Wined and Died in New Orleans


 
 
 
 Praise for Bayou Book Thief
 “Ricki James-Diaz and her quintessential New Orleans friends are bound to captivate readers as they wander their way through mayhem and murder! Don’t miss this first in a new series!”
 —Terrie Farley Moran, Agatha Award–winning author of the Read ’Em and Eat Mysteries
 “Byron’s love of New Orleans, its people, its history, its culture, [and] its food shines on every page in this charming book. [A] California transplant, the delightful Ricki heads a cast of exceptional supporting characters, all as quirky as the city in which they’re lucky enough to live. Bayou Book Thief is the start of what I am sure will soon become one of my favorite series, and I can’t wait for my next visit.”
 —Vicki Delany, national bestselling author
 “With a compelling New Orleans setting that makes me want to move from Los Angeles to Louisiana, just like fearless Ricki, Bayou Book Thief is an unguessable culinary mystery that will steal any book lover’s heart.”
 —Jennifer J. Chow, Lefty Award–nominated author of the Sassy Cat Mysteries
 “Ellen Byron is taking us on a trip to the Big Easy with her new Vintage Cookbook Mystery series. Not only do we get to experience delicious cuisine, a rich variety of characters, and a pair of naughty peacocks, Bayou Book Thief offers layers of mysteries that kept me guessing until the very end. Bravo!”
 —Dorothy St. James, author of A Perfect Bind
 “Ellen Byron’s latest debut cozy is as delightful as the vintage cookbooks she features. Whet your appetite for murder with Bayou Book Thief!”
 —Diane Vallere, national bestselling author of the Costume Shop Mysteries
 Praise for Ellen Byron
 “Flavored with lovable characters and Southern charm that readers of cozies will devour along with the scrumptious recipes.”
 —New York Journal of Books
 “Ellen Byron draws you in from the first page and doesn’t let go until the end.”
 —Manhattan Book Review
 “Readers get a great mystery with suspense, love, and humor.”
 —Night Owl Reviews
 “Lots of fun and delicious recipes too!”
 —Suspense Magazine
 “Diane Mott Davidson and Lou Jane Temple fans will line up for this series.”
 —Library Journal
 
 
 Berkley titles by Ellen Byron
 
 BAYOU BOOK THIEF
 WINED AND DIED IN NEW ORLEANS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 BERKLEY PRIME CRIME
 Published by Berkley
 An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
 penguinrandomhouse.com
 
 Copyright © 2023 by Ellen Byron
 Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.
 BERKLEY and the BERKLEY & B colophon are registered trademarks and BERKLEY PRIME CRIME is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.
 Ebook ISBN: 9780593437643
 First Edition: February 2023
 Cover art by Anne Wertheim
 Cover design by Lila Selle
 Book design by Daniel Brount, adapted for ebook by Maggie Hunt
 This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
 PUBLISHER’S NOTE: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.
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 To the amazing and indefatigable bloggers and reviewers whose passion for the mystery genre—and particularly the cozy subgenre—provides priceless support. You have no idea how much your enthusiasm and encouragement mean to me.
 
 
 Cast of Characters
 
 THE STAFF AT BON VEE CULINARY HOUSE MUSEUM
 
 Miracle “Ricki” Fleur de Lis James-Diaz: Proprietor, Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop at Bon Vee
 Zellah Batiste: Artist and café manager; also works at Peli Deli, her family’s business
 Lyla Brandt: Executive director
 Eugenia Charbonnet Felice: President of the Bon Vee Foundation board; niece of the late owner of Bon Vee, Genevieve Charbonnet
 Theo Charbonnet: Eugenia’s nephew and self-titled director of community relations
 Cookie Yanover: “Recovering children’s librarian” now working at Bon Vee as the director of educational programming
 Iris Randowski: Annoying tour guide
 Virgil Morel: Former executive chef at Charbonnet’s restaurant; current cooking-world hottie
 Mordant: Haunted history tour guide and Bon Vee handyman
 Darius: Groundskeeper
 
 LAW ENFORCEMENT
 
 Nina Rodriguez: Detective
 Samuel Girod: Detective
 
 ASSORTED OTHERS
 
 Jean-Louis Charbonnet: Distant French cousin
 
 One
 
 Ricki’s heart hammered as she glanced at the ominous black clouds hovering over New Orleans from the front window of her shotgun cottage home. She took a deep breath, then used masking tape to make X’s on the windowpanes of the living room’s large front window. She grunted as she hefted a mattress onto the top of the room’s couch and positioned it over the taped window. “We’re safe now,” Ricki assured her dogs, a German shepherd mix and a Chihuahua mix, who were watching her with curiosity. “Even if the hurricane sends stuff crashing into the windows, they’ll break but they won’t shatter into a million pieces. And the mattress will keep everything from flying inside.”
 A violent clap of thunder shook the house. Ricki cried out. Princess and Thor, the shepherd and Chihuahua, barked at it.