Braulio Brown

by Traci Andrighetti

Franki’s Thanksgiving is turning out to be a real turkey!

Thanksgiving is approaching, and yet for PI Franki Amato every holiday in New Orleans smacks of a Mardi Gras party. Prime example, she should be preparing a traditional turkey and ravioli dinner, but instead she has to deliver booze to a krewe brunch at an aquarium where mermaids happen to be performing. The delivery goes more or less swimmingly until one of the “gills” falls victim to foul play, and Franki finds herself in a sea of troubles. If she doesn’t identify the true culprit, she could end up in the tank—permanently.

Braulio Brown is a novella in the Franki Amato Mysteries, but it can be read as a standalone story. If you like zany characters and laugh-out-loud humor with a splash of suspense, then you’ll drink up this fun series by USA Today Bestselling Author Traci Andrighetti. Cheers!

FRANKI AMATO
Limoncello Yellow (book 1)
Prosecco Pink (book 2)
Amaretto Amber (book 3)
Campari Crimson (book 4)
Galliano Gold (book 5)
Marsala Maroon (book 6)
Valpolicella Violet (book 7)
Tuaca Tan (book 8)
Nocino Noir (book 9)
Braulio Brown (Thanksgiving novella)
Sambuca Scarlet (book 10)

To find out what Franki’s up to between the books, join Traci’s newsletter on her website to get Mini Comedy Mysteries for FREE!

“The good times roll in Traci Andrighetti’s Franki Amato series! Cleverly named with colorful Italian libations—and filled with equally colorful characters—these fast-paced and funny cozies feature a dryly witty sleuth and a New Orleans setting so well-rendered, you can taste the Hurricanes, cher.”
~ Rosie Genova, bestselling author

“Traci Andrighetti’s Franki Amato Mysteries have me tickled pink! Her smart, sassy heroine, wacky cast of characters, and vividly original settings had me glued to the page. I can’t wait to read more from this author!”
~ Gemma Halliday, New York Times bestselling author

“Andrighetti’s dialogue is genuine yet uproarious, and her glowing characters animatedly leap off the page. Her sparkling wit keeps the hijinks brimming with merriment.”
~ Long Island Book Reviews

89 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2024

About the author

Traci Andrighetti is the USA Today bestselling author of the Franki Amato mysteries and the Danger Cove Hair Salon mysteries, and she is a co-author of the Killer Foursome mysteries. Her latest release is 4 SLEUTHS & A BACHELORETTE, Franki's first co-investigation with the sleuths of Leslie Langtry, Arlene McFarlane, and Diana Orgain. Right now Traci's plotting TUACA TAN, Franki Amato 8, about the members of an all-female Mardi Gras krewe who keep dropping dead. Next off the press is Franki’s second investigation with her new “krewe,” 4 SLEUTHS & A BURLESQUE DANCER, about a washed up dolphin dancer found dead in the water. LMAO (the initials of Langtry, Andrighetti, McFarlane, and Orgain)! :D

Reviews

[Jayne Southern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I am a fan of Traci Andrighetti's series. Franki is someone I would love to know in real life but am delighted to read about her adventures. This novella is fun, fun, fun. Mermaids galore - with plentiful mermish puns and the author's capacity for alliteration - and somehow Franki ends up in deep water again. Apart from being accused of poisoning a mermaid, Franki would rather be in jail than face Thanksgiving with her 'dynamic' mother and irrepressible grandmother. Would have liked the ex-stripper landlady to feature more - but she does astonish with her 'accommodating' outfit! Read and enjoy.

[Ferne (Enthusiastic Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franki Amato works for her best friend at Private Chicks, Inc., a private investigator firm in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The women are excited about their Thanksgiving plans, eager for a change from their usual trips back to Houston for family dinners. Veronica and Dirk will celebrate with Franki and Bradley at Broussard's for dinner, which Veronica has excitedly dubbed "Couplesgiving!" Franki's excitement came to a sudden stop when she heard a distinct ringtone on her phone. You won't believe what happens next! Hint: That was just the first phone call.

This book is one of the titles marketed as a "Two-Hour Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Read." It's a lighthearted, humorous novelette filled with puns that blends cozy mystery themes—holiday, family, and culinary. Don't miss out on the cocktail and dessert recipes at the end of the book. Plus, check out the "Story Backstory" section before the recipes—it's worth a read!

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally like novellas because they are over before they get any where and have very few suspects making it obvious who the bad guy is but this book is mertastic. Okay maybe I spent most of the book trying to decipher the mermaid talk rather than working out who the would be killer was and why but it was a lot of fun. The author had a lot of fun writing this book, as well as doing her research and this comes across in the story too. So it might be a short read but she packs a lot in this adventure, with all the usual whacky characters and delights to make it entertaining. She even includes a few recipes at the end of the book for a cocktail and a desert, but fortunately it wasn't any of the ones that included bugs, yuck something it's best not to imagine . I can't wait for my next trip to New Orleans with Franki and the gang.
With Thanksgiving coming up, Franki is determined that nothing is going to ruin her plans with her boyfriend and best friend, that includes her family and her boyfriends annoying assistant Ruth. Things don't go to plan when she gets talked into dropping a bottle of Braulio to the Audubon Aquarium for Ruth. Ruth is trying to win the Mardi Gras krewe crown but when somebody tries to kill off one of the mermaids she blames Franki. Franki has the choice of spending the night in jail and missing all the Thanksgiving celebrations or finding a would be killer.
I was given this free review copy book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Antonette Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, where do I STAR(fish)T....this book was mermazing! Who would have thought of bringing mermaids info a Thanksgiving story! But it merworked!!

This story has the mernormal actions between Frank and her family, and Franki and Ruth, but this story is slightly different in the fact no one is killed (however there are times I do wish Ruth would "sleep with the fishes".... but then you wouldn't have the antagonist). Bottom line, this is the cutest short story I've read in a long time, with the cleverest dialogue!! Again, it truly is MERMAZING!!! And I do hope, everyone had/has a very Hoppy Thanksgiving! If you don't understand my review, Please do yourself a favor and get the book to read. You won't be sor-eel-y.

[Lilpep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get ready for a wild ride. Welcome to Frankie Amato's latest adventure.  It's about Thanksgiving. No, it's about mermaids. No, it's about murder …. Well, almost. Actually, it's all three. Some wacky new NOLA characters you just won't believe, plus Frankie's friends and family add up to a holiday reading romp.


Frankie's mysteries are always fun and a bit far out. This offering is no different, and I enjoyed it. But I do admit I wasn't a big fan of the Mermish (mermaid English) that peppered the dialogue as I sometimes had to re-read a sentence. Not a huge deal, but I did deduct a star. Still, I'd certainly keep this novella on my Thanksgiving reading menu!

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fintastically funny book about Franki's latest mystery! Anticipation of Holiday plans is interrupted by her annoying brother moving to New Orleans and the influx of 11 extra people being crammed into her tiny apartment. Top that off with her nemesis's demands and subsequent results, and you have a non-stop rush to the final page. Mermaids, family, insects, jail, food phobia, and a whole new language will have you laughing and gasping until the very end. Only in New Orleans would this be possible. Definitely a Thanksgiving never to be forgotten. Fabulous book!

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franki is back in a new funny, crazy adventure leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday that you won’t want to miss. Ruth is driving her crazy, her family is on the way and her trip to the aquarium is something else. This book will have you laughing out loud. These books are always a hit, I look forward to reading about her next adventures & mishaps.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒊 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎! 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔! 𝑵𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒋𝒐𝒊𝒏 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒊 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕! 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂! 𝑫𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑹𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒊 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒋𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒂, 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚! 𝑰 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌, 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔!

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! Lots of wonderful complex interesting and quirky characters. This witty unpredictable story will have you wondering if Thanksgiving Day will ever be the same! Twists and turns, murder and mayhem make this a real page turner! Lots of laughs along the way in this entertaining mystery! A must read!

[Jenny Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this Novella as an ARC. Franki always gets herself into so much trouble (with help) every book. I loved the storyline of this book. Some of the puns were laugh out loud funny when she meets the entertainment at the aquarium. I won't spoil it for you. This Novella is a fun addition to this series.

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. My friends all know that I profess to have been a mermaid in a past life so this book was mertastic. I loved everything about it. The characters were great and the humor on point as expected. Best book of this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[K Huskić · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mermaid talk in this story was hilarious. I love Franki and her weird and wonderful friends and family but the mermaid talk was my favourite part of the book.

Though a short story, it had a mystery, a little drama and was an easy read. Fun!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mertastic!!

Many laugh out loud moments in this holiday novella. Who knew Mermaids, bugs and Thanksgiving went together?!?!!! 😂. Now I definitely have to go back and start from the beginning of this hilarious series. Thank you so much for the much needed Merriment! 😉

[Stephanie Thode · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first work I have read by this author and I really enjoyed it! I really want to read the other books in this series. I like the character of Franki. I'm interested to learn more about her as I start the series.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanksgiving as only Franki and her family can do it! She is planning a Friendsgiving with her boyfriend and another couple. Nope! The whole family is coming - and staying in her one bedroom apartment.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

MezMerizing

Cute story for a quick read. The Mermish got a little soggy at times, but was cute. 🥰
The whole aquarium sounded pretty cool and neat though.

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really have to look at my reviews (4/2/3/3 stars) of previous books by this author... 2 short/2 long and this short book.

I think she overdoes the Italian aspect. Irritating style