Book Reviews: Gossamer Ghost by Laura Childs; Gilt Trip by Laura Childs

Gossamer Ghost

Title: Gossamer Ghost: A Scrapbooking Mystery #12 by Laura Childs
Published October 7, 2014; Berkley Hardcover
Genre: cozy mystery

Ava glanced at Carmela and said, "What's a Ghost Train?" 

"Are you serious?" said Jekyl. "The Ghost Train is being touted as New Orleans's premier Halloween event and has been promoted up the wazoo!" 

There are so many events that scrapbook shop owner Carmela and her friend Ava must attend while taking care of their respective shops in New Orleans during Halloween week. But when Carmela enters her neighbor's Oddities shop next door and finds shop owner Marcus dead and stuffed in a tall wooden cabinet, she and friend Ava and boyfriend detective Edgar Babcock soon become involved. Edgar warns Carmela off the dangerous case but Carmela and her sidekick Ava can't resist a hunt for a killer.

Lot of New Orleans Halloween fun such as balls, cemetery walks, Ghost Trains, zombies, parades, fill the pages in between Carmela and Ava's sleuthing. The book is great to read, both for the New Orleans ambience and for the mystery plot. Loved it!

I also read the previous Laura Childs Scrapbooking Mystery, #11, coauthored by Diana Orgain - Gilt Trip.

Gilt Trip

This 11th in the Scrapbooking Mystery series, released October 1, 2014 by Berkley.The unusual plot and the engaging characters of amateur sleuths Carmela and Ava, as well as scrapbooking details and the New Orleans food made this a great read for me.

Carmela kicked things off..., passing around sheets of vellum, crinkle paper, linen paper, batik papers, and others that she'd pulled earlier.  (ch. 11)

Carmela investigates the murder of Jerry Earl, the husband of prominent New Orleans socialite Margo Leland, while also running her craft shop and craft classes.She had discovered Jerry Earl's body at a ball, stuffed in the laundry room of his wife Margo's mansion. Quite an inventive though gruesome way to go!

I loved the mystery and the craft tips, food recipes in both books. Especially the shrimp recipes. Gotta try them! I gave five stars to both books,

Thanks to the publisher for review copies of both books.