Crepe Factor {+ Giveaway}

◊ CREPE FACTOR by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran

◊ Series: A Scrapbooking Mystery, Book 14

◊ Hardcover: 320 pages

◊ Genre: Cozy Murder Mystery

◊ Publisher: Berkley (October 4, 2016)

◊ Language: English

◊ ISBN-10: 0425266702

◊ ISBN-13: 978-0425266700

SYNOPSIS:

The Winter Market in the French Quarter is in full swing, but murder isn’t taking a holiday in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Parchment and Old Lace...
 

The holidays are a busy time for scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand—but not so hectic that she doesn’t have time to enjoy browsing the booths at the Winter Market with her best friend Ava. The last thing the ladies expect to see is a lurching man stabbed by a serving fork, dying in front of them.

The victim is loathed restaurant critic Martin Lash, who posted his scathing reviews on the Glutton for Punishment website. And the prime suspect is New Orleans restauranteur Quigg Brevard—who was seen giving the critic a tongue-lashing minutes before someone stuck a fork in him. An old flame of Carmela, Quigg asks for her help, which does not please her current beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, to say the least.

Before her relationship is the next victim, Carmela needs to find a murderer who had no reservations about punishing the culinary curmudgeon...

Scrapbooking tips and recipes included! 

The sights, sounds, and smells of New Orleans come alive in the latest installment in the Scrapbooking Mystery series by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran.

The book features a core cast of characters that are well-developed, realistic, and steeped in New Orleans tradition The bonds of friendship among the group enhances the story.

The New Orleans setting is perfect, especially with the festive activities going on. Through rich descriptions and vivid details, readers are placed in the middle of the action.

One doesn’t have to enjoy scrapbooking to appreciate this murder mystery. But there are crafting tips and delicious New Orleans recipes included in the back as an added bonus.

Tension mounts right from the beginning and holds your attention until the very end. There are twists and turns along the way to keep you guessing. There’s a good mix of mystery, mayhem, friendship, humor, history, and romance to make this a well-balanced story.

CREPE FACTOR can be read on its own, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to know more background on these intriguing characters. This is a delightful read that will keep you entertained for hours and may just make you want to visit New Orleans (minus the murder, of course).

Crepe Factor by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran, A Scrapbooking Mystery (Book #14), Berkley, @2016, ISBN: 978-0425266700, Hardcover, 320 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author and publisher. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks to the wonderful folks at Penguin Random House, I have a print copy of CREPE FACTOR by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Sunday, Oct. 30.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. A winner will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Giveaway.” The winner will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends to make sure the notification email doesn’t end up there. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decided for whatever reason you don’t want to win (which is fine), once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Are you a scrapbooking fan? What about New Orleans, have you been there or want to go there?

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Parchment and Old Lace {+ Giveaway}

Visions of New Orleans quickly fill your head when you begin reading PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE, the 13th installment in the Scrapbooking Mystery series by Laura Childs.

Childs, with author Terrie Farley Moran, bring New Orleans to life as they keep you in suspense in this latest cozy murder mystery. The rich descriptions of the historic Garden District and other areas places the reader among the characters as the story unfolds.

Scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand and her beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, enjoy a romantic dinner, but have a brief interruption when Isabelle Black stops by their table. After bragging about her upcoming wedding, she leaves.

Minutes later on their way from the restaurant, Carmela and Edgar hear a scream coming from the Lafayette Cemetery. There they discover Isabelle, strangled with a piece of vintage lace, lying across a gravestone.

Carmela is pulled into the search for the killer by Isabelle’s sister, Ellie. A tarot card reader, Ellie works at Juju Voodoo, owned by Carmela’s best friend, Ava Gruiex. Carmela has no choice but to untangle the clues before someone else dies.

The characters are likable, colorful and well-developed. The secondary characters add depth to the story, as well as bits of humor. The bonds of friendship are well defined drawing readers farther into the feel of the story.

The blending of a murder mystery with the daily disruptions of a store owner makes for an entertaining read. Moving at a good pace, the story keeps you marveling at what could happen next mixed with the right amount of tension and suspense.

Readers don’t have to enjoy scrapbooking to be beguiled by this story. In fact, the scrapbooking tips and tasty New Orleans recipes are just an added bonus.

Like a good gumbo, PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE is a mix of all things mystery lovers will relish. 

Author Laura Childs can be found HERE and author Terrie Farley Moran can be found HERE.


