Wild Man's Curse (Wilds of the Bayou, #1)

by Susannah Sandlin

The bones said death was comin’, and the bones never lied.

While on an early morning patrol in the swamps of Whiskey Bayou, Louisiana wildlife agent Gentry Broussard spots a man leaving the home of elderly Eva Savoie—a man who bears a startling resemblance to his brother, whom Gentry thought he had killed during a drug raid three years earlier. Shaken, the agent enters Eva’s cabin and makes a bloody discovery: the old woman has been brutally murdered.

With no jurisdiction over the case, he’s forced to leave the investigation to the local sheriff, until Eva’s beautiful heir, Celestine, receives a series of gruesome threats. As Gentry’s involvement deepens and more victims turn up, can he untangle the secrets behind Eva’s murder and protect Celestine from the same fate? Or will an old family curse finally have its way?

From award-winning author Susannah Sandlin comes the first book in the Wilds of the Bayou series.

• ISBN10: 1503934748
• ISBN13: 9781503934740
• Publish Date: 5 April 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Montlake Romance
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 284
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

This is my first Susannah Sandlin book and I can say without a doubt, it will not be my last. The setting, voodoo priestess and an ancient curse combined with mystery and suspense fuelled my desire to read this book.

The Story
Wild Man’s Curse featured rich characters and a well-developed story line. It was evident the author thoroughly researched police procedures and the voodoo religion. I was curious about the curse which plagued Ceelie’s family. Its origin and the steps she would need to take to put an end to it. Eager to discover if the killer was Gentry’s brother or someone who bore a close resemblance kept me turning the pages. Uncovering the murderer’s motive was another aspect of the story, which kept me glued to the pages. However, there were moments in between where the story dragged, thus causing the page turning momentum to dwindle, which interfered with my enjoyment to some extent.

Characters
Gentry Broussard: He is a Senior Enforcement Agent responsible for capturing poachers. While on duty and in the process of taking down a poacher, he spots a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to his brother, leaving Eva Savoie’s Cabin. The brother whom he killed three years ago at. Has his worst nightmare come alive or was his mind playing tricks on him?

Gentry is protective by nature, which was evident in his behaviour towards Celestine. He is plagued by guilt from his past, most of which surrounds the death of his brother.

Celestine Savoie (Ceelie), an aspiring singer and guitarist is down on her luck. Her endless struggles to accomplish her dream in a competitive world was taking its toll. Just when she thought things could get no worse, she received a call about the murder of her great grand-aunt. Forced to return to the place she once called home, to settle her aunt’s estate she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous situation. She had no plans to stay, but fate had a different plan for her.
Despite the threat to her life, Ceelie had no intention of running. I loved her bravery and her tenacity.

Unfortunately, the villain did not impress me. His actions were haphazard, which made him dangerous. He was unhinged, erratic, and reckless. His motives were driven by pure greed.

The Romance
The romance, which I found unimpressive, took a back seat. The story focused on the murder investigation and the threat on Ceelie’s life. The sparks between the protagonists were evident, but the build up to their relationship lacked intensity, making difficult for me to connect with them as a couple.

Conclusion/Recommendation
If you love romantic suspense, (heavy on the suspense and light on the romance), Wild Man’s Curse will be a great addition to your library.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Five reasons to grab Wild Man’s Curse

• If you have a thing for books set in Louisiana, Sandlin’s familiarity with the region is evident from her characters to the incredible scenes she describes. I love books set in the area, and loved the authentic feel from the language to the voodoo.


• The murder-mystery was multi-faceted and tightly woven. I loved how Sandlin threaded the pieces together ensnaring the characters and reader within her tale. She has respect for law enforcement procedure and it's evident she does her research. Unlike many books set in the south, she does not go for stereotypes. Secondary characters were developed and local law intelligent and through.


• Sandlin's characters are fully developed and original. Gentry Broussard a local wildlife agent looking for poachers when he spots a man leaving Eva Savoie’s cabin. The man shares a striking resemblance to his dead brother. A brother, Gentry shot and killed during a drug raid in NOLA three years earlier. Celestine returns home and has questions regarding her Aunt’s murder. As these two talk, a spark ignites that we watch slowly develop into more. The danger is far from over as the killer will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Secondary characters were unique and developed breathing life into this rural community. I am anxious to learn more about them from Paul, a local officer to Gentry’s partner.


• The romance was slow burning, with some punches of heat. Typically, in the romantic suspense genre, you get instalove driven by the suspense angle, but Sandlin likes to develop her romances, slowly fanning the flames. It felt genuine and sweet making me hope for happily ever after.


• Voodoo, old curses, mysterious facts and danger for our hero and heroine had me flipping the pages of Wild Man’s Curse. The story is well-balanced, with interesting tidbits about the past that bring us closer to solving the current case and capturing a desperate killer. The murders were dark, revealing a disturbed mind. Sandlin gives us just enough detail to provide chills without inducing nightmares. Sandlin delivered a realistic tale while weaving in the uniqueness of Louisiana.

Copy provided by publisher, This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer