Cut to the Chaise by Karen Rose Smith

Welcome!  Batter Off Dead by Maymee Bell comes out on December 11 along with A Spell of Murder by Clea Simon and The Fallen Women by Lindsey Hutchinson.  Live and Let Pie by Ellie Alexander will be out on December 29.  It is the ninth A Bakeshop Mystery.

Cut to the Chaise by Karen Rose Smith takes readers to Kismet, Pennsylvania.  Caprice DeLuca is finalizing the plans for her wedding to Grant Weatherford now that his annulment has finally come through from the Catholic Church.  They are having their reception at Rambling Vines Winery who happened to have a last minute cancelation and Caprice had redecorated their tasting room for Travis and Michelle Dodd who own the winery.  The wedding is coming together with Bella making her dress, a last minute opening at St. Francis Catholic Church and Nikki agreeing to cater the reception.  When Caprice starts hearing rumors about Rambling Vines having financial problems and unhappy clients, she wonders if they made the right choice for their reception.  It does not help matters that Michelle Dodd once dated Vince and he failed to tell Roz about the relationship (awkward).  Then Travis Dodd is found stabbed in the neck with a cheese knife on the teal chaise in the tasting room.  Michelle is the prime suspect and requests Vince represent her.  Caprice sets out to identify the culprit, so she can prove Michelle’s innocence, get Vince away from Michelle before his relationship with Roz implodes and clear the bad karma from Rambling Vines.  Time is of the essence with her wedding just around the corner.  Can Caprice wrap up the case before she walks down the aisle? 

Cut to the Chaise is the eighth A Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery and it cannot be read alone.  This is one series that you need to read in order.  Each book builds upon the previous one.  Caprice’s business is successful, she has a wonderful relationship with her family, and is marrying the man she has loved since the moment she met him.  Caprice and Grant were waiting for the annulment from the church before planning their wedding.  Now that the annulment has come through, they are wasting no time in getting married.  A Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery series is a character driven series.  There is Caprice’s large family which includes Vince, Nikki and Bella along with their wide circle of friends.  Unfortunately, Grant’s family is not as warm and friendly as Caprice’s which creates tension.  I like the author’s conversational writing style.  It has an ease to it which makes Cutto the Chaise easy to read and enjoy.  The mystery is not the focus of the book, but it was intriguing.  The fast paced mystery has a couple of suspects along with misdirection to throw you off the track of the real killer.  There are many lovely cozy and romantic moments in Cut to the Chaise and fans of the series will be thrilled with the wedding.  Caprice helps a sweet dog find a forever home plus Grant’s and Caprice’s dogs are featured along with the families’ other pets.  I am giving Cut to the Chaise 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it).  There are recipes at the end for the enticing dishes featured in the story. 

I appreciate you stopping in today.  It is a busy time of year for everyone as we get ready for the holiday season.  I will return tomorrow to feature Murder at the Mill by M.B. Shaw as part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour.  It is the first book in The Iris Grey Mysteries and there is a giveaway.  Take care, stay warm and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader