The new groom, Lance Ledeaux, looks familiar to many of the women; they learn he is a character actor who has had bit parts and commercials for many years. Lance announces he wants to produce a new play he has written and wants all the Babes to star in it and be the crew.  The women are skeptical of Lance and his intentions, but love Claudia and want her to be happy so they agree. 

Arriving early one night to rehearsal, Kate hears Claudia and Lance arguing over the amount of money Lance is spending, money that was in Claudia’s name before the wedding.  This after Kate witnesses Lance getting out of another woman’s car in the back of the Piggly Wiggly. She knows her friend is headed for heartbreak and trouble, but isn’t sure how to help her out.  During rehearsal, Lance steps in to show one of the cast “how it’s done.” In the scene, Claudia is to shoot her lover in the chest, of course, using a handgun with blanks. When Lance falls to the floor, bleeding, everyone assumes he is being dramatic and using dye packs. They are shocked when they realize Lance is really dead and Claudia is on the hook for his murder. 

Kate knows that no matter how angry her friend was with Lance, Claudia did not kill him and begins to look for other suspects, beginning with the dark-haired woman from behind the Piggly Wiggly. Kate takes pity on a new waitress, Krystal, who is down on her luck and before long, the young woman is number one on Kate’s suspect list. Still, something doesn’t seem quite right and Kate knows she has to work quickly to find the real murderer before her friend Claudia is playing Bunco for twenty to life.

 ‘Til Dice Do Us Part is a well-written, entertaining mystery with a delightful heroine who has a very wry sense of humor, but a fierce sense of friendship and loyalty. Kate wants Claudia to be happy, but doesn’t want to be the one to spoil that happiness, yet will be there to pick up the pieces. It’s Kate’s good heart that brings Krystal into the group’s midst, and it’s only after she invites the young woman to stay at her house that Kate realizes that it might not have been a safe idea. Recently widowed, Kate is starting a strong friendship with neighbor Bill, and though she is very interested in him, she also wants to test her independence and learn to stand on her own two feet first. 

The mystery is well-plotted and there are plenty of suspects with plenty of motives. Kate’s easygoing personality will draw readers in and the rest of the Bunco Babes and a terrific mystery will keep them coming back.                                                                          

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry