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Vintage Cookbook Mystery #3
French Quarter Fright Night
The third in the fabulous cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron.
Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .
It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is setting up a fantastic haunted house tour for their visitors. But when flashy movie star Blaine Taggart and his entourage move into the mansion next door, gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz gets a fright of her own.
While Ricki is excited about the potential business the tours will bring to her vintage cookbook shop, she's less thrilled by former friend Blaine's arrival in town. Then Bon Vee's prop tomb becomes a real tomb for Blaine's nasty assistant, and suddenly everyone at Bon Vee is a murder suspect. There isn't a ghost of a chance one of them committed the crime, but with NOPD busy tackling the mischief and mayhem generated by the spooky holiday, it falls on Ricki and her friends to catch the killer.
As the Big Easy gears up for the Big Scary, it seems everyone has skeletons in their closets. Can Ricki reveal the shadowy killer before someone else becomes part of the Halloween horror show?
Welcome to the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear! Prepare for the spookiest night of your life . . .
It's Halloween in New Orleans, and the staff of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is setting up a fantastic haunted house tour for their visitors. But when flashy movie star Blaine Taggart and his entourage move into the mansion next door, gift shop proprietor Ricki James-Diaz gets a fright of her own.
While Ricki is excited about the potential business the tours will bring to her vintage cookbook shop, she's less thrilled by former friend Blaine's arrival in town. Then Bon Vee's prop tomb becomes a real tomb for Blaine's nasty assistant, and suddenly everyone at Bon Vee is a murder suspect. There isn't a ghost of a chance one of them committed the crime, but with NOPD busy tackling the mischief and mayhem generated by the spooky holiday, it falls on Ricki and her friends to catch the killer.
As the Big Easy gears up for the Big Scary, it seems everyone has skeletons in their closets. Can Ricki reveal the shadowy killer before someone else becomes part of the Halloween horror show?
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2024
78 people are currently reading
741 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Byron
21 books1,652 followersEllen is the bestselling, Agatha and Lefty Award-winning author of the Cajun Country Mysteries, the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, the Catering Hall Mystery series (which she writes under the name Maria DiRico), and the Golden Motel Mysteries.
Ellen is also award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.
She is a lifetime member of the Writers Guild of America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
August 24, 2024
One of my favorite cozy mystery writers has a new book coming out in early September.
French Quarter Fright Night
by Ellen Bryon is a charming and engaging cozy mystery that highlights New Orleans’s culture, food, and history. It’s the third book in the Vintage Cookbook Cozy Mystery series featuring Ricki James-Diaz and a wonderful assortment of supporting characters.
Ricki is a California transplant who has moved back to her birth city. She’s turned 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. Ricki’s gift shop features vintage cookbooks and kitchenware.
With Halloween approaching, the staff of the museum are gearing up for their haunted house tours for their visitors. When movie star and Ricki’s former friend Blaine Taggart and his support staff move into the mansion next door, things start to go wrong. When a body is found in the museum yard’s prop tomb, everyone in both mansions becomes a suspect, along with a few other characters.
Ricki is a likeable person that makes friends easily, but she has trust issues due to her backstory. She is a softy at heart, organized, honest, and adept at telling when people are lying. There are many characters, but there is a character list at the front of the book for reference. For those who have read the prior books in the series, there are several repeat characters among the museum employees and the New Orleans detectives. This also makes it easy to keep track of the characters.
The author is a great storyteller. As always, the world-building and characterization are great. The story is well-plotted and contains a few twists and several red herrings. I enjoyed the humor that the author intersperses throughout the novel along with visits with the various animals. Thor and Princess are the canines Ricki co-parents with her neighbor and Gumbo and Jambalaya are the peacocks at the museum. The introduction of a kitten at the museum added additional humor and warmth to the story. Threads of found family, friendship, connections, communication, genealogy, and intimidation add depth to the novel. At the end of the book are some recipes from a variety of vintage cookbooks as well as some information about the cookbooks themselves.
Overall, this was an entertaining novel with some tense moments that kept me engaged throughout. This series is best read in order. The earlier books fill in Ricki’s background and readers can see her character grow over time. Those who enjoy cozy mysteries with an amateur sleuth will likely enjoy this series. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the next book in the series.
Severn House and Ellen Byron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for September 3, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.32 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Ricki is a California transplant who has moved back to her birth city. She’s turned 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. Ricki’s gift shop features vintage cookbooks and kitchenware.
With Halloween approaching, the staff of the museum are gearing up for their haunted house tours for their visitors. When movie star and Ricki’s former friend Blaine Taggart and his support staff move into the mansion next door, things start to go wrong. When a body is found in the museum yard’s prop tomb, everyone in both mansions becomes a suspect, along with a few other characters.
Ricki is a likeable person that makes friends easily, but she has trust issues due to her backstory. She is a softy at heart, organized, honest, and adept at telling when people are lying. There are many characters, but there is a character list at the front of the book for reference. For those who have read the prior books in the series, there are several repeat characters among the museum employees and the New Orleans detectives. This also makes it easy to keep track of the characters.
The author is a great storyteller. As always, the world-building and characterization are great. The story is well-plotted and contains a few twists and several red herrings. I enjoyed the humor that the author intersperses throughout the novel along with visits with the various animals. Thor and Princess are the canines Ricki co-parents with her neighbor and Gumbo and Jambalaya are the peacocks at the museum. The introduction of a kitten at the museum added additional humor and warmth to the story. Threads of found family, friendship, connections, communication, genealogy, and intimidation add depth to the novel. At the end of the book are some recipes from a variety of vintage cookbooks as well as some information about the cookbooks themselves.
Overall, this was an entertaining novel with some tense moments that kept me engaged throughout. This series is best read in order. The earlier books fill in Ricki’s background and readers can see her character grow over time. Those who enjoy cozy mysteries with an amateur sleuth will likely enjoy this series. I can’t wait to see where the author takes the next book in the series.
Severn House and Ellen Byron provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for September 3, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
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My 4.32 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
July 6, 2024
Halloween is my favorite season, and when I learned the third book in Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook Mysteries, French Quarter Fright Night, would focus on a murder taking place during a Halloween event, I was super psyched. And wow, did it deliver! The cast is well developed, brimming with over-the-top personalities, a macabre sense of humor, an elegant matriarch whom Ricki recently discovers is an unknown family relation, and a lovely tour of the Garden District in New Orleans. In this installment, Ricki's deceased husband's best friend, a famous actor, appears in town, and his assistant wrecks havoc on the neighborhood. It prompts a mini-war between the museum and its new neighbor, and someone is found murdered during the Halloween shenanigans. Lots of hidden truths swim to the surface, including new DNA connections for Ricki herself. How does it all fit together?
What a gorgeous setting and clever set of characters where numerous side stories seamlessly weave their way through the plot without being distractions. Ricki's quest to discover how she's related to the museum's owner creates small ripples that eventually flood the dramatic climax of the story, leaving us closer to the truth but not in its entirety. On another level, the discovery of the murderer's identity and conclusion of the mystery offers Ricki some closure on her own husband's death, prompting her to accept the path for moving forward. And on top of it all... we get an intoxicating tour of New Orleans with delicious scents, sounds, and visuals. Who wouldn't love diving into this series? Highly recommended!
What a gorgeous setting and clever set of characters where numerous side stories seamlessly weave their way through the plot without being distractions. Ricki's quest to discover how she's related to the museum's owner creates small ripples that eventually flood the dramatic climax of the story, leaving us closer to the truth but not in its entirety. On another level, the discovery of the murderer's identity and conclusion of the mystery offers Ricki some closure on her own husband's death, prompting her to accept the path for moving forward. And on top of it all... we get an intoxicating tour of New Orleans with delicious scents, sounds, and visuals. Who wouldn't love diving into this series? Highly recommended!
October 7, 2024
3.5 stars
In this third book in the 'Vintage Cookbook Mystery' series, a murder victim is found in a Halloween horror exhibit. The book works fine as a standalone.
*****
Thirtyish cookbook enthusiast Miracle Fleur de Lis James-Diaz (aka Ricki James-Diaz) was born in New Orleans, spent many years in California, and is now back in the Big Easy.
Ricki owns and runs a gift shop, called Miss Vee's Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop.....
......in a New Orleans attraction called 'Bon Vee Culinary House Museum.'
The museum is located in a refurbished mansion, and Ricki has an idea for attracting more visitors during the Halloween season. Ricki suggests converting the Culinary House Museum into a haunted house, and calling the spooky attraction 'Bon Veeevil.'
This notion goes over big with the museum's manager and employees, and everyone gets on board to make it happen. Suggestions include a tomb with a dead body; an elderly abandoned bride in a soiled gown; a bubbling cauldron with witches; zombies and vampires; cobwebs and bats; etc.
Everything is going well at the Culinary House Museum until Hollywood heartthrob Blaine Taggert - whom Ricki knew when she lived in California - buys the mansion next door, called Duncan-Sejour.
The Duncan-Sejour mansion is being prepared for Blaine's arrival by his assistant, Miranda Fine, who's a difficult combative woman.
Miranda sends complaint after complaint to the head of the Culinary House Museum, grousing about the attraction's trash bins, parking allotment, noisy visitors, and more. The museum folks fear the Halloween haunted house will really send Miranda over the edge, but that doesn't happen.
When Blaine and his entourage arrive in town, it turns out the movie star knows nothing about Miranda's harassment campaign, and he makes her stop. Blaine even agrees to turn Duncan-Sejour into a Halloween haunted house alongside the museum's spooky exhibit.
The two mansions are set up with the requisite frightening rooms and a 'dress rehearsal' is scheduled. Shockingly, the 'dead body' in Bon Veeevil's tomb turns out to be all too real: it's Miranda Fine, who's been murdered.
Amateur sleuth Ricki is afraid all the people at the Culinary House Museum, including herself, will be suspects, and she decides to investigate the homicide herself. Ricki even gets a grudging 'okay' from police detective Nina Rodriguez, whom Ricki has helped in the past. The only caveat is that Ricki has to immediately share any information she gets with Nina.
Fans of cozy mysteries know how this goes: Ricky sneaks around; sticks her nose in everywhere; follows people; asks questions; searches for clues; and manages to make some discoveries.
Before the perpetrator is discovered, there's a second incident, involving a fire, which raises the stakes all around. All this leads to an exciting climax where the culprit is revealed.
Additional plotlines add interest to the story. For example, Ricki was abandoned by her birth mother and raised in an adoptive home. As an adult, Ricki is searching for biological relatives, and she's having some success.
Also, Ricki and her neighbor Virgil - a famous television chef - are co-parenting two dogs called Thor and Princess. There's an attraction between Ricki and Virgil, and the possibility of romantic sparks.
Of course, the book's setting, New Orleans during Halloween, provides a wonderful ambiance for the story. The Big Easy is decorated; the pubs have beer crawls and Halloweenie contests; people wear costumes; and there's lots of partying and jollity.
Like her character Ricki James-Diaz, author Ellen Byron is a fan of vintage cookbooks, and the end of the book includes recipes from Byron's collection, such as Popcorn Balls and a Jack-O'-Lantern Cheese Ball.
Popcorn Balls
Jack-O'-Lantern Cheese Ball
This is a fun cozy mystery that's especially appropriate for the Halloween season.
Thanks to Netgalley, Ellen Byron, and Severn House for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
August 30, 2024
I just love this Cozy-Mystery Series! This installment is set at Halloween and if you are looking for a holiday themed book, this is a great choice. The series is about Ricki's ongoing search for her birth family, her business located at the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum and getting her life back together. This time Ricki must come to terms with the man who watched her husband die while filming his last crazy stunt. No warm fuzzies or letting bygones be bygones. Ricki is in no mood to forgive and forget, but she will help him find the murderer of his personal assistant, but that is only to prevent the police from pinning the murder on her or her friends at Bon Vee.
In the city that needs no excuse to celebrate, New Orleans goes all out for Halloween. The staff at Bon Vee Culinary House Museum have decided to host a Haunted House Tour, Bon Veeevil, and are excited about the special tours. It will be fun to annoy the new next-door neighbor who has done nothing but harass then since they moved in. Having had enough, Ricki confronts the personal assistant of the new owner and demands the complaints stop. Little did Ricki James-Diaz know that this just might become a motive for murder.
On a dark and stormy night, the nasty assistant meets her end in the Bon-Vee prop tomb. But the most shocking thing is that the new owner next door turns out to be Hollywood heartthrob, Blaine Taggert, who was the best friend of Nicki's husband and the person who filmed his last fatal stunt.
Because Niki and friends have been helpful in the past, the NOPD detective in charge gives her unofficial permission for Ricki to snoop around. But Ricki would prefer to stay as far away from Blaine as possible, but that isn't going to be easy when he turns up everywhere she goes. No shortage of suspect here, including Blaine, so Ricki has her work cut out for her.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
In the city that needs no excuse to celebrate, New Orleans goes all out for Halloween. The staff at Bon Vee Culinary House Museum have decided to host a Haunted House Tour, Bon Veeevil, and are excited about the special tours. It will be fun to annoy the new next-door neighbor who has done nothing but harass then since they moved in. Having had enough, Ricki confronts the personal assistant of the new owner and demands the complaints stop. Little did Ricki James-Diaz know that this just might become a motive for murder.
On a dark and stormy night, the nasty assistant meets her end in the Bon-Vee prop tomb. But the most shocking thing is that the new owner next door turns out to be Hollywood heartthrob, Blaine Taggert, who was the best friend of Nicki's husband and the person who filmed his last fatal stunt.
Because Niki and friends have been helpful in the past, the NOPD detective in charge gives her unofficial permission for Ricki to snoop around. But Ricki would prefer to stay as far away from Blaine as possible, but that isn't going to be easy when he turns up everywhere she goes. No shortage of suspect here, including Blaine, so Ricki has her work cut out for her.
My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
October 13, 2024
I love the New Orleans setting, and the recipes at the end ! Good mystery and interesting characters , I will read another 🌙🐈🎊 p.s. A few annoyances as far as believability and chemistry….
July 29, 2024
"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.
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.
June 9, 2024
Halloween is on the horizon, and New Orleans is gearing up like crazy, as it does for all holidays. In Ellen Byron's third Vintage Cookbook Mystery, French Quarter Fright Night, Ricki James-Diaz, proprietor of the vintage cookbook and housewares shop in the Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, is looking forward to participating in the festivities, along with her friends and coworkers. But trouble looms when popular movie star Blaine Taggart moves into the mansion next door, and one of his staff is soon found dead in a haunted house tomb that is part of the upcoming Festival of Fear. Ricki immediately feels involved because she blames Blaine in part for the death of her ex-husband. And she learns that the murder victim, who was a stranger to her. used her as a reference to get the job with Blaine.
What ensues is a typical cozy mystery plot, written by a seasoned writer: a fun and fascinating plethora of characters, some of whom are murder suspects; a delightfully entertaining Big Easy setting heightened by Halloween season merrymaking; the reappearance of Ricki's errant boyfriend, and Ricki's quest to find family members she has never met. I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with familiar characters and meet new ones, and although the reveal of the murderer could have been better grounded, I found this book easy to ready and ultimately satisfying.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of the book.
What ensues is a typical cozy mystery plot, written by a seasoned writer: a fun and fascinating plethora of characters, some of whom are murder suspects; a delightfully entertaining Big Easy setting heightened by Halloween season merrymaking; the reappearance of Ricki's errant boyfriend, and Ricki's quest to find family members she has never met. I appreciated the opportunity to spend time with familiar characters and meet new ones, and although the reveal of the murderer could have been better grounded, I found this book easy to ready and ultimately satisfying.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of the book.
September 3, 2024
Ricki James-Diaz has returned to New Orleans after living in Los Angeles for several years and enjoys the friendships she has made as well as running her vintage cookbook and kitchenware shop inside a historic home and museum. The Bon Vee Culinary House Museum is going all out to create a haunted house for the Halloween season. Ricki is excited until a friend of her deceased husband arrives from Hollywood to live in the mansion next door. When Blaine's assistant is killed, Ricki and her friends have to prove none of them are guilty of the crime.
The New Orleans setting and the theme of vintage cookbooks make this a unique series. It's fun with a lot of quirky characters that work well with the setting. I like that Ricki has the support of her friends in this investigation and that the detective on the case is starting to trust Ricki's observations. I thought Ricki seemed immature in the first two books of the series, but she has grown some since then and I liked her a lot more in this book.
The complicated investigation is resolved by the end of the book but Ricki's search for her birth family, as well as her potential romance with her neighbor, a handsome celebrity chef, have developments that I'm looking forward to seeing in the next book. The author includes recipes from vintage cookbooks at the end of the book.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Severn House at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
The New Orleans setting and the theme of vintage cookbooks make this a unique series. It's fun with a lot of quirky characters that work well with the setting. I like that Ricki has the support of her friends in this investigation and that the detective on the case is starting to trust Ricki's observations. I thought Ricki seemed immature in the first two books of the series, but she has grown some since then and I liked her a lot more in this book.
The complicated investigation is resolved by the end of the book but Ricki's search for her birth family, as well as her potential romance with her neighbor, a handsome celebrity chef, have developments that I'm looking forward to seeing in the next book. The author includes recipes from vintage cookbooks at the end of the book.
I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Severn House at no cost, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.
September 3, 2024
She has done it again! I love this series by Ellen Byron, Ricki is a really interesting MC with so many life experiences already and many of them traumatic. I enjoy watching her fresh start in New Orleans, starting a new career, finding a new home, friends, and possibly family! Unfortunately, in this book, Ricki's past is going to follow her from California to New Orleans when a murder tied to the estate next door brings her ex-husband's friend and famous actor back into her life. Since Ricki holds Blaine Taggart partially responsible for her ex's death, he and his entourage are the last people she wants to deal with, but deal with them she must as the body of one of Blaine's employees is found in part of Bon Vee Culinary House Museum Halloween display. Can Ricki figure out what really happened, getting all her friends and fellow employees off the suspect list while avoiding Blaine Taggart? Will she find new suspects, or just more clues that affect her personal life? How is she related to everyone and everything involved in this case? Join Ricki and the Bon Vee crew for a wild and spirited quest!
September 21, 2024
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Halloween in New Orleans is made even better with the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear. The Bon Vee Culinary House Museum sets up a haunted house that they say will be the spookiest night of your life. Ricki James-Diaz knows the haunted tours will be great for business and a lot of fun too. But their new neighbor’s assistant is giving the museum a lot of flack. The new neighbor is Blaine Taggart, movie actor, and someone Ricki hoped she would never see again. Ricki has no choice when his disagreeable assistant is found dead in the fake tomb in Bon Vee’s Halloween display, especially when she and all the others at the museum fill the suspect list.
Spooky? Yes! Scary? Yes! But it looks like is going to be up to Ricki and her friends to bring the killer down before they have the ghost of a chance to kill again.
I am so happy this series has found a new home because these character’s stories were just beginning.
Ricki James-Diaz is getting comfortable in New Orleans and continues to learn more about her birth family. She is friendly, organized, likable, and quite an amateur sleuth. She shows strength in this story when part of her tragic past comes to town. The author has surrounded her protagonist with some quirky characters but they all feel genuine. I love all their interactions. They all continue to grow and entertain readers so well.
I enjoyed the Halloween theme and Ms. Bryon’s world-building. Her words painted vivid pictures of every scene and the characters that inhabited that scene. She pulls her readers in and holds them tight as the story unfolds. I am also a fan of vintage cookbooks. I would walk out of Ricki’s shop with bags of them. There are 5 yummy recipes after the story and one I have seen before and I agree with Ellen “Don’t make this recipe!” My mother tried to serve it once and it was an epic fail. The New Orleans setting always comes alive. Halloween must be a blast in the Big Easy.
Ms. Bryon has written a great mystery with twists, turns, and red herrings. There ended up being an abundance of suspects and several strange happenings that entangled the mystery. It all kept me guessing right up to the very end. Bringing people from Ricki’s Hollywood past was an excellent way to not only put forth a complicated mystery but to also give Ricki some closure. The author is also an expert in infusing humor in generous amounts throughout the entire story. I was caught laughing out loud more than once.
French Quarter Fright Night is a fabulous whodunit. I am truly invested in these characters and the sweet ending leaves me hoping for more Vintage Cookbook Mysteries. I highly recommend the entire series. You really can’t go wrong with anything written by Ellen Byron.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Severn House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Halloween in New Orleans is made even better with the Bon Veeevil Festival of Fear. The Bon Vee Culinary House Museum sets up a haunted house that they say will be the spookiest night of your life. Ricki James-Diaz knows the haunted tours will be great for business and a lot of fun too. But their new neighbor’s assistant is giving the museum a lot of flack. The new neighbor is Blaine Taggart, movie actor, and someone Ricki hoped she would never see again. Ricki has no choice when his disagreeable assistant is found dead in the fake tomb in Bon Vee’s Halloween display, especially when she and all the others at the museum fill the suspect list.
Spooky? Yes! Scary? Yes! But it looks like is going to be up to Ricki and her friends to bring the killer down before they have the ghost of a chance to kill again.
I am so happy this series has found a new home because these character’s stories were just beginning.
Ricki James-Diaz is getting comfortable in New Orleans and continues to learn more about her birth family. She is friendly, organized, likable, and quite an amateur sleuth. She shows strength in this story when part of her tragic past comes to town. The author has surrounded her protagonist with some quirky characters but they all feel genuine. I love all their interactions. They all continue to grow and entertain readers so well.
I enjoyed the Halloween theme and Ms. Bryon’s world-building. Her words painted vivid pictures of every scene and the characters that inhabited that scene. She pulls her readers in and holds them tight as the story unfolds. I am also a fan of vintage cookbooks. I would walk out of Ricki’s shop with bags of them. There are 5 yummy recipes after the story and one I have seen before and I agree with Ellen “Don’t make this recipe!” My mother tried to serve it once and it was an epic fail. The New Orleans setting always comes alive. Halloween must be a blast in the Big Easy.
Ms. Bryon has written a great mystery with twists, turns, and red herrings. There ended up being an abundance of suspects and several strange happenings that entangled the mystery. It all kept me guessing right up to the very end. Bringing people from Ricki’s Hollywood past was an excellent way to not only put forth a complicated mystery but to also give Ricki some closure. The author is also an expert in infusing humor in generous amounts throughout the entire story. I was caught laughing out loud more than once.
French Quarter Fright Night is a fabulous whodunit. I am truly invested in these characters and the sweet ending leaves me hoping for more Vintage Cookbook Mysteries. I highly recommend the entire series. You really can’t go wrong with anything written by Ellen Byron.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the Severn House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
October 11, 2024
Rounded up from 4.5
Just starting with Halloween in New Orleans is already delicious. Add in haunted houses, ancestry searches, murder and even an A-list Hollywood action star and you have the ingredients for fun twisty cozy and a master chef...er, storyteller..to bring it all together. Ricki James-Diaz recently returned to her hometown from LA and since then has set up a vintage cookbook and cookware gift shop in a museum in a stately mansion in the French Quarter. And since she's been there, she's assembled a found family with some great characters. And turns out there really is a familial relationship. And the body in the crypt of the obnoxious personal assistant to said actor.
Just starting with Halloween in New Orleans is already delicious. Add in haunted houses, ancestry searches, murder and even an A-list Hollywood action star and you have the ingredients for fun twisty cozy and a master chef...er, storyteller..to bring it all together. Ricki James-Diaz recently returned to her hometown from LA and since then has set up a vintage cookbook and cookware gift shop in a museum in a stately mansion in the French Quarter. And since she's been there, she's assembled a found family with some great characters. And turns out there really is a familial relationship. And the body in the crypt of the obnoxious personal assistant to said actor.
August 24, 2024
#FrenchQuarterFrightNight #NetGalley is the third book in the series and I liked it a lot. I did read the first book, but I struggled a bit. I wanted to give #FrenchQuarterFrightNight a try and I'm so glad I did. Ricki is a fun character and I enjoyed the storyline. I found the supporting characters to be colorful and quirky, which added to the story.
I'm going to read the first book again as well as the second.
I'd definitely suggest other readers give this series a try, it's definitely worth it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Solid 5 star review
I'm going to read the first book again as well as the second.
I'd definitely suggest other readers give this series a try, it's definitely worth it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.
Solid 5 star review
June 30, 2024
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!
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!
March 19, 2025
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!
This book follows a group of coworkers who work at a mansion in New Orleans. It is around Halloween so they are running a haunted house together. They get a new neighbor who is causing them trouble and then it is discovered that it is a famous actor. Ricki has a connection to this actor because he was friends with her dead husband. When the actor's assistant is killed, everyone is a suspect and Ricki and her friends work to find the killer.
This is the third book in a cozy mystery series.
Positives:
-Fun & likeable characters
-Halloween vibes
Negatives:
-Slow (lost my attention a bit)
-I didn't like the side "quest" of Ricki trying to find her birth family
I thought this was a decent cozy mystery. I liked all of the characters and the mystery was interesting enough. I thought it had some great Halloween vibes so I would recommend reading it around that time.
On the other hand, I do feel like the book drug on a bit. I didn't like some of the side stuff like trying to find Ricki's family. Maybe if I read others in the series I would have enjoyed that more. I was just a bit bored throughout.
This book follows a group of coworkers who work at a mansion in New Orleans. It is around Halloween so they are running a haunted house together. They get a new neighbor who is causing them trouble and then it is discovered that it is a famous actor. Ricki has a connection to this actor because he was friends with her dead husband. When the actor's assistant is killed, everyone is a suspect and Ricki and her friends work to find the killer.
This is the third book in a cozy mystery series.
Positives:
-Fun & likeable characters
-Halloween vibes
Negatives:
-Slow (lost my attention a bit)
-I didn't like the side "quest" of Ricki trying to find her birth family
I thought this was a decent cozy mystery. I liked all of the characters and the mystery was interesting enough. I thought it had some great Halloween vibes so I would recommend reading it around that time.
On the other hand, I do feel like the book drug on a bit. I didn't like some of the side stuff like trying to find Ricki's family. Maybe if I read others in the series I would have enjoyed that more. I was just a bit bored throughout.
September 10, 2024
Halloween in New Orleans (or anywhere, really) is a favorite of mine so this book had me in a festive mood. The mystery was well-paced and incorporated so much of the Halloween vibe that it made it even more thrilling. I loved investigating with Ricki and her friends and had no idea who the guilty party was until the reveal. The best part in this series, for me, is the ongoing search for Ricki’s family and it gets a lot of attention in this one. Can’t wait to see what else is revealed.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
September 11, 2025
I love this cute cozy series so much. It’s fun and easy, and NOLA!
October 14, 2025
Better than #2
Good mystery
Ricki's personal life is really annoying.
I love the dogs.
Red is a fantastic addition
Can we PLEASE lay off all the "personal affirmations"? Great googly moogly, they make me insane.
The [almost] end of the book was unexpected and sad.
Good mystery
Ricki's personal life is really annoying.
I love the dogs.
Red is a fantastic addition
Can we PLEASE lay off all the "personal affirmations"? Great googly moogly, they make me insane.
The [almost] end of the book was unexpected and sad.
September 8, 2024
This was like if a long-running daytime TV show geared toward older women had a Halloween Special.
While it had a strong sense of place and an autumnal theme, that was about where my enjoyment ended. The characters all behaved like vapid teenagers with dialogue that felt about 20 years out of date. The writing style was perfunctory with some odd word choices, childish self-censored cursing, weak characterization, and lack of hook. Some events and things had distracting, embarrassingly bad names (Bon Veeevil, Chriz-azy, OhNo!La, etc.). I also didn’t vibe with all the film and Hollywood stuff. I also thought Ricki’s involvement in solving the murder was implausible and unbelievable.
I haven’t read the other books in the series and, while this does a reasonable job at bringing us up to speed, there’s a lot of duplication, over-explaining, and a general lack of pull into the characters’ worlds. I didn’t really care that Miranda was sabotaging the shop, Ricki’s ancestry thread was just plain boring, the incestuous way that everyone was related was exhausting, and I’m sorry but could the author have picked a more bizarre way to kill Ricki’s husband? It’s so ridiculous, it’s almost funny… like something out of a comedy sketch.
I think this has its audience, particularly in perhaps older readers or those who enjoy low stakes mysteries, but it really wasn’t my thing. 🤷♀️
Thanks to Severn House for making this title available to try on NetGalley.
While it had a strong sense of place and an autumnal theme, that was about where my enjoyment ended. The characters all behaved like vapid teenagers with dialogue that felt about 20 years out of date. The writing style was perfunctory with some odd word choices, childish self-censored cursing, weak characterization, and lack of hook. Some events and things had distracting, embarrassingly bad names (Bon Veeevil, Chriz-azy, OhNo!La, etc.). I also didn’t vibe with all the film and Hollywood stuff. I also thought Ricki’s involvement in solving the murder was implausible and unbelievable.
I haven’t read the other books in the series and, while this does a reasonable job at bringing us up to speed, there’s a lot of duplication, over-explaining, and a general lack of pull into the characters’ worlds. I didn’t really care that Miranda was sabotaging the shop, Ricki’s ancestry thread was just plain boring, the incestuous way that everyone was related was exhausting, and I’m sorry but could the author have picked a more bizarre way to kill Ricki’s husband? It’s so ridiculous, it’s almost funny… like something out of a comedy sketch.
I think this has its audience, particularly in perhaps older readers or those who enjoy low stakes mysteries, but it really wasn’t my thing. 🤷♀️
Thanks to Severn House for making this title available to try on NetGalley.
July 25, 2024
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!
July 8, 2024
The iconic worlds of Hollywood and New Orleans collide in spectacular fashion in French Quarter Fright Night, the latest in Ellen Byron's delightful Vintage Cookbook Series. With Halloween on the way, shopkeeper and amateur sleuth Ricki James-Diaz and friends cook up an idea to take advantage of the Big Easy's love for a party by staging a haunted house at Bon Vee, the culinary house museum where they work.
Problems arise, though, when a woman living next door starts complaining about the goings on at Bon Vee. Things go from bad to worse when the complaining neighbor is found murdered in a crypt that's been decorated for Bon Vee's haunted house. In order to protect Bon Vee's, and their own, reputations, Ricki and her friends come together to figure out who murdered the young woman. If that isn't bad enough, the new owner of the house next door turns out to be none other than Hollywood action star Blaine Taggart. Not just an A-list celebrity, Taggart also happens to be the best friend of Ricki's deceased husband. Between a murder investigation, Halloween preparations, searching for information about her family's roots, and finding a home for a new cat, Ricki has enough on her plate to drive the most level headed sleuth bonkers, but that's life in New Orleans for her.
With a suspect list as long as a mummy's wrappings and a cast of characters more colorful than a rainbow, French Quarter Fright Night will keep you guessing late into the night. This fantastic whodunnit is truly filled with more twists and turns than the Mississippi River. Be sure to keep a flashlight handy while you're reading, because you never know when something may go bump in the night.
Problems arise, though, when a woman living next door starts complaining about the goings on at Bon Vee. Things go from bad to worse when the complaining neighbor is found murdered in a crypt that's been decorated for Bon Vee's haunted house. In order to protect Bon Vee's, and their own, reputations, Ricki and her friends come together to figure out who murdered the young woman. If that isn't bad enough, the new owner of the house next door turns out to be none other than Hollywood action star Blaine Taggart. Not just an A-list celebrity, Taggart also happens to be the best friend of Ricki's deceased husband. Between a murder investigation, Halloween preparations, searching for information about her family's roots, and finding a home for a new cat, Ricki has enough on her plate to drive the most level headed sleuth bonkers, but that's life in New Orleans for her.
With a suspect list as long as a mummy's wrappings and a cast of characters more colorful than a rainbow, French Quarter Fright Night will keep you guessing late into the night. This fantastic whodunnit is truly filled with more twists and turns than the Mississippi River. Be sure to keep a flashlight handy while you're reading, because you never know when something may go bump in the night.
January 20, 2025
This series is set in New Orleans and this book is set around Halloween. It involves a murder of the assistant to a movie star who has a connection to Ricki James-Diaz, the main character. She is searching for her birth parents besides trying to help the police solve the murder next door to where she works. The book was an easy read.
January 1, 2026
Hollywood has come to New Orleans bringing disruptive neighbors, chaos and, of course, murder! This is another entertaining installment in this fun series. The characters are quirky and engaging - yes, even the non-human ones. The Halloween theme adds a fun component to the mystery. A nice fall read!
August 25, 2024
French Quarter Fright Night is another enjoyable entry in Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook cozy series. I really enjoy the New Orleans setting as well as all the merchandise Ricki finds for her gift shop. I also liked seeing how folks in New Orleans get ready for Halloween.
