I’m not sure I know any authors who love New Orleans more than Ellen Byron does. Despite a murder or two, and Ricki James-Diaz’ ongoing search for her birthmother, that love for the city, its food, and customs shines through Byron’s fourth book in the Vintage Cookbook mystery series, Crescent City Christmas Chaos.

Ricki, manager of Miss Vee’s Vintage Cookbook and Kitchenware Shop at Bon Vee, is delighted that her boyfriend, Virgil Morel, is filming a kitchen show right there at Bon Vee. It means her parents, Luis and Josepha James-Diaz, are in town for Christmas. Luis is a well-respected film cameraman, hired by Virgil to film the show. But, the director, a last-minute addition, is driving Luis ragged. And, Ricki makes a big mistake when she tries to get her mother to talk about her time at Charity Hospital when she adopted her daughter. That suggestion brings trouble when Ricki’s parents become murder suspects.

Josepha warns Ricki to stay away from Phyllis Gibbs, a woman who worked at Charity when Josepha did. But, Ricki thinks the woman might have a clue as to her birthmother. Phyllis seems eager to connect with Josepha, who seems scared to death of the woman. Unfortunately, both of Ricki’s parents were at Phyllis’ house the night before the woman was found dead. Is it good or bad news that the homicide police are pulled every direction when someone dressed as the city’s favorite cartoon character from the past is burglarizing businesses? They don’t have time to investigate Phyllis’ murder. But, that means Ricki’s parents have a cloud of suspicion hanging over them.

Together with fellow employees at Bon Vee, her friends, and a relative or two, Ricki takes on the investigation herself. The story becomes a mixture of a murder investigation, the filming of the cooking show, and preparations for a Mardi Gras krewe. Byron manages to wrap the storylines together in a satisfactory mystery that will please fans of New Orleans, enticing food, and likable people. She also includes recipes in the book.

A personal note: Ellen Byron includes a bit about recipes found on headstones, something I hadn’t heard about until I read Rosie Grant’s nonfiction book, To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes. Interesting that the topic came up a couple times in the last month or so.