Mama Gets Hitched

A Mace Bauer Mystery #3

by Deborah Sharp

It may be Mama's fifth try at tying the sacred knot, but that's no reason to tastefully scale back. She's planning the Wedding of the Century in little Himmarshee, Fla. - complete with a "Gone With the Wind" theme, her daughters in Scarlett O'Hara dresses, and a ring-bearing Pomeranian sporting a satin vest and top hat.

But what's a bridezilla to do when her caterer is fatally stabbed in the VFW kitchen? With a suspect list as long as the bride's gift registry, daughter Mace must find the real killer before Mama's Special Day turns especially deadly.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Humor

336 pages, Paperback

First published July 8, 2010

About the author

Like the main character in her funny, Southern-flavored mysteries, Deborah's roots were set in Florida long before Disney and ''Miami Vice.'' A native and former reporter for USA Today, she knows spots not found on maps: Molasses Junction. Muse. And now, Himmarshee, her own slice of Authentic Florida.
It's the setting for her Mace Bauer Mysteries, featuring Mace's wacky ''Mama.'' To create it, Deborah borrowed from the present-day ranching town of Okeechobee, and from the south Florida of her family's past. Deborah left a Ph.D. program in psychology to become a reporter, and then left the news biz to write light-hearted fiction. She has no plans, though, to leave her husband of 20-plus years, NBC reporter Kerry Sanders. They live in south Florida. No kids; no pets. Had goldfish once. Turned out badly.

Reviews

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is third book in the 'Mace Bauer Mystery' series. Mama is determined to have her fifth wedding in the style of Gone with the Wind. Her doses of ludicrously eccentric behavior last just long enough to give the readers a chuckle before everything is quickly resolved regarding whatever happened at that moment. It has murder, intrigue, humor, jealousy, and hormonal interludes without unnecessary details. I enjoyed it!

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The mystery centers around a dead caterer who was supposed to handle Mama's wedding. Instead, he's found dead and Mace is determined to figure out who killed him. Meanwhile she battles Mama and her sisters as the wedding from hell, complete with ruffles, crinolines, hoop skirts and ringlets marches relentlessly forward. I couldn't put it down.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd of the Mace Bauer mystery series. I just realized I don't even remember who the culprit was in the previous 2 books, but who cares? If you like cozy mysteries, then you love the characters and the fact that they help solve the mystery. You don't actually care about who-dun-it. Unless it isn't solved. But that isn't the case.
So this time around, the title fits and the Southern Charm that has drawn me in continues. I don't even try to figure out the culprit when I read mystery novels. I just let the author tell me. But this one was fairly easy to discern. We are treated to much more age-appropriate character behavior, a LOT of music references (think 90s country), and a handful of new characters. I liked this one better than the last one and I'm looking forward to keeping with the series. I'm actually kinda sad there are only 5 novels total, so that means I'm over half way done with the series..

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the series… Absolutely hilarious! They were some mushy parts too of course because it was centered around a wedding but all in all a very good book. The more I get to know Mason the more I like her and Carlos as well Another great book in the series… Absolutely hilarious! They were some mushy parts too of course because it was centered around a wedding but all in all a very good book. The more I get to know Mason the more I like her and Carlos as well Rosalie is hilarious as always.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well it's wedding day for Mama and nothing is going to ruin this day except... a mysterious blonde woman, a cowboy stripper and oh yeah a murder. Even though Mama has a gaudy sense of style for a wedding, everyone wants this wedding to happen so of course Mace along with Carlos investigate. The absolute last person you suspect is the killer and the wedding 😣 well you will just have to read for yourself.

[Bonnie Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deborah Sharp has got one hell of a crazy,funny,pull your hair out, and laugh until you make yourself sick, series in Mace Bauer Mystery Series. Mace has got her hands full with her Momma, dead body, wedding, and solving the dead body of the Caterier and one Hot Detective that Mace is head over heels with. Is there anyone who has a family like Maces but, wouldn't trade them in for a new family, I for one wouldn't. Can't wait to read the fourth book next.

[Becki Konkel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable series

This is book three of the Mace Bauer mystery series. This time the focus is Mama's wedding and the murder of her caterer. A fun book, but I recommend reading the series in order.

[Carrie]

Florida fun, for those of us who live in Florida.

