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A Dark Roux
Beneath the black waters of the Louisiana bayou hides a world of dark mysticism. A world steeped in superstition and the decay of family legacies. A world Rhiannon LeBeau thought she’d left behind fifteen years ago after a summer of tragedy and horror.
But following the death of their mother, Rhiannon and her younger brother Rhett find themselves drawn back to their crumbling ancestral home deep in the sugarcane farms of Terrebonne Parish. A place full of family secrets and lost memories that will force both siblings to come face to face with the demons of their past…and present.
Because something has been waiting for their return. Something with a long memory and a debt to collect. Something tied to the bayou in blood. Something that intends to make sure Rhiannon and Rhett never leave again.
But following the death of their mother, Rhiannon and her younger brother Rhett find themselves drawn back to their crumbling ancestral home deep in the sugarcane farms of Terrebonne Parish. A place full of family secrets and lost memories that will force both siblings to come face to face with the demons of their past…and present.
Because something has been waiting for their return. Something with a long memory and a debt to collect. Something tied to the bayou in blood. Something that intends to make sure Rhiannon and Rhett never leave again.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2023
202 people are currently reading
1928 people want to read
About the author
Blaine Daigle
10 books207 followersHaving lived his entire life deep in the gut of Louisiana, Blaine Daigle grew up surrounded by ghost stories of haunted plantations and cursed woodlands. He still lives in Louisiana with his wife and two children and can't wait to pass on the nightmares to his kids..when they are old enough. During the day he teaches high school English. At night, he enjoys diving deep into the fears that shape and mold the world around him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
July 8, 2024
My thanks to Wicked House Publishing, Blaine Daigle and Netgalley.
Well, Mr. Blaine Daigle has found a new reader. I've been fortunate to have somehow managed to read Mr. Daigles last two arcs, and no lies...he's kinda the bomb diggity!
This was less blood thirsty than the other, still great!
Also, yes I do know the difference between light and dark roux. Please..my shrimp and sausage jambalaya is to die for!😋
Everybody who adores horror should be reading this author.
Well, Mr. Blaine Daigle has found a new reader. I've been fortunate to have somehow managed to read Mr. Daigles last two arcs, and no lies...he's kinda the bomb diggity!
This was less blood thirsty than the other, still great!
Also, yes I do know the difference between light and dark roux. Please..my shrimp and sausage jambalaya is to die for!😋
Everybody who adores horror should be reading this author.
October 18, 2023
The Louisiana bayou sets the stage for this atmospheric, creepy, and spooky book. Blaine Daigle came on my radar when I read The Broken Places and I could not wait to read this book. The author is from Louisiana so it makes sense that this would be set in the Louisiana bayou.
When Rhiannon LeBeau left her ancestorial home as a teen, she thought she would never go back. When her brother, Rhett contacts to inform her that their mother has died, they return to their crumbling home surrounded by sugarcane fields in Terrebonne Parish. There they will come face to face with a past that has not forgotten, to a past that has waited a long time for them to return, a past that wants to collect on a debt.
This was a well written and atmospheric read. I loved the vivid descriptions of their family home and the bayou. I felt as if I were there as a silent observer. There is an undercurrent of dread flowing throughout the book. As the book progresses, there is also a sense of danger. I enjoyed how legacy played a part in this book. The haunted feel of the bayou and house seeps through the pages and has a chilling effect.
If you have not read a book by Blaine Daigle, I encourage you to do so.
Well written, atmospheric, chilling, and dark.
Another enjoyable book by Daigle. I can't wait to read what he writes next.
3.5 stars
#ADarkRouxANovel #NetGalley #BlaineDaigle #WickedHousePublishing
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
When Rhiannon LeBeau left her ancestorial home as a teen, she thought she would never go back. When her brother, Rhett contacts to inform her that their mother has died, they return to their crumbling home surrounded by sugarcane fields in Terrebonne Parish. There they will come face to face with a past that has not forgotten, to a past that has waited a long time for them to return, a past that wants to collect on a debt.
