Karen Chester

Event planner Emma Cassidy is trying to get her business off the gound, but instead it is waffling in the breeze of rumor. At her most recent event, a house-warming for Tony Barnett, the upper crust guests are affected by something they ate and Tony blames her.

With cancellations of future events falling around her, she goes to the next event on her schedule, the wedding of Madison White and Sean McClusky. While in the midst of menu planning the police arrive to arrest bad boy Sean McClusky for the murder of Tony Barnet. Emma has always liked Sean and doesn't believe he murdered Tony and though the evidence is strong, Emma is convinced her friend is innocent. With Sean facing prison, the wedding in jeopardy, and her fledgling business in danger of tanking, Emma must find the real killer.

An unpretentious cozy mystery that is easy to read. Emma’s police connection is twofold Owen, a sheriff’s deputy, and old boyfriend; and Sherilee Ackerman, her junior high school nemesis, and city police detective. The eccentric characters that seem to be required to be considered a “cozy” are the townspeople and gossips, they are thankfully not over-the-top characters but rather the small town crowd where everyone know or knows of everyone else.… (meer)