[Dana Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, mindless read.. No depth.. very simple writing but a cute read. Found it confusing to get into at first but then it got flowing.. wouldn’t race about it but by the pool I read it in two days.

[Suspense Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember that old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”? In “Mama Gets Hitched”, the latest in Deborah Sharp’s Florida mystery series featuring Mace Bauer and her wacky family, Mama Roselee takes that saying literally. By getting married…again—for the—ahem—fifth time.

Hey, you know that other old saying, right…“fifth time’s a charm”?

This time, Mama is marrying a Jersey guy and she wants to do it right—that is, Southern style. Think of an aging Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, complete with hoopskirts, parasols, acres and acres of colored tulle and a catered affair to die for…literally. Because right before the nuptials are scheduled to take place in the VFW hall in the sleepy Florida town of Himmarshee, the caterer is found stabbed to death in the kitchen.

Turns out the caterer’s interests went far beyond menu planning. And the list of favorite suspects in his murder consists mostly of the Yankee relatives of the groom-to-be.

Can Mace, with the help of her two sisters, Maddie and Marty and on-again/off-again policeman/boyfriend Carlos Martinez, figure out who really dunnit so Mama’s big day isn’t spoiled? I won’t tell.

Check out “Mama Gets Hitched” and find out for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.

Reviewed by Susan Santangelo, Author of “Retirement Can Be Murder” for Suspense Magazine

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read, but really, in comparison to the first two books, I'm calling this a 3.5 star read and rounding to 4.

If you haven't yet dived into the Mace Bauer series, the characters are great, sassy, smart, witty, but still, old-time Florida - and most definitely not the postcard Florida one thinks about when thinking about a beach vacation.

The plot of this one was well done; the author does a very good job keeping the reader too busy to really speculate to heavily about who the killer is. At least one plot twist kept me from being at least entirely right when I did guess.

So what cost it the half star? Mama got on my last nerve with the Bridezilla bit and the constant one-track song she played about Mace's looks, about her ability to keep a man, about her sister Maddie's weight. She went on and on and ON, and she wasn't ever listening to anything anyone else tried to say. Mama came off vain, shallow and narcissistic instead of eccentric, quirky and charming as she has in previous books. Still it was a small blip on in otherwise entertaining read. We see more of Carlos in this book and that was a definite bonus - I like learning more about this man and I like his less antagonistic interactions with Mace. The scene on the lake was the best part of the book for me.

I'm looking forward to reading Mama Sees Stars.

[Phillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book ("Mama Does Time") was humorous and introduced me to Mama and her family, the second book ("Mama Rides Shotgun") told me about the Florida Cracker Trail ride and was funny, but this third book had me really laughing. Since I have a handle on the 3 girls, (Mace, Maddy, & Marty), and their mother, (Rosalee), the whole week before the wedding had me laughing out loud. Mama trying desperatly to corral her girls, the wedding plans and husband to be into one glorius day without a hitch. The week starts out with the murder of the caterer and goes straight to funny after that because Mama wants a "Gone with the Wind" themed wedding. (Let's see if we can get Mace into a ruffled southern belle dress.) Of course there are the serious parts about who had it in for the caterer, the poor widow and the rest of her life, and the suspects and there are a few and how they catch the murderer. Its great light reading, the story line isn't too complex so you can pick up the story line if you can force yourself to put the book down for a bit. The next book is "Mama Sees Stars" and I can't wait to read it.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I adore this series. Mama's antics make me laugh and I love how Mace steps up to each challenge even when some might make her roll her eyes...like Mama's 'GONE WITH THE WIND' themed wedding. Her three daughters don't know why she's going to all this fuss. It is wedding number five after all.
But Mama wants a fab wedding since this is true love. And Mama usually gets what Mama wants. It's easier to give in.

Mace gets involved in the investigation since it's Mama's wedding caterer and it also involves Mace's sweetie, Detective Carlos Martinez (so yummy)....it could mean some quality time even though it makes Martinez crazy that Mace gets involved and sometimes hurt.

I do feel for Mace and her sisters, but Mama is a wonderful character and I wouldn't mind having her for my Mama. At least for a little while.

If you want a superb mystery set in a wonderful locale and you want to laugh a lot, this is the mystery for you and definitely the series is.

[Victoria Allman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mama Gets Hitched is the third and funniest of the Mace Bauer Mystery series. It is a well-written page-turner that had me laughing out loud at the flamboyance of Mamas fifth marriage ceremony to shedding a tear at the tender moments between Mace and on-again (?) boyfriend/police detective Carlos.

Apparently, you only get married four or five times in your life, so Mama wants this one to be special. So, she is none to happy with a dead body showing up at the reception hall to steal her spotlight. It is up to Mace to solve the mystery before Mama's big day is ruined.

I have enjoyed every one of the Mama books, but this one has been my favorite. Sharp entwines humor with mystery and adds a thread of local Florida knowledge few people know about.

I LOVED this book and you will too.

[Barbara M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mace and her two sisters, Marty and Maddie, are helping Mama get ready for her Special Day (yes, it is in capitals throughout the book). This is her 5th wedding, but the girls both like the groom and are hoping this one is happy. Mama is being Bridezilla and there's big trouble when Mace finds the caterer dead on the VFW kitchen floor. Thus starts another good entry in the Mace Bauer series set in Himmarshee (Okeechobee) FL. I enjoy the humor and Sharp's comic of phase. Sentences like "It's so dry the trees are bribing the dogs." or "Marty was lying like a car salesman with a quota." or describing the view of a lady walking away in "tight white slacks, like two baby possums tussling in a pillowcase."

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mace's Mama is getting married, for the fifth time, and Mace and her two sisters face the horror of "Gone with the Wind" bridesmaid dresses. But when a routine meeting ends with the caterer, and Mama's neighbor, dead, Mace feels that she must get more involved to protect Mama. Okay, she's nosy, too. The groom, sweet though he is, seems to have some really strange relatives, including a street-smart cousin and her dishy nephew. There's also a strange woman who says her name is Jane Smith, who is altogether too cozy with Mace's on and off boyfriend, homicide investigator Carlos.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mama is on her fifth marriage and she has picked out a "Gone With the Wind" theme for this one. Groan! Mace and her sisters have to appear in hooped skirts, ruffles and parasols. The hitch comes when the caterer is found dead- stabbed to death a few days before the wedding. What is a bride to do? Mace is on the case and helps solve the mystery. Who did it? The future bride grooms yankee relatives? A violent vegan? A wife done wronged?

[Megan Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun series set in Central Florida. Mama and her three daughters are in and out of each others lives as a series of mysteries besiege them. In this outing, Mama is getting married for the fifth time and insists that it is her last and demands a big celebration. As the day approaches, problems, family and murder ensues. The characters are great and the history of Central Florida is wonderful. I only wish this series had continued.

[Jeannie and Louis Rigod · Rating 5 out of 5]

During a hilarious romp of a wedding for the books, we have the startling murder. Our trusty family group of sleuths led by Mace takes on the case.

What I enjoy about this Author is that she paints the picture with her words, and you laugh and groan right along with the characters!

It was a great read and I've already made a note of her coming book, "Mama Sees Stars."

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A silly fun read about a family full of character.
Mama is on her 5th marriage, the daughters are guilted into wearing outrageous dresses and of course there is a murder to solve.
This one takes place in Florida - complete with snakes and gators!

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another light read thrown in for levity. Set in rural central Florida. Easy read, fun book with lots of quaint colloquial expressions thrown in for effect. Mystery / romance. Good enough that I would continue the series but not so good that I can't wait to read the next one.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I somehow lately have managed to start reading in the middle of books that are a series. This was the first one I have read of this series and it was fabulous! Now I have to go back and read numbers 1 and 2.

[Dorothy Timm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of cute. I liked that she had a quirky family. I liked that the "action" started right away in the book. I didn't like that there were times in the book when I felt like the murder had been put way on the back burner.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marianne

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to a series that always makes me laugh!
Looking forward to the next one.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. I missed the humor that was in the previous books. I also thought there were too many new characters.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual, Mama is a hoot and Mace and Carlos are hot! (FL or no!) : )

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mama creates havoc no matter what, never on purpose. Such a fun read!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is really the only light mystery series that I read, and I enjoy it! This 3rd book in the series was just as good as the other 2.

[Alex Reed · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far, SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOSO great!