Parchment and Old Lace by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran, A Scrapbooking Mystery (Book #13), Berkley, @2015, ISBN: 978-0425266687, Hardcover, 336 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Thanks to the lovely Laura, I have not one but two (2) hardcover copies of PARCHMENT AND OLD LACE to giveaway. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. only and will end at 12 a.m. (EST) on Friday, Oct. 23.

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient. The two winners will be selected by the Rafflecopter widget and I’ll send an email with the subject line “Thoughts in Progress Parchment and Old Lace Giveaway.” The winners will have 72 hours to reply to the email or another winner will be selected. PLEASE be sure to check your spam folder from time to time after the giveaway ends. If you win and you’ve already won the book somewhere else or you just decide for whatever reason you don’t want to win, once again PLEASE let me know.

Thanks so much for stopping by for my review of this mesmerizing mystery. Are you a scrapbook fan? Do you enjoy books that have a New Orleans influence? 

*This post contains affiliate links.

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Tragic Magic by Laura Childs

Having never scrap booked before, I wasn’t sure if I could “get into” a Scrapbooking mystery with all the references to die cuts, layout pages, embellishments, borders, etc. I didn’t have a clue. While there is some references to the craft, the story focuses on a bright, facetious character and her friends. Since reading “Tragic Magic,” the Scrapbooking aisle doesn’t scare me quite so much. 

Now for the adventures of a scrap booker:

Amateur sleuth Carmela Bertrand returns just in time to solve a murder mystery before the Galleries and Gourmets celebration sweeps through the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Carmela, owner of Memory Mine Scrapbooking shop, and her closest friend, Ava Gruiex, owner of Juju Voodoo, are still trying to keep their businesses afloat four years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. They have taken on the side job of decorating Medusa Manor for their friend, Melody Mayfeldt. Melody wants to turn the manor into a spectacular haunted house in time for DiscordaCon, an upcoming horror convention.

On one of their trips to the manor, however, Carmela and Ava are greeted by a horror attraction that turns out to be murder. Melody had been pushed from a third floor window, after being set on fire, and lands dead at their feet.

Almost before the flames are extinguished, Carmela and Ava are approached by Melody’s silent partner, to continue the project at double their original fee. While considering the proposal, Carmela is besieged by Melody’s husband to find her killer.

Carmela wants to help, but she doesn’t want to upset Detective Edgar Babcock, who she’s been seeing since her separation from her womanizing, soon-to-be ex-husband, Shamus Meechum.

As if she doesn’t have enough going on, Carmela is trying to finalize an on-going divorce settlement between her and Shamus, who still acts like a fun-loving frat boy. She may have to share custody of her two beloved dogs with him. And, she also has to deal with Shamus’ overbearing sister who holds the Meechum family purse strings.

While running their businesses and following clues, Carmela and Ava are busy transforming Medusa Manor into a prime haunted house. Meanwhile, the silent partner is cozying up to the seedy real estate developer who tried to buy Medusa Manor from Melody.

Through a mix of ghost walks, tarot card readings, a séance, and cemetery visits, the reader is introduced to the mystery and mystic surrounding New Orleans and its many legends.

Even though this is a “Scrapbooking Mystery,” don’t be mislead that it’s all about page layouts, die cuts or embellishments. It’s a “keep you on the edge of your seat, lock the doors while you read” murder mystery. The story is filled with colorful characters, witty dialogue and enough plot twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end.

Author Laura Childs sprinkles Scrapbooking tips and techniques throughout the story. There are suggestions and tips to delight scrap bookers, while peaking the interest of non-scrap bookers who may find themselves browsing the scrapbook aisle after reading “Tragic Magic.”

While telling a wonderful tale, Ms. Childs gives the reader a feel for New Orleans through her descriptions of the streets and businesses to the food and culture. An extra bonus is a number of delicious New Orleans recipes included in the back of the book, along with additional craft tips.

“Tragic Magic” is the seventh installment in the Scrapbooking Mystery series. First time readers of the series don’t have to know what else Carmela has been up to in the past six books in order to enjoy “Tragic Magic.” However, the captivating charm of Carmela will have readers searching for the previous installments in the series because they won’t be able to get enough of her antics.

The sights and sounds of New Orleans comes alive through the adventures of Carmela and her friends.

For more on Laura Childs, the Scrapbooking Mystery series and other series by Ms. Childs, go online to www.laurachilds.com

Tragic Magic, A Scrapbooking Mystery by Laura Childs, Berkley Prime Crime, @2009. ISBN: 978-0-425-22989-7, 320 pages, hardcover.