MURDER IN THE BAYOU BONEYARD is the sixth novel in the Cajun County Mystery series by Ellen Byron. The novel will be released September 8th 2020 by Crooked Lane Books.
Maggie Crozat— proprietress of a Louisiana bed and breakfast—is having a horrible October. She has to deal with her dislike of Halloween during a Spooky-themed month of activities that she planned for the guests at the local B&Bs. And business is being driven away between a combination of multiple Rougarou (Cajun werewolf) sightings in the area and a local entrepreneur who is snatching up all available local property to turn into cheap rentals. Meeting some of her long-lost family members should be the highlight of the month for Maggie. But sometimes family isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Maggie learns this firsthand when her long-lost cousin and her family show up and try to claim a portion of the Crozat land. Things wouldn’t be so bad if cousin Suzanne wasn’t such a mean-spirited person who is only looking out for her own personal gain. Following a family disagreement, Suzanne dies center stage during a local Halloween-themed play. With Suzanne out of the way, her husband and step-children continue with their nefarious plans to sell the Crozat land to an oil company. The local detective is determined to pin the murder on Maggie or one of her parents. To save herself, her family, and their land, Maggie must find the real killer before she winds up in jail herself.
MURDER IN THE BAYOU BONEYARD is the second Cajun Country Mystery that I’ve read. Between the two novels that I’ve read, I’ve found the series to be is very enjoyable. The characters are quirky and well fleshed out. Byron brings the rural Louisiana setting and southern culture/lifestyle to life.
As for the mystery aspect, I was kept guessing until the end. Yes, I had a strong suspicion towards one of the characters—and I was correct. But there was a twist I did not see coming. The climax fell a bit short, but, otherwise, MURDER IN THE BAYOU BONEYARD is a very enjoyable novel. As a lover of Halloween, I enjoyed the holiday-themed events. I was also rooting for Maggie to find enjoyment in the holiday.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.