Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron is the 4th book in the Cajun Country Mystery series, and a perfect blend of mystery and humor. Not only is this book really funny, I often found myself laughing out loud, it has a great mystery. There are twists and turns around every corner, which kept me reading page after page. I found this book to be a quick read, I read it in one day, with a well developed plot and characters. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you love cozy mysteries with quirky characters, I recommend this book and series.

I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The city has flooded again and when they clean up the debris at the bridge base, they find a body. He's not from around there and he's been murdered, not drowned in the flood.

Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley let me read this for review (thank you). It will be published October 9th.

If that's not bad enough, one of the judges for the queen for this year, is shot and killed, too. Is it because he opposed the Orphan Train Exhibit? Or did someone want their daughter to win and his vote was going elsewhere. Or was it something else entirely?

Maggie finds out he was blackmailing a lot of people but none of them would have killed him.

People in Louisiana are proud of their heritage and trace it back years. No one wants an unknown relative showing up and changing the family tree. That's why people are dying. And Maggie needs to be real careful. She's getting too close to the answer so the murderer comes for her...

Ellen Byron gives us a great who done it with this read. This is the fourth book in the Cajun Country Mystery series.

After there is downpour in Pelican, Louisiana, the town has more of a problem than they thought when a body washes up. With no ID whatsoever on the body, Maggie is determined to find out who this body is. The body was found outside of the Cozart Plantation B&B.

With the local pageant about to take place and the opening of the Louisiana Orphan Train Exhibit taking place as well, the town has been busy, not to mention Mardi Gras about to happen. The murdered body hinders the opening of the train exhibit. Maggie helps Bo, her lawman boyfriend with the investigation of the murdered body and then when another murder happens, Maggie is drawn into it even more.

This is a mystery with a little of humor thrown in that will keep you turning the pages. I enjoyed this read and appreciate the opportunity from the publisher and Netgalley to review this title.

Mardi Gras Murder is the fourth book in Ellen Byron’s Cajun Country Mystery series. Ms. Byron has written a well thought out and interesting mystery, with a good story line, and excellent character development. She’s woven together humor, Louisiana bayou history, unique and colorful characters, and twists and turns in this steadily paced whodunit.

Magnolia Marie “Maggie” Crozat is a talented artist who moved back to her hometown of Pelican, Louisiana after spending the ten years in Manhattan, New York and is living and working at Crozat Plantation B&B and is a tour guide at Doucet Plantation, which her family once owned. She’s in a relationship with Detective Bo Durand, who has an autistic son, Xander. Even though they’ve been hit hard by a devastating storm and flooding, everyone is looking forward to celebrating Mardi Gras with a parade, beauty pageant, a gumbo cook off, and more. While cleaning up after the storm, a body washed up under the bridge near the Crozat Plantation B&B. An autopsy reveals the man, who had no identification and no one recognized, was murdered. Maggie wants to identify the man and find out who murdered him. Maggie’s grand-mére becomes ill, and she’s tasked with taking her spot as a beauty pageant judge. When one of her fellow judges, Gerard Damboise, is murdered, Maggie wonders if it’s connected to the death of the mystery man, the competitive beauty pageant, or the proposed Louisiana Orphan Train exhibit. In the past, Maggie has proven herself with her great instincts and people open up to her, so Bo listens to her and follows up on her investigative suggestions.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

I recommend this series of books. The storytelling is engaging, the characterizations are fun, and I love the Cajun setting!

I can’t really give much about this book (without spoiling it, that is) but what I can give you is this set of keywords on what you need to know and expect about the book: murders, traitors, secrets, lies, lineage, Mardi Gras, festivities, celebration, mystery, and issues. (because supposedly everyone has them.)

I haven’t read any book by Ellen Byron yet, or any installment from the Cajun Country mysteries series either so I’m really new with their writing and the setting of Cajun Country. Because I’m a clueless human, the book introduced me to new things such as Mardi Gras and the orphan train to name a few. Her writing is also simply amazing.

By reading the story, I got a small glimpse of the Pelican culture and some snippets on history. The story may be fictional but part of me felt that. :)))

One thing I really really really liked was the flow of the story. The transitioning of each chapter makes me smirk every time. It’s just begging me, inviting me to read the next chapter immediately, and I did.

Most chapters ended in a cliffhanger (spoiler!) which, for me, was frustratingly good (if that makes any sense). I started slow but quickly picked up my pace when the cliffhangers began, continuing one chapter to the next. I just had to.

Onto the characters… (yayyy!) I absolutely, genuinely adore the characters in Mardi Gras Murder. I felt that most of them had character development. You can see how each character is well-rounded and that each one has a different story to tell. You can’t really point out who is good or bad, innocent or guilty, at fault or not.

Here’s one thing I can tell you: We can’t really say who did what because we don’t really know know everyone. We all have our secrets but at some point, they’ll be revealed. Someday, one way or another.

