Customer Reviews

Better Off Wed: An Annabelle Archer Mystery

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Thought your wedding was to die for? Annabelle Archer discovered THIS wedding was, at least for the mother of the bride. But when it comes to finding a suspect, it is like wading through a crowd. The victim has a mile long list of enemies!

When Annabelle and her friend, Richard, become the prime suspects things get a little desperate. Follow Annabelle, Richard, and Kate (the assistant) try to solve this complex murder and put the real enemy behind bars.

***** I laughed all the way through this mystery novel! Would I recommend this to mystery fans? OH YEAH! The author keeps readers guessing, yet also provides some hilarious comedy scenes. This is an author to keep an eye on. *****

What a wonderful first novel! It was witty, fun and hard to put down (I read it in two days). I laughed out loud many times as I followed wedding planner Annabelle Archer through her life as wedding planner and amateur sleuth. Add in her colorful sidekicks, Kate and Richard, and her quirky neighbor Leatrice, and this new series is a winner. Of course, no cozy would be complete without a hunky cop and Laura doesn't let us down with Detective Reese. I'm really looking forward to the next in the series.

"Better Off Wed" introduces the delightful character of Annabelle Archer, a Washington D.C. wedding planner. In this debut mystery, Annabelle is stunned to find the body of the mother-of-the bride at her daughter's wedding reception. The police quickly determine that the curmudgeonly Mrs. Pierce was poisoned, and Annabelle's friend and caterer, Richard, becomes the prime suspect. The bossy Mrs. Pierce was universally despised in Washington society, though, so Annabelle and Richard, along with Annabelle's assistant Kate and nosy neighbor Leatrice go to work to find the real murderer and clear Richard's name.

The characters in this story were wonderful and funny. In addition to Annabelle, Richard, Kate, and Leatrice, I really enjoyed the secondary character of Fern the hairdresser. Annabelle and crew pay a visit at Fern's shop to get the lowdown on the latest gossip. I also thoroughly enjoyed the background of the wedding planning industry, and I found the excesses of the society weddings amazing and amusing.

The solution to the mystery was a bit hurried at the end. I look forward to the second story in this series, and I hope that all the great characters will be back.

On a lark, I picked up a copy of this book. Imagine my delight and surprise when I found myself laughing out loud in the airport. I laughed so hard and so often that people kept asking me about the book and the author. The "sidekick" characters are a hoot......seems like they are almost real people. The situations are hilarious. This new author writes so well and so creatively that I feel as if I know the characters - and want very much to know what they're going to get involved with next.
I have lent my precious copy now to 2 friends who have indulged in delight as well. This author is going places and I want to enjoy the ride with her for many years to come! I can hardly wait for her next book!

This isn't a timeless classic, but it's a certain type of mystery very well done. The "hook" in the series is that the "detective" -- Annabelle Archer -- is a wedding planner in Washington, DC, and the mysteries involve her weddings. In this one, the deceased is a much-disliked member of the wedding party, and the death takes place at the wedding reception. Annabelle's assistant Kate and caterer-friend Richard agree to help Annabelle figure out who did it. Richard has a motive since he is regarded as a suspect. Both assistants are able and interesting characters, as is Annabelle. There's humor -- particularly Richard, who is a bit over the top in general. The plotting is particularly well done for a "genre" mystery -- I was left guessing until the end.

This is such an entertaining book! I'm always looking for the kind of book that transports me far from my busy life into another world...if just for a little while. This book was just that kind of read. It's impossible to put down until you have finished it. The characters are enjoyable (and hysterical sometimes) and the book is well written. Since the author used to be a weddinig planner, the plot comes off as believable. Well, lets hope this never happened, but it really is a great first book. Can't wait for the second one.

This cozy-type mystery has some good points: it's got an interesting hook because the "detective" is a wedding planner and it's a fast read if you are pulled in enough by the story to not put it down. I unfortunately thought the book was really ho hum.

The first major downfalls is the sidekicks - the gay caterer friend who is the textbook drama queen, the friend Kate who messes up every saying (that people do not use in normal conversation today) in a really dumb way, like saying "a bird in the hand is worth two bushes" instead of "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." Another time Kate says she'll "hold down the fork" instead of "hold down the fort." It was really corny and not funny at all.

The second flaw is that the major part of the story is Annabelle/Richard/Kate questioning people, almost getting in trouble, and the nosy neighbor showing up trying to play detective too. The sort of love interest is the real detective who, other than being hot, isn't that interesting and has no personality. He seems amused at Annabelle but isn't that dramatic.

I didn't finish the last few chapters because I just didn't care if the killer was caught, I didn't care about Annabelle enough and I'm not sure why, maybe because her friendships all seem superficial. It seems like this story is a cozy mystery but is marketed as a chick-lit type mystery. It would have been way funnier if all the characters were about forty years older and it was marketed as a cozy mystery for older readers. The young women reading this will want juice - hotter stuff going on with the detective, more cutting edge wedding industry fashion, less goofy sayings, less Matlock type detective work.

Still all in all I may try one more just to see because others reviewers seem to rave...

The life of a wedding planner is never simple. Dealing with nervous brides, difficult mothers, and outrageous ideas that the planner is expected to accomplish to provide the "perfect wedding" - it all adds up to some pretty hectic days. But SOMEHOW things usually come together for a wonderful day.

Except at Annabelle Archer's latest wedding when the (very difficult) mother of the bride is poisoned. The room is packed with people who had motives to kill her but the "umbrella of suspicion" falls on Richard Gerard (Annabelle's friend and caterer of the wedding).

With her assistant Kate's help, Annabelle takes it upon herself to clear Richard's name. Not only is he a friend (and an interesting one at that) but a sometime business partner.

The combination of Annabelle and Kate has a definite Lucy - Ethel quality. Especially their visit to a certain doctor's office.

Poor Richard doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at their antics but he keeps getting pulled in despite himself.

Of course there's a handsome detective on the case. What do you want to bet he's single and will turn up in the next book????

But Leatrice , Annabelle's 80ish nosy neighbor is the quirkiest of all and she really makes the book.

It's a good, funny read and I'm anxious for the next one.

An impressive first novel, which kept me highly entertained throughout the book. As a former client of Ms. Durham, she is as creative in her writing as she is in her wedding coordination. I expected amazing results and she delivered. It is a witty, funny read, which gives us a glimpse into the crazy life of wedding planners. I am expecting more great stories from Ms. Durham and look forward to her next Annabelle Archer Mystery. Nice job Laura!

Always on the lookout for a new author, I picked this book up to sample. When I finished, I found myself wishing that the author was long-established because I wanted MORE! Definitely a keeper and I will be waiting impatiently for the next in the series.
Unlike so many other new authors, Ms Durham did not make the mistake of copying anyone's style. The mystery is good, the characters fun with just enough romantic possibilities to satisfy. I would recommend it to anyone who looks for those characteristics in their reading material.