Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: The Alchemist of All Hallows Eve (Accidental Alchemist Mystery, #10) by Gigi Pandian

THE ALCHEMIST OF ALL HALLOWS EVE

by Gigi Pandian

September 7 - October 2, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

AN ACCIDENTAL ALCHEMIST MYSTERY

 

An eternally young alchemist. A gargoyle who fancies himself Poirot. A Murder House for sale the week before Halloween.

Zoe Faust has run from her past for centuries. She didn't plan on settling down. She didn't plan on falling for a mortal man. She certainly didn't plan on the gargoyle.

Now Zoe, her fiancé, and her French chef gargoyle best friend Dorian have found an enchanting home with a hidden cottage for Dorian. It’s perfect for their little family. Except for one thing. Forty years ago, the night before Halloween, a woman was murdered in their dream house. Or was she?

When an enigmatic stranger arrives and insists that a mythological Irish witch holds the secret to the unsolved crime, Halloween turns deadly once more. Refusing to let Zoe lose the home she's waited centuries for, Dorian the gargoyle sets out to crack the case.

Can an alchemist, a gargoyle, and a teashop-owning detective solve two Halloween murders before an innocent man takes the fall and their perfect home slips away?

The Alchemist of All Hallows Eve is the whimsical tenth book in USA Today bestselling author Gigi Pandian's Anthony Award-winning Accidental Alchemist mystery series. If you love cozy fantasy, Agatha Christie-style whodunits, and found family, you'll adore this charming Halloween mystery, complete with Irish fortune-telling recipes.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Cozy Fantasy Mystery, Culinary Cozy
Published by: Gargoyle Girl Productions
Publication Date: September 8, 2026
Number of Pages: 288
ISBN: 978-1938213373
Series: The Accidental Alchemist Mystery Series, Book 10 | Each is a Stand Alone
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

I dashed through the wrought iron gate that stood open, the misty rain leaving nearly invisible droplets on my silver raincoat as I made my way to the house. Ivy tendrils wound their way around the curved black iron of the gate and fence, hiding the wires of electric candles that illuminated the yard with a warm glow.

By the time I took my first step on the stone path, I already knew. The house was perfect.

A perfect family home. I blinked back tears. What an astonishing idea, after so many decades living on the road. On my own. On the run. Never staying in one place for long. Never imagining I could have something more. The last two years in a fixer-upper were two of the best years in my life, still on my own but tentatively testing the idea of putting down roots. All the joys and trials of these last two years had led to this moment. Finding a home for me and Max. For the start of a new life together.

A twenty-foot Malus domestica tree towered above me, bringing me to a halt when I should have been rushing inside to see if I’d made it in time. The apple tree’s green and yellow leaves shielded smooth branches brimming with red-gold apples ripe enough to pick. I ran my fingertips across the smooth bark and crouched to touch the spot where the trunk met soil. Gnarled roots peeking out of the earth told me the tree’s advanced age, but it was thriving. The person who tended to this tree truly cared for it. As I would.

A bright yellow door, only three inches high, rested at the base of the tree. It was a fairy door, inviting anyone who took the time to notice it to imagine a portal to the fairy realm. I wondered if the whimsical doorway was there year-round or only because it was the week before Halloween. Behind the tree, crimson delphinium flowers were blooming. Red was a rare color for the flower, and it was late in the year for the spire-like stems to bloom. They, too, had been well tended.

As curious as I was about the person who attended to this landscape, I didn’t have time to speculate. I stood and hurried on.

Old-fashioned lanterns lit the stone steps leading to the covered porch. Two massive copper owls flanked the front door, one guarding a carved pumpkin, the other an autumn vegetable I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen: a mangelwurzel. I’ve celebrated many types of Halloween traditions over the years, so I recognized the root vegetable that had been popular for Halloween carvings over a century ago in Britain and Ireland. These decorations weren’t plastic toys from a modern manufacturer, but talismans that harkened back to celebrations of the autumn harvest—and the idea that October 31 was a night when the veil between worlds of the living and the dead was thin.

I smiled at the mangelwurzel’s grotesque grinning face, wondering how a modern-day homeowner in Portland, Oregon had stumbled across the tradition of carving creepy faces into the lumpy root related to a beet.

But I didn’t have time to linger outside and wonder.

I was lucky that nobody had put in an offer on the house while I was away last week, since the housing market was so tight these days. Today, I’d hoped to arrive right when the open house began, but it was such a busy afternoon at Max’s new shop that he couldn’t get away. We decided I should go on ahead. Still, it was already twenty minutes past the hour when the showing began.

And yet, the squeaky door of my old 1942 pickup truck was the loudest sound I’d heard since arriving. Instead of a rush of other eager homebuyers, the inviting yard was deserted. No kids were exploring the whimsical décor. No voices could be heard coming from inside the house, but perhaps the walls were thick?

The old home was beautiful and the listing price far lower than expected. Why was I the only potential buyer here?

The front door stood open, and as I stepped inside a tall woman in a cream-colored pantsuit greeted me.

“Zoe?”

I nodded and took her outstretched hand.

“Simone Friday,” she said, ushering me into the cozy foyer of the house. “Congratulations again on your engagement. This is a wonderful home to begin a new life together.”

I touched my malachite engagement ring. The green stone was the most perfect embodiment of Max’s and my love for each other. Malachite, the stone of transformation.

“What a stunning ring.” The real estate agent pulled her gaze from my ring finger and craned her thin neck to look around me. “Is Max still in the car?”

She had no idea how unique the ring truly was. Not that I could ever tell her.

“Max is running a little late,” I explained, hoping that wouldn’t make us look irresponsible if the owner was making a decision between multiple interested buyers. This housing market was brutal, and homes around here were being snatched up as soon as they hit the market. The agent Max had found us hadn’t suggested this house. I’d found it while browsing.

I’d reached out to the seller’s agent ahead of time to make sure the low list price wasn’t a mistake. She told me the owner needed to sell on an expedited timeline, prioritizing a buyer who could close quickly. He’d had a bad fall and was currently recovering in the hospital, hoping to move into a retirement community as soon as possible since he could no longer handle living alone in this big, multi-story house.

Looking out the front window, I smiled as I spotted even more autumn decorations I hadn’t noticed on my way in. Sheltered on the covered porch, an owl made from a pinecone and acorns sat next to a trio of gourds with silly painted faces. With this type of creativity, wherever the owner ended up, I had a feeling he’d be just fine.

“You’re an outdoorsy person,” Simone said. “I can tell. You’re in for a treat. I’ve been doing this for decades and believe me, this place is quite a find.”

I continued through the house, enjoying the solid wood paneling and cozy nooks that included a built-in window seat in the main bedroom. The back garden included a small kitchen garden, bountiful flowers, and even more fruit trees. Three types of apples, plus two each of cherry, plum, pear, and fig trees, making a full dozen. The Spartan apple tree’s ripe apples hung unpicked, but I was more worried by its thin branches, which were drooping from more than the weight of the fruit. When I was a young woman helping with farmland that included a nearby orchard with apple and pear trees, I would have immediately known what was wrong. Was I losing my edge? What did the tree need?

“Zoe?” The agent’s voice shook me out of the memory.

I’m Zoe Faust, born in 1676, in Salem Village in what’s now Massachusetts, a hundred years before the Declaration of Independence was signed. My natural aptitude with plants led to my being accused of being a witch, and later being taken under the wing of famed alchemist Nicolas Flamel. Under his tutelage, I learned the principles of alchemy, which led to my accidentally discovering the Elixir of Life. When I said I’d celebrated many types of Halloween traditions, I wasn’t kidding.

“Ready to look at the guest house?” Simone asked.

She led me through the backyard to a small cottage almost entirely hidden by trees.

“Designed for someone who loves to cook, as you can tell!” she said as we stepped inside. “Take your time out here. I’ll be in the front section of the main house to greet others.”

She wasn’t kidding about the layout. Two-thirds of the little home’s open floorplan was taken up by a massive kitchen. The style was a bit dated, but for the one who would be using the space, it was functionality that mattered. Max and I needed a home of our own, but we couldn’t abandon our friend Dorian. It would be impossible for him to live on his own. And as a chef, he would love this space.

I stepped back outside into the miniature orchard. Everything about this place was perfect. Too perfect, the nervous part of my brain chimed in. The part of my brain that had kept me safe for centuries. That had kept me moving, avoiding being detected as an alchemist. But this house… I knew this was where I was meant to be. Where we were meant to be.

I rooted through my bag for my phone. It took Max four rings to answer.

“Zoe, is everything—”

“It’s perfect. So perfect. How soon can you get here?”

“I had no idea how wild weekend crowds could be. I don’t know if I can—”

“You’re at the register?” I imagined him ringing up the customers lined up at his cozy shop, The Alchemy of Tea, with a smile on his handsome face as he told people about how best to brew his custom tea blends or use the various styles of teapots he stocked.

“I stepped outside to take your call.”

“Mary can handle the register on her own. She did it beautifully while you were away. Truly. You need to see this place today. What if someone else puts in an offer that’s accepted? As soon as you see it in person, you’ll understand why it’s so special.”

“Do you know,” he chuckled, “it’s impossible to say no to you, Zoe Faust.”

Max arrived ten minutes later and found me in the backyard’s mini orchard, where I was trying to figure out what was afflicting the ailing apple tree.

I threw my arms around him. “I thought you were going to call me when you arrived. Did you see the house?”

Max didn’t answer immediately. More than that, his shoulders were stiff. And he wasn’t hugging me back. As I pulled away, expecting terrible news, only then did I see the look of worry on his face.

My own smile drained away. “Someone else got the house?”

“I doubt it.” He looked past me towards the house.

“What’s going on?” I followed his gaze. What was I missing?

“This is Rufus Hitchcock’s house.”

“You know the owner? It’s not on the listing—”

He groaned. “It wouldn’t be. But I know the house. You really don’t know the name?”

“Why would I?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t look more closely at the listing, or I would have spotted it. I’ve just been so busy—”

“Max. If you don’t tell me what’s going on right now, my head is going to explode like an overheated cucurbit. What could possibly be wrong with our dream house that we can’t fix?” Whatever it was, I hoped it wouldn’t need too much money. This is embarrassing for an alchemist to admit, but I’m wretched at making gold.

“It’s not fixable.” Max looked forlornly at the perfect house. “I wish it was… but—”

“Max.”

He turned back to me and shook his head. “Rufus Hitchcock is a murderer, Zoe. He killed his girlfriend in this house forty years ago, and strange things have been happening here ever since. That’s why nobody else wants this house.”

***

Excerpt from The Alchemist of All Hallows Eve by Gigi Pandian. Copyright 2026 by Gigi Pandian. Reproduced with permission from Gigi Pandian. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling mystery author, locked-room mystery enthusiast, and fan of exploring ruined castles in the rain. She’s been awarded Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar. She writes the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (humorous cozy fantasy mysteries), the Secret Staircase mysteries (locked-room mysteries called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times), and the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries (lighthearted adventures steeped in history). Gigi lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the backyard garden. For bookish fun plus a free story and free mini cookbook, sign up for her email newsletter at www.gigipandian.com.

Catch Up With Gigi Pandian:

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Facebook - @GigiPandian

 

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Book Review: Recipe for Murder (Pine Cove Mystery, #2) by Marla A. White

Recipe for Murder by Marla A. White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When Mel's love interest returns to Pine Cove, he's followed by a killer!

Recipe for Murder is the second book in author Marla A. White's cozy Pine Cove Mystery series set high in the California mountains and featuring retired LA detective turned innkeeper, Emmeline "Mel" O'Rourke. When former love interest Jackson Thibodeaux suddenly arrives back in town long after what was to have been a short two-week stay with his mother in New Orleans, he's not alone. While cooling his heels in the Big Easy, he'd signed up for a culinary school course and, midway through, had discovered a classmate deceased in the school's kitchen, and now someone was taking shots at him, too. He wants Mel to find out who killed his friend, Kaya, since the New Orleans PD closed the case as a suicide, and the scene he found in the kitchen doesn't add up to their conclusion. Meanwhile, Mel and local sheriff's deputy Gregg Marks had grown closer after Jackson left her hanging, and she's struggling to separate her feelings for the two very different men.

Mel is an engaging, likable main character who is trying to make a success of her second career as an innkeeper, after an on-the-job injury scuttled her first. Her family had pooled their resources to help her follow her new dream, but the old inn itself seems to be doing its best to make this as difficult as possible. She is supported in her new venture by her now friend and former cat burglar, Poppy Phillips, who's a great cook. She also has a growing affection for Mel's brother, Liam, a plumber, who keeps patching The Brook back up whenever something breaks. Joining them is Grandma O'Rourke, who mans the front desk and applies her mad computer skills to the research Mel needs to investigate her new unofficial case.

While business is looking up for the inn, especially with an upcoming music festival in town, the old girl's infrastructure springs a major leak. While Liam does what he can to make repairs and get the rental cottage that was affected back in service, Mel works to uncover the truth behind Kaya Woods' death and stop whoever has hunted Jackson all the way back to Pine Cove. The plot moves quickly as Mel's long-distance investigation yields more clues, and she tries to do the honorable thing by committing to pursuing a relationship with either Gregg or Jackson. While it was fun watching her decision-making, it was even more fun watching Poppy, Grandma, and cousin Gemma's reactions to her dilemma. The banter among the women in the story absolutely sparkled. There was some clever misdirection, a red herring or two, and plot twists that kept me guessing, but I really enjoyed the exciting reveal when it came.

I recommend RECIPE FOR MURDER to cozy mystery fans.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: The Bush Tea Murder (Caribbean Island Mystery, #1) by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier

THE BUSH TEA MURDER

by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier

April 20 - May 15, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A CARIBBEAN ISLAND MYSTERY

 

Culinary journalist Naomi Sinclair is cooking up a maelstrom of trouble upon her return to the blue waters of her native Saint Thomas.

Food journalist Naomi Sinclair doesn’t expect a side of murder with her passion fruit juice. But when her return to Saint Thomas heralds a series of troubling cases, ranging from petty theft to cold-blooded murder, that threaten her tight-knit community, that is exactly the kind of unsavory treat she must sink her teeth into.

Luckily for her neighbors, Naomi is as adept at solving puzzles as rolling johnnycake dough—a good thing, since her island community, though small, keeps serving up plenty of trouble. With the help of her friends and her crush, Mateo, Naomi must navigate the tumultuous turquoise waters of life in the Caribbean, all as her beloved father battles an illness that keeps tugging her back to her island amid her rising career stateside.

Rich with mouthwatering recipes, lush landscapes, and a hefty dose of fun under the sun, The Bush Tea Murder has all the ingredients to make up the perfect beach read.

Praise for The Bush Tea Murder:

"Zigzagging between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, this debut offers plenty to enjoy . . . Fun-filled and fulfilling."
~ Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Rich in history and culture . . . Fans of Joanne Fluke, Vivian Chien, and Mia P. Manansala will delight in this mystery-plus-food concoction."
~ First Clue Reviews

"Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier’s The Bush Tea Murder is the perfect blend of intrigue, family drama, mystery and Caribbean culture. You’ll want to savor it to the last drop."
~ Olivia Matthews, author of the Spice Isle Bakery Mysteries

"At its heart, this is a charming, immersive cozy mystery steeped in Caribbean culture, vibrant characters, and sun-drenched intrigue—a fresh and flavorful delight. The mystery unfolds at a measured, satisfying pace, allowing the rich worldbuilding and character dynamics to shine. I especially loved the subtle tension between Naomi’s stateside ambitions and her deep-rooted love for her island home, which adds emotional depth beyond what’s typical for the genre. With engaging twists, well-developed characters, and a beautifully flowing plot, this is a cozy mystery that lingers long after the final page."
~ Debra Sennefelder, author of the Food Blogger mystery series

Book Details:

Genre: Culinary Cozy Mystery
Published by: Crooked Lane Books
Publication Date: April 21, 2026
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9798892425230
Series: A Caribbean Island Mystery, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Penguin Random House

Read an excerpt from The Bush Tea Murder:

Chapter One

Present

I’ve been told my entire life that the perfect cup of bush tea is magic, and this morning I hope with every fiber of my being that this is true. There are some hard truths I have to spill, and I’ll take every ounce of help I can get. I’m settled in one of the scarlet chairs in the EAT TV conference room, directly across the table from Travis Spriggs and his nauseating brand of bright, crisp-cut perfection—just right for television, but less like sunshine and more like a fluorescent spotlight at four in the morning. He’s flanked by two people whose names I’ve only seen in producer credits at the end of some of the highest performing shows on network television: my boss’s bosses, both sporting dark suits and expressions like cliff faces. Bronwyn, the studio exec who oversees me, Travis, and the other on-air talent at EAT TV, sits in the plush chair at the head of the table, her usual pleasant expression as drained as the tumbler of coffee in her hand.

They’re all here for me.

“I’ll get things started, Miss Sinclair,” Bronwyn says, looking at me but speaking to the executives. She hasn’t called me Miss Sinclair since the interview when she hired me three years ago. “Mr. Revilla and Ms. Abbott called this meeting. I’m sure you know why. They’re very ready to start work on the show—”

“My show,” Travis murmurs with a smug smile.

“That hasn’t been officially decided,” Bronwyn says. “We can’t have a conversation about our next steps because—well— because we don’t have your ending yet, Naomi.”

“You’ve given us a lot, Miss Sinclair. Lord knows—” Mr. Revilla gestures with a meaty hand at the chunky beige file folder in front of him. “You’ve given us a hell of a lot here.”

“But you haven’t closed the case,” Ms. Abbott speaks up. Woman’s got a twist-out with impressive volume, and I’m glad I’m not the only hair naturalista in the room. Her coils jiggle as she leans toward me. “You still haven’t told us who killed Ursula Merchant.”

I glance at my mug. The Universe seems to be following a recipe for an uncomfortable morning, blending each ingredient together artfully like the chefs I interview on A Word from the Kitchen. But if there’s a recipe for a poisonous morning afoot, I’ve got the antidote here in the cup in front of me. Bush tea—balsam, mint, and lemongrass—picked from the window herb garden in my townhouse kitchen, and brewed fresh daily the way my parents and Virgin Islanders before me have done for generations. Even with the early morning, smarmy coworker and hard truths, one sip can take my mind away from the over

cast Charlotte cityscape beyond the conference room window straight to the sunny green hills of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. I’ve lived in North Carolina for eight years now, but St. Thomas will always be home—and anything that gets me there this fast is magic indeed.

But not right now. I need to stay here, in everything this moment means. Immersed in all that’s led to it. Focused on the possibilities it will usher through. A sip will have to wait.

“That’s what you’ll get from Naomi, Ms. Abbott,” Travis says, injecting his tones with the most bored affect he can muster up. “She’s supposed to be giving you the details for one story, but instead you’ve got—what, five of them in here?” “Six,” Mr. Revilla mutters.

Travis’s brown eyes go wide. “Well, damn, sir, she’ll go off on a tangent or two, but I wouldn’t have guessed as high as six! For a journalist like me, who focuses like hell on the one story he’s got, that’s incomprehensible.”

“We read all six. And we enjoyed them,” Ms. Abbott is quick to assure me.

“But that’s not the point, is it?” Travis asks. “We were each asked to investigate one unsolved food-based mystery for this show you conceived. I gave you that. Naomi’s brought more stories than you can count on one hand, but she hasn’t given you what you asked for. She hasn’t answered the big question.” There’s enough sauce in the smile he beams at me to cover ten full racks of ribs. “You even know who killed her, Nay?”

Bronwyn looks caught between checking Travis’s tone and waiting out my answer. Her bosses follow suit. I sip my tea, still piping hot, and decide to address both. “Of course I know who killed Ursula Merchant,” I answer. “It’s right there in that folder I gave Mr. Revilla. That’s what these are—my notes on the investigation.”

Mr. Revilla and Ms. Abbott exchange a look. She’s ultimately the one who responds. “There’s . . . certainly a story here. Several. You’ve solved quite a few problems on St. Thomas over the past year. But when it comes to the story of Ursula Merchant, the one you were supposed to be investigating the whole time . . . there doesn’t seem to be much of anything.” “Nothing at all,” Mr. Revilla echoes.

“Naomi, they’d really like to make a decision,” Bronwyn says. “Travis presented a fine investigation on the Barbecue Sauce Killings—”

“The Carolina Barbecue Murders,” Travis speaks up. Bronwyn waves him away.

“He’s given us history, interviews, and a compelling hypothesis . . . along with a deep sense of the process, flavor, and sizzle of both styles of Carolina barbecue,” Bronwyn says. “The case you’ve been investigating, this—tea maven in St. Thomas being shot to death in her locked office—it’s equally intriguing. But while you’ve given us so much, you still haven’t given us an ending.”