It's a chill book that gives chills. So settle in and ready your little tiny heart for some murder action and mystery in a town where it seems fun and light on the outside but secretly hides quite a lot of darkness on the inside.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ellen Byron for giving me the chance to read such an incredible book.

It’s Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. When a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana, and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B, the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn.

The post-flood recovery has delayed the opening of a controversial exhibit about the little-known Louisiana Orphan Train. And when a judge for the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant is shot, Maggie’s convinced the murder is connected to the body on the bayou. Does someone covet the pageant queen crown enough to kill for it? Could the deaths be related to the Orphan Train which delivered its last charges to Louisiana in 1929? The leads are thin on this Fat Tuesday, and until the killer is unmasked, no one in Pelican is safe.

--

Series: A Cajun Country Mystery - Book 4
Author: Ellen Byron
Genre: Cozy/B&B Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Elle Byron is a fantastic writer, with the Cajun Country Mystery series a favorite of readers everywhere. The fourth book in the series, Mardi Gras Murder is a wonderful addition and will add more fans for an author that already has a large following. The characters are well rounded
and quirky. The Louisiana celebration of Mardi Gras is world famous and is written about with the flavor of the holiday in mind. Readers can sense the authors love for her characters and setting within the pages of this series.

Maggie Crozat always seems to find herself bogged down in a murder investigation. She is hoping that the death of a stranger who washed up onto their property during a flood died from something other than murder. Unfortunately, she knows almost instantly that she is wrong and is once again faced with finding a killer.

The characters in this series are warm, inviting, loving and family oriented. Maggie’s grandmother is a fan favorite, and she should be, she is feisty, intelligent and kind. Maggie’s parents are everything we would want our parents to be. They have a great sense of humor, argue about silly stuff, and yell occasionally. In the end, they love each other and their family, and it shows throughout this book as well as the others in the series.

Maggie’s boyfriend, Bo warms the reader's heart once again. However, there is a chance that things will not work out between Maggie and Bo. The reader will wait with nervous anticipation until they find out if the couple will remain a together.

There are plenty of suspects and clues to make this book fast-paced and a page-turner. The killer is unmasked only after Maggie finds herself once again in danger of being killed. readers can empathize with one or more of the characters and feel the excitement, and at times raw emotion of Maggie. No one will be disappointed with the outcome of this book, or go away with more questions than answers.

Mardi Gras Murder can easily stand on its own. There is no need for a lengthy background on the characters or the town. Readers will relish this book and want to read the others in the series. I highly recommend this book and this series.

ARC provided by NetGalley

It’s Mardi Gras time but not like the event in New Orleans. Pelican’s Mardi Gras is pure Cajun including the unique costumes, masks and dunce-like hats. Maggie is roped into judging the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant and gets more than she bargained for. One of the judges drives up behind her and falls dying out of his car. “Secrets and lies” he mutters and then collapses. It’s up to Maggie to solve the Case. Another terrific mystery with lots of authenticity and tradition. Laissez le bon temps roulet

It is Mardi Gras time in Pelican, Louisiana, but they are also dealing with the aftereffects of a major flood. Maggie's family's B and B is closed to guests because it is housing a number of the locals who aren't able to live in their flood damaged homes. The police station was flooded out and is currently using an abandoned big box store. When a body is discovered while clearing storm debris and no one knows who the man is, finding his identity doesn't make the top of anyone's to-do list...until it is discovered the the man had been murdered.

While a matter of curiosity for Maggie, the man's murder isn't at the top of her to-do list either. With her beloved grandmother under the weather, Maggie agrees to fill in for her judging the local Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen contest. She doesn't approve of the contest and doesn't want anything to do with the girls of their pushy moms.

The judges are quite a mix of people from Geratd Damboise who is in charge of the local historical society and his wife Constance to Robbie Metz who owns several Park 'n' Shop convenience stores to Mo Heedles who is a super saleswoman for her skin care line. There are all sorts of tensions among the committee. None of them like Gerard Damboise including his wife. So, when Gerard Damboise dies almost in Maggie's arms and also of a gunshot wound, Maggie has one more murder to try to solve.

Meanwhile, she is also still working as a tour guide for her family's former plantation when she is asked by her supervisor to see if she can restore a painting damaged by a leaky roof which was also an aftereffect of the storms and floods. The picture is a mystery on its own. The mystery deepens when she learns that the painting has been painted over and apparent treasure map.

Then there are the Mardi Gras activities including a gumbo cook-off that is consuming all of her dad's time and attention, the the Mardi Gras run which requires costumes and masks as runners go from house to house looking for gumbo ingredients.

Maggie's romance with Detective Bo Durand seems to have hit a roadblock. Maggie thinks they are ready to have the Talk - kids or no kids, but with an autistic son, Bo is not eager to have more children. This could be a dealbreaker for Maggie and Bo's relationship but, while distracting, neither can let it get in the way of solving the murders.

This was a fun cozy mystery complete with delicious sounding recipes. Fans of the series won't want to miss this newest episode.

Another great installment of the Cajun Country Mystery series. The southern setting can't be beat and I especially love books set during Mardi Gras. So much color and excitement. Ellen Byron spins the story with such brilliant detail and adds such engaging elements that will keep you quickly turning the pages yet not wanting the experience to end.
I especially loved the pageant aspect and the characters who were contestants each had a distinct personality which had me rooting for each one of them and I couldn't wait to find out which one would win (I was hoping none of them would turn out to be a murder victim)!
All in all, an enjoyable cozy mystery. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Generally I like this kind of book. This one though, was a bit too jumbled and jumping around for me. Also ... well, it was a bit too predictable.

Then there were the unlikely happenings. Why on earth would you have to throw away a pot, just because a dog had licked it? Ever heard of hot water + soap ? "Oh god, now I have to wash it." - has this pot never been washed before? Ick.

It's small stuff, but this stuff throws me out of the story, makes me think about what crazy ideas the author has about real life, etc ...

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Ellen Byron is a new author for me but I'm glad I found her. This Louisiana mystery is funny but serious, playful but sincere and very entertaining. Maggie is a young woman after my own heart...... She will stand up for what she believes no matter what! This is a must read for mystery lovers and anyone just looking for a fun, relaxing read. Enjoy!!!!

Mardi Gras Murder is fourth in the Cajun Country mysteries. Even though I have not read all the others in the series, I found it easy to catch up with the story. Mardi Gras has come to Cajun Country and celebrations must go on even as the community of Pelican is struggling to rebuild following massive flooding. When a John Doe washes up in the bayou behind the Crozat Plantation B&B, Maggie finds herself right back in the thick of an investigation and aiding her beau, Bo in the police investigation. Maggie finds herself juggling pageant judging, relationship woes, and murder for a busy story that is light-hearted fun that keeps you guessing until the very end. The characters deliver charm and humor and the story moves quickly and smoothly (leaving me with a hankering for some gumbo). I like the addition of the history behind the orphan train and Mardi Gras that the author explains well in the afterword. The book is a great cozy read that is hard to put down and will keep you returning for more Cajun Country mysteries. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

This is the first book I have read from this author but would likely read her other books. Fun, easy read. Many characters and it takes a while to follow their place in the story (despite the author providing a list at the beginning of the book). A little slower paced than most mysteries I read so it didn't keep me on edge or reading through the night. I don't speak French so some of the language was meaningless and there was no translation on some phrases or words used. Refreshing that there is no profanity or graphic sex scenes either. Recipes at the end of the book were a nice perk. Overall an easy read for a slow day.

Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron

Byron has done it again. This book has everything you could want from small town drama to murder. I love books that take place in Louisiana or the bayou. Our protagonist Maggie Learns that after the flood, a body of a stranger has washed up. This stranger has no name yet but if Maggie has her way, she will find out everything. It is full of twists and turns and the ends ing is certainly not what I expected. The writer had me fooled and that can be pretty hard to do sometimes. This is the 4th in this series howeve, it is a stand alone book and can be read first if wanted. I have ordered the others because I cannot wait to see how the others fare. Byron has a writing skill all her own and will keep you enthralled the whole time.


5 stars ⭐️ out of 5

I love stories set in Louisiana and Mardi Gras Murder hits all the right notes. Murder, gumbo contest, beauty pageants, and a town full of quirky character all go together with a strong heroine named Maggie who wants to solve the murder of a stranger in town. I enjoyed the story from the first page until the last and I want to read more of this fun mystery series.

I received an ARC in exchange for my opinion thru NetGalley

I love the Cajun Country Mystery series and this fourth offering, 'Mardi Gras Murder', was no exception. This is a perfect mix of expert mystery, historical intrigue, humor and absolutely charming characters. Throw in a beauty pageant, Mardi Gras and romance and you have a perfect cozy. I highly recommend the entire series for a delightful trip to Louisiana Cajun country and all that can be enjoyed by visiting.

I enjoyed this one! There is pageantry and small town drama. Add in a nameless dead body and the book just totally entertains. I liked the teen queen thing too. The attitudes of the teens are spot on! This was a good story.

I  received a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
I love Ellen Byron's books! I enjoy the characters and the food descriptions. Can't wait for the next one.

It’s Mardi Gras time in Pelican, Louisiana, and everyone wants to let the good times roll! However, after a flood, a murdered body floats up with no ID, and the partying must wait. Protagonist, Maggie Crozat, her lawman boyfriend, Bo, plus family and friends; must piece together remnants from the past that intertwine with current situations to find out the killer’s motive and solve the mystery. There are interesting historical facts in the plot and the characters are realistic and well-developed. An enjoyable whodunnit with humor!

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane. Thank you.