Moon Over Black Bayou

by Sharon Wagner

“Don’t anger the Guardian, Leonora. Nobody will be able to save you.” — Leonora McGuire had been the happiest of brides…until her husband’s cruel betrayal. Desperate to escape her Natchez home -- and its haunting memories -- she journeyed down the fogbound Mississippi River to her Aunt Octavia’s neglected sugar plantation. Hidden deep within the mist-shrouded Louisiana swamps, Black Bayou seemed a welcome refuge…a place where no one could find her.

But Leonora was not alone at Black Bayou. In the dark, brooding shadows of the old plantation house lurked a mysterious voodoo priestess known only as the Guardian. Midnight specters roamed the secluded grounds, and the ghostly presence of Black Bayou’s first master haunted the final pages of his forbidden diaries. Caught in a web of danger and deceit from which there was no escape, no one -- not even the man she still loved -- could save Leonora from the madness that would soon engulf her in the deadliest peril of all…

Genres: Gothic, Gothic Romance

383 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Sharon Blythe Wagner is an American author known for her prolific output of over 60 mystery, Gothic romance, and young adult fiction titles. She is best recognized for her contributions to the beloved Nancy Drew Mystery Stories series, writing five titles under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, including The Kachina Doll Mystery, The Elusive Heiress, and The Broken Anchor.
Originally from Wallace, Idaho, and raised in Cut Bank, Montana, Wagner began her writing career in the mid-1960s, first publishing short stories in magazines. Her first full-length book, Prairie Wind, illustrated by her friend Rita Warner, was released in 1968. She went on to create the Gypsy series, a set of mystery novels set on a Western ranch that gained a following among horse lovers; Gypsy from Nowhere was later named one of the 30 best horse books by Horse Illustrated.
Wagner has also published under various pseudonyms, including Casey Stephens, M.E. Cooper, Ann Sheldon, Blythe Stephens, and Blythe Bradley. She lives in Mesa, Arizona.

Reviews

[Sarah Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yawn. A tepid, boring Zeeb.

I could point to the glacial pace & cardboard backdrop, but the biggest issue by far is an idiot heroine. Idiocy alone isn't a deal-breaker for yours truly -- but there's naive inexperience (forgivable), & then there's purposeless stupidity (unforgivable). Guess which category Leonora falls under. >:P Because trusting ANONYMOUS LETTERS enough to annul your marriage -- which has hitherto been happy -- rather than confront your husband & let him attempt an explanation *is* just plain stupid, not to mention her complete obliviousness to blindingly suspicious actions on the part of others. And I'm supposed to buy that this girl is shrewd enough to run an Antebellum plantation & manage a massive fortune on her own?! Puh-lease.

Overall: talky & drab, with no real oomph & zero 'southern personality.' Disregarding the voodoo hook (one of my fave goffick tropes, no less, & totally bombed in this instance D:), it could've been any era or setting. It was just...bland. Really, REALLY bland.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Don’t anger the Guardian, Leonora. Nobody will be able to save you.” — Leonora McGuire had been the happiest of brides…until her husband’s cruel betrayal. Desperate to escape her Natchez home -- and its haunting memories -- she journeyed down the fogbound Mississippi River to her Aunt Octavia’s neglected sugar plantation. Hidden deep within the mist-shrouded Louisiana swamps, Black Bayou seemed a welcome refuge…a place where no one could find her. But Leonora was not alone at Black Bayou. In the dark, brooding shadows of the old plantation house lurked a mysterious voodoo priestess known only as the Guardian. Midnight specters roamed the secluded grounds, and the ghostly presence of Black Bayou’s first master haunted the final pages of his forbidden diaries. Caught in a web of danger and deceit from which there was no escape, no one -- not even the man she still loved -- could save Leonora from the madness that would soon engulf her in the deadliest peril of all…

I always enjoyed a good gothic romance novel. This one was a fun filled, fast read that had a great deal of suspense and twists in it.

[Alice · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

The only reason I read this was for Bart. This author is frustrating, her stories are fine but she has the unfortunate habit of writing the most wishy washy flip flipping heroines with constant repetitive thoughts repeating over and again to the point of wanting to lash out in frustration. I mean the heroine literally thinks about her "betrayal" by her husband 34 times in the book, 34! and the fact that no such betrayal ever occured makes you wish he did in fact do so because she would deserve it.
The author's repetitiveness was even worse in this novel due to the fact that the heroine was insufferable on top of this, so between her constant flip flopping and having the same thoughts over and over again, she was also a dumb bitch. Of course as with most modern books, this novel wants us to know Leonora is so much "smarter" than all the other "weaker" 19th century ladies who would actually listen to their husbands, this heroine of course don't trust no man! she is better than that LOL well if she actually listened to her husband then nothing bad would have happened in the entire story. Bart was too good for her and deserved so much better, he honestly should not have forgiven her, she hurt him too deeply and quite frankly it's not justified. Through the entire story she believes anonymous letters and lies from people she doesn't even know over her own husband, her husband literally lied to her about nothing, he did absolutely nothing wrong so she has not even a shred of basis for her extreme distrust of him. She abandons him and was going to annul their marriage without him even knowing, she didn't even have enough dignity for her husband to actually level the accusations at him and allow him to defend himself. She would not even tell him or listen to him. To make it even worse she has the audacity to get furious when he accuses her of something in retaliation, like bitch are you for real???? Poor Bart who loved her so much and was just wanting to come home to her and continue their blissful marriage was betrayed by his wife who had so little trust in him that she would believe any stranger over him, and he was almost brutally murdered too and he still risked his life to come and protect her from her own stupidity. Bart is the only worthy character in this.
Of course the story tries passing this all off on Leonora being so insecure and that is why she believed all these evil accusations about her beloved husband, while this is an understandable character trait, it could only account for her being suspicious of her husband's motives and wanting to find the truth. It does not at all justify her fully disbelieving every moment she spent with her husband and discarding his love without even having the decency of questioning him and allowing him to comment on the letters. She just left him and never wanted to speak to him again without even asking him if any of it was true, can you get more stupid? it would have served her right had her husband rode out of her life never to return. Overall I don't regret reading it still, it has a really nice cover and I did like the story and Bart, it's too bad the heroine and her justification was annoying.

[ANGELIA · Rating 1 out of 5]

The review from Sarah Mac said it all so I won't repeat. I'll just add that I thought it deserved one less star than she gave it.