Cajun Kiss of Death: A Cajun Country Mystery
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books (August 10, 2021)
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

Synopsis

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.

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Review

All good things must come to an end as they say but I’m not ready to let Maggie, Bo, and the gang go quite yet!

I didn’t realize this book was the last for this series until I got to the end where the book jumps 20 years into the future and the author wraps up the characters and what has happened over that time frame. I appreciated the closure considering some interesting tidbits that were dropped near the end of the book regarding the family.

Ok, now that I am over my sadness that the series is over (well sort of over it anyway), this has been one of my favorite series due to the location. I have family that are Cajuns in Louisiana, so many times I felt like this was a glimpse into their lives, well sort of since I don’t think they are going around solving murders! But I loved all of the references to cajun/creole food, music, and the history that surrounds that area.

Maggie and Bo finally tie the knot in a triple wedding with Grandma and Vanessa. It was cool to see how it all came together since we saw a few snippets in the last book. Grandma is just as crazy as always but manages to dispense timely advice when the situation warrants her insight.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a cozy without someone dying/murdered. In this case, it is a no-good, recipe stealing chef for a new restaurant in town. To top everything else, he and his crew don’t seem to fight fair and are out to decimate the little competition there is in town which includes JJ’s restaurant Junie’s. Maggie is not ok with this and does her best to poke her nose into the situation and uncover the killer but not without putting herself in harm’s way in the process. There is even a stalker and there is no way to know who it could possibly be, but Bo and the police force are on the case. The answer will surprise you, at least it did me!

There are several moving parts outside of solving the murder including a Gala for the Doucet museum, art lessons, and a ferry brought back into service for a short period of time which is an adventure unto itself. All of these minor storylines just add to an already robust book.

While this book can be read on its own, it is highly suggested that you read the series in order to watch the characters grow and come to know them and their quirks.

We give this book 5 paws up and while we don’t expect another book, we can always hope!

About the Author

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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