Crime Brulee

Forty-something homemaker Carolyn Blue is through with cooking and cleaning. She’s finally decided to throw in the dishtowel—and take on a dream job as food writer. Now her plate is filled with exotic locales, delectable foods, and even a dash of crime—to taste. She could very well get used to this.

It was a perfect arrangement. Carolyn had already planned to accompany her husband to an academic conference in New Orleans—an event that meant visiting old college pals. So why not use the opportunity to write a story about Cajun cuisine? But just as she gets a taste of Creole, she gets a bite of crime…Her friend Julienne disappears at a dinner party. True, she had been fighting with her husband, but this only worries Carolyn more. Now, she has to put her taste-testing aside to search for answers—and the trail leads her right to an alligator swamp. Carolyn better act fast, because in these parts, it’s eat or be eaten…

Includes over a dozen delicious Southern recipes!

“A clever, fast-paced tale…a literate, delciously well-written mystery.”—Earlene Fowler, Agatha award-winning author of Arkansas TravelerNancy Fairbanks is a pseudonym for Nancy Herndon, who is the author of the Elena Jarvis mystery series. She has also written historical romances under the name Elizabeth Chadwick. She lives in El Paso, Texas with her husband, a chemistry professor and chairman at the University of Texas at El Paso. She travels widely and frequently with her husband throughout America and Europe, enjoying new places, good food, opera, and scientific conferences.[pp.160-1]

Dangerous Waters…

I fought desperately to the surface, where I heard shrieks…if I could get out before the hungry swamp creatures attacked. I went under, bobbed up, spat out more slimy growths…

“Hang on,” the foghorn roared. I clung for dear life and, trailing nasty, rotting fronds, was dragged through the water to rickety steps that had been nailed haphazardly to the wharf poles.

Arms and legs trembling, dripping liquid mud, I began to climb. I almost fainted when I felt a crossbar tilt under my foot, but by then a sturdy Cajun on the wharf had grasped my arm…

“I was shoved,” I announced, incensed. He paid no attention but dragged me toward the waiting van...