Mallory Shepard is hosting her first wedding at her new B&B, that is, if it's finished in time. The bride, Whitney Scanlon, has moved the wedding up because her father is dying and she wants him there. So Mallory is on a crunched schedule to get things done, and she needs all the help she can get. Her contractor, Jesse Flowers, and his crew are working overtime, and she's crossing her fingers everything will be done.

But Whitney requests a special menu because several of her family members have allergies, and Mallory and her sister Rachel are happy to comply. At the wedding tasting, everything seems to be going fine...until Rachel discovers the body of Whitney's aunt, Lois, on the floor. At first it's ruled an accident, but then the police chief, Truman Davies, tells Mallory it was murder. Now Mallory wants to know who killed the woman and why. But even though Truman tells her to stay out of the investigation, he finds himself leaning on her a bit, and if Mallory can stay alive, she just might figure this out...

But there's more going on behind the scenes: a ghost hunting crew has shown up because of the strange noises coming from the house; Mallory can't find time to spend with her boyfriend, attorney Garrett Davies, who is Truman's son; the construction crew doesn't want to work with ghosts; there are 'accidents' befalling several people; the planning commission is stalling on her request to open a B&B; and her ex-fiancé Keith has shown up with his girlfriend Becca (the one who broke up the engagement).

Mallory's also taken with the story of Whitney's mother Vanessa, who just disappeared one day and then her body was found ten years later. Garrett believes the man convicted is innocent, and Mallory believes him. But in looking at past history, she just might find herself in danger in the present...

This is the second book in the series and I have to say that I really enjoyed the first. But this book somehow, as you can tell, has just Too Many Plot Lines. All these subplots -- including her mother showing up with a secret of her own and an ex-girlfriend of Garrett's showing up (well, you get the drift) -- distract from the murder. I would much have preferred if it only included the present murder and the murder of Vanessa, sort of a link from past to present. But with everything else going on, it seemed just a bit too much.

What didn't make sense is that at one point Mallory said that Lois made an offer for a bribe when she meant a request for one. I also do not like Rachel at all. Yes, she's a good cook, but she steals clothes and jewelry from her sister which she just laughs off and Mallory allows her to get away with it. (I grew up with a sister who did this to me, and it's not funny at all. We weren't the same size and she split seams, stole my entire jewelry box -- which was never recovered -- and many other things from my room and closet and it was not funny. It was downright mean.) So Rachel needs to buy her own clothes and leave Mallory alone. She needs to stop being so selfish and self-centered. Not to mention growing up a bit about men. Looks (cleft chins) aren't everything, as she's hopefully finding out. Rant over.

Anyway, other than that, there was just too much going on all the time. Automatically calling a ghost hunting team seemed a bit overkill, and there were too many scenarios that just screamed Over the Top. Especially her mother, who somehow thinks a tropical setting is perfect for an old Victorian mansion. Seriously? I would not enjoy living in that space.

Anyway, these are the reasons I'm only giving it three stars. Hopefully in the next book Mallory won't find herself in the middle of a frenzy. ( )

Murder Wears White is the second book in the "Wedding Planners Mystery" series. I thoroughly enjoyed this follow-up to Engaged To Murder. The action did not stop from the beginning to the end.

Mallory Shepard is looking forward to getting the renovations completed on her inherited home, Thistle Park. In the first book, she was bequeathed the home by the grandmother of her ex-fiancee. He was not happy to say the least and he is still trying to sabotage Mallory's new life in this book. Mallory's plan is to open a B&B as well as continue her Wedding Planning Business, using Thistle Park to host weddings. Whitney Scanlon, her first client and wedding is in the planning stages when the wedding date gets moved up due to the bride’s father's health. The contractor hopes he can get things done in time, but there are complications. It seems there might be a ghost on the premises who is sabotaging the work, stealing equipment and materials and scaring off the help. Mallory’s sister, Rachel, has asked Hunter Heywood of the Port Quincy Paranormal Society to come in to check for any ghosts in the home. At the same time, Whitney is having issues as well. She is getting anonymous notes and her room is trashed along with her wedding dress. Then there is the mystery of the murder twenty years earlier of Whitney's mother. The notes say, the person convicted is not guilty. Garrett, Mallory's beau, was the defense attorney in that case and he also feels Eugene is innocent. When there is a murder at Thistle Park, Mallory thinks everything is tied together and tries to solve the various mysteries. With the help of three Westies, Mallory puts herself in danger while trying to sort things out and save her not even opened business.

The author once again provides the reader with a well-plotted and told story with an enjoyable and believable cast of characters. Mallory's mother shows up in this book and she is a hoot. I enjoyed getting to know her. The relationship of Mallory and Garrett develops further in this book, yet in a slow and realistic way. I love how Mallory takes the bull by the horns and doesn't let her sister talk her into too much, but it is obvious the girls love each other and have a great relationship. A couple of the storylines were a little out there, but for the most part, the story was believable. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley. ( )

Mallory is still trying to get her new business off the ground but renovations to transform her inheritance into a B&B as well as wedding venue are being held up. A wealthy bride wants to move up her wedding date but things only get more complicated when things start to go wrong - disappearing equipment, accidents on the work-site just to name a few. Then talk of the house being haunted brings a group of paranormal hunters into the mix.

This was such a fun adventure, the characters are well-developed and the mystery is engaging. ( )

Book received from NetGalley.

A cute cozy mystery about a young woman who is trying to set up a new bed and breakfast in a small town. The one difference in the property is that she also wants to hold weddings there. Her plans change when the first bride needs the wedding moved up due to her father's illness. So the owner has to deal with getting the venue finished, the unexpected death of the aunt of the bride and all the extras that go along with the mystery. I really enjoyed it, with all the other smaller investigations in the book I was kept guessing almost until the end on who committed the main murder in the book. I do suggest reading the first in the series since I was a bit lost on how the main character ended up with the property for the bed and breakfast/wedding venue. ( )

Murder Wears White by Stephanie Blackmoore is the second book A Wedding Planner Mystery series. Mallory Shephard is having Thistle Park, the home she inherited from Sylvia Pierce, renovated. She is turning it into a bed and breakfast as well as a wedding venue (Mallory is also launching a wedding planning business). Then Whitney Scanlon throws a wrench in the works. She wishes to move her wedding from June to November 1 (in just four weeks). Whitney’s father, Porter is ill and his last wish is to walk Whitney down the aisle. Mallory, of course, agrees without consulting with her contractor, Jesse Flowers. It turns out that there have been “accidents” on the site. After Rachel, Mallory’s sister, almost falls through a newly installed railing, it is suggested that the house is haunted. Rachel (without Mallory’s permission) agrees to have The Port Quincy Paranormal Society check out the house. Whitney is attending a tasting with Porter, and her two aunts, Lois and Angela (along with Lois’ three Westies). Afterward, Lois starts choking and collapses. Lois dies before the paramedics can arrive. Who wanted Lois dead? Whitney’s mother was murdered twenty years prior. The man convicted of the crime claims he is innocent and Whitney has been receiving anonymous letters regarding Eugene Newton, the convicted man. Is there a connection between the deaths of Vanessa and Lois Scanlon? Mallory wants to resolve these issues for Whitney before her wedding. Someone, though, sets out to sabotage her efforts. It is going to be a busy four weeks for Mallory. Will Whitney be able to get married on November 1?

Murder Wears White is a very busy novel. I only summarized the main events. It seems there is one zany thing after another (and I was not laughing). Murder Wears White is easy to read and can be finished in just a few hours. While it is the second book A Wedding Planner Mystery series, it can be read as a stand-alone. The contents of the first book (Engaged in Death) are summarized in Murder Wears White. I give Murder Wears White 3 out of 5 stars. The murders of Lois and Vanessa were complex, but easily solved. I knew exactly what killed Lois before she started choking. I could tell you the culprits identity by the time I was 40% of the way through the novel. The secondary riddle of the mysterious ghost and the work-related accidents is no brain teaser. One conversation gave away the identity of the perpetrator. I wish this author had not packed such much nuttiness into Murder Wears White. I especially detested Delilah Flowers, Jesse’s obnoxious mother. She is a tarot reading, scooter riding terror that comes to work with Jesse. She drives her scooter around Thistle Park terrorizing the workers and Mallory. Why would anyone hire Jesse if he insists on bringing Delilah with him? Rachel Shephard continually steals her sister’s clothes and jewelry without returning them. She is also a big flirt who dates any handsome man with a heartbeat (or so it seems). Lois and her three dogs that she takes with her including to a stranger’s home for a wedding tasting. Do you see what I mean (and there is still more)? One of these things would be funny, but several of them has me just shaking my head. I just felt that all this detracted from the novel. I wish the author had focused on the main mystery. It was enough for this book along with the wedding and house renovations. I believe it would have made for a more enjoyable novel. ( )