It’s my stop today on the blog tour for The Swan Dress Murders by Millie Ravensworth. Many thanks to Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for the tour invite.
The Swan Dress Murders is the fourth book in Millie Ravensworth’s Cozy Craft Mystery series.
A wedding is a cause for celebrations. Not only are the sewing cousin duo, Izzy and Penny, invited for the wedding, but also commissioned by the groom’s sister to create a dress that makes heads turn.
Penny seems to have a problem with her ‘plus one’ for the wedding. Who would it be – the practical handyman Aubrey or the fabric expert Oscar?
The bachelorette part (for which Izzy’s invited) takes a turn for worse when the wedding cake maker/bridesmaid dies in a freak accident. She’s believed to be drowned in concrete but is it murder? Or accidental death?
Hurdles after hurdles, the marriage seems to be ill-fated. Is it a jilted lover? Or fate? Only time will tell…
Another fantabulous addition to the series. If you remember my review of the previous installment, I said the mystery element was a tad lacking. I am so happy that things are better in The Swan Dress Murders – Izzy is at her quirky best, Penny is at her confused… um, worst (?), there’s a murder or two when the whole town is preparing for a wedding, the weather is cold and it snows on the D-Day, and there’s a unique commission for the sewing cousins.
Speaking of commissions, Monica (a recurring character), the groom’s sister wants Izzy and Penny to create a dress that makes heads turn. Well, the guests are under the impression that Monica is a tomboy, so Monica wants to prove them wrong. She can be feminine and flaunt her… feathers? Izzy comes up with a brilliant idea – a swan dress, similar to the kind Bjork wore at the Oscars red carpet.
The murder happens sooner – at the bachelorette party. Nothing unexpected here as Cat, the victim, was getting on everyone’s nerves. She wasn’t liked by the bride or bridesmaids either. Her death was no surprise – she was found drowned in concrete, which was believed to be an accident. But Izzy and Penny wonder if someone was out to get Cat. Evil comes in various shapes and sizes.
I totally enjoyed this quirky installment to my favorite cozy mystery series. Just the right number of sewing projects, murder, romance, and sleuthing. Speaking of romance, Penny is confused about her plus one – Aubrey or Oscar? There’s a major development here, especially in the second half of the story. I am curious to see how this plays out in the next book.
The killer’s identity and their reason for murder was unexpected and shocking. I never saw it coming. When Izzy and Penny reveal how they managed to stay hidden, I was like – oh, wow, they were around at all times, yet unseen…
I highly recommend this series. If you love sewing and/or cozy mysteries with a dash of quirky, you might want to give this series a try. The Swan Dress Murders is my new favorite in the series.
Additional Reading
Series in Order: Cozy Craft Mysteries by Millie Ravensworth
Book #1: The Wonderland Murders by Millie Ravensworth
Book #2: The Painted Lobster Murders by Millie Ravensworth
Book #3: The Sequinned Cape Murders by Millie Ravensworth
There’s a giveaway for this tour. Giveaway Prize includes a copy of The Wonderland Murders, a cross stitch book, a floral notepad, a note writing set, and a grass bunny. To participate, click here.
The Book Decoder 
You love your cozies. Fab review 💜
Haha, I do. They are good for light reading. 😊
Thank you, Heather ❤😊