Body on the Bayou by Ellen Byron

Released September 13, 2016

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Update October 26, 2016
I heard it through the grapevine (actually from newsie Hank Phillippi Ryan) that Ellen posted on Jungle Red Writers.

Ellen: "We can all point to moments that changed our lives – marriage, childbirth, getting our first book published. But these are the moments you expect to have huge consequences. What about the ones that seem inconsequential at the time? I had a moment like that during an interview with legendary actress Shirley MacLaine."

Ellen Byron--A Moment That Changed My Life.

Note to fellow newsies. Don't be shy. Just let me know when you're dating other blogs. Mysterious News isn't the jealous type.

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The timing couldn't be better for Ellen to release her second Cajun Country Mystery as mystery writers and readers from around the country convene in Cajun Country for Bouchercon.

Thanks to Girl with Book Lungs, who writes:

I had such a fun time reading Body on the Bayou.

Somehow, Maggie Crozat has found herself the maid of honor to a true crazy Cajun bridezilla, Vanessa. As her to do list from Vanessa grows, Maggie tries to juggle the unrealistic demands while working at two plantations, finding time to focus on her art career, and sneaking in time for her budding yet clandestine romance with police detective, Bo. As members of Vanessa's family stream into town for the wedding and associated parties, Maggie and her family are strong-armed into hosting Ginger - one of Vanessa's cousin – and her two business associated at their bed and breakfast. Vanessa warns Maggie to be cautious of Ginger but, at first, Maggie can't see why. Soon enough, however, Ginger's true colors shine through.

With the wedding getting nearer and nearer, Maggie is horrified to stumble over the body of Ginger in the bayou. On top of yet another murder at the Crozat B & B, the family finds themselves hosting two new moms – a lost dog and cat – as well as their litters, not to mention the reappearance of Bo's ex-wife Whitney, who confides in Maggie that her feeling for her ex aren't entirely in the past. Vanessa ads another task to Maggie's list: figure out who killed Ginger. The trouble is that all evidence seems to be pointing towards Vanessa. A fast pace and feisty characters drive this story and keep readers turning the pages. The characters are dynamic and engaging, fresh among the canvas of characters in the cozy mystery genre. Body in the Bayou features a cleverly intricate plot and a villain I never suspected or saw coming.

For as much as I enjoyed the first book in this series [Plantation Shudders], I liked this one even more, and I'm quite eager for the next installment!

Stop by Ellen's website to sign up for her newsletter and recipes and order your copy today.

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Ellen's debut novel, Plantation Shudders: A Cajun Country Mystery, made the USA Today Bestsellers list, and has been nominated for Agatha, Lefty, and Daphne awards. Ellen is also a recipient of a William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant from the Malice Domestic Convention.

Her TV credits include Wings, Still Standing, and Just Shoot Me, as well as network and cable pilots. As a journalist, she's written over 200 magazine articles for national publications. She recently served on the Editorial Board for the UCLA Writers Program's books, Cut to the Chase and Inside the Room.

Her plays, published by Dramatists Play Service, include the popular Graceland and Asleep on the Wind. A graduate of Tulane University, Ellen lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, daughter, and the family's spoiled rescue dogs, which they describe as a "corgi-jack-huahua" and a "cherrier." A native New Yorker, Ellen still misses her hometown– and still drives like a New York cabbie.