Bamboozled Brides, by Mildred Abbott

Wedding magic...and murder? Winifred/Fred is busy, busy, busy trying to ensure that Katie's wedding is perfect, hippo theme and all. No one anticipated that Katie would arrive home only a few evenings before the wedding to find a dead body in her home. Even worse, it's the murderous ex-wife of the man Katie is about to marry, Joe. Peg, with the help of a prison guard, had escaped and somehow, perhaps while laying in wait for Katie, died. Toss in the complications of a real crime investigator in town, who happens to be invited to the wedding, that seems addicted to filming everything, and the whole wedding scenario is askew. Fred to the rescue? Maybe? I have to admit, at times Fred seems close to losing it, allowing her past and related fears to catch up to her to the point where almost everyone seems to not just become a suspect but a part of some giant conspiracy. Call that therapist, Fred!

I won't detail the plot (check the blurb) but that is just the beginning. Fred's relationship with some of the town's citizens seems to be either great or horrible, maybe because over the series Fred has annoyed, er, talked to and practically accused some of being murders. Seems there are many secrets in town. When Fred shows up at doors, unfortunately, she's either met with a deep sigh of resignation or anger. Never mind she only has days to help Susan, chief of police, solve the crime so the wedding can happen. Seems Joe is a suspect! . Loyal readers, you'll get some insight into what makes Susan tick amidst the drama. Heck, actually you'll get a good look at some of the characters' lives, both good and bad. I do so love that Susan has been not just resigned but reluctantly seems to enjoy encountering Fred's cranky corgi, Watson, known to Susan as Sgt. Fleabag. She even keeps treats, the magic word as far as Watson is concerned, handy.

In any case, while you'll appreciate the story and relationships far more if you've read previous books in the series, this one works fine as a standalone. Lots of dog antics, including cranky Watson doing his amazing job of switching gears to help calm and soothe as needed. Dogs know. They always know. You'll love the human characters, too, from Fred's ol' hippie step-father and a flamboyant uncle, plus Anna, who's almost as grumpy as Watson and full of gossip and wild theories, as well as Paulie, owner of two maniac corgis that make Watson seem reserved, and... and ... and....well, even the bad guys have their moments. Well, maybe not Peg. Bottom line, a fun read full of twists and turns, Fred's churning mind, cute dogs, romance, a wedding, and, oh, my, what sounds like a delicious recipe for "Nick's Red Raspberry Cake" at the end. Toss in that wonderful, perfect cover design (credited to AJ Corza by the author) and this one is a winner.