Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Light on the Mystery, Heavy on the Fun, 21 Jan 2003
Meg Langslow has agreed to be the maid of honor at three separate weddings. All three of the brides place the planning in her capable hands, leaving her running around trying to make sure all three weddings go smoothly. Which isn't easy when one wants a theme wedding but won't decide on dresses, and another wants peacocks. Then, an out-of-town visitor turns up dead under mysterious circumstances. Meg's father is convinced it's murder and drags her into his investigation. Soon, mysterious accidents convince Meg that her dad is right. But can she find the murderer before anyone else dies and still make sure the weddings go as planned?This is a fun book. It's filled with eccentric characters that make it a pleasure to read. I often found myself chuckling or laughing at their behavior. However, as a mystery it leaves a little to be desired since solving the murder often takes a back seat to the antics of the brides and Meg trying to deal with them. Still, I found the book a pleasure to read. The characters come off as believable and not caricatures. The romantic sub-plot with Michael is amusing because we as the reader know what's going on, even if Meg has no clue. By the end of the book, the mystery has been solved and all the plots tied up, leaving me anxious for more. An interesting note is that instead of chapters, the author breaks the action down by day. It makes for rather uneven breaks in the narrative, but it's also easier to keep track of the passing time since the plot takes place over two months. In lesser hands, this book would have fallen flat, but in her debut, Donna Andrews proves what a superb writer she is. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the Meg Langslow series.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Peacocks, Bridezillas and a Little Bit of Homicide, 13 April 2009
I found this light, funny novel to be such a treat. Meg is helping three brides put together their weddings (and, much like many Maids of Honor, getting no appreciation whatsoever for doing so), when things start to go horribly wrong in her sleepy little Southern town. As she, her father and her new friend Michael (delightful characters in their own right) get closer to answers regarding a mysterious death, they also become targets.
Laugh-out-loud funny in the style of Janet Evanovich, Mary Kay Andrews and Jane Heller, with a bit of romance, a wacky family and a nifty little mystery, this story kept me turning the pages and, I am delighted to say, guessing as to the identity of the murderer. That's a rarity, and a pleasant surprise.
I only reduced it from five stars to four because of some repetition in the writing style. A little tighter editing would have been welcome, and I feel confident that the style will get smoother as Donna Andrews gains experience at her craft.
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