USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Ellen Byron cranks it up to eleven in the fifth fast and funny Cajun Country mystery.Louisiana B&B owner Maggie Crozat kicks up her heels at a country music festival–but she’ll have one foot in the grave if she can’t bring the killer of a diva’s hanger-on to heel.Grab your tickets for Cajun Country Live!, the pickers’ and crooners’ answer to the … Country Live!, the pickers’ and crooners’ answer to the legendary New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Maggie Crozat, proprietor of the Crozat Plantation B&B, plans to be in the cheering section when her friend Gaynell Bourgeois takes the stage with her band, Gaynell and the Gator Girls.
The festival’s headliner, native daughter Tammy Barker, rocketed to stardom on a TV singing competition. She has the voice of an angel…and the personality of a devilish diva. But Maggie learns that this tiny terror carries a grudge against Gaynell. She’s already sabotaged the Gator Girls’ JazzFest audition. When a member of Tammy’s entourage is murdered at the festival, Tammy makes sure Gaynell is number one on the suspect list.
Gaynell has plenty of company on that list–including every one of Tammy’s musicians. Posing as a groupie, Maggie infiltrates Tammy’s band and will have to hit all the right notes to clear her friend’s name.
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This is one of my favorite series. I like that it takes place in Louisiana and around the beautiful plantations. The mystery kept me guessing and I love the characters. I highly recommend this series.
It’s time for the Cajun Country Live Festival
in Pelican, Louisiana. This is the town’s
answer to the annual New Orleans Jazz
and Heritage Festival.
Tammy Barker, a native daughter who won
a singing contest then became an overnight
success is the lead act. Tammy and her
manager have reserved the whole Crozat
Plantation B&B.
Magnolia Crozat better known as Maggie
helps her parents and Gran-mere at the
B&B. She has just acquired a new position
at the Planation where she had been a
tour guide. She is now the Doucet’s Art
Collection Specialist.
Maggie is going to run a booth at the
festival selling Pelican Pralines and several
of her art pieces.
Maggie’s best friend, Gaynell Gaynell
Bourgeois has a band called Gaynell and
the Gator Girls. They are hopeful to perform.
Gaynell and Tammy have a history going
back to high school. But what has Gaynell
done that has made a Tammy so vindictive??
When Tammy’s manager, Pony Pickner goes
to check out the microphone Tammy will use
during her performance, he ends up DEAD.
Was Pony the intended victim or Tammy?
The drummer in Tammy’s group is found
beaten to the point he needed hospitalization.
What’s happening within this group?
Maggie acts like a band groupie to infiltrate
the band until she finds a snake in her car.
It is an imported one. She is getting to close
to the culprit.
The story is intense with plenty of drama,
suspense, intrigue and colorful, quirky, vivid
characters. The plot really thickens when
Gaynell is kidnapped. There are plenty of
well created suspects to sift through to find
the culprit.
The reader gets a historical tour of the area
plus a sample of Cajun food. There are recipes
at the end.
Come enjoy time spent in Pelican, Louisiana,
the Cajun Country Live Festival, the New
Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival plus a visit
with Maggie, her family and friends.
This is book # 5 in the Cajun Country Mysteries
series. It can be read as a stand alone.
I volunteered to read Fatal Cajun Festival.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books via Net Gallery
for the opportunity. My opinion is voluntary and
my own.
This cozy series Cajun setting makes my heart happy. The characters are multi-faceted with relatable personalities. The humor and emotional parts were evenly balanced. Highly recommend.
Maggie Crozat’s grand-mere has come up with the idea of Pelican, Louisiana, holding a musical festival in the days leading up to New Orleans’s famous Jazz Fest. Tammy Barker, a native who has gained fame as the winner of the TV singing competition, has agreed to return to headline the event. This isn’t good news for Maggie’s friend, Gaynell, however. Gaynell and Tammy went to high school together, and Tammy seems to have it out for her, even sabotaging Gaynell’s shot at auditioning for Jazz Fest. So when a murder takes place after Tammy’s set opening night of the festival, all eyes are on Gaynell. Can Maggie clear her friend?
