Denise Swanson - New York Times Best-Selling Author

From Obsidian, a division of Penguin
Twelfth Book in the Award-Winning Scumble River Mystery Series!
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Murder of a Wedding Belle

New York Times Paperback Best-Sellers Mass-Market Fiction, April & May 2010
Barnes & Noble Mass-Market National Best-Seller, April - June 2010
Borders Books Mass-Market National Best-Seller, April 2010
BookScan Best-Seller

A Scumble River Mystery featuring School Psychologist Skye Denison

by Denise Swanson

National Best-Selling Author of:
Murder of a Royal Pain (Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, April & May 2009; Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association )
Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry (Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, April & May 2008; Borders Books Best-Seller, April & May 2008)
Murder of a Botoxed Blonde (Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, April 2007; Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association Best-Seller)
Murder of a Real Bad Boy (Entertainment Weekly magazine Mystery Best-Seller, September 8, 2006; Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, August 2006)
Murder of a Smart Cookie (Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, July 2005),
Murder of a Pink Elephant (Daphne du Maurier Award: 2nd Place, 2005; Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, July 2004),
Murder of a Barbie and Ken (Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, November 2003; BookSense 76 Pick & Romantic Times Magazine Top Pick),
Murder of a Snake in the Grass,     Murder of a Sleeping Beauty,
Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
(Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee, 2001), and
Murder of a Small-Town Honey (Agatha Award nominee: Best First Novel of 2000)

School psychologist Skye Denison reluctantly agrees to act as maid of honor in her California cousin's over-the-top platinum-style wedding — and is also expected to assist the control-freak wedding planner. But when Skye discovers the planner dead, just one week before the big event, Skye is suddenly working double-duty. While overseeing every nuptial detail, she's also helping the police find out who hated the bridal consultant enough to kill her. Can Skye get her cousin to the church on time — and save herself from a killer who may actually be on the guest list?

Chicago Tribune: "With its endearing heroine, terrific cast of realistically quirky secondary characters, and generous soupçon of humor ... Denise Swanson's charming series, set in the small Illinois town of Scumble River, is a delight."
— John Charles

Denise Swanson writes the Scumble River Mystery series featuring school psychologist Skye Denison. Her series is set in a fictional small town in the Midwest, and contains elements of humor and romance. She is currently under contract by Penguin / Obsidian through her lucky thirteenth book in this series.

Denise Swanson

U.S. Route 66 in Scumble River, Illinois

Her first book, Murder of a Small-Town Honey, was nominated for the Agatha Best First Mystery. It won the Reviewers Choice Awards for Best First Novel and Best Amateur Sleuth, and is currently in its lucky thirteenth printing! Her second book, Murder of a Sweet Old Lady, was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award and is in its tenth printing. Her third book, Murder of a Sleeping Beauty, is in its sixth printing.
Her fourth book, Murder of a Snake in the Grass, débuted in the top 100 of the Barnes & Noble online best-sellers and is in its sixth printing. Her fifth book, Murder of a Barbie and Ken, (ninth printing) was an RT Magazine Top Pick, spent four weeks on the Barnes & Noble Mass-Market Mystery Best-Seller list, was #1 on the IMBA Best-Seller list, a BookSense 76 Pick, and nominated for an RT Reviewers Choice Best Amateur Sleuth Award and the Daphne du Maurier award. Her sixth book, Murder of a Pink Elephant (sixth printing), was also a Daphne du Maurier finalist — coming in second, spent three weeks on the Barnes & Noble Mass-Market Mystery Best-Seller list, and was #1 on the IMBA Best-Seller list. Her seventh book, Murder of a Smart Cookie, (fifth printing) débuted at #11 on the Barnes & Noble Best-Seller list and remained on the list for four weeks. Her eighth book, Murder of a Real Bad Boy, was featured on the paperback best-seller list in Entertainment Weekly magazine and is in its second printing. Her ninth book, Murder of a Botoxed Blonde (fourth printing), became a Barnes & Noble Mass-Market Best-Seller and an IMBA Best-Seller. Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry, her tenth book, made the Barnes & Noble, the Borders, and the BookScan best-seller lists for over two months and is in its third printing. Murder of a Royal Pain, the eleventh book in her series, was on the Barnes & Noble Best-Seller list for two months, and is in its second printing.
Denise was nominated for RT Magazine's Career Achievement Award. Her fellow nominees included Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich. She has spoken at hundreds of library events and other civic organizations, and has received excellent ratings when surveys have been taken. She has also been interviewed on radio and TV.

