Cocktails, Color & Crime: A Cozy Chat with Author Traci Andrighetti

We had such a fun time hanging out with USA Today bestselling author Traci Andrighetti to talk about her hilarious cozy mystery Limoncello Yellow and the laugh-out-loud Frankie Amato Mystery Series. If you love quirky characters, Italian flair, and New Orleans charm, this interview was a treat.

In case you missed it live (or want to revisit the good parts), here’s a cozy recap of our conversation— plus a peek at Traci’s upcoming Italy-set series and how you can grab her books in your Reader Crate subscription. You can also catch the replay here.

Who Is Traci Andrighetti?

Traci is the USA Today bestselling author behind the Frankie Amato Mysteries, a series packed with humor, heart, and just the right amount of trouble. Her tagline “cocktails, color, and crime” fits perfectly—her stories are bright, fun, and full of life.

Before becoming a full-time author, Traci earned a PhD in applied linguistics, taught Italian at the University of Texas, and worked for a major tech company in Italian support. Somewhere between academia and corporate life, she started writing what she jokingly called her “anti-dissertation”—a mystery she never planned to publish. That manuscript became Limoncello Yellow.

With encouragement from writing teacher Kristin Harmel and an opportunity through a contest judge (and later publisher) Gemma Halliday, Traci’s “just for me” project turned into a full series. She went from “I’ll probably never publish this” to “here I am, ten books later!”

From Limoncello to a Full Series

The origins of Limoncello Yellow go all the way back to Traci’s honeymoon in Rome, where she fell in love with limoncello. She joked that she raved about it so much that when she returned to the same restaurant four years later, the staff actually remembered her as “the limoncello lady.”

That intense lemony flavor—and the memory of being remembered years later—sparked the idea that limoncello should be part of her storytelling identity. From there, the titles nearly wrote themselves:

• Limoncello Yellow
• Prosecco Pink
• Amaretto Amber
• Campari Crimson
• …and more, each book tied to a cocktail, liqueur, or wine and a mystery.

The drink always connects to the mystery somehow—though not necessarily in a “one sip and you’re dead” way. The drink, the color, and the culture are woven into the plot and atmosphere, especially through Frankie’s Italian-American family and the vibrant setting of New Orleans.

Mardi Gras Beads, Wigs & New Orleans Magic

One of the most delightful parts of the interview was hearing about Traci’s love of Mardi Gras beads and New Orleans’ wildly creative culture. She owns hundreds of unique bead strands, including:

• A bead with beignets and chicory coffee inspired by Café Du Monde
• A wine-themed strand gifted by a member of the “Krewe of Cork”
• Beads with iconic New Orleans street names like Royal and Chartres

She even has a Mardi Gras Christmas tree wig decorated with beads and tiny king cake babies! When she sends readers books, she often tucks in Mardi Gras beads so they can “read in the spirit of New Orleans.”

Traci shared that New Orleans feels like a place where people are truly living their lives—from the Witch’s Brunch on Halloween to endlessly creative local traditions. That joy and eccentricity spills onto the page in every Frankie Amato mystery.

The Real-Life Inspirations Behind the Characters

Many of Traci’s funniest characters come from real-life encounters. One of the most memorable stories involved a pre-book trip to New Orleans, a closed strip club called Big Daddy’s, and an urgent need for a bathroom.

Inside, she found a plastic shower setup with cut-out holes and gloves (part of a questionable “wash the girl of your choice” gimmick), and a dressing room filled with dancers getting ready for their shift. An older woman kindly pointed her toward the bathroom with a “Right there, sugar.”

That woman became the inspiration for one of the series’ standout characters: Glenda O’Brien, Frankie’s unforgettable, extroverted landlady.

Traci also loves using readers’ stories (with permission!) as inspiration. One favorite: a reader who accidentally cut into a funeral procession, leading half the line of cars to follow her through random turns until she finally had to pull over and confess she wasn’t actually part of the funeral. That story made its way onto the page.

Vampires, the Vatican, and Other Wild Research Finds

Research is a huge part of Traci’s process—and often where the comedy gold appears. While working on Campari Crimson, she decided the title sounded perfect for a Halloween-themed mystery in New Orleans.

