Mardi Gras Murder: A Cajun Country Mystery

I didn’t believe that another book could be as good as A Cajun Christmas Killing but I was wrong. Ellen Byron has been an excellent author who bring humor, heart and mystery to each book she writes, but Mari Gras Murders shines even among her delightful cozy mysteries. The realistic depth of character, the closeness of the community, and the unique culture of the area that this author paints so beautifully, pulls the reader into a special world that is not to be found anywhere outside of Louisiana except through the eyes of a few exceptional authors. The fun of Mardi Gras flows through the novel as Maggie juggles searching for a killer with judging the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant. Our favorite tour guide, artist, and hospitality hostess would rather face a murderer than a beauty pageant but when her grandmother can’t fulfill her duties she drafts the reluctant Maggie to fulfill her Crozat obligations. The book begins with devastating flooding with which so many of us can relate in this time of frequent natural disasters. Watching the strength of this southern town as they recover brings an additional element of reality to the story and a greater respect for the characters we already love. I found it fascinating to discover that children from the orphan trains were sent to Louisiana as well as further west. I have no doubt that a reader new to the series would be as captivated as those of us who have adored the earlier books. I was thrilled to get an ARC of Mardi Gras Murders from Crooked Lane books via NetGalley! The book is amazing and I am delighted to share my loved with fellow readers through reviews, on line, and in person.

It’s Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. When a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana, and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B, the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn. The post-flood recovery has delayed the opening of a controversial exhibit about the little-known Louisiana Orphan Train. And when a judge for the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant is shot, Maggie’s convinced the murder is connected to the body on the bayou. Does someone covet the pageant queen crown enough to kill for it? Could the deaths be related to the Orphan Train which delivered its last charges to Louisiana in 1929? The leads are thin on this Fat Tuesday, and until the killer is unmasked, no one in Pelican is safe. -- Series: A Cajun Country Mystery - Book 4 Author: Ellen Byron Genre: Cozy/B&B Mystery Publisher: Crooked Lane Books Elle Byron is a fantastic writer, with the Cajun Country Mystery series a favorite of readers everywhere. The fourth book in the series, Mardi Gras Murder is a wonderful addition and will add more fans for an author that already has a large following. The characters are well rounded and quirky. The Louisiana celebration of Mardi Gras is world famous and is written about with the flavor of the holiday in mind. Readers can sense the authors love for her characters and setting within the pages of this series. Maggie Crozat always seems to find herself bogged down in a murder investigation. She is hoping that the death of a stranger who washed up onto their property during a flood died from something other than murder. Unfortunately, she knows almost instantly that she is wrong and is once again faced with finding a killer. The characters in this series are warm, inviting, loving and family oriented. Maggie’s grandmother is a fan favorite, and she should be, she is feisty, intelligent and kind. Maggie’s parents are everything we would want our parents to be. They have a great sense of humor, argue about silly stuff, and yell occasionally. In the end, they love each other and their family, and it shows throughout this book as well as the others in the series. Maggie’s boyfriend, Bo warms the reader's heart once again. However, there is a chance that things will not work out between Maggie and Bo. The reader will wait with nervous anticipation until they find out if the couple will remain a together. There are plenty of suspects and clues to make this book fast-paced and a page-turner. The killer is unmasked only after Maggie finds herself once again in danger of being killed. readers can empathize with one or more of the characters and feel the excitement, and at times raw emotion of Maggie. No one will be disappointed with the outcome of this book, or go away with more questions than answers. Mardi Gras Murder can easily stand on its own. There is no need for a lengthy background on the characters or the town. Readers will relish this book and want to read the others in the series. I highly recommend this book and this series.

Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron is the fourth book in A Cajun Country Mystery series. The town of Pelican, Louisiana suffered from heavy rains and flooding. Behind the Crozat Plantation B&B, under piles of debris the family finds a dead man without identification. Three weeks later, the town is recovering from the flooding and they are ready for the Mardi Gras celebrations to begin—Laissez les bon temps rouler. The celebrations include a gumbo cook-off, a parade and the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant. Maggie’s grandmother normally is one of the pageant judges, but walking pneumonia has her confined to bed which means Maggie must step up to the plate (despite her opinion of pageants). At the first meeting of the judges, Maggie learns about the controversial Louisiana Orphan Train exhibit. The highlight of the meeting is when a fight breaks out between two of the pageant contestant mothers. On the way home, Maggie is rear ended by Gerard Damboise, head judge and president of the historical society. Maggie finds him bleeding from a gunshot wound. Gerard whispers two last words before he perishes. Maggie wonders if his death is related to the pageant or the orphan train exhibit. Maggie begins scouting for clues in the hopes of resolving Gerard’s murder. Can Maggie unmask the killer before Fat Tuesday? Mardi Gras Murder can be read alone if you have not read the other novels in A Cajun Country Mystery series. There is a lot going on in Mardi Gras Murder. I only covered the basics in my summary. There is the unidentified dead man, Mardi Gras, the pageant, problems with Tug’s gumbo pot, Gran’s illness, guests at the B&B, Maggie’s relationship with Bo, a mystery at Doucet, a secret room at Grove Hall, the flooding, and the orphan train exhibit controversy. The book is well-written with a steady pace and humor scattered throughout. There are numerous characters, but the author does provide a handy cheat sheet at the beginning of the book (I wish I could have printed it out). Pelican is a small town where everyone knows your business and is happy to pass it along to others. The town goes all out for Mardi Gras. I learned some interesting facts about the holiday along with interesting traditions. The murder mystery has some intriguing points (I do not want to spoil it for you). There is misdirection along with direct clues. Avid cozy mystery readers will have no problem solving the whodunit. All the storylines are wrapped up at the end. There is a sweet ending that will have the romantics smiling, and I love who won the gumbo cook-off. Ellen Byron combines Southern charm, Mardi Gras, humor, a cast of quirky characters and a beguiling mystery into one rousing cozy mystery.