Murder of a Wedding Belle is the twelfth and latest book in her Scumble River Mystery series. It débuted on the New York Times Paperback Best-Sellers Mass-Market Fiction extended list, the Barnes & Noble Best-Seller list and the Borders Books Best-Seller list!

Links:
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Murder of a Wedding Belle
 Scumble River Mysteries 1 - 11 
Skye Writing Home Cookin'
Biography Interview
Awards Bibliography
Schedule an Engagement
Personal Appearances
Links and Press Kit
Denise Swanson on the Lam
E-mail to Denise Swanson


Updated 21 June 2010: Murder of a Wedding Belle * Scumble River Mysteries 1 - 11 * Biography * Interview * Awards * Personal Appearances * Links and Press Kit * Denise Swanson on the Lam
"The lowest and vilest alleys of London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside." — Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), English author. Holmes to Watson, in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: "Copper Beeches" (1892).
Book 1, July 2000: Murder of a Small-Town Honey
ISBN 0-451-20055-1 * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-3329-X
Book 2, April 2001: Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
ISBN 0-451-20272-4 * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-3674-4
Book 3, April 2002: Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
ISBN 0-451-20548-0 * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-4402-X *
Audio cassettes ISBN 0-7927-2553-0

Book 4, April 2003: Murder of a Snake in the Grass
ISBN 0-451-20834-X * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-5629-X
Book 5, November 2003: Murder of a Barbie and Ken
ISBN 0-451-21072-7 * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-6126-9
Book 6, July 2004: Murder of a Pink Elephant
ISBN 0-451-21210-X * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-6798-4
Book 7, July 2005: Murder of a Smart Cookie
ISBN 0-451-21584-2 * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-7765-3
Book 8, August 2006: Murder of a Real Bad Boy
ISBN 0-451-21828-0 * Large Print ISBN 0-7862-9282-2
Book 9, April 2007: Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
ISBN 978-0-451-22141-4 * Large Print ISBN 978-0-786-29680-4
Book 10, April 2008: Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
ISBN 978-0-451-22368-5 * Large Print ISBN 978-1-410-40771-9
Book 11, April 2009: Murder of a Royal Pain
ISBN 978-0-451-22658-7 * Large Print ISBN 978-1-60285-486-4
Book 12, April 2010: Murder of a Wedding Belle
ISBN 978-0-451-22961-8

Book 12, April 2010
Murder of a Wedding Belle
Murder of a Wedding Belle
ISBN 978-0-451-22961-8


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Scumble River Mysteries

Novella, February 2005: "Dead Blondes Tell No Tales"
in the anthology Drop-Dead Blonde * ISBN 0-451-21444-7
Short Story, June 2001: "Not a Monster of a Chance"
in the anthology And the Dying is Easy * ISBN 0-451-20329-1

 Reading Group Guides 

"When writers as sharp as Margaret Maron, Earlene Fowler, and Jerrilyn Farmer all rave about a colleague as convincingly as they have about Denise Swanson, even the gruffest noir addict has to take notice."
Chicago Tribune

"I enjoy every minute of every book of this series."
New York Times Best-Selling Author Charlaine Harris

"Quite simply the best traditional mystery series being written today."
CrimeSpree Magazine

"Hi, I'm Denise's cool black cat Boomerang, and I just know you'll love her Scumble River Mystery series. It's the cat's meow!"
>^..^<
Black Cat Boomerang

Scumble River, Illinois postmark Skye Denison
13 River Drive
Scumble River, IL 60400



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Music: Scumble River Legend,
a Ballad for Small Orchestra by David Stybr (1 minute, © 2001)

How many book series have their own signature music? It's quirky, but so is Scumble River, Illinois.

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Created 25 December 1999 * Updated 21 June 2010
© 2010 Denise Swanson * Der Webmeister: David Stybr

This web site is purely for entertainment and information purposes. We hope that you enjoy our simple yet informative format.