Rating: 5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

It’s not easy being the town mortician. Sure, everyone’s polite and friendly enough, but you’re not on anyone’s party list, much less their hot date choice. Other than Mr. Pickles, Michael’s cat, the poor man has few friends and no social life until the small town he loves has the very first murder Michael has ever seen. Being both the town mortician and its coroner means Michael is front and center as the mystery gets murkier surrounding the death of a visiting author’s latest boyfriend. But Michael isn’t alone for once for he has just begun dating one of the town’s hair stylists, Jazz. It just so happens that Jazz is also the current (but soon to be ex) husband of that same visiting author and Michael really likes him, but wonders if he may be dating a murderer.

The dynamic team of Hank Edwards and Deanna Wadsworth are offering up a delightful new mystery called, Murder Most Lovely. All indications point to this being the first of the series and I am thrilled by that news. This story had it all: humor, mayhem, and lusty hot sex. Beneath his seemingly demure and shy exterior, Michal Fleishman is a man who likes his kinky sex—he just hasn’t had much of it in his life until Jazz. Warm, caring, and feisty Jazz is the perfect foil and partner for Michael. The two of them try their best to date like regular guys, but either dead bodies or kidnapped pets always seem to get in the way; however, that doesn’t stop these men from finding common ground and a mutual attraction to each other.

With an incredibly entertaining cast of side characters, from the crass and slightly homophobic Sheriff Musgrave to the mortuary crew, Lacetown and its inhabitants felt like a real hometown rather than a fictitious one. I loved how this ensemble cast worked together to solve their very first real crime. This novel is just a heap of fun. With a solid little mystery arc and a sweet romance, there is really nothing to find fault with here. The story was just delightful and I enjoyed every moment of it.

If you like a little romance and fun with your mystery novel, then Murder Most Lovely is the story for you. Edwards and Wadsworth make a formidable team and create a story that is rich in humor and long on romance. I cannot wait for the next installment in this series.

A review copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press.