What happens when a believed to be dead husband reappears just as one gets newly engaged to another? Chaos and hilarity, that’s what. Mia and the crew are back for what seems to be the final installment in this entertaining series. DiRico does a great job of connecting all the books in the series, with past characters making appearances. It all ends happily for our characters, except for the murder victim of course.

Each of DiRico's cozy series has its own special flavor, but this one may be my favorite with the robust cast of secondary characters who are fully fledged with their own eccentricities. From the Italian grandmothers to the PI-novel-writing police detective, they make me laugh while charming me. And this book did not disappoint. Mia has built up the bridal venue into a desirable locale, not just a legitimate front for the Family business. As she's hoping to be able to use the venue herself one day soon. Only two flies in the ointment, she needs a proposal and sudden reappearance of her "dead" husband. The story moves along at a full clip full of red herrings until the totally satisfying conclusion.

The Witless Protection Program by Maria DiRico is the fifth in the Catering Hall mysteries. Mia, who runs the Hall for her Italian American slightly Mob related family is trying to get married to Shane, but her ex-husband, who everyone thinks is dead, keeps showing up. This is a very fun series with great characters and locations.

I cannot say enough good things about this series! Mia, Cammie, Shane, Pete, and the family, including the Family, all solve the murder of Mia’s presumed dead ex husband who has shown up after two years. Engagements, weddings, babies, retirement….a whirlwind of activity. Thoroughly enjoyed reading!

I enjoyed this fun, interesting, well told ‘rom com” suspense story. I did not know it is book five in a very
beloved series, but I did not feel like I was lost. The Author did a grand job bringing the cast of characters
and whether they were clearly regular, or added for this story, I loved it
I should mention that there are some amazing recipes at the end of the book. They looked yummy!
The most important thing to know is that everyone is in a good (or better) place than wherever they were
in the last book.
Super fans have an advantage of details and history, but the book was still fun. I recommend it to
everyone, with the caveat that while I rooted for Mia, and loved Shane, I had little history. So, it’s a
toss up =. I will be reading the next book for sure.
My thanks to Kensington Books via NetGalley, for the download copy,of,this book for review purposes.
The book is due out on March 25, 2024

She's done it again. Author DiRico has written a cozy mystery novel that captures your interest until the very end. Well-developed characters make you feel as if you actually know them personally. Great storyline. Can't wait for more books by this author.

Mia Carina is an event planner with a tight knit Italian family and a loyal Italian Family. While at an event, she spots her presumed dead husband, Adam. Yes, you read that right, presumed dead. He shows up and then disappears. Mia is the only one who sees him! Her friends and family think she only imagined seeing him because she wants her boyfriend Shane to ask her to marry him. She needs to find him to get a divorce and be free to marry Shane. Once she spots Adam again, her family and Family are all on board. What follows makes the title perfect! This is a lighthearted and humorous mystery with a colorful cast. One of my favorites is Mia's grandmother, Nonna Elizabetta. She's hilarious and charming. I highly recommend this book! Don't miss out on the adventure and fun! I recommend that you read the entire series for all the antics and delight. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishers for my advanced copy. I'll be posting a review on Amazon on the publication date, and Bookbub when it's added to their site.

LOVED this book!! I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book. Well written, perfectly paced. The twist at the end was amazing!. I cannot wait for the next one!

Mia had made a good life for herself back in New Jersey after the disappearance and presumed death of her husband in Florida. That is, until she saw him at an event she was attending promoting her event venue. He kept appearing and disappearing until he showed up dead in an alley in Mia's neighborhood.
Mia is, of course, a suspect as well as her fiance, grandmother, father, brother, co-workers.........you know, everyone. Why was he there? Why did he want Mia back after he cheated with all her friends? Why did he claim he was in the Witness Protection Program with a new name?
With lots of twists and turns and major surprises, Mia and friends (including the investigating officer) eventually find the answers and she can FINALLY marry Shane.
I love the progression of Mia's self-confidence from the first book to this one. Adam had made her feel so worthless. And Elisabetta is a joy, so spunky and up for anything!
The staff at Belle View have become family who always have her back.
Loved the many (very good) surprises at the end!
I would give it 10 stars if I could.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND

This fifth book in this series is another fabulous entry. You can read it as a standalone but I recommend the preceding books just for the enjoyment. Ellen Byron writes as Maria DiRico and continues to show her exemplary skills at crafting cozy mysteries. Looking forward to the next one already!

