Wined and Died in New Orleans

Family takes center stage in the sequel to Bayou Book Thief. The Bon Vee Culinary House Museum has the same financial woes as other New Orleans mansions, but the Charbonnet family is determined to continue operations. During some repairs to the home, crates of wine are uncovered, buried there over 150 years earlier by the first owner, Jean-Louis Charbonnet. Ricki James-Diaz, who runs the mansion’s vintage cookbook shop, uses the discovery to promote the shop, posting on social media. This brings family members out of the woodwork, pushing claims on the house and any inheritances, including the proceeds from an auction of the wine. Eugenia Charbonnet Felice, president of the Bon Vee Foundation, isn’t the only one to express anger at the newcomers. But when one of the claimants is murdered, Eugenia tops the suspect list. Ricki feels guilty about her media post and turns amateur sleuth to protect the woman who gave her a second chance. A hurricane is bearing down on New Orleans, but it could be family turmoil that destroys Bon Vee’s and Ricki’s futures.