A Feisty Plot..
The third in the Vintage Cookbook series of mysteries and Halloween in New Orleans is well underway with all manner of frights planned. Things, however, are about to get very real indeed when it becomes clear that murder is afoot. With an array of eclectic characters populating a fast moving and feisty plot, a snippy narrative and a dazzlingly atmospheric setting this is a fast, fun and frothy mystery.

Ricki James-Diaz and the rest of the staff are preparing for Halloween in New Orleans by turning the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum into a haunted house. The personal assistant of their new neighbor, Hollywood star Blaine Taggart, is making things difficult for the Bon Vee crew by filing various and superfluous complaints against them. When the Bon Vee’s shed-turned mausoleum becomes the final resting place for Miranda, Ricki gets caught up in another criminal investigation.

FRENCH QUARTER FRIGHT NIGHT is the first Vintage Cookbook Mystery that I’ve read, but I’m planning to go back and check out the first two novels in the series. The cast of characters is very fun, and Ricki’s search into her ancestry is compelling. Ellen Byron really brings New Orleans to life, and I’m now determined to visit the city during the Halloween season. Overall, the story moved quickly, and I was kept guessing as to the identity of the killer until the end. I highly recommend this series to cozy mystery fans.

Ricki and the others at the Bon Vee Culinary Museum are busy getting ready for the Halloween festivities and planning a haunted house. However, the new owners of the mansion nest door are causing problems. Miranda Fine, who is the assistant to the mystery owner, is barraging them with complaints.

All of the residents have various acrimonious confrontations with Miranda. When it is learned that she is the assistant for Blaine Taggart, A-list movie star and best friend of Ricki's late husband, the situation gets even more complex for Ricki. And when Miranda's body is found as a centerpiece in one of Bon Vee's Halloween displays, it is up to Ricki to help the police solve the crime since she and her friends are in the suspects' pool.

Meanwhile, Ricki is also looking into her family tree. Adopted as an infant in New Orleans, she wants to find any possible remaining relatives. Having tracked down part of her family and finding that she's related to the founder of Bon Vee, she's been trying to find out about the male line. She is quite surprised to find that the murder Victim is a distant relative, but it does give her another thread to tug to find out about her history.

This was another fun episode in the Vintage Cookbook series. I liked that some recipes from vintage cookbooks were included.

The third in a series of the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, Halloween comes to New Orleans and the staff of Bon Vee are in for a frightful time. Gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz has her ghostly past invade her quaint life in the form of Blaine Taggart, movie star and former best friend of her deceased ex husband Chris. Blaine wants something and Ricki isn’t sure what that is just yet, but when Blaine’s nasty assistant Miranda Fine winds up in the Bon Vee’s haunted house crypt it becomes a who done it in this Halloween romp gone wrong. This campy mystery brings together the wholesomeness of found family with the thrilling murder mystery’s of old.

I enjoy all the books in the series. I would recommend this book as a good read. What not to love Halloween in New Orleans a haunted house and a dead body found in a fake tomb.








.

"French Quarter Fright Night” the 3rd instalment in A Vintage Cookbook Mystery series by Ellen Byron. I love this series! Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .

I absolutely loved this story, full of more family secrets, Halloween and a new fluff ball named Red!

I really like Ricki, Zellah, Lyla, Eugenia and Victoria. Once again I enjoyed the interaction between Ricki and Detective Rodriguez. The author is great at building a community you become invested in and you want to be apart of it.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and had plenty of twists to keep engaged right to the very end.The story moves at a steady pace, and I had a hard time putting it down. I also liked how the author left the ending making us wait in anticipation for book 4.

I highly recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. I can’t wait for book three!

I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Severn House and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

FRENCH QUARTER FRIGHT NIGHT is the third book in the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries by Ellen Byron. Halloween in New Orleans is as over-the-top decadent as you can imagine and with a murder thrown into the mix, protagonist Ricki James-Diaz’s investigation is frightfully fun! Ms. Byron’s trademark humor and Halloween puns are out in full force, providing lots of chuckles, while her memorable characters make the story come alive on the pages. And, of course, the tempting descriptions of New Orleans and Halloween celebrations are enough to make anyone pack their bags and head south for a visit. This third book turned out to be my favorite so far… things are coming together for Ricki and she’s finding answers about herself and moving forward after the death of her husband. I enjoyed the addition of the blast from Ricki’s past, which provided the catalyst for the discoveries and added to the mystery.

