Bailey’s college friend Raven is getting married in Elyan Hollow for Halloween. Both Raven and her groom Emmett seem like the nicest people. Some of those accompanying them to town aren’t so nice. Ivy, who was close with Raven but not anyone else in the friend group, dies at the Halloween parade.
Bailey is determined to get to the bottom of things for Colby’s sake as she is the detective’s number one suspect.
This is a well woven mystery set in a Halloween themed town.
We find out more about Bailey’s past. She is such an interesting character. I loved learning more about her and how her mind worked as she sorted through the puzzle of Ivy’s death.
I am enjoying this Halloween themed mystery series. I love the bookshop and the supporting characters. Read Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding if you get the chance.
Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for the opportunity to read this book.

Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding is the perfect addition to the Halloween Bookshop mysteries. It’s a fantastic blend of cozy mystery and Halloween!

Elyan Hollow is a town that was used as the filming location for an iconic Halloween movie. The movie has such a huge fan base that people come from all over to see the filming sites. What’s a town to do when that happens? They lean into it and celebrate what has made them famous. Several businesses in town have Halloween-themed names, and a month-long Halloween festival is held.

Elyan Hollow is a small town where everyone seems to know everyone else. Bailey lives in the house her mom grew up in and runs the bookshop that her grandfather first opened. Several of her friends are either people she attended school with or individuals who watched her grow up. It’s that kind of small town!

The new additions to the cast are welcome. As is the developing relationship between Bailey and Rex. Some of the family drama from the first book has carried over to this book. And it leaves me wondering if there’s a larger, overarching mystery at play.

If you are a fan of movies like Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown, you probably would love to visit the towns where they were filmed—a town much like Elyan Hollow. While waiting to take that trip, why not give Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding a read?

Bailey’s college roommate comes to town have her Halloween themed wedding. Sadly a couple of her bridesmaids seem to be real witches – whining abrasive personalities that make everything tense. It’s a fun book in a great location but this one seemed disjointed with flashbacks, an extensive cast of characters and way too many wedding activities.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this DRC.
#MayhemataHalloweenWedding #NetGalley

The setting for Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding by Emmeline Duncan — a town that celebrates Halloween year-round — was a fun concept and worked well for the story. Definitely a good pick for readers who enjoy seasonal mysteries.

It leaned a bit darker than your typical cozy, so something to keep in mind if you're expecting a light and quirky read. That said, the mystery was solid, and the red herrings were handled nicely — they kept me guessing without feeling overdone.

Overall, a decent read with a unique setting and a slightly edgier tone than expected.

Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding is fairly forgettable entry in the world of cozy mysteries. This is the second book in the series set in a small Oregon town dedicated to celebrating Halloween year round, so prepare yourself for Halloween puns, references to The Nightmare Before Halloween, and more. The main character of this series is Bailey Briggs, a woman with a ridiculously complicated family life and terrible taste in friends. She has about a thousand interests and hobbies, including freelance illustration, writing a comic book, knitting, running, paddle boarding, woodworking/furniture restoration, volunteering for multiple organizations, running a bookshop, and, of course, amateur sleuthing.

The underlying mystery in this story was somewhat interesting, but I was constantly distracted in my reading by the major flaws in the writing.

1. There are way too many characters in this book. Despite reading this book over the course of only two days, I couldn’t remember characters as I read because from their first scene to their second I was introduced to about 20 additional characters that often had no bearing on the story itself. I definitely understand the need to populate the town with characters, but the author went way too far and should have focused on really fleshing out a few main characters.

2. The characters in this book are very shallow and unrealistic. Each character seems to be a combination of quirks and drama with so little page time that we never truly get to know them. The bride is artsy and loves dressing up for comic con. The bride’s sister is a wannabe influencer who loves fashion. The best friend always tells it like it is. And so on and so forth. The characters have no real depth and based on their descriptors and interactions with Bailey, I’m not sure why anyone would be friends with them and not really sure that Bailey even likes them.

3. The book has way too many extraneous details. The author often provides details about Oregon that are completely unnecessary to the story and pretty boring for the reader. I actually live in Portland and I can guarantee that no one cares what county it’s located within. If you want to know random facts about Oregon, you’ve come to the right place. Be prepared to learn about the tunnels under Portland, women’s voting rights, how Oregon was settled, and more. Additionally, the author often uses Bailey as a vehicle for rants, such as the fact that people are mean about readers of genre fiction.

4. Bailey’s family history is a mess and comes out of no where in the book. I won’t even get into it here, but this comes up a lot, has absolutely nothing to do with the mystery, and includes a long flashback to the prior Christmas that ends as abruptly as it began.

Ultimately, this is a completely forgettable mystery series with a cast of forgettable characters, and a bunch of random Oregon facts that, even as a resident, I can’t wait to forget.