This was a well written and atmospheric read. I loved the vivid descriptions of their family home and the bayou. I felt as if I were there as a silent observer. There is an undercurrent of dread flowing throughout the book. As the book progresses, there is also a sense of danger. I enjoyed how legacy played a part in this book. The haunted feel of the bayou and house seeps through the pages and has a chilling effect.
If you have not read a book by Blaine Daigle, I encourage you to do so.
Well written, atmospheric, chilling, and dark.
Another enjoyable book by Daigle. I can't wait to read what he writes next.
3.5 stars
#ADarkRouxANovel #NetGalley #BlaineDaigle #WickedHousePublishing
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
September 5, 2023
Blaine Daigle is definitely a master of writing dark, creepy, and atmospheric books. I read his previous novel
The Broken Places
not too long ago and found it to be one of the most bleak, unsettling books I've ever read. A Dark Roux isn't quite as grim as its predecessor, but it's still not exactly what you'd call a happy story. Like the author's previous work, it's a novel full of broken people and broken places and broken creatures.
Part of what makes this book so creepy and atmospheric is the descriptive writing, which is excellent. It's almost as if you're there in the mouldering house at the edge of the bayou, and in the humid, desolate bayou itself. I grew up on the Gulf Coast not far from Louisiana and could just about feel the oppressive heat and humidity of Cypress Landing. The southern small town bigotry and suspicion was pretty recognizable, too.
Plot-wise, I actually enjoyed this one a bit more than Daigle's previous novel. The flow of the story was better, and I didn't have such a strong sense of despair upon finishing it. I did get a bit confused at the end (mostly concerning Rhiannon's “deal”), but overall I thought the ending was great … and having read The Broken Places, it actually ended more pleasantly than I'd expected it to.
The characters in this book were flawed and realistic – or at least as realistic as characters in a horror novel can be, anyway. Even the side characters were well fleshed out with interesting histories, and I found Miranda in particular to be a well-written, complicated, and fascinating character.
I also really appreciated the incorporation of Cajun folklore and culture into the story. I've always been fascinated by voodoo and the idea of rougarou, and this book had both in abundance.
Final rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down. Definitely give this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
Part of what makes this book so creepy and atmospheric is the descriptive writing, which is excellent. It's almost as if you're there in the mouldering house at the edge of the bayou, and in the humid, desolate bayou itself. I grew up on the Gulf Coast not far from Louisiana and could just about feel the oppressive heat and humidity of Cypress Landing. The southern small town bigotry and suspicion was pretty recognizable, too.
Plot-wise, I actually enjoyed this one a bit more than Daigle's previous novel. The flow of the story was better, and I didn't have such a strong sense of despair upon finishing it. I did get a bit confused at the end (mostly concerning Rhiannon's “deal”), but overall I thought the ending was great … and having read The Broken Places, it actually ended more pleasantly than I'd expected it to.
The characters in this book were flawed and realistic – or at least as realistic as characters in a horror novel can be, anyway. Even the side characters were well fleshed out with interesting histories, and I found Miranda in particular to be a well-written, complicated, and fascinating character.
I also really appreciated the incorporation of Cajun folklore and culture into the story. I've always been fascinated by voodoo and the idea of rougarou, and this book had both in abundance.
Final rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down. Definitely give this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
September 19, 2023
A Dark Roux by Blaine Daigle is a captivating dark southern gothic ghost story not to be missed. This horror gem takes readers on a journey through the chilling Southern landscape which is steeped in local culture and folklore. Daigle paints a vivid picture of this unique and eerie landscape which makes it easy to picture events unfolding, even for someone like me whose never set foot in Louisiana. This one is perfect for those looking for a quick Halloween read which mixes family tragedy with supernatural horror. The heart of this story lies in the relationship between the sibling protagonists as the author delivers complex, realistic and captivating characters. This really ramps up the tension and anxiety as you don’t want to see anything bad happen to them, but this wouldn’t be a horror novel if everyone got out unscathed. This one is a masterfully written tale which will draw you in and keep you on the hook until the chilling conclusion. Add this book to your Halloween list, you won’t regret it.
