Title: A Wedding Gone to the Dogs
Author: S.A. Kazlo
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Book Blurb:
Life for children's book author Samantha Davies seems to finally be going smoothly. She has a new boyfriend, the love of her faithful dachshund and star of her books, Porkchop, and wedding bells are even ringing for Sam's Southern Belle cousin, Candie Parker. After eleven engagements Candie has finally found Mr. Right in Mark Hogan, who is currently running for reelection as the Mayor of Wings Falls in small-town Upstate New York. But when Candie hires Ex-Fiancé #1, Tommy, to repair her century-old purple Victorian home, disaster strikes. Instead of the perfect place for Candie and Mark to start their life as husband and wife, Candie finds Tommy dead—murdered with his own nail gun! Things only get worse when a few old racy pictures of Candie from when she and the victim were engaged surface, providing the police with the perfect motive for Candie to kill her ex. With the police on the wrong trail, Sam isn't about to sit on the sidelines in this murder investigation—much to the dismay of Sam's boyfriend, Detective Hank Johnson. But it's up to Sam to make sure her cousin doesn't spend her honeymoon in the Wings Falls' poky. Will Sam find out who the murderer is so Porkchop can walk down the aisle as Candie's ringbearer? Or will the killer be saying "I do" to another victim... this time closer to home?
Excerpt:
CHAPTER ONE
"Gladys, where did you buy this?" My Southern Belle cousin, Candie Parker, blushed down to the roots of her auburn curls. As a writer of steamy romance novels, it took a lot to fluster her, but the filmy negligee she held up in her hands had her creamy complexion turning the color of a ripe tomato.
We were gathered at The Ewe and Me Woolery. By we, I mean, me, Samantha Davies, and my fellow Loopy Lady hookers. And no, I don't mean that kind of hooker. We were a group of rug hookers who gathered every Monday morning to gab, get caught up on the local gossip, and hopefully get some rug hooking done, but today was Saturday morning and a special occasion—a bridal shower for Candie. She sat at the head of the table gushing over a very revealing negligee that the oldest member of our group, Gladys O'Malley, had gifted her. The negligee was a confection of filmy lace and satin ribbons, but a spider web would cover more. Gladys is somewhere in her eighties. Exactly where? No one knows. It is a well-guarded secret. Tin cans would turn to gold before Gladys revealed her true age.
I looked around the front room of The Ewe. We rug hookers affectionately shortened the name of our happy place. Lucy Foster owned the rug hooking studio along with her husband Ralph. She had let us use her shop for this surprise wedding shower for Candie here. We Loopy Ladies had a blast decorating for the shower. It helped that a few mimosas flowed while we hung lavender and white streamers from the shelves and cubbies lining the walls of the studio. They overflowed with the lengths of fabric needed to satisfy our wool addiction for the rugs we created. Twelve of us, plus Flossie Garner and Valerie Fisherman, campaign workers for Mark, gathered around an old oak table to ooh and ahh over Candie's presents.
Candie was getting married in two weeks to the love of her life and a real nice guy, Mark Hogan. He held the title of the Mayor in our little hometown of Wings Falls and was running for reelection this November. The primary election was a week from Tuesday so it would be a really busy two weeks for Candie and Mark.
Wings Falls is a sleepy little town in upstate New York where we all live. I grew up and have lived here all my life except when I shuffled off to Cornell for my college years. Not much happens here, which is fine by me. Oh, unless you count the two murders that occurred here last year, but they could happen anywhere, right?
Candie met this love of her life about five years ago when Mark hired her as his part-time secretary. Since Wings Falls' budget didn't support a full-time secretary, this worked out fine for Candie. It gave her the time she needed to work on her romance novels and a little added income, too. She felt the reading public was too fickle to depend on them for her livelihood.
On the floor next to Candie's feet rested a large black trash bag filled with discarded wrapping paper and ribbon. A pile of gifts was stacked on the table in front of her. Besides the gossamer negligee she received from Gladys, the ladies gifted her with the wants from her wedding register—place settings of china, crystal goblets, towels and much more. I saved my present for last. I reached under the table and grabbed it out of a large canvas tote resting on the floor next to my feet. I handed it to her. Porkchop, my reddish-brown dachshund, snuggled next to the tote. He was my constant companion and the unofficial shop dog of The Ewe. He accompanied me on Monday mornings to the Loopy Ladies' gatherings.
Candie held up the sausage-shaped package I had handed to her. It was wrapped in violet paper and tied on each end with matching ribbon. Violet was the color theme for her wedding. It matched the shade of her eyes perfectly. I was her maid of honor and more than thrilled to wear a gorgeous knee-length dress in a lavender silk, which flattered my curves. Hank, my main squeeze, and Mark's best man, would wear a violet-colored vest to match my dress. She even included Porkchop in her wedding entourage. He would be the ring bearer. I had already ordered a tux for him to wear as he pranced down the aisle with a lavender pillow tied to his back with Mark's and Candie's rings attached.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What’s your favorite activity to shake off the winter doldrums?
To shake off the winter doldrums I love to curl up on my sofa with a good cozy mystery or like the main character in my mysteries, Sam, pick up my rug hook and pull some loops on my current rug in progress.
Why is your featured book a cure for the winter blues?
You can get lost in Sam's sleuthing adventures, laugh at Gladys's quirky antics, let Candie's Southern charm warm you or just want to hug lovable Porkchop.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $35 Amazon gift card
Open internationally.
Runs March 1 – 31, 2024
Drawing will be held on April 1, 2024.
Author Biography:
Syrl, a retired teacher, lives in upstate New York with her husband and two lively dachshunds. She writes the Samantha Davies Mystery series, featuring Samantha Davies and her loveable dachshund, Porkchop. When not writing she is busy hooking, rug hooking that is, and enjoying her family. Her newest book, number four in the series, Pups, Pumpkins and Murder, released September 19th.
Social Media Links:
Twitter @sakazlo
Instagram- SAKazlo
Facebook-SAKazlo