Jenn McKinlay’s mysteries are always humorous and a little offbeat with heartwarming relationships between close friends. Fatal Fascinator, the seventh Hat Shop mystery, fits that description perfectly.
Scarlett Parker could have saved everyone a great deal of grief if she ignored Piper May’s pleas that Scarlett’s cousin Viv Tremont design the fascinators for the bridesmaids for Piper’s wedding. But, Scarlett, a bride-to-be herself, couldn’t ignore Piper’s comments that it would be “the wedding of the year” held at Waverly Castle in Sussex. A castle! What she should have listened to was her friend Andre’s comments that Piper’s fiance, Dooney Portis, bullied him in school. And, Piper herself said she and Viv were frenemies. What convinced Viv? A famous hatmaker had retired to East Sussex, and Viv had the chance to meet him.
Even when they arrive at the castle, everyone seems on edge. Piper is on edge. Dooney is demanding and pushy. The bridesmaids have breakdowns when it comes to their dresses for the formal dinner. Piper and Dooney’s parents seem to be ignoring each other. Andre isn’t happy with the rumors that the castle is haunted by the ghost of the McKenna bride who died before her wedding. When Scarlett finds a body in the library, she thinks she and her friends can leave the castle. Detective Inspector Stewart has other ideas, saying no one can leave the grounds.
Oh, Scarlett’s off the hook. As an American, she had only met the victim. But, when her friends are considered suspects, and she’s the one who dragged them to the castle, she admits her “overactive conscience” won’t let her drop the subject of the investigation.
McKinlay’s latest book, with secret tunnels, a ghost story, and wedding plans is a fun addition to the Hat Shop series.
Jenn McKinlay’s website is https://www.jennmckinlay.com/
Fatal Fascinator by Jenn McKinlay. Berkley Prime Crime, 2023. ISBN 9780593546772 (paperback), 288p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I read a galley to review for a journal.
Looking forward to reading this one, my favorite of her series. Sounds like great fun in jolly old England once again.
I like this series, too, Jeannette.
I have this on hold at the library
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Sandy.
Looks good. I have been jarred over the New Year holiday by reading in the AARP magazine this month about serial killer of older women living in independent living apartments like ours. He had killed 20 and they are looking for more in our town. Plano and Dallas. Just like in a cozy that we read, our police did not conduct investigations, autopsies were not done. Two daughters of a mother who had been married, discovered that their mother did die of natural causes. One of them had a feeling and turned over a pillowcase. Her mother had been smothered to death! Then they looked for her jewerly, gone, creamer and plate gone. The police assumed that the women died of natural causes. Now the man who got a job as home heathcare aid is serving two life sentences and there are 20 more court trials and women are being exhumed to find out if they were murdered too. There could be up to 40 murders, maybe more.
It does not make me feel confident about the local police!
Well, I guess not, Carolee! Twenty to forty deaths that the police did not identify as murders. I can see why you’re not feeling confident.
Best find out what your building has!
A lobbying group made up of victim’s relatives tried & will try again this session to get stronger security measures at senior living communities.
Those regulations – which would have required simple measures like staff background checks, visitor check-in and mandatory reporting of crimes to residents – faced strong opposition from senior living groups, and were blocked in the state legislature.
MM, You’re right. Those regulations are logical, and easy to enforce. That’s sad that the senior living groups had such clout.