Event planner, Mia Carina, is loving life, except for one small detail. Her business, Belle View Banquet Manor, is now a successful venue for all things party, her family are well and happy although her brother still has six months of his jail time left to serve and living with her Nonna, Elizabetta, is never dull! So, if her drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend, Shane, could just propose everything in her world would be wonderful or it would be if she hadn't just spotted her no-longer deceased husband across a crowded room!

With the unfortunate realisation that she is still married Mia knows both her family and The Family would be happy to change that! Explaining her desire to be a divorcée rather than a widow seems to calm things a little but unfortunately it doesn't prevent her from discovering a dead body and becoming embroiled in a murder investigation once again! With more suspects than she knows what to do with, Mia finds herself in the middle of things not only trying to find a killer but also having to persuade the local police department she had nothing to do with it!

Even if I didn't already love Mia Carina how could I resist such a brilliant title? The laugh out loud humour is as good as ever and the whole reading experience is a pleasure from word one. With all the main protagonists present as well as a few visitors from the rest of this excellent series its a good idea to read the books in order which is absolutely no hardship!

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Kensington Books, but the opinions expressed are my own. There is a mix of humour, tension and romance throughout and I loved it. Recommended.

THE WITLESS PROTECTION PROGRAM is the fifth book in the Catering Hall Mysteries by Maria DiRico. With her trademark humor, Ms. DiRico has penned another tale that kept me laughing and turning the pages late into the night to find out who murdered protagonist Mia Carina’s supposedly already dead husband. Mia has built up the reputation and the business of Belle View Banquet manor, and things couldn’t be better… aside from impatiently waiting for a proposal from her co-worker, Shane. The storyline and the dialog from the scenes are perfect for any rom-com aficionado—hilarious and sweet. And just when you think Mia will get her happily ever after, Mia’s thought to be deceased husband shows up… at a wedding expo, no less. The character development of the core characters is spot-on, and I found it easy to become invested in what happened to them. If you enjoy watching characters grow and change, then I’d recommend starting with the first book in the series. However, The Witless Protection Program can be read as a standalone since there’s just enough backstory to keep new readers from feeling lost.

Even with all the humor and zany situations Mia finds herself in, this is still a murder mystery. The plot is fast-paced and there are enough suspects to keep the reader guessing. When Mia’s first husband is found murdered, Shane is the first and foremost suspect. Thrown into the mix is a dead reclusive artist, an empty house that seems to attract treasure hunters, and The Family… There’s never a dull moment on the page and as the intrigue and suspense build, Ms. DiRico rises to the challenge and delivers an unputdownable read. With a heartwarming ending, I can’t wait to find out what’s next in store for Mia and her family!

Running a catering hall, Mia is constantly surrounding by amazing dishes served to guests. Be prepared to be hungry as you read or cook one of the delicious recipes provided at the back of the book to enjoy while you consume this newest release.

#TheWitlessProtectionProgram #NetGalley is such an excellent addition to the series.
Mia is such a sweet character, and this book is so well done, I had a blast reading it.
Mia believes she saw her ex husband, but that's impossible, right? Unfortunately for Mia, her nightmares have come true, and she finds herself trying to find the answers so she can marry her real love, Shane.
The title of this book is perfect and I loved each and every part of the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of the book.

The Witless Protection program is the fifth book in this delightful cozy mystery series. Mia is busy planning her wedding when Adam, her presumed dead husband, shows up in town and then disappears. Mia needs to quickly find him so she can get a quick divorce before her wedding. When he is murdered and her fiancee Shane is implicated in his murder, Mia is on the case to clear his name. This was a fun, quick paced, lighthearted mystery with enjoyable characters and plenty of suspects to keep you guessing. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next book in this series.

Loved reading this book and author. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend her and her books. I suggest reading her books in order