November 9, 2023
4.5 stars rounded to 5. Blaine Daigle's 'A Dark Roux' is a great southern gothic ghost story, well-written, suspenseful, brimming with mystery, subtlety, and an atmosphere of grief, dread, and regret. Family issues dominate the narrative, though the resolution rests on the two central characters, siblings Rhiannon and Rhett. We meet them both as children and grown-ups, their past full of unfortunate events (a father dead, a mother having abandoned them to relatives). An equal central figure is their family house, in a sugar cane property in the Louisiana bayou: a wonderful setting for the superb haunted house tale Dingle offers as his second novel! When their mother dies, the siblings go back to their family house; step by step, everything is revealed in incredible, heart-breaking detail, with amazing prose, riveting imagery, and engaging plot twists. In fact, the book is essentially a series of huge plot twists I never saw coming, but thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the bittersweet ending, though I was prepared for a more intense involvement of the supernatural: the author seems to take ghosts and monsters for granted, not really spending all that much time on the nature of the apparitions, the details of the magic employed (throwing around the word "voodoo" was not very convincing) or the animalistic origins of the monsters; still, I myself did not feel cheated, realizing this rather secondary complaint only after I'd finished reading. So immersive writing is another strong point of this wonderful book!
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for providing a review copy.
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for providing a review copy.
September 27, 2023
THANK YOU to NetGalley & Wicked House Publishing for my copy of this enjoyable little book in exchange for a review!
Let me start out by saying, what a little gem of a story! The general vibe set by the first few paragraphs was so descriptive and gripping I was immediately invested and fell in love with the setting. The imagery is spot on. When I think of dark, creepy bayous, I think of The Skeleton Key (film, 2005) or similarly placed media. If you like Old Gods of Appalachia (podcast, 2019), you’re going to LOVE this book. That said, this truly delivers on execution of this feeling without copying from like-media. Dark Folklore creeps out of the seams in the floorboards of this old sugarcane farmhouse in Louisiana, and into the history & lives of the LeBeau family.
I had no idea what “A Dark Roux” meant when I saw this book. I didn’t bother to look it up, either. I let the book take me on whatever journey it had planned. There’s a very heartfelt tie in to the title I was not expecting, and it gave me all the context I needed. Very smart on the authors part & does not go unappreciated by this unfamiliar Ohioan.
The story line presented has been used time and time again (Family member dies, pulling the main character back to the estate to uncover a mystery), but the journey is uniquely realized in A Dark Roux, turning a typical family tragedy trope into something fresh. I don’t always think the logic or timing/pacing works, but my gripes are minor, and I appreciate the direction the story goes. The concepts are an original take on universal ideas in the paranormal/fantasy genre and I rarely felt bored by anything when plot was moving forward (more on that later).
The actual meat of the story post-prologue felt a little different in terms of writing style. It was a little less fleshed out, a little less edited in its language or descriptions but was not a let down by any means. It was just noticeable. As If the writer had taken more time with the prologue to really make it outstanding, but was too bogged down with the rest of the text to be able to do it in the following chapters. However, I was lucky enough to be reading this pre-release so I expect more editing is likely to be done & might resolve this small disconnect.
I also want to commend this author for the way in which he has written his female characters. This isn’t something I usually something I focus on, but with Rhiannon being our main character (and being female) she was fully realized as a person. Sometimes it's just painfully obvious when male writers are depicting woman characters, whether its personality issues (or lack thereof) or situational issues, they’re weak at times. This character had emotion, inner dialogue, conflicts, and personality. Her body wasn’t mentioned. Her outfits weren’t mentioned. She was treated like a person, and it was perfect.
This brings me to my critiques section of the review. Since this has not been released yet, out of respect for the publishers and the author, I'm going to leave this section out of this review for the moment. After its released, I can go back through and add it. If you're on the fence about reading it, I say Read It ! It will be worth it!
Overall, this story offers a unique vibe on bayou haunts. I consumed it within a week and found myself wanting to return to this little family every time I put it down. I love the description of the bayou and the house/land. It was a fully realized setting and I felt as if I was right there looking in on them as they struggled. My main criticism was the timing issue in plot point revelations (mostly just the circular inner monologues & low progressive story content). That aside, this was an absolute little gem of a story all the same, and I’ll be looking forward to what Blaine Daigle has for us next!
Thank you again to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
Let me start out by saying, what a little gem of a story! The general vibe set by the first few paragraphs was so descriptive and gripping I was immediately invested and fell in love with the setting. The imagery is spot on. When I think of dark, creepy bayous, I think of The Skeleton Key (film, 2005) or similarly placed media. If you like Old Gods of Appalachia (podcast, 2019), you’re going to LOVE this book. That said, this truly delivers on execution of this feeling without copying from like-media. Dark Folklore creeps out of the seams in the floorboards of this old sugarcane farmhouse in Louisiana, and into the history & lives of the LeBeau family.
I had no idea what “A Dark Roux” meant when I saw this book. I didn’t bother to look it up, either. I let the book take me on whatever journey it had planned. There’s a very heartfelt tie in to the title I was not expecting, and it gave me all the context I needed. Very smart on the authors part & does not go unappreciated by this unfamiliar Ohioan.
The story line presented has been used time and time again (Family member dies, pulling the main character back to the estate to uncover a mystery), but the journey is uniquely realized in A Dark Roux, turning a typical family tragedy trope into something fresh. I don’t always think the logic or timing/pacing works, but my gripes are minor, and I appreciate the direction the story goes. The concepts are an original take on universal ideas in the paranormal/fantasy genre and I rarely felt bored by anything when plot was moving forward (more on that later).
The actual meat of the story post-prologue felt a little different in terms of writing style. It was a little less fleshed out, a little less edited in its language or descriptions but was not a let down by any means. It was just noticeable. As If the writer had taken more time with the prologue to really make it outstanding, but was too bogged down with the rest of the text to be able to do it in the following chapters. However, I was lucky enough to be reading this pre-release so I expect more editing is likely to be done & might resolve this small disconnect.
I also want to commend this author for the way in which he has written his female characters. This isn’t something I usually something I focus on, but with Rhiannon being our main character (and being female) she was fully realized as a person. Sometimes it's just painfully obvious when male writers are depicting woman characters, whether its personality issues (or lack thereof) or situational issues, they’re weak at times. This character had emotion, inner dialogue, conflicts, and personality. Her body wasn’t mentioned. Her outfits weren’t mentioned. She was treated like a person, and it was perfect.
This brings me to my critiques section of the review. Since this has not been released yet, out of respect for the publishers and the author, I'm going to leave this section out of this review for the moment. After its released, I can go back through and add it. If you're on the fence about reading it, I say Read It ! It will be worth it!
Overall, this story offers a unique vibe on bayou haunts. I consumed it within a week and found myself wanting to return to this little family every time I put it down. I love the description of the bayou and the house/land. It was a fully realized setting and I felt as if I was right there looking in on them as they struggled. My main criticism was the timing issue in plot point revelations (mostly just the circular inner monologues & low progressive story content). That aside, this was an absolute little gem of a story all the same, and I’ll be looking forward to what Blaine Daigle has for us next!
Thank you again to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for my free copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
July 8, 2024
"There are two seasons in the bayou: death and rebirth ... The bayou had no curfew. It obeyed no laws, not even the natural ones."
The American South. The swamp. Bayou. It's the perfect place for dark and magical things to thrive. Voodoo. Ghosts. Rougarou. Steeped in folklore and atmosphere. Southern culture, past and present, move the cast of characters like puppets on strings, and it adds a unique element.
The American South. The swamp. Bayou. It's the perfect place for dark and magical things to thrive. Voodoo. Ghosts. Rougarou. Steeped in folklore and atmosphere. Southern culture, past and present, move the cast of characters like puppets on strings, and it adds a unique element.
September 27, 2023
TITLE: A Dark Roux
AUTHOR: Blaine Daigle
RATE: 5 Stars
POINT OF VIEW: Third Person
READING METHOD: Kindle
TRIGGERS: Unaliving, Gore
GENRE: Horror, Psychological
REVIEW/OPINION:
Spine-tingling, heart-thumping, edge-on-your-seat type of book. Reading A Dark Roux was a truly remarkable experience. Daigle has an exceptional ability to carefully craft every word in his sentences, resulting in a beautifully flowing narrative that reads like poetry. I was engrossed in the book and found it hard to put down. I wanted to savor every detail presented to me. It was sometimes nerve-racking because Daigle would give you a little bit of creepiness here and there. But just enough to make you crawl back for more on every page. I'm going to be reading more of his work in the future!
Thank you to the author Blaine Daigle, the publishing agency Wicked House Publishing, and NetGalley for granting me access to this amazing ARC.
BOOK BLURB:
"The bayou watches as it sings. It is a place that hides its dead deep within the soil before the dead become living again, a part of this world enslaved to a fading memory of original creation."
Rhiannon traveled deep into the bayou to seek the River Church while her brother Rhett stayed in the old Louisiana home.
"But she had never been out this late. This hour when the world of man was driven by fear to beds of safety and comfort, while nature reclaimed what always belonged to her."
Rhett stayed behind to keep watch for once. Rhiannon was the one who did most of the protecting.
"His legs would remain unscarred and unbloodied from the sharp thwack of the leather."
However, no one could protect her brother from what he saw that night. The night that he saw their father die. Soon after, their mother, Miranda, sent them away. Fifteen years later, though, their old, gothic childhood home calls for them to come home. They have to lay their mother to rest. It's not just old childhood nightmares, voodoo rumors, hate crimes from their town, and the hole for their mother's grave that they'll be digging up. What happened to their dad? What secrets is Rhett hiding? Why does everyone in the town think that their mom is a witch? What is that thump, screech, thump noise in the middle of the night?
Rhiannon will need to return to the River Church, and only then will the curse be broken. All the answers she seeks will sit at the feet of the lady who holds the birdcage of bones.
AUTHOR: Blaine Daigle
RATE: 5 Stars
POINT OF VIEW: Third Person
READING METHOD: Kindle
TRIGGERS: Unaliving, Gore
GENRE: Horror, Psychological
REVIEW/OPINION:
Spine-tingling, heart-thumping, edge-on-your-seat type of book. Reading A Dark Roux was a truly remarkable experience. Daigle has an exceptional ability to carefully craft every word in his sentences, resulting in a beautifully flowing narrative that reads like poetry. I was engrossed in the book and found it hard to put down. I wanted to savor every detail presented to me. It was sometimes nerve-racking because Daigle would give you a little bit of creepiness here and there. But just enough to make you crawl back for more on every page. I'm going to be reading more of his work in the future!
Thank you to the author Blaine Daigle, the publishing agency Wicked House Publishing, and NetGalley for granting me access to this amazing ARC.
BOOK BLURB:
"The bayou watches as it sings. It is a place that hides its dead deep within the soil before the dead become living again, a part of this world enslaved to a fading memory of original creation."
Rhiannon traveled deep into the bayou to seek the River Church while her brother Rhett stayed in the old Louisiana home.
"But she had never been out this late. This hour when the world of man was driven by fear to beds of safety and comfort, while nature reclaimed what always belonged to her."
Rhett stayed behind to keep watch for once. Rhiannon was the one who did most of the protecting.
"His legs would remain unscarred and unbloodied from the sharp thwack of the leather."
However, no one could protect her brother from what he saw that night. The night that he saw their father die. Soon after, their mother, Miranda, sent them away. Fifteen years later, though, their old, gothic childhood home calls for them to come home. They have to lay their mother to rest. It's not just old childhood nightmares, voodoo rumors, hate crimes from their town, and the hole for their mother's grave that they'll be digging up. What happened to their dad? What secrets is Rhett hiding? Why does everyone in the town think that their mom is a witch? What is that thump, screech, thump noise in the middle of the night?
Rhiannon will need to return to the River Church, and only then will the curse be broken. All the answers she seeks will sit at the feet of the lady who holds the birdcage of bones.
November 11, 2023
A Dark Roux by Blaine Daigle is a horror novel about a family living on the Bayou in Louisiana.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Wicked House Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Rhiannon LeBeau left her ancestral home in the Louisiana bayou 15 years ago, hoping to never return. But when her mother passes away, she returns to help her younger brother Rhett deal with the aftermath.
Rhiannon finds that things have not changed in the the area. The house is crumbling, and the town-folk still hate them. Unfortunately, so much superstition and mysticism surrounded the family, that the hatred continues today.
Family secrets and ghosts of the past come rushing back to Rhiannon and Rhett, and although they both want to finish this and be gone, something else has other plans for them. They have different memories, but they will have to remember, re-unite, and reconcile their past....if they want to survive.
My Opinions:
I felt that this started very slowly. I think part of the problem was that it was so descriptive. On the other hand, I wasn't skimming, because I didn't want to miss anything important...and I wasn't sure what was important. Overall, it was well-written, but I felt it was a little repetitive, and just a little longer than it needed to be.
The story is told in two main time-lines, and this works well. We, as readers, are fed back-ground slowly, but surely.
This is a rather dark, deep, and ultimately sad story. Yes, it is a ghost story, but it is much more than that. It is about an abusive father, about a mother who abandons her children, about a daughter that fights to save her brother, and about a brother who knows more than he tells. Most is done out of love, although it is not until the end that each understands the actions of others. The characters were deep, and I felt for them all.
Overall, I was very happy with the book. On another note, I am left with the urge to re-read Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, author information and a favorite quotation or two from the book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
September 5, 2023
This atmospheric and creepy novel is set in a house on a Louisiana bayou with sugarcane fields on either side. If that's not a great setting for a southern gothic horror story I don't know what is!
But this book isn't just another haunted house book. There are creatures in the sugarcane fields and there is an evil presence in the house itself that reveals itself at night but what haunts the house may just be the thing that haunts the family living there.
This story is fantastic at building dread. The ultimate secrets of these terrifying encounters are held back, revealing themselves piece by piece as the tension builds. Throughout is this underlying sense of doom as if whatever is happening can't end well for our brother and sister protagonists.
As this book explores the horrors that transpired years ago, the things happening in the present begin to take over. Not just take over the house or property but the minds of the siblings as well.
The siblings in question are great characters as this novel explores that bond and the sacrifices each have made to keep the other safe. But each also have secrets that they're not willing to give up just yet. And as the supernatural events intensify these hidden secrets might be the one thing to keep them safe.
But at what cost? Family curses, legacy, and deeply held beliefs are all explored here also and all of these elements will bind together at the end for an unexpected and bittersweet twist.
I highly recommend this book.
I received this book as an ARC with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
But this book isn't just another haunted house book. There are creatures in the sugarcane fields and there is an evil presence in the house itself that reveals itself at night but what haunts the house may just be the thing that haunts the family living there.
This story is fantastic at building dread. The ultimate secrets of these terrifying encounters are held back, revealing themselves piece by piece as the tension builds. Throughout is this underlying sense of doom as if whatever is happening can't end well for our brother and sister protagonists.
As this book explores the horrors that transpired years ago, the things happening in the present begin to take over. Not just take over the house or property but the minds of the siblings as well.
The siblings in question are great characters as this novel explores that bond and the sacrifices each have made to keep the other safe. But each also have secrets that they're not willing to give up just yet. And as the supernatural events intensify these hidden secrets might be the one thing to keep them safe.
But at what cost? Family curses, legacy, and deeply held beliefs are all explored here also and all of these elements will bind together at the end for an unexpected and bittersweet twist.
I highly recommend this book.
I received this book as an ARC with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
November 17, 2023
A Dark Roux was so delicious. Mr. Daigle definitely has a gift for building tension and dread even in the tamest scenes. I loved how the chapters weren't numbered, but instead were labeled for the scene. The book ebbs and flows through different time periods and moments and it is easy to fall into the story. It felt like watching a movie really. That combined with the gorgeous imagery- I felt like I was there. It was so easy to feel the heart-pounding stillness and the hair raising on the back of my neck when the hints of strange began to happen. This book does scary really well! They were really physical, and the panic was palpable. Daigle describes what it feels like, sounds like, and moves like. My adrenaline would go from 0-60 and then hit a wall as he kept me in the suspense of a slow reveal.
Thank you to NetGalley, Wicked House Publishing, and the author for letting me read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. I apologize for not reviewing before the publication date! I encourage my horror friends to pick up this book and get cozy. It's the perfect winter read!
Thank you to NetGalley, Wicked House Publishing, and the author for letting me read an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. I apologize for not reviewing before the publication date! I encourage my horror friends to pick up this book and get cozy. It's the perfect winter read!
November 12, 2023
This book is a captivating journey set in a dark and creepy bayou of the South. The author has created a spooky and atmospheric world of ghosts, monsters and terrifying truths from the past.
Rhiannon has left the dark memories of her childhood behind her. But when her brother tells her their mother has died, she knows she must return to their ancestorial home. When she and Rhett arrive, the memories return to haunt her. The longer they stay, the evil lingering in the house and nearby bayou calls to them.
This book has such a great setting. An old house surrounded with rows of sugarcane, bordering a dark and sinister bayou. There's even a creepy decrepit church thrown into the mix. As the reader is pulled into the story, there is a mounting feeling of dread of what is to come. It made my horror-loving heart happy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely be reading more from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rhiannon has left the dark memories of her childhood behind her. But when her brother tells her their mother has died, she knows she must return to their ancestorial home. When she and Rhett arrive, the memories return to haunt her. The longer they stay, the evil lingering in the house and nearby bayou calls to them.
This book has such a great setting. An old house surrounded with rows of sugarcane, bordering a dark and sinister bayou. There's even a creepy decrepit church thrown into the mix. As the reader is pulled into the story, there is a mounting feeling of dread of what is to come. It made my horror-loving heart happy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely be reading more from this author.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and wicked house publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
"We don't always have to stay in the cages people pick out for us."
This was good. Creepy and atmospheric. Set on Louisiana bayou where the LeBeau house is - hides a horrifying mystery that has not been touched by anyone since years.
Rhiannon and Rhett are last of the LeBeau family. First their father dies in mysterious way but is dismissed as suicide and later their mother is found dead. Something sinister is hidden in the musky , moldy LeBeau house.
The reveal of mystery in the end was good. But it was too streched in my opinion. It would have been better had it been shorter as I as a reader was waiting for the final reveal and it wouldn't come. It was definitely getting on my nerves.
Overall okay. 3.5 stars.
Some quotes worth mentioning :
This was always. Not always this bad, and not always this severe. But the neglect was always. The abandonment was always. The pain was always.
Monsters are only real if we let them be real.
There was a palpable tension between the two. Between man and nature. Between quiet confessions and loud transgressions.
Good memories do not justify present evils.
She saw the eyes of every single child she had ever spoken to about the monsters that did not live in their closets, but in their living rooms.
Maybe that's what life was. A series of stolen decisions made by people who didn't understand a damn thing about you. Maybe that was the curse of it all.
So difficult it is to convince a soul to move on when they can still see so clearly the world they've left behind.
They tried to forbid the workers from going, but you cannot cage a bird that has experienced freedom.
Life works best when death is its natural conclusion. It is what makes life itself worth living at all. When death abandons life well, that is not a good roux for anyone.
"We don't always have to stay in the cages people pick out for us."
This was good. Creepy and atmospheric. Set on Louisiana bayou where the LeBeau house is - hides a horrifying mystery that has not been touched by anyone since years.
Rhiannon and Rhett are last of the LeBeau family. First their father dies in mysterious way but is dismissed as suicide and later their mother is found dead. Something sinister is hidden in the musky , moldy LeBeau house.
