McCarren’s Rules ~ Creole Secret

Interesting cozy mystery that kept me turning the pages. This is the first book I've read by this author. The story was well written and the characters were fun.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

When they head to a wedding in New Orleans, Julianne and Rippa are expecting a fun time with friends and family. They certainly weren’t expecting a series of strange events to happen. Though when they hear the story about a neighbor who had died, they’re wonder if the stories are true and decide t determine whether the truth behind the man’s death and rumors.

This was a great read from the start. I mean, who doesn’t love a wedding…and The Big Easy? This mystery had my attention the whole way through and I look forward to more from this author in the future.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, The Wild Rose Press. Inc and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I quite appreciate a title keeps me entertained and engaged throughout. I didn’t want to put this one down.

Written in the first person as if being dictated while doing, this is an interesting presentation. Julianne and Rippa leave to visit New Orleans while attending a friend's wedding right at Mardi Gras. Now, if you're going to have a weird funeral request (as the neighbor's gardener certainly did), NOLA is the very place to have it carried out. But that's not the end of the insanity. There is the matter of a will, the invasion by a woman from NYC who claims to be an heir, and the methods of the police homicide detective. Unusual and quite interesting story.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from The Wild Rose Press via NetGalley.

This was the first book that I've read in this series. After reading it, I'd might go back and read the first book. The plot was interesting, especially as it was located in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and focuses on events and people involved in a wedding. I'm still trying to figure out why any resident of New Orleans would plan their wedding for Mardi Gras week, given the crowds, expenses and full hotels. I found the characters rather stereotypical, and felt they could have been more unique. The plot was rather predictable, but still the ending surprised me a bit. Overall, an enjoyable read.

Deeanna Galbraith brings private investigator Julianne McCarren to New Orleans for the wedding of her college roommate Jilly in Creole Secret the second book in the McCarren's Rules series. Julianne's niece Rippa has accompanied her and when one of the other bridesmaids is unable to make the wedding, Rippa agrees to step in. During the bridal shower at the house of Jilly's aunt Stella, RIppa notices a man who appears to just be standing out in the garden. The only thing moving on the man is his head which appears to be starting to droop. When Julianne and Rippa mention this to Stella, she informs them that it is the body of her recently deceased gardener who had requested to be embalmed and left on display in the garden for a week after his death. During this discussion, Julianne suggests that the inclement weather might be having a detrimental effect on the body and perhaps it would be wise to cover him with a tarp. She and Rippa go out to check the body and discover that the gardener has been replaced by the corpse of Stella's next door neighbor.

Using the backdrop of a wedding during the Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans for this mystery and incorporating unusual final requests as well as a legend of treasure, the author has created an intriguing story that will appeal to all types of mystery buffs. Additional elements that increase the drama of this story include long buried family secrets, the associated resentment those secrets have harbored, relationships that have been built on assumptions and misinformation, and, finally, the fact that Julianne often hears her deceased husband giving her advice from beyond the grave. As the story unfolds, the author gives a substantial number of misdirects, twists, red herrings and side plots that keep the reader guessing for the most part until the final reveal but has incorporated enough clues so the culprit and motive are not a total surprise but the circumstances are.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Wild Rose Press and am leaving this review voluntarily.