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Mystere Parish #1
The Reckoning
A little girl goes missing and a sheriff will do anything to bring her home—even confront evil—in this classic tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author Jana DeLeon.In a tiny bayou town with far too many wicked secrets, the sudden disappearance of a six-year-old girl is a mystery Sheriff Holt Chamberlain is determined to solve. But teaming up with Alexandria Bastin is a complication he didn’t expect. Nor is he prepared to collide with the dark side of Cajun culture—and his own troubled past.The frantic search leads them to a place said to hold magic, an eerie island where Alex is also working her charm on him. At one time, he’d been forced to leave her brokenhearted. And now, dangerously close to the truth, he’ll do anything to protect her from the evil that surrounds them—an evil that might hold the key to sending a little girl home.…Previously publishedFor fans of thrillers New Orleans Bayou voodoo witches cold case mysteries Gothic vibesMystere ParishBook 1: The ReckoningBook 2: The VanishingBook 3: The AwakeningMystere Family InheritanceBook 1: The AccusedBook 2: The Betrayed Book 3: The Reunion
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
842 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
About the author
Jana Deleon
102 books4,235 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jana DeLeon was raised in southwest Louisiana among the bayous and gators. Her hometown is Carlyss, but you probably won't find it on a map. Her family owned a camp located on a bayou just off the Gulf of Mexico that you could only get there by boat. The most important feature was the rope hammock hanging in the shade on a huge deck that stretched out over the water where Jana spent many hours reading books.
Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
Jana and her brother spent thousands of hours combing the bayous in a flat-bottom aluminum boat, studying the natural habitat of many birds, nutria and alligators. She would like you to know that no animals were injured during these "studies," but they kept makers of peroxide in business.
Jana has never stumbled across a mystery or a ghost like her heroines, but she's still hopeful.
She now resides in Dallas, Texas, with the most spoiled Sheltie in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
March 3, 2016
"It's there, isn't it?" Sarah's voice sounded from the doorway, causing her to jump. "The crow. You saw it."
There was no point in lying. Alex was certain the look on her face had already given everything away.
"On a branch just outside the window."
"It's toying with us," Sarah said, a blush rising up her neck and onto her face. "Bring my baby back!" She strode across the bedroom and yanked the drape completely back.
Alex gasped in horror as Sarah screamed.
The doll Alex had seen on the island sat on the branch where the crow used to be.
This book won the Romantic Times Book Review Harlequin Intrigue Reader's Choice Award in 2012.
Like most books in Harlequin's Intrigue line, this is a perfectly adequate mystery novel, but less satisfying as a romance novel.
Alex is a psychiatrist. Her cousin Sarah's 6-year-old daughter Erika has been kidnapped.
Holt is a stand-in deputy. He ran away from Alex and her love for him 10 years ago.
Ten years ago, he'd run away to war - the one place he could be certain his past couldn't follow him.
Now, after returning from 10 years in Afghanistan, Holt's shocked to find that seeing Alex after all these years still affects him deeply.
Alex and Holt team up to locate little Erika, searching the spooky bayous for any clue.
...
This book has a strong creep-factor, with supernatural goings-on and voodoo practitioners living in the swamp. We have creepy dolls - there's a whole island called Doll Island where a woman who practices voodoo lives. She has tied dolls to the branches of plants all over the island. It's very creepy. Dolls in the mud, dolls on the trees, dolls everywhere.
And this doll's eyes were closed.
Alex felt her pulse racing in her temples. She took another deep breath and before she could change her mind, stepped onto the bank. The instant her foot made contact with the ground, the doll's eyes flew open.
We have crows, everywhere, seemingly following people and watching them.
"And then there was the crow."
"What crow?"
"It was on the clothesline outside Erika's bedroom window every morning for the last week when I went in to wake her. I closed the blinds and went outside to shoo it away, but every morning, it was right back in place."
Sarah shivered. "Last night, I heard a noise out back. I looked out the kitchen window and could make out the outline of the crow just sitting there. Like it was watching her, even though the blinds were closed."
And don't forget creepy dead crows:
The porch light didn't reach very far into the backyard, but its reach was beyond the carefully groomed flower beds. Alex could see the dark shadows lying at random on the lawn. All about the same size. The size of a crow.
We have gigantic alligators who occasionally eat people.
That's when Holt saw that it had something bloody clasped in its jaws. He sucked in a breath when he realized it was a human leg.
And voodoo practitioners who enjoy living on a private island where no one bothers them.
Something had happened to Alex and Sarah many years ago in that swamp - something they refused to tell Holt about, but something that scared them so badly it had changed them permanently.
...
The mystery was much stronger than the romance here. Seeing as a six-year-old girl was missing, I spent a good portion of the book silently praying that this wasn't going to turn out to be a book about a pedophile. I hate reading about pedophiles.
The mystery is good for a Harlequin, well woven together and definitely kept me guessing.
