The Silent Bride [Abridged] (Audio Cassette)

In this one you again have Lt. Mike Sanchez and April working together. You also get to see a bit more about "Skinny Dragon" Mother and sister cousin "Ching".

Mike and April are trying to figure out who would kill a bride on her wedding day (in the church at that) is it a hate crime? A crime of passion? But, wait before we get to far into solving the crime there is another wedding murder across town. And while the way the bride is again shot there appear to be no similarities in the families. But, there are a few things that link them together and there is a possibility a few of these things might also put "Ching" in danger. Not to mention that "Skinny Dragon" says this is bad luck for Chings wedding.

Along the way April and Mike also hit some rocky patches in working together. But this is not a romance book.. This is a Mystery Thriller with a little romance thrown in on the side. (I.e. My Dad even likes the series)

While this books stands along I also recommend going back and starting with the first one so that you get to really know the characters!

April and Mike are called upon for a high profile murder of the bride at an Orthodox Jewish wedding. The well-to-do, deeply devout family are not obvious suspects, nor is the groom who 1) was standing at the other end of the aisle when the shot was fired and 2) barely knew his bride to be. (This was an arranged wedding.) A hate crime is suspected, but less than a week later another bride is shot and killed entering St. Patrick's cathedral. This high society wedding had almost nothing in common with the first murder except the wedding planner, gown designer and florist. The planner is light-fingered and a crack marksman, the florist has a flamboyant lifestyle and likes to "adopt" boys from Third World countries, and the gown designer is enough like the real-life Vera Wang to make me take her off the suspect list immediately. The problem is why would any of them do something that would probably destroy their businesses?

I had a soft spot I didn't know about for brides. It was almost as shocking to think of a bride being killed as it would be a child. And the author does not let you off easily. Bride #1 was totally innocent, had never been on a date, a dreamy quiet girl. Bride #2 was spoiled, but likeable and had her whole life in front of her. April's sister/cousin who was to be married in a week was perhaps a designated third victim. This ratcheted up the sense of urgency nicely. The florist's "boys" came under observation, and the author gives a chilling picture of young men who have suffered horrible psychological damage, seen their whole family destroyed, made to serve in an army at 10 years of age, then being "rescued" and sent to the U.S. by well-meaning people, but with very little desperately needed guidance and help.

I hope this is the big breakout for Leslie Glass. April Woo has grown up and is ready to take her place among the big boys.
-sweetmolly-Amazon Reviewer