Ricki comes back to her birth place after a disastrous career with her boss being busted for running a Ponzi scheme and the death of her husband during a stint gone wrong. She opens a vintage cookbook and cookware related shop in New Orleans at the home of Bon Vee Charbonnett. After a former Bon Vee employee is murdered, Ricki uses her skills of finding vintage cookbooks, for finding clues in a murder case. While she has multiple wild ideas, anxiety attacks, and goes off on side mysteries to solve….Ricki uncovers the murderer and gets caught in the crosshairs.

This was a very solid read. I loved the vintage cookbooks and vintage items being sold in a house that was once a renowned female chef on New Orleans. Vintage cookbooks are my thing, so that is what drew me in.

The author did a great job with all of the characters. If you were meant to dislike someone, you truly did. If someone was shady acting, you saw through them and thought the same thing as Ricki. If someone was lovable and trustworthy, you cheered them on. There were characters I couldn’t stand (as it was meant) and characters I was hoping there would be more of (cough*Virgil*cough). The ending was something I was suspecting pretty early on but that’s ok. I’m betting that is a big part of book two.

Bayou Book Thief is the first in a new cozy mystery series and I am so glad I was able to read it. Cozy mysteries are my favorite and this one does not disappoint. I have not read the Cajun Country series by Ellen Byron, but you know I am going to start reading them soon.
Set in New Orleans, with all the glorious architecture and food the city has to offer, you will feel like you are on a mini vacation. The cast of characters are so loud and vibrant you cannot help but feel transported to the city. Once we have met everyone, sadly someone turns up dead, and this is where all the sleuthing begins. Rikki is determined to figure out who the killer is and does not let a little thing like not being a detective/police officer stand in her way. As a bonus, there are vintage recipes included.
I loved the ending and cannot wait for the next book in the series, Wined and Died, which comes out February 2023.
If you are a fan of cozy mysteries, New Orleans and food, this is the perfect series for you.
Thank you to Net Galley, Let’s Talk Books Promo and Berkley Publishing for my eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Young widow Ricki James is starting a new life. She’s leaving California and her ponzi-scheming ex-employer. She’s returning to New Orleans where she was born and abandoned by her mother. She was fortunate to be adopted by a loving couple. Back in New Orleans, she’s starting a gift shop in a local culinary museum. Working in the shop, Ricki meets lots of quirky characters and unfortunately a murderer. She delves into finding that person. I enjoyed this new series and look forward to learning more about Ricki’s new museum family.

3.5 stars, rounded up

When Ricki's husband dies during a ridiculous internet stunt, she decides to return home to New Orleans, where she is fortunate to be granted an opportunity to open a gift shop at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum. She is excited about the vintage cookbooks and other kitchenware she continues to collect, but when she opens a box that contains a dead body – rather than the cookbooks she expected to find – she launches her own investigation in order to save Bon Vee.

This is the first book in a new series by an author I first read not too long ago, and I was excited about getting in on this series right from the start. I liked the story, although there were times I wanted to take some of the characters to task for being so irrational. The characters are a good mix of personalities, professions and backgrounds, which could lead to some interesting situations as the series progresses, and the setting – the city of New Orleans – is almost a character by itself. The mystery kept me guessing, with quite a few suspects at hand, and I figured out who the killer was just before it was revealed in the story. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

"Bayou Book Thief" is a cozy mystery. Ricki stumbled across a lot of crime, not all of it related to the murder. Since her last boss had been (unknown to her) pulling off a scam, she's more aware of the possibility now. She's a friendly, easy-to-talk-to sort of gal, and she's good at tracking a clue down to its source. The detective was overworked so didn't mind the tips. But she told Ricki to run the scenarios that her vivid imagination came up with through a logic test to see if her ideas were really reasonable before reporting them to the police. This was a clue-based puzzle mystery. As there were several crimes, I'll just say that some whodunits were more obvious while others needed a longer accumulation of clues to guess.

There was no sex. There were only a couple of uses of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.

BAYOU BOOK THIEF starts a new cozy series set in New Orleans. Ricki James-Diaz is starting over in the town where she was born and abandoned at birth. Raised in LA by loving adoptive parents, Ricki is recently widowed and has just lost her job cataloging a library for a man convicted of a ponzi scheme.

She is starting over at Bon Vie, a mansion turned into to tourist attraction, where she will be running her own vintage cookbook and cookware store. She likes most of her new co-workers, but a couple of the tour guides are not friendly. Franklin Finbloch is a major complainer and a petty thief. Winifred Shexnyder is a tour guide who is always trying to guilt her tourists into giving her large tips and is also a snitch eager to get the rest of the employees in trouble.

When Franklin's corpse is delivered to Bon Vie in a trunk with a vintage can opener used as the murder weapon, Ricki is sure that her bad luck and notoriety make her the perfect suspect. She is eager to help the police find the actual murderer, but her overactive imagination leads in to odd conclusions.

The story was filled with great characters and had an interesting plot. I liked that it included recipes for readers to try from vintage cookbooks. Some of the ones mentioned in the story sounded pretty awful though.

I'm looking forward to more books in this engaging and entertaining series.

Agatha Award-winner Ellen Byron launches a new cozy mystery series set in New Orleans with Bayou Book Thief. I love her setting, but thank heavens her latest book includes a list of characters because there are so many quirky characters involved in this one that it's hard to keep them all straight.

Ricki James is a twenty-eight-year-old widow who fled Los Angeles after two high-profile events that put her in the spotlight. Her husband's death was all over social media because he was attempting a stunt when he died. And, she lost her job as curator of a collection of first editions when her billionaire boss was arrested for a Ponzi scheme. Now, she hopes to find obscurity and a fresh start in the city of her birth.

To be honest, Ricki's past has made her a mess. She's lonely in New Orleans, insecure, and, at times, too immature for a twenty-eight-year-old widow. She still feels guilty about her husband's death because she just tuned him out when it came to his social media stunts. Now, she feels guilty about the guide's death. Her neighbor, a bartender, describes Ricki as "Attractive, but a little insecure in a charming way." He also says she has "A sexy librarian vibe, with a side of California hippie chick." Once Ricki gets over her insecurity, she'll be a welcome addition to the amateur sleuth profession.

Byron's love of New Orleans comes through, and it's part of the pleasure of this story. Of course, it takes time to introduce a whole new cast of characters to the cozy mystery field. Bayou Book Thief launches Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook Mystery series. It's going to be fun to stick with Ricki and her new friends.

BAYOU BOOK THIEF is the first in the brand-new Vintage Cookbook Mystery series by Ellen Byron and every bit as charming as I’d anticipated! From captivating diverse characters to dastardly deeds to iconic New Orleans locales, the author pens a vivid tale featuring protagonist, Ricki James. From the very first page, I couldn’t read fast enough as I wanted to get to know the quirky characters and their backstory. Keeping a firm grasp on the pacing of the mystery, Ms. Byron prudently doles out those details, which only made me more intrigued. Ricki is a compelling protagonist in that she was born in New Orleans, then adopted at birth by her NICU nurse and then grew up in Los Angeles. After the demise of her husband and a scandal concerning her previous employer, she returns to New Orleans. Despite her tragic life, Ricki has a sense of humor and a strong sense of justice, mostly in thanks to the couple who raised her. I was pleased that while they’re not physically with Ricki, having retired to Mexico, their long-distance relationship is strong and loving. This gives the book a balance of community and family that can often be missing in mysteries.

Starting over is never easy, but Ricki lands a job operating Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbooks and Kitchenware gift shop at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for the body of a former employee who she’d accused of stealing to show up and wreak havoc on her new life and new venture. As Ricki delves into the life of the victim and starts asking questions to figure out who there are twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Ms. Byron pens a tightly plotted story peppered with secrets, lies, and betrayal. With a tempting teaser to close out the book, I cannot wait until the second book releases!

