by Sandra Murphy & Sarah Erwin

This week we have reviews and giveaways of another pair of fun cozy mysteries-Bridal Shower Murder by Leslie Meier and Written in Stone by Paige Shelton. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win copies of both books and links to purchase them from Amazon at the end of each review.

Bridal Shower Murder by Leslie Meier
Review by Sandra Murphy

In wedding planning, it’s the bride’s family who does most of the work. There are bridesmaids, fittings, a shower, plans for the reception, the music, first dance—it’s a lot to keep track of since venues, bands, and churches can be booked a year or two in advance. It’s like having a second job.

Lucy Stone is excited that her youngest daughter, Zoe, is engaged. Tinker’s Cove is a small town and the news spreads faster than usual. Zoe is communications director for the Sea Dogs AA minor league baseball team— Chad is one of their best players. They’re a beautiful couple, a big deal for Tinker’s Cove.

Trouble hits the fan when Chad’s parents visit. His dad is a bigot, his mom, Penny, wants to plan and pay for the wedding, regardless of what Zoe wants. To make matters worse, a local gossip’s daughter is a wedding planner who would be happy to help. Lucy politely declines, only to discover the planner called Penny and plans are underway, with total disregard for anyone else.

Lucy is a reporter for the local newspaper. Her current article is about the historical society’s new exhibit about the town’s logging history. On the first day, Hetty, head of the historical society, is surprised to see protestors from the Metinnicut Tribal Council who say the display is a privileged white interpretation of the timber industry. She realizes her error and closes the exhibit until the full story can be researched. The protestors leave.

When Hetty doesn’t arrive for Zoe’s shower, it’s a cause for concern. When her body is found at the historical society, it’s a cause for grief—and worry about a murderer on the loose. Lucy’s been involved in solving murders before but now the stakes are higher—Hetty was a friend—and there’s a wedding to plan.

This is book 31 in the popular series. Readers have followed Lucy from raising her young family on a shoestring budget to being an empty nester with adult children scattered from Alaska to France, one grandchild and hopes for more. If she can just get through this wedding…

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s the editor for the upcoming Yeet Me in St Louis, an anthology with stories from twelve St. Louis writers. Her own short stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Mystery Magazine, and anthologies such as The Perp Wore Pumpkin and I (Almost) Died in Your Arms. ‘Lucy’s Tree’, published in The Eyes of Texas, won a Derringer Award from the Short Mystery Fiction Society. She lives in St. Louis with Ozzie the Westie Impersonator and his sidekick in crime, Louie the Cat.

Written in Stone by Paige Shelton
Review by Sarah Erwin

Written in Stone is book 10 in Paige Shelton’s entertaining Scottish Bookshop cozy mystery series. Readers who enjoy armchair travel should be sure to dip into this series for a trip to Edinburgh. While this is book 10 it works as a standalone for readers new to the series. Delaney Nichols is living a lovely life working in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine and enjoying her marriage to pub owner Tom Shannon.

Delaney is excited to win a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Rory Bennigan’s studio. Rory is obsessed with the Picts (an ancient people who inhabited what is now Northern Scotland. They are known for many things, including elaborate carved stones, which are discussed in this mystery.)

While on the tour, Delaney and Tom also meet visiting paleontologist Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas, attempting to sell an artifact. Only days later Pace is found dead and no one is sure of the details. Was it an accident? Never one to sit idly by when there is information to be gathered, Delaney begins investigating Pace’s background and learns it’s a shady one. Delaney then dives into an investigation of his death, putting herself in some dangerous situations.

Delaney is a wonderful main character – thoughtful and curious, with a deep love of learning. As a result, readers learn a lot on a variety of topics. Delaney is an expert researcher, but I never felt bogged down by facts. Paige blends interesting historical information into the story seamlessly. I did not know anything about the Picts and always enjoy when I can come away from a book with a little extra knowledge.

Delaney does make me nervous sometimes, as she’s so determined to uncover the truth she often puts herself in tricky, dangerous spots. That’s the life of an amateur sleuth. I’m glad she’s surrounded by friends that support her and look out for her. I did guess the ending of this mystery, but Paige’s writing style is so engaging, that guessing the end did not take away any of my reading enjoyment.

Another charming aspect of this series is the setting of Edinburgh and the descriptive details of the place and The Cracked Spine. It’s truly an immersive reading experience for which I am grateful as I know I won’t be traveling to Scotland anytime soon.

An enjoyable entry into a long-running series!

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copies of both mysteries, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “bridal/written” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen April 26, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Sarah Erwin started her career as a children’s librarian, later becoming a public library director and now she’s a stay at home mom. While her career might have changed, her love of reading has been a constant since 4th grade and she reads over 200 books a year. Read along with her on her blog Sarah Can’t Stop Reading or on Instagram. Sarah lives in St. Louis, MO with her two kids, her husband and a family dog and cat.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.