Book Review and Giveaway - Glitter Bomb (A Scrapbooking Mystery) by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran

Book Synopsis

An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered in this latest Scrapbooking Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author.

It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela’s ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus’ float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed.

Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe-member’s death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder….and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.

My Review
Carmela Bertrand, who owns a scrapbooking shop in New Orleans, is drawn into a mystery when she sees a float explode at a Mardi Gras parade.  A friend of her ex-husband, Shamus, is killed in the explosion, and Shamus asks her to help solve the mystery.

What rollicking fun Glitter Bomb is -- much like Mardi Gras itself!   I love New Orleans and the authors got the local detail absolutely perfect.   Reading this novel was like visiting the city at the height of Mardi Gras.

I have read several of the books in this series, but not all, and this book works well as a standalone.

Carmela is a fun character.  I enjoy reading about her scrapbooking shop and her amateur detective work.   The detective work is especially interesting since her boyfriend, Edgar Babcock, is a police detective.  I like their relationship and enjoyed their scenes in this book.  Carmela also has a wacky best friend, Ava, and two lovable dogs.

This mystery was complex because there were so many characters and suspects.  (I would have liked a cast of characters list to keep them all straight!)  There were some clues about the murderer and I guessed before the denouement.  Without giving spoilers I will add that the scene where the murderer is caught is my favorite in the book -- very atmospheric and suspenseful!

There were also sections at the back of the book with scrapbooking tips and New Orleans recipes.

I recommend Glitter Bomb to fans of cozy mysteries, and especially to anyone who loves New Orleans.  You are in for a fun read!

Author Bios

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fundraising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries – set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries – a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries – set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Laura’s Links:
Webpage – http://www.laurachilds.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31

Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead. followed by Caught Read-Handed and Read to Death released in July of this year.  The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren.

Terrie’s Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrie.moran.9
Blog:  www.womenofmystery.net
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23186092-terrie-moran

Purchase Links:

Amazon    B&N    Google Books    IndieBound   Kobo  BookBub 


Giveaway
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I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Great Escapes Book Tour.