A KILLER WEDDING

Debut novelist O’Leary breathes new life into the sad oversupply of murder-stricken weddings by the simple expedient of stuffing her entry to the bursting point with subplots and villains.

Christine Russo is thrilled when her boss, Sandra Yoon, the editor-in-chief of Bespoke Weddings, sends her to the Ballymoon Castle Hotel to cover Jane Murphy’s marriage to pediatric oncologist Graham Ripton. Thrilled, but not surprised, since, as Sandra suspects, Christine’s insinuated herself into the good graces of Gloria Beaufort, Graham’s maternal grandmother, and offered herself as the perfect person to cover the year’s biggest social event. Arriving at the converted Irish castle, Christine predictably finds herself surrounded by members of the dysfunctional Ripton family, among other guests. There are Graham’s parents, Trey and Clementine; his older brother, Ben, the alcoholic general counsel to Glo, the family cosmetic firm; Lyle, Ben’s wife of two years; and chronically bikini-clad Hollywood star Raquel Williams, the new face of Glo, who’s one of Jane’s bridesmaids. Before the ceremony can proceed, Gloria is found shot to death. Spooked by the possibility that bad publicity could tank their brand, the family unites in the epically dubious decision to hide news of her murder from the 350 guests and the authorities until the bride and groom have tied the knot and departed on their honeymoon. Given the surpassing awkwardness of keeping the reason for Gloria’s absence secret, it’s hardly surprising that O’Leary fills the hours before the nuptial vows with a dizzying array of flashbacks that painstakingly reveal so many secrets that everyone in attendance, and the castle itself, is hiding that the result reads like the wedding-cruise version of Death on the Nile.

Not to be missed, even if you hate weddings and wedding mysteries.