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.

Great cozy. Interesting characters and wonderful setting. Excellent installment in a solid series. I enjoyed the story and will recommend the book.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of MURDER IN THE BAYOU BONEYARD (Book 6 of the Cajun Country Mysteries) by Ellen Byron in exchange for an honest review. Someone has been buying up all of the available housing in Pelican, Louisiana, and listing those structures as day rentals. This has had horrible fiscal consequences for the local inns. Maggie Crozat, who runs her family’s historic plantation home as Cajun Country B&B, joins with the owners of five similar plantation home B&Bs to host a macabre October event each weekend called “Pelican’s Spooky Past.” However, someone seems determined to wreck the event; each B&B is haunted by guest sightings of a rougarou. This begins to scare off the newly acquired customers, which brings the B&Bs back to financial hardship. When someone dressed as a rougarou interrupts one of events staged in the Dupois cemetery and promptly drops dead, the Crozat family falls under suspicion. Maggie must find the killer before her entire family is charged with murder.

I liked this book and enjoy the series. I recommend this book to fans of the series. I recommend the series to fans of Ellen Byron and to fans of cozy mysteries featuring murder, small towns, regional traditions, local festivals, weather events, historic family homes, art, and pets. I note that any attorneys reading this book may fall out of the story for a moment due to a mix up between a prescription (adjective) period and a prescription (noun) and how it applies to a situation presented in the book.

#MurderintheBayouBoneyard #NetGalley

It's nearing Halloween and Maggie Crozat and her parents, owner of the Cajun Country B&B, along with the other B&Bs in Pelican, Louisiana are promoting Halloween related activities.

They scheduled a play in a historic graveyard and readings from a local VooDoo priestess, Helene. Maggie has created a spa on her premises that she is hoping will be a major draw along with the masseuse she is bringing in--a remotely related cousin she has never met.

Cousin Susannah brings her husband Doug and his twins. Maggie outfitted her art studio in the old schoolhouse for the family and began setting appointments when Susannah announced she owned half the schoolhouse and the property on the other side. Unfortunately, at the finale of the first play a rougarou charges the stage, screaming, and collapses. Unmasked, it is Susannah. Maggie and the Crozat's are the obvious suspects when it is determined a murder.

The murder occurred in the neighboring jurisdiction and they smell an easy solve. In the meantime, her Grandmeré is becoming a bridezilla as she is planning a wedding with Maggie and her beau, Detective Bo Durand of their precinct. Bo's son is looking forward to Halloween with the same fervor as her Gran the wedding.

I thoroughly enjoy the sense of humor this author brings to her storytelling, which is always well-plotted and easy paced, with fully developed characters alive with Southern hospitality personality. The family melds easily together, the occasion is atmospheric, and there are always tidbits of Louisiana Cajun folklore and culture, foods, descriptions of the land and people. The casual road to the conclusion sneaks up on you, as do the perps in the final reveal.

I received this digital download from the publisher through NetGalley and totally appreciated the opportunity to read and review Book 6. This author's writing style is compelling and if you haven't yet discovered her books, now is the time to pre-order. Highly recommended!

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard Cajun Country Mystery #6 by Ellen Byron
Reviewed April 12, 2020 3.5 Stars Good ~ but not 4 Stars for me!
Although this is my first [author: Ellen Bryon] Cajun mystery and it is #6 in the series, it wasn’t too difficult to get caught up in the Cajun vibes. The story line features a small town in Louisiana ~ Pelican Louisiana ~ where the local B & Bs are experiencing some financial struggles. A cell phone company is making it super easy for locals to rent their spare rooms for tourists.

Maggie Crozat is the proprietor of the historic Cajun Country B & B. she as well as other B&B owners decide they need to do something “new” to attract new folks as well as keep their regulars coming back.
They come up with an idea to capitalize on Pelican Cajun history and our love of Halloween as a theme ~ the spookier the better.
Since this is a mystery there is, of course, going to be someone showing up dead.

This book is scheduled to be published in early September. Perfect for an enjoyable Halloween read.
Not only that, this novel includes some yummy Cajun recipes which are sure to be a hit with any book club hostess.

Want to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest review. Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 9, 2020

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for a copy of Murder in the Bayou Boneyard in exchange for my honest review.

The story takes place at the Crozat Plantation B & B in Pelican, Louisiana. Magnolia (Maggie) Marie Crozat has come up with a "Pelican's Spooky Past" month as a Halloween Vacation Package. Her parents Ninette Doucet Crozat and Tug Crozat help her run the B & B along with her grand-mère (Tug's mother). Grand-mère and her fiancée Lee Bertrand will be having a double wedding on New Years Eve with Maggie and her fiancée Bo Durand - who a a member of the Pelican Police Department.

From the way things go at the Crozat Plantation having a police officer in the family might not be such a bad idea. When new found distant cousins Doug MacDowell, his wife Susannah Crozat MacDowell and his twin children - Johnnie and Bonnie - from a previous marriage show up from Canada all sorts of evil things start to happen. From murder, to rougarou sightings, to land surveyors trying to buy up land, to cancellations at the B & B's in town. Top of the suspect list is Maggie and her family.

This is book 6 in the series and there are a lot of references to previous books. It makes it slightly confusing if you did not read the previous books but the book is delightful to read.

There isn't anything about this book I didn't enjoy, from the dedication to the ending. Ellen Byron writes a funny, charming, and witty Southern mystery. The characters are well developed and the storyline is well crafted. I love Pelican, Louisiana! I'm ready for book 7.

Full of frightful Halloween hijinks, "Murder in the Bayou Boneyard" is a fun (and scary) 6th title in the Cajun Country Mystery series. Opening up at a funeral in a Louisiana cemetery, the reader knows they are going to be exposed to a lot of Cajun culture surrounding death, mourning, and all things that might provide you with the heebie jeebies. Maggie Crozat, who works at her family's historical B&B as well as an art restorer at Doucet plantation (once familial home to her Mother's side of the family) decides to create an October spooky themed package for guests to boost sales during a slow season. Everything seems to be going well until guests at various B&B's throughout Pelican claim they are seeing a rougarou, a legendary werewolf life creature. As guests start to check-out, the Crozats also need to deal with their Canadian distant relations who have come to visit, but are not exactly what they seem to be.

After the matriarch of the Canadian family is found dead, what unfolds is a chaotic spiral of murder, theft, and secrets.

This has been my favourite instalment of the series so far. The constant action makes the pacing of the book seem quick, and there are various threads to follow throughout the book. The scenery of Pelican in the Fall is described beautifully, and as readers we have now spent a full year with the Crozat family, experiencing all seasons at their B&B. Ellen Byron does an amazing job at educating readers about Cajun culture while creating her cozy series. This gives the series substance, and makes each instalment more anticipated than the next.

Magnolia Crozat, better known as Maggie, is busy with wedding arrangements, but she still have to run her B and B, along with her parents. It's Halloween in Pelican LA and five other B and Bs have chosen to participate in an exciting program to try and outwit someone who is ruining their business with an app designed for short-term rentals. The Pelican B and Bs have set up a spooky play in a famous local cemetery, but when a guest at Maggie's B and B turns up dead, everyone is shaken. On top of that, the murder occurred in a different jurisdiction, so the Pelican PD, containing Maggie's friends, are side-lined. But nothing can stop Maggie from trying to get to the truth. This is a very enjoyable cozy read. Maggie and all her friends are folks the reader will root for!

Another great mystery from Ellen Byron! I have read all of the others in this series and have enjoyed the unique cast of characters. Though many of the characters we have grown to love are in it, a good majority of them take a back seat as it focuses on Maggie's long lost relatives. Usually, I have an idea of the ending, but this time, I had no idea who the culprit was or the motive. Ms. Byron told a wonderful tale with Pelican's crime solving Crozats and I look forward to many more adventures with Maggie, Gran, and Bo!

I enjoy this ongoing series and reading about the adventures of the protagonist, Maggie. She own a B&B and always manages to find trouble and a mystery to solve. This story is just in time for Halloween! This book reads as a standalone but you may want to go back and read the others in the series just for fun! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It is what I call a "happy mystery". A loving family, a handsome fiancee who just happens to be in law enforcement and a woman with a penchant for being involved in murders. Combine this with a plantation house, some odd quests, a recluse, a dog and a bird named Lovie with a big mouth and you have all the ingredients for a really good read.!

Maggie owns a b&b and finds herself competing with an app that allows anyone to rent out rooms in their homes. With halloween coming maggie comes up with a spooky way to get tourists to come to her hometown and her b&b to enjoy the festivities. The fun soon turns dangerous so maggies on the case. The characters are sweet and the story is very entertaining. It just draws you in. I cant wait for the next installment. I would recommend this series.

I received this ARC via Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books, in return for an honest review. While not the first in this series, it is easily read as a standalone. Ellen Byron is rightfully deserving of her 2019 Agatha Award for this series, set in the small town of Pelican, Louisiana. The protagonist, Maggie Crozat, works at her parents B&B in their historic Louisiana plantation home. She shares a cottage with her Grandmother, and both are planning a joint wedding to their respective sweethearts. Until then, a distant cousin, with her family, arrive to serve as the on-site massage therapist at the new spa. Turns out, this family aren’t really the best kind of cousins to have around and things turn tense. When murder strikes, in an unconventional way, Maggie moves to the top of the suspect list. Ms. Byron writes so well. Her stories are fast paced, cleverly conceived and expertly delivered. The recipes are an added bonus to a delectable mystery story. Do yourself a favor and enjoy visiting Pelican, Louisiana. You’ll be glad you did!

This is part of a series but it wasnt a problem that I hadn't read the previous books.

Maggie and her Grandma are planning a joint wedding but the emphasis is on murder rather than the wedding.
Maggie invites distant cousins from Canada to work in her new spa. However, sometimes family is not who you expect them to be and when her cousin is murdered Maggie is a prime suspect.

The family dynamic is fun and its an enjoyable cosy read.

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard is the latest book in the Cajun Country Mystery series written by Ellen Byron. I've read all the previous books, and when this one became available on NetGalley, I had to request it. The book doesn't launch until September 2020, but it's one of my favorite series and I will highlight it again around publication day. So... let's chat a bit about this 5-star read.

Maggie, a 30ish witty young woman from Pelican, Louisiana, runs a B&B with her parents, the Crozats. Throw in Gran, her newly engaged grandmother, and you've got a lovely core family to entertain us. Maggie's fiance, Bo Durand, is a detective on the police force, and he's often forced to get the family out of a bunch of murders... though they never commit them, this time, someone in their estranged family is the victim. On top of that, several others are murdered, and when a strange werewolf-like beast roams the town, Halloween has everyone a flutter and afraid.

The mystery is haunting and clever. The extended family members are quite an annoying group... they start out nice, but clearly, they are out for something after all these years. The guests at the inn make for an eclectic bunch, especially the talkative parrot. By adding in humor and the holiday-theme, the book is even stronger. I enjoyed reading about the history of the town, some of the other families, and the plans for both upcoming weddings. I will say... there are tons of snappy lines, and Rufus has turned a corner! What a great dynamic to have the neighboring town's sheriff causing trouble this time.

Byron entertains... this is a top notch book, and I love being able to see the differences in her writing style, yet the amazing similarities too, with her Queens-based Italian family series. I hope one day we get a crossover because that would be just so over-the-top, I might not be able to stop myself from reading it every day for a month! Thanks for this funtastic (yep, my word for today) edition.

This cozy mystery is rife with intrigue and humor.
Set at a B&B in Louisianna, it contains an eclectic mix of characters, with vivid ddescriptions of same and the settings.
Ms. Byron has a cast of likable characters, along with a few villanous ones and a few misunderstood. When items disappear and bodies appear the main character, Maggie Crozat has her hands full. She is running the B&B with family, planning a wedding and helping the town with a promotion meant to ease their collective financial hardships.
When the bodies start appearing, she looks suspicious to a neighboring police department, one in competition with her fiance's department.
Her vivid descriptions make it easy to see her story in your mind. The characters, pet and human were a delight and I recommend it if you like your cozies with laugh out loud humor and plenty of suspects.
I requested and received a NetGalley Arc to peruse and offer my opinion freely.

A Netgalley ARC book -Maggie Crozat in Pelican Louisiana with her family started a B & B with a Spa and during October arranged with the area to do things for Halloween each week. The graveyard close by was used to perform a play. Maggie's cousin & family from Canada was hired to run the Spa. After one performance her cousin fell over dead while dressed like a Rougarou, a mythical creature. Things were happening that kept Maggie and her family as suspects. A fast read that ended with a surprise!

So much fun! I love Magnolia and all her crazy antics. She is amazing and this mystery had a lot of twists and turns. Ellen Byron is amazing as usual. This was a great read.

Halloween is a spooky time to be in Louisiana and this year it is no exception. In the hopes of bringing more tourists to their B&B, Maggie Crozat organizes Pelican's Spooky Past package for all of the B&Bs in the area complete with spas, costume parades and a spine-tingling theater performance in the Dupois manor house's derelict cemetery. Trouble arrives in the form of some long-lost cousins from Canada. Someone is also scaring the guest by appearing as the legendary rougarou, a cross between a werewolf and vampire. When a person wearing the rougarou mask dies during the play, Maggie fears there's something more sinister than Halloween spirits afoot. Love this series. It always makes we want to go back to Louisiana.