Just finished this latest in the scrapbook shop mystery series set in New Orleans by Laura Childs, and enjoyed it as I have all in this series. Never too serious, too gruesome, too unsettling. You know it will work out in the end. It's fun to try to figure out "who done it." There is humor and fun mixed in with solving the mystery. Appreciate the references to current events (i.e.,Hurricane Katrina) and how the city is slowly rebounding from the destruction. It gives you hope. Connecting it with scrapbooking, with creative tips and ideas just adds to the appeal to one who is "into" that. Recipes at the back are another great addition. It's fun, it's escape, it's cozy. Am looking forward to her next book.The 8th Scrapbooking Mystery occurs in the Halloween season. Carmela is busy with a special project to build a giant puppet for the Monsters and Mayhem parade at a space used by the Mardi Gras crews to build floats. She and Ava witness an argument between Brett Fowler, financier and float designer Jekyl Hardy. When Brett ends up murdered outside the building, gored by a horn of a bull's head, her friend comes under suspicion. However, the plot thickens when it turns out that Brett's financial schemes were shady, and quite a few people are out of a lot of cash. Carmela is frustrated with balancing her inquistiveness and her boyfriend's job as a police investigator, but goes forward regardless of the consequences to find the answers. Carmela and Ava end up in some perilous situations that at times seem a bit improbable. I didn't feel this was as compelling of a mystery, but as usual, the book contains interesting tips on scrapbooking, both in the text and at the end, as well as recipes.I have thoroughly enjoyed Laura Child's mysteries, Tea Shoppe and Scrapbooking. I had a little trouble getting into this last book, Scones & Bones. Not sure why, may have just been my frame of mind. Ms. Child's always manages to keep her books fun and usually has me on the edge of my seat. I love her characters in both series. You seem to feel as though you know all of them as friends of your own by the end of each book. All in all, delightful series.This book represents some of the best writing from Laura Childs I've seen in a while. I like to keep up on all three of her series and have been disappointed by the last books from the other two. This one is the kind of writing that made me like her from the beginning; her vivid descriptions make you feel like you've been to the French Quarter and the murder motivations are passably entertaining.Good story. As will all of Laura Childs' books they are great, lite, cozy reads. I went through the entire series quickly. Wish there were more.A little too serial for my taste but it was cute and am easy read to take on vacation. I would recommend this book to a scrapbooker friend.Laura Childs is one of today's best writers of neat murder mysteries. Her series based on the scrapbooking shop is great fun---we all pull for the heroine in every one, and we are never disappointed! Loved the book. 'Nuff said!reading