Mumbo Gumbo Murder
A Scrapbooking Mystery
by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran
About Mumbo Gumbo Murder
Cozy Mystery
16th in Series
Berkley (October 1, 2019)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0451489578
ISBN-13: 978-0451489579
Digital ASIN: B07M75KVSB
A shocking murder strikes a sour note during Jazz Fest in the latest New Orleans Scrapbooking Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs.
It's Jazz Fest in New Orleans, and the giant puppets from the Beastmaster Puppet Theatre are parading through the French Quarter. Some are very spooky and veiled, others are tall and gangly, like strange aliens.
As the parade proceeds, Carmela Bertrand and her best friend, Ava, follow behind, down Royal Street and past the food booths. Suddenly, they hear a terrible crash from Devon Dowling's antiques shop. They rush inside to find Devon collapsed with blood streaming down the side of his face. Has he been shot? Stabbed? 911 is hastily called, and the police and EMTs show up. After the police examine Devon's body, they tell Carmela and Ava that their friend was murdered with an icepick. They're shocked beyond belief—and now Mimi, Devon's little pug, is left homeless.
Carmela and Ava are determined to catch the murderer, but the list of suspects is long. How long do they have before they find themselves on the killer's list?
About The Authors
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the The Tea Shop Mysteries
, The Scrapbook Mysteries
, and The Cackleberry Club Mysteries
. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs. Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:
, The Scrapbook Mysteries, and The Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs. Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:
The Tea Shop Mysteries 
- set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.
- set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.
The Scrapbooking Mysteries
– a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!
– a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!
The Cackleberry Club Mysteries
- set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.
- set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.
Laura’s Links:
Webpage - http://www.laurachilds.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31
Recipient of both the Agatha and the Derringer awards, Terrie Farley Moran is the author of the beachside Read 'Em and Eat cozy mystery series; co-author of Laura Childs’ New Orleans scrapbooking mystery series; and has published numerous short stories in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Mystery Weekly Magazine and numerous anthologies.
The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is hanging out with any or all of her seven grandchildren who reside in New York and Florida.
Terrie’s Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrie.moran.9
Blog: www.womenofmystery.net
My Thoughts
Mumbo Gumbo Murder by Laura
Childs and Terrie Farley Moran is the 16th A Scrapbooking
Mystery. Carmela Bertrand and Ava Gruiex
finished watching the kick-off parade for Jazz Fest and went to Royal Street where
a street fair is taking place. They hear
glass breaking along with shouting and rush to investigate. At Dulcimers Antiques owned by Devon Dowling,
they find the shop is a mess with Devon dead on the Persian carpet. Carmela wants to know what happened to her
friend and sets out to get answers despite the warning from her fiancé,
Detective Edgar Babcock. Mumbo Gumbo
Murder is a delightfully entertaining cozy mystery. It can be read as a standalone for those new to
the series, but you would be missing out on some charming cozy mysteries. I thought Mumbo Gumbo Murder was well-written
with developed characters and a wonderful setting (New Orleans). The descriptions brought the city alive for me. Carmela Bertrand owns Memory Mine
Scrapbooking Shop in the French Quarter which she runs with the assistance of
Gabby Mercer-Morris. Carmela is a creative
and clever woman who has two dogs (maybe three now), divorced, and has a
penchant for getting into fixes. Ava Gruiex
is Carmela’s best friend who owns Juju Voodoo and likes to wear tight,
revealing clothing plus she is outrageous (never met a man she wouldn’t flirt
with). I enjoy the dialogue between
Carmela and Ava. They are a fun duo
whose antics will have you laughing. Ava
decides to consult a matchmaker so she can find a good man. Carmela finds herself roped into Quigg
Brevard’s new venture. She likes the
idea and so does everyone else except Edgar Babcock. Edgar wants Carmela to set the wedding date
and begin planning their nuptials. Carmela
wants to marry Edgar, but something (like her disastrous first marriage) is
holding her back. I had to laugh when
Edgar mentioned getting bow ties for the two dogs (they need to be
appropriately attired for the wedding). Carmela
works on some creative projects at Memory Mine including a paper theater and I
was drooling over the descriptions of the items in Memory Mine (hundreds of
papers, stamps, Paperclay, ribbon, and so much more). There is even a mention of one of my favorite
magazine companies, Somerset Studio. The
murder of Devon Dowling has Carmela asking questions, digging up clues, and
prying information out of Edgar. There
is misdirection along with direct clues. I wish, though, that I had not been able to
identify the killer so early in the story plus there were unanswered questions
at the end. I hope we hear wedding bells
for Carmela soon. She just needs to
figure out where she wishes to get married and when. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mumbo Gumbo
Murder and I look forward to Cadmium Red Dead next year. There are New Orleans recipes at the end
along with Scrapbook, Stamping and Craft Tips.
Two of my favorite lines from Mumbo Gumbo Murder were “Nothing like a
good exorcism to set you straight again” and “I swear, this is the last time I
buy Louboutin knockoffs!”. Mumbo Gumbo Murder
is a pleasing cozy mystery with paper projects, wedding woes, a bowwow
bystander, a mystified matchmaker, a bothersome ex-beau, and a frustrated fiancé.
Mumbo Gumbo Murder is available at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Google Play, and IndieBound. To win a copy of Mumbo Gumbo Murder (US Only), you can click here or enter via the Rafflecopter form below. Good Luck! Take the time to visit the other stops on the tour for author interviews, guest posts, reviews and character guest post (schedule below). Thank you for dropping by today. I hope I have helped you find a new book to read. I will be back tomorrow to review a book that I recently read. Take care and Happy Reading!
Kris
The Avid Reader
Tour Participants
October 1 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
October 2 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
October 2 – Island Confidential - SPOTLIGHT
October 3 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
October 3 – A Blue Million Books – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 4 – Laura's Interests – REVIEW
October 4 – Hearts & Scribbles – SPOTLIGHT
October 5 – MJB Reviewers – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
October 5 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
October 6 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST
October 6 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
October 7 – The Book's the Thing – REVIEW *
October 7 – Reading Is My SuperPower – GUEST POST
October 8 – The Book Decoder – REVIEW
October 8 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – eBook Addicts – SPOTLIGHT
October 9 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW *
October 10 – Mysteries with Character – REVIEW
October 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
October 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW *
October 11 – A Holland Reads - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST *
October 12 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 12 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – SPOTLIGHT
October 13 – T's Stuff – SPOTLIGHT
October 14 – Diary of a Book Fiend – REVIEW
October 14 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW *
October 15 – Socrates Book Reviews – REVIEW
October 15 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
October 15 – Sapphyria's Books - REVIEW
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Thank you for your review on "Mumbo Gumbo Murder" by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran and for being part of the book tour.
ReplyDeleteGREAT cover and wonderful storyline. Can't wait for the opportunity to read the book.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks for such a fabulous review!! Laura and I are thrilled.
ReplyDelete