What do you think?
Rate this book
New Orleans Festival of Murder
Murder in the City that Care ForgotFans of Treme and avid armchair adventurers alike will love this collection of oddball New Orleans tales—specifically, murder mysteries—each revolving around the incomparable lore of the City that Care Forgot. From an untimely demise at JazzFest to a dose of love laced with intrigue amongst an assortment of vivid local characters in an Uptown pharmacy (the kind you could only find in the N.O.), Festival of Murder has a little bit of something for everyone—everyone who loves New Orleans, that is.
Cuddle up with a Kindle and enjoy this all-expenses-paid vacation to the fabled Big Easy (drive-thru daiquiris not included).
JAZZ FUNERAL
The THIRD book in the Edgar Award-winning Skip Langdon mystery series
Everybody loved easygoing Ham Brocato, producer of the famed New Orleans JazzFest. So how did he end up stabbed to death on his kitchen floor?New Orleans Homicide Detective Skip Langdon just happens to be on hand when Ham’s body is discovered in the middle of his own party the evening before the Fest. To complicate the already murky case, the victim's sixteen-year-old blues musician sister has disappeared, and Skip suspects that if the young woman isn't the murderer, she's in mortal danger from the person who is.
CITY OF BEADS
The SECOND deliciously sneaky mystery in Anthony- and Edgar-nominated Tony Dunbar's Tubby Dubonnet series.
Tubby Dubonnet’s bored. Sure, researching licensing law for the new casino will keep trout meunière on the table, but what could be more tedious? (Unless, of course, the client turns out to be the mob.) Meanwhile, there’s the estate of an old friend who controls some dock leases on the wharf. And he agrees to help his daughter’s environmental group stop illegal dumping in the river. Ho-hum, thinks our hero. But suddenly all three cases begin to converge in an entirely ominous way. And Tubby’s running for his life.
MAKE ME DEAD
A Vampyres of Hollywood mystery by Adrienne Barbeau
As always in a Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, the biting wit is sharper than a nip from a passing vampyre—in a word, humor, wit, and satire are what this engaging series is really all about. Nobody’s better than Barbeau at skewering the foibles of Hollywood and its self-involved denizens, and nobody’s got a smarter mouth than her movie star heroine, vampye Ovsanna Moore, this time in New Orleans for a horror convention. (Fasten your seat belts—lots of fun to be had at the expense of horror conventions!)
PICK-UP LINE
A Love Story With Wit, Charm and Murder by Patty Friedmann
Cupid’s working overtime in the unlikely venue of N.O. Drugs, where plus-sized beauty Ciana Jambon works with dread-locked pharmacy student Lennon Israel, who’s so handsome, so meticulous, he just has to be gay. But she can't help herself—she’s got the crush of the century. And a murder to unravel.
PI ON A HOT TIN ROOF
The FOURTH mystery in Edgar-winning author Julie Smith’s Talba Wallis series.
Cuddle up with a Kindle and enjoy this all-expenses-paid vacation to the fabled Big Easy (drive-thru daiquiris not included).
JAZZ FUNERAL
The THIRD book in the Edgar Award-winning Skip Langdon mystery series
Everybody loved easygoing Ham Brocato, producer of the famed New Orleans JazzFest. So how did he end up stabbed to death on his kitchen floor?New Orleans Homicide Detective Skip Langdon just happens to be on hand when Ham’s body is discovered in the middle of his own party the evening before the Fest. To complicate the already murky case, the victim's sixteen-year-old blues musician sister has disappeared, and Skip suspects that if the young woman isn't the murderer, she's in mortal danger from the person who is.
CITY OF BEADS
The SECOND deliciously sneaky mystery in Anthony- and Edgar-nominated Tony Dunbar's Tubby Dubonnet series.
Tubby Dubonnet’s bored. Sure, researching licensing law for the new casino will keep trout meunière on the table, but what could be more tedious? (Unless, of course, the client turns out to be the mob.) Meanwhile, there’s the estate of an old friend who controls some dock leases on the wharf. And he agrees to help his daughter’s environmental group stop illegal dumping in the river. Ho-hum, thinks our hero. But suddenly all three cases begin to converge in an entirely ominous way. And Tubby’s running for his life.
MAKE ME DEAD
A Vampyres of Hollywood mystery by Adrienne Barbeau
As always in a Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, the biting wit is sharper than a nip from a passing vampyre—in a word, humor, wit, and satire are what this engaging series is really all about. Nobody’s better than Barbeau at skewering the foibles of Hollywood and its self-involved denizens, and nobody’s got a smarter mouth than her movie star heroine, vampye Ovsanna Moore, this time in New Orleans for a horror convention. (Fasten your seat belts—lots of fun to be had at the expense of horror conventions!)
