Thank you to @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy.

I didn't read the earlier books in the series and I was a little lost with what was going on. It probably would have been helpful to read the other books. This was an enjoyable murder mystery, nonetheless with a great storyline. I really liked Mercy's character.

One of the best wedding themed cozies I have read in awhile. The book had such wonderful descriptions and the dogs are so cute. There was a lot of bickering guests in the book which got a little tiring but all in all the book flowed so nicely it ended before I knew it. A great book

Mercy Carr is happy her grandmother is marrying long-time beau, Claude Renalt. She’s not sure why it has to be a four-day extravagant destination wedding. Then again, Mercy’s mother, Grace, is in charge of the event and that explains it. Everything must be perfect or else.

Guests are invited to stay at the five-star Lady’s Slipper Inn. The first glitch is when the spa director/yoga instructor, Bodhi, goes missing in the middle of the night. Grace sends Mercy and her partner, Elvis, a former bomb sniffing Malinois, to find him. Instead, they find a dead body in the barn, done in by a pitchfork to the chest. So, is Bodhi a victim who got away, a killer, or all of the above?

When the groom’s family descends on the inn, things really get out of hand. Brothers hate each other, secrets abound, and just when it gets to the punch-in-the-face stage, Elvis enters the building—with a crash. He’s there to alert Mercy a stranger is on the grounds. Not a total stranger, but Bodhi, wounded and not sharing details. He’s taken to the hospital and Elvis finds another bombshell—human bones, long buried. Bodhi manages to escape from the hospital, leaving no trace. He’ll just have to wait his turn, Mercy’s got other, more pressing, matters to attend to, like a bridesmaid gown fitting and an appointment for the salon to tame her hair. It’s that or listen to Grace on a rampage. Solving a murder is preferable. Hair and dress? A white flag.

When a groomsman shows up dead, Mercy’s significant other, Troy, and his dog, Susie Bear, team up with Mercy and Elvis to put an end to the bloodshed so they can get the bride up the aisle, saying I do. If she still wants to!

This is book four in the series. Mercy is someone you’d like to know. Grace, better duck around a corner when you see her coming. Troy is a boyfriend you’d want for sure. Elvis and Susie Bear, the Newfoundland? Any dog lover would be in heaven to spend time with them.

The story is full of clues and red herrings, secrets and lies, danger and the mundane—and there are goats. Lots of goats whose milk turns into cheese. What more could you ask for in a mystery? I love this series!

This is the fourth book in the series featuring Mercy Carr and her Belgian Malinois, Elivs and Mercy's significant other, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Game Warden, Troy Warner and his Newfoundlander, Susie Bear. This story follows Mercy's mother, Grace, as she plans the wedding for Mercy's grandmother, Patience, and her Quebecois fiancé at the luxurious, local Lady Slipper Inn. Days before the wedding, the Spa's director, Bodhi, goes missing and Mercy's mother asks her to investigate. Mercy and Elvis begin looking for Bodhi when Elvis leads her to a body at the local goat farm/creamery and the bodies begin to pile up.
This book had more action than some of the previous books but for me, was not as enjoyable. Claude's dysfunctional family was a little bit too much of a caricature of a family feuding about money and I didn't understand why Patience's old flame was part of the story. I really enjoy Mercy and Troy together and they make a good investigative team. Once the mystery was solved, the ending seemed like just a convenient way to end.
I really have enjoyed this series thus far, but this was not my favourite book in the series.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest reivew.

Mysterious, cosy, and intricate!

In this satisfying fourth instalment in the Mercy & Elvis Mysteries, The Wedding Plot, Munier has written an amusing, sinister thriller that finds former MP Mercy Carr having more than just her hands full with pre-wedding mayhem at the location of her grandmother’s upcoming nuptials, the Lady’s Slipper Inn when the spa director goes missing, an unidentified person is found dead on the property of the local goat farm, and her special sidekick Elvis accidentally uncovers the skeletal remains of a woman who seems to have been murdered and buried more than twenty years ago.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are persistent, resourceful, and clever. And the plot is an engaging tale full of twists, turns, surprises, red herrings, familial drama, danger, tension, a smidge of romance, and murder.

Overall, The Wedding Plot is a clever, fun, easy read by Munier that is absorbing, entertaining, and the perfect choice for anyone who enjoys a lighthearted mystery featuring some very intelligent, helpful, four-legged friends.

Easy to see why Paula Munier is a New York Times best selling author. Compelling, suspenseful and maybe purposely confusing. One does wonder how the heroine, Mercy Carr, recovers from the physical assaults on her brave self but she soldiers on with her intrepid retired military dog Elvis.

Author Paula Munier says she named the heroine of her acclaimed Mercy Carr series "Mercy" because she loves "the so-called virtue names favored by the Quakers and I wanted her name to reflect her empathetic and compassionate nature." She is a twenty-nine-year-old former soldier who served as a military police officer with the U.S. Army. She was wounded during her final deployment to Afghanistan. Martinez, her fiancé, who was also deployed, did not make it back. “Take care of my partner” were Martinez's last words to her. So, Mercy came home to Vermont with Elvis, so named because he is, according to Munier, "the king of dogs," and her research revealed that "many military working dogs are named after rock/country stars—Garth, Cash, Willie, etc." He is a beautiful, highly intelligent, bomb-sniffing Malinois afflicted with PTSD. Together, they hike the remote Vermont wilderness, and perform freelance security and investigative work, often answering calls for help alongside U.S. Game Warden Troy Warner and his search and rescue Newfoundland, Susie Bear. Elvis never really goes off-duty, while Susie Bear is often playful and mischievous. Mercy has recently enrolled in a low-residency program through the University of New Hampshire to earn a degree in environmental science, although, in Munier's capable hands, she will have no time to devote for her studies during the few days in June over which the story unfolds. "June is wedding season in Vermont, and weddings can be murder . . . " Munier observes.

As The Wedding Plot opens, Mercy's mother, Grace, has taken charge of the preparations for the lavish wedding of Mercy's grandmother, Patience, a veterinarian. After the honeymoon, Claude, also a veterinarian with whom Patience has maintained a long-distance relationship for years, will finally relocate from Québec. The glamorous, multi-day event will be held at the tony Lady's Slipper Inn, a three-hundred-acre luxury estate originally erected in 1794 and renovated by billionaire Daniel Feinberg, for whom Mercy works from time to time. The Inn is managed by Patience's younger sister, Prudence, "the most sophisticated one in the family," who previously managed a château in the South of France. But the Inn's spa and well-being director, Bodhi St. George, has suddenly gone missing, jeopardizing the spa package Grace has arranged for the guests. Grace implores Mercy to travel to the Inn earlier than planned and lead yoga classes in Bodhi's place.

But readers already know that Bodhi fled the Meeting House Creamery, where he rented a modest cottage from owner and proprietor, Annie Amidon. He encouraged Annie to install a security system, and even set up a goat cam for her that draws a large number of viewers, but at 3:00 a.m. he was awakened by the agitated bleating of Annie's Alpine goats and knew it was time to leave. He took with him remnants of his old life, including a Glock and ammunition. But first, he called 911 to ensure the safety of Annie and her goats, and tossed his cell phone in the pasture, hoping it would not be discovered by "the guys gunning for him."

Concluding that finding Bodhi might be easier than teaching yoga in his place, Mercy commences the search at the Creamery. Elvis alerts to the lockbox Bodhi left behind in which his gun was stored – which seems out of character for "a Dalai Lama guy," as Annie describes him. Unclipping the lead from Elvis's collar and commanding him to "search," Mercy follows him to the barn where she finds his nose pointing to the rubber tip of a black-soled sneaker protruding from a pile of hay. In the stall, they discover a dead man with a pitchfork thrust into his chest. All it took was "one decisive plunge with considerable force behind it. A terrible way to die -- but relatively quick."

Thus begins a race to locate Bodhi St. George, immediately deemed a murder suspect by the local police, ascertain the dead man's identity, and learn why he was murdered on Annie's peaceful goat farm and creamery. The search unfolds against the backdrop of the upcoming nuptials and the expectations of Mercy's family members, especially high-strung perfectionist Grace, who is determined that the glamorous and meticulously-planned celebration proceed without a blip. Mercy is scheduled to be a bridesmaid and her mother is also intent on transforming Mercy into a stylish one, complete with a hair makeover. Mercy could not possibly be less interested in her appearance when there is a murderer on the loose and a mystery to be solved.

Predictably, the yoga instructor's name was not "Bodhi," even though he "identified as a bodhisattva." He makes his way to a storage unit where he retrieves his Harley-Davidson, burner phone, one of multiple passports bearing different names, and cash before proceeding on to a cheap motel and altering his appearance. He also sends a text message -- to Kinney and Adler -- as agreed. "102586" likely only has meaning for Red Sox fans like Bodhi and his buddies. He emerges from the motel room as Frank Hahn, having warned his pals that "the game was in play," determined to find out who killed the man in the barn and why.

Mercy and Elvis are joined by Troy, whose divorce has just been finalized, and Susie Bear in a frantic search for a killer that needs to be wrapped up in time for Mercy to slip into that her bridesmaid dress with every hair in place to witness Patience and Claude pledge their love for each other. Of course, nothing goes smoothly. For one thing, the bumbling and arrogant local police attempt to thwart Mercy's efforts, but she remains undaunted. Dead bodies begin piling up, and Mercy and Troy become the hunted, as well as the hunters. Munier plunges them into a harrowing vehicle chase through the Vermont hills in Troy's beloved pickup. When Munier moves the action to the swanky Inn, danger follows and Elvis unearths old bones in the nearby woods. Given the Inn's location and history, it becomes imperative to determine their age and whether they bear any connection to the current string of events that Munier skillfully reveals to be extremely complex and intertwined in very surprising ways.

Munier deftly incorporates family drama into the compelling mystery. Mercy's pediatric oncologist brother, Nick, along with Duncan, her father, and Patience's free-spirited youngest sister, Verity, all converge on the Inn. Claude's brother, a Catholic priest known as Father Bernard, also arrives, as does Mercy's great-uncle, Hugh, a retired colonel who helms a security agency and has been Bernard's friend for more than forty years. Claude's two sons, Florian and Marcel, are also in attendance, along with his nephew, Philippe. Family intrigue ensues, ranging from Grace's consternation about Verity's refusal to adhere to conventions about attire and decorum, to the corporate intrigue that plays out surrounding Toussaint, Inc., one of the largest dairy companies in North America, which happens to be owned by Claude's family and operated by Philippe. He is repugnant and rumored to have ties to organized crime. Munier ingeniously intersperses several supporting characters and story threads in the plot that lead right back to the quaint Meeting House Creamery and Annie who, it turns out, produces world-class chevre cheese for which there is a huge black market.

Munier melds her surprisingly complex and creative mysteries with charming and often hilarious domestic complications, placing Mercy and Elvis at the center of all of it. Mercy is resilient, empowered, and dedicated, as well as exceedingly stubborn. She knows herself well and traverses her own path, but loves her family and her refusal to permit them or their concerns about the wedding from interfering in her mission is affectionate, even-handed, and often infused with compromises that make her cringe with annoyance. What begins as a search for a missing spa director quickly evolves into dangerous, sprawling mysteries involving numerous ancillary characters. Troy remains at her side throughout it all, supporting her efforts, yet intent upon ensuring her safety, as does the ever-faithful and always vigilant Elvis. It all plays out at a steadily accelerating pace as surprising developments and revelations take the tale in unexpected directions while the appointed time of the wedding draws closer. Grace grows more and more panicky as the prospect of the smoothly elegant ceremony she has meticulously planned dims, in part due to an impending storm. As the story careens toward a dramatic and shocking climax, Munier showcases her beloved Vermont. She transports readers from the state's gently rolling hills to the Creamery and its cheese cellars, the Inn and its unique treehouse cottage, and the picturesque forty-acre Eshqua Bog, a nature preserve known for the wild orchids (lady's slippers) for which the Inn was named that Patience so dearly loves.

Will there be a wedding? Finding out is an entertaining, engrossing, and delightful experience. Seemingly effortlessly, Munier combines charm and intrigue, family conflict and life-or-death decision-making, humorously genuine relationships, and murder into an absorbing story set in gorgeous locations that play an intricate role. She compassionately highlights the value of the work performed by dogs like Elvis and Susie Bear, as well as the real struggles of veterans like Mercy who, after serving with honor and integrity, find it difficult to assimilate back into their old lives because, for them, nothing will ever truly be the same again. She portrays a family whose quirky members get on each other's nerves, but love each other unconditionally, and does it all in a credible, believable manner. It's no wonder the Mercy Carr series has received so many accolades.

Munier says her goal for "every book is that readers reach 'The End' and feel good about the time they’ve spent with Mercy and Elvis, and look forward to spending more time with them in the future." She has achieved her goal. After enjoying The Wedding Plot, readers who have not read the first three volumes will want to do so while they eagerly await publication of the next installment.

I like Mercy Carr, formerly an Army MP and her bomb-sniffing Belgian Malinois, Elvis. Mercy’s love interest, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Game Warden Troy Warner has a rescue Newfoundland Retriever mix, Susie Bear.

