Bridezilla Murders: Jim Richards Murder Novels, #5

By Bob Moats

This book has been re-edited October, 2012

Wikipedia describes: Bridezilla (a combining of bride and Godzilla) is a term used to describe a difficult, unpleasant, perfectionist bride who leaves aggravated family, friends and bridal vendors in her wake. A Bridezilla is obsessed with her wedding as her perfect day and will disregard the feelings of the family, bridesmaids and even her groom in her quest for the perfect wedding. Jim Richards, the senior citizen sleuth, realizing life is short, proposes to Penny and they decide to go back to Las Vegas for the wedding, inviting family and friends. Penny's TV producer provides the corporate jet to fly them all out, but there's a catch, that the whole wedding be taped for Penny's show. Once in Vegas they run into a couple of real Bridezillas, but then one is murdered, is the other one next? Will the film crew tape this murderous adventure and will Trapper and Becker be caught for their pranks around Las Vegas?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bob Moats
• Release date: Dec 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781497752801

Bob Moats

Detroit area resident, Bob Moats, has been writing short stories and plays for as long as he can remember. He has lost most of his original stories, typed or handwritten, in the numerous moves he has made from his hometown of Fraser, Michigan to Northern Michigan, to Las Vegas and back to Fraser, where he now lives. Moats became one of the causalities of unemployment a year ago, and had time on his hands to finally pursue a life long dream of writing a full blown crime novel. Thus was born the first book, "Classmate Murders".What followed was a series of seven books starting with "The Classmate Murders" which introduces the main character, Jim Richards, who has to admit he has become a senior citizen, reluctantly. Richards, one day, receives an email from a childhood sweetheart asking for his help, but by the time he reaches her, she has been murdered. His life turns around and he is pulled into numerous murders of women from his high school who he hasn't seen in forty years. Along with a friend of his, Buck, a big, mustached biker, they go off to track down the killer before he can get to one former classmate, Penny Wickens, a TV talk show host who Jim has just fallen for while protecting her. The killer is also murdering the women right out from under police protection, driving homicide detective Will Trapper crazy, and he slowly depends on Jim to help. There's humor, suspense, wild chases across suburban Detroit with cops, classic cars and motorcycle clubs; murder, mayhem, a good amount of romance and a twist ending.Jim and his crime fighters, continue in the other books, traveling to Las Vegas twice, back to Detroit and out to New York to solve murders involving dominatrix; mistresses; Bridezillas; magic and strip clubs.Book titles: Classmate Murders; Vegas Showgirl Murders; Dominatrix Murders; Mistress Murders; Bridezilla Murders; Magic Murders; Strip Club Murders and Made-for-TV Murders.

Book preview

Bridezilla Murders by Bob Moats

EBook Edition

Copyright © 2009-2013 by Bob Moats.

Cover design by Bob Moats

Rev 122513-1913

––––––––

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

This is a work of pure fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For information and address:

Magic 1 Productions

P.O. Box 524, Fraser MI 48026-0524

Website:

http://murdernovels.com

Magic 1 Productions / EBook published by Bob Moats

ISBN # PENDING

Other Jim Richards series books by Bob Moats

(In series order)

Classmate Murders

Vegas Showgirl Murders

Dominatrix Murders

Mistress Murders

Bridezilla Murders

Magic Murders

Strip Club Murders

Made-for-TV Murders

Mystery Cruise Murders

Talk Show Murders

Sin City Murders

Black Widow Murders

Vegas Vigilante Murders

Area 51 Murders

Mortuary Murders

Hypnotic Murders

Sunshine State Murders

Blue Suede Murders

Honky Tonk Murders

Dark Carnival Murders

For a preview or to purchase a paperback book

go to http://murdernovels.com

______________________

What people are saying about the Murder novels by Bob Moats

––––––––

I went online this morning and read your book. I thought at first that I would only read a few pages, but got sucked into it and read all 11 chapters. You are a very good writer! I read quite a bit and often pick up Airport paperback mysteries to read on a plane. Most of them are dreadful, with obvious plots. Classmate Murders is a much better story than most.

Ray Zink, Entrepreneur, Minn.

I got up to chapter ten of the Classmate Murders and decided then to buy the next two books. ... Just finished your third book, the Dominatrix Murders. I thought it was the best one of the three, didn't want to put it down till I finished it. I looked forward to see how Penny would greet (Jim) every day after her show. Keep the books coming can't wait for the next one.

A. Norris, former Naval Corpsman

Classmate Murders is well written and keeps the reader involved and wondering what will happen next throughout the book. Showgirl Murders keeps the reader involved throughout the story and keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is until very near the end.

