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Thursday, March 24, 2016

Book Review: Plantation Shudders by Ellen Byron (Cajun Country Mysteries #1)



Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Gran, Maggie, and the rest of the cast
Cons: Mostly strong plot does slow down a time or two
The Bottom Line:
Old newlyweds die
Kicking off this new series
Settle in, enjoy




Nothing to Shudder About with This Debut

While I always pay attention to the Agatha Award nominees, I don’t always wind up reading the books.  This year, I am determined to fix that and read the ones that sound good to me, which is how I picked up Plantation Shudders from the library.  This is the debut mystery from author Ellen Bryon, and she is off to a great start.

Maggie Crozat has returned to her home in Louisiana.  And it’s not just any home but Crozat Plantation, which has been in the family for generations.  In an effort to keep the property, her parents run it as a bed and breakfast.  Late summer is their busy season as people come to a local festival in the nearby town of Pelican trying to get in one last trip before fall.

This year is no exception, and the B and B is completely booked with everyone from three frat boys, a family from Australia, and some newlyweds among others.  It turns out the newlyweds are actually senior citizens, and they are not at all pleasant to be around.  Maggie is dreading putting up with them for a week until they both drop dead within minutes of each other.  Shock turns to horror when the police determine that one of them was murdered.  With a local police chief who has a personal grudge against Maggie’s family, she knows she will have to find the killer.  But can she do it?

The set up for this mystery is wonderful, and it kept me guessing until the end.  I did feel that the plot dragged a time or two along the way to the climax, but it definitely picked up as we neared the end.  The clues were all there and the solution made logical sense.  Plus the climax was a lot of fun.

And I loved the characters.  Maggie has a tendency to put her foot in her mouth, something I definitely identified with.  In fact, most of the time her comments were exactly what I was thinking.  Sometimes, this can make the character unlikable, but I actually found her more likable as a result.  However, my favorite character was Gran.  Maggie’s grand’mere was a hoot!  Feisty and fierce and unpredictable, I always loved it when she was on the page.  And since she is Maggie’s sidekick quite often, we got to see her plenty.  The rest of Maggie’s family and friends are equally strong, and I enjoyed them.  I did find the suspects a little weak, but that was a minor complaint.

Since this is a bed and breakfast, we get several southern style recipes in the back as well.  Since Maggie’s family is serving dinner as well as breakfast, these three recipes cover a wide variety including Crawfish Crozat, Chulanes, and a Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding.

If you haven’t met Maggie yet, now’s the time to do so.  Plantation Shudders is a fun mystery that will leave you booking your next trip to Plantation Crozat.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Cajun Country Mysteries.

11 comments:

  1. I've been eyeing this one, thanks for the review, I'll have to give it a try...after the ones I already have lined up. That list grows faster than I can read, LOL

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    Replies
    1. My list is out of control, so I sympathize. Still, it's worth adding.

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    2. Thanks, Debbie! I sympathize, too. My TBR piles are so large I just blogged about it!

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  2. I loved this one! Though I definitely agree with the slow parts. The characters were such fun. It's been awhile since I read this one and I read a lot of cozies so the details frequently get fuzzy but I'm finding that this one really stuck with me which is definitely a good sign. I'm hoping the next in the series will be out soon!

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    1. The next one comes out late summer (I believe), so it's not too long until we get to go back.

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    2. So glad you enjoyed it, Katherine, and that it stuck with you. That's huge! The next one, Body on the Bayou will be out in early September. Hope you like it as much or more!

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  3. I love Southern style cooking. Sounds like a different plot too. I'd give it a try!

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  4. Nice review, Mark! The mystery sounds good, the characters sound interesting... and the Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding recipe has my name on it.

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    Replies
    1. I will leave that recipe for you (not a fan of bourbon, allergic to nuts). But I have a feeling most everyone would love it.

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