'Til Death Do Us Part (Bailey Weggins Mysteries) [Kindle Edition]

Kate White (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The third cleverly plotted Bailey Weggins mystery from Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief White (after 2003's A Body to Die For) provides a juicy inside look at the well-to-do matrons of tony Greenwich, Conn. Lounging at home one winter evening in Manhattan, the 30-something Bailey gets an unexpected call from one of her fellow bridesmaids from "the infamous Cross-Slavin wedding" held the previous spring. Ashley Hanes wants the Gloss magazine true-crime reporter/amateur detective to look into a bizarre coincidence: two bridesmaids have died, both seemingly by accident. So Ashley and Bailey travel to Greenwich to talk with the star of the wedding herself, Peyton Cross. Through her heroine's funny, self-deprecating voice, the author deliciously conveys the milieu of moneyed Greenwich-ites (and their New York counterparts). One has to wonder, though, why the refreshingly down-to-earth Bailey is even friends with the likes of Peyton Cross, a "Bridezilla" unpleasantly obsessed with perfection. White keeps everything light, but she also sustains a real sense of mystery, with less than obvious motives and a positively suspenseful denouement. Ultimately, the pleasures here are more gossipy than criminal.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Bailey Weggins, the brainchild of Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief White, seems a little tired. Who wouldn't be at the rate she's solving murders: If Looks Could Kill debuted the popular series in 2002 and was followed by A Body to Die For in 2003. Weggins' main job is writing true-crime stories for a Cosmo-like magazine called Gloss, but she seems to stumble across as many dead bodies as she does ideas for articles. Here the deceased are all bridesmaids of a Martha Stewart wanna-be, Peyton Cross. Weggins was in the wedding party, too, so it seems natural for one of the maids left standing to get in touch with her, both for her amateur-sleuthing skills and because she, too, may be marked for death. There are lots of circumlocutions here, but sometimes Weggins (and White) appears to be just going through the motions--it's that time of year, she seems to be saying, so bring on another murder. Despite the signs of fatigue, though, there's still plenty to be entertained by here. The unveiling of the murderer has some bite, and Bailey is as endearing as ever, proving again that, in mysteries, it's not so much what happens as who it happens to that matters. This isn't as strong as its predecessors, but that won't keep it from drawing a crowd. It won't hurt that an hour-long ABC pilot is in the works called Bailey Weggins. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 477 KB
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (May 4, 2004)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FC1MO6
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,676 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

Kate White is recognized internationally as not only the veteran editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, the best-selling women's magazine in the world, but also as the critically acclaimed author of both fiction and nonfiction books. Few high-profile editors have successfully balanced the rigors of overseeing a major magazine title with a thriving and independent writing career.

It all began when Kate won Glamour magazine's Top Ten College Women contest and appeared on the cover. Kate earned a position at the magazine and quickly rose from editorial assistant to feature writer and columnist. After holding key jobs at several national magazines, she became an editor-in-chief, running four magazines (including Redbook) before taking the helm at Cosmopolitan in 1998.

Drawing on experiences from her successful career, Kate published the bestselling career bibles Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead...but Gutsy Girls Do in 1995 and 9 Secrets of Women who Get Everything They Want in 1998. Her most recent nonfiction book, You on Top: Smart Sexy Skills Every Woman Needs to Set the World on Fire published in 2006.

But Kate also has a passion for writing fiction. In penning her first novel, If Looks Could Kill, in 2002--which was selected as Live With Regis and Kelly's first Reading With Ripa Book Club pick--Kate introduced her gutsy and irreverent sleuth, Bailey Weggins. Ms. Weggins went on to solve more grisly murders and entertain readers in A Body to Die For (2003), 'Til Death Do Us Part (2004), Over Her Dead Body (2005), and then again in Lethally Blond (2007), all New York Times bestsellers. The books were recently optioned by Lions Gate Pictures.

Kate's highly anticipated first thriller, HUSH, with her new publisher HarperCollins, will be available in bookstores March 2010. HUSH marks Kate's entry into a whole new genre. Set in the world of fertility clinics and hailed as a "pulse-pounding, chilling, and provocative" read, it's the story of an ordinary woman who flees the scene of a murder and realizes it's not just the law that is hunting her.

Kate's writer's eye has been described by the New York Times as "scathingly observant," capturing "the mood...with a verisimilitude some of her peers might recognize." The Los Angeles Times says of Kate's work: "It's like devouring a box of chocolates!"

Through her magazine work and books, Kate White has influenced at least two generations of women with her unique honesty, passion, and imagination. She is the winner of the Matrix Award for Outstanding Achievement in Communication, as well as the Woodhall Institute Award for Ethical Leadership.