This entry to the series has Mercy participating in her grandmother’s destination wedding at the luxurious Lady Slipper Inn. Of course, the whole family is there and that’s the problem.

Mercy is volunteered to lead the yoga class, filling in for the missing spa director. Meeting Annie, however, owner of the adjacent creamery where the yoga instructor lives and works, discovers a dead body. Not the instructor--and that won’t be the only body Mercy and Elvis discover.

I wouldn’t really call this novel a cozy mystery. I read others in the series but still struggled with the sheer amount of characters here. We did get additional background on Mercy and Annie was well fleshed. The Vermont descriptions were both delightful and terrifying, the storms enough to drive any Sunday driver into another state.

While the canines had a part in this narrative, it was the families of the wedding party and the clashes between them that took center stage. Discovering ever-deepening clues has the plot going in different directions, but always coming back to the next family conflict. Honestly, I thought the wedding would never happen.

The conclusion satisfies but the storyline bogged down for me this time to the point where it became slow going. No problem—Book 4 being a one off for me. I’ll be looking for Book 5. I like the series and Mercy, Troy, and those amazing dogs. 3.5 stars rounded up

What a GREAT story!!

The Wedding Plot finds Mercy's grandmother marrying her longtime boyfriend, Claude. The venue is the five-star Lady's Slipper Inn. Everything seems to be going well until the spa's director, St George, goes missing.

As she and Elvis investigate they instead find a body. As Mercy tries to figure out who the victim is and where St. George is hiding, the bride and groom’s estranged relations gather for the first of the pre-wedding festivities leading to "secrets".

There's enough twists and turns to keep you entertained until the very end. Can't wait to read more!!

Hey folks, daddy Steve here with some doggiebook talk. Today’s book is fourth in the Mercy Carr mystery series titled The Wedding Plot, by Paula Munier.

I discovered that series last Summer on a funny twist. I’d bought the first book, A Borrowing of Bones, on BookOutlet back in 2018 before letting it sit in a box for a long while until I was granted my request for a review copy of the third book in the series. I’d then read book #1, #2 and #3 in back to back fashion and fell in love with the whole cast of characters including Mercy Carr the former police officer and Elvis her K9 partner, former bomb sniffing dog but amazing dog overall, as well as Troy, the game warden and Mercy’s beau, and his own dog, Susie Bear, the lovable Newfoundland.

This book has a little bit of a cozy mystery feel to it and I’m kind of over these books, you know the woman sleuth and all, but Paula munier makes it work here. Mercy is a former police officer, it’s not like she’s a kindergarten or art teacher who suddenly can do the police work better than police detectives themselves, if you know what I mean…

I especially loved the fact that the action takes place in Vermont which is just a few hours South of us, and it involves plenty of Québécois, with lots of French Canadian sprinkled in, woot!

It’s another recommended read for any dog lover looking for a nice and fun mystery. Again, tiny spoiler, but no dogs are injured or dies in the book so read on safely.

Huge thanks to NetGalley who provided a free eBook advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This is as honest as it gets... The book was released last week so it’s available to buy right now as are the first three books in the series. I’d think it’s readable on its own but I would recommend starting from the first one. Links to all my reviews of books in the series are below…

#Malcolmstories #doggiebooks
#NetGalley #TheWeddingPlot

Link to review of A Borrowing of Bones (Mercy Carr #1)
https://www.facebook.com/152390402036938/posts/840362473239724/

Link to review of Blind Search (Mercy Carr #2)
https://www.facebook.com/152390402036938/posts/840365453239426/

Link to review of The Hiding Place (Mercy Carr #3)
https://www.facebook.com/152390402036938/posts/844512569491381/

The Wedding Plot is the fourth book in Paula Munier’s Mercy Carr Mysteries. Mercy, US Army Retired, and her family are all very excited as the day draws near for the wedding of her dear grandmother, Dr. Patience O’Sullivan DVM and Dr. Claude Renault, DVM, who hails from Quebec. Both widowed, both with a wonderful zest for life, they are a perfect match. The wedding is to take place at the beautiful and exclusive Lady’s Slipper Inn in Vermont’s Central Valley. This inn is owned by billionaire Daniel Feinberg, a recurring character, and is run by Patience’s sister Prudence.