...
The characters: Deleon just plunges us into a completely developed town with completely developed characters who already have complicated backstories and complicated relationships with each other. You are going to feel like you missed some books - but you haven't.
The best parts of the books were some of the conversations between Alex and Holt.
She checked the clip for the third time that morning, then slipped the gun back into the pocket, zipping it tight.
"I don't remember nines when we were kids," Holt commented. "Or is that something you picked up in the big city?"
"Actually, it belongs to Ms. Maude. I paid her a visit last night after I got Sarah to sleep."
"Ms. Maude? The crazy old cat lady on Miller Lane?"
"No. Ms. Maude, who likes cats, whose father was a Precision Military Weapons Specialist and who happens to have a target gallery in her barn."
"That explains a lot," Holt said, "especially about her single status."
"So what you're saying is that Ms. Maude might have married if all the men in Vodoun weren't a bunch of wimps?"
"I think it's safer if I don't say anything at all."
I was laughing. But there aren't too many cute scenes like that - more mystery.
...
THE ROMANCE
Well, there wasn't much of one - it takes a backseat to mystery, here. The reason that Deleon made Holt and Alex ex-lovers who had been together 10 years ago was so that you could believe it when they sleep together now and she doesn't have to build up a relationship or feelings in a short time-frame. Making the MCs have "a past" with each other makes it neat and allows her to focus more on the mystery.
The characters are fine - I didn't feel that they were shallow or slapped together, but on the other hand, neither one was endearing themselves to me.
Holt was fine until he decides to have sex with Alex - the woman he walked out on ten years ago, leaving for the army with no explanation as to why he was breaking up with her.
He'd known from the first moment he'd seen her again that his feelings were real. That time had only made them stronger, not diminished them as he'd figured would happen. But his return into her life was at the worst possible time. Even a woman as strong as Alex couldn't make a good decision under this much stress.
The appropriate thing to do was back off and give her some room.
YOU ARE A MORON. How could you possibly think that "backing off" and "giving her some room" would possibly be a good idea after TAKING HER TO BED!?!?!? Yeah, women love that. <---sarcasm Having sex with her and then acting cool and distant is DEFINITELY the right way to go here. <-----sarcasm.
And our little genius decides to immediately enact his plan by LEAVING ALEX TO WAKE UP ALONE IN A COLD BED.
Alex rolled over in bed and reached out with her arm, but all she found in her reach was cold sheets.
*Carmen is seething with anger* You call yourself a man?! *Carmen sneers* You piece of trash. I hope an alligator eats you. Only a pathetic, weak coward would make love to a woman who is in love with him - after ten years of absence - and then sneak out of bed like a fucking slimeball so that she wakes up alone. What a scumbag.
And then he has the NERVE to be confused as to why she is upset with him. ARE YOU STUPID?!!?
"Whatever you think," he said, but she could tell that he was a bit put off and confused over her dismissal.
Argh! Grow a brain cell!
...
How's the sex, Carmen?
Well. There's only one sex scene and it's only one page long. That's a bad sign. Deleon doesn't go into much detail (and you know how I LOVE detail). At least they use condoms, although the condom bit is a bit weird.
He moaned when she took the length of him into her palm, and whispered, "Protection?"
Alex stepped away long enough to retrieve her purse from the nightstand and pull out a condom. "I'm a doctor. I'm always prepared."
This baffles me on many levels. Alex is a psychiatrist. If you think that being a psychiatrist means you always have condoms with you, I have some shocking news for you. And I am unclear about what one thing has to do with the other.
Perhaps she was making a joke? o.O
But oh well. At least condoms were used, and that's all that matters to me.
Here is pretty much the entire 'sex part' of sex. I'll put it under a spoiler so that people who don't want to read sex scenes don't have to.
Don't worry, it's nothing to get excited about.
Well, I don't know about you, but that did absolutely nothing for me. Not even a spark of excitement. Like I said, this is more of a mystery book than a romance book, and that's definitely reflected in the book's (one, lone) sex scene.
...
Tl;dr - If you want a creepy, slightly supernatural mystery that takes place in Louisiana's steamy bayous, then you've come to the right place. If you want a steamy romance novel, look elsewhere.
...
THREE REAL STARS, TWO ROMANCE STARS Three real stars because it's a decent book, but only two romance stars because there's not much romance.
Not available in Spanish.
There was no point in lying. Alex was certain the look on her face had already given everything away.
"On a branch just outside the window."
"It's toying with us," Sarah said, a blush rising up her neck and onto her face. "Bring my baby back!" She strode across the bedroom and yanked the drape completely back.
Alex gasped in horror as Sarah screamed.
The doll Alex had seen on the island sat on the branch where the crow used to be.
This book won the Romantic Times Book Review Harlequin Intrigue Reader's Choice Award in 2012.
Like most books in Harlequin's Intrigue line, this is a perfectly adequate mystery novel, but less satisfying as a romance novel.
Alex is a psychiatrist. Her cousin Sarah's 6-year-old daughter Erika has been kidnapped.
Holt is a stand-in deputy. He ran away from Alex and her love for him 10 years ago.
Ten years ago, he'd run away to war - the one place he could be certain his past couldn't follow him.
Now, after returning from 10 years in Afghanistan, Holt's shocked to find that seeing Alex after all these years still affects him deeply.
Alex and Holt team up to locate little Erika, searching the spooky bayous for any clue.
...
This book has a strong creep-factor, with supernatural goings-on and voodoo practitioners living in the swamp. We have creepy dolls - there's a whole island called Doll Island where a woman who practices voodoo lives. She has tied dolls to the branches of plants all over the island. It's very creepy. Dolls in the mud, dolls on the trees, dolls everywhere.
And this doll's eyes were closed.
Alex felt her pulse racing in her temples. She took another deep breath and before she could change her mind, stepped onto the bank. The instant her foot made contact with the ground, the doll's eyes flew open.
We have crows, everywhere, seemingly following people and watching them.
"And then there was the crow."
"What crow?"
"It was on the clothesline outside Erika's bedroom window every morning for the last week when I went in to wake her. I closed the blinds and went outside to shoo it away, but every morning, it was right back in place."
Sarah shivered. "Last night, I heard a noise out back. I looked out the kitchen window and could make out the outline of the crow just sitting there. Like it was watching her, even though the blinds were closed."
And don't forget creepy dead crows:
The porch light didn't reach very far into the backyard, but its reach was beyond the carefully groomed flower beds. Alex could see the dark shadows lying at random on the lawn. All about the same size. The size of a crow.
We have gigantic alligators who occasionally eat people.
That's when Holt saw that it had something bloody clasped in its jaws. He sucked in a breath when he realized it was a human leg.
And voodoo practitioners who enjoy living on a private island where no one bothers them.
Something had happened to Alex and Sarah many years ago in that swamp - something they refused to tell Holt about, but something that scared them so badly it had changed them permanently.
...
The mystery was much stronger than the romance here. Seeing as a six-year-old girl was missing, I spent a good portion of the book silently praying that this wasn't going to turn out to be a book about a pedophile. I hate reading about pedophiles.
The mystery is good for a Harlequin, well woven together and definitely kept me guessing.
...
The characters: Deleon just plunges us into a completely developed town with completely developed characters who already have complicated backstories and complicated relationships with each other. You are going to feel like you missed some books - but you haven't.
The best parts of the books were some of the conversations between Alex and Holt.
She checked the clip for the third time that morning, then slipped the gun back into the pocket, zipping it tight.
"I don't remember nines when we were kids," Holt commented. "Or is that something you picked up in the big city?"
"Actually, it belongs to Ms. Maude. I paid her a visit last night after I got Sarah to sleep."
"Ms. Maude? The crazy old cat lady on Miller Lane?"
"No. Ms. Maude, who likes cats, whose father was a Precision Military Weapons Specialist and who happens to have a target gallery in her barn."
"That explains a lot," Holt said, "especially about her single status."
"So what you're saying is that Ms. Maude might have married if all the men in Vodoun weren't a bunch of wimps?"
"I think it's safer if I don't say anything at all."
I was laughing. But there aren't too many cute scenes like that - more mystery.
...
THE ROMANCE
Well, there wasn't much of one - it takes a backseat to mystery, here. The reason that Deleon made Holt and Alex ex-lovers who had been together 10 years ago was so that you could believe it when they sleep together now and she doesn't have to build up a relationship or feelings in a short time-frame. Making the MCs have "a past" with each other makes it neat and allows her to focus more on the mystery.
The characters are fine - I didn't feel that they were shallow or slapped together, but on the other hand, neither one was endearing themselves to me.
Holt was fine until he decides to have sex with Alex - the woman he walked out on ten years ago, leaving for the army with no explanation as to why he was breaking up with her.
He'd known from the first moment he'd seen her again that his feelings were real. That time had only made them stronger, not diminished them as he'd figured would happen. But his return into her life was at the worst possible time. Even a woman as strong as Alex couldn't make a good decision under this much stress.
The appropriate thing to do was back off and give her some room.
YOU ARE A MORON. How could you possibly think that "backing off" and "giving her some room" would possibly be a good idea after TAKING HER TO BED!?!?!? Yeah, women love that. <---sarcasm Having sex with her and then acting cool and distant is DEFINITELY the right way to go here. <-----sarcasm.
And our little genius decides to immediately enact his plan by LEAVING ALEX TO WAKE UP ALONE IN A COLD BED.
Alex rolled over in bed and reached out with her arm, but all she found in her reach was cold sheets.
