Cuando la delicada Eileen Chandler está lista para casarse, su familia teme que el hombre sea un cazafortunas. Gracias a Dios, la prima de Eileen, Elizabeth MacPherson, viene temprano en busca de apoyo. Desafortunadamente, Elizabeth también tiene que detectar algo, ya que se encuentra un cadáver y ninguno de los invitados a la boda está libre de sospechas...

I’ve been hearing about McCrumb’s mysteries for a long time but had never read one. I saw this one available for checkout at the library and grabbed it on a whim. I have to say I can’t quite see the attraction. The protagonist, amateur sleuth Elizabeth McPherson, was characterized as a spacy airhead who didn’t seem capable of detecting her own hand held in front of her face, let alone catching a murderer. I can only assume the series improved after this first entry, but I probably won’t be continuing with it. At that, it’s a relief not to have one more series to worry about. ( )

Slow starter, A 100, Possibly try the next

This is a bit of an odd book all the way around. It's got some of the things I love in the Ballad books--all the throwaway details that breathe life into a small-town setting, some gorgeous language, and bits of sparkling wit that are great fun to read. But as a mystery it's never elevated beyond 'okay' for me. Elizabeth makes an odd choice of protagonist; she's got some fun, interesting moments, but she never seems quite strong enough as a character to shoulder the book--much less an entire series--and her ultimate involvement with the mystery seems rather lacking.

It's not a bad book, but not interesting enough to hook me on the MacPherson series. I'll stick with Nora Bonesteel and the Ballad novels, and would certainly recommend that first-time McCrumb readers save MacPherson entries for later. This is not the best introduction to a remarkable author. ( )

This is a charming Americanized version of the classic estate murder mystery. ELizabeth goes to her rich relatives” estate for the marriage of her cousin. There is a ensemble of strange characters, the isolation of a country estate, and , of course, a murder.McCrumb tosses in enough humor to make this a thoroughly enjoyable cozy myster, ( )