There's a good mix of characters in this third book in the series. Ricki is likable and smart, and she certainly has an interesting mix of friends. Movie star Blaine Taggart is an interesting addition, often showing how celebrities seem to be from a different planet. Ricki's friend, Cookie the "recovering children's librarian" rapidly became tiresome with all her attempts to flaunt her charms right in Taggart's face, but there are others-- like Mordant "the human Eeyore" and college intern Olivia Felice-- who took my mind right off Cookie.
The mystery is a strong one that kept me guessing, and I liked the continuing search into Ricki's family history. If you like cozy mysteries with a strong sense of place and a good cast of characters, try Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook series. The first book is Bayou Book Thief.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
There's a good mix of characters in this third book in the series. Ricki is likable and smart, and she certainly has an interesting mix of friends. Movie star Blaine Taggart is an interesting addition, often showing how celebrities seem to be from a different planet. Ricki's friend, Cookie the "recovering children's librarian" rapidly became tiresome with all her attempts to flaunt her charms right in Taggart's face, but there are others-- like Mordant "the human Eeyore" and college intern Olivia Felice-- who took my mind right off Cookie.
The mystery is a strong one that kept me guessing, and I liked the continuing search into Ricki's family history. If you like cozy mysteries with a strong sense of place and a good cast of characters, try Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook series. The first book is Bayou Book Thief.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
December 26, 2024
Another fun, cozy, NOLa mystery.
September 3, 2024
"French Quarter Fright Night (A Vintage Cookbook Mystery #4)" by Ellen Byron is a very Halloween themed cozy mystery. Ricki and the other employees of Bon Vee are jumping into the New Orleans' spirit of celebrating Halloween by hosting haunted house tours. While they're getting ready for this their new neighbor is harassing them wait various complaints. Turns out the new neighbor is Ricki's deceased husband's best friend. A famous actor who was part of why Ricki's husband died. He's not actually in residence yet but his obnoxious assistant is. Then she's found, having replaced the fake dead body for the haunted house.
Ricki is actually asked by Nina, the detective, to keep an eye out for anything significant. So, of course Ricki takes this to mean she can investigate. In the process she may have found another side of her biological family. However, in the end, it was a bit closer to home for the victim not Ricki.
Ricki is actually asked by Nina, the detective, to keep an eye out for anything significant. So, of course Ricki takes this to mean she can investigate. In the process she may have found another side of her biological family. However, in the end, it was a bit closer to home for the victim not Ricki.
April 18, 2025
this one was my favorite so far
February 6, 2025
I really loved the town and the Halloween atmosphere of this book but it never really hooked me.
October 12, 2024
None of these characters are relatable or even believable.
This guy filmed Ricki's husband in the stunt that killed him, and all her friends are just like, but hot movie star though?!? And Ricki herself doesn't push it?
Olivia is written to be stupid, but she also stretches the bounds of stupidity.
Basically these characters only work if you're willing to lean into stereotypes and tropes.
I don't remember why I wanted to read this, the third book in the series.
This guy filmed Ricki's husband in the stunt that killed him, and all her friends are just like, but hot movie star though?!? And Ricki herself doesn't push it?
Olivia is written to be stupid, but she also stretches the bounds of stupidity.
Basically these characters only work if you're willing to lean into stereotypes and tropes.
I don't remember why I wanted to read this, the third book in the series.
August 31, 2024
I was so happy when this series got a new publishing home since I was definitely not done being caught up in NOLA with these amazing characters. I hope there’s more to come since there’s one continuing mystery that got solved, but I can see tons more stories for these folks.
This book was especially cool taking place during October leading up to Halloween in NOLA. It was a great armchair vacation as well as a twisty, fun mystery. I hadn’t seen the whodunit coming until it was there, and the showdown was short but effective. I love how Ricki had taken intern Olivia under her wing like a younger sister, but I was never sure Liv appreciated it until toward the end. A cute side story about a kitten had a good ending and while I’ve only known this author to use an epilogue when she’s ending a series, I really, really hope this one isn’t ending! It nicely wrapped up the three books, but I guess it’s just hard to let go of characters we’ve come to like so much as readers. Hoping for more but pretty happy with the ending if this was it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Severn House via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
This book was especially cool taking place during October leading up to Halloween in NOLA. It was a great armchair vacation as well as a twisty, fun mystery. I hadn’t seen the whodunit coming until it was there, and the showdown was short but effective. I love how Ricki had taken intern Olivia under her wing like a younger sister, but I was never sure Liv appreciated it until toward the end. A cute side story about a kitten had a good ending and while I’ve only known this author to use an epilogue when she’s ending a series, I really, really hope this one isn’t ending! It nicely wrapped up the three books, but I guess it’s just hard to let go of characters we’ve come to like so much as readers. Hoping for more but pretty happy with the ending if this was it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Severn House via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.
August 3, 2024
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.
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.
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