Avon Twilight (paperback), ISBN 0-380-79598-1
Okay, I admit it. I occasionally watch Robin Leach and Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. But I swear, I only do it to sneer at all the effete actors and billionaires living luxurious but empty lives in fabulous, expensive houses in gorgeous, exotic locales. I laugh at anyone who takes that sort of stuff seriously. Hey! Move outta the way, will ya? It's time for Extra, and I want to see if Madonna is really dating the pope -- er, I mean… 

Ahem. Back to Killer Wedding. Lovely Madeline Bean, chef extraordinaire, event planner par excellence, owner of Mad Bean Events, suffers from boredom. The humongous entertainment conglomerate that bought Maddy's old catering business (for mega-bucks) hurled a legion of lawyers at Mad Bean Events -- intending to keep them out of business for good. 

However, Maddy's not bored enough -- or crazy enough -- to take wedding planner-to-the-stars Vivian Duncan up on her offer to buy out Vivian's booming bridal business. Unfortunately, Maddy happens to be on the scene when Vivian nearly becomes roadkill under her own car. Next thing Maddy knows, she's helping out Vivian's latest prospective bride -- who also happens to be the granddaughter of a well-known, retired nature show star. 

Maddy, Wes and their ultra-hip assistant, Holly, find themselves rubbing shoulders with tout Hollywood at the L.A. Museum of Nature for what should be the wedding of the century. Everyone who's anyone attends, including Lieutenant Chuck Honnett of the LAPD. Maddy interacted with this handsome cop before and hopes to do so again. 

Alas, before the bride and groom can even cut the cake, Maddy and Chuck find Vivien's body hanging from the jaws of the museum's Tyrannosaurus Rex (a skeleton, not the real thing), and the reception shrieks to a stop. 

Faster than you can say gorgonzola, Maddy finds herself up to her Cuisinart in suspects. Did Vivien's estranged daughter, Beryl, take the proverbial blunt object and tenderize her mother's skull? Or perhaps Vivien's alcoholic and bitter husband Ralph dealt the deadly blow? And why did the groom suddenly go missing just minutes after the murder? 

With Killer Wedding, Jerrilyn Farmer cooks up a humorous cozy done to fluffy perfection. Maddy, Wes, Holly and a great cast of extras (mostly men wanting to be Maddy's next Significant Other) come to hilarious life with style and verve. You can almost feel the heat of the California sun and smell the monied air of Beverly Hills. 

However, this book should be issued with a warning: "Do Not Read if Hungry". Personally, I suggest keeping a bowl of popcorn or some nachos handy, because once Maddy starts talking food, your appetite is going to sit up and say, "Hey! Get me some of that yummy stuff, will ya?"  

So Maddy, how about I come visit you in Beverly Hills? You can make me some Deep, Dark Brown Ice Cream, and then we'll watch Extra. You see, Extra promised to give us the inside scoop on Brad Pitt's life-threatening soap-and-water allergy. Oh, and by the way, Maddy, perhaps I should mention that I really like chocolate sprinkles on my ice cream… 

Teri Dohmen

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