G. Shurig, Kalamazoo

If you like mysteries and action then don't miss reading this book...

Jan Schneider, avid mystery/crime reader

I finished the book last night, and really enjoyed it. I can only read a book that fast when it keeps my interest, so that should tell you a lot. I would recommend this book to others. I look forward to reading the next installment of the book.

M. K., retired Chrysler Admin.

I haven’t finished the book yet, when I enjoy a book, I take my time, but I want to buy the other two books. I compare your writing to a Mickey Spillane novel, and I like your  style, very narrative. I’m amazed you don’t have a publisher yet.

Michael Rasah, Professor of History

Thanks for making me immortal, love the stories, your friend, Buck.

The real Buck, George Carver

"Your books have been a joy to read.  They keep me interested until the last page is turned. Keep up the good Work!

B. Scharmann, Rochester Hills, Michigan

Bob, I LOVED it. It reminds me a lot of Colombo, I can see Jim as a regular guy, not a smooth talker, but able to outwit the bad guys. The characters were great and I love the way you describe so many of them. Some of your other characters were fun to read about.  I can't think of any corrective criticism. I will have my husband read it, he reads all the time. I think he will love the book too.

Joyce Van Houzen-Stacy, B.A.,M.B.A.

Bob, my brother, Bill, sent all seven of your Jim Richard's novels for me to read. I loved them. They were interesting and fast moving. You did good and I hope you write some more of them. I gave the books to my daughter and now she says she is hooked! I enjoy your books and I want to see more of them. It is hard to find books of this type. Concise and interesting. We need more books like these. Getting published is a real war. I hope you have good luck with them. You have a talent for writing novels the way I think they should be written. Regards,"

Fred Scharmann, Avon, OH

Murder novels aren't my usual fare but this sweet, suspenseful and often humorous series draws you in and keeps you guessing to the end. I've read all eight (some of them twice) and hope to see more coming soon. I recommend following Jim Richards adventures but take care, murder seems to follow him!

Tia L Brink, Binghamton, New York

Bridezilla Murders By Bob Moats

––––––––

Prologue

––––––––

I hated phone calls in the middle of the night; they either woke me rudely or were bad news. The call at 4 A.M. was bad news.

I rolled over and grabbed the phone, hopefully before it woke Penny, although she could sleep through a nuclear attack. I almost rolled over Willy, our toy Yorkie, sleeping soundly next to me; he yelped and ran to the foot of the bed. I got to the phone just before its third ring and said hello. It was my brother; I just knew what he was going to tell me, our father had passed away.

Before I moved in with Penny, I had lived with my parents, helping my Mother with my Dad who was a stroke victim. His health went downhill over the years since that first stroke, and he wasn't getting any better after I moved out. I knew it was going to happen one day, but that didn't make it any easier. I hated to see him just sitting in his room watching crappy TV, which was all he seemed to want. I would stop by a couple times a week and he was not well, I could tell.

Penny was lying next to me listening to the fragments of my conversation with my brother and after I hung up and laid back, she pulled me to her. I laid there for what seemed like days.

We were dressed early and on the way to the cemetery two days later, my Mom not wanting a funeral, just family and very close friends at the burial. I refused to view my father in the coffin; I wanted to remember him alive, not laid out all made up like a mannequin. Dad was put in the crypt with military honors, a 21 gun salute and they gave the flag to Mom. We all ended up at a local restaurant for breakfast and then parted to go on with our lives.

I was driving back from the restaurant and I would glance over to Penny when I could. She was so beautiful to me and I loved her. I was feeling a bit mortal now; I'm 60 years old and I would never know when I would go out of life as well. We got back to the house and I took Penny to the living room and sat her down on the couch. I paused a bit too long and she asked if I was all right.

I'm sad, but what I want to say is something I have thought about for a long time. I paused again; she waited. We've been together for almost a year now and I love loving you. You amaze me every day with your silly little skits and shows, I am always wondering what to expect when I get home. I don't want to lose that.

I got down before her on the couch and said, I'd be honored if you would be my wife, my love and my life.

Penny's eyes went wide and she got a strange look on her face, happy yet stunned. She took my face in her hands and kissed me fully and firmly. She pulled back and said, What took you so long? I laughed and she continued, I have never met a man quite like you, smart, funny and a passion for life. Yes, I would want to be your wife and have you as my love and my life. She kissed me again.

Chapter 1

––––––––

I stood and pulled her up and told her to grab Willy's carrier and she did. I put Willy in the doggy purse that I had Penny wear, and aimed her for the door. She asked where we were going, I said you'll see. We got in the car and I drove over to the Macomb Mall and into Zale's Jewelers. She smiled and said she wanted the biggest rock they had; I said it would be a nice rock. The salesgirl went nuts over Willy, then showed us different engagement and wedding rings, we took our time, just to get it right.