“You’re right. I haven’t,” I say. “That was intentional. I’m hoping to do that today. Right now, as a matter of fact.” I clasp both hands around my mug.

Travis leans back in his seat, pressing the tips of his fingers together. “You sure that’s what you want? Naomi’s going to take you on a circular journey, which is the way she operates on A Word from the Kitchen. A ton of loose threads—”

“—which she always weaves together. The connections are there,” Bronwyn interrupts. “The best thing we can do right now is just hear you out, Naomi. You say you know how the story ends and what happened to Ursula Merchant. So let’s hear it. Who killed her, and how did all of this lead you there?”

I’m not at the head of the table, but all eyes are on me— Bronwyn’s perfectly lined and shadowed gray eyes are full of hope and curiosity, Mr. Revilla’s and Ms. Abbott’s are expectant behind their eyeglasses, and Travis seems to be trying to will his into lasers capable of slicing me to shreds. I take a deep breath, letting the scent of the brew in my cup ground and fortify me. I’d had a hot cup of bush tea that morning, too. The morning that started it all. The magic in my mug was what set this whole thing into motion—as bush tea always manages to do.

***

Excerpt from The Bush Tea Murder by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier. Copyright 2026 by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier. Reproduced with permission from Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier’s work has appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, Stone’s Throw, Smoking Pen Press, Malice Domestic's Mystery Most Devious and Mystery Most Humorous, The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2023, and other esteemed anthologies. Originally from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Ashley-Ruth writes mysteries highlighting the vibrant culture of her home. Ashley-Ruth is a 2022 winner of NCWN’s Jacobs-Jones award, a 2023 SMFS Derringer finalist, a Killer Nashville Claymore finalist, a 2024 recipient of MWA’s Barbara Neely grant for Black mystery writers, and a 2026 Agatha Award nominee. THE BUSH TEA MURDER (Crooked Lane Books, 2026) is her first novel-length work. She currently lives with her family and teaches first grade in Apex, North Carolina.

Catch Up With Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier:

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Review:

5 stars!

Mystery and murder infused with island vibes, food, and tea! 

The Bush Tea Murder is the first book in author Ashley-Ruth Bernier’s new Caribbean Island Mystery series, and after reading it, I felt as if I’d been on an island vacation. The story, told in the present time and flashbacks, resolves several mysteries and tackles a local murder that has gone unsolved for many years. 

Naomi Sinclair, a former investigative reporter who is now a kitchen show television host on EAT-TV out of Charlotte, North Carolina, is competing with a colleague to host a new true culinary crimes show and has a year to produce a sample episode that will determine who gets the hosting spot. Naomi, having grown up on  St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, chooses to investigate a cold case from her hometown, involving people she knows: a successful local teashop owner, Ursula Merchant, murdered in her shop, and several friends and family members of the dead woman. Traveling between Charlotte and St. Thomas, Naomi delves into the circumstances of the case while confronting personal issues: her ailing father and her deepening feelings for the man she left behind. 

I enjoyed this series debut quite a bit, with its engaging characters and interesting, unusual storylines. Naomi comes across as relatable and realistic, a woman who would be fun to know, and she was easy to root for and follow. She faces common problems in her work situation, worries about her aging father, and changing feelings for Mateo, who has his own struggles. I enjoyed her investigation and keen observations, which helped her resolve other mysteries that came her way while she was visiting her hometown, friends, and family. 

The author’s storytelling drew me in from page one. Not only was Naomi likable, but I became invested in what she was going through immediately and wanted her to succeed. As this is the first book in the series, it introduces many characters, reveals backstories, and establishes relationships. However, the author does this so organically that I had no trouble keeping everyone straight and getting familiar with the close-knit community on St. Thomas. 

The plot was well-paced, with no dull moments. I liked the premise that Naomi was recounting the events of the previous year to her bosses and colleagues, which allowed for present-day action and flashbacks. While the present day had a very corporate feel, her time back home was full of cozy island vibes, with food and drink at every turn, including the local bush tea that reminded her of home no matter her location. The vivid descriptions of the places Naomi visits while building her show really brought the setting to life.

 I recommend THE BUSH TEA MURDER to readers of mysteries and suspense.

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Book Review: Fried Chicken Castañeda (Historical Culinary Cozy Mystery, #1) by Suzanne Stauffer

Fried Chicken Castañeda by Suzanne Stauffer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great start to this new historical cozy mystery series.

Fried Chicken Castañeda marks the debut of author Suzanne Stauffer’s compelling new Historical Culinary Cozy Mystery series and the introduction of a sweet, serious, and courageous young amateur sleuth, Miss Prudence Bates, a former librarian from Cleveland, Ohio. Set in 1929, Prudence is bored with her life and staid career and is bitten by the adventure bug when she attends a lecture about the Southwestern Indian Detours and the young women who guide them. Determined to broaden her life experiences before settling down, she decides to pursue her interest by applying for the program and by making a temporary change in profession. After a long train journey to Las Vegas, New Mexico, she checks into the Castañeda Hotel, where she’ll join one of the tours to reach her training location, making friends with several of the young women, the Harvey Girls, working there. But when the brother of one of her new friends is murdered, she is compelled to help identify his killer.

I so enjoyed the main character, Prudence Bates, and found her engaging and quite relatable in her longing to finally live her life for herself. She’s smart but has limited experience with life beyond her own circumstances, and her eyes are gradually opened to what others are dealing with in the country at this time. She’s resourceful as she tries to uncover the truth behind the murder.

The author packs a lot of punch into this first book in the series, and I felt I learned so much about an unusual and little-known topic. Her vivid descriptions and use of unique settings made this time period (1929 and Prohibition) and location (a railroad town deep in the Southwestern U.S.) really come to life as she developed the foundation for the series, so much so that I didn’t realize until later that the murder didn’t occur until past the halfway point of the story. That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of action going on, though, as Prudence explores the small New Mexico town, discovers a vast array of culinary delights, and sees a different side of society than what she’s accustomed to as the mixed cultures clash.

I recommend FRIED CHICKEN CASTAÑEDA to readers of historical and culinary-themed cozy mysteries, especially those with an interest in the Southwestern Indian Detours and couriers and settings in the Southwestern United States.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Fried Chicken Castañeda (Historical Culinary Cozy Mystery, #1) by Suzanne Stauffer

 

Fried Chicken Castañeda by Suzanne Stauffer

About Fried Chicken Castañeda

 

Fried Chicken Castañeda

Historical Culinary Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting - Las Vegas, New Mexico, in June 1929
Publisher: Artemesia Publishing, LLC
Publication date: May 6, 2025
Print length: 228 pages
Paperback ISBN-10: 1963832051 / ISBN-13: 978-1963832051
Digital ISBN-13: 978-1963832242 / ASIN: B0DZC47WJQ

At the Castañeda Hotel you'll find romance, gourmet dining, bootleggers, and murder!

