The second book in Ellen Byron's Vintage Cookbook Mystery series is terrific!
Ricki James-Diaz runs a vintage cookbook/kitchen gadget shop inside the stately Bon Vee Culinary House Museum in New Orleans. Everyone is on hurricane watch when news comes that some old and very valuable French wines once belonging to the home's builder are unearthed on the property. Trying to drum up business, Ricki posts about the wines, and the story goes viral. But, unfortunately, this brings long-lost descendants of the first owner out of the woodwork and trying to stake a claim. So when a dead body is found at Bon Vee, and Ricki's boss/mentor is the prime suspect, Ricki sets out to find the real killer.
There is so much to love in this clever whodunnit! Engaging writing, the fabulous New Orleans setting, eccentric and memorable characters, long-held family secrets, witty dialogue, peacocks on the loose, and lots of humor. Byron has worked as a tv comedy writer, including on The Fairly Odd Parents, and she definitely dishes up the fun here! The best lines belong to Nina, the detective who responds with good-natured wisecracks every time amateur sleuth Ricki calls her with leads or information. I laughed every time they interacted! The mystery is satisfying and well-paced, and one subplot leads to a big twist. I really cannot wait to see where Byron takes things from here! Finally, recipes from vintage cookbooks are included, adding a final fun touch. From start to finish, an entertaining read! Cozy mystery lovers, you'll want to pick this up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this ARC. I loved it!
And Steep Cinn-O-Bun tea from The Whistling Kettle, a black tea with cinnamon and sweet icing flavored chips that taste a bit similar to a traditional King Cake!
Synopsis:
The second in a fantastic new cozy mystery series with a vintage flair from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning author Ellen Byron.
It's hurricane season in New Orleans and vintage cookbook fan Ricki James-Diaz is trying to shelve her weather-related fears and focus on her business, Miss Vee's Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop, housed in the magnificent Bon Vee Culinary House Museum.
Repairs on the property unearth crates of very old, very valuable French wine, buried by the home's builder, Jean-Louis Charbonnet. Ricki, who's been struggling to attract more customers to Miss Vee's, is thrilled when her post about the discovery of this long-buried treasure goes viral. She's less thrilled when the post brings distant Charbonnet family members out of the woodwork, all clamoring for a cut of the wine's sale.
When a dead body turns up in Bon Vee's cheery fall decorations, the NOPD zeroes in on Eugenia Charbonnet Felice as the prime suspect, figuring that as head of the Charbonnet family, she has the most to gain. Ricki is determined to uncover the real culprit, but she can't help noticing that Eugenia is acting strangely. Ricki wonders what kind of secret her mentor has bottled up, and fears what might happen if she uncorks it.
In the second Vintage Cookbook Mystery, Ricki has to help solve a murder, untangle family secrets, and grow her business, all while living under the threat of a hurricane that could wipe out everything from her home to Bon Vee.
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