I still had a huge nest egg from the check I got for the finder's fee from Marsha's embezzlement during the mistress murders, so I didn't care how much the rings cost. We picked out a very nice set and luckily they had them in our sizes. I paid the cashier and we went out.

Penny asked me on the way to our house if we should have a nice quiet wedding, just friends and family or an elopement to Las Vegas. I laughed and thought about it, Vegas would be nice, and we'd be able to see Deacon and Lynn. I looked at her and asked if she wanted to do that. She said the logistics would be difficult, bringing my mother and family all the way out there, not to mention Buck and Trapper if they wanted to go, but she really would like the idea. We got back to the house and sat talking about how we could pull it off. I got on the phone and called Vegas and got Lynn. It was about 9 A.M. in Vegas and Lynn sounded like she just got up.

No work today for the wicked, I asked after putting them on our speaker phone. She recognized my voice, shrieked and called Deacon. I heard him grumbling about being woke so early. I said to Lynn to tell him to get the hell out of bed. Lynn told him who it was and he bellowed that it was about time I called.

After they both settled down and put me on their speaker phone, I said, OK, here's the deal, Penny and I have decide to get married and we want to do it in Vegas. I waited for them to respond. They did with yelling and screaming, mostly Deacon was screaming.

Lynn said she had connections with some great wedding planners in Vegas and they would make it an affair to remember. That kind of scared me, but I saw Penny eyes light up.

We're still in the planning stages, but we'll let you both know when we'll attempt it. We have to make sure everyone here can get time off to go, and if we can get them to agree to go out there.

We talked a bit more about life and I told them about my father, they gave their condolences. We said we'd be in touch soon and said our good-byes and hung up.

Penny had this look on her face that worried me; she looked devious. I asked what was on her evil mind. She said she had an idea to get everyone out to Vegas without having to suffer the airports of hell. I was intrigued, but she said I may not like the idea. I asked her to tell me, and I'd let her know if it was a good idea. She told me to wait and went to the phone in the bedroom, out of my hearing range. I was worried.

She was gone for about a half hour as Willy and I sat on the couch waiting. She came bouncing back into the room and said she made a deal with her producer, oh, and he said congratulations, that if the station can film the wedding for the show, they would send everyone out on the corporate jet we flew out the last time we were in Vegas. I sat looking at her thinking about the circus that this could become, but liked the idea of flying everyone out together for free, and avoiding, as Penny said, the airports of hell. The next thing we would have to attempt is to get everyone to agree on when they were free to go.

I knew my mother had all the time in the world now, but getting her to leave her home and board a plane may be a bit hard to get her to do. My brother was self-employed so he could adjust his life, I hoped. I wanted my son there, but he lived up north, about 250 miles away, I'd see if he could bring his wife and baby down to go with us. This could be a nightmare.

I called Buck and told him our plans and he whooped and hollered and asked when we were leaving. I said as soon as I get everyone to settle on dates and times. He said the second check I gave him for guarding Mrs. Truedell and her dog allowed him to have a lot of free time. I said I'd keep him informed.

I called Trapper, I wanted him to come with us, he was good people and he might get a kick going back to his home town of Las Vegas.

Why do you want to spoil a good thing by getting married, Richards. Trapper said over the phone when I told him the plan.

I've wanted to marry Penny for a long time, the events of the last week made me realize life can be short.

Hey, I'm sorry to hear about your Dad. I'll have to see how much vacation time I have, of course the check you gave me allows for any unpaid time off I'd want, but I may be able to swing it, as soon as you let me know when we can go. I think I'd like to go back to my roots, and especially to go harass my old buddy, Captain Weber. I could see him smiling wide through the phone. We finished up and he hung up.

I looked to Penny and said that today was not a good day to talk to my Mom, so soon after the burial, so we'd wait a couple of days and hit her with it. I called my brother and told him, he congratulated us and said it sounded good, if the trip was free. I said it would be if we can get everyone together. He said to let him know.

I was feeling like this was not going to be easy. I called my son up in northern Michigan and told him, he said he and his family would love to come. He was unemployed, but I sent a check from my windfall to help them out, and they were free to go. I said they would have to drive down when we decided to go.

Penny and I sat and drew out a plan on paper and finally came up with an approximate date to make it all happen, it mostly depended on my Mom. Penny called her producer and he said he'd arrange for the jet and the film crew when we had a definite date. The film crew idea still scared me.

We sat back on the couch and soaked in the moment. Penny was admiring her big rock, commenting