With several vintage cookbooks mentioned throughout the story, it was a pleasure to find out that several recipes from actual vintage cookbooks are included at the back of the book. Ms. Byron includes an introduction to the cookbooks featured on how she came to collect the vintage cookbook.

Opening Bayou Book Thief is like being instantly transported to New Orleans. The characters are well crafted, just a bit on the quirky side, and uniquely southern without a forced use of exaggerated dialect or cliches. The city, New Orleans, is depicted with a combination of its flaws, the unimaginable heat; and charm, the beauty of the surroundings, and the laissez faire attitude that pervades the area. They all come together in a house turned into a museum, dedicated to the original resident who was one of NOLA’s founding female chefs.

The central character, Ricky, was born in New Orleans and lived there seven years before her adopted parents moved her to California. She’s come back now, feeling the pull of “home” with an idea of creating a gift shop in the museum featuring her vintage cookbooks and other kitchen/entertaining items. When she makes her proposal to the executive director it is enthusiastically embraced and she opens to rousing success.

Other characters making up Ricky’s new family include the executive director of the museum, a classic woman of the “old south” impeccably dressed and coiffed, with an unexpected streak of humor and acceptance, an artist who uses her face as her canvas and works at the museum cafe, Ricky’s landlady, a member of a senior citizen’s dance team who routinely joins second lines, and a docent at the museum whose signature color is purple and who is also a member of NOLA’s grand old families.

Ricky opens her shop and it is a major success, with everything seeming to go well until one of the tour guides, a rather nasty man, is leaving the shop one day when he is jostled and a number of books fall out from under his coat. Although he is fired, he remains connected to the museum when he is murdered and his body is shipped to the museum along with a box of donated books. When Ricky is eliminated as a suspect, she becomes concerned about her friends being accused, and decides to do some investigating on her own. She regularly calls the detective in charge of the case with her latest theory and reasons, usually to have her suspicions shot down by the detective in charge.

While Ricky is investigating, she travels through some of NOLA, giving the reader the opportunity to experience some of the sights and sounds, as well as some of the cajun food and exclusive restaurants. She also involves herself in several other minor investigations, including one involving the HVAC man who services her units, a nonagenarian who lives in a retirement home and yet has more life in him than some twenty year olds, and the intriguing question of who wrote and published a series of cookbooks/romance novels that bumped up against soft porn and are valued at several hundred dollars. When the author, who published the books under a pseudonym is revealed, it causes quite a stir and more than a little controversy.

There are several more characters, all well crafted, who make up this book and who are so interesting the reader will hope to find them in the next book in the series. The book is a highly entertaining read that will be enjoyed by anyone who wants to take a short trip to New Orleans and yet can’t get away. It’s easy to have as a beach read or to read it straight through when the reader is looking for something high on entertainment and low on tension and angst. A large part of the book is spent in introducing characters and establishing their relationship with Ricky and most readers will find themselves identifying several they hope will be part of an on-going series.
While Ricky does eventually solve the murder mystery, it isn’t until she comes across a final clue that gives her the answer, so the reader doesn’t have a chance to identify the villain before Ricky gets there.

Byron knows Louisiana and New Orleans well, and shares that knowledge in this enjoyable book. I will be looking forward to the next book in the series to see what adventures are next for
Ricky, who is going to continue as part of the series, and a new armchair trip to New Orleans. My thanks to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy for this review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

We are introduced to Ricki James who relocates to New Orleans to start a new life. What should be a joyful occasion is marred when a body is discovered, and Ricki must put on her sleuthing cap to find a killer among the new people she has met.

The author did a great job in staging this finely tuned mystery with suspects galore and clues that kept me intrigued throughout. When I thought I had a handle on what was going on, the red herrings splattered in the story kept me in the game, reveling in watching this all play out until the killer’s identity was revealed. Good job. Good job. The author’s love of New Orleans and vintage books are present in her depiction of both which enhanced the visually descriptive narrative and the telling of this tale. A bountiful of quirky, yet lovable diverse characters shine through in this delectably and delightful new series. The way the story concluded, I’m more than eager to read what happens next with Ricki and her friends.

Fantastic read! I love this series already, which is unusual for the first book in the series. So much fun, such mouth-watering food talk. I just want to go to NOLA and eat all the food.

This is my first time reading this author and I found the book entertaining. The mystery kept me guessing and I liked the characters. I look forward to finding out more about the characters and seeing what other mysteries the author comes up with.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Ellen Byron writes a book, I immediately find a way to read it right away. I was thrilled to get a copy of this book before release particularly since it is set in New Orleans. The gift shop in a house museum is an interesting setting and I loved all the references to old cookbooks and how they have evolved over the years. The story itself was a little slow paced but this helped to set the scene and establish a good base for the next books in the series. I did find that there were a lot of characters to keep straight and they all seemed to blend together for me. I also didn't really connect with the main character, Ricki, but did find her to be likeable. I will definitely continue with the series and hope that the next ones are more evenly paced.

Fun and quirky, this book will entertain most readers. I didn't find I really connected to anyone in this story and I found myself skimming the pages. This doesn't mean I will give up on this book, I just may have to read it at another time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
#BayouBookThief #NetGalley

An interesting new series with many possibilities by author Ellen Bryon filled with complex characters and a good plot.

Author Ellen Byron does it again. Once again she has written a story with complex characters and intricate plot that keeps you captivated and unable to quit reading. I love how she doesn't reveal the culprit until the end of the book. Can't wait for book two.

Ricki James-Diaz left Los Angeles with her tail between her legs and landed in her hometown of New Orleans. She soon finds herself running a vintage cookbook shop inside a museum in the heart of the Garden District. Ricki is surrounded by a fun cast of characters and quickly makes several good friends... and an enemy or two. When one of said enemies turns up dead, Ricki had to get to know her coworkers and others in the Bon Vee inner circle very well- before the killer strikes again!

I'm a big fan of this author and I think I actually liked this book even more than her Cajun County mysteries. Ricki lives in a little shotgun house in an old neighborhood near the river. The museum Bon Vee is exactly the sort of site I love to take in when I'm travelling, and I love how the people of New Orleans are portrayed as utterly unique and unquestioningly accepting of others. The mystery was complex and Ricki's investigation was natural and productive. I had some ideas along the way of whodunnit but none of my guesses were right.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of cozies, especially if you're a fan of Byron's other work.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

Bayou Book Thief is a wonderfully written first entry into Agatha Award Winning author Ellen Byron's newest cozy series. Lots of interesting characters and beautiful descriptions of the people, places, and food of the Crescent City - I was on the edge of my seat trying to solve the mystery along with protagonist Ricki. 5 stars, and highly recommended!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley(Penguin Random House) for allowing me to read this title.
Twenty-eight year-old Ricki moves from LA to New Orleans after her stuntman husband dies and her employer goes to prison for running a Ponzi scheme. She was born in New Orleans, abandoned at birth and adopted by the NICU nurse who cared for her. Her adoptive parents subsequently move to LA. Ricki is ready for a new start and returns to her birthplace. She applies for a position at the Bon Vee Culinary House and Museum. As a collector of vintage cookery books she opens a museum gift shop featuring vintage kitchenware as well as cookbooks. Life is going well until a museum tour guide is murdered. Unhappy with the slow police investigation, Ricki decides to do her own sleuthing.
Tthis debut title in the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries is a delightful, fun read. It's populated with unique characters and captures the Big Easy atmosphere perfectly. Vintage recipes are included!
Looking forward to the next in the series. Better proofreading for the next one , I hope!

Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron is a wonderful addition to the culinary cozy mystery shelf. Set in New Orleans and featuring an eclectic group of characters working in an Historical Home, this book captures the flavor of NOLA. I eagerly await the next book in the series.