Frill Kill (A Scrapbooking Mystery) [Hardcover]

Laura Childs (Author)

Book Description

Series: A Scrapbooking Mystery | Publication Date: October 2, 2007

This Halloween, the bestselling mystery author makes New Orleans even spookier than usual.

Carmela's friend Ava is having a Halloween bash at her scrapbooking store, and she hires a sexy Tarot reader named Giovanni to work the crowd. What he doesn't foretell is that on her way home Carmela will find the body of a beautiful model behind a Dumpster, and be attacked herself. But he's the one who appears to save her-or was he already there?

Giovanni's the number one suspect, but Ava is determined to stand by her employee...even if he does have a way of dodging questions. Ava and Carmela have plenty of other strange leads to follow up, like the tooth marks around the victim's neck, and the non-human hairs found at the scene. As the witching hour draws closer, Carmela must discover what's lurking in the shadows of the French Quarter-or the only thing left to scrapbook will be her death certificate.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Memory Mine shop owner Carmela Bertrand finds herself caught up in New Orleans Halloween mayhem in Childs's sprightly fifth scrapbooking mystery (after 2006's Motif for Murder). In an alley behind her friend Ava Grieux's Juju Voodoo Shop, Carmela discovers the body of fashion model Amber Lalique, who was in the shop only moments earlier. The cops suspect Giovanni, Ava's sexy new tarot card reader, whose brother, Santino, is Amber's ex-boyfriend. Carmela and Ava become determined to uncover the truth and throw themselves headlong into danger, filling in as models for the big Halloween night unveiling of Moda Chadron's newest fashion creations, snooping around New Orleans and even venturing into the creepy bayou. Childs rounds out the story with several scrapbooking and crafting tips plus a passel of mouth-watering Louisiana recipes. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Laura Childs is a bestselling author, consummate tea drinker, scrapbooker, and dog lover, and travels frequently with Dr. Bob, her professor husband. In her past life she was a Clio Award-winning advertising writer and CEO of her own marketing firm.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 273 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime (October 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425217302
• ISBN-13: 978-0425217306
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,217,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:

The Tea Shop Mysteries - set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She's also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn't rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.

The Scrapbooking Mysteries - a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans' spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!

The Cackleberry Club Mysteries - set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe's undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fifth Scrapbooking Mystery, November 18, 2007

By 

Karen Potts (Lake Jackson, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frill Kill (A Scrapbooking Mystery) (Hardcover)

The Halloween season is upon the French Quarter in New Orleans and Carmela attends a party at her friend Ava's voodoo shop. As if things aren't scarey enough, Carmela discovers a dead body in the alley near her friend's shop. One of Ava's employees is accused of the murder, but Ava and Carmela are convinced that he is innocent. Their "unofficial" investigation begins, and they find several suspects, while going through some frightening experiencs. This is another enjoyable entry in the Scrapbooking Mystery series. I do hope that author Laura Childs will find a way to get rid of Shamus, Carmela's soon-to-be-ex-husband, in future books,as he is an annoying character who does not enhance the series.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laura Childs...a super storyteller!, October 19, 2007

By 

Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frill Kill (A Scrapbooking Mystery) (Hardcover)

With Halloween barely a week away, New Orleans is getting even spookier than usual. Carmela's friend Ava throws a party at her shop, Juju Voodoo, complete with a sexy tarot reader named Giovanni. The only thing he doesn't foretell is that on her way home from the party, Carmela will find the body of a beautiful model named Amber behind a dumpster--right before being knocked unconscious herself.

Giovanni, the tarot reader, appears to have saved her--or was he already there? He turns into the police's number one suspect, but Carmela and Ava both stand by him, even with his tendency to dodge certain questions. There's plenty of evidence to keep Carmela busy, though. Horrible tooth marks are found around the victims neck, along with some nonhuman hairs found at the scene. Police can't seem to figure out what kind of animal the hairs came from or what could have bitten the victims' throat like that.

There are plenty of theories over who's responsible--a French Quarter stalker, a jealous lover, even a werewolf--and Carmela is left wandering who she can trust. Carmela must figure who or WHAT the killer is before she has strange tooth marks of her own!

Laura Childs has done it again! Frill Kill is the fifth installment in Childs' popular scrapbooking series. I enjoyed this book so much I skipped a few meals just to finish it! Frill Kill also includes several handy scrapbooking tips and some yummy New Orleans recipes. I can't wait for Childs' next book!

Childs is a consummate tea drinker, scrapbooker and dog lover.

Armchair Interviews says: Laura Childs is the bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries and the Scrapbooking Mysteries series.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another fun read!, November 12, 2007

By 

Katie C. Nelson "Katie the Scrapbook Lady" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frill Kill (A Scrapbooking Mystery) (Hardcover)

I have read all of Laura Child's scrapbooking mysteries and I have enjoyed every one of them. They are fun and easy to read - sort of like a Nancy Drew book for grownups. There are always some creative scrapbooking ideas and recipes included with the story which I really like. I also love the backdrop of New Orleans in the plotlines.

Thanks for the great read!