Keepsake Crimes

A lightweight murder mystery with the estranged wife caught in the social circle of the murder and targeted by pointed ill-will. The scrapbooking shop she runs serves as gossip central in a mild tornado of witty remarks.

Carmela Bertrand lives in New Orleans and is still reeling from the fact that her husband up and left her, telling her he wanted to be a photographer instead of a banker, and that he “needed to find himself.” But at least she has her scrapbooking shop, Memory Mine, her friends, and her dog, Boo. Her life might not be perfect, but she’s learning to be happy again.

It’s Mardi Gras, and while attending with her best friend Ava, she’s watching the parade and when a float that’s been touted as the best comes near, she sees that something is wrong - and sirens coming ever closer. When the man is handed off the float to the police, she sees that it’s Jimmy Earl Clayton, and she’s stunned. But more than that, she soon learns that show more her estranged husband Shamus is suspected of murdering him. Now she can’t find Shamus, people she knows are avoiding her, she’s being questioned by the police, who think she knows where he is, and people are starting to come after her because of it. Carmela’s sure Shamus had nothing to do with the murder, but if she doesn’t find who did, both their lives might just be scrapped forever...

This is the first in the Scrapbooking Mysteries, and I have to say that I’ve read the later ones and decided to go back and start at the beginning. I’m glad that I did, because now I’ve gotten to see Carmela’s backstory, and what happened between her and Shamus. I really enjoyed this mystery, and liked the fact that the scrapbookers gathered around Carmela and refused to believe that she had anything to do with Shamus’s disappearance or the murder itself.

I thought the mystery was done nicely, and really liked the fact that while clues were thrown throughout, we still had to wait until almost the end for it all to come together. The murderer was a surprise, because the red herrings threw us in a different direction. While I was figuring out the reason for the murder toward the middle of the book, I also liked that we were sent in different directions. It gave meat to the story, and made the ending all that much more delightful. All in all, because of this, I will continue to read the books in order until I get back to where I left off and pick it up again. Recommended. show less

I loved the book there were just a few spots that were a tad slow but overall an excellent book. Carmela is a great character and I enjoyed reading about her and her scrapbooking shop. Laura Childs did an excellent job in her research for this book.

I bought this book because it involved scrapbooking. I enjoyed the scrapbook shop and New Orleans backdrop. I also liked the relationship between Carmela and her friend Ava, they sound like best friends would act. But Carmela needs to dump that jerk of a husband and his sister into the Mississippi! I wish that Laura Childs would put in more detailed descriptions of the techniques in the book, I agree with one of the comments that said the tips were pretty basic. I tried a couple of recipes and they were good. I'll read the others if for no other reason than so that I can read more about New Orleans and the scrapbook store.

Synopsis: Carmela owns a scrapbooking store in New Orleans. Her husband, Shamus has just left her, and his high paying job, to 'find himself' and pursue photography. It's Mardi Gras and the streets are alive with people in costume, parades, and liquor in geaux cups. As she watches a parade, one of the floats stops and an acquaintance is taken from it; he's dead. Shamus is considered a suspect and Carmela is given the 'cold shoulder' by those who think she is still associated with him.
Review: This is an interesting 'first book' with much of the focus on scrapbooking techniques. The mystery is well developed, as are the characters, and the setting. As usual, I have little empathy for women who allow a man to behave badly, so I really show more don't care about the relationship between Carmela and Shamus. show less

Having read several of the Tea Shop Mysteries by this author I was looking forward to this new series. However, I had a hard time with the start since the character, I feel, were not completely defined but by the end I thoroughly enjoyed this Cozy Mystery. I don't feel that there were all the necessary clues for the solution as in the author's other books but I am looking forward to continuing the series and hope for improvement.

⭐⭐
I knew nothing about scrap booking before reading this book and having started a reading journal this year I was interested to learn more about it. That’s one star for the book, the scrap booking details imparted along the way were informative. Add one star for the setting, the author really nailed New Orleans and the Mardi Gras. Take away one star for the characters, I didn’t like any of them. Carmela the main character seemed spoiled and most of the rest just not likable. Initially I liked Gabby the most, until she “quit” at her husbands directive, her reasoning that she swore to obey her husband. This book was written in 2003 not 1803 or 1903.

The mystery itself was OK but take away a star, Carmela was just plain dumb. show more She’s trying to solve a crime that she has taken photos of and never bothers to examine the photos even after some mysterious person shows an interest in them Take away last star because I would never reread this, that’s how I came to my two star rating.


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