About the Book

Book: Dressed for Success… Turned out for Murder (A Women of Wynton’s Mystery Series Book 3)

Author: Donna Mumma

Genre: Detective Mystery

Release Date: November 2026

Mary Jo’s Dreams for Her Family Are Murdered

Mid-century glam meets murder mayhem in a series of cozy mysteries at Wynton’s Department Store.

It is Mother’s Day of 1957 in Levi City, Florida, and Mary Jo Johnson is supposed to be celebrating her return to fulltime homemaker after her time spent working at Wynton’s Department Store. But her entire world turns upside down when her husband, Kenny, is accused of murdering his boss at the local hardware store he was planning to purchase. Mary Jo—along with her friends (and fellow Wynton’s employees) Audrey, Vivien, and Gigi—must come together to find the truth about what really happened. . .before all hopes for the Johnsons’ future vanish forever.

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My Review

This is an entertaining cozy mystery for those who like historical fiction. Mumma pays particular attention to the fashions and similar details of the era, such as prejudice and segregation issues. I remember those clothing styles referenced and the social customs of the time. I also remember pasting S & H Green Stamps into the booklets for later redemption. I like how the women working at Wynton's come together to solve a murder and help one of their own. The murder itself is a bit complex and requires lots of work to identify the villain. The result was a surprise to me. This is a good novel for older readers who remember the era and for younger ones who would to be introduced to an era gone by.

The novel immediately enters into the lives of the women working at Wynton's. That might be a bit confusing to new readers so I would recommend reading the earlier books in the series to receive the full enjoyment of this one.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my reviews of the earlier books in the series: The Women of Wynton's and First Comes Marriage...Then Comes Murder.

About the Author

Donna Mumma perfected storytelling in her first-grade classroom, spinning tales exciting enough to settle a roomful of antsy six-year-olds. She is an award-winning author who loves to blend history, mystery, and a dash of hope in stories that explore ordinary people who learn extraordinary life lessons. Donna is an active member of Word Weavers International, serving as president for the Tampa chapter as well as a mentor for chapters around the country. She was recognized as the Word Weavers traditional groups president and mentor of the year in 2022. She also serves as a line editor and contributor for Inskpirationsonline.com, a site featuring devotions written for writers by writers. An avid believer in education, Donna earned her M. Ed in elementary education and writes educational blogs and articles to assist teachers overseas for the International School Project. A native Floridian, she loves sharing life with her husband and her energetic collie, Duke.

More from Donna

What would you do if your family, your home, and your dreams were stolen away by an ugly and horrible act? How would you find the strength to keep going?

This is the dilemma Mary Jo Johnson faces in the next book of The Women of Wynton’s mystery series, Dressed for Success… Turned out for Murder. One day, life seemed to be promising that her dream of going back to being a full-time housewife and mother was within reach. But the very next morning, she’s escorted from Wynton’s Department Store in the back of Mr. Wynton’s Cadillac and taken to the police station. When she arrives, she’s told her husband Kenny has been arrested for the murder of his boss, the owner of the local hardware store.

And in that moment, Mary Jo’s life takes a path meant more for nightmares than dreams.

It’s enough to make a girl wilt under the pressure. She has the weight of supporting her family fully on her tired shoulders. Her domineering mother tries to take over her household and turn her children against their father. Kenny is unable to recall what happened and all evidence points only to him. Mary Jo is running short on hope and long on worries over saving her family or her dreams.

When life seems determined to snag every pair of pantyhose you own, sometimes the only way to get through is to pray for help and gather your friends around you.

Once again, the women of Wynton’s band together to dig for the truth. But Audrey, Vivien, and Gigi aren’t without their own troubles, complicating their efforts to help Mary Jo.

Vivien bears the brunt of complaints from Levy City’s leaders who are unhappy with her employee Immogene’s controversial community project. Audrey must dodge unwanted attention from Wynton’s newest buyer for men’s clothing while planning the store’s annual Fourth of July picnic. Gigi has been tasked with mentoring a young lady new to Wynton’s whose only interest in life seems to be chasing boys.

Helping Mary Jo discover what happened at the hardware store that fateful morning leads the ladies down unexpected paths. They never bet their search would land them in the middle of feuds, nefarious activities exposing the darker side of Levy City, or the knowledge that danger was living right next door.

Come along with Mary Jo, Gigi, Audrey, and Vivien to see if these ladies can pull a solution to the crime out of their fashionable hats in time to save their dear friend’s dream.

Because sometimes, a girl’s job is murder.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 15

Lights in a Dark World, November 15

Artistic Nobody, November 16 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, November 17

Texas Book-aholic, November 18

Guild Master, November 19 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, November 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 21

Fiction Book Lover, November 22 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 23

Vicky Sluiter, November 24

Holly’s Book Corner, November 24

The Bookish Ledger, November 25 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, November 26 (Guest Review from Donna)

The Quiet Bookmark, November 27 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Donna is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon eGift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/HQaVl/dressed-for-success-turned-out-for-murder-celebration-tour-giveaway

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-An exceptional book, 4-Better than average, relevant and liked by me, 3-It is average, 2-It is below average and not liked by me, 1-It is practically unreadable.)