Murder in the Bayou Boneyard
by Ellen Byron
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published September 8th 2020 by Crooked Lane Books
Goodreads synopsis:
Maggie Crozat, proprietor of a historic Cajun Country B&B, prefers to let the good times roll. But hard times rock her hostelry when a new cell phone app makes it easy for locals to rent their spare rooms to tourists. With October--and Halloween--approaching, she conjures up a witch-crafty marketing scheme to draw visitors to Pelican, Louisiana.
Five local plantation B&Bs host "Pelican's Spooky Past" packages, featuring regional crafts, unique menus, and a pet costume parade. Topping it off, the derelict Dupois cemetery is the suitably sepulchral setting for the spine-chilling play Resurrection of a Spirit. But all the witchcraft has inevitably conjured something: her B&B guests are being terrified out of town by sightings of the legendary rougarou, a cross between a werewolf and vampire.
When, in the Dupois cemetery, someone costumed as a rougarou stumbles onstage during the play--and promptly gives up the ghost, the rougarou mask having been poisoned with strychnine, Maggie is on the case. But as more murders stack up, Maggie fears that Pelican's spooky past has nothing on its bloodcurdling present.
***
4.5 stars
This is the sixth book in the Cajun Country mystery series by Ellen Byron.
Basic premise: Maggie searched for her relative and invited her to come to town. Then this relative starts a business just like Maggie’s and then tries to take over their homestead where she has an art studio. Then this same relative is found in a rougarou costume and then collapses dead in the middle of a theatrical performance.
It was hard to figure out who the killer was due to all the twists and turns this story took. Just when you thought you had your head around everything, something else was introduced. This was kind of a real thrill ride. On one hand you had the murder, then on the other hand you had to take into account Maggie’s journey with giving over her business to her friend and then possibly losing her family home to someone she thought was family.
This story does what it is supposed to. It made me fall in love with the residents and want to go back and read the books I had overlooked until now. Definitely a series I want to continue on with
If you like cozy mysteries, definitely check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.
I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.
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