by Cynthia Chow & Jen Pitts

This week we have a review of the first in a new series by Jen Pitts that is a perfect fit for Halloween reading. We also have a fun Halloween guest post from Jen. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase the book from Amazon.

Mardi Gras and Magic: The Witches of the French Quarter by Jen Pitts
Review by Cynthia Chow

It’s been 40 years since Althea Fontenot was last in New Orleans, when she was only six years old and her mother Fern moved them away to Seattle with vows never to return. Ironically, Fern is the very reason Althea is back in New Orleans, as after her mother’s death Althea is charged with returning Fern’s ashes to her birthplace in the French Quarter. It’s also the only way Althea can claim her inheritance of the family home, although the terms of Fern’s will make it very clear that Althea is to sell the place immediately and split the money with her own daughter. Luella Leblanc has much different plans for Althea though, informing her that not only was Fern Marguerite Fontenot a witch, it is also Althea’s responsibility to take over the Fontenot Coven as a witch herself. As much as Althea would like to believe that Luella is delusional, a mysterious locket shared between the women has her believing that there is much more to the story. Luella’s assertion that Fern was murdered and that her murder must be solved further cements Althea’s need to learn more about her mother and the secret lives that they shared.

After a spell returns some of Althea’s lost memories and reawakens her magical powers, she reunites with Tasso, the cat from her childhood who also just happens to be able to communicate with her. With his help Althea is introduced to a world of vampires, werewolves, and of course witches, some of whom blame Fern for a legacy of death. Warned away from dating the admittedly alluring vampire Atlas McCarthy, she begins investigating jealous witches, toxic young vampires, and a rival coven. The specialty of the Fontenot Coven is communicating with the dead, and while that allows Althea to reunite with her late mother their relationship has not exactly improved.

While the Mardi Gras setting may have readers eager to toss beads and gobble down a bowl of gumbo, the paranormal aspect makes this the perfect read for a spooky Halloween season. Voodoo and vampires are just a part of normal life for those in the French Quarter, not to mention a homicide detective who happens to be a werewolf. The mystery plays out gradually in the background, but the real fun comes in exploring the new world being reintroduced to the burgeoning witch Althea. Her embrace of her legacy and growing love for the town will have readers sharing her affections, not to mention admiring her strength and resilience as her world is transformed. New Orleans vividly comes alive with descriptions of its mouth-watering foods and historical buildings, making this a fun escape into an alluring city of mystery and the paranormal.

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).

Is it Halloween all year around in New Orleans and in cozy mysteries?
By Jen Pitts

Is it Halloween all year around in New Orleans and in cozy mysteries? You might ask yourself, Jen, have you been eating too much candy corn? What in the world are you talking about? Let me explain.

New Orleans is well known for its music, food, and Mardi Gras, but also for its paranormal vibes. French Quarter tour guides tell stories of ghosts, suspicious deaths, and vampires from morning until night. Tarot card and palm readings are offered in Jackson Square. Voodoo and witch shops are easy to find in the neighborhood. Tourists can bring home spooky souvenirs like Voodoo dolls, bat-shaped backpacks, and candles for all kinds of purposes.

Jen Pitts

Cozy mysteries, and especially cozy paranormal mysteries, also have a reputation for their spooky vibes. Finding a dead body is one of the scariest things that could happen to a person, isn’t it? Even if we cozy authors don’t go into detail about the murder or the condition of the body, I find the thought of discovering a murder victim scary. On Halloween, kids and adults wear costumes and masks to be someone else, and isn’t that what a killer is doing in a story? And of course, in paranormal cozies, we have a plethora of common Halloween characters like witches, ghosts, and vampires.

When I write my cozy mysteries set in New Orleans, I experience Halloween in the ways I mentioned. On every visit to the city, I take tours that cover subjects like architecture, food, and cocktails, and history, but it’s the ghost tours I love the most. Every guide has their favorite haunted buildings, ghosts, and ghoulish tales, so I learn new stories each time. Many of those provide inspiration for my books in both my series.

The latest book in the French Quarter Mysteries is The Dead End Tour, and I came up with the idea after a tour about vampires and the casket girl legends. Unlike me, Sammy learns about the legend from a less-than-professional tour guide who prefers theatrics over the truth. As I walked through the Quarter one night, I spotted a tour guide dressed in a long velvet vampire cape, gesturing as he entertained his group. Brad aka Call Me Vlad was born, and he would join the rest of the unusual characters in my series.

Speaking of vampires, I first fell in love with New Orleans and vampires when I read Interview with the Vampire by Ann Rice. And when I read her book The Witching Hour, I was even more in love with the city and now witches. I created a new series called The Witches of the French Quarter, combining all the things I love about New Orleans and the paranormal.

After the death of her mother, Althea Fontenot is told her mother was a witch and so is she. Thea doesn’t believe it, but she agrees to visit her family home in New Orleans. During Mardi Gras and Magic, Althea encounters the coven she apparently belongs to and discovers vampires, werewolves, and fairies living in the French Quarter. She was expecting parades and beads during Mardi Gras, not Halloween characters. Not only does she have to learn about the paranormal world, Thea needs to prove she’s not a killer.

While technically, Halloween isn’t celebrated all year around in New Orleans or in all cozy mystery or cozy paranormal mystery books, I believe elements of it exist. In the city and in these books, we welcome the mysterious, the unusual, and the unknown. Enjoy Halloween this year, but keep the parts that you love with you all year around. Cozy mystery and cozy paranormal mysteries are an easy way to do it. But feel free to stash some candy corn in a secret spot just for you.

To enter to win a copy of Mardi Gras and Magic, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “mardi gras” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen November 4, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new Halloween episode went up this week.

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Jen Pitts is a lifelong mystery reader who turned her obsession into writing cozy mysteries of her own. When she isn’t plotting fictional murder and mayhem, she’s chugging coffee, traveling, reading, and enjoying life with her husband, children, and two cats in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about Jen and her books on her website.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.