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?
My review:
Cajun Kiss of Death starts on a momentous wedding day. Not with one blissful couple, but with a trio of couples. And then, we get underway in Pelican, Louisiana. Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and preparations for the festivities are underway, as well as the opening of a new Cajun themed restaurant by owner Phillippe Chanson. Maggie wonders if Pelican can use another restaurant or if it will drive Junie’s Oyster Bar and Dance Hall out of business. Chef Phillippe shows no remorse when he steals another chef’s recipe and offers oysters below market value. Stacking up resentment before even unlocking the doors, it’s no wonder when he meets an untimely demise. Maggie and her new husband, Bo, have their hands full sorting through the suspects—friends, foes, and family.
Fun to read, Cajun Kiss of Death is a nicely plotted mystery. I enjoyed the discovery and elimination of suspects as the story unfolded. Coming late to the Pelican mystery series, I felt over-loaded with the number of named characters and had a hard time sorting through them. Now that I know it was the seventh in the series and the finale, I quite understand. I live close enough to Louisiana to appreciate the setting, the culture, and the food. Bravo, Ellen.
I obtained this book through Net Galley and left an honest review.
Meet Ellen Byron
Agatha Award winner and USA Today bestselling author Ellen Byron is a television writer, playwright, and freelance journalist. Her TV credits include Wings, Still Standing, and Just Shoot Me, and her written work has appeared in Glamour, Redbook, and Seventeen, among others. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, their daughter, and the family’s very spoiled rescue dog. A native New Yorker, Ellen still misses her hometown and still drives like a New York Cabbie.
