Wedding Woes - Short Version HARASSMENT, REVENGE, AND INCOMPETENCE - Justice for the recent murders on the PSU campus may have been served, but the hatred, bigotry, and bullying didn't go away. Maggie and her finance, Trip Evans, should be planning their wedding when a Panhandle State University employee is shot at the River Town Hotel. Trip, a potential witness, is targeted next. When Maggie receives a threatening note, she and Trip, in fear of their lives, go into hiding. Things must change in River Town if they are ever going back.
OnlineBookClub.org review of "Wedding Woes" by Marcia Dove.
Five Stars - Annabelle Samuel
Christmas is always a season of love and celebration. Many people's dreams and wishes usually come true during Christmas. Unfortunately for Maggie and Trip, their Christmas is about to be ruined.
Maggie and Trip were engaged. Their wedding date was fixed for June the following year. Their plan for Christmas was to celebrate their engagement with their family members and friends in River Town. Unfortunately, during the murder of Dr. Caruthers (Maggie's boss) at the hotel he managed, Trip was also shot. With Christmas ruined, Maggie had to deal with keeping Trip safe while he recovered and threats coming from her workplace.
I enjoyed reading "Wedding Woes: A Maggie McManus Mystery" by Marcia Dove. It was a book that effortlessly drew me in; it didn't take time before I got the hang of the story. It was a simple mystery book that relied on great storytelling. It did not take long to introduce the masterminds of the murders in River Town. However, the author used her storytelling skills to keep me curious. At some point, I doubted if I correctly predicted the person who committed a crime. However, making further discoveries as the book climaxed was a fascinating journey.
Beyond the murder mystery trope, the author used this book to highlight some socio-cultural and moral issues in society. The first was the issue of bullying and harassment of people deemed to be different, especially folks with unconventional sexual orientations. This was seen in the way Carl was treated because he was gay. Unfortunately, these things still happen, even with the adjustments in the legal system. The other issue was the effect of divorce on the divorcees and their families. This was seen in how Trip's ex-wife always used her daughter and Trip's mother to keep him from moving on. I could see the effect of this on Maggie, as she needed to do right by Trip. This book was not only about solving murder mysteries, and I liked that.
The author created unforgettable characters. Every character was easy to connect to. Maggie was a selfless lady who would do anything to make others happy. Trip's parents represented the typical conservational parents who always wanted to be a part of their only child's life, even when overstepping their bounds. Detective Callaghan represented the unorganized small-town detective, always overwhelmed with murder cases. I could go on and on. The bottom line was that the author created unique and remarkable characters.
There was nothing I disliked about the book. The editing was exceptional. Therefore, I'd rate it five out of five stars. I'd recommend this book to lovers of small-town murder mystery narratives.