As the special long weekend festivities draw very near the Inn’s health and wellness guru, Bodhi St. George seems to disappear. Bodhi, who rents a cottage on the grounds of Annie Amidon’s Meeting House Creamery, disappeared the same night a stranger was killed in Annie’s goat barn and Bodhi’s phone dialed 911 but was left on the grounds.

At the request of her mother, the indomitable Grace, Mercy leaves early for the destination wedding, either to locate the missing Bodhi or to take on his yoga classes for the large group of wedding attendees. With a dead former SEAL found in Annie’s barn and the missing Bodhi, when Game Warden Troy Warner arrives to assist Mercy they decide someone needs to be watching over Annie and her prize goats who have been displaced from their barn now that it has been determined a crime scene.

Mercy returns to the Inn and is sent to her remote lodging, The Treehouse, as the Inn does not usually accept canines and Mercy has her Malinois Elvis and Troy has his search and rescue Newfie mix, Susie Bear. And the the action, mystery, and drama really begins!!

Each of the books in the series is a bit better, more intense, and has more impact for me than the one before. Every one is wonderful and can stand on its own, but I just must wonder why anyone would not follow the series, it’s wonderfully drawn characters, and intricate plots to move on to the next. This is yet another story that weaves an intriguing mystery around a pair of families coming together to solve today’s mystery and mysteries of the past. With so many unexpected twists and outcomes, this is now my current favorite in the series. That is until I have the good fortune to read the next. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

For anyone who has been reading this series of books, get it, no questions asked. If you haven't read any of the earlier books, I'd suggest backtracking and reading at least a few of them to get yourself "situated." If you're a librarian and your library doesn't own this series, I'd recommend that whoever is in charge of purchasing mysteries looks into it. I really enjoy them.

The Wedding Plot is a wonderful little cozy mystery for fans of the genre. It centers around a family wedding, a goat farm, and of course, the mystery itself.

The best part of the book was the main character, Mercy and her retired military dog, Elvis. Mercy was strong and independent, but also knew the value of asking others for help when the time was right. Her interactions with her family during a time of such high stress (there are very few times that are more stressful in a family than a wedding) were interesting and entertaining. I loved the family dynamics that took to the foreground during the investigation.

The dynamics of the family life were enhanced by the changing point of view when they were experienced by the special person in Mercy’s life, Troy, the Wildlife Game Warden. When reading his point of view, some of the more confusing aspects of the family dynamic were solved. It was difficult at times to keep track of the characters simply because there were so many that had such complex relationships.

Every cozy mystery must revolve around a mystery (obviously) and this one had a big one. With a missing man and a body in the goat barn, Mercy had a very big job. While the mystery was fun in its complexity, it was also hard to follow. There were many moving parts that I felt some parts got pushed to the side, even when I was led to believe that it would be important.

The parts that got pushed to the side were a bit frustrating when I got to the end and there were still a few loose threads. The ending was dramatic and fit the family well, though it did feel abrupt and disjointed. I appreciated how much of Mercy’s past experience was put into her detection abilities.

Despite the few parts that I had a hard time following, I very much enjoyed reading The Wedding Plot and would love to read more from the author. I loved the writing style and the characters so much and am very interested in seeing where they go from here.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier is a great addition to the Mercy Carr series. It is helpful to have read the first three in the series making it understanding the characters. But overall an enjoyable read. Thank you for the chance to read her latest novel.

Weddings are a time for celebration and gathering the family. Mercy Carr’s grandmother Patience is finally marrying her long term suitor Claude and it is an event that Mercy is dreading. The wedding is being held at the Lady’s Slipper Inn, with everything being organized by Mercy’s mother Grace. Not only is Mercy a bridesmaid, but her Malinois shepherd Elvis is also going to participate. She knows that Grace will expect her to dress and participate to her exacting standards. Activities include yoga sessions for the guests. The first problem arises when Bodhi, the yoga instructor, goes missing. Grace sends Mercy to a nearby creamery where Bodhi has been staying. There is no sign of him, but Elvis picks up a scent and leads Mercy to a barn where they discover a body. Bodhi is now also a person of interest to the police. Mercy has been involved in murder investigations in the past. Grace, however, warns her to leave this one to the police and concentrate on her grandmother’s wedding.

Bodhi had been researching the history of the Lady’s Slipper Inn. It had previously been a summer camp that he had attended the year that a camp counselor had disappeared. Claude’s relatives had also attended the camp that year and had befriended the counselor. Now Mercy has found Bodhi wounded in the cabin that she was to share with her game warden boyfriend Troy and his dog Susie Bear. Claude’s family will also be attending the wedding. With a reunion of the former campers, Mercy has a feeling that events in the past may be connected to the present attacks. The wedding is quickly approaching so she and Troy must act quickly to ensure everyone’s safety.