This is the fifth book in the series, and it was wonderful to get to visit our friends in Pelican again. Maggie leads a strong cast. While there are quite a few regulars plus the suspects, I didn’t have any trouble keeping the characters straight while I was reading. However, there is a handy character guide in the front of the book if you do need it. The plot is strong with a couple of equally as strong sub-plots to keep the pages turning. I especially enjoyed a sub-plot involving Grand-mere. The twists and turns lead us to a logical climax. My only complaint is how Maggie works with the police, but it was a minor issue overall. We get five recipes and some fun background on things we learn in the story at the end of the book. I always feel like I’ve visited Louisiana when I read one of these books, and this one is no expectation. Fans old and new will be glad they picked it up.
How does she do it? Ellen Byron’s Cajun Country Festival, the 5th book in the Cajun Country Mystery series, is absolutely fantastic! She manages to make the reader feel a part of the unique experience one can only find in parts of Louisiana. The Cajun flavor is well seasoned without being overdone and that balance is a talent in itself. With great characters to adore and a few not so great ones to revile, we are drawn into the lives of Maggie, her family and friends and her new acquaintances as she works and investigates at the new Pelican Cove Cajun Country Live festival. Something feels a bit off about the band traveling with a local singer on the rise in the country and western music scene even before the bodies start to turn up, but it is a friend of Maggie’s who looks guilty. As much as Maggie would love for the sneaky star to be the villain, she has to investigate the whole band to make sure she can prove that one of them belongs in the slammer, not Gaynell. Just as food, fun and music are a part of any Cajun scene even in the face of adversity, so that are though this festival along with hard works and a bit of romance.
#NetGalley #Fatal Cajun Festival
This series is pretty much my favorite cozy mystery series out of all the ones I have tried to date. It is well written. The mystery always keeps me guessing until the end. There is always a fantastic cast of secondary characters. I love the setting. Maggie is a very likable main character, and her a Bo’s romance is cute (although it moves at a snail’s pace). Throw in some yummy sounding recipes at the end and you have the makings for a great book (series). I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for us next.
Another fun trip to Pelican, Louisiana! Musicians, pralines, local mean girl-made-music star, romance, and murder. Do you really need more? If Pelican were real I’d move there in a heartbeat!
I love Ellen Byron’s Cajun Country Mysteries. The setting, characters, and lots of plot twists blend to create a fun mystery. This is a must-read!
Pelican, Louisiana is hosting Cajun Country Live, a festival that’s their answer to New Orleans’ Jazz and Heritage Festival. Maggie Crozat is planning on cheering her friend, Gaynell and band, Gaynelle and the Gator Girls who are making their appearance at the festival. Also appearing is Tammy Barker, a native of Pelican who made it big after wining a competition. However, she has it in for Gaynell and is doing all she can to sabotage Gaynell’s chances. When Tammy’s manager is murdered, Tammy points the finger at Gaynell. Maggie begins an investigation alongside that of her fiancé and detective, Bo.
I loved this book. The books up to this point was good but I believe this one is the best of the series. I was hooked from the beginning and entranced throughout, reading the book in one sitting. I highly recommend this book although I suggest you read the series in order.
What a fun and interesting cozy mystery! I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, the recipes at the end, and the side stories within the main storyline. This is the 5th book in the Cajun Country Mysteries. I haven’t read the other books so a couple of times I had to figure out who was who…but the cast of characters at the front of the book helped.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or remuneration.
Another fun adventure, New Orleans style! A great cast of characters, both old and new! With a special twist, get ready for a special mystery within a mystery, when Grandmere discovers unknown family stories within long lost letters written by a beloved. Get your vocal chords ready for for the Cajun Music Festival, competing bands and murder amongst the players. Another riveting, fast read from one of today’s favorite cozy mystery authors and recent winner of the Malice Domestic recognition of Best Contemporary Novel!
Fatal Cajun Festival is the fifth book in the ‘Cajun Country Mystery’ cozy series written by Ellen Byron. I was lucky enough to get an early copy through NetGalley and happened to be current in the series so I could begin reading it this week. It will be published in early fall but you can pre-order it now via Amazon. Byron has another success on her hands, and I truly enjoyed the latest edition in this adorable and engaging series about crimes occurring on a Louisiana plantation.
Maggie’s grandmother helped organize a music festival in Pelican. A rising country singer who used to live in Pelican returns to sing for her hometown. In the days before her performance, we meet all the people in her band or running her team, then learn one of them is a former rival of Maggie’s good friend, Gay. Unfortunately, someone in the band causes trouble for a few people and winds up dead. Another person is attacked, and everything points to Gay. Maggie knows it’s not true, and even fakes a break-up with her fiance police detective, Bo, so she can unearth the scoop. Will she be successful, or will someone feed her to the alligators and snakes first?
Music and a southern Louisiana plantation go hand-in-hand. The drama that unfolds is clever and messy (in a good way) — there are a variety of strong suspects with believable alibis and motives. One of them is clearly being faked, but it’s not obvious at first. There are complex layers afoot in this mystery, and we only learn how everyone is connected, by accident, near the end. What an interesting way to assemble a band! Byron has created a compelling story with memorable characters, all the while dazzling us with subplots and side-stories about Maggie’s friends and families who aren’t involved directly in the murder mystery. For instance, Gran learns something about her late husband, and it changes her future. Maggie makes a decision about her own relationship’s future. And a few other characters get some unexpected surprises. Great way to keep viewers entertained while solving an investigation.
Byron’s books are easy to read. She wraps up her subplots. We see lots of characters who move the story along. And we never feel overwhelmed or confused. It’s a strong balance of all the things that belong in a cozy. It’s one of the series I’ve stayed super-current on so I can read the books when they first become available, rather than wait months or years to catch up. I look forward to the next one! Hurry up, please. 🙂
Byron guides the reader along at an assured pace and with excellent guidance in Fatal Cajun Festival. She smoothly interlaces history and an astounding but unique cast of characters (and suspects!).
I love the geographic details and the Louisiana setting, from the descriptions of the area to the unique turn of phrases. Plus, the recipes are wonderful!
This mystery did turn a little darker than I expected, and there were a number of breakneck events/reveals at the end that left me with a bit of whiplash.
A page-turner in a detailed setting that will keep the reader guessing and wanting to stay with the Crozat family longer.
This book was a great mental getaway. I love visiting Pelican and the Crozat family. In the latest book the town is hosting a music festival that will be held right before the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The headlining band features a local woman that won a singing competition and is now famous. A man is murdered and unfortunately one of Maggie’s friends is a prime suspect. Maggie feels like she has to help clear her friend of the crime. I love how family and friends band together in these books to help Maggie find clues that help solve the crime. The story comes together in a way that I didn’t expect and I was surprised by the ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Read it in a day! I am from Louisiana, so it was fun to read about stuff I know. I really enjoyed the story and loved all the characters. This is the first book I’ve read in the series, and I look forward to reading the rest!
Ellen Byron cooks up some new fun in this murderous romp involving a country music festival and a local girl who won a TV singing competition and became a national star. Maggie Crozat and her friends all remember Tammy Barker from high school, and the memories aren’t all good. Still, Tammy seems to be making an effort to be friendly, but Maggie suspects she has it in for her friend, Gaynell, a singer with the talent to upstage Tammy. When a member of Tammy’s entourage is fried onstage, Tammy makes sure Gaynell is blamed, sending Maggie into action to solve the crime. As with all the other books in this series, the setting details are so vivid I can smell the Cajun cooking and feel the humid kiss of the bayou. A solid mystery with some surprising twists kept me guessing until the killer was revealed.
