Better Off Wed

Laura Durham

Jan 2018 · Broadmoor Books

About this ebook

 **Winner of the Agatha Award for Best First Novel!**

Planning weddings can be murder. But stumbling across dead bodies usually isn’t on the itinerary. Can a wedding planner use her skills to discover who’s killing her clients?

Society wedding planner Annabelle Archer is no stranger to wedding day stress, but a dead body at her latest fete takes the cake. When suspicion falls on her best friend and caterer Richard Gerard, she knows she must find the real culprit before his career is ruined along with her reputation for solving problems. But it’s no easy feat since the slain mother-of-the-bride was the most hated socialite in the city. As Annabelle navigates DC’s powerful social scene to unmask the culprit, there’s no telling how many more victims the killer will claim or if Annabelle and her friends will be among them.

Better Off Wed is the first book in the Annabelle Archer cozy mystery series. If you like charming characters, fast-paced comedy, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the wild world of weddings, then you’ll love Laura Durham’s Agatha award-winning mystery.

Get Better Off Wed to discover the award-winning mystery series today!

Interview with the Author

Q - So, what makes the Annabelle Archer series special?

A - The Annabelle Archer wedding planner mysteries are based on my 20 plus years of planning society weddings in Washington, DC. That means I’ve seen tons of crazy things happen, and I’ve worked with lots of colorful characters. I bring that light-hearted sense of fun and zany characters into the novels. A lot of the humorous details I include in my books actually happened at my weddings! And since the books are about weddings, there is plenty of food, décor, and behind the scenes details. 

The Annabelle Archer books are fast-paced cozy mysteries featuring a female protagonist with a little romance and comedy thrown in. You'll find the series has lots of elements of craft and culinary mysteries, with a jewelry heist caper and ghost story in the mix to keep things interesting. 

Q - What order should I read the books in?

A –I'd suggest the following sequence:

- Better Off Wed
- For Better Or Hearse
- Dead Ringer—A Novella
- Review To A Kill

- Death on the Aisle

- Night of the Living Wed

- Eat, Prey, Love

- Groomed for Murder (coming soon)

Q - So, why should readers give these books a try?

A - Because the Annabelle Archer cozy mystery series is fun, light, and the perfect escape or beach reading. Plus, the first book in the series won the Agatha Award for the Best First Novel. 

Praise for the Annabelle Archer Series:

"A delightfully witty blend of murder and matrimony"- Donna Andrews, author of "Gone Gull" and "How the Finch Stole Christmas"

"Cozy mystery lovers should briskly march up their bookstore aisles to grab a copy of Better Off Wed."-- Susan McBride, author of "Come Helen High Water"

"Laura Durham has given her readers a reason to celebrate."-- Elaine Viets, author of "The Art of Murder"

 "Delightful mystery . . . Cozy readers will love this invitation to a wedding to die for."-- Nancy Martin, author of "Bye Bye Blackbird"

“Laura Durham and her flair for witty characters and murder amidst matrimony are a match made in mystery heaven.”

--Ellen Byerrum, author of Hostile Makeover

“Laura Durham has succeeded in crafting a series featuring a thoroughly believable and lovable set of characters, much akin to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum and her motley crew.”

-Roundtable Reviews

“A charming, fast-paced funny addition to the humorous amateur sleuth genre.”

--Romantic Times

 

If You Enjoy Laura Durham, You May Also Like:

Gina LaManna

Agatha Frost

Donna Andrews

Susan McBride

Chelsea Field

Jana DeLeon  

 

 

If You Enjoy Laura Durham, You May Also Like:

Gina LaManna

Agatha Frost

Donna Andrews

Susan McBride

Chelsea Field

Jana DeLeon

 

Ratings and reviews

This is the first book from a "wedding planner" book series. It features Annabelle Archer, and her gang of loyal friends; who support her not just in her job, but also in her life. Each of the characters is detailed out nicely. Kate, Fern, Richard. It is murder mystery series, with just enough touch of romance - just a tiny bit. The story, however, is not about Anna's love life. It may evolve in other books of the series, we can presume. This one was a surprise. So really liked it. 3.5 on 5 stars, if I were to rate.

An entertaining novel, but I expected Richard to warble, "I'm free!" at any moment. I hope the author learns a little more character development.

Lovely light mystery. Annabelle is a wedding planner and unfortunately the bride’s mother gets murdered. Annabelle plays detective to find the murderer. The story was a light read and though it was easy to guess the killer, the author still manages to keep the interest of the readers till the very end. Cute read.

About the author

 Laura Durham is the Agatha award-winning author of the Annabelle Archer Wedding Planner series. She planned weddings in Washington, DC for over twenty years and her real-life experiences inspire her books.