PICK-UP LINE
A Love Story With Wit, Charm and Murder by Patty Friedmann
Cupid’s working overtime in the unlikely venue of N.O. Drugs, where plus-sized beauty Ciana Jambon works with dread-locked pharmacy student Lennon Israel, who’s so handsome, so meticulous, he just has to be gay. But she can't help herself—she’s got the crush of the century. And a murder to unravel.
PI ON A HOT TIN ROOF
The FOURTH mystery in Edgar-winning author Julie Smith’s Talba Wallis series.
1397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 30, 2017
842 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
Julie Smith
259 books403 followersAuthor of 20 mystery novels and a YA paranormal adventure called BAD GIRL SCHOOL (formerly CURSEBUSTERS!). Nine of the mysteries are about a female New Orleans cop Skip Langdon, five about a San Francisco lawyer named Rebecca Schwartz,two about a struggling mystery writer named Paul Mcdonald (whose fate no one should suffer) and four teaming up Talba Wallis, a private eye with many names, a poetic license, and a smoking computer, with veteran P.I. Eddie Valentino.
In Bad GIRL SCHOOL, a psychic pink-haired teen-age burglar named Reeno gets recruited by a psychotic telepathic cat to pull a job that involves time travel to an ancient Mayan city. Hint:It HAS to be done before 2012!
Winner of the 1991 Edgar Allen Poe Award for best novel, that being NEW ORLEANS MOURNING.
Former reporter for the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE and the San Francisco CHRONICLE.
Recently licensed private investigator, and thereon hangs a tale.
Resident of New Orleans, Louisiana
In Bad GIRL SCHOOL, a psychic pink-haired teen-age burglar named Reeno gets recruited by a psychotic telepathic cat to pull a job that involves time travel to an ancient Mayan city. Hint:It HAS to be done before 2012!
Winner of the 1991 Edgar Allen Poe Award for best novel, that being NEW ORLEANS MOURNING.
Former reporter for the New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE and the San Francisco CHRONICLE.
Recently licensed private investigator, and thereon hangs a tale.
Resident of New Orleans, Louisiana
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 25, 2020
3.5/5 Stars
The tricky thing with anthologies or box sets is that they can be uneven -- and I found that to be the case here.
I straight-up skipped the vampire story; I'm not a fan of the subgenre. So, there's that.
Of all the tales, my favorite was Julie Smith's "PI on a Hot Tin Roof," with a woman of color named Talba Wallis serving as the amateur sleuth. Talba takes advantage of her position assisting an actual PI to do some of the leg work on a case set among a family eerily reminiscent of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (hence the title). Talba is a perceptive and likeable character, with entertaining family and friends. I look forward to reading more books with her as the investigator.
The tricky thing with anthologies or box sets is that they can be uneven -- and I found that to be the case here.
I straight-up skipped the vampire story; I'm not a fan of the subgenre. So, there's that.
Of all the tales, my favorite was Julie Smith's "PI on a Hot Tin Roof," with a woman of color named Talba Wallis serving as the amateur sleuth. Talba takes advantage of her position assisting an actual PI to do some of the leg work on a case set among a family eerily reminiscent of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (hence the title). Talba is a perceptive and likeable character, with entertaining family and friends. I look forward to reading more books with her as the investigator.
April 18, 2020
3 star
Several of these I've read before, and probably reviewed separately. So I wasn't thinking much about rating on them when I either reread them or skipped them. The ones I wasn't familiar with primarily didn't feel like they matched my expectations. So my brain kept trying to shove them into a box they didn't fit in and that kept me from potentially enjoying them for what they are. So I end up 3 stars.
Several of these I've read before, and probably reviewed separately. So I wasn't thinking much about rating on them when I either reread them or skipped them. The ones I wasn't familiar with primarily didn't feel like they matched my expectations. So my brain kept trying to shove them into a box they didn't fit in and that kept me from potentially enjoying them for what they are. So I end up 3 stars.
August 25, 2019
What a great jambalaya of New Orleans flavors
This collection provides a wonderful cross section of New Orleans people and surrounding flavors and color in language, neighborhoods , economic points of view, and geography. And they are all true for the area. What a great way to get immersed!
This collection provides a wonderful cross section of New Orleans people and surrounding flavors and color in language, neighborhoods , economic points of view, and geography. And they are all true for the area. What a great way to get immersed!
