“Ciao, y’all! I’m Franki Amato, a private investigator at my BFF’s firm, Private Chicks, Inc., in New Orleans. You might remember me because I’ve been on Dru’s Book Musings blog a few times before. Speaking of things I’m on, I recently joined a Mardi Gras krewe. If you’re unfamiliar with krewes, they’re the social organizations that put on parades for Mardi Gras. Traci Andrighetti’s been on two, so now she’s making me do it. But not for fun.”
“For murder.”
“You see, a local prosecutor literally dropped dead during the annual Greasing of the Poles competition, and my client, a wigmaker named Wanda, was unjustly implicated. A group of women broke into her shop and stole three of her wigs, which they wore to kill the prosecutor. And all the evidence points to the board members of the all-female Krewe of Clotho, one of the wealthiest and most elite krewes in all of Louisiana.”
“Blah, blah, blah, sugar.” My sixty-something ex-stripper landlady sashayed up in a barely there number she’d accessorized with a Mae West–style cigarette holder.
“Glenda, do you mind? I’m telling Dru Ann’s readers about my latest investigation, Tuaca Tan.”
“Tan’s the right color, Miss Franki. Because, so far, this story is as boring as plain toast.”
“Oh, really? I’m talking about a homicide at an event that kicks off Mardi Gras weekend. What’s more interesting than that?”
“The outfit I wore to said event. I was invited to be one of the four contestants at the Greasing of the Poles because I’m a local celebrity. I’m retired now, but in my heyday I was an exotic dancer known by my stage name, Lorraine Lamour. What Miss Franki hasn’t told you is that the Greasing of the Poles is a fun competition hosted by Moët & Chandon champagne, my signature drink, outside the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street.”
“I was going to tell them that, Glenda, but you coopted the conversation. Anyway, as I was saying, the Royal Sonesta started the event over fifty years ago when they greased the balcony supports outside the hotel to discourage parade watchers from trying to shimmy up the supports to watch the Mardi Gras parades.”
“Excuse me, Miss Franki, but aren’t you supposed to be investigating this case, not to mention looking for a wedding reception venue with your fiancé?”
“Yeah, but—”
“Then, as I was saying, the Greasing of the Poles is a fun competition to see who’s the best pole greaser. And given my profession, I’ve greased a pole or two in my day.”
“A pole or two?”
Glenda huffed out a puff of smoke. “Quiet, sugar. It’s rude to interrupt. The Royal Sonesta provides contestants with ladders and jars of Vaseline to grease the poles. And in keeping with the event theme, I incorporated Vaseline into my outfit. And let’s just say, I not only won the competition, I was the slickest dresser.”
I rolled my eyes. “Since we’re talking about winning, be sure to comment on this post for a chance to win a print or e-copy of Tuaca Tan, the story of my investigation—” One entry per person, print US only. The giveaway ends July 3, 2023. Good luck everyone!
“You mean, the story of my Greasing of the Poles competition, Miss Franki—”
“Uh-huh, right. And Traci will also throw in a Mardi Gras throw (see what I did there?) from our favorite krewe, the Krewe of Muses.”
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Tuaca Tan, A Franki Amato Mystery Book #8
Genre: Cozy
Release: June 2023
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
Parading for Mardi Gras is no party…
When PI Franki Amato was invited to watch her sixty-something landlady, Glenda, compete at the French Quarter’s annual kickoff to Mardi Gras weekend, she had reservations. After all, the event is called the Greasing of the Poles, and Glenda is an ex-stripper. But she never expected the fun event to turn her world upside down—and, literally, the victim’s. Now instead of hunting for a wedding venue with her honey, Franki’s hunting for a killer. The trail seems to lead to the wealthy board of the Krewe of Clotho, a carnival organization of women whose character is nowhere near as impeccable as their blonde hair, tan outfits, and old New Orleans ancestry. As members begin dropping like beads from Bourbon Street balconies, Franki has to crack clues as murky as the krewe’s signature milk punch brunch drink. Otherwise, this Mardi Gras parade could be her last.
About the author
Traci Andrighetti is the USA Today bestselling author of the Franki Amato mysteries and the Danger Cove Hair Salon mysteries, and she is a co-author of the Killer Foursome mysteries. In her previous life, she was an award-winning literary translator and a Lecturer of Italian at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a PhD in Applied Linguistics. But then she got wise and ditched that academic stuff for a life of crime—writing, that is. Get news of Traci’s upcoming books and latest capers at traciandrighetti.com. To find out what Franki’s up to between the books, join Traci’s newsletter at traciandrighetti.com to get the Franki Amato Mini Mysteries for FREE!
All comments are welcomed.
New Orleans is such a rich setting for a murder mystery, and throwing in Mardi Gras sounds fun.
Thanks, Sharon (love your last name)! The books are so fun to write!
Looking forward to the comedy in this competition! I mean murder.
Maren, that made me laugh out loud!
This is such a fun series!!!! Glenda cracks me up. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your latest book.
Fingers crossed!
Thanks, Linda! Glenda is a hoot to write! Good luck to you. 😀
Another wild adventure for Franki and krewe, err…crew. This series is always a treat that is guaranteed to make you laugh. What fun!
Thanks, Barbara! Fun to see you here!
This sounds like a great fun series..I must look for the 1st one…
Hi Gram, the first book (Limoncello Yellow) is free for the next few days, so make sure to download a copy!
Enjoy this wonderful series. So delightful and special.
Ruth, I hope you don’t mind that Bradley’s annoying assistant shares your name! And I hope your last name isn’t Walker!!
A series which has been unique, entertaining and one of a kind. Thanks for your creative characters and wonderful books.
Laini, you just made my day! Thank you so much!!!
Barbara, thanks as always for your support. Your emails are fun too!
Yay! I’ve always wanted to visit New Orleans, but for now books are the next best thing.
Hi Alicia, yes, because it’s so hot there right now—a swamp!
Sounds like an entertaining read.
Thanks, Libby! It was fun to write!
Sounds like another fun and hilarious adventure for Franki.
Thanks, Cherie! When I chose a murder on an all-female Mardi Gras krewe, I decided to let the good times roll, as they say in New Orleans!
Love the New Orleans setting. Perfect setting for a murder mystery. Looking forward to reading the book.
Oh, absolutely! New Orleans has voodoo, creepy cemeteries, and so much more that really works in a mystery. I try to feature a different aspect of the city in each one of the books.
Your book sounds wonderful! I was laughing as I was reading your post!!!
Love the cover!
Thanks, Sherry! I’m all about the comedy. And so much of it is based on my own crazy experiences in New Orleans, which is a character in itself!
Oh, that’s a hoot! I’ve never heard of the greasing of the poles but then I left the N.O. area a little more than fifty years ago. Sounds like another great Mardi Gras tradition!
Pat, definitely look up the Greasing of the Poles on YouTube. It’s a fun, fun watch!
Sounds fun and I love the setting of New Orleans should be a mysterious read with all the costumes people are wearing they will be able to hide in plain sight. Thank you for the chance.
New Orleans is definitely both of those things: mysterious and fun! Thanks for stopping by! You’ve been busy tonight!
**** WINNER ****
Tuaca Tan is Linda MH
Congratulations!