Bored with her conventional middle-class life, Prudence Bates escapes Cleveland by heading west to qualify as a Courier for the Southwestern Indian Detours. On the California Limited she meets Jerry Begay, a charming Navajo school teacher. They feel an instant rapport, but he's headed for Gallup, so it's but a brief encounter.

In Las Vegas, New Mexico Prudence is befriended by Castañeda Hotel Harvey Girls Martha and Anne and desk clerk Clara. They take Prudence under their wing and invite her along to dances and the local hot springs.

Four days later, Martha's brother, Tom, is found murdered. Was it because of his bootlegging activities? Or his amorous relationship with Liz Kearney, daughter of the richest man in the area and rumored mob boss? And was that really Jerry Begay whom Prudence saw meeting with Tom in secret the day before he was killed?

Following in the footsteps of her favorite fictional detectives, Tommy and Tuppence, Prudence is determined to solve the murder. But one wrong step and she may end up in the sights of the bootleggers.

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About Suzanne Stauffer

 

After 20 years as a librarian and 20 as a professor of library science and library historian, Suzanne Stauffer has moved on to a third career as a mystery novelist. She currently lives in Albuquerque with her Australian husband and brown and white spotted rat terrier dogter, Treme. Her debut novel, Fried Chicken Castañeda (Artemesia Publishing, May 2025), won the CIPA EVVY Bronze Medal in Mystery/Crime/Detection and the New Mexico Book Award for Cozy Mystery.

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Author Guest Post

Please welcome Suzanne Stauffer, the author of today's featured book, to the blog!

Plaza Hotel

Hello! Thank you for stopping by. I’m Suzanne Stauffer, author of the 2025 New Mexico Book Award for Cozy mystery winner, Fried Chicken Castañeda, a historical cozy culinary mystery set in 1929 Las Vegas, New Mexico. Yes – there is a Las Vegas in New Mexico. At one time, it was the largest city in the Southwest, and it had the reputation of a “wide-open town.” Billy the Kid was held in the jail there in 1880, after being captured by Sheriff Pat Garrett. The Plaza Hotel, built in 1882, was known as “The Belle of the Southwest.”

Castañeda Hotel

It and the Castañeda Hotel, a Fred Harvey hotel built in 1898, are still open for business.

Las Vegas Public Library

When my husband and I stayed at the Castañeda Hotel and toured the city, including the Carnegie Library that is a scale model of Jefferson’s Monticello, I knew that I wanted to set a story there. It is such a unique little town with such an exciting history.

Indian Detour

A few years before, on a visit to the Grand Canyon, I had learned about the Indian Detours of the late 1920s and early 1930s and the Couriers, the women who guided them. I remarked to my husband that they would be an excellent setting for a cozy mystery series when I retired. 

I bought the only book written about them, The Southwestern Indian Detours by Diane H. Thomas, and discovered that the Detours originally left from the Castañeda! Now I had my setting – I just needed to retire. LOL! And then COVID happened and lockdown and, while I was still teaching online (library science at Louisiana State University), I wasn’t doing any service (aka committee meetings) or much research (I couldn’t get to the libraries, archives, and other repositories of historical materials) ... so, I started work on what would become Fried Chicken Castañeda.

Painted Desert

The works of Tony Hillerman were another influence. Although my father was in the military and we moved around quite a bit when I was young, we had settled in Utah by the time I was in junior high school. My father’s family had settled in northern Utah in the 1850s and I was even born in Salt Lake City. We spent our summers at the National Parks in the Southwest and visiting relatives (on my mother’s side) in Holbrook, Arizona. Hillerman’s descriptions of the natural wonders of the Southwest always made me homesick when I read them while working in New York City. I wanted to share that beauty with others who have not yet experienced it, and encourage them to discover it.

So, with lockdown, I had the time and I had a setting – Las Vegas, New Mexico in 1929. I just needed a main character, an amateur sleuth. I decided on Prudence Bates, a 25-year old librarian in Cleveland, Ohio. They say write what you know, and I was a working librarian for roughly 20 years. Prudence, who reads mysteries voraciously, is bored with her job. She wants excitement, glamour, intrigue. She attends the promotional meeting on the Indian Detours given by Anita Rose in 1929 (yes, Anita Rose is a real person and she promoted the Detours through the East and Midwest in 1929, stopping in Cleveland), learns about the Couriers, and decides that this is what has been missing in her life. Unfortunately for her, while she was the right age (at least 25), and a college graduate, she was not a native of New Mexico, and that was another requirement.

La Fonda Hotel

Our Prudence is not discouraged by this. She decides to head out to La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe to plead her case in person.

Along the route, she’ll spend a week at the Castañeda soaking up local atmosphere. It’s 1929, so of course, she takes the train from Chicago (where she makes a point of eating at the Fred Harvey restaurant), sleeping in a Pullman berth and eating in the Fred Harvey dining car. Her dining companion for one meal is Sally Johnson, a Harvey Girl at the La Fonda. And ... unexpectedly, she meets Jerry Begay, a thirty-something Navajo school teacher on his way to Gallup ... so it’s a brief encounter between strangers on a train, two ships passing in the night, and, in 1929, a forbidden love.

Montezuma Hotel

Once in Las Vegas, she tours the town, visiting the landmarks and monuments that constitute the pride of Las Vegas, including the Plaza Hotel. She makes friends with Harvey Girls Martha and Anne and desk clerk Clara, who invite her to a YMCA dance and to soak in the hot springs above Las Vegas at the Montezuma Hotel.

Before she knows it, she finds herself embroiled in bootlegging, murder, and mystery. Who killed Harvey Girl Martha’s brother, Tom, and why? Was it because he was selling poisoned bootlegged liquor to the local Indians? Or was it because of his amorous activities with Liz Kearney, daughter of the richest man in town and rumored mob boss? And was that really Jerry whom Prudence saw meeting with Tom the day before? 

Read it and find out.

Tour Participants

March 2 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

March 2 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

March 3 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 4 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

March 5 – Sarandipity's – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

March 5 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

March 6 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

March 7 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

March 8 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

March 8 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 9 – Christy's Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 10 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

March 11 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

March 12 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, RECIPE

March 13 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT

March 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – CHARACTER GUEST POST

March 15 – Boys' Mom Reads! – REVIEW

March 15 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Case of the Curved Staircase (Macaroni on Wheels Mystery, #1) by S.K. Derban

 

Case of the Curved Staircase

A Macaroni on Wheels Mystery by S.K. Derban

About Case of the Curved Staircase

 

Case of the Curved Staircase: A Macaroni on Wheels Mystery
Cozy Mystery
2nd in Series
Setting - Little Italy, San Diego and San Diego Bay
Publisher: S.K. Derban
Publication date: August 27, 2025
Paperback Print length: 302 pages
ISBN-10: 196318811X / ISBN-13: 978-1963188110
Digital Print length: 273 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1963188103 / ASIN: B0FHM8HSH4
Audiobook ASIN: B0FW1BJKX1

The Little Italy entertainment continues in this second book of the Macaroni on Wheels series. Case of the Curved Staircase has more twists and turns than Terza can handle. And, Detective Nicholas Garza is not on the case. Say it isn't so, Nico!

Staircases can be fatal, especially on Halloween. After catering a surprise birthday party on the evening of October 30th, Terza returns to the scene of the celebration on the following morning. Instead of being greeted by the happy, party hosts, Terza discovers a dead body at the bottom of the curved staircase. Not again! And this time, Terza's amateur detective skills are landing her directly into personal danger. She would rather be using her chef's knife than having one pointed at her face!

As the feisty Italian caterer continues to fill her free time solving crime, she runs headfirst into a new detective. Unlike Nicholas Garza, the detective now in charge considers Terza a hindrance instead of a help. Fortunately, Jacob Radovan, the medical examiner, continues to be Terza's ally.

There is also an unexpected wedding in Case of the Curved Staircase. Readers of Uneven Exchange just might cheer out loud. The almost perfect weather in San Diego allows the bride and groom to take a carriage ride from the wedding venue to the reception ballroom. It's a fairytale come true.

Fans of cozy mysteries will revel in solving another murder along with Terza, and will continue to appreciate her zest for life. Readers will be spending more time with the animated Tiepolo family, and especially Terza's father. Ezio's Halloween costume is a moo-ving choice! The Tiepolos celebrate their loving, family bond as they join together each Sunday. Food, family, and fun! Once again, you may consider this your personal invitation...

Click to Purchase!

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About S.K. Derban

S.K. Derban resides with her husband in Southern California. Although born in the United States she moved to London within the first three months and remained in England until the age of five. Her father, an American citizen, was a decorated veteran of the Second World War. Her British mother was involved with the London Royal Ballet Company, and a great fan of the arts. After returning to the United States, Derban’s life remained filled with a love of the theatre, and a passion for British murder mysteries.

S.K. Derban’s personal travel and missionary escapades are readily apparent as they shine through into her characters. Readers are often transported virtually across the globe. She has traveled to Hong Kong on five separate occasions to smuggle Bibles into China, and has been to Israel on seven missionary trips. Derban’s other adventures include visits to Bangkok, Greece, Egypt, Italy, and the Caribbean.

Beginning with her faith in the Lord, S.K. Derban relies on all aspects of her life when writing. She hopes her books will allow readers to go on holiday without having to pack!

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Tour Participants

January 28 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

January 28 – Elizabeth McKenna - Author – SPOTLIGHT

January 29 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

January 29 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

January 30 – Boys' Mom Reads! – REVIEW

January 30 – Christy's Cozy Corners - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

January 31 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

January 31 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 1 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 1 – Sarandipity's – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

February 2 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

February 2 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

February 3 – Salty Inspirations – RECIPE

February 3 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

February 4 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – CHARACTER GUEST POST

February 5 – MJB Reviewers - SPOTLIGHT

February 6 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

February 6 – Cozy Up With Kathy - REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

Click HERE to enter for a chance to win

the fun culinary prize package pictured below!

 

 

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Blurb Blitz & Giveaway: The Tomato Jam Murder (Luscious Delights Mystery, #6) by Meg Benjamin

The Tomato Jam Murder

A Luscious Delights Mystery

by

Meg Benjamin

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions. 

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Cozy mystery / Culinary-themed cozy mystery

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

Publication Date: October 20, 2025

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

Roxy’s spending her summer with burros and jam, but there’s a murderer in the mountains.

It’s burro racing season in the Rockies, and Roxy Constantine is all for it. Now if she can come up with a good recipe for tomato jam, her summer will be complete. But when Roxy finds a body on the burro racecourse, she’s suddenly plunged into a murder investigation. And when her innocent friend is accused of killing her ex, Roxy must challenge a corrupt police chief who wants to shut her up. Now she needs to find the real killer and save a neighboring town from a plot to ruin its mountain magic.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

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ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Kennedy leaned close, eyes bright with malice. It’s hard to loom over someone as tall as me, but he was giving it his best shot. “You don’t get it, do you? This is none of your business. You don’t even live here. And you sure as hell don’t have any right to be sticking your nose into a police investigation. If I find out you’re stirring things up around here, I’ll throw you in a cell so fast your head will be spinning when you hit the floor.”

I was pretty sure he couldn’t do that legally. On the other hand, if he threw me into one of his cells, it might take me quite a while to get out of it. Logic argued for caution. Still, I hate being pushed around by guys who don’t have any right to push me around.

“All I’ve done is pass along information I’ve heard to people who might be interested. So far as I know, that doesn’t break any laws.”

“You. Don’t. Live. Here.” Kennedy snarled. “Like I said, this is none of your business. Keep out of it and keep your mouth shut.”

I gritted my teeth as I stared at him, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get me into deeper trouble.

Kennedy straightened, his gaze still burning, then swept one arm across the surface of the counter, sending jars of jam flying in all directions. I glared at him, furious and horrified.

The corners of his mouth edged up ever so slightly. “Oops.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Meg Benjamin is an award-winning author of romance and cozy mysteries. Meg’s cozy mystery series, Luscious Delights from Wild Rose Press, concerns a jam-making sleuth based in the mythical small town of Shavano, Colorado. Her Konigsburg series is set in the Texas Hill Country and her Salt Box and Brewing Love trilogies are set in the Colorado Rockies (all are available from Entangled Publishing and from Meg’s indie line). Along with romance and cozies, Meg is also the author of the paranormal Ramos Family trilogy from Berkley InterMix and the Folk trilogy from Meg’s indie line. Meg’s books have won numerous awards, including an EPIC Award, a Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award, the Holt Medallion from Virginia Romance Writers, the Beanpot Award from the New England Romance Writers, the Carly Crown Jewel of Books from the Mid-America Romance Authors, and the Award of Excellence from Colorado Romance Writers.

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Meg Benjamin will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. 

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Crescent City Christmas Chaos (Vintage Cookbook Mystery, #4) by Ellen Byron

CRESCENT CITY CHRISTMAS CHAOS

by Ellen Byron

November 3 - 28, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A Vintage Cookbook Mystery 

It's Christmas. It's cozy. It's culinary. It's chaos! It's the fourth book in this fabulous mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning author Ellen Byron.

Have yourself a merry little . . . murder?

Ricki James-Diaz gets the best present ever when her parents arrive in New Orleans for the holidays. Not only is it a chance to catch up, it’s also an opportunity to jog her mom Josepha’s memory about Ricki’s adoption. The details have always been shrouded in mystery. And Ricki understands why when she learns her mother was blackmailed for years, simply for not wanting to lose her precious daughter.

But digging into the past soon lands the James-Diaz clan in water hotter than a big pot of gumbo! When the woman who extorted Ricki’s mom is found dead at her home, Josepha becomes the primary suspect. Now Ricki has another murder to solve, and tracking down a killer in Crescent City is going to take a miracle.

Luckily, ‘tis the season! And Ricki has all the staff at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum on hand to help. Can she prove her mother’s innocence and have the case wrapped up in time for Christmas?

CRESCENT CITY CHRISTMAS CHAOS Trailer:

Book Details:

Genre: Culinary Cozy Mystery
Published by: Severn House
Publication Date: November 4, 2025
Number of Pages: 240 (HC)
ISBN: 9781448313181 (ISBN10: 144831318X) (HC)
Series: A Vintage Cookbook Mystery, #4 • Learn More at Amazon & Goodreads
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Kobo | Google Play | Apple Books | Severn House

Read an excerpt:

TWO

Crescent City Christmas Chaos

Since Eugenia was possibly the last purist on the planet who refused to put up a single strand of Christmas lights before Thanksgiving, the day after turned into an all-hands-on deck day of decorating for the holidays instead of Black Friday. Ricki was grateful to landlady Kitty Kat for hosting her parents, freeing her up to turn Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware into a must-shop holiday destination.

Olivia Felice, Eugenia’s granddaughter—which made her another of Ricki’s newly discovered cousins—blew into the shop through its mullioned glass French doors. Miss Vee’s was located in a lovely room formerly known as the nineteenth century mansion’s “Ladies Parlor.” Pale green damask covered its walls and ornate molding painted white encircled the room. A glistening chandelier dangled from an intricately carved ceiling medallion. The instant Ricki had stepped foot in the parlor it felt like the perfect home for a gift shop dedicated to sharing the culinary past with fans of all things vintage.

“Ugh, I’m so glad to be here and out of the school library. Can I tell you how much I hate finals?” Olivia accompanied the statement with an eye roll and flip of her thick, dirty blonde ponytail. A junior at Tulane majoring in Communication, she’d added a minor in Psychology, motivated by a recent misjudgment of someone’s character that had almost led to her death. She’d transitioned from intern to Ricki’s sole part-time employee and lifetime young friend as well as relative.

“I’m glad you’re here. I could use help decorating this.” Ricki motioned to an artificial Christmas tree that exceeded her petite height by a foot. “I think I’ve bought up food-themed ornaments at every thrift shop in town. I thought we could fill in with smaller kitchenware items like these old measuring spoons.” She held up a set of nesting tin spoons. “Every item on the tree will be for sale, so I’m going with white lights. Colored lights would be too busy.”

“I’m on it.” Olivia reached into one of two big boxes loaded with holiday paraphernalia. She pulled out a long strand of tiny white lights. “And no, I haven’t heard anything from a krewe.”

“I was afraid to ask.”

While Ricki was born in the Big Easy, she’d moved to Los Angeles as a child when Josepha met and married Luis. She was still learning the ways of the quirky city she now called home. Olivia had educated her on the machinations of krewes, the organizations responsible for the city’s elaborate Mardi Gras parades and balls. The krewes chose local young women, mostly debutantes, for their courts. While carnival season didn’t officially kick off until January 6th—Twelfth Night—invitations to join the courts were delivered much earlier via a “court call” paid to the future queen and maids by representatives of the krewe. New Orleans may celebrate the winter holidays in a big way, but to Ricki, the local greeting of “Happy Almost Mardi Gras!” made the city’s priorities clear.

Olivia threaded the lights through the tree’s branches. “I honestly don’t care if I get a court call or not. I might even say no if they ask me to be on one.”

“Liar,” Ricki teased.

A fierce squawking disrupted the conversation. Ricki and Olivia dropped what they were doing to peer outside the shop’s bay window, where they saw Bon Vee’s resident peacocks Gumbo and Jambalaya chasing co-worker Theo Charbonnet—Eugenia’s nephew and yet another cousin to Ricki—across the mansion’s verdant green side yard.

“You OK?” Ricki called to Theo.

“I read somewhere that the Victorians put stuffed peacocks on top of their trees instead of stars or angels,” he called back. “Think about it.”

He disappeared around the corner.

The women left the window and resumed decorating. “Have you noticed Cousin Theo’s been acting more weird than usual?” Olivia asked as she added a second strand of lights to the tree.

“I wouldn’t call it weird,” Ricki said. “More like he’s being squirrelly. Secretive. I think he’s up to something.”

“That’s a scary thought.”

Ricki nodded in agreement. While she and Theo had achieved a rapprochement, she still wasn’t sure she could completely trust him.

“So, your parents are really nice,” Olivia said, providing a change of subject.

“Oh, thanks. They’re the best. I’m so glad you got to meet them.”

“Are you going to do anything special while they’re here? Like, a swamp tour or something?”

Ricki, who was about to hang a ceramic beignet ornament, paused. “Actually . . . since Dad will be busy on the TV shoot, I thought Mom and I could work together and dig up clues about my bio mom.”

Ricki had been abandoned as an infant New Orleans’ infamous Charity Hospital, her teen mother disappearing after giving birth. She thanked the universe for Josepha, a NICU nurse who fell in love with the parentless baby and adopted her, parenting as a single mother until she met and fell in love with Luis, who happened to be in town working on a film.

Ricki adored her parents beyond belief, but questions about her past drove her to seek answers. So far, she’d learned that Genevieve Charbonnet had secretly given birth to a baby who would have been Ricki’s grandparent. Her friend Mordant, who’d added private investigator to a list of occupations that included haunted tour guide and Bon Vee handyman, had tracked down the father of Genevieve’s baby. Sadly, he’d died at the age of twenty-four of a rare heart condition.

Ricki resumed hanging ornaments. “Mordant hasn’t been able to come up with any leads since he discovered my great-grandfather’s grave. And I haven’t come across any new connections on my genealogy sites. I thought I’d drive Mom around to some of the places from when we lived here and see if anything jogs a memory that might be useful.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’m starving.”

Ricki grinned, amused by Olivia’s 180-degree turn to her own needs. “You keep decorating, I’ll get us a snack.”

She left the shop and headed down the mansion’s capacious center hallway. Cookie waved from the beautifully appointed living room, which she was showing off to a group of tourists. Bon Vee was currently low on both tour guides, who were paid part-timers, and docents who volunteered their time, so Cookie and other staff members had been drafted to lead tours.

Ricki gestured to her and Cookie detached from her group. “I’m making a run to the café. You want anything?”

“An iced coffee would be great. It’s on me.” Cookie reached into the phone pocket of her leggings and extracted a twenty. She gave it to Ricki. “Plenty more where this came from,” she said in a low voice. “This group’s a mix of Houston and Dallas-ites, or whatever you call ’em. We just started the tour and they’re already trying to out-tip each other to prove their city is better.”

“Nice.”

“I want to buy Nat the best Christmas present I can, so I need these groups to make it rain.” Cookie rubbed her thumb to her index and middle finger, indicating money. She was dating the neighbor next door to Bon Vee and determined to make him the future Mr. Cookie Yanover. “Any idea what you’re getting Virgil?”

“Not a clue,” Ricki said. “I better get to the café before it closes.”

Ricki continued down the hallway, embarrassed by her obvious change of subject and feeling guilty because she hadn’t even thought about getting Virgil a gift. It’s because our relationship is so new, she told herself, batting back the insecurity that led her to fear she and the handsome, successful chef weren’t destined to go the distance.

