The Matinee Murders by Jeannette de Beauvoir

I have to start this review by saying that this is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I don't say that for every book, in every review, either. I have three favorite series, and this is one of them. A huge part of what makes this series so great is main character Sydney Riley. She has an interesting job as an event planner at a local inn, and also manages to get herself involved in solving crimes on a regular basis. But the best part about Sydney is that she is HILARIOUS! While she usually manages to remain professional and appropriate with others, her snarky inner dialog is funny enough to make me laugh out loud. Sydney is not your typical sweet, soft-spoken cozy heroine, politely looking for clues. She dives into everything head first, and will make you laugh along with her. Another fabulous aspect of this book is the underlying theme of diversity and inclusiveness. This particular book featured a wedding with two grooms (one of them VERY famous), and as Sydney (and the reader) get to know the less-famous man and learn his story, he becomes a compelling character in his own right. Important to note: the diversity themes NEVER come across as preachy or heavy-handed. The book just happens to be set in a place that embraces everyone, and I love reading about it. The mystery itself was intriguing. I had several theories along the way, including one I was very happy to be wrong about, as I really liked the character I suspected. I enjoyed unraveling the many clues (and being side-tracked by red herrings) along with Sydney. I figured out the actual solution about the same time she did, which means right at the end. Of course, everything was explained and made perfect sense at that point. I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention Sydney's friend Mirela. If you're a returning reader, you'll be surprised with some of the developments with her. To avoid spoilers, let's just say that I'm looking forward to the next book every bit as much to see what the future looks like for Mirela as to find out what happens in Sydney's life. I think the two of them will have quite the time going forward! (If you're new to the series, you'll quickly find a new literary friend in Mirela, I promise.) Five out of five giants chunks of yummy Pepper Jack cheese!