Crepe Factor (A Scrapbooking Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
14th in Series
Berkley (October 4, 2016)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425266700
E-Book ASIN: B01AHKY37I

Synopsis

The Winter Market in the French Quarter is in full swing, but murder isn’t taking a holiday in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Parchment and Old Lace…

The holidays are a busy time for scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand—but not so hectic that she doesn’t have time to enjoy browsing the booths at the Winter Market with her best friend Ava. The last thing the ladies expect to see is a lurching man stabbed by a serving fork, dying in front of them.

The victim is loathed restaurant critic Martin Lash, who posted his scathing reviews on the Glutton for Punishment website. And the prime suspect is New Orleans restauranteur Quigg Brevard—who was seen giving the critic a tongue-lashing minutes before someone stuck a fork in him. An old flame of Carmela, Quigg asks for her help, which does not please her current beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, to say the least.

Before her relationship is the next victim, Carmela needs to find a murderer who had no reservations about punishing the culinary curmudgeon…

Scrapbooking tips and recipes included!

Guest Post

I am thrilled to have Laura Childs here on StoreyBook Reviews especially today since it is my birthday!  Welcome Laura!

Carmela Bertrand owner of the Memory Mine scrapbooking store located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter and Ava Gruiex her best pal and confidant are out for an evening’s fun at the charming Winter Market set between Jackson Square and the broad expanse of the Mississippi River. The evening quickly goes awry when they come across restaurateur Quigg Brevard in a raucous argument with a food critic, ending with the critic throwing a bowl of gumbo against the back wall of Quigg’s booth. Since Carmela and Quigg were an item once upon a time, she and Ava try to quiet Quigg down but can’t get him to stop ranting.

Determined not to ruin their night out, the ladies move along sampling this and tasting that. Ava mixes a glass of Chablis with a glass of Merlot and is quite pleased with the pinky result. Suddenly she spots a black leather corset that she cheerfully describes as “A bondage lover’s dream.” As Ava slips behind a curtain in the back of the booth to try on the garment, the booth begins to pitch to and fro. Then a man stumbles around the edge of the booth and knocks it to the ground. It’s Martin Lash, with a serving folk caught firmly in his neck. He dies at Carmela’s feet.

Remembering the fight Lash had with Quigg Brevard just a few minutes earlier, Carmela knows that she is going to hear the riot act when her current boyfriend, Detective Edgar Babcock, arrives at the scene. Sure enough Babcock is irked at seeing Carmela there, but his head is about to explode when it becomes evident that, while Carmela is a witness, Quigg Brevard is a suspect.

Carmela promised Babcock that she will stay as far as possible away from both the investigation and from Quigg Brevard, but when Quigg begs Carmela for help, well, what’s a girl to do? If the girl is Carmela Bertrand, she begins to snoop immediately with Ava by her side.

I would say that nothing could possibly be more fun than roaming around the French Quarter with Carmela and Ava looking for clues, except perhaps joining the girls as they motor boat through the bayou with their old Cajun pals Moony and Squirrel. That is a ride you don’t want to miss.

About the Authors

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and 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 fund raising 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.

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!

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.

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Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead. followed by Caught Read-Handed and Read to Death released in July of this year.  The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren.

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Check out the other blogs on this tour

September 24 – Cinnamon, Sugar and Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW REPOST, RECIPE

September 24 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW REPOST, GUEST POST

September 25 – Socrates’ Book Reviews– SPOTLIGHT

September 25 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

September 26 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW REPOST

September 26 – Laura’s Interests – SPOTLIGHT

September 27 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW

September 28 – Writing Pearls – REVIEW

September 28 – Valerie’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

September 29 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW

September 30 – The Power of Words – SPOTLIGHT

October 1 – My Funny View of Life – REVIEW

October 2 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – REVIEW

October 2 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 3 – Varietats – REVIEW, GUEST POST

October 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, CHARACTER INTERVIEW

October 4 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

October 5 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

October 6 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW

October 6 – Teresa Trent Author Site – CHARACTER GUEST POST

October 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

October 7 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST