Book Review: Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron
- Kristen Lewendon
- Aug 10, 2021
- 2 min read
Cajun Country Mystery Book 7
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.
My Review:
I reached the end of this book, and now I feel slightly bereft to realize that this is probably the last one in the series. These characters have come to life in my imagination. I feel like I have lived their stories with them. I anxiously follow along as Maggie puts together tiny puzzle pieces only she picks up on. I fret with Bo every time she stumbles into a potentially dangerous situation. And I love the weird, quirky residents of Pelican as if they were my own family. The author knows how to create a mystery that keeps me guessing and keeps me so entertained that I’m too busy having fun to try and out-think the plot. This book was no exception to that state of affairs. I have no idea what she has up her sleeve for the future, but my fingers are crossed for a return to Pelican at some point.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.
Other books in the series:
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