With one of my favorite cities, New Orleans, as the setting, a great female protagonist, and a book thief to deal with, Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron was definitely a winner. I enjoyed this fast paced, fun, cozy mystery so much.
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A lot was going on; murder, theft, possible fraud, and more but the real crime was that Nicki, the main character, didn’t have air conditioning in steamy New Orleans! If you have been there, you understand. I thought the author did a great job of describing many parts of New Orlean’s life, the food, the antiques, the characters and the heat!
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I was totally surprised by the solutions to the crime and loved the twist the author put in there to make me want to read more and more.
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Okay, I am ready for the next book in this vintage cookbook cozy mystery series!

#Bibliophile #kimreadsandreads
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Since I read and adored the last three books in Byron’s Cajun Country Mystery series, I had great expectations for Bayou Book Thief, and I was definitely not disappointed! I absolutely loved it! If you’re anything like I am, you won’t be able to put this engaging cozy mystery down.

When Rikki is widowed at a young age, and her boss turns out to be a crook, she heads to New Orleans to start a brand new chapter in her life. And, she hopes this one comes with a lot less drama and disappointment. Of course, we can’t have a cozy mystery without some drama…namely murder. So, there’s definitely drama!

I love the theme of this new series…a vintage cookbook and kitchen item gift shop in a beautiful museum. The author paints wonderfully detailed descriptions of not only the setting, but also the vintage food and kitchen items. And because of this, you’ll find yourself totally immersed in Bayou Book Thief. As I read, I felt as if I were right there with Rikki everywhere she went.

Those detailed descriptions also apply to the characters’ personalities. The wide array of characters made the book very enjoyable. I can’t say that for all cozies I read, but Byron doesn’t throw in random characters just to fill space. I feel like I really have a good grasp on the main characters that I’m sure will appear in subsequent books. And the side characters were just as well-developed as the “stars.”

Bayou Book Thief’s mystery is well plotted, and you will really enjoy trying to figure out whodunit. I am so excited to find out what’s next for Rikki and her new friends. This book gets 5 big stars from me!

I want to start this review by saying that the writing was really well done and I think if you enjoy classic cozy mystery stories, you should definitely pick this one up. The characters were so much fun and the big reveal was one that I didn’t see coming!

I decided to give this one a try because I’m not really familiar with the genre and it sounded interesting. Personally, I don’t think that this genre is really for me. Although I loved the writing, I felt like the story itself really dragged on. And even though there was a murder involved pretty much right from the beginning, I didn’t find it shocking and didn’t have much of an investment in figuring out who the killer was.

I will say that the book ended on a pretty cool cliffhanger and I can see why many people would immediately want to go and read the next one.

Overall, I liked this but didn’t totally love it. Again, it’s more of a me thing. I encourage you to read the synopsis and give it a try if it sounds like something you’d enjoy!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for my gifted copy! My review has been posted to my Bookstagram account (@janinesbookcorner) and my Goodreads account.

Ricki James-Diaz is looking to start over in New Orleans, and her interest in opening a vintage cookbook store is a perfect match for the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum. As she gets to know her new coworkers, she quickly realizes just how much of a grump Franklin Finbloch is. Still, the man isn’t fired until he is caught trying to steal from Ricki’s new gift shop. Then his body turns up in what Ricki thought was a trunk of books donated to Bon Vee. With the suspicion falling on people Ricki was beginning to consider friends, she jumps in to figure out what really happened. Will she solve the case?

As is often the case with a series debut, the beginning was a little slow as it set up the premise of the series and began introducing us to the characters. The ending was a bit abrupt, although everything that happened did follow logically from what came before. And what came before? It was wonderful, with plenty of twists to keep me engaged. The sub-plots helped as well. Ricki has quite the interesting background, and I appreciated how it was doled out as we needed it. Being a series debut, the potential series regulars also serve as suspects, and that made me care about the outcome that much more. Naturally, there are recipes at the end, but in a twist that fits this book, all six are from vintage cookbooks. This is a fun series debut. I’m already looking forward to revisiting Ricki again in a few months.

A cozy mystery involving vintage cookbooks? A book thief who was killed and stuffed inside a trunk? Definitely my cup of tea!☕️

I had such a fun time reading this one! I liked learning about vintage cookbooks and what they looked like in different time periods. Love those clever and catchy names of recipes, especially those included in the racy romance series (i.e. Titillating Pecan-Encrusted Trout, Arousing Apple and Cheddar Cheese Slices, Amorous Asparagus…) I also liked that our main character, Ricki, is not too perfect with a slightly mysterious past. I am definitely rooting for her and Virgil the chef! Maybe they will get together in book 2?!?! Like any cozy mysteries, this one also possesses a great cast of quirky and lovable (and unlikable) side characters. I am hoping to read more of them in the subsequent books! And the food! Oh my, they sure made me drool and want to go to New Orleans just to try authentic po’boys! Overall, this is a nice and quick read, absolutely perfect for those warm summer nights when you want to just sit back and relax with a good whodunnit and sip some wine. Bonus: it also has great recipes at the end of the book which you can try at home!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

A fun and interesting start to a new cozy mystery series by Ellen Byron. Ms. Byron definitely knows how to weave an intriguing tale filled with interesting characters, plenty of red herrings, and a mystery that keeps you guessing.
I enjoyed meeting Ricki (Miracle) and reading as she's learning to adjust to living in New Orleans while still dealing with her past, meeting new people, trying to open a business, and now, getting caught up in a murder.

I'm very intrigued at the (not completely unexpected) surprise twist at the end, and already looking forward to the next book in the series.

Many thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor or expectation.

Cookbooks and thieves and murder, OH MY! That's what you'll get when you dive into the first book in Ellen Byron's new cozy mystery series.
From the eclectic characters to the well planned mystery that kept me guessing until the very end, I can already tell this series is going to be another favorite of many cozy mystery lovers.
Also, the author has generously provided some fun "extras" such as a Cast of Characters at the beginning of the book (helps me keep all of the characters straight) and some vintage cookbook recipes (which are always fun to read)!
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!

This is such a good cozy mystery read. This would be a great read for anyone who loves cozy mysteries, cookbooks, cooking and New Orleans. This is the first in the series and I will for sure be reading the rest when they come out.

A wonderful series starter from a veteran cozy author. The distinctive setting and Ricki's backstory make for a great set up, and after reading the last pages I can't tell you how eager I am to keep reading this series. It's fantastic timing to have this come out at the beginning of summer- the oppressive heat mentioned in the book numerous times feels seasonal.

There is a lot going on in this book. It makes for compelling reading as you’re pulled from one revelation to the next, but I admit to being a bit distracted by it all. I really liked Ricki. She’s got a backstory that leaves me hungry to know more. Especially after the way this book ends. And the mystery? Well, that kept me guessing all the way to the big reveal. I adored the author’s last series and I’m well on my way to loving this one just as much. I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen next.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.

New Orleans, vintage cookbooks and kitchenwares, a book thief, a fabulous Garden District mansion... Ellen Byron's Bayou Book Thief was an irresistible siren call to my imagination, and reading it was a delight.

Ah, New Orleans, which dubs itself as the home of the original foodies. From streetcars to peacocks named Gumbo and Jambalaya to po'boy contests, the city is a character in this enjoyable mystery. I had to smile at a running thread throughout the book which concerns Ricki's air conditioner breaking down, her investigation of a repairman, and her purchase of a swamp cooler-- an item that I'm quite familiar with here in the Sonoran Desert (where it works much better than in soggy New Orleans).

The cast of characters is rich and varied, and I enjoyed learning about them all: Ricki herself, Cookie the "recovering children's librarian," Madame Noisette whose signature color is purple, nonagenarian German Guillory, Eugenia Charbonnet, and all the rest. Byron has peopled the first book of her series with just enough characters to keep the focus moving from mystery to mystery.

For someone who doesn't like to cook, you'd think I wouldn't enjoy books with strong ties to vintage cookbooks and kitchenware, but I do. Possibly because those things bring back memories of my mother and grandmother creating amazing things in their kitchens with tools and books similar to the ones Ricki has in her shop.

Let's see... a fantastic setting, characters who will become your fictional friends, a good mystery to solve, and plenty of (often laugh-out-loud) wit, Bayou Book Thief is a great beginning to a series that I will be returning to again and again.

I'm fairly new to the cozy mystery genre but I really enjoyed this first book into the Vintage Cookbook Mystery series by Ellen Byron.

Ricki (Miracle) James Diaz has moved back to the city of her birth, New Orleans and is on the cusp of a new career running a gift shop in the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum that specializes in Vintage Cook Books and kitchenware. New Orleans, par for the course, has provided it's quota of peculiar characters to rub shoulders with Ricki. One of the tour guides Franklin ends up murdered and shipped to the museum with some other book donations, which causes Ricki, in true cozy mystery style, to try to solve his murder herself. At one time or another she suspects nearly everyone she's met so far and also uncovers that another of the older tour guides wrote some "light smut romance books with recipe titled themes" under a pseudonym.

I did thoroughly enjoy this cozy mystery and have every intention of reading the rest once they are published.

Ellen Byron’s new cozy mystery resonated with me. Bayou Book Thief is the first book in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series that features twenty-eight year old widow Ricki James. Her husband died doing a stunt and her boss was a criminal (unbeknownst to her) so she decides to move from Los Angeles to New Orleans, the city of her birth.

Ricki turns her avocation of collecting vintage cookbooks into a job by establishing a gift shop in the late home turned museum of Genevieve (Vee) Charbonnet, who ran one of the city’s finest restaurants before she died. Her gift shop will feature vintage cookbooks and kitchenware. Finding the body of a museum employee who had been exposed as a book thief, Ricki decides to investigate.
Ricki is a likeable person that makes friends easily, but she has trust issues due to her backstory. That backstory also gives readers insight into Ricki’s thoughts, behaviors, and actions towards others. There are a large number of characters, but there is a character list at the front of the book for reference. With quirky characters intermixed with dangerous characters, who is which?

Diverse characterization, great world-building details, and the internal dialogues deepened the conflict and pulled this reader into the inner world of the characters. The author captures the characters, as well as the cultural lifestyles and traditions of New Orleans and brings them to life. There are unpredictable moments in the story and some red herrings. I enjoyed how the author twists the plot points.

The well-plotted and beautifully executed story gradually builds momentum until it reaches the astonishing conclusion. The slower pace and background allow readers to become familiar with the characters and to have a good foundation for the rest of the series. I enjoyed the humor that was interspersed within the novel and admired how multiple threads were brought together effortlessly. However, the very ending was a little too much “tell” versus “show” for me. The Epilogue sets up a thread for the next novel in the series. At the end of the book are some recipes from a variety of vintage cookbooks. Themes include murder, theft, family, friendship, starting over, and much more.

Overall, this was an engaging novel with humor, suspense, action, and the possibility of romance. If you enjoy sleuth mysteries, then I recommend that you check out this one. I am looking forward to finding out what happens next in New Orleans and I want to check out this author’s other series.

Berkley Publishing Group and Ellen Byron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for June 7, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron is the debut of A Vintage Cookbook Mysteries. This is a cute, lighthearted Southern cozy mystery. There is a cast of unique characters. Miracle “Ricki” Fleur di Lis James has left her life in Los Angeles behind for a fresh start in New Orleans where she was born. Ricki comes up with the idea for Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop which is to be housed in the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum. She is fortunate that the idea is approved. One morning, Ricki is opening donations that arrived that morning with help from other workers at Bon Vee. They open an old trunk to find disgraced former docent, Franklin inside. Ricki is worried when the staff and volunteers come under suspicion. She feels the police are not working quickly enough to solve the crime, so Ricki decides to do a little investigating on her own. Ricki uncovers what she believes could have been the motif. She needs to follow the thread and see if it leads her to the killer. Bayou Book Thief contains Ellen Byron’s fun writing style. She provides us with quirky characters and plenty of Southern charm. I enjoyed the descriptions of New Orleans, the vintage cookware, and the cookbooks. There is humor sprinkled throughout the story that will have readers chuckling. The whodunit was entertaining. No one was sad to see Franklin end up dead in a trunk. The man was not liked. The more Ricki learns about the man, the more she can see why someone murdered him (just surprised it did not happen sooner). Detective Nina Rodriguez is nice and accepts information from Ricki. She does give her a warning about sleuthing on her own. There are clues to help readers solve the mystery before the reveal. I enjoyed the takedown scene (it will have you laughing). There is a secondary mystery involving an air conditioning repairman. I do not know how Ricki put up with the heat and humidity. I would have gone out and purchased a window unit rather than a swamp cooler. Southern heat along with the humidity can be brutal. There is a large cast of characters so it can be difficult to keep them all straight. It will get easier as the series progresses. There are delectable food descriptions that will have you craving a po’ boy, beignets, and shrimp etouffee. I loved the ending. It has me eager for the next A Vintage Cookbook Mystery. There are recipes at the end of the book as well as a preview of Wined and Died in New Orleans. Bayou Book Thief is finer than a frog hair split four ways with a man who is as useless as a screen door on a submarine, a bounty of books, a vile victim, a diligent detective, an artful air conditioning repairman, warm weather, and a riled Ricki.

I received a gifted galley of BAYOU BOOK THIEF by Ellen Byron for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

BAYOU BOOK THIEF follows Ricki, a young widow who has returned to New Orleans, the city where she spent the early years of her life. Ricki opens a new shop in the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum selling vintage cookbooks and cookware to the museum’s visitors. There is more drama than she expects following the opening when the man who tried stealing some of her books finds his way back to the shop… as a dead body stashed in a trunk with some donated books. The police are on the case, but leads are few and far between so Ricki is determined to help get answers.

I have found cozy mysteries to be a bit hit or miss for me, but I am happy to say that this one was a hit! The mix of books, recipes, cookware and murder mystery really worked well for me!

I really enjoyed following Ricki’s investigation and the people she surrounded herself with. She’s new to New Orleans as an adult and finding her way in a new business and a new life. She surrounds herself with interesting, and sometimes quirky characters. I love a good found family and Ricki has the makings of a really good one!

The mystery itself was well done. I liked the way Ricki (and the author) centered the mystery investigation around the cookbooks she is brining into her shop. There were a lot of good suspects and good twists along the way.

I found this a quick, easy read and one that I enjoyed.

Oh my goodness, this series is just what I was hoping for that helps fill the void left when the author ended her Cajun Country series! I absolutely loved all these regular characters and the whole Louisiana/Cajun food vibe that I used to love in the other series. I gotta admit, it was a little harder warming up to Ricki than it had been Maggie, but she finally worked her way into my heart along with the others.

I just love Madame's character, and I really liked Eugenia the minute I met her. I could tell she was going to be one of the "proper" locals from a good family but still fair enough to her employees that they were all on a first name basis with her--and the lady knew a good idea when it was presented to her. That Cookie was a great comic relief character, and I loved Zellah as a new bestie for Ricki. The ladies made for a fun work trio, and Lydia wasn't so bad either, just a little bit harried from being mom to a crazy teen.

The overall camaraderie of the Bon Vee crew was pretty awesome, and I thought it was so cool how they all gathered at their favorite place, Bayou Backyard for just hanging out or going over the case. Maybe I enjoyed it even more because of the comparisons I could make between the two series since I thought about the BB as being a lot like JJ's place only with an outside part to it.

I sure never saw the whodunit coming but in the explanation at the end, it made a lot of sense. The dinner Eugenia treated them all to was a lot of fun and really cemented these characters for me. The next day was even better, but you'll have to read the book to find out what fun happened then. I liked that the epilogue added a bit of intrigue to hopefully the next book. I gotta admit I'd toyed with the idea put out there a few times while reading! If you loved Cajun Country Mysteries, you won't wanna miss this series! I absolutely can't wait for the next one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Berkley Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

If you were saddened when Ellen Byron’s A Cajun Country Mystery series came to its wonderful ending, then you will be happy again when you read Bayou Book Thief, the first book in her Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, which also takes place in New Orleans.

Miracle, aka Ricki, returns to New Orleans, where she was born, to open Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware Shop inside the stately Bon Vee Mansion and quickly finds a new family filled with numerous quirky characters.

Byron once again shows why she is one of the Queens of Cozies with her well developed characters and glorious descriptions of New Orleans and the beautiful manor much of the book takes place in. Throw in lots of local history and information on vintage cookbooks and kitchen gadgets… along with some red herrings and lots of suspects, and it’s a fantastic start to a new cozy mystery series!

Oh, and the ending…. makes me want the next book, Wined and Died in New Orleans, right now so I can read what happens next. I’m thinking Miracle is really going to live up to her name!

This was such a fun start to a new series and very New Orleans! I loved how Byron captured the eclectic setting and personalities of the city as well as all the food. The mystery had fantastic plot twists, clever red herrings, and a few side stories that wove into the story quite well. I loved following Ricki as she tries to solve the mystery, and I loved her relationships that she builds throughout the book. The end had a fun twist that I was not expecting and left me dying to get my hands on book 2!

Ricki has left her painful past behind in Los Angelos and returned to where she was born, New Orleans. She has an idea for a business that will provide her with a fresh start. She is thrilled to be opening Miss Vee's Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop inside the stately Bon Vee mansion. Most of the people who work there are friendly, but one guide, in particular, seems to rub everyone the wrong way. When he is caught shoplifting in her new store, he is promptly fired. Honestly, no one is very upset that he is gone, until his dead body is delivered to the shop and everyone becomes a suspect.
All of the characters were quirky, mostly in a good way. When Ricki fears that Eugenia, the board president might tell her to take her cookbooks and go, she decides the police aren't working fast enough and she sets out to find the killer herself. Lots of potential suspects mean a red herring or twelve, and the chance to get to know these characters.
Food, fun, mystery, and murder along with a side plot dealing with A/C failures and a potential scam during the oppressive heat and humidity of New Orleans. Throw in a potential love interest, a rescue dog or two, and an intriguing bit of backstory about Ricki, and you have the makings of a good first book in this new series. The ending set the stage for the next book, and I am hoping it releases next year so I can find out what comes next.

Ellen Byron has given us another "keep you reading" mystery set in Louisiana! The reader is transported into the wonderfully quirky, lush and mysterious city of New Orleans! Rickie James-Diaz is rebuilding her life after becoming a widow. Her love of vintage cookbooks takes her to the Garden District and the grand "Bon Vee Culinary House Museum", former home to Genevieve "Vee" Charbonnet, a legendary NOLA restauranteur. There she creates a place for herself as the manager of "Miss Vee's Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware" gift shop. When a disagreeable employee's body is found, in a trunk of books, the suspect list grows daily. Now, Rickie has to save her new friends and herself from the wrath of a murderer.

Wow! I felt like I was in New Orleans and right there with Rickie, looking for clues! Rickie is smart, kind and relatable. I loved the supporting characters and their quirky and charming ways. Each character is well-written and adds to the "deliciousness" of the book! From Rickie's eccentric landlord, Kitty Kat Rousseau and her tasty pralines, to her friendship with an older gentleman, named German, that I adored! So many wonderful characters to meet and the recipes, in the book, are fantastic!

I can't wait to return to NOLA and discover another mystery for Rickie and her friends to solve!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.