Cut to the Chaise

Cut to the Chaise by Karen Rose Smith takes readers to Kismet, Pennsylvania. Caprice DeLuca is finalizing the plans for her wedding to Grant Weatherford now that his annulment has finally come through from the Catholic Church. They are having their reception at Rambling Vines Winery who happened to have a last minute cancelation and Caprice had redecorated their tasting room for Travis and Michelle Dodd who own the winery. The wedding is coming together with Bella making her dress, a last minute opening at St. Francis Catholic Church and Nikki agreeing to cater the reception. When Caprice starts hearing rumors about Rambling Vines having financial problems and unhappy clients, she wonders if they made the right choice for their reception. It does not help matters that Michelle Dodd once dated Vince and he failed to tell Roz about the relationship (awkward). Then Travis Dodd is found stabbed in the neck with a cheese knife on the teal chaise in the tasting room. Michelle is the prime suspect and requests Vince represent her. Caprice sets out to identify the culprit, so she can prove Michelle’s innocence, get Vince away from Michelle before his relationship with Roz implodes and clear the bad karma from Rambling Vines. Time is of the essence with her wedding just around the corner. Can Caprice wrap up the case before she walks down the aisle? Cut to the Chaise is the eighth A Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery and it cannot be read alone. This is one series that you need to read in order. Each book builds upon the previous one. Caprice’s business is successful, she has a wonderful relationship with her family, and is marrying the man she has loved since the moment she met him. Caprice and Grant were waiting for the annulment from the church before planning their wedding. Now that the annulment has come through, they are wasting no time in getting married. A Caprice De Luca Home Staging Mystery series is a character driven series. There is Caprice’s large family which includes Vince, Nikki and Bella along with their wide circle of friends. Unfortunately, Grant’s family is not as warm and friendly as Caprice’s which creates tension. I like the author’s conversational writing style. It has an ease to it which makes Cut to the Chaise easy to read and enjoy. The mystery is not the focus of the book, but it was intriguing. The fast paced mystery has a couple of suspects along with misdirection to throw you off the track of the real killer. There are many lovely cozy and romantic moments in Cut to the Chaise and fans of the series will be thrilled with the wedding. Caprice helps a sweet dog find a forever home plus Grant’s and Caprice’s dogs are featured along with the families’ other pets. I am giving Cut to the Chaise 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). There are recipes at the end for the enticing dishes featured in the story.

This Caprice De Luca mystery has been well worth waiting for; I loved it! Caprice is joyfully planning her wedding. This is a relationship novel on many levels, from Caprice with her family, to her fiancé, friends, pets, and soon-to-be in-laws. The mystery is a tough one, especially the location. For those who read earlier mysteries in the series, it is a treat to see the pets that Caprice has rescued and found homes for. Caprice and her fiancé contracted with Rambling Vines Winery for their wedding reception. Caprice redecorated parts of the winery and part of the main house in which the owners live, so she is familiar with the owners and facility. Caprice’s best friend, Roz, who lives with Vince De Luca, is uncomfortable when she learns that Vince used to date Michelle Dodd, who owns the winery with her husband Travis. Caprice begins to hear less-than-favorable gossip about the Winery, including possible financial problems and how recent weddings were not done as contracted for. Her sister Bella will help by making sure the decorations and flowers are what she orders, and Bella, an accomplished chef, is catering this very special event. New rumors about staff being let go as the winery couldn’t make payroll arise. Against everyone’s advice to move to another venue, Caprice chooses to stay with the Dodd’s. After a day out of town to plan staging for a contractor’s model homes, Caprice returns to a crisis. Travis Dodd had been found murdered in the tasting room at the winery. Michelle was at the police station for questioning, so Vince went to the station to help her. Roz flounders at this turn of events, with Vince’s ex-girlfriend calling him frequently about the case. Caprice and her fiancé are experiencing growing pains while preparing to live in the same home, in this case Caprice’s home to which they are adding an office so her hubby can work from home. They also are struggling with his parents’ perception of her and whether they will accept her. Caprice is determined to ask questions to see if she can help solve the murder so Roz and Vince can go forward and so her reception doesn’t have to be moved, and learns more than anticipated. The characters are very well-drawn and three-dimensional, most of whom are strong and self-confident. Caprice makes new friends every time, this time befriending a couple who didn’t want to talk with her at first. Her cocker spaniel, Lady, frequently helps pave the way. She and her fiancé have made a special choice while dating that I respect, especially in today’s culture. I enjoy how most of the characters relate to each other; dialog is realistic and has depth. I appreciate the antics of the pets of Caprice and others, including the Schnoodle who has made himself comfortable at the Winery. Plot twists serve to add or remove suspects from Caprice’s list, especially as she learns more about Travis’ family and business dealings. As the wedding day nears, the murderer is no closer to being found. When the killer is ready to show off, it is loud and potentially deadly. I was stunned at who the murderer is! I had not even considered the person in passing. There are many surprises to be had as the novel ends, making it a delightful read. I highly recommend this cozy mystery, filled with good friends, close family, suspense, and romance, and can’t wait to for the next one! From a grateful heart: I received a copy of this e-Arc from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Such a wonderful book, especially for those who already love Caprice! While anyone can read the book as a stand alone and thoroughly appreciate the way Karen Rose Smith creates a whole life for Caprice and her family, she allows her characters and their relationships to develop over time so there are advantages to reading the series in order. As always, the mystery is well developed and intriguing but for my, not matter how excellent the mystery may be, the story is in the people. The novel begins three weeks before Caprice's wedding so we get to see the pre-wedding excitement and stresses added to the hunt for a murderer. Whether the reader wants and enticing mystery or a heart-warming novel Cut to the Chaise is a great read. My thanks to NetGalley for approving my ARC request. Waiting for release date on a series I love as much as I love this one is a terrible thing, and I always tell all my friends about the books that I love so having to review is not problem.