This book is a delight. For anyone who loves a cute small town with a theme this will be perfect. I love Halloween, but don't consider myself Halloween obsessed, but I would live here or visit in a heartbeat. I loved seeing more of the small businesses that make up the town and how they all contributed to the parade or were visited by the bridal party. I love how this series is more on the grittier side of cozy; still with all the elements we love, but also with some darker themes. The characters are also great, and it was fun to learn more about some of the recurring ones and also more about Bailey's past and her family drama. I am so happy she has found a home here and passion in the family bookstore. She is smart and stubborn and loyal, my favorite traits in a sleuth. She is no-nonsense when it comes to defending her friends and sticking up for others, but also full of whimsy and creative ideas and knows how to have fun. And of course I loved her big canine sidekick. I was shocked by the twists and the ending, and I am hopefully to see more of a certain someone in the future.

Sooo... I was super drawn in by the idea of a cozy little village that’s basically Halloween all year, with a Halloween Wedding. The blurb gave me "Corpse Bride" vibes for whatever reason, and I reeeeally wanted to read this book. The vibe was great, and the mystery had potential, but I’ll be honest... the plot felt kinda all over the place. A lot was going on, but nothing at the same time?

Also, I didn’t realize this was part of a series (I mean, I thought it was like an interconnected standalone, not a series-series). Sooo I didn’t read the first book, and I 100% missed some context, cause I was very confused at times.

Still, the spooky village setting was fun, and I can see how this could be a hit for someone who’s already read the first book of the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion! Needless to say, as always, all thoughts are my own and I have not been influenced in any way.

Sophomore slump, was really looking forward to the second in the series, very weak plot and hard to keep all the characters straight. Will still watch for the next in the series, in hopes of a real cozy mystery vibe.

I love a good cozy mystery and I love Halloween, so this series has been perfect for me! Add in a Beetlejuice-inspired wedding and this is pretty much the perfect book. It was nice getting to know more about Bailey and find out more about her family dynamic, especially as her relationship with her father continues to develop. We also got to learn more about some of the backstory for supporting characters which is always interesting. I also love this little town and getting to see more of it and how the characters interact with it. I wish this were a real town (but maybe without the murders). As for the mystery, it was a good one. The victim was a pretty awful human being and there were plenty of people who hated her but the big reveal of the killer's identity came as a surprise to me. I felt a little bad for the person when it was first revealed but then they opened their mouth and most of that sympathy went right out the window. It was a bit frustrating when Raven continued to defend Ivy even after knowing how poorly she treated others. Speaking of Raven, I was not always a fan of the way she treated Bailey and how she allowed Ivy to treat her - but she on occasion would show why Bailey kept her as a friend.

rounded up to 4

Cute cozy with not so cute topics..... references to drug use - if that is a trigger.

other wise, it's a nice read with diverse characters. Would love to see more character development, but DOES NOT DETRACT FROM BEING A NICE COMFY COZY.

Recommend this to light readers.

What is it about weddings? We're back in Elyan Hollow with Bailey and her loyal dog Jack as she first navigates being a bridesmaid and then solves a murder! No one ever said members of the bridal party have to like one another but Colby and Ivy really are at odds so when Ivy is found murdered, Colby becomes the prime suspect. This is a town where it's always Halloween and where Bailey runs a bookstore but those both take a back seat to getting answers and getting Raven to altar. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a nicely done cozy that while the second in a series will also be fine as a standalone.

Back in this charming village that embraces its Halloween side year round, this is a good mystery- but I did find the plot a little messy with a little too much happening, and also relying a lot on readers having a very clear memory of the characters and events of the one previous book. I typically really enjoy this author and I think this series still has promise but this one isn't a new favorite.

I like this series. I like the characters and the setting. Mystery did keep me guessing, I hope for many more in this series.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As if she’s not busy enough with it being Halloween, bookstore owner Bailey Briggs is preoccupied with helping her college friend with the final preparations leading up to her wedding. Bailey is serving as a bridesmaid, but her main job is acting as the peacekeeper as personalities clash between other members of the bridal party. After the maid of honor is murdered and another bridesmaid is accused of killing her, Bailey adds investigating to her already packed schedule.

Every day is Halloween in Elyan Hollow, Oregon, and, as someone who keeps her Halloween decorations out all year, I can appreciate that. That being said, I struggled to get into MAYHEM AT A HALLOWEEN WEDDING—mainly because I didn’t really care for any of the characters aside from the dog. The murder victim was extremely unlikeable. The only character more unlikeable was the bride’s sister. I sent most of the book wishing the killer would strike again. I did enjoy the Halloween scenes and events.

Full of colourful side characters and seasonal touches, this cozy mystery reads effortlessly and is perfect for Halloween displays.

