington Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

A good cozy mystery, well written and engrossing.
The cast of characters is well written, the plot is entertaining and the mystery is full of twists and turns.
It was a pleasant read as the other novels in this series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is the 5th installment in the Wedding Planner mystery series. I have read the previous books in series and highly recommend this entire series. This can be read as a stand alone if you have not read the previous books. This is my favorite so far of the series and the perfect holiday murder mystery !
Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My opinion is my own.

In this next in series our favorite protagonist Mallory Shepard is excited to be preparing a Xmas theme wedding gala for her best friend Olivia but all is not going well ! Olivia has pressure from her entire family in town for the event and they are sponsoring a event called "Paws and Poinsettias"--a benefit for the Port Quincy animal shelter. They are big in real estate development and well connected in the area with home staging as part of their business. Mallory's Mom is driving her to distraction trying to convince Mallory to use her connections with them to hire her business of home staging with their company and the current home staging company is not happy with Mallory's Mom . In the midst of the two events a murder occurs and Mallory's Mom is prime suspect number one ! Now Mallory must step up to investigate to save her Mom and the wedding !

This is such a exciting mystery with so many sub plots I was unable to stop reading until the last page.
I love the charcters, the setting and the Christmas theme done to perfection. I loved this addition to the series and look forward to further books by this talented author. This is the perfect introduction to the holiday season!

There were so many twists and turns in this holiday whodunnit, it nearly made me dizzy! All the family skeletons are uncovered - some literally. A thoroughly enjoyable book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not paid for this review.

Marry Christmas Murder is a great Christmas cozy mystery with interesting characters and storyline. The book is well written and I would read more by this author.

This is the 5th installment in the Wedding Planner mystery series. Mallory Shepard thinks she has until Spring to plan her friend Olivia's wedding and take some time to enjoy the holidays this December. Well like all well made plans it never works out. Olivia moves her wedding up to December and then her Mother sells her house in Florida and moves back home. She also has a murder to solve when her Mother becomes a prime suspect in a house stager that was poisoned. Good series and this was well paced with plenty of suspects but keeps you guessing until the very end. Good holiday cozy.

Mallory Shepard is planning her best friend’s Spring wedding, but first she plans to spend the holidays with her family. At least that was the plan before Olivia moves the wedding up to December 23rd. Being the friend that she is, Mallory agrees to the change in date, even if it’s less than two weeks away, figuring she can manage this during the holiday. Well, that is until her Mother comes to town and says that they’ve sold their home in Florida and are moving to Port Quincy.

Things don’t go quite as planned when Mom decides she is going back to come out of retirement to work again AND the woman whose job her Mother was gunning for is poisoned. That takes a lot more of Mallory’s time as she tries to solve a murder to keep her Mom out of prison, works on a few holiday events in addition to the wedding, and has a personal come to Jesus about her relationship with her boyfriend.

This is an enjoyable series and one that I look forward to each new entry. There are lots of suspects and red herrings to keep you guessing whodunit until close to the end, so cozy lovers, what are you waiting for? No need to have read the previous books in the series, though they will be on your list after reading this one.

First time I've read this author, so I am coming into this series. late. That being said, I never really felt lost about what was going on. I'm sure if I read them in order I would get more out of the character's back story. I did enjoy the mystery. I liked all of the characters and the setting. I have put this on the list for my library to purchase.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The holidays are normally filled with cheer, but in this story the punch is spiked with murder and mystery. With perfectly woven sub plots throughout, this installment is the perfect compliment to the series.