May 15, 2021
More classics from the best of NOLA
Several of my favorite authors in one compilation of their story telling kept me up a few nights because I simply had to finish " just one more chapter"! Compelling characters (I'm talking about you AP and Diva Delish). If you love New Orleans you'll love these tales!
Several of my favorite authors in one compilation of their story telling kept me up a few nights because I simply had to finish " just one more chapter"! Compelling characters (I'm talking about you AP and Diva Delish). If you love New Orleans you'll love these tales!
March 7, 2019
The bundle
I enjoyed all of the bundle... They were entertaining. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx characters seemed real and while I enjoyed the book and don't have a problem it's annoying that you delegate hour many words my praise needs to be
I enjoyed all of the bundle... They were entertaining. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx characters seemed real and while I enjoyed the book and don't have a problem it's annoying that you delegate hour many words my praise needs to be
March 14, 2019
Great books
I have only been to New Orleans once in my life which is a shame since I live in Atlanta and it's not that far. Every time I read a good mystery set in New Orleans I promise myself I will go back. All of these books are good
I have only been to New Orleans once in my life which is a shame since I live in Atlanta and it's not that far. Every time I read a good mystery set in New Orleans I promise myself I will go back. All of these books are good
August 28, 2020
Good
Entertaining. I like the multiple books. Didn't read Adrienne Barbeau's book. Might get to it another time. Like almost all from Julie Smith. Kinda makes me 'feel' New Orleans. Need a map so I can visualize it.
Entertaining. I like the multiple books. Didn't read Adrienne Barbeau's book. Might get to it another time. Like almost all from Julie Smith. Kinda makes me 'feel' New Orleans. Need a map so I can visualize it.
May 9, 2018
Good selection of mysteries, vampires, satire, humor, good authors, chose one or all, the readers will enjoy. From Julie Smith, to .Tony Dunbar to name a few.
July 5, 2018
Really enjoyed some of them, skipped others.
April 9, 2019
Very entertaining
And suspenseful snd mysterious and sometimes humorous. A wonderful little box set of stories that were very enjoyable to read.
And suspenseful snd mysterious and sometimes humorous. A wonderful little box set of stories that were very enjoyable to read.
Want to read
June 2, 2019TheFussyLibrarian
September 9, 2019
Books 1345 not too bad #2 ich
#2 I liked about as much as asparagus which after 2 nite I'll puke a waste of words and space on my fire
#2 I liked about as much as asparagus which after 2 nite I'll puke a waste of words and space on my fire
Want to read
December 22, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/22/2019)! 🎁
January 6, 2020
New Orleans festival of murder
Interesting reading all the story line changing with each characters in each story there is a murder mystery plot for each
Interesting reading all the story line changing with each characters in each story there is a murder mystery plot for each
July 17, 2020
Pretty good book
Not a bad book. Gives the reader a good insight into the city of New Orleans and its people. Can't wait to read more of Julie Smith's books.
Not a bad book. Gives the reader a good insight into the city of New Orleans and its people. Can't wait to read more of Julie Smith's books.
July 23, 2020
Excellent noveL
Excellent reading and the characters were interesting and mysterious. They captivating and Intriguing. Very good reading and ending. I would
Recommend this mystery
Excellent reading and the characters were interesting and mysterious. They captivating and Intriguing. Very good reading and ending. I would
Recommend this mystery
July 25, 2020
Please see individual stories for review.
November 5, 2021
Great Reads
Each story was very New Orleans themed and had lots of French Creole sayings in them. I really enjoyed them.
Each story was very New Orleans themed and had lots of French Creole sayings in them. I really enjoyed them.
June 3, 2023
Good Bundle
This is a good bundle of books, all with the flavor of New Orleans. loved the Tony Dunbar and Julie Smith books.
This is a good bundle of books, all with the flavor of New Orleans. loved the Tony Dunbar and Julie Smith books.
May 26, 2025
Very good set of novels
I liked all of the stories set in various parts of New Orleans. I originally got this because I like Julie Smith books.
I liked all of the stories set in various parts of New Orleans. I originally got this because I like Julie Smith books.
August 27, 2020
Some great, some good, some terrible
Julie Smith two books 4 stars. Tony Dunbar’s book 3 stars. Andrienne Barbeau terrible no stars. Patty Friedman silly no stars. M.A. Harper story 4 stars
Julie Smith two books 4 stars. Tony Dunbar’s book 3 stars. Andrienne Barbeau terrible no stars. Patty Friedman silly no stars. M.A. Harper story 4 stars
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews