REVIEW: Deadly Vows by Jody Holford

In Deadly Vows (Britton Bay Mystery #2) by Jody Holford, Molly Owens is doing really well as the editor of the local paper and making a home for herself in Britton Bay. However, as the town prepare to host the wedding of the year, things don’t go according to plan when the caterer turns up dead. Even worse, Molly was one of the last people to see her, which makes Molly determined to solve the crime. But as she gets closer to uncovering the truth, she could very well be putting her life in danger. Will Molly discover the truth before she becomes the killer’s next target?

Her friend yanked her to a stop. “Shut the barn door!”
Molly laughed. “Front door.”
“Whose front door? The hotel’s?”
Happy that she could find laughter in this already off-putting day, Molly shook her head. “No. The expression is shut the front door.”

I haven’t read a lot of cosy mysteries, but I believe Ms. Holford has mastered the genre already with this wonderful series where this book was just as entertaining as the first. Really, right from the beginning, this story had me hooked, as the wedding is bringing out the crazies. Well, at least, the bride’s mother whose determined to drive the bride insane and annoy the townspeople because of her uppity attitude. Still, Molly handles everything remarkably well and with plenty of courage and resilience, especially once the murder occurs. Will Molly be able to stay out of the investigation or will she do what she does best to help the police get to the bottom of who the killer is using her skills as a reporter?

As for the dialogue, it was extremely engaging due to the perfect combination of intense moments because of the murder and playful banter between Molly and her boyfriend Sam who is the perfect harmony to her melody. In other words, the right man for her in every way; a man that never curbs her determination to get to the bottom of a story no matter how much danger her life could be in. Furthermore, I love how driven Molly is when it comes to her job. She’s worked hard to get to where she is and it’s understandable why she wants to do all she can to make the paper the best it can be.

”What is it?”
“It doesn’t seem to matter if we’re heading out for dinner, wrapped up in each other, or sitting at a police station, you make me happy.”
She set the pen down and put her hand to his cheek, her heart too full for her chest. “I’ve been a little scared to feel everything I do for you. But it appears I have no choice.”
He nodded, giving her an adorable grin. “I am pretty convincing.”
“Yes, you are,” she laughed, learning in for a kiss.

Overall, Ms. Holford has delivered an entertaining, mystery-filled read in this book where the ending had me worried for the heroine, as Molly gets closer to the truth and the story kept me guessing as to who the killer is. Yet, it was the last page of this story that wrapped it up nicely because of the interaction between the hero and heroine. I would recommend Deadly Vows by Jody Holford, if you enjoy cosy mysteries or books by authors Judi Lynn, Kathi Daley, Lynn Cahoon and Tamra Baumann.

Book Info:

Publication: April 9th, 2019 | Lyrical Underground | Britton Bay Mystery #2

Former Army brat Molly Owens is happily settling into her new life in the seaside town of Britton Bay—and into new her job as editor-in-chief of the local paper. But as tourists discover the desirable spot, the tide along the Oregon Coast is turning . . .

Britton Bay is buzzing with preparations for a wedding at the bed and breakfast where Molly rents a small carriage home. Molly is even helping out and plans to interview the rising star caterer—until the woman is found dead. And then the bride-to-be goes missing. To make matters worse, the venue is owned by Molly’s new boyfriend’s mother—and Molly was among the last people to see the victim alive. All of which makes solving the crime her top priority . . .

With the nuptials indefinitely on hold, Molly will have to sift through a sticky mix of suspects, including a rival caterer with a short fuse, a groom with an illicit secret, and a wedding party riddled with personal drama. And if she doesn’t discover the truth soon, Molly might be her own front-page news . . .