Full of cajun flair and fun, this series is always sure to entertain. The characters are heartwarming and the mystery drew me right in. I have read this series from the beginning and really enjoy the evolution of the characters over time. Two big thumbs up!
https://cozyexperience.com/fatal-cajun-festival-book-review/
Fatal Cajun Festival is an engaging cozy mystery that will have your craving etouffee and a beignet. Fatal Cajun Festival by Ellen Byron is the fifth A Cajun Country Mystery. This is a series that I recommend reading in order because it will allow you to get to know the characters and the town. I enjoy Ellen Byron’s conversational writing style. Her story welcomes you and I soon find myself immersed in the story. There is a great cast of characters in A Cajun Country Mystery series. I like their Southern charm and Louisiana quirkiness. Maggie comes from a close family and lives with her grandmother, Charlotte. Maggie was happy to put her wedding plans on the back burner to help with the festival. She designed the graphics for the festival and is also making the pralines (they are yummy) to sell at the Pelican Praline booth. Unfortunately, the Crozat B&B kitchen is off limits thanks to Tammy and her entourage with their special meal requests. Maggie must rely on the kindness of her friends and relatives for the use of their kitchens. I liked Gaynell with her sweet demeanor and beautiful voice. Gaynell and the Gator Girls played lively tunes that set my toes to tapping. I thought the mystery was clever from the way the individual was killed to the killer. You need to pay careful attention to the clues, or you will end up fingering the wrong person. Charlotte is sorting through her belongings and uncovers some information about her deceased husband that raises questions and sends her on a journey. The joyful ending will have you beaming. At the end of the book there are a couple of recipes including one for pecan pralines. Fatal Cajun Festival is a harmonious cozy mystery with lip-smacking pecan pralines, toe tapping Cajun tunes, a dramatic diva, an electric stage, a clever killer and a sneaky sleuth.
I just love this author. And this series never disappoints. All the characters are so well developed. We got to see all our lovable peeps from earlier books in the series. Maggie is one of my favorites. The story kept me guessing all the way to the end. My favorite thing about the series is how it’s set in Louisiana. Also, the books can be read as stand alone or in any order. I’ve only been to Louisiana one time but I absolutely loved it. It’s so magical, whether in the country or the city.
**Thank you NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review**
“Fatal Cajun Festival” the 5th installment in the “A Cajun Country Mysteries” by Ellen Byron. Even though this is the first book I have read in the series I was able to follow along easily so it can be read as a stand alone. I really enjoyed it and practically read in one sitting and have since purchased the other books in the series.
Louisiana B&B owner Maggie Crozat kicks up her heels at a country music festival–but she’ll have one foot in the grave if she can’t bring the killer of a diva’s hanger-on to heel.
Grab your tickets for Cajun Country Live!, the pickers’ and crooners’ answer to the legendary New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Maggie Crozat, proprietor of the Crozat Plantation B&B, plans to be in the cheering section when her friend Gaynell Bourgeois takes the stage with her band, Gaynell and the Gator Girls.
The festival’s headliner, native daughter Tammy Barker, rocketed to stardom on a TV singing competition. She has the voice of an angel…and the personality of a devilish diva. But Maggie learns that this tiny terror carries a grudge against Gaynell. She’s already sabotaged the Gator Girls’ JazzFest audition. When a member of Tammy’s entourage is murdered at the festival, Tammy makes sure Gaynell is number one on the suspect list.
Gaynell has plenty of company on that list–including every one of Tammy’s musicians. Posing as a groupie, Maggie infiltrates Tammy’s band and will have to hit all the right notes to clear her friend’s name.
The protagonist Maggie is a strong, independent woman. The characters are well rounded and seem real as I could relate to each of them. I especially loved Maggie’s family as they provide humor, quirkiness especially her feisty grand-mère. The town of Pelican Cove, Louisiana is interesting too.
The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and there are plenty of twists and turns in this story, and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end. The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down.
I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.
I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.