Lori C. (dollycas) reviewed on 6/22/2024 + 707 more book reviews

Dollycas's Thoughts

We arrive in Port Quincy shortly before the 4th of July. Mallory Shepard is helping her dear friend Bev Mitchell plan her upcoming wedding. They are at the Antique Emporium "foraging for antique pieces to gussy up her wedding". Bev is also pushing Mallory to set the date for her own wedding. While they are checking out Mallory helps extricate something from an old hat box. It is a beautiful piece of old lace that would make a perfect veil. She is excited to purchase it. But then as she is leaving the store Helene Pierce rips it from her hands asserting it is a family heirloom that was stolen when a hit-and-run killed her husband 25 years ago.  She claims the lace was made by Betsy Ross.

Mallory and her sister Rachel are also organizing a new gala celebrating Port Quincy's founding. Cordials and Cannonballs will feature a reenactment of a battle from the Revolutionary War that took place over 200 years ago right in Port Quincy. Again, Helene Pierce is causing trouble. She wants to forbid women from taking part in the reenactment. The big day arrives and the event appears to be a success even with the low-hanging fog. Then screams break out. Bev's fiance and Mallory's stepfather are injured and a local woman is dead.

Historic lace and reenactment murder. Mallory finds herself in the middle of it all. Can she get to the truth? or will she die before she gets to say "I do"?

______

I have always been amazed at how Mallory could juggle everything she needed to get done for weddings and the B&B and her amateur sleuthing. Her sister Rachel helped but it still was a lot. Now, it this installment they finally hire an assistant and Pia is an excellent fit. She and Rachel become quick friends as they try to press Mallory to set a wedding date. Mallory's fiance Garett is a wonderful man and he has a beautiful 14-year-old daughter Summer. They too are ready for the wedding to take place. Then you have Carole, Mallory, and Rachel's mother who wants a quick wedding because she wants grandchildren NOW! She is overbearing but she loves her daughters. Her husband, Doug is pretty easygoing and knows how to handle his wife. Chief of Police, Truman Davies is Garrett's dad making murder and lace investigations interesting. Helene truly is Mallory's nemesis and pops up everywhere.  I enjoy how the characters have grown since the start of this series. They are genuine and engaging and a couple are pretty stubborn.

Because this is the final book in the series a lot takes place within the pages. The mysteries intertwine and a cold case is brought back to life. The veil needs to be authenticated. The murder weapon musket must be examined. Many questions must be asked and answered. Twists unraveled and clues followed. All while so much is happening in Mallory's personal life. She even receives a wild request from her ex and his new bride.

I do have to say I had moved this book down my To-Be-Read stack several times since it was released because a friend told me one scene would be a trigger for me after losing my son to suicide. I needed a book with a wedding word in the title for my Alphabet Soup June Mini Challenge so I decided to read it now. The scene still hit me hard but I handled it, moved on, and didn't let it detract my enjoyment of the story one bit.

Veiled in Death wrapped this series up in a fabulous fashion. Ms. Blackmoore left the characters we have come to love in good places. She wrapped up any dangling threads all while giving readers mysteries we could sink our teeth into. She leaves her readers with A Perfect Escape.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

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