A Killer Wedding

Former Tonight Show producer O’Leary debuts with an intricate whodunit centered on the wedding of plain Jane Murphy and Dr. Graham Ripton, grandson of glamorous beauty company CEO Gloria Beaufort. Freelance journalist Christine Russo has been handpicked by Gloria to cover the festivities for Bespoke Weddings magazine. At first she thinks she’s hit the jackpot, but Christine soon finds that the Beaufort family is more secretive than they seem, and starts to wonder if she’s been set up. Just before the ceremony, bride-to-be Jane finds Gloria dead in her suite, and to Christine’s shock, the rest of the family agrees to delay reporting her death to the authorities. Suspicious, Christine wonders if one of Graham’s siblings—or even Jane herself—might have had reason to kill Gloria. Gradually, however, it emerges that Gloria will have the last word. O’Leary luxuriates in the gleeful nastiness of her characters and juggles perspectives and timelines like a seasoned pro. With a surprisingly sophisticated plot and a winningly fizzy atmosphere, this is a memorable first outing. Agent: Elisabeth Weed, Book Group. (Sept.)