Magnolias, Mint Juleps, and Mayhem

Midnight House #3

by Erin McCarthy

Spring has sprung and New Orleans is serving mint juleps with a side of murder…

Midnight House is fully booked with guests attending the glamorous Magnolia Heritage Gala at Belle Rêve Manor. It promises to be an evening filled with Southern charm, historic splendor, and plenty of champagne-fueled gossip.

But when prominent preservationist Evelyn Carrington collapses beneath a blooming magnolia tree, the society soirée turns sinister.

A legacy member of the organization, the position inherited from her great-aunt Odette, Harper Bergeron is on hand immediately to step in and solve the murder. Or poke her nose precisely where it doesn’t belong, according to her friend and neighbor Detective Hollis Broussard.

As whispers swirl, suspicion settles on the guests of Midnight House, each of them having a reason to want Evelyn silenced.

With Harper’s podcasting best friend digging for interviews, and Teddy the skunk sniffing out trouble (or just mint leaves), Harper must untangle pride, ambition, and long-buried mistakes before spring’s most elegant celebration becomes a permanent scandal.

Because in New Orleans, the spirits keep flowing even when the dead stop talking…

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2026

About the author

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written over a hundred novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

Reviews

[Jennifer Artiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Midnight House is the locale for a new group of potential criminals, but it's not apparent right away. They are all there for a special event, although not everyone was technically invited. The underlying issue is truth as it pertains to renovations done in the Garden District over many years and how the truth has been hidden. Harper and Hollis work together with help from Maggie and Teddy to unravel the clues and solve the mysteries they been presented with. I was happy to see Harper's and Hollis's relationship moving forward as well. This was a fun story with enough twists to keep it interesting. Highly recommended.

[Cheri Schaefer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this series!

Wasn't sure if I would like a series with a skunk as the supporting furry character, but I'm so glad I gave it a look see! This series is fascinating! Teddy is, of course, my favorite character. He's so adorable! I've enjoyed the storylines in each book and am looking forward to getting started on the 4th one.

[AdamP · Rating 4 out of 5]

cozy mystery

Fun cozy murder mystery that took a bit to figure out .. would read more from this author in the future