*Carmen is seething with anger* You call yourself a man?! *Carmen sneers* You piece of trash. I hope an alligator eats you. Only a pathetic, weak coward would make love to a woman who is in love with him - after ten years of absence - and then sneak out of bed like a fucking slimeball so that she wakes up alone. What a scumbag.
And then he has the NERVE to be confused as to why she is upset with him. ARE YOU STUPID?!!?
"Whatever you think," he said, but she could tell that he was a bit put off and confused over her dismissal.
Argh! Grow a brain cell!
...
How's the sex, Carmen?
Well. There's only one sex scene and it's only one page long. That's a bad sign. Deleon doesn't go into much detail (and you know how I LOVE detail). At least they use condoms, although the condom bit is a bit weird.
He moaned when she took the length of him into her palm, and whispered, "Protection?"
Alex stepped away long enough to retrieve her purse from the nightstand and pull out a condom. "I'm a doctor. I'm always prepared."
This baffles me on many levels. Alex is a psychiatrist. If you think that being a psychiatrist means you always have condoms with you, I have some shocking news for you. And I am unclear about what one thing has to do with the other.
Perhaps she was making a joke? o.O
But oh well. At least condoms were used, and that's all that matters to me.
Here is pretty much the entire 'sex part' of sex. I'll put it under a spoiler so that people who don't want to read sex scenes don't have to.
Don't worry, it's nothing to get excited about.
Well, I don't know about you, but that did absolutely nothing for me. Not even a spark of excitement. Like I said, this is more of a mystery book than a romance book, and that's definitely reflected in the book's (one, lone) sex scene.
...
Tl;dr - If you want a creepy, slightly supernatural mystery that takes place in Louisiana's steamy bayous, then you've come to the right place. If you want a steamy romance novel, look elsewhere.
...
THREE REAL STARS, TWO ROMANCE STARS Three real stars because it's a decent book, but only two romance stars because there's not much romance.
Not available in Spanish.
July 15, 2023
Dr. Alexandria Bastin drops everything when she learns that her cousin's six-year-old daughter Erika has disappeared. Alex hurries to Sarah's side to offer comfort. When she arrives, Alex finds Holt Chamberlin, the man who broke her heart ten years ago, standing in Sarah's living room. Holt has returned to his hometown to temporarily step into the job of sheriff until the current sheriff recovers from a broken ankle. Holt is trying to figure out if Erika could have wandered off into the nearby swamp, or if someone kidnapped her. As Holt and Alex look for the little girl, their search leads them to an island in the bayou where a mysterious woman lives.
This book is part of the Harlequin Intrigue line and is the first book in the Mystere Parish series. The book is billed as romantic suspense. I enjoyed the mystery, especially when Alex and Holt went to the island to talk to the local witch. The second chance romance was boring. I didn't feel any chemistry between the lead characters. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
This book is part of the Harlequin Intrigue line and is the first book in the Mystere Parish series. The book is billed as romantic suspense. I enjoyed the mystery, especially when Alex and Holt went to the island to talk to the local witch. The second chance romance was boring. I didn't feel any chemistry between the lead characters. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
November 30, 2024
Maybe it's because the last few books I've read have not been very good or maybe I just needed a mystery that was a little more straight forward, but I really loved this older Harlequin Intrigue rerelease. Maybe I just love Jana Deleon and how she writes a tale set in the bayou. Whatever. I found that I was caught up in the second chance romance and even though I nailed the baddie it was a great way to pass an afternoon.
The mystery and intrigue that surrounds the small Mystere Parish town of Vodoun goes back 35 years to the disappearance of three six-year-old girls. Now another little girl has gone missing and her relative, Psychologist Alex Bastin, is not going to stop until she is found. But Alex has some ghosts from her past to deal with and one of them is her ex-boyfriend who left her over 10 years ago. Holt Chamberlain is the acting sheriff, and he has a few ghosts of his own to deal with. Knowing that time is short for little Erika and that her mother, Sarah, is quickly losing it, they agree to work together and soon discover the attraction they once had is alive and very real even 10 years later.
With several influential people dead set against their investigation, Alex and Holt set out to prove that the child's father didn't take her and that she is truly in danger. They set out for an island in the bayou where a mysterious woman with ties to the long-ago disappearance lives. The closer they come to the truth, the more someone will do anything to prevent that.
The mystery and intrigue that surrounds the small Mystere Parish town of Vodoun goes back 35 years to the disappearance of three six-year-old girls. Now another little girl has gone missing and her relative, Psychologist Alex Bastin, is not going to stop until she is found. But Alex has some ghosts from her past to deal with and one of them is her ex-boyfriend who left her over 10 years ago. Holt Chamberlain is the acting sheriff, and he has a few ghosts of his own to deal with. Knowing that time is short for little Erika and that her mother, Sarah, is quickly losing it, they agree to work together and soon discover the attraction they once had is alive and very real even 10 years later.