The author theatrically sets the stage for murder and while I was pretty certain I knew who would get bumped off, the spooky scene was fitting for Halloween. With a fast-paced plot and lots of action going on with Halloween shenanigans, it was nearly impossible to put the book down. I liked Ricki doesn’t try to solve the crime all on her own but instead, relies on her friends and co-workers to hunt down clues and keep each other safe. There were suspects aplenty and some red herrings to throw the reader as the clues fell into place. But truthfully, this is such a fun book I couldn’t help but sit back and enjoy the tricks and treats!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a terrific spooky story for the Halloween season. This book 3 in a series will make you dash back and read the previous two. Recommended!

The characters are quirky and memorable. The setting is quite perfect for intrigue and mystery. The combination of humor and mystery make for a fast page turner. Loved it!

A cozy mystery set during Halloween in New Orleans.

I've not read the first books in this series, so I was a little worried about getting to know the characters. It turns out that the author does an excellent job at filling in the gaps, so jumping in on the third book didn't negatively impact my experience at all!

I liked the diverse cast of characters and the theming for Halloween was great! This was a fun read and I'll definitely be checking out other installments in the Vintage Cookbook Mystery series!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

new orleans on halloween, count me in! i have read the other 2 books in this series and have thoroughly enjoyed them. i would recommend reading the others as you get a little more information about ricki, but its not totally necessary.
this is just your typical cozy mystery:)

The author has two mystery series as well as a novel in print. This book is the third installment of the Vintage Cookbook mysteries. Set in New Orleans at halloween.
The Bon Vee culinary house museum consists of Ricki Fleur De Lis James- Diaz who is the proprietor of the Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware shop. She is looking for her birth parents. Zeliah Batiste is an artist and cafe manager. Eugenia Charbonnet Felice is President of the Bon Vee Foundation. Olivia Felice is Eugenia's grandaughter and is is also Ricki's intern. Theo is Eugenia's nephew. Cookie Yanover works at Bon Vee and Virgil Morel is the ex lover of Ricki and is an accomplished chef and owner of the Bayou Backyard.
Ricki has had previous dealings with Detectives Nina Rodriguez and Sam Girard.
When movie star Blaine Taggart buys the house next door to Eugenia's house in the Garden district that problems start. Blaine is the reason that Ricki's husband Chris is deceased. When Ricki complains about annoying problems she is given no help from Miranda Fine who is Blaine's assistant.
When Miranda is found murdered and Ricki finds that she is related to the woman that Ricki's amateur detective senses are awoken again.
A new author to me but enjoyable. I love NOLA so any book based there is good. Also a few interesting recipes to try out! Very good. Recommended.

Halloween is celebration time in New Orleans and the staff at Bon Vee Culinary House Museum get in the spirit by setting up an over-the-top haunted house tour. Ricki looks forward to increased vintage cookbook shop traffic and isn't happy having to deal with new neighbor in the mansion next door who complains about multiple issues. When Rciki decides to confront the owner she finds she's dealing with Miranda Fine, Personal assitant to Blaine Taggart. Taggart was the last person Ricki expected to see. He and her deceased husband worked together in LA and Ricki holds Taggart responsible for her husband's death. When Miranda's body is found in Bon Vee's Halloween tomb Ricki can't resist putting her amateur detective hat on under her witches hat. Who would want to kill Miranda? It seems the suspects are many and it's up to Ricki to sort through motives to find the killer, especially since Bon Vee staff are among them.
This is # 3 in in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series. Once again Byron captures the ambiance of New Orleans with setting, food and interesting characters. Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House for the ARC.

I really like this series, from main character Ricki to the quirky assortment of secondary characters. In this installment, I enjoyed the L.A. underbelly come to NOLA, the way Ricki stands up to Virgil and refuses to be taken for granted, and the way Ricki stands up to other people too. I love that she's not swayed by the idea of fame.

I also like that various characters are likeable but at the same time irritating. Ricki's watchfulness for Olivia is nice, even though Olivia annoys me some.

The plotting was a little convoluted, but the whole thing was still a fun, escapist journey.

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's nearly Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum have decide to set up a haunted house, much to the disgust of their new next door neighbour who seems more interested in frightening them out of business.

But when the new owner is revealed to be someone from Ricki's past and the dead body of one of his staff stashed in the haunted house things take a spooky turn.

This is the first novel from the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries that I have read.

Having been a big fan of Byron's Cajun Country Mysteries, I was interested to see how this stacked up. Once again Byron delivered on mystery with a distinctive New Orleans flair.

A great book to get yourself this Halloween.

Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop owner, Ricki James-Diaz is still searching for her relatives in this third installment of A Vintage Cookbook cozy series by Ellen Byron. The Bon Vee mansion is preparing for a huge haunted house celebration and unfortunately, one of Ricki’s long-lost relatives is found murdered in a ‘tomb’ Mordant set up for Halloween. Curiously, the victim's employer is a man Ricki blames for her husband’s death years before. This man, Blaine Taggert, just showed up out-of-the blue and purchased the mansion next door to Bon Vee!

Aided by the wonderful, eclectic cast of supporting characters from the previous two stories, protagonist, Ricki follows the spooky path of twists and turns the author has skillfully prepared for reader’s enjoyment. The pacing is swift with lots of action and some humor. The ending offers a satisfying conclusion to several threads of the storyline. Recipes included!

I honestly read and reviewed an unedited arc provided by NetGalley and Severn House Publishing. All opinions are my own.

This is the 3rd book in the Vintage Cookbook Mystery series by Ellen Byron. Ms. Byron, once again, captures New Orleans with both her setting and her characters. Ricki James Diaz operates the Vintage Cookbook Shop inside the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, located in one of the grand old houses of New Orleans’ Garden District. When the mysterious new next door neighbors start a legal harassment campaign of the museum, everyone’s concerned about what will happen next. With Halloween rapidly approaching, the Bon Vee’s Haunted House fundraiser weekends are anticipated to be a big moneymaker. But the discovery of a dead body during the preview night isn’t part of the plans. The story also delves into Ricki’s search for her past and occupies a good bit of the story. This was the first I’d read in this series and, while it can be read as a stand-alone, I think reading the first two books would make it easier to understand Ricki’s backstory and family history.

This is the third installment of The Vintage Cookbook Mysteries.

All of the characters are so well done and they are all hilarious, in their own ways.

It's Halloween in New Orleans and the Bon Vee Culinary Museum is in full spooky mood. Having received permission to hold a haunted house, they are gearing up for a huge crowd. Until the new neighbors next door start a campaign to shut them down.
3, 2024
Full of good stuff, I adore this series.

NetGalley/ Severn September 03, 2024

French Quarter Fright Night was the perfect spooky season cozy mystery! I have not read the previous books in the series but that didn’t stop me from loving this one!

Having lived in New Orleans for 3 years, this was such a fun read!
Ricki James-Diaz is working at a beautiful garden district historical home-turned-museum, The Bon Vee Culinary House Museum. Ricki and her co-workers are anxiously preparing for spooky season as Halloween soon approaches. They have so many fun tours planned for their patrons. All is going smoothly until new neighbors move into the home next door and file complaints for noise and various other things. Much to Ricki's dismay, this new neighbor is none other than movie star Blaine Taggart and his staff. Ricki has a bitter past with Blaine after he filmed the incident that led to her husband's death. But Ricki's dislike of Blaine is the least of Bon Vee's concerns when a body is found amidst their haunted house decor.
This cozy mystery brought the New Orleans spirit to life! This was the 3rd in a series but I had not read the first 2 and it did not take away from the plot. I do want to go back and read the others as I would love more back story on the characters. Ricki is fun, youthful, and intelligent. The story was light, easy to follow, and enjoyable. Overall 4.5 stars! A little "lull" period in the beginning, it was off to a slower start. I did not mind it as the New Orleans details were fun for me but these details may be a bit of a slow-burn for other readers.
Thanks to NetGalley, Severn House, and Ellen Byron for an ARC and the chance to give my honest feedback!