Talk about a gripping title!

I loved Mumma’s The Women of Wynton’s last year and was thrilled to see the series continue! Since the first book lays quite a bit of groundwork for the series & characters, I would recommend reading it first.

While I’ve come to the conclusion I would never want to live in the ‘50s for *reasons*, I’m more than happy to step through the pages for a visit! Mumma captured the era (1950s) and the setting (Southern department store) with such poignancy it danced to life, which also acknowledging problems of the era (segregation). Opening this book makes you smell the perfume department, hear the click of shopgirls’ pumps on the crisp floor, feel the rustle & silkiness of the bridal gowns in Miss Vivien’s shop.

And don’t get me started on just how incredible the historical detailing was. I feel like I got a crash course in 1950s bridal trend’s, preparations, & cosmetics! Maybe I’m naive or simply haven’t experienced enough modern bridal business, but the level of care Miss Vivien had for her brides and her involvement in their lives melted me. Why don’t we still have that?

Like The Women of Wynton’s, First Comes Marriage… Then Comes Murder treks through the POVS of 4 best friends who work in different departments of the store. Audrey was the main focus in the last book, and here we get more of Miss Vivien. I will confess that Gigi was the hardest pov for me to read through, even though I like her as a character. I just love the other women more. 🙈

Another thing, this book is pretty much romance free (if that’s something of interest to you)! We got teases of a potential ship in book 1 that I’m very hopeful for. But alas, the male love interest didn’t show up till a few chapters in the middle and then was gone again. If Mumma is setting this ship up to sail, it’s most definitely a slow burn, haha. Other than that, a married couple on the rocks reconciled. This is women’s fiction crossed with a murder mystery.

Speaking of murder, I called the perpetrator very early on, which I’m not mad about, haha.

So, if you love everyday faith in action, strong female friendships, a chance to step back into an immersive historical world, fashion & cosmetics, and a dastardly string of murdered brides—definitely try this one!

*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

First Comes Marriage… Then Comes Murder
By Donna Mumma
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Series: A Women of Wynton’s Mystery
Rated: 4
Back of the Book: “Mid-century glam meets murder mayhem in a series of cozy mysteries at Wynton’s Department Store.
It is 1956 in Levi City, Florida. Vivien Sheffield, renowned bridal gown designer and consultant for Wynton’s Department Store, is facing the greatest challenge of her career. Someone has been killing brides who wore one of her custom gowns in their wedding! Vivien’s fellow employees and close friends—Audrey, Mary Jo, and Gigi—and her assistant Mirette spring into action to save Miss Vivien and the young brides of Levy City before the murderer succeeds at destroying Vivien’s business at Wynton’s. . .and her reputation.”

Impressions: I really enjoyed the characters of this story. The plot was slower, and the suspense was cozy, but the characters were the story. Their personalities and life challenges beyond the murders were what made this book worth reading. Each woman came from a different walk in life, a different social class and yet their friendship went deeper than all their differences. I especially admired Miss Vivien. She handled life with such grace and kindness. These genuine ladies created a standard of friendship that I aspire to have in my own relationships.

Quotes: “You’ve focused on all these flaws so long that you’ve blown them completely out of proportion.”

“Adulation was something Vivien never aspired to. She’d learned long ago, hard work and building a good reputation were far less fragile than the public’s love when life took wrong turns.”

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book!

This mystery is gripping, but what really stands out are the strong relationships. Vivien’s circle of friends (Audrey, Mary Jo, Gigi, and Mirette) bring warmth and wit to the story. I love the strong female friends trope!

The mid-century setting adds vintage charm, but it’s not all glitz! There are real stakes, tense moments, and a few scares along the way. Though the pacing dips briefly, the ending delivers and left me eager for another trip to Wynton’s!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What I liked about this book:

I loved the multiple POV used. I felt very immersed in each character's story. Audrey and Vivien were my favorite characters in the book.

What I felt lowered this book's score:

For a mystery book, I didn't feel like the book surrounded the mystery much at all until the very end of the book. I found myself struggling to get through the first 3/4 of the book due to this. Most of the chapters revolved around what was going on in each character's life. And even when it did come time to talk about the murders happening or who was behind it, it felt very rushed through and forgotten about quickly after. I wish we had spent more time trying to figure out the mystery instead of worrying about what the girls at the cosmetics counter were thinking.

I’ll tell you one thing, when this (if it ever) comes out as an audiobook I’m reading it AGAIN. Yes ma’am!

I love the time setting of 1950’s, I love that the chapters have each character on top for each POV and you gave a murder mystery? Love love love!



And on top of that we had 3 amazing FMC’s that held it down okay.

Great character development to start off the book at a good pace.

I loved this book! It is the second in the series, but I hadn’t read the first. This book is set in the 1950’s and is very nostalgic. There were places where I literally laughed out loud. It features well-defined characters and a great story plot. I was given a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions are my own.

