Review: Murder by the Script

Cozy Mystery, Mardi Gras, Louisiana Bayous

4****

BLURB: The Mardi Gras season has come to South Louisiana, and it should have been a happy one. But when Rex, King of Carnival collapses from his parade float, a dark cloud forms over the Fat Tuesday festivities. What’s even weirder is that he has passed a strange coin to Mila Breaux in his final moments. With her best friend Critter Girl at her side, Mila will have to untangle a Mardi Gras mystery of epic proportions—one that will take her from the crawfish fields to the streets of the Big Easy. Can she make sense of a series of clues that are too strange to be believed? Jump into the cozy world of The Lettering Detective, featuring Creole cooking, art and stationery, and a cute and quirky cast of characters. Put on your Mardi Gras mask (and your thinking cap) while you join Mila and her crew as they let the good times roll and get to the bottom of things once and for all! This is book four of The Lettering Detective Cozy Mystery Series, but It can also be read as a standalone novel.

THOUGHTS: I enjoyed this story not just for the mystery, but for the “flavor” of the story. Set in the bayous of Louisiana, there’s enough detail for the reader to get a good sense of the area. And having the main character, Mila, be unfamiliar with the area helps the reader out as her best friend explains things to her, but not in a condescending way. I loved the description of Mardi Gras vs Lent – the crazy revelry followed by solemnity. Nicely done.

The characters were well-done and believable, though Mila’s anger over Xavier’s ex was a bit of overkill at times. As for the mystery, that was fun too, following the clues left by the dead man to the treasure – which turned out to be a very different treasure than expected.

Recommended.