cover image Frill Kill

Frill Kill

Laura Childs, . . Berkley Prime Crime, $22.95 (273pp) ISBN 978-0-425-21730-6

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.)