Donna Mumma has done it again with this next installment in the Women of Wynton series! I loved the first book she released last year--the whole 1950s vibe with fashion and a department store mixed into murder and mystery was delightful! We've got book 2 and it's back to our favorite cast of characters in Audrey, Gigi, Mary Jo, Miss Vivian, and Minette!

This book focuses on the bridal salon and the mystery of who is killing all of the brides and trying to destroy Miss Vivian's reputation? Gigi plays a bit more prominent role in this story--and of course Miss Vivian. I love the bridal shop. So sweet.

And we also get to see more about the Civil Rights and segregation that was rampant during this era. It's uncomfortable and that's okay. It wasn't a good time in our history.

Even though I was 98% sure who the villain was, I didn't know the WHY until much closer to the end.

4 solid stars and I look forward to more in this series!

*Thank you to the publishers and Net GAlley for my ARC of this novel. All opinions are 100% my own.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an arc of this book!
This was giving me a bit of "Clue" vibes, (like the board game) but it felt a little easier to figure out what was going on. I also didn't realize this was part of a series. So I want to read the other book as well! This was still fun to read, but like I said, it was kind of easy to figure out! 🙂

This was a sweet read and sequel to Mumma's earlier book, The Women of Wynton's. (And I do recommend reading them in order, on that note.)

There's very much a nostalgic feel to the book, with its 1950s department-store setting; things have changed a fair bit (and yet, in other ways, not very much at all). If you liked the first book, you'll enjoy this one as well!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is a “Clue” like murder mystery.
While there is murder, this book is not suspenseful, nor that hard to figure out who the murderer is.
It is a well crafted story and the characters are very real feeling.
For anyone looking for some who-done-it in a small town, this would be your read.
There is a lot of details about bridal fashion in the 1950’s. I understood all of the fabric and style of dresses because I sew and even sewed my own wedding gown.
This book is set in the “good old days” when department stores were actually just that-true department stores.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

I got this ARC thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest opinion.

I didn't know what to expect, because I wasn't aware that there was a first book in the series as well. Now I really want to read that too.

What I loved the most about this book was the way Donna Mumma is intertwining snippets of information with her storytelling. There are facts about real people that I was fascinated to learn, such as the story of Ann Lowe, the African American designer and talented seamstress who created, among others, Jackie Kennedy's wedding dress.

The whole wedding business environment and the way people basically gravitated around the large department store (Wynton's) reminder me of a museum in Zlin where I found out how Thomas Bata had changed the lives of locals forever by building not only factories for them to work in, but also housing and various forms of entertainment. The power of the community is strong within the pages, and I really enjoyed reading about it.

I enjoyed this book. The pacing is good and the mystery plot really keeps your interest. The author has created great characters, and I enjoyed reading about their adventures.

This is such a nostalgic read, this is the 1950's, and we are at a department store, Wynton's Department Store, in Levi City, Florida. Now this is the second book in this series, so we are reunited with some characters we have met previously, The Women of Wynton's, but this can be read alone.
We are back with Miss Vivian, and her bridal shop, business is booming, and everyone wants her gowns. Until, someone is killing her brides.
This is a time in the south of segregation and the author does a good job of highlighting some of it here, sadly. We are also given some women whom are given opportunities, and we are there as they commence on their new journeys, and see their successes.
Come to the Department store and these ladies as we go about finding answers, and they do come, along with some scary incidents.
I am hoping for another visit to Wynton's!
I received this read through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder by Donna Mumma is a slight mystery with four friends who work at Wynton’s, a department store in the 1950’s. I love how eccentric and different the four women are. They spend time together, encourage each other, and lean on each other in hard times. Personally, I wish the story had a deeper spiritual thread for the characters. Maybe show them reading the Bible together and praying. I believe more women need women that will pour into each other’s lives. On the other hand, the mystery is really, really tame. Occasionally, another bride appears dead, and the four women talk about it, but then they move back on with their daily lives. It is not the central aspect of the story, which is what the title does lead the readers to believe that it is. Readers will find the tiny details like the bus ride to ring true for the time period that the story takes place in. Readers will enjoy the little details like the clothes and the order of what women can and cannot do. Mumma has spent some time trying to research and stay true to the time period. Overall, First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder by Donna Mumma reads okay for a historical fiction piece, but I needed more spirituality in the character’s lives and more attention to the mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Murder by Donna Mumma from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Fans of cozy mysteries will delight in this next book in the Women of Wynton mystery series!
The intrepid group of amateur sleuths are joined by a few new characters as they try to puzzle out who is responsible for a string of murders in their little Florida town, targeting young brides and one of their own--dear Miss Vivien.

Another enjoyable 'who-dun-it' with a crime wave that seems to stump everyone. I like how the group of friends rallies around each other, encouraging them in their jobs, friendships and home life. They are a diverse bunch, multi-generational and multicultural. The racial divisions of the 1950's are shown through one character's struggles in particular. "God made each of us unique for a reason."

The author's research into the details of fashion and the period were apparent. I could picture the lovely dresses and remember my mother and grandmother's styles of the time. Historical events and people are mentioned too, which made it interesting.

An enjoyable clean read for historical mystery fans. 4.5 stars