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 voodoo priestess 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.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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.
About Susannah Sandlin
Suzanne Johnson writing as Susannah Sandlin is the author of romantic suspense and paranormal romance, often set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night! A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch, and always fancied herself living in Cornwall (although she’s never actually been there). She is the author of the Penton Legacy series (REDEMPTION, ABSOLUTION, OMEGA, ALLEGIANCE and STORM FORCE. The Collectors series (LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP and DEADLY, CALM, AND COLD) Under the name Suzanne Johnson, she writes the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series: ROYAL STREET; RIVER ROAD; ELYSIAN FIELDS; PIRATE’S ALLEY (released in 2015); and BELLE CHASSE A novella and story collection from the Sentinels world, PIRATESHIP DOWN, was released in 2015.
Nadene's addiction to reading began at an early age, when a family friend gifted her a copy of Wuthering Heights. From that moment she was never without a book.She will read anything as long the material is compelling enough to hold her attention. She gained many experiences through the pages of the books she had the opportunity to read.She created this blog to share her love of books with like minded individuals hopes that in sharing reviews of the books read visitors to the blog will discover their next addictive read. When not reading, Nadene enjoys cooking, listening to music and watching television.
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I love her Penton Legacy Series and of course her Sentinels of New Orleans. (and now I work with her so no more reviews on my blog..LOL) Wait until you read book 2.
I do like a strong world and suspense element though a little development on the romance is good. 😉 I’ve got this one to read at some point so I’m glad it has some good elements.
Title: Wild Man's Curse
ancient curses….voodoo princess….so fascinating and gonna add this one!! Great review.
Thanks. I hope you enjoy it.
It sounds really good Nadene and she’s new to me.Thanks
You are welcome Debbie. I hope you give it a try.
I love her Penton Legacy Series and of course her Sentinels of New Orleans. (and now I work with her so no more reviews on my blog..LOL) Wait until you read book 2.
I want to read her other books. It’s so cool that you work with her.
I love romance more but if the suspense is really good, then I wouldn’t mind if the romance we’re a bit short. But 3 stars isn’t that bad at all 😉
xx
Vanessa @ Blushing Geek
No it isn’t bad. I prefer when both threads are balanced though.
I have wanted to try this penname
I think I liked it a bit more than you did but I understand why it wasn’t a bit more for you
I do like a strong world and suspense element though a little development on the romance is good. 😉 I’ve got this one to read at some point so I’m glad it has some good elements.
Too bad you had a few issues with this one. I really do like the voodoo element to the story.
Oh that sounds really good to me.