This month we move to New Orleans in the company of Carmela Bertrand, owner of Memory Mine scrapbooking store and the heroine of "Postcards From The Dead" by Laura Childs.
This is #10 in the series so I was amongst old friends again. It's what the Americans call a "cozy".... there is murder and mayhem but the tone is light.
It is Mardi Gras and as the parade moves through the French Quarter Carmela is waiting to be interviewed for TV by Kimber Breeze. The interview never takes place as Carmela finds Kimber dead, hanging from the balcony of the Hotel Tremain. Shortly after her death postcards start arriving supposedly written by the victim.
And so the story starts.....Carmela can't resist trying to solve the murder despite being warned off by her policeman boyfriend. She is helped by her friend Ava, owner of Juju Voodoo, the premier voodoo shop in New Orleans.
The story rattles along at a brisk pace and, as usual, the action is interspersed with scrapbooking tips and recipes.....any food eaten is described lovingly and in great detail.....this is not a book to read if you're on a diet!!
The atmosphere of New Orleans is captured perfectly.....the descriptions make me want to visit the city.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and liked the fact that I was surprised by "whodunnit".....I hate it when I figure out the murderer early on in a book.
It is thanks to this series of books that I'm a scrapbooker. The first couple I read the scenes in "Memory Mine" didn't make much sense to me ....then I discovered our local craft centre and the rest, as they say, is history.
So, what artwork have I produced? I've done a double page collage...about chocolate......
I can imagine the head scratching that this announcement will have caused....but it's quite simple...
Every time Ava and her shop were mentioned I had the words to "That Old Black Magic" (as sung by Frank Sinatra) running through my head....this led to memories of Black Magic chocolates. They used to be my favourite boxed chocolates...until they stopped making the cherry ones.....boo, hiss!
Next month we're off to Canada!
15 comments:
Great review and art, Susie...I'm a scrapbooker, too so am going to check out this series...sounds good!! Thanks for the recommendation!
Hm, food & scrapbooking in one book has to be a hit! :)
Great page you made! And now I need to find me some chocolate to go with my tea... Thanks! ♥
Hmmmmmmm you make me want to read the book. Great page.. I too love Black Magic chocolates LOL
oo Black Magic were my aunty Madge's faveourite.. haha odd the things you remember.
I had never heard of these books, and any book with crafting in it has to be a winner. Lovely collage, it does look like one of those pretty chocolate boxes.
I have read a few of the 'Scrapbooking' mysteries and really enjoyed them. It sounds like this is another one I could loose myself in. Great collage to go with the book.
Interesting piece of artwork, I love it. And now I've got that Old Black Magic song running through my head. I'm not strong-minded enough for a series of books these days, but I can see the appeal of this one. Diversions into food ..... Well I do tend to get irritated by this in a book, so that would put me off. So your review really helpful here.
How great to find crafting through a book.
Mmmmmmmm chocolate! Funny how our brains wander to these sort of memories isn't it!
Love your art!
Catherine
I was super impressed with your review of this book, especially since I also reviewed a cozy this month. I am also a collage/mixed media artist, so I can relate to the chocolate, although I haven't been bitten by the scrapbooking bug. On the other hand, since I enjoyed your review so much, I'm going to look for this book series. Thanks for the review and awesome art!
I love stories centered around New Orleans, it's somewhere I have always wanted to visit. I like the sound of this one... And I like the idea of a murder being described as cosy :-)
Haven't even finished my book yet so you've beat me! Love your scrapbook page Sue and that these books, in a funny way, are also the cause of us meeting and becoming friends :-)
Thank you SusieJ for this great review...I didn't realize there were books combining scrapbooking, cuisine, murder mysteries, and interesting locales. Want to run out and get this one-especially since we just celebrated Mardi Gras... Love all the textures/layers in your art piece...yummy!
Oh Susie that was a fab review, I've got one of those books you sent to me, I must drag it out and read it, I'm surprised it didn't make my book pile for this challenge, mmmmmm - might have to remedy that LOL!
Love love love the journal page - utterly gorgeous!
Your work is done! I have that song running through my head all the time now! Great journal pages and a very original idea.
Janet xx
And there was me assuming you would have done a scrapbook page lol...Mmmmmm chocolate!!!!...and now I am craving something spicy/cajun-stylie...and I've done jacket potatoes for tea :D XXX
I've seen these books recommended to existing scrapbookers to read, but it's cool that it took you in the other direction :)
Great journal page, I never did like Black Magic chocs though - I'm a milk chocolate girl
lol my mum used to be a fan of black magic - dairy box too. Sounds like a nice, lighthearted read (despite the murder and mayhem). And love your chocolate inspired page. x
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