Missy Dubois is trying to plan her wedding, when murder gets in the way! Hopefully, she'll "make it to the church" on time. A murdered groom and a killer who has Missy in their sights makes for a "keep you reading" book!

This is the first book in The Missy Dubois series I've read. I enjoyed the mystery, characters and the wedding theme. I love "red herrings" and the book was full of them. The groom was an unpleasant person and there were many suspects and all had reasons for wanting to murder him. The partnership/friendship between Detective Lance LaPorte and Missy enhanced the book while they were crossing suspects off their list.

I love cozy mysteries set in the South and the Louisiana location provided the perfect atmosphere for a mystery! I'll be catching up on Missy's sleuthing while waiting for the next book!

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The sixth book in the "A Missy Dubois Mystery "milliner series What The Hatmaker Heard,
by Sandra Bretting is out now. This is a delightful series about a hatmaker and her many adventures into murder. Readers are thrilled with this latest addition.

This isn't Missy's first time creating a unique veil for a bride, and hopefully, it won't be her last either. As a milliner, Missy excels, but investigating murders seems to have become her forte. Her talent with her creations is known far and wide, but so is her apparent ability to find dead bodies. This time she finds the groom dead and a plethora of suspects. Every character is a suspect, right down to the groom's parents and sister. Missy's fiance plays a small part in this book, but he shines in the last chapter.

The motive and the subsequent perpetrator aren't too hard to figure out, but the red herrings and twists keep readers turning the page to find out if they are right. I wish there had been more about Missy's hat shop, and the author would have described her milliner work in more depth. For a first time reader of this series, it would bode well for a bit more background on Missy and the supporting cast.

Overall I enjoyed What The Hatmaker Heard and would be happy to read the next addition to the series. I highly recommend this book and series to readers who enjoy a different profession, like that of a milliner, and those who like fashion or wedding themes in their cozies.

Missy is busy as always during the hot and harried holy marimonial season and this one is no difference. Barely time to see to the preparations of her own upcomig nuptials, Missy is doing her best to be the milliner with the mostest. This title definetly describes this mystery as Missy proves again that she has a knack for being in the right place and sometimes the wrong place but at the right time. How was she to know that when she went looking for the wayward groom she would find hime dead in the silo She should most likely be put on retainer by her good friend, Detective Lance LaPorte as she solves yet another mystery in the midst of wedding mayhem. Missy's character helps me to remember that gentility is very useful and sometimes it is better to just "bless their hearts," that to be put off by people who seem to not be acting in a normal fashon. While Missy is dong her level best to help the bride and her family to cope with the death of the groom she manages to not loose it all when she learns about her own wedding plans going astray. I could 100% sympathize with Missy's situation, I have actually been there done that only mine was not an electrical issue but a mechanical one. I think that if you combined the various ladies from Designing Women and a little bit of Jessica Fletcher with a sprinkle of Charlie's Angels you would end up with Missy. These stories are definelty stand along and every single one is as enjoyable as the one before it. The story has plenty of suspects with and a few red herrings that will make you second guess yourself while armchair sleuthing.

I enjoyed the descriptions of the locale and how the cakemaker made up a 'display' cake as a trial run, as well as the cast of characters and the twists within the story. The murder was discovered, but not dwelt on; no grisly details, but just enough info regarding the method. I had hoped for more descriptions of the hats she was working on. She mentioned various veils, but not much on the hats. Perhaps she did in the previous books. Overall, it was well written and a satisfying cozy mystery.

Reviewed on Amazon, but it's not posted/approved yet

What the Hatmaker Heard is the fifth book in Sandra Bretting’s Missy DuBois Mystery series. I love the Louisiana setting, Southern charm, and humor in this book. The characters are well developed, and the mystery is interesting. The book is well written, and the twists, red herrings, and several suspects keep the reader engaged.

Melissa “Missy” DuBois is a custom hat maker, and her best friend and fiancé, Ambrose “Bo” Jackson, is a wedding gown designer in Bleu Bayou, Louisiana. Lorelei Honeycutt, Crowning Glory’s newest client, is worried about walking down the aisle and asks Missy to attend the rehearsal dinner as well as the wedding. The groom, Wesley Carmichael, who wasn’t feeling well, didn’t attend the rehearsal dinner, and when he seemed to be missing the next day, Lorelei’s mother asks Missy to help Darryl Tibodeaux, the Cajun groundskeeper, look for him. Unfortunately, they found his body in one of the water towers on the property. Missy has the unfortunate ability to find dead bodies, so when she calls her childhood friend, Lance LaPorta, who is a detective with the Louisiana State Police Department, about finding Wesley’s body, he isn’t surprised and gladly accepts her help, even soliciting her input. Meanwhile, things beyond their control seem to be derailing Missy and Bo’s upcoming nuptials.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Lorelei Honeycutt is getting married. The wedding is going to be perfect.

Missy DuBois created the veil and is helping with last minute details.

Unfortunately, the groom has gone missing. Missy, with the help of the gardner find the groom's body.

The wedding turns into a murder investigation.

This was a pleasant book, but very predictable.

cozy-mystery, law-enforcement, murder, amateur-sleuth, wedding-madness

Asked to be there for the wedding rehearsal by the bride, Missy happens upon the body of the groom the day of the wedding. Next up she finds out that the paddle wheeler booked for her own wedding in a few short weeks has burned. And that's just the beginning! Fortunately the state police detective is a friendly and at least she doesn't have to butt heads with the law. Lots of twists and red herrings in this bayou country whodunit that I read in one afternoon and even got to learn a bit about the pricing and conservation of antique lace. Loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Cozy Murder Mystery at a Louisiana Wedding
This is a cozy mystery that takes place at a Louisiana mansion home. Our heroine is a milliner who has arrived for a last-minute touch up for the bride's veil. She and her buddy the detective make short work of solving the case, although there are plenty of roadblocks. It is a fun story with plenty of questionable characters. This book is 6th in a series. Although past adventures are mentioned, the reader feels totally up to speed and ready to help solve this crime. This book can be successfully read without having to read the earlier books.
I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

An engrossing and entertaining cozy mystery that kept me hooked.
Great cast of characters, interesting setting and a solid mystery that kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Cozy mysteries are my go to books and this one has a lot of character to it. It follows the classic cozy mystery set up but adds a little southern style to it. There’s definitely a lot of well bless your hearts to be read in this book and it definitely ends on a very southern sweet note. The characters are charming and the story flows easily . It makes for a great summer read.

A charming and delightful visit to a southern small town. Since this is the sixth in a series, many familiar characters are included and relationships have grown. While it certainly can be read as a standalone, it is even more enjoyable when at least one or two have been read previously. Lots of wedding angst and eavesdropping. A sweet story despite a murder.

What the Hatmaker Heard by Sandra Bretting is the 6th book in the Missy DuBois Mystery series, and another great read. Melissa “Missy” DuBois is a hat designer in Louisiana, owner of Crowing Glory hat shop that specializes in custom made hats for the elite. Missy and her fiance Ambrose “Bo” Jackson who is a wedding dress designer,work next door to each other, and are getting married in a few short weeks. Missy is busy working with her latest bride, when the groom goes missing. When Missy and the grounds keeper find the grooms body. Missy is determined to find the murderer, along with an old friend, Detective Lance LaPorte. Not only is this book funny, it has a great mystery, with wonderful southern charm. 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 highly recommend this book and series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

How appropriate of a title! Missy, our intrepid haymaker and wedding person (she does a lot), is overseeing things for Lorelei and Wesley's big day but the night before she hears a huge argument. Not so uncommon with the stress of a wedding but when Wesley is found murdered the next day, well, it might mean something more. Missy gets in touch with her good friend Lance, a detective and, together, they discover there was more than one person who did not like Wesley, even enough to kill him. The team up of Missy and Lance is, shall we say, unrealistic but this is a cozy so if you go with it, you can enjoy fun repartee. Oh, and Missy is also getting married soon! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a classic cozy for those who like them set in the South.

4.5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Missy DuBois mystery series by Sandra Bretting.

Missy travels with the bride to a fancy plantation where her wedding is to be held. Not longer after they arrive, the groom ends up dead, they find that he has a gambling problem and there are so many suspects I can’t keep track of them all.

This is one of those mysteries that keeps going round and round until you feel dizzy and can’t decide whodunit. I was flummoxed the entire time.. The author really fooled me.

Loved the storyline and characters. I sometimes wonder how Missy even gets involved in these deaths.. It is like she is a death magnet or something.

Keep reading until the end so you get to witness the wonderful wedding between Ambrose and Missy. So sweet! Definitely a series I want to continue on with.

If you want to read a good cozy mystery, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

I love cozies and this series is one of my favorites. These days I can't get enough to read and the cozy genre tops my list. Here we are with the 6th book in the series and poor Missy is trying to plan her own wedding while running her own business - hat making. Brides tend to be temperamental to put it mildly and this bride has reason to be, especially when the groom turns up dead after having a very loud argument with the bride. Given the groom's background the list of suspects is rather long. Missy contacts a friend, Lance LaPorte, a detective with the state police and the investigation gets underway.
Missy isn't the only reason to like this series. The Southern setting, the well developed characters, the well written puzzle - put it all together and it's a winner.

I really enjoyed this installment. Number 6 in the Missy Dubois Mystery series. I think because it mostly dealt with the mystery and not so much with Missy’s upcoming wedding.

Missy is at the old sugar plantation trying to keep a low profile but keeping everyone calm before the wedding. She’s there to help with the bride’s train and attendant’s head covers and their makeup & hair.

The groom isn’t feeling well & didn’t make the rehearsal. The next morning everyone’s looking for him. Missy and Darryl, the handy man/ groundsman find Wesley Carmichael in an empty silo on the plantation.

The hunt is on for who killed him. Was it the man who he owed a large gambling debt, a family member, or a disgruntled acquaintance?

Plenty of twists and turns and drama added by issues for Missy’s upcoming wedding. The venue burns down, a veil accident, and the photographer has booked a second wedding for the same day & time.

Enjoy the ride as Lance and Missy work together to find the killer. You will need to suspend belief that any cop would allow a non-cop to have some much influence in the investigation but don’t you always in a cozy?

I recommend this series and was given an advanced reader’s copy. I am not required to leave a positive review.

I was so hopeful and I was looking forward to trying a new author and the cover is just so attractive! . As is usually the case there are a number of key characters with interesting backgrounds and possible motives. So it definitely fits into the cozy murder mystery category. It is also a quick read.

However, it turned out not to be one I could relate to. I found the storyline implausible with the "Hatmaker"' actively managing the case alongside the very experienced Detective (as opposed to a member the police force?) and, considering the circumstances, there just wasn't enough emotion and grieving evident by any of those close to the victim. They came across as distanced and just a little cold. To give much more way would result in spoilers.

With thanks to #Netgalley, Kensington Books and the author for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Pamper yourself with a few hours reading pleasure with WHAT THE HATMAKER HEARD—the sixth addition to the delightful Missy DuBois southern Cozy Series. The action begins as Missy is assisting a bride-to-be, Lorelei Honeycutt, at a lovely antebellum mansion in Louisiana. Chaos erupts, and one of my favorite characters in this series, and Missy’s good friend, Detective Lance LaPorte is called to the scene when a corpse is discovered on the grounds.

Ms. Bretting provides several stumbling blocks to divert readers’ attention from one suspicious suspect to another. I didn’t realize who the killer was until the complete reveal! I love happy endings, and this story has the Cinderella moments I’d been hoping for. Great story! I recommend the entire series to cozy Mystery fans!

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

Missy is such a fun, loving hat maker who happens upon dead bodies, A charming read and a great addition to the series.

I've been a huge fan of cozy mysteries for a number of years. With so many authors and book series in this sub-genre, it can be overwhelming to choose, but at the same time, each one has its own theme and style. Given I've got family in the south and I am semi-fascinated by the hat-making industry, I dove into the Missy Dubois series by Sandra Bretting a few years ago. The latest one, What the Hatmaker Heard, is number six and by far my favorite in the series.

Missy is a ~thirtyish milliner engaged to a wedding dress-maker in a small Louisiana town, who happens to find a lot of dead bodies, usually in connection with a wedding she's designing a hat for. How does she do it? Sixth sense, a lot of charm, and possibly the worst case of bad luck possible. Not only is she trying to plan her own wedding, but she often gets stuck with the majorest of major Bridezillas. I thought we were heading down that path again in this novel, but it turned out the 21-year-old bride-to-be was just a little catty before turning out to be much more sweet, until her fiance was murdered in a water tower on the venue's property! Then she's got a bit of anger in her again.

Yep, Missy found the body again, but this time, she wasn't alone. At least she can only take 50% of the blame, and there was no reason why she could be guilty. Even the police want her help now. The groom, a big-time gambler, had a few people out to get him, and when you meet his parents, you gotta wonder... just how did he survive those two, not to mention the step-sister who's stranger than strange. Nonetheless, Missy tries to keep everyone calm, and in a matter of less than 48-hours, she finds the culprit... catching him/her in an interesting lie of sorts. Chock full of other suspects, readers know the groom was poisoned from a plant on the property, but who other than family would've known how to use it as a mortal weapon?

Between the wonderful phrase 'Bless Your Heart' and the charming dialog, you can't help but wish you were a wedding guest each time the nuptials go haywire. Missy is usually quite strong, even this time when her own wedding has some major ups and downs. Nope, she didn't get married in this one, but based on everything we saw in this book, we're primed and ready for it to happen in the next book (I hope). Bretting has created a fantastic main character in Missy. She easily steals the show despite a good handful or two of supporting cast members. None are as rich (personality-wise) as her, but they come across as the average folks in the town, which is probably why Missy shines even more.

The girl needs a break! She's always fixing other people's problems, but that's what endears her to us. I love the covers on these playful books, and when the distinct physical settings come to life, I feel like I'm easily part of the book and not just standing on the sidelines as the plot unfolds. My only wish this time was that we saw more of her relationship with the fiance... he doesn't appear as often as I'd like, and sometimes, I really have to wonder... is the wedding going to happen, or will one of the other lucky guys around town who occasionally flirt with our heroine... steal his thunder?

Best read in order, they do work as stand-alone mysteries. The series gets much stronger with each new book, and I think these would be great for anyone looking for some southern exposure. Kudos to a great tale and cheers to many more to come. Easily 4.5 stars!
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