Her research led to two unforgettable facts:

1. New Orleans has one of the largest populations of people living as vampires in the U.S. (Second only to Baltimore!)
2. After the success of the Twilight series, the Vatican reportedly increased its number of exorcists, concerned that the “sparkly vampire” might make vampirism too appealing.

Those details were too good not to use. Traci loves sprinkling in real things that sound made-up—so readers are entertained and a little mind-blown.

New Series Alert: The Pasta & Piazza Mysteries

One of the most exciting reveals from our chat was Traci’s brand-new series, finally bringing her love of Italy front and center: The Pasta & Piazza Mysteries.

The series will follow Jada, Frankie’s cousin, who leads luxury food tours across Italy. Each book features:

• A real Italian city
• A pasta or iconic Italian food
• A deliciously twisty mystery

Some of the upcoming titles she shared:

• Capri, Cannoli & Conspiracy
• Rome, Ravioli & Revenge
• Milan, Manicotti & Murder

Traci is also writing a short story set in Pompeii, featuring a pasta called paccheri (smooth, oversized tubes whose name is tied to the idea of a “slap”). The short story will be a free introduction to the series for her newsletter subscribers.

The first full Pasta & Piazza book is currently up for preorder and scheduled to release in June as a birthday gift to herself—and to all of us who love Italian mysteries.

Cozy, Not Gory: Traci’s Take on Tone

When it comes to balancing humor, heart, and murder, Traci keeps a few cozy ground rules:

• No swearing
• No sex on the page
• No gory, gratuitous violence

She admits a couple of books, like Campari Crimson and Valpolicella Violet, get a little darker to do the story justice—but readers have embraced that mix of suspense and comedy.

What She Hopes Readers Take Away

For Traci, writing is a form of escapism—and she hopes reading her books feels that way too.

She wants readers to feel as though they’ve truly visited New Orleans or Italy, even if they can’t travel there in person. She also hopes her stories encourage people to embrace quirky characters, complicated families, and unfamiliar cultures with more curiosity and less judgment.

Whether it’s an eccentric neighbor, a wild family member, or a city that’s “too much” on the surface, Traci believes there’s almost always something charming, insightful, or life-enhancing to be found if we look for it.

Lightning Round Fun

We wrapped up the interview with a cozy little lightning round. Here are a few of Traci’s rapid-fire answers:

• Coffee or Prosecco while writing? Coffee.
• Favorite sleuthing setting? A real city (she struggles with fully fictional towns).
• Instant book attraction? A bright, colorful cover—or a strong recommendation from author friends.
• Soundtrack for her sleuth? The iconic spaghetti Western theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
• Guilty pleasure snack? Nutella straight from the jar… just like Frankie.
• First-draft celebration? A special cocktail or glass of the drink featured in the book—when she finally makes time for it!

Advice for Aspiring Cozy Mystery Authors

Traci’s biggest piece of advice for writers dreaming of publishing their first cozy mystery is simple: finish the book.

She shared a favorite idea paraphrased from Stephen King: the main difference between an amateur and a professional is that the professional finishes. At some point in every book, you’ll hate it, doubt it, and want to walk away. The job is to keep going anyway.

Where to Find Traci’s Books (and Signed Copies!)

If you’re ready to fall in love with Frankie Amato, Italian-American family chaos, and New Orleans charm, you can find Traci’s books wherever you buy your favorite cozies.

And if you’d like to collect signed copies, keep an eye on our Reader Crate Cozy Mystery subscription. Each month, we feature a cozy mystery author, send out autographed books in our crates, and host interviews like this one so you can get to know the writer behind the pages.

You can:

• Join the waitlist or grab an upcoming crate at readercrate.com
• Sign up for our newsletter for giveaways, freebies, and our Twelve Days of Christmas drawing

Stay Cozy & Keep Reading

A huge thank-you to Traci Andrighetti for joining us, sharing her stories, and making us laugh (and crave limoncello, Nutella, and Italian pasta).

If you haven’t yet, go snag Limoncello Yellow, pop on some Mardi Gras beads, and let Frankie Amato whisk you away to New Orleans. Then watch for Traci’s upcoming Pasta & Piazza Mysteries to take you straight to Italy—no passport required.