Thursday, September 5, 2019

ARC Review: Fatal Cajun Festival by Ellen Byron

Fatal Cajun Festival
Author: Ellen Byron
Series: A Cajun Country Mystery (Book 5)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (September 10, 2019)

Description: USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Ellen Byron cranks it up to eleven in the fifth fast and funny Cajun Country mystery.

Louisiana B&B owner Maggie Crozat kicks up her heels at a country music festival--but she'll have one foot in the grave if she can't bring the killer of a diva's hanger-on to heel.

Grab your tickets for Cajun Country Live!, the pickers' and crooners' answer to the legendary New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Maggie Crozat, proprietor of the Crozat Plantation B&B, plans to be in the cheering section when her friend Gaynell Bourgeois takes the stage with her band, Gaynell and the Gator Girls.

The festival's headliner, native daughter Tammy Barker, rocketed to stardom on a TV singing competition. She has the voice of an angel...and the personality of a devilish diva. But Maggie learns that this tiny terror carries a grudge against Gaynell. She's already sabotaged the Gator Girls' JazzFest audition. When a member of Tammy's entourage is murdered at the festival, Tammy makes sure Gaynell is number one on the suspect list.

Gaynell has plenty of company on that list--including every one of Tammy's musicians. Posing as a groupie, Maggie infiltrates Tammy's band and will have to hit all the right notes to clear her friend's name.

My Thoughts: This is the fifth Cajun Country Mystery and centers around a local music festival that was Maggie's grandmother's idea. The headliner is to be Tammy Barker who is a local girl who made good on one of those singing shows. She is a mean girl who has some sort of grudge against Maggie's friend Gaynell who is also a musician and who leads Gaynell and the Gator Girls.

Tammy and her entourage including her manager Pony Pickner, her assistant Sara and the members of her band. Tammy, Pony, Sara and a couple of Tammy's local cousins are staying at the B & B Maggie's parents run. They are causing her mother a lot of trouble because each one is on a different weird diet.

When Pony is electrocuted with Tammy's special microphone, Maggie has to go undercover with the band to find out who killed him. This is especially urgent because Tammy is throwing all sorts of suspicion Gaynell's way. Maggie and her fiance Bo pretend to break-up their new engagement so that Maggie's new career as a groupie seems less suspicious.

Many old favorite characters from earlier books in the series have roles in this one. And recipes also play an important role. Maggie makes bunches and bunches of pralines of various flavors to sell at the festival and the recipe for them is included.

This was a fun story with a lot of suspense and a nice romance between Maggie and Bo.

Favorite Quote:
"Hey y'all, wake up," Tammy ordered. "I want you to meet my old friend Gaynell and my new friend Maggie." Monosyllabic greetings were uttered, except from the titian-haired musician, who said "nice to meet y'all" with a distinctly local accent. Tammy pointed to a different musician as she introduced each one. "That's East MacLeod, Bokie Phlen, Uffen Irgstaad, The Sound." Tammy finished by pointing to the redheaded young musician. "And Toulouse Delaroux Caresmeatrand."

"Finally, someone with a normal name," Maggie said under her breath to Gaynell, who nodded.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

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