Laura Childs | Anyone for Jambalaya and a Halloween Mystery?

A few words on food and mystery from Laura Childs, author of GOSSAMER GHOST, a Scrapbooking Mystery set in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Have you ever visited New Orleans? I sure hope you have, because the entire Big Easy is a food lover’s paradise. You’ve got your jambalaya and gumbo, in varieties that include andouille sausage, crayfish, chicken, turtle, and, well . . . you name it, you’re sure to find it in New Orleans.

Enjoy mud bugs? That’s crawfish, of course, so delightful and juicy. And there are oyster bars galore where you can grab a bottle of hot sauce (Liquid Storm or Saucy Wench, anyone?) and slurp tasty, sweet mollusks to your heart’s content.

For upscale dining Galatoire’s in the French Quarter is a must. If you have your own waiter (the regulars do) you’ll doubly enjoy your crabmeat maison, poisson meuniere amandine, and filet béarnaise.

Or head over to Brennan’s for flaming bananas foster, the Café du Monde for sinful beignets, Antoine’s for sizzling hot oysters Rockefeller, or Emeril’s or Commander’s Palace for anything. (Yes, it’s all quite fantastic.)

Pop in to any number of music or jazz festivals and enjoy the street food – po-boys, muffulettas, hush puppies, Roman candy, snowballs, and kettle corn.

You see, there’s a reason I always include recipes in my Scrapbook Mysteries. Mystery and food just make for an inspired pairing. And in my newest mystery, GOSSAMER GHOST, I include some great New Orleans recipes for seafood bisque, spoon bread, baked porcupines, shrimp and black beans, chicken corn casserole, and beignets.

But, hold everything, I have to tell you about the mystery, too. Because I really think you’ll get swept up in the story when scrapbook maven Carmela Bertrand discovers that the owner of Oddities Antiques has been murdered and a Napoleon death mask stolen from his shop. She and her BFF Ava scramble for answers, but a Halloween investigation in New Orleans’ French Quarter also means shuffling zombies, a phony French countess, and a tricked out ghost train with a deadly confrontation.

Intrigued? Think you might like a snack? Then please do enjoy!

All my very best,

Laura Childs

***

Laura Childs is the New York Times Bestselling Author of the Scrapbooking Mysteries, Tea Shop Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. Visit her website or become a friend on Facebook.