Friday, November 7, 2014

A Wedding and a Funeral by Lauren Carr

Posted first to Blog Critics as Book Review:'A Wedding and a Funeral; a Mac Faraday Mystery' by Lauren Carr.

Many nuptials are conducted within the hallowed grounds and premises of the Church. Arranging the timing is often the most difficult, between the sermons, the pastor’s free time and juggling your own time constraints, the lure is still there.
In A Wedding and A Killing by Lauren Carr, we find another obstacle in play that most do not have to deal with. As Mac Faraday and Archie Monday finally decide the time is right, and schedule an unprompted wedding, they are put on hold when a body shows up. Yet this is not just any murder, this is the murder of one of the churches own. Found in one of the church offices, everything is put on hold as Mac and Archie find themselves in the middle of another murder. This one though hits closer to home, as everyone in the church is suspect, including their friend and pastor.
As the clues begin, the local police have their own ideas of the culprit. Yet Mac does not agree. When he gets his own attorney involved and the local suspect claims church sanctuary, the words begin to fly. However there is an overriding trust in Mac’s abilities that create a fissure in the storm, giving them all the time to look deeper then imagined.
Sometimes the simplest of answers are the hardest ones to find, and Mac and Archie are hot on the trail, for nothing can stand between them and their decision to marry.
This is a mystery of jealousies and wants. The deviances of those who claim to be church members give a wicked name to the exploits of their seething need. The characters of Mac and Archie remain true to our initial introduction, but those who serve the church in varying ways have the ways and means to create chaos. There is a mix of tragedy that transforms goodness into pain, and there is vileness that hides in a cloak of goodness. The red herrings are well done and take you in every direction.
As a crime fighting duo, Mac Faraday is a great character, and when matched up with his lady love, they are hard to beat.
If you enjoy murder mystery and romance you will want to find this work. Once you have enjoyed this triumph you will be looking for the other Mac Faraday mysteries by Carr. She twists in the romance so it is more about the mystery, but the romance creates a feeling of surety that makes you want more.
Rating 4/5
This book was received from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

2 comments:

Lauren Carr said...

Thank you so much, Leslie, for the great review of A WEDDING AND A KILLING. I am so glad that you enjoyed this latest Mac Faraday Mystery! See you next time with THREE DAYS TO FOREVER!

Advice About Marriage said...

Thank you for this review. It is a pleasure to take a break from the daily routine and read a novel with and interesting plot. Also the title makes it catchy to read it, because we tie to the wedding word all the jolly parts of a marriageand not the sad aspects such as a funeral...