*

By the time Olivia reluctantly left a few hours later to continue studying for finals, Miss Vee’s was decorated to the point of kitschy. No shelf was left untouched by thrift shop Santas, nutcrackers, ornaments, and a variety of small artificial trees in materials ranging from silvery mylar to one made of oyster shells wired together as branches. Ricki’s favorites were the items that were Louisiana-themed, like the alligator nutcracker wearing a Santa hat, which claimed a space next to a ceramic ornament of Santa riding an alligator.

“You could put together a whole display of gator items.”

Ricki started, not realizing she had company. She turned to see Josepha. “Mom, hey.” The women hugged.

“I thought your dad might wanna have dinner, but he and Virgil still have a lot to go over. He’s taking a break, though.”

Josepha indicated the bay window. Ricki glanced out of it and saw Luis doing a series of choreographed movements in slow motion. “Dad’s still doing tai chi?”

“Yup. It relaxes him. And Lord knows that man could use some relaxing.” Josepha delivered this in a droll but affectionate tone. “Anyhoo, I thought me and my darlin’ daughter might go out for dinner.”

“A giant yes to that.” A thought occurred to Ricki. “I just want to make one stop on the way.”

Ricki locked up the shop and led her mother to the small staff lot where she parked her Prius. They followed Washington Avenue past lovely historic homes swathed in holiday lights and garlands, eventually reaching Claiborne Avenue, a much less scenic thoroughfare of dollar stores, gas stations, and fast-food restaurants. Ricki made a right on Tulane Avenue, followed by two more right turns that placed them in front of what was once Charity Hospital, rendered uninhabitable after Hurricane Katrina and now on the cusp of a new life as Tulane University’s new downtown medical school. Scaffolding covered the center of the massive twenty-story edifice, but even at the tail end of twilight much of the building’s 1930s structure was still evident and impressive despite years of decay.

Josepha stared out the car window, her expression unreadable. “Why are we here?”

“You haven’t been to New Orleans in so long. I thought maybe seeing Charity again might bring back memories.”

“About your bio mom.”

Ricki nodded. Josepha clasped her hand and held it tight as she continued to stare out the window. She and Luis had been nothing but supportive in Ricki’s quest for answers about her past but Ricki sensed her mother’s pain as she took in the abandoned monolith where she’d once pursued a career she loved.

The two were silent for several minutes. “I wish I could remember something that would help,” Josepha finally said in a husky voice. “All I keep seeing is your tiny body in the NICU and how my heart broke for you and how that turned into burning, all-consuming passion to be your mama.”

“Oooh . . .” Ricki fought back tears. “I’m sorry, Mom. I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, baby girl.” Josepha gave Ricki’s hand another squeeze then released it. “I’m glad to see the old place and know it’s gonna be brought back to do good things in this city. Hey, we’re not too far from Mother’s restaurant here. I could go for one of their oyster po’boys.”

“Let’s do it,” Ricki said, knowing a change of subject when she heard one.

Ricki circled back to Tulane Avenue. As they drove, Josepha cheerfully recalled memories inspired by locations they passed. Ricki noted that none involved Charity or her experiences as a nurse. Ricki mused that perhaps it was too painful for Josepha to recall that time in her life. But another thought loomed larger: Josepha was hiding something.

And what she was hiding was tied to Ricki’s birth.

***

Excerpt from Crescent City Christmas Chaos by Ellen Byron. Copyright 2025 by Ellen Byron. Reproduced with permission from Ellen Byron. All rights reserved.

 

 

Author Bio:

Ellen Byron is a USA Today bestselling author and recipient of multiple Agatha (Best Contemporary Novel) and Lefty (Best Humorous Mystery) awards for her Cajun Country Mysteries (published by Crooked Lane), Vintage Cookbook Mysteries (Berkley and Severn House), Catering Hall Mysteries (Kensington, as Maria DiRico) and Golden Motel Mysteries (Kensington). She is also an Anthony Award nominee and an award-winning playwright.

Byron spent twenty-five years writing TV hits like Wings, Just Shoot Me, and Fairly OddParents, plus pilots for all the major networks, before segueing into writing humorous mysteries. She blogs with Chicks on the Case, is a lifetime member of the Writers Guild of America, and serves on the national board of Mystery Writers of America. But she’ll always consider her most impressive achievement working as a cater-waiter for the iconic Martha Stewart.

A native New Yorker, Byron is a graduate of Tulane University and lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and a rotating crew of rescue pups.

Catch Up With Ellen Byron:

EllenByron.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @EllenByron
Instagram - @ellenbyronmariadirico
YouTube - @ellenbyron-mariadirico
Facebook - @ellenbyronauthor

Review:

5 stars!

This holiday season in the Big Easy is anything but easy! 

When Virgil surprises Ricki by hiring her father out of retirement as the cameraman for his upcoming cooking show special, she’s ecstatic to be reunited with her adoptive parents for the holidays, and as they’ll all be busy with the show and working at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, they’ve planned their visit to extend into the New Year. Ricki wants to take the opportunity to pick her mother’s brain about her memories of Ricki’s first days, when she was left at Charity Hospital as a newborn by her teenage birth mom. Josepha had always been supportive of Ricki’s quest to learn more about her birth parents, but this time, she’s uncharacteristically vague and resistant to delving into the past, especially when Ricki stumbles across the name of one of Josepha’s former coworkers who worked in the Records Department at that time. Tracking the older woman down proves simple, but Ricki gets creepy vibes from her the minute she mentions her mother is in town, and terminates the visit before asking about her memories of the teenager who gave her up for adoption. However, when the woman is found dead in her home under suspicious circumstances the next day, Ricki and her parents become prime suspects in her death. 

Crescent City Christmas Chaos is the fourth book in author Ellen Byron’s intriguing New Orleans-set Vintage Cookbook Mystery series, and features vintage shop owner Miracle “Ricki” Fleur de Lis James-Diaz and her friends, family, and coworkers at the city’s beautiful Bon Vee Culinary House Museum. Ricki has established a unique and successful small business that she loves and has embarked on a lovely new romance with celebrity chef and neighbor Virgil Morel. Their relationship is still in the early stages, and Ricki is quite taken with Virgil’s innate goodness, especially after her past romantic experiences. They really fit well as a couple, as do her adoptive parents, Josepha and Luis James-Diaz, who met, married, and relocated to Los Angeles when Ricki was small. 

While the main plot follows Ricki’s well-done personal investigation into Phyllis Gibbs’s death, some interesting subplots vie for attention, including Virgil’s cooking special, the Bon Vee staff’s cookbook project, and Theo Charbonnet’s curiously secretive activities. Ricki’s search for her birth parents has been a theme running through the series since the beginning, and little pieces of the puzzle have been revealed in each successive mystery. This book does not disappoint. 

With its crush of great subplots involving a plethora of engaging recurring characters, I recommend CRESCENT CITY CHRISTMAS CHAOS to cozy mystery readers, especially those who’ve read the previous novels in the series and those who enjoy a New Orleans setting or adoption theme.

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