Mercy is a former member of the military. Elvis was also a highly trained military member and they make a formidable team. Her fiancé was Elvis’ original partner before his death. She is still coming to terms with his loss even as her relationship with Troy has been growing closer. Her mother has been presenting a challenge. She is domineering and has the final say on everything, but Grace’s younger absentee sister has shown up and has been disrupting her plans. Claude’s family is also a challenge as they bicker over the future of the family’s business. When the wedding day finally arrives, tensions mount and there are some unexpected twists that will surprise and delight readers. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

This was the first book I have read in this mystery series featuring Mercy Carr, a former Army MP and her canine sidekick is Elvis.

Because I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series, I really wish I knew the backstory of many of the characters in this book. While it did affect my understanding of some of the relationships involved, it didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of the mystery.

The mystery is twisty and interesting; I was engaged throughout trying to figure out whodunit!

I liked Mercy, Troy, and the dogs so much, I plan to read all of the books in this series.

A destination spa wedding for Patience, with some mystery and murder thrown in. I have read this series from the beginning and I found the addition of so many family members for Patience and an entire family for Claude to be a bit confusing. I think it would be hard to read this as a stand alone.
The idea that Patience and Claude would decide to marry after several decades of having a long distance relationship seemed a bit odd to me. It is not my preference for the action in a mystery to take place away from home base but this was ok since everybody from the series, and then some, was at the location.
The surprise event at at the end was also a bit odd and I wonder if this signals the end of this series. Otherwise it will make for some big changes. Waiting
Thanks to Netgalley

The Mercy Carr series is one of my favorites in contemporary mystery. It features former Army MP Mercy Carr and her retired bomb-sniffing dog Elvis. They have retreated to beautiful Vermont’s Green Mountains to heal their invisible wounds after the death of Martinez, Elvis’s handler and Mercy’s fiancé. When U.S. Game Warden Troy Warner and his canine search-and-rescue partner Susie Bear meet Mercy and Elvis, the four form a partnership as they solve mysteries in Vermont while quoting Shakespeare.

The Wedding Plot is book four in the series. You can read it as a standalone. But I was glad to know the background of these characters going into this mystery. Why? Because there are soooo many characters. Blame it on the wedding, I guess. Remembering who is who proved to be a challenge. That is my only complaint though.

The complex plot is packed with twists and turns which leads to much guessing about who the bad guys or gals are. Favorite characters from the series each played substantial roles, not content with being relegated to the background. And the dogs are always in the thick of things, uncovering bodies, evidence, and untrustworthy individuals while they zero in on all the dog lovers at the wedding. I admit, the dogs are why I read this series. Trust a good dog to sniff out villainy while helping us find the best in people.

The wedding background inspired the author to start each chapter with a quote about love. It also had Mercy’s family hinting that she and Troy might be ready to get married themselves. I have enjoyed watching Mercy and Troy get to know each other while they navigated their own personal demons. Maybe, the time is just right for them?!

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book. My review is my honest opinion.

Wedding planning never factored in finding dead bodies, searching for a missing yoga instructor and a major storm knocking out the electricity to the five star resort venue. Add to that the friction between the families of the bride and groom and a matron of honor in charge of the event (sister of the bride) who puts a bridezilla to shame. The bride is Mercy's grandmother and the matron of honor is Mercy's mother. When her mother demands that Mercy track down the missing yoga instructor because he is essential to the wedding "extras" Mercy starts to investigate. With the help of Game Warden Troy Warner and his Newfie, Susie Bear, Mercy and her canine partner, Elvis, sort out the crimes. Dealing with her mother and the wedding will be a much harder undertaking.
This is the fourth book in the series and every one deserves five stars. Mercy and Elvis, Troy and Susie Bear are fantastic characters. The mystery is always well crafted with enough twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader guessing wrong more than once. If you love dogs you have to meet Elvis and susie Bear. Add a touch of humor and the lovely Vermont setting and this series is a must read.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this was a fun and attention grabbing storyline! I enjoyed the characters and the overall pacing as well. The Vermont hotel setting created a great atmosphere. I must admit that I was a little confused at first since I haven't read the first three books, but it wasn't hard to catch on. I do want to go back and read the others now though.