Newly Wed and Slightly Dead

Touch of Magic Mysteries, Book 1

By: Danielle Garrett

Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

When a vampire marries a human, things are bound to get messy...

Nothing ruins a rehearsal dinner quite like a passive-aggressive toast from the unhappy mother of the groom. Things go from bad to yikes when she's found reduced to a pile of ashes and couture and the bride is pegged as the one wielding the wooden stake.

After years spent working the birthday party and baby shower circuit, Anastasia Winters finally has a corner office and a host of supernatural clients all begging her to plan their special day. But following a brush of bad luck, she finds herself on the brink of losing it all. With an ultimatum from her boss on the table, she knows her next wedding has to be perfect.

When the vampy mother of the groom is found dead, the bride goes on the run, and Anastasia is forced head-first into the murder investigation if she has any chance of getting the wedding back on track and keeping her job.

Unfortunately, this is one wedding crisis that requires more than a strategically placed bobby pin or double-sided sticky tape.

Can there be a fairy tale ending, or will it be Happily Ever Never?

©2019 Danielle Garrett (P)2019 Tantor

More Middling Than Magical

This was my first story with Danielle Garrett, I got this The Ghosthunter Next Door, and the collection of volumes 1-3 of The Beechwood Harbor Magic Series. Newly Wed and Slightly Dead is a very light read with a main character who has some allies and antagonists that feel pretty cookie cutter. It was a fast easy listen barely clocking over 4 hours but never really compelling. Some magic details about the town are kind of dropped in without having much explanation or elaboration so they feel more like accessories than something that really grounds the reader in the story. Plus I know there is a lot of "accept the lack of realism and just go with the story" in these types of books but it is always really goofy to me to imply that a wedding organizer would be the confidant for the bride and groom in such dire circumstances, or that the protagonist's boss would insist she push for the wedding to go on within a few weeks after the groom's mother is murdered at the celebration party for the wedding. The narration is wonderful as I really enjoy Amanda Ronconi, but the story kept pulling me out and felt very forced. Also it always feels weird to me when detectives working active murder cases are asking people they are interviewing for involvement in the case out on dates. I know this is really common in this trope but it just isn't flirty or romantic to me, it feels illegal and honestly concerning not attractive. Can you imagine someone who got there dates through their murder investigations. I find my best dates while interrogating potential suspects. If you like wedding planner themes, with small notes of magic (there is a vamp, they have bespelled pens, there is a bus that is a little magic), with little depth, and light character development, and predictable mystery that doesn't last long this might be for you. I will be curious to see how the other series I got from Danielle are compared to this one. Again I didn't stop before finishing I just don't think I am the target audience. I also discovered Danielle offers the prequel to this series Cupid in a Bottle as a free eBook download when you go to her site https://dl.bookfunnel.com/v5di2u3ibx

GREAT NEW PARANORMAL COZY SERIES

AS WITH HER OTHER SERIES, DANIELLE GARRETT HAS CREATED A GREAT CAST OF CHARACTERS WITH SOME PROMISING ADVENTURES TO COME. AS FOR THIS FIRST OUTING, IT HAD THE REQUISITE PROMISE OF ROMANCE, MURDER, AND MAYHEM BUT WITH THAT ADDED DOSE OF FUN CHARACTERISTIC OF MS. GARRETT. I RECOMMEND THIS NEW SERIES AND HOPE THE NEXT BOOK IS NOT FAR BEHIND.

Exciting

Great story. Was sad that another story wasn't available. Loved this story, the action was just enough, and had my happily ever after.

Awesome

Great series!! Loved the author and the narrator!!!!
Can’t wait for more to come !!! it funny’s

not much of a mystery but compelling world

I am use to the Hallmark mystery styles of cozy mysteries and make re confident characters. I still found the characters easy to relate to and the world itself interesting. If it were a book I probably wouldn't have finished it or skipped passages. I did want to know the ending but didn't like the process of figuring out who done it. It felt more like a romantic procedural instead of a mystery. It really didn't have much for clues or puzzle silvering so much as evidence solving the case.

Character drama was cute and character development/relationship development was slub plot but felt much more of what the story was about. it was organic and the pov of the main character I felt was very realistic.

overall impression... good for background when working or good bedtime story listening.

Anything she writes is good!

loved it , along with all the others I've read!! I highly recommend you check her out.

If that was supposed to be scary it wasn't.

I actually enjoyed it. It was a good story. Something different. And of course the narration was really very well done.

Suspenseful

An intensely suspenseful, entertaining and highly enjoyable story. I enjoyed everything about this story.
Amanda Ronconi did a fantastic job brining this story to life.

ENTERTAINING ACTION WEDDING MYSTERY

ENTERTAINING ACTION WEDDING MYSTERY, add to that vampires, humans, witches, the cops and a few shifters, stir the mix with hostility and hidden agendas and you have great story narrated perfectly to suit everybody. RECOMMENDED

Another great “read” by Ms. Garrett

This book is another great read by the author. I enjoy the narrator as well. These books are kid friendly and no steamy stuff but great story lines nonetheless.

Sadly predictable

If you think you can tell how it's going to end, you're probably right,

It wasn't AWFUL, but I found it disappointingly predictable.

Easy short listen

I’ve read this authors books before and enjoyed them. This shorter book was an included title and is a light cosy witch murder story. No surprises but still enjoyable.

Light murder mystery novella

This was a light hearted,murder mystery romance with plenty of magic, paranormal and drama.
Our witch wedding planner finds herself in a pickle when the horrid mother of the groom is found in ashes and her bride is the main suspect. I totally didn't call it right 😩😢 I really thought the murderer was someone else entirely.
Free on KU and plus catalogue audible too.
Good narration.