June 1, 2021
A fancy new night spot causes an upscale uproar in a sleepy Southern town. The opening of Chanson's Cajun Kitchen is a mixed blessing for the citizens of Pelican, Louisiana. The Crozat Plantation, managed by Magnolia Marie Crozat-Duran, is bustling, with members of the kitchen's copious staff packed in for the long haul. Maggie's mom is not so thrilled, since she's pretty sure celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson has stolen the recipe for her renowned calas (fried-rice fritters). Abel Garavant, owner of Abel's Home Cookin', is spitting fire because Chanson's catfish po-boys bear a striking gustatory likeness to his own secret recipe for fried catfish. And JJ, proprietor of Junie's Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, is even madder. Not only is Chanson's luring away many of Junie's best customers with ridiculous deals on Gulf oysters, but someone's left enough unbagged garbage outside his restaurant to cause the health inspector to shut it down. Things get even worse when Phillippe is killed in a boating accident caused by a faulty thermostat and ruled nonaccidental in the ensuing police investigation. Now Maggie's new husband, detective Bo Durand, has to decide which of the generally likable suspects he's going to lock up for Phillippe's murder. Which means that Maggie has to take a break from her art lessons as well as from her own search for the mystery man (or woman) who's been plying her with unwanted Valentine gifts to track down the real killer. Byron's gutsy heroine makes quick work of the case so the good times can roll again.
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August 1, 2021
B&B proprietor Maggie Crozet and police detective Bo Durand marry in Pelican, LA, on New Year's Eve, in a ceremony that is a celebration of their small town's Cajun culture. By February, Pelican's restaurants are threatened by celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson's plans to open Chanson's Cajun Kitchen in town. Chanson's staff is staying at Crozet's B&B, and Maggie becomes aware of the tension Phillippe creates among his team. Local chefs get caught up in the drama, as Phillippe steals recipes and undercuts oyster prices, and Pelican's favorite eating spots are shut down by the health department. It's shocking, but no surprise, when Phillippe's boat goes up in flames during a celebration and he's killed. Everyone's a suspect, even Maggie's mother, so Maggie has reason to ask questions. But her attention is divided between an embezzlement scandal at Doucet (the historic site where she works) and a stalker who's leaving her anonymous gifts. A second murder involving Chanson's puts more pressure on Maggie, Bo, and the police to find the killer. VERDICT The seventh "Cajun County Mystery" (after Murder in the Bayou Boneyard) wraps up the award-winning series. Fans will want to read this final volume, which resolves the futures of Maggie, Bo, and the other beloved characters from a comforting series that brings Cajun food, culture, and music together.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN
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