With several influential people dead set against their investigation, Alex and Holt set out to prove that the child's father didn't take her and that she is truly in danger. They set out for an island in the bayou where a mysterious woman with ties to the long-ago disappearance lives. The closer they come to the truth, the more someone will do anything to prevent that.
October 28, 2020
3.5 stars. This book was fun and a little spooky and a perfect October read. Alex and Holt used to be a thing and now they have to come back together to find a little girl who’s gone missing. Alex’s cousin has a young daughter who disappears and we don’t know who took her or what happened— was it her dad? A serial kidnapper? Or was it a witch? Holt is stepping in as the chief of police while the usual one is injured and Alex is a mental health specialist of some sort so they are the perfect team.
The setting of this book is the Louisiana swampland and it was so perfect for that eerie vibe where you don’t know what’s lurking under the surface. Alex saw something when she was a child that makes her think something witchy is going on and that also adds to the suspense.
I thought this book was really well done. My only complaint is that it’s so short I don’t think it’ll be very memorable.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Long story short, when Alex was a kid she and her cousin saw the “witch” carry someone out in a body bag, bury her, then bring her back to life. However, it was her mother and she had done it intentionally as a ceremonial thing.
As for the whodunnit, the police chiefs mom was the one who had historically kidnapped and killed young girls and who also took this girl. The reason is because her husband was a cheater and when she saw his offspring she was filled with hurt and killed them. This little girl would’ve been his granddaughter so she had taken her and hidden her in her basement but she is found and justice is served.
The setting of this book is the Louisiana swampland and it was so perfect for that eerie vibe where you don’t know what’s lurking under the surface. Alex saw something when she was a child that makes her think something witchy is going on and that also adds to the suspense.
I thought this book was really well done. My only complaint is that it’s so short I don’t think it’ll be very memorable.
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Long story short, when Alex was a kid she and her cousin saw the “witch” carry someone out in a body bag, bury her, then bring her back to life. However, it was her mother and she had done it intentionally as a ceremonial thing.
As for the whodunnit, the police chiefs mom was the one who had historically kidnapped and killed young girls and who also took this girl. The reason is because her husband was a cheater and when she saw his offspring she was filled with hurt and killed them. This little girl would’ve been his granddaughter so she had taken her and hidden her in her basement but she is found and justice is served.
October 25, 2020
Second chance romance between Alex and Holt. Small Louisiana bayou town rich in Cajun culture and history. Alex’s little niece has disappeared and the two begin working together to find her. Holt is the fill in sheriff and Alex is a doctor specializing in mental health (that’s what I gathered anyway)
I really enjoyed this book. It’s about 218 pages, and gets straight to the point. I loved the eerie Louisiana atmosphere, being out in the swamp where you’re not sure what’s lurking beneath the water surface and also not sure of what’s wandering around the island either.
I love that there are cultures and people that still believe in things that have been passed down to them through generations. Do I think everyone will read this and love it? No. But it was the first book in a while that when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and couldn’t wait to get back to it. Perfect fall read. Onto the next!
I really enjoyed this book. It’s about 218 pages, and gets straight to the point. I loved the eerie Louisiana atmosphere, being out in the swamp where you’re not sure what’s lurking beneath the water surface and also not sure of what’s wandering around the island either.
I love that there are cultures and people that still believe in things that have been passed down to them through generations. Do I think everyone will read this and love it? No. But it was the first book in a while that when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and couldn’t wait to get back to it. Perfect fall read. Onto the next!
March 10, 2020
Loved it. Alex and Holt made a great team to find a missing girl. Intriguing story and a cool ending.
February 20, 2013
Occasionally you stumble across an author and you immediately have to find and devour all that author has written...as soon as you can...like within a week. This series was a find. It has just the right amount of creepy and paranormal aspects to keep you hunched over the book anxiously, but not so much that you can't sleep at night. I loved the doll island. Sooooooo awesomely freaky. The settings are so well-visualized that you feel like you're there. You can tell the author is very familiar with the area.
Definitely read these in order:
1. The Reckoning
2. The Vanishing
3. The Awakening
The romance in this is believable and sweet. This author definitely goes light on graphic details so you don't have to worry about sharing this series with a friend and them clutching their pearls and passing out.
I like to include my favorite lines and I really liked this one because it had a nice, powerful, dramatic flavor to it:
"Oh, honey." Sarah sighed. "You two are the most stubborn people I know. Almost as bad as me. Promise me that you won't let pride get in the way if it's possible for you and Holt to have a future."
"Pride? I gave up on pride ten years ago when I begged him not to leave. This isn't pride. It's survival."
Definitely read these in order:
1. The Reckoning
2. The Vanishing
3. The Awakening
The romance in this is believable and sweet. This author definitely goes light on graphic details so you don't have to worry about sharing this series with a friend and them clutching their pearls and passing out.
I like to include my favorite lines and I really liked this one because it had a nice, powerful, dramatic flavor to it:
"Oh, honey." Sarah sighed. "You two are the most stubborn people I know. Almost as bad as me. Promise me that you won't let pride get in the way if it's possible for you and Holt to have a future."
"Pride? I gave up on pride ten years ago when I begged him not to leave. This isn't pride. It's survival."
February 12, 2013
Vodoun Louisiana is a tiny town full of dark secrets, but when a six year old girl disappears Sheriff Holt Chamberlain is determined to uncover those secrets. What he didn't expect was to team up with Alexandria Bastin. Years ago Holt left her brokenhearted but the future of a little girl depends on Alex and Holt getting through the past. A past full of secrets that someone want to stay secret.
This is the first book of Jana Deleon's Mystere Parish series. The setting is good and the descriptions make you feel as if you are in the swamp. The book had some interesting tidbits about voodoo and the people who practice it.
This is the first book of Jana Deleon's Mystere Parish series. The setting is good and the descriptions make you feel as if you are in the swamp. The book had some interesting tidbits about voodoo and the people who practice it.
April 1, 2016
I am going ahead and admitting defeat. I read about half but cannot go on. It's not the worst story ever, but it doesn't hold my attention. Though, I will admit, I didn't realize when I picked it up off the clearance shelf at the bookstore, that I had grabbed a large print version. I didn't anticipate this being a problem, until I realized I was reading a page in 30 seconds and was constantly flipping a page with was breaking my concentration. I think I'll try this adventure again with another large print book and see if it's just the words per page ratio that bugs me, or if the story was really as boring as it came across.
October 4, 2012
In DeLeon’s romantic suspense novel, Sheriff Holt Chamberlain is determined to solve the disappearance of a six-year-old girl in his tiny bayou town. Teaming up with Alexandria Bastin is an unexpected complication that adds to the burden of dealing with the dark side of Cajun culture and his own troubled past.
The search for the missing girl leads them to an island said to hold magic. But magic sparks between the two of them reminding them of their past. Holt once broke Alex’s heart but now as the truth looms on the horizon, he’ll do anything to protect her from an evil they can’t see.
The search for the missing girl leads them to an island said to hold magic. But magic sparks between the two of them reminding them of their past. Holt once broke Alex’s heart but now as the truth looms on the horizon, he’ll do anything to protect her from an evil they can’t see.
June 6, 2015
Alex's niece has been kidnapped and the lazy sheriff thinks she was taken but her father. but Alex, with the help of the sheriff's nephew is determined to find her. The kidnapping is reminiscent of the disappearance of 3 little girls years earlier. They find one of her barrettes on the mysterious doll island and then they find her father's leg in the jaws of an alligator. And someone is shooting at them. Small town's have secrets and sometimes the person least expected may hold dark secrets and motives.
January 29, 2014
Alexandria Bastin comes to Mystere Parrish when her cousin's daughter goes missing. Acting Sheriff Holt Chamberlin must now investigate the disappearance even though his uncle keeps telling him there is nothing to it. Holt and Alexandria were high school sweethearts but he went into the Army while she has become a psychologist. Together, they must find the niece. Add the bayou, a woman with potions, guns, and dead bodies and you have one great read!
December 5, 2012
Predictable mystery/romance but well written. Jana DeLeon hasn't written a book I haven't liked.
October 7, 2013
I think this is a great winning Gothic mystery that will keep you reading. A great story that kept me intrigued. would have liked it to be longer.
May 3, 2015
Good for harlequin
Had been on a DeLeon reading binge, somehow didn't catch that this was a barbecuing romance book. Still ok for what it is
Had been on a DeLeon reading binge, somehow didn't catch that this was a barbecuing romance book. Still ok for what it is
December 7, 2015
The suspense part overshadows the romance part, as so often happens in series romance. Still, a fast and pleasant enough read.
unfinished
December 25, 2016This started getting to dark for me. Not that it is very dark just not to my tastes. The writing was fine.
January 25, 2013
loved it and am enjoying the series.
July 5, 2021
I am a major fan of Jana Deleon’s Misfortune series. I was looking for something new to read and stumbled upon her Mystere Parish series and decided to give it a try. While I enjoyed the read it is not the light hearted snarky read I was hoping for. It is more of a murder mystery investigation.
Alex Bastin in a psychiatrist. Her cousin, Sarah is going through a tough time due to a divorce and on top of everything else her daughter is missing. Alex goes back to Voudon, Louisiana to help her cousin. The last thing she expected was to see Holt Chamberlain, the man who broke her heart ten years ago. He is currently filling in as Sheriff for his Uncle who broke his leg.
When Alex calls in Holt to help her search for her cousin’s daughter they will have to battle deep rooted family hatred, a mysterious island, the unsolved disappearances of 3 little girls 10 years prior and battle with a mysterious villain who is out to get them. If they are going to survive and get Alex’s cousin back they are going to have to open their minds to the possibility that magic just might really exist.
