Parchment and Old Lace

I typically load up on lighter fare when I travel and my trip to New Mexico was no exception. I love immersing myself in the rich description of life in Charleston, South Carolina provided by Laura Childs in her "Tea Shop Mysteries" but this time I ventured into her "Scrapbook Mysteries," which are set in New Orleans. This is the 13th installment in the series featuring scrapbooking store owner Carmela Bertrand, who is also very good at solving mysteries. Carmela's romantic dinner with her beau, Det. Edgar Babcock, is interrupted by an acquaintance stopping by their table to remind Carmela of her upcoming wedding and to insist that Carmela come. When Carmela and Edgar are leaving the restaurant, they hear a scream coming from across the street in one of the famous New Orleans cemeteries and find the bride-to-be strangled to death with a piece of old lace. Trying to track down the lace is something Carmela can do to help, but she is beseeched by the victim's sister to investigate further to help find the killer. There is a long list of suspects: the fiancé, the fiancé's condescending mother, a somewhat shady real estate developer, a creepy co-worker--but surely not Carmela'a boss who is trying so hard to help. I'd never have guessed who REALLY did it!
Childs writes interesting characters, engaging plots and, as mentioned, richly detailed settings, so this was an easy and enjoyable read.