ENGAGED IN MURDER is Book one in Nancy J. Parra's Perfect Proposals cozy mystery series. ENGAGED IN MURDER is definitely a cozy mystery, but with some Hitchcockian overtones. Since this is the first book in the series, Pepper is just setting up her high-end proposal planning business in addition to hunting down clues. I think the author gives an understandable reason for Pepper to want to get involved in solving a murder. Not only did she discover the body, but her sister's fiancée is suspect number one.

Pepper Pomeroy is a likable amateur sleuth. I like how she is taking control of her life in this story by ditching her loser boyfriend and starting her own business. The various extravagant wedding proposals that Pepper sets up throughout the story are amusing. I also like that she has a good relationship with her mother and sister, and that those characters are not obnoxious or distracting from the mystery. I love the potential for romance in future books.

There are enough suspects in ENGAGED IN MURDER to keep the reader guessing, in spite of the fact that most of them revolve around the same place of business. There is definitely the feeling, as you read ENGAGED IN MURDER, that anybody could be a murderer. I think Nancy J. Parra does a great job of putting the reader off balance when it comes to the guilt or innocence of Warren -- the fiancé of Pepper's sister. The cops in ENGAGED IN MURDER are nice guys and I didn't find them to be condescending when Pepper tries to get involved in the investigation.

ENGAGED IN MURDER is a fun cozy with a few thrills and chills thrown in. The conclusion to ENGAGED IN MURDER is very satisfying and makes sense. I look forward to reading the next installment in this Perfect Proposals series.

Book Summary

There’s no planning for murder…

Event planner Pepper Pomeroy is making the most of her current unemployment by arranging a surprise for her sister, Felicity. Warren, Felicity’s boyfriend, plans to lure his lovely lady into a private jet, propose, and whisk her away on a romantic vacation. He just needs Pepper to handle all the fine details in order to make it the perfect proposal—and it is. Everything goes so well when Warren pops the question that he suggests Pepper do this sort of thing professionally.

But before she can get her new business off the ground, there are some disturbing questions. Like who’s the dead guy Pepper finds in the ladies’ room of the jet hangar? Is it possible Felicity’s high-flying fiancé has been hiding more than the engagement ring? Pepper’s not married to the idea of having a criminal in the family, so in order to protect her sister, she takes off in pursuit of a killer…