Welcome back to smalltown Elyan Hollow Oregon where every day is Halloween, especially at the Lazy Bones Bookstore owned and operated by Bailey Briggs and Jack Skeleton, a beautiful Great Pyrenees. Lots of things going on this time, including a parade, wedding preparations for a friend, an explosion and the murder of the perfectly obnoxious maid of honor. Couldn't put it down!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from Kensington Publishing | Kensington Cozies via NetGalley. Pub Date Jul 29, 2025 ***** review #goodreads #bookbub #B&N
#MayhemataHalloweenWedding by @writeremmelineduncan #HalloweenBookshopMysteriesBk2 @kensingtonbooks #storygraph #booksbooksbooks #halloweeneveryday #halloweenbooks #parade
#bridezilla #weddingmadness #bookseller #libraries #meangirls #explosion #frenemies #snarky
#halloween #cozymystery #cozymysteryreader #murder #amateursleuth #costumes #GreatPyrenees
#obnoxiousvictim #localcops #realfriends

As a huge fan of all things Halloween, Mayhem at a Halloween Wedding was an absolute delight from start to finish! The spooky atmosphere perfectly captured that festive vibe I love, while the story kept me guessing and fully engaged. The characters were fun and relatable, and the blend of humor and suspense made it such a satisfying read. If you’re into Halloween-themed stories, this book is totally perfect—you’ll find yourself immersed in the season’s magic and mayhem all the way through! Thank you, NetGalley!

For anyone into Halloween, you are in for a treat! Elysn Hallow is a Halloween town year round after some fame in a Halloween movie, but come October and add a Halloween themed wedding, and you can't escape the vibe. Bailey is excited that the second Spooky Season Lit Festival put on by her bookstore, Lazy Bones Bookshop, was a success and, this year, without a murder. Now Bailey can relax and enjoy her time as a bridesmaid in her college friend, Raven's Halloween day wedding, and the festivities during the week leading up. While Bailey and Colby are local, most of the bridal party and guests are visitors. While helping Raven with favors and other projects, she notices that there is a lot of tension between the bride's sister Harmony and everyone. Also, another bridesmaid is not very popular with the rest of the group, Ivy is a manipulator and seems to rub anyone expert Raven the wrong way. When Ivy turns up dead during a disturbance at the town's Halloween parade, can Bailey figure out what happened? Was this a freak accident or deliberate murder? Was she killed by a local or one of the wedding guests? Will the wedding go on? Why was Ivy a target? Was this a current gripe or something leftover from college days? This is a good mystery with lots of potential suspects. You will enjoy your time with Bailey, Jack, the Lazy Bones crew, and all Bailey's family, friends, and fellow business owners! Thanks to #Netgally, #Kensingtonbooks, and the author for an opportunity to read. #MayhemataHalloweenWedding #AHalloweenBookshopMystery #EmmelineDuncan #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreaderFor anyone into Halloween, you are in for a treat! Elysn Hallow is a Halloween town year round after some fame in a Halloween movie, but come October and add a Halloween themed wedding, and you can't escape the vibe. Bailey is excited that the second Spooky Season Lit Festival put on by her bookstore, Lazy Bones Bookshop, was a success and, this year, without a murder. Now Bailey can relax and enjoy her time as a bridesmaid in her college friend, Raven's Halloween day wedding, and the festivities during the week leading up. While Bailey and Colby are local, most of the bridal party and guests are visitors. While helping Raven with favors and other projects, she notices that there is a lot of tension between the bride's sister Harmony and everyone. Also, another bridesmaid is not very popular with the rest of the group, Ivy is a manipulator and seems to rub anyone expert Raven the wrong way. When Ivy turns up dead during a disturbance at the town's Halloween parade, can Bailey figure out what happened? Was this a freak accident or deliberate murder? Was she killed by a local or one of the wedding guests? Will the wedding go on? Why was Ivy a target? Was this a current gripe or something leftover from college days? This is a good mystery with lots of potential suspects. You will enjoy your time with Bailey, Jack, the Lazy Bones crew, and all Bailey's family, friends, and fellow business owners! Thanks to #Netgally, #Kensingtonbooks, and the author for an opportunity to read. #MayhemataHalloweenWedding #AHalloweenBookshopMystery #EmmelineDuncan #bookreview #bookideas #retiredreader

This is a sequel of Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop. If you like cosy mysteries with twists and suspense, you are going to like this book. So, Bailey’s college friend Raven is getting married in halloween style. There are conflicts between the bridesmaids. Bailey is excited and arranges Bachelorette party but there are secrets, mystery and hidden truth. Ivy is found dead and the investigation unveils the truth and secrets. Author’s write really well,

Bailey is back with a new adventure in Elyan Hollow and the Lazy Bones Bookshop. In this second installment, Bailey Briggs college friend Raven is set to marry Emmett in the most over the top Halloween theme wedding, until an explosion at the Halloween parade sets off a series of unfortunate events. This is one of my favorite series being a life long Oregonian and working at a small Oregon coast bookstore over half my life. The nostalgia feel of Halloweentown will have all the millennials clambering for this cozy series.