Kate currently resides in Manhattan with her husband and two children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars nice light read, April 18, 2004

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Bailey Weggins Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Kate White is rather good at writing fast paced, quick reads. The premises of her mystery novels are always rather good as well. For me, though, where things fail to satisfy is in the developments of the characters (they all remain rather superficially paper thin), and the plot -- things generally start of really well but then tend to stagnate for a good chunk of the book, before taking off somewhere around the last third of the book. And with "Til Death Do Us Part" much of this criticism was true. But is also true that of the three Bailey Weggins mystery novels published so far, this is the one I enjoyed most.

Someone seems bent on offing the bridesmaids of the Cross/Slavin wedding -- or so Ashley Haines (one of the bridesmaids at the wedding) claims to Bailey Weggins, a true crime writer who has also found herself entangled in a few murder investigations of her own. And while Bailey would like nothing better than to ignore Ashley's claims (esp since rich and super snooty Ashley just rubs her up the wrong way), this is one allegation that Bailey cannot ignore since she herself was one of the Cross/Slavin bridesmaids. What Bailey learns is that two other bridesmaids who had become rather close since the wedding have died in accidents within weeks of each other. Intrigued by the coincidence of it all, Bailey decides to look into to things. But she has barely started her investigation when Ashley is found dead! The police believe that Ashley's death was accidental, but by now Bailey is convinced that someone is out to kill every single bridesmaid from the wedding. Discovering why and who is proving more difficult than usual, esp since Bailey is now spending a great deal of time looking over her shoulder. Will Bailey solve the mystery before the determined killer gets to her? Or will she too, like the bridesmaids before her, become another victim of an "accidental" death...

If you're looking for a fast and light read, esp if you're en route somewhere, this is definitely the book for you. Events unfold at a brisk pace, and the authour's narrative style is snappy and engaging. Time definitely does fly when you're reading "Til Death Do Us Part." But I did think that the story and character developments left a lot to be desired. The book is a goodish read -- just not a stellar one.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Murderous Trip to Greenwich, July 28, 2005

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Mass Market Paperback)

Freelance true crime writer, and amateur sleuth, Bailey Weggins, is trying to get some relaxation on a frigid night in New York City, when she gets a frantic call from Ashley Hanes, a woman whom she was a bridesmaid with nine-months earlier, and scarcely knows. Bailey is expecting to be hit up for a couple of tickets to a big-time fashion show, but what she gets is much worse. According to Ashley, two of the bridesmaids from Peyton Cross's lavish Greenwich, Connecticut wedding have recently died in so-called freak accidents, but Ashley suspects foul play, and she's enlisting Bailey's help to prove it. Worried that she could be next on the hit list, Bailey dashes off to Ivy Hill Farm, home to Peyton Cross's catering empire. Bailey's just getting ready to interview suspects, when another bridesmaid ends up dead, proving to her that these freak accidents are definitely not accidents. Soon Bailey is following a trail of clues that lead her from her home in New York City, to Greenwich, Connecticut, and even to Miami, Florida, where she is being stalked by some sort of mad-man, or woman. As if that weren't bad enough, her relationship with Jack is on rocky ground, and she's unsure if it will stabilize anytime soon.

As Kate White has written the BAILEY WEGGINS mysteries, I have become increasingly more and more interested in Bailey's life, and crazy mishaps. It's always enjoyable to have the privilege to read about a sleuth/writer, and with Bailey, readers get the best of both worlds. Not only that, White has created an array of eccentric characters who accompany Bailey through each book, and make each installment that much better. Overall, 'TIL DEATH DO US PART was a marvelous new addition to Bailey's mystery series, and I look forward to reading the next book shortly.

Erika Sorocco

Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Third Time Is A Charm!, June 1, 2004

By 

TJ's Mommy (El Dorado Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Bailey Weggins Mysteries) (Hardcover)

Bailey Weggins is back and just as good as ever! In 'Til Death Do Us Part, Bailey is still working for Gloss magazine as a true crime story journalist. It's been a while since she was involved in her last "story", and her life is pretty mellow and normal. Until she receives a call from Ashley. a lady that she was an attendant with in a mutual friend's wedding. Two of the other bridesmaids have died mysterious (and accidental) deaths, but Ashley fears that they were murdered and that she might be next. She asks Bailey to get on the case and do some digging. Bailey, never one to turn down an opportunity to solve crimes, gets involved and finds herself in the middle of all kinds of various mysteries.

It was a page turner and I couldn't put it down! It's a must read...especially for Kate White fans. You think you know...but you don't...and then it's so obvious you'll question everything. Very good!