As I stated earlier, I enjoyed this read but it it had no levity do it weighs heavily on the reader. The plot was creative and well crafted but I can’t say that it was compelling or outstanding. This is a trilogy and I bought all three books at the same time so I will be going on to read the next two books. Read it for yourself and decide:
Alex Bastin in a psychiatrist. Her cousin, Sarah is going through a tough time due to a divorce and on top of everything else her daughter is missing. Alex goes back to Voudon, Louisiana to help her cousin. The last thing she expected was to see Holt Chamberlain, the man who broke her heart ten years ago. He is currently filling in as Sheriff for his Uncle who broke his leg.
When Alex calls in Holt to help her search for her cousin’s daughter they will have to battle deep rooted family hatred, a mysterious island, the unsolved disappearances of 3 little girls 10 years prior and battle with a mysterious villain who is out to get them. If they are going to survive and get Alex’s cousin back they are going to have to open their minds to the possibility that magic just might really exist.
As I stated earlier, I enjoyed this read but it it had no levity do it weighs heavily on the reader. The plot was creative and well crafted but I can’t say that it was compelling or outstanding. This is a trilogy and I bought all three books at the same time so I will be going on to read the next two books. Read it for yourself and decide:
April 6, 2023
I wish I had read this so much sooner!
I am a die hard fan of all books by Jana DeLeon and for some reason I was expecting this to be more like the Mudbug series but I was so wrong!
This foundation book to Mystere Parish series is incredible, the characters are down to earth and she writes them in such a way that while she tells the story she subtly gives you the backstory as she goes ultimately filling in all the corners in the world building. If you have read the Shaye Archer series and liked it, this has the feel of a “light” version but don’t hold me to that until I read the next one, just first impressions.
The characters are completely believable and will have you bonding with them by page 2, yep, they are that good and please do yourself a favor and get comfy and snacks readily available and maybe some tissues if you are a “print crier” like me.
Absolutely collection worthy!
Definitely family friendly at least for 12 and up and language was limited to minor. Note!!! There are mentions of traditional rituals and ceremonies for “pagan” religion so don’t go clutching your pearls or turning up your nose about their culture in the bayou’s. This is a very tastefully written book.
I am a die hard fan of all books by Jana DeLeon and for some reason I was expecting this to be more like the Mudbug series but I was so wrong!
This foundation book to Mystere Parish series is incredible, the characters are down to earth and she writes them in such a way that while she tells the story she subtly gives you the backstory as she goes ultimately filling in all the corners in the world building. If you have read the Shaye Archer series and liked it, this has the feel of a “light” version but don’t hold me to that until I read the next one, just first impressions.
The characters are completely believable and will have you bonding with them by page 2, yep, they are that good and please do yourself a favor and get comfy and snacks readily available and maybe some tissues if you are a “print crier” like me.
Absolutely collection worthy!
Definitely family friendly at least for 12 and up and language was limited to minor. Note!!! There are mentions of traditional rituals and ceremonies for “pagan” religion so don’t go clutching your pearls or turning up your nose about their culture in the bayou’s. This is a very tastefully written book.
August 7, 2023
Too predictable and a bad narrator.
I’ve read Jana DeLeon books before and always found them very enjoyable. This one seems like an earlier work as this book is predictable to the point you can almost predict the next scene. This is the just one issue I have with the book.
The characters weren’t bad, and I liked both Alex and Holt. I didn’t really feel the chemistry as they came off as more friendly than romantic. The supporting characters were fine but felt there was stereotyping of some of the characters, but they may also be a product of when the book was written.
The narrator took me out of the book. The narrator sounds very young and for the voices it sounds like a kid pretending to be an adult. This led to some comical situations in how the characters interact that weren’t supposed to be funny. Also, the narrator really imbued the book with any intensity or danger.
I’ve read Jana DeLeon books before and always found them very enjoyable. This one seems like an earlier work as this book is predictable to the point you can almost predict the next scene. This is the just one issue I have with the book.
The characters weren’t bad, and I liked both Alex and Holt. I didn’t really feel the chemistry as they came off as more friendly than romantic. The supporting characters were fine but felt there was stereotyping of some of the characters, but they may also be a product of when the book was written.
The narrator took me out of the book. The narrator sounds very young and for the voices it sounds like a kid pretending to be an adult. This led to some comical situations in how the characters interact that weren’t supposed to be funny. Also, the narrator really imbued the book with any intensity or danger.
March 3, 2023
Bayou bad guys go down
I'm so glad I don't live anywhere near this small bayou town, where cheaters run rampant, the guilty are killed and the innocent kidnapped. Almost everyone is related and there's enough pain for a mental breakdown by at least one person. Add in a witch on an island in the swamp which hosts a giant alligator and you've got the makings of a great story. A former military policeman working as a temporary deputy manages to straighten things out with the help of his former high school girlfriend, now a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, his uncle, the lazy and clueless sheriff, refuses to sanction any helpful investigations, choosing instead to believe the story set up by the real culprits. Happy ending for all but the evil ones. A few loose ends, hopefully tied up in a sequel.
I'm so glad I don't live anywhere near this small bayou town, where cheaters run rampant, the guilty are killed and the innocent kidnapped. Almost everyone is related and there's enough pain for a mental breakdown by at least one person. Add in a witch on an island in the swamp which hosts a giant alligator and you've got the makings of a great story. A former military policeman working as a temporary deputy manages to straighten things out with the help of his former high school girlfriend, now a psychiatrist. Meanwhile, his uncle, the lazy and clueless sheriff, refuses to sanction any helpful investigations, choosing instead to believe the story set up by the real culprits. Happy ending for all but the evil ones. A few loose ends, hopefully tied up in a sequel.
September 3, 2025
Superficial and formulaic
Jana DeLeon does a stellar job with cozy mystery mixed with Southern humor like in the Miss Fortune Mystery series. Unfortunately, in a straight up mystery like this one, it falls flat.
Her dialogue is decent, but her characters are one dimensional, the supposed chemistry between the Alex and Holt is spoken of but not shown in any way that makes you want to invest or believe, and the pacing of the action is anything but gripping.
In a nutshell, it feels superficial and formulaic. Big yawn.
Bottom line, this genre of book by this author is not for me. I’ll eagerly wait for installment 29 of Miss Fortune Mysteries. I literally binge read those one right after the other.
Jana DeLeon does a stellar job with cozy mystery mixed with Southern humor like in the Miss Fortune Mystery series. Unfortunately, in a straight up mystery like this one, it falls flat.
Her dialogue is decent, but her characters are one dimensional, the supposed chemistry between the Alex and Holt is spoken of but not shown in any way that makes you want to invest or believe, and the pacing of the action is anything but gripping.
In a nutshell, it feels superficial and formulaic. Big yawn.
Bottom line, this genre of book by this author is not for me. I’ll eagerly wait for installment 29 of Miss Fortune Mysteries. I literally binge read those one right after the other.
April 18, 2022
I enjoyed trying to figure out who was responsible for the kidnapping of a little girl in a small town in Louisianna. The swamp setting with the possibility of dangerous creatures and people lurking nearby also added to the tension in the conflict of the story. Mrs. DeLeon did a good job of moving the plot. I would have liked for there to have been more character development than there was. I have already checked out the second book in this series to see what the author does with another mystery in the same town.
November 8, 2021
I don't usually read books where bad things happen to children or with creepy baby dolls on the cover. Since this book was by Jana Deleon, I bought it and book 2 without reading the blurbs, reviews, or looking at the covers. The Reckoning had a very good story, I liked the characters, mystery, voodoo, dysfunctional families, murders, a (spoiler) happy ending, and the baby dolls were slightly less creepy by the end of the book. I'm looking forward to The Vanishing.
February 10, 2020
Jana Deleon delivers another on point tale with a perfect mixture of macabre and suspense combined with a splash of romance. This is definitely an edge of the seat, cant-put-it-down story that grips you from the get go and keeps you pushing to reach the finish and find out if your desire for the perfect resolution can ultimately be obtained.
June 12, 2020
Not my favorite by Jana Deleon, the characters weren't nearly as engaging and the storyline was much more simplistic than I've come to expect from Deleon. Her books are usually filled with delightful or intriguing twists a d turns and characters you fall in love with. This one just fell rather flat.
September 29, 2020
I just wasn't as impressed with this book. It was very complex more so then it needed to be. I knew who the bad guy was easily enough and the reason behind it but it was still a stretch. The romance side was also rushed and felt pushed. I probably won't read the 2nd book unless I'm feeling low on reading material.
June 12, 2021
More of a love story
I had high hopes for this one because it sounded intriguing but it failed. I did finish it but skimmed and fast forwarded thru some. I usually like her books but didn’t care for all the lovey dovey romance...would be a good story without that and more of the voodoo witchy stuff and more mystery. I was glad to hurry and finish to move on to something else.
I had high hopes for this one because it sounded intriguing but it failed. I did finish it but skimmed and fast forwarded thru some. I usually like her books but didn’t care for all the lovey dovey romance...would be a good story without that and more of the voodoo witchy stuff and more mystery. I was glad to hurry and finish to move on to something else.
July 5, 2021
I’ve read her Shaye Archer series and quite enjoyed them so I figured I would pick up this one. The plot was ridiculous, overly predictable and the complete lack of any sort of character development puts this in the dud category. The only reason I gave it two was because I actually finished this one. One is reserved for those books that end up in the donate pile by chapter 10.
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