Weddings and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly, although most brides save that favorite for after the dress is safely packed away.
But mystery readers have no restrictions on when, where, or how they walk down the aisle with these unforgettable ceremonies. Say yes to the distress:
Maid of Dishonor, Nancy Robards Thompson (coming July 18, 2024)
Maddie Bell’s life and career are icing on her cake. She’s sold her cozy mystery series and is contracted for two more books; she’s engaged to Hemlock’s chief of police; and her mother has purchased and restored the beautiful historic mansion, Gracewood Hall, in their hometown of Hemlock, North Carolina. Three generations—Gigi, Maddie, and Jenna–are now happily immersed in the wedding and special event business.
But their highly scrutinized inaugural event—the wedding of an A-List social media influencer—becomes a murder scene before the rehearsal dinner. Even as the police warn Maddie not to interfere with the investigation, this mother and daughter set out to discover who killed Kate and dispel the growing rumors that Gracewood Hall is cursed.
Optioned for television by Candy Rock Entertainment.
Until Depths Do Us Part, by K.B Jackson
Congratulations on booking your first cruise on the luxury private residential cruise ship, Thalassophile of the Seas! We want to ensure your sailing adventure is everything you have dreamed.
But newly widowed Charlotte McLauglin didn’t dream her husband was cheating on her with another family or hiding millions in his bank account. She’s using her new windfall to treat her nephew to the perfect wedding venue aboard her luxury cruise home bound for Alaska. Then things get even frostier when the bride is found dead less than twenty-four hours after they set sail, and evidence points to the groom as the murderer.
Now Charlotte is making a new vow: to protect her family’s happiness.
Murder Below the Mistletoe, by Kaz Delaney
What could go wrong when baker Rosie Hart heads to a snowy Colorado mountain lodge for a week of elaborate pre-wedding festivities at her friend’s wedding? Well, for starters, one of the wedding guests turns up dead, the groom appears to be the target, and she’s stuck in a blizzard with the wedding party being picked off one by one.
The only suspect she can rule out is Santa.
Rosie’s investigative instincts kick in—only this time she’s on her own. That is, until her four irrepressible card-shark mentors from Riverbend Retirement Village unexpectedly turn up to rescue her.
It’s the perfect read to cool you off on a hot, humid day.
A Case for the Candlemaker, by Candace Havens
Ainsley McGregor has her hands full preparing for Sweet River’s Valentine’s Day celebration and her bestie’s wedding. But then Ainsley and her Great Dane, George Clooney, discover that a candlemaker passing through town is dead—in a room that was locked from the inside.
Nuptials have to take a back seat as Ainsley drops into sleuth mode, discovering some surprising truths about the mystery woman. But has she just put herself in the killer’s crosshairs? It’s time to speak now or she may forever hold her peace.
Look for The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker starring Candace Cameron Bure as the Great American Mysteries channel’s inaugural launch!
Agatha Christie is a huge inspiration to our Tule writers, and no doubt a favorite mystery writer of yours, too. When we asked your favorite cozy writers who they would most like to collaborate with, Agatha is the queen.
But not everyone named her. Some of Tule’s Cozy Mystery Cafe authors chose someone else … can you guess who they admire and spot the Miss Marple fan in this batch?
Jody Holford: Oh wow. I’d love to work with Sandra Brown, James Patterson, Nora Roberts.
Melissa Westemeier: Doug Johnstone because I’m obsessed with his Skelf series and would love to learn from him. He writes amazing characters and blends plots together so well. We both write about generation gaps and I think we could come up with a good story.
I’m so excited that MAID OF DISHONOR, Wedding Bell Mysteries book four, hits the shelves this July. I loved returning to fictional Hemlock, North Carolina, and living in the world of mother/daughter wedding planners and amateur sleuths Maddie and Jenna Bell.
But there’s more news from Hemlock as well, and it’s time to uncover our secret as we unveil the book cover: my series has been optioned for television by Candy Rock Entertainment! We hope to hear more news soon. You can bet that I’ll keep you posted.
Meanwhile, you are invited to drop in to the Tule Cozy Mystery Cafe Facebook page tomorrow, May 16, at 1:00 p.m. EST for a special cover unveiling. Hint: there’s prizes. Can’t wait to see you there!
Here’s a little bit about the book:
Instead of walking down the aisle, the bride is suspected of murder….
Maddie Bell’s life and career have hit peak stride. She’s sold her cozy mystery series and is contracted for two more books; she’s engaged to Hemlock’s chief of police; and her mother has purchased and restored the beautiful historic mansion, Gracewood Hall, in their hometown of Hemlock, North Carolina. Three generations—Gigi, Maddie, and Jenna–are now happily engaged in the wedding and special event business.
But their highly scrutinized inaugural event—the wedding of an A-List social media influencer—becomes a murder scene before the rehearsal dinner. Kate Archer, the professional bridesmaid Jenna hired, is found bludgeoned by a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, not only threatening their new business, but also sending Jenna into a tailspin of guilt. She knew Kate from college and had begged her to fill in as the maid of honor.
Even as the police warn Maddie not to interfere with the investigation, mother and daughter set out to discover who killed Kate and dispel the growing rumors that Gracewood Hall is cursed.
If you haven’t yet subscribed to my newsletter, you can do so here:https://www.nancyrobardsthompson.com/contact . On that page, scroll down to where it says, “Sign up for Nancy’s Newsletter.”
Bells will be ringing for all of us this summer.
About the Author
Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold 30 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing romance and women’s fiction full-time.
Where did you get the inspiration for Ending on a Die Note?
Hi! Thanks so much for having me on the Tule blog to celebrate the release of ENDING ON A DIE NOTE. It’s the third book in the Wedding Bell Mysteries. My daughter helped me brainstorm this book. We were having lunch at Panera one day (pre-Covid) and I was telling her about my bare-bone ideas and before I knew it, she’d helped me flesh out the story. It was such fun!
How do you feel Maddie and Jenna have grown and changed throughout the Wedding Bell Mysteries series?
Well, they’ve certainly become more adept at solving murders. LOL! They’ve both experienced a lot of personal growth over the three books…especially in the romance arena. To avoid spoilers, I can’t be too specific, but let’s just say the mystery about Maddie’s husband, the navy pilot who has been missing in action since the start of the series, is finally solved in this book. That, in itself, allows for a lot of growth in both characters.
If you could spend the day with Maddie or Jenna, who would you choose and what would you do?
I love both of them, but I’d love to talk cozy mysteries and motherhood with Maddie.
Where and when do you get most of your writing done?
I have a cozy office with lots of bookcases and a great big antique desk that my father and step-mother gave me. My office is my sanctuary. I work Monday – Thursday and usually get settled in around 10 a.m. and work until around 5 or 6 p.m. I always have a strict schedule and page quota mapped out so that I know I’m on track to meet my deadlines.
What are you currently reading?
I’m reading EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes. It’s a funny and poignant story about a woman who is starting over after her life falls apart.
About the Author
Award-winning author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold 30 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing romance and women’s fiction full-time.
