ARC Review: Crepe Factor by Laura Childs

Recommended Read!

“If you haven’t tried many cozy mysteries before, then this is a good place to start. Childs lays out the clues in a way that you can’t miss them, but at the same time, she’s good at throwing you off track so that there is a challenge when guessing who the killer i”
~ Under the Covers

This is my first book by Laura Childs and it has quickly started a new obsession for me. This month I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and try reading more Mysteries and Cozy Mysteries in particular so of course, I had to turn to Childs for this. Although this is the fourteenth book in the Scrapbooking Mystery series, I found it very easy to follow into the story.

All of the characters in this book are larger than life. This is especially true for Marcela and Ava, the two leads who are best friends. In this particular book, Marcela and Ava witness the death of a well-known but well-hated restaurant critic and because Marcela’s ex was seen getting in a heated argument with him last, he’s the lead suspect. Now her ex is trying to get his name cleared and because Marcela’s hot beau Edgar Babcock is the lead investigator on the case, he asks Marcela if she can help him out.

This naturally creates some tension as Marcela tries to keep her investigating a secret but as you know, no amateur sleuth can get to the bottom of things without getting herself into trouble.

I absolutely loved this book. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like the New Orleans setting just because I do think it’s been featured in so many other books that I didn’t think there would be anything new or interesting that Childs could bring to the story, but I was wrong. New Orleans is fabulous. I loved the personality it brings to the book and also it makes for a really fun atmosphere for the characters to play in.

Possibly my favorite thing about this book is the characters. Every single person is so fun and energetic. This book keeps you on your toes but also there’s a great balance between the suspense and the humor. There are so many fun, great scenes in this book that I’m sure you’ll find yourself laughing if you try this book out.

If you haven’t tried many cozy mysteries before, then this is a good place to start. Childs lays out the clues in a way that you can’t miss them, but at the same time, she’s good at throwing you off track so that there is a challenge when guessing who the killer is. This book really is absolute perfection. And now that I’m hooked, I’m happy that I have so many other books of Childs’ to devour.