July 1, 2019
A Cajun music festival provides an invitation to both laissez les bon temps rouler and murder. Maggie Crozat, of the Crozat Plantation B&B, has had her hands full ever since her grand-mere came up with the idea of Cajun Country Live!, a music festival featuring Tammy Barker, a hometown girl who made it big. Maggie's wedding to police detective Bo Durand (Mardi Gras Murder, 2018, etc.) is shifted to the back burner as she helps her parents, who are housing part of Tammy's entourage, each of whom has distinct and quirky food demands, and making pralines to sell at Crozat's festival booth. Though Maggie's friend Gaynell Bourgeois is even more talented than Tammy, she hasn't had her big break yet. So Maggie is furious when Tammy steals a song Gaynell wrote and disses her at every opportunity, even after setting up a meeting for Gaynell with her manager, the famous Pony Pickner. When Maggie meets the group Pickner has hired to back up Tammy, she realizes they've all taken the job short-term and for cut-rate prices because they're all dealing with more or less acute problems. Pickner's attempt to fix Tammy's mic after a set including the stolen song sends sparks flying and Pickner to the morgue. Even the police realize this was no accident. Tammy accuses Gaynell, whose meeting with Pickner didn't go well, of killing him. Maggie and Bo, certain of Gaynell's innocence, even pretend to break up so that Maggie can hang around and flirt with the band members, all of whom are staying at nearby Bella Vista. When someone attacks Bokie, the band's nicest member, backup singer Valeria Aguilar gives Maggie a copy of the book she's writing that dishes the dirt on famous musicians, leaving Maggie to wonder if something in the book inspired murder. Down-home Cajun charm, a climactic surprise, and praline recipes: How sweet it is.
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July 8, 2019
Byron’s witty fifth Cajun Country mystery (after 2018’s Mardi Gras Murder) finds Maggie Crozet, whose family owns the Crozet Plantation Bed and Breakfast in Pelican, La., gearing up for Cajun Country Live!—a music and culture festival. The town is abuzz when Tammy Barker, a rising country music star and winner of the popular TV talent show Sing It, signs on to headline the event. Tammy rolls into Pelican with her ragtag entourage of musicians, assistants, minders, and groupies. Can trouble be far behind? Although professing to have matured, Tammy is finding it hard to overcome the mean girl skills she honed in high school. Her primary target is Gaynell Bourgeois, a local musician and friend of Maggie’s. When Tammy’s “handsy” manager is murdered and Gaynell is arrested for the crime, Maggie steps up to investigate. Byron supplies a few nasty characters readers can love to hate, along with a joyous dollop of Cajun lore. Cozy fans will enjoy returning to Pelican and dropping in on the Crozet clan. Agent: Doug Grad, Doug Grad Literary.