Cajun Kiss of Death
About Cajun Kiss of Death
Cajun Kiss of Death: A Cajun Country Mystery
The next shot from Cupid's bow may be fatal in USA Today bestselling, Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron's hearty and delightful seventh Cajun Country mystery.
In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine's Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe--in town to open his newest Cajun-themed restaurant--perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat's dear friend JJ lands in very cold water.
Did JJ, proprietor of Junie's Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie's mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price, despite an oyster shortage?
Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer--or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe's murder?
Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses--or hearse and lilies--this Valentine's Day.
About Ellen Byron
Ellen’s Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. She writes the Catering Hall Mystery series, which are inspired by her real-life, under the name Maria DiRico. Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.
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My Thoughts
A few weeks later just before Valentine’s Day, Celebrity Chef Phillippe Chanson is opening a restaurant in Pelican. The haughty chef has quite a stir in the town with his attitude, competitive drive, and recipe thievery. The chef dies with fanfare on the opening night of his restaurant leaving behind a surfeit of suspects including a beloved local restaurant owner and Maggie Crozat’s own mother. Maggie lays down her paint brush to don her sleuthing cap. Can Maggie paint the killer into a corner for the local police before Valentine’s Day? Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron is the 7th A Cajun Country Mystery. While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading this delightful series in order. It will allow you to get to know the characters and the town of Pelican, Louisiana. The characters are what make A Cajun Country Mysteries. I have loved watching these characters develop over the course of the series. Maggie has come a long way since Plantation Shudders. Maggie has a great family that is loving, welcoming, big hearts, and a wonderful sense of humor. Maggie’s grandmere is one feisty woman (her granddaughter is a chip off the old block). Cajun Kiss of Death has an opening that will delight fans of the series. There is food, family, fireworks, and fun. The whodunit was well plotted and a great one to solve. There is a surplus of suspects in this mystery with a plot twist or two along the way. I love how the author includes the history, culture, and cuisine of Louisiana. Ellen Byron brings Louisiana alive with her vivid descriptions. It is a place I want to visit. A Cajun Kiss of Death was over far too quickly. Based on the epilogue, Cajun Kiss of Death is the final book in this charming Southern series. I am glad the author provided the epilogue which gives those who love the series a contented conclusion. Cajun Kiss of Death is finer than a frog’s hair with purloined recipes, a jubilant New Year’s Eve gathering, flaring fireworks, stinky trash, stalker secret admirer, and a Valentine’s Day revelation.
Kris
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Avid Reader
Tour Participants
I love this series. I can picture NLOA and the Great River Road while reading Ellen's books. Can't wait to read.
ReplyDeleteI love this, Dianne! That's my goal with the series.
DeleteThank you so much for a wonderful review!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I like to think so, lol.
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