Murder of a Wedding Belle

Table of Contents

 

 

“Denise Swanson’s Scumble River mysteries are always fun to read . . . a strong whodunit with solid twists.”

—
Midwest Book Review

“The series remains fresh and dramatic; a great combination, which translates to an enjoyable and intriguing reading experience.”

—Once Upon a Romance Reviews

“A trip to Scumble River is like visiting with old friends.... Another entry into a fine series that is sure to be on most must-read lists.”

—The Mystery Reader

“Swanson has given me many a smile and many hours of wonderful fun reading. This is another in a long line of really great books.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

“Scumble River mysteries are well constructed, well written, and each one is better than the last—and they’re just plain fun to read. Readers of cozy mysteries who haven’t read Denise Swanson’s books are in for a real treat when they do.”

—Cozy Library

“Swanson’s protagonist is such a delight that readers will eagerly follow her as she tries to solve a convoluted crime.”

—
Romantic Times

 

“Denise Swanson neatly seasons the cleverly crafted plot ... with a generous dash of romance as Skye’s relationship with Scumble River’s police chief, Wally Boyd, continues to simmer neatly along.”

—
Chicago Tribune

“The Scumble River mysteries are great fun. . . . Denise Swanson makes humorous writing appear effortless.”

—
Mystery News

“Top-notch storytelling with truly unique and wonderful characters.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

“[A] hilarious mystery.”

—
The Pilot
(North Carolina)

“With its endearing hero, terrific cast of realistically quirky secondary characters, and generous soupçon of humor,
Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
. . . is a delight.”

—
Chicago Tribune

 

“Tight plotting and plenty of surprises keep this series on my must-read list.”

 

“This fast-paced cozy has it all.”

—
Romantic Times

 

“Swanson is a born storyteller.”

—
CrimeSpree Magazine

 

“Another knee-slapping adventure in Scumble River.”

—
The Amplifier
(KY)

 

“[Swanson] smartly spins on a solid plot and likable characters.”

—
South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

“[A] hilarious amateur sleuth mystery.... [Swanson] has a lot of surprises in store for the reader.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

“The must-read book of the summer.”

—
Butler County Post
(KY)

 

“Current readers will appreciate the trip into Scumble River, while new readers will want to go back.”

—The Best Reviews

 

“Swanson continues her lively, light, and quite insightful look at small-town life . . . a solid plot [and] likeable characters who never slide into caricature.”

“Another side-splitting visit to Scumble River . . . filled with some of the quirkiest and most eccentric characters we ever have met, with a sharp, witty protagonist.”

—
Butler County Post
(KY)

 

“An endearing and realistic character . . . a fast-paced, enjoyable read.”

—
The Herald News
(MA)

 

“This book is delightful....The characters are human and generous and worth following through the series.”

—Mysterious Women

 

“A smooth, pleasant, and ultimately satisfying book.”

—
Chicago Tribune

 

“Another delightful and intriguing escapade.”—
Mystery News

 

“More fun than the whirlagig at the county fair and tastier than a corn dog.”

—The Charlotte Austin Review

 

“Swansonis is on her way to the top of the genre ... a magnificent tale written by a wonderful author.”

—
Midwest Book Review

 

“Bounces along with gently wry humor and jaunty twists and turns. The quintessential amateur sleuth: bright, curious, and more than a little nervy.”

—Earlene Fowler, Agatha Award–winning author

 

“A likable new heroine reminiscent of some of our favorite childhood detectives—with a little bit of an edge.... A fresh, delightful, and enjoyable first mystery.”

—The Charlotte Austin Review

 

“A charming, insightful debut.”

—Carolyn Hart

OBSIDIAN

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First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

First Printing, April 2010

Copyright © Denise Swanson Stybr, 2010

All rights reserved

 

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ISBN : 978-1-101-56499-8

In July of 2000, when the first book in my Scumble River series,
Murder of a Small-Town Honey
, was published, it was written in “real time.” It was the year 2000 in Skye’s life as well as mine, but after several books in a series, time becomes a problem. It takes me from seven months to a year to write a book, and then it is usually another year from the time I turn that book in to my editor until the reader sees it on a bookstore shelf. This can make the timeline confusing. Different authors handle this matter in different ways. After a great deal of deliberation, I decided that Skye and her friends and family would age more slowly than those of us who don’t live in Scumble River. So to catch everyone up, the following is when the books take place:

The Scumble River short story and novella take place: