Wedding Bell Blues

Welcome Back!  It is raining again in my area.  There is a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico that is affecting the weather in our area. We can expect a lot of rain this week in Florida (lucky us). Tonya Kappes has a new book out today.  It is Betting Off Dead.  It is the second book in the Spies and Spells series.  She is having a release party on Facebook between 7 and 9 p.m. today (with prizes).  

Wedding Bell Blues by Ruth Moose is the second book in A Dixie Dew Mystery series.   Beth McKenzie own the Dixie Dew Bed and Breakfast in Littleboro, North Carolina (a unique town).  She receives a phone call from Crazy Rena (not sure where she obtained a cell phone) asking for assistance and Beth hops in her “Lady Bug” (her car) to go assist her.  Beth arrives to find Rena at a picnic table with a man laying atop it.  The man is injured.  Beth immediately calls 911 and gives CPR (though she would rather not after seeing the guys mouth).  Sheriff Ossie DelGardo (who is getting married soon) quickly arrives in his white cowboy hat and showy white snakeskin boots (he looks ridiculous).  Rena keeps rambling that she “killed him” so he carts her off to jail.  That is when Beth notices a truck nearby that states Goods on Delivery (GOD) and Beth realizes that maybe Rena is not as crazy as they all think.  Rena has been telling everyone in town that she is having a June wedding and that the groom is God (the ladies in town helped her put together a dress, veil, and bows for her flip flops).  Maybe she meant the Goods on Delivery guy.  Beth decides to look into the matter, but things get dicey after she receives a threatening phone call (also called her a hussy).  The town is having its Green Bean Festival.  There is a fair, food judging (of items made with green beans), and the crowning of the Green Bean Queen (I am not kidding).  The judges are staying at the Dixie Dew B&B.  After the green bean food judging, Debbie Booth (one of the judges) turns up dead.  Are the two events related (the Goods on Delivery guy and the death of Debbie booth)?  Join Beth and friends in Wedding Bell Blues to find out what happens.

I found Wedding Bell Blues to be over-the-top ridiculous (I am being truthful).  I like some humor, but this was one nutty thing after another.  Rena breaks out of jail and then moves into someone’s home while they are in the hospital (they find her in the person’s bed eating cake and making a mess).  She breaks into people’s homes and steals items (like the cell phone, cake, clothes).  Tell me in what town this would be allowed to occur?  Beth runs around like a loon asking questions and badgering people.  It is a good thing that she has Ida Plum to run the inn or Beth would soon be out of business.  The mystery was easy to figure out.  The novel is a quick and easy read. I give Wedding Bell Blues 3 out of 5 stars (it was okay, just not for me).  There are frequent mentions of Mama Alice (about once a chapter) and “Lady Bug” (her car).  The majority of the book is devoted to silly antics than the mystery (missing rabbit, green bean festival, the mayor’s turtle).  Personally, I think the whole town should be locked up.  Now many people will find the book entertaining, but it is just not for me. Wedding Bell Blues is the second book in the series, but it can be read alone (easily).

The first book in A Dixie Dew Mystery series is Doing It At The Dixie Dew. You can follow Ruth Moose on Amazon.  I received a complimentary copy of Wedding Bell Blues from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

I want to thank you for joining me and reading my latest review.  I am currently reading The Room with the Second Best View by Virginia Smith (I am really enjoying it).  I will see you tomorrow when I return with another book evaluation.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader