PUBLISHED/Crooked Lane Books mystery
Plantation Shudders
Ellen Byron

Plantation Shudders is the first book in the Award-winning Cajun Country cozy mystery series by Ellen Byron. In Plantation Shudders, Byron introduces Magnolia “Maggie” Crozat, on the rebound from living the starving artist life in the Big Apple. Maggie has come home to work at her family’s B&B in Louisiana’s bayou country.
Maggie Crozat has reluctantly returned home to the small town of Pelican, Louisiana, giving costumed antebellum plantation tours and helping out in the kitchen at the famous Crozat Plantation, her family homestead. The Crozats are Cajun aristocrats, their history as grand as the plantation at which they reside. But Maggie and the Crozats seem to be under the curse of the Durands—a rival family, whose heir, Rufus Durand, is the piggish Pelican Police Chief and who would like nothing better than to see the Crozat’s B&B fail. At summer's end, the Crozats have a house full of guests for the local food festival—elderly honeymooners, the Cajun Cuties (a fan club of middle-aged women who are Cajun Wanna-bes), a mysterious stranger from Texas, a couple of hipster lovebirds, and a trio of Georgia frat boys. But when the elderly couple keels over dead within minutes of each other during a frightening storm, Rufus is ready to round up the usual suspects. As Rufus sees it, Maggie, her family, and their guests may be complicit in a possible double homicide.
Maggie tries to hold her family and their business together while conducting her own investigation into who would possibly want these folks dead. Are all of the guests really there for a vacation or do they have ulterior motives? As Maggie delves deeper into each of the guests’ backgrounds, she uncovers shocking revelations and decades old secrets as byzantine as any Southern Gothic. Unexpected help comes in the form of Rufus’s cousin Bo from Shreveport—a new deputy who is determined to see justice delivered, despite what Cousin Rufus wants. That Bo is handsome doesn’t hurt, either.
You’ll love the cast of characters, the yummy recipes at the back of the book, and the baffling mystery only Maggie Crozat can solve (with a little help from an alligator). So pour yourself a Sazerac and cozy on up with Ellen Byron’s Plantation Shudders. Y’all are gonna love it!
Maggie Crozat has reluctantly returned home to the small town of Pelican, Louisiana, giving costumed antebellum plantation tours and helping out in the kitchen at the famous Crozat Plantation, her family homestead. The Crozats are Cajun aristocrats, their history as grand as the plantation at which they reside. But Maggie and the Crozats seem to be under the curse of the Durands—a rival family, whose heir, Rufus Durand, is the piggish Pelican Police Chief and who would like nothing better than to see the Crozat’s B&B fail. At summer's end, the Crozats have a house full of guests for the local food festival—elderly honeymooners, the Cajun Cuties (a fan club of middle-aged women who are Cajun Wanna-bes), a mysterious stranger from Texas, a couple of hipster lovebirds, and a trio of Georgia frat boys. But when the elderly couple keels over dead within minutes of each other during a frightening storm, Rufus is ready to round up the usual suspects. As Rufus sees it, Maggie, her family, and their guests may be complicit in a possible double homicide.
Maggie tries to hold her family and their business together while conducting her own investigation into who would possibly want these folks dead. Are all of the guests really there for a vacation or do they have ulterior motives? As Maggie delves deeper into each of the guests’ backgrounds, she uncovers shocking revelations and decades old secrets as byzantine as any Southern Gothic. Unexpected help comes in the form of Rufus’s cousin Bo from Shreveport—a new deputy who is determined to see justice delivered, despite what Cousin Rufus wants. That Bo is handsome doesn’t hurt, either.
You’ll love the cast of characters, the yummy recipes at the back of the book, and the baffling mystery only Maggie Crozat can solve (with a little help from an alligator). So pour yourself a Sazerac and cozy on up with Ellen Byron’s Plantation Shudders. Y’all are gonna love it!
REVIEWS
"Recipes and fascinating tidbits about plantation history add a tasty lagniappe to this entertaining and well-done cozy debut. A twisty plot and engaging colorful characters complete this mystery’s many pleasures."
--Library Journal Starred Review, Debut of the Month
“Byron’s debut brings energy and verve to the cozy.”
--Publishers Weekly
"Enthusiastically recommended...a deftly crafted and terrifically entertaining novel."
--Midwest Book Review
"Brilliant... Ellen Byron has written a delectable Cajun cozy mystery that is one of the best books I have read in a long time!"
--Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick
"An engaging mystery with a touch of romance and a twist of Southern charm."
--Nancy Atherton, New York Times bestselling author of the Aunt Dimity series
"Plantation Shudders is a delight -- a fast, fun read. Ellen Byron is a new cozy voice with a charming Southern accent. You'll love this novel and its colorful Louisiana characters."
--Elaine Viets, author of Checked Out, a Dead-End Job mystery
"I love a mystery that's a gumbo of wit, charm, and plenty of heart. Laissez les bons temps rouler!"
--Nancy Martin, author of The Blackbird Sisters nationally bestselling mystery series
"Recipes and fascinating tidbits about plantation history add a tasty lagniappe to this entertaining and well-done cozy debut. A twisty plot and engaging colorful characters complete this mystery’s many pleasures."
--Library Journal Starred Review, Debut of the Month
“Byron’s debut brings energy and verve to the cozy.”
--Publishers Weekly
"Enthusiastically recommended...a deftly crafted and terrifically entertaining novel."
--Midwest Book Review
"Brilliant... Ellen Byron has written a delectable Cajun cozy mystery that is one of the best books I have read in a long time!"
--Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick
"An engaging mystery with a touch of romance and a twist of Southern charm."
--Nancy Atherton, New York Times bestselling author of the Aunt Dimity series
"Plantation Shudders is a delight -- a fast, fun read. Ellen Byron is a new cozy voice with a charming Southern accent. You'll love this novel and its colorful Louisiana characters."
--Elaine Viets, author of Checked Out, a Dead-End Job mystery
"I love a mystery that's a gumbo of wit, charm, and plenty of heart. Laissez les bons temps rouler!"
--Nancy Martin, author of The Blackbird Sisters nationally bestselling mystery series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ellen Byron has worked as a television writer-producer on hit series such as WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and STILL STANDING, and has written pilots for NBC, CBS, and 20th Century Fox. Her plays, published by Dramatists Play Service, include the award-winning Graceland. As a journalist, she's written over 200 articles for national magazines, including Los Angeles, Ladies Home Journal, Seventeen, and Prevention.
Byron is the recipient of the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for unpublished mystery writers for her novel entitled Reality Checked. She lives in Los Angeles.
Please check out her website at http://www.ellenbyron.com/.
Ellen Byron has worked as a television writer-producer on hit series such as WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and STILL STANDING, and has written pilots for NBC, CBS, and 20th Century Fox. Her plays, published by Dramatists Play Service, include the award-winning Graceland. As a journalist, she's written over 200 articles for national magazines, including Los Angeles, Ladies Home Journal, Seventeen, and Prevention.
Byron is the recipient of the William F. Deeck-Malice Domestic Grant for unpublished mystery writers for her novel entitled Reality Checked. She lives in Los Angeles.
Please check out her website at http://www.ellenbyron.com/.