ENGAGED IN MURDER is Book one in Nancy J. Parra's Perfect
Proposals cozy mystery series. ENGAGED IN MURDER is
definitely a cozy mystery, but with some Hitchcockian
overtones. Since this is the first book in the series,
Pepper is just setting up her high-end proposal planning
business in addition to hunting down clues. I think the
author gives an understandable reason for Pepper to want to
get involved in solving a murder. Not only did she discover
the body, but her sister's fiancée is suspect number one.
Pepper Pomeroy is a likable amateur sleuth. I like how she
is taking control of her life in this story by ditching her
loser boyfriend and starting her own business. The various
extravagant wedding proposals that Pepper sets up
throughout the story are amusing. I also like that she has
a good relationship with her mother and sister, and that
those characters are not obnoxious or distracting from the
mystery. I love the potential for romance in future books.
There are enough suspects in ENGAGED IN MURDER to keep the
reader guessing, in spite of the fact that most of them
revolve around the same place of business. There is
definitely the feeling, as you read ENGAGED IN MURDER, that
anybody could be a murderer. I think Nancy J. Parra does a
great job of putting the reader off balance when it comes
to the guilt or innocence of Warren -- the fiancé of
Pepper's sister. The cops in ENGAGED IN MURDER are nice
guys and I didn't find them to be condescending when Pepper
tries to get involved in the investigation.
ENGAGED IN MURDER is a fun cozy with a few thrills and
chills thrown in. The conclusion to ENGAGED IN MURDER is
very satisfying and makes sense. I look forward to reading
the next installment in this Perfect Proposals
series.
Event planner Pepper Pomeroy is making the most of her
current unemployment by arranging a surprise for her sister,
Felicity. Warren, Felicity’s boyfriend, plans to lure his
lovely lady into a private jet, propose, and whisk her away
on a romantic vacation. He just needs Pepper to handle all
the fine details in order to make it the perfect
proposal—and it is. Everything goes so well when Warren pops
the question that he suggests Pepper do this sort of thing
professionally.
But before she can get her new business off the ground,
there are some disturbing questions. Like who’s the dead guy
Pepper finds in the ladies’ room of the jet hangar? Is it
possible Felicity’s high-flying fiancé has been hiding more
than the engagement ring? Pepper’s not married to the idea
of having a criminal in the family, so in order to protect
her sister, she takes off in pursuit of a killer…