Frill Kill (Scrapbooking Series #5) by Laura Childs

From the Publisher

SCRAPBOOKING TIPS AND RECIPES INCLUDED.

For Carmela Bertrand, a New Orleans shop owner who can turn any scrapbook into a treasure, this Halloween will feature more than the usual scares. On her way home from a ghoulish gathering, Carmela finds the dead body of a model—and is then attacked herself. Her leads are many, including animal tooth marks on the deceased's neck. And as the witching hour draws closer, Carmela must find what's lurking in the shadows—or get the fright of her life.

Publishers Weekly

Memory Mine shop owner Carmela Bertrand finds herself caught up in New Orleans Halloween mayhem in Childs's sprightly fifth scrapbooking mystery (after 2006's Motif for Murder). In an alley behind her friend Ava Grieux's Juju Voodoo Shop, Carmela discovers the body of fashion model Amber Lalique, who was in the shop only moments earlier. The cops suspect Giovanni, Ava's sexy new tarot card reader, whose brother, Santino, is Amber's ex-boyfriend. Carmela and Ava become determined to uncover the truth and throw themselves headlong into danger, filling in as models for the big Halloween night unveiling of Moda Chadron's newest fashion creations, snooping around New Orleans and even venturing into the creepy bayou. Childs rounds out the story with several scrapbooking and crafting tips plus a passel of mouth-watering Louisiana recipes. (Oct.)

Kirkus Reviews

As New Orleans slowly recovers from Katrina, a series of Halloween bashes are planned, creating the perfect location for a bizarre murder. Carmela Bertrand, enjoying life without the wealthy husband she's separated from, has just left a huge party at Juju Voodoo, the French Quarter shop of her best friend Ava, when she discovers the body of Amber Lalique, a fashion model for local designer Chadron. Attacked by an unknown assailant, she awakens to find Ava's newest hire, handsome fortune teller Giovanni, along with the EMS and the police, who take Giovanni in for questioning. Since Amber appears to have been killed by an animal, some strange fur left behind puts Giovanni's brother Santino, whose circus act includes wolves, squarely in the picture. Even when the wolves prove innocent, Carmela's pal, Detective Edgar Babcock, suspects but can't prove that one of the brothers is involved. Meanwhile, Carmela has her hands full because the publicity is keeping her popular scrapbooking store filled to capacity while she's busy designing for Halloween theme parties and decorating and modeling for Chadon's big fashion show. Her curiosity gets both herself and Ava into some dangerous situations, and she barely escapes becoming the second victim of a fiendish killer. Carmela's fifth (Motif for Murder, 2006, etc.) contains bushels of Big Easy ambiance, quirky characters, scrapbooking tips and recipes. A cozy romp through one of America's most unforgettable cities.

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