The reveal of mystery in the end was good. But it was too streched in my opinion. It would have been better had it been shorter as I as a reader was waiting for the final reveal and it wouldn't come. It was definitely getting on my nerves.
Overall okay. 3.5 stars.
Some quotes worth mentioning :
This was always. Not always this bad, and not always this severe. But the neglect was always. The abandonment was always. The pain was always.
Monsters are only real if we let them be real.
There was a palpable tension between the two. Between man and nature. Between quiet confessions and loud transgressions.
Good memories do not justify present evils.
She saw the eyes of every single child she had ever spoken to about the monsters that did not live in their closets, but in their living rooms.
Maybe that's what life was. A series of stolen decisions made by people who didn't understand a damn thing about you. Maybe that was the curse of it all.
So difficult it is to convince a soul to move on when they can still see so clearly the world they've left behind.
They tried to forbid the workers from going, but you cannot cage a bird that has experienced freedom.
Life works best when death is its natural conclusion. It is what makes life itself worth living at all. When death abandons life well, that is not a good roux for anyone.
November 7, 2024
Atmospheric Southern gothic set on a decaying Louisiana plantation on the bayou. This book was incredibly written, featuring a powerful bond about two adult siblings, now grown, who return to their family home to bury their mother. The mother who abandoned them to the care of their aunt 25 years prior, after their father had committed suicide by hanging himself from the top balcony.
The pacing, the characters, the back story, the incredible ending - I can't say enough how awesome I think this story is. Read it!
The pacing, the characters, the back story, the incredible ending - I can't say enough how awesome I think this story is. Read it!
August 5, 2025
As a girl from Louisiana this book instantly captivated me. The writing style, descriptions of the culture, and the storyline brought me back to the days of being a kid and staying at my grandparents home listening to these stories. The hair stood on the back of my neck from start to finish as the author i painted a story of Deep South Louisiana heritage. Favorite book of 2025 and definitely at top 3 overall for me!!
March 10, 2024
Oooooh, this one here is a golden standard for southern gothic, everyone!
From the first pages, I fell in love with the writing style- how it was capturing the slow, engrossing dampness and oppressiveness of marshes and humid summers. I hoped soooo much the plot wouldn't disappoint, and it didn't.
It combines creatures, haunted houses, possession, and encounters with malevolent entities that should be avoided, but what if it suggests you a good deal though?
In some books that would be a lot and wouldn't work out. Here it did.
I won't reveal much, but if you appreciate a slow, creeping gothic with a southern vibe, you can dive into this one blindly. Any description would fall short of depicting the book's atmospheric essence.
Also, after finishing the book, I realized I had indeed read the author's biography before, and it turns out the previous book of his I read, was about mystic hauntings near Alaska. I found it fascinating how the author painted vividly both dreary winter terrors and creepy summers.
Definitely looking forward to checking next works, as it seems they are progressively getting better 🤓
From the first pages, I fell in love with the writing style- how it was capturing the slow, engrossing dampness and oppressiveness of marshes and humid summers. I hoped soooo much the plot wouldn't disappoint, and it didn't.
It combines creatures, haunted houses, possession, and encounters with malevolent entities that should be avoided, but what if it suggests you a good deal though?
In some books that would be a lot and wouldn't work out. Here it did.
I won't reveal much, but if you appreciate a slow, creeping gothic with a southern vibe, you can dive into this one blindly. Any description would fall short of depicting the book's atmospheric essence.
Also, after finishing the book, I realized I had indeed read the author's biography before, and it turns out the previous book of his I read, was about mystic hauntings near Alaska. I found it fascinating how the author painted vividly both dreary winter terrors and creepy summers.
Definitely looking forward to checking next works, as it seems they are progressively getting better 🤓
March 4, 2024
I didn’t know what I was expecting when I read A Dark Roux as I went into it completely blind. But, let me tell you, Blaine Daigle knows how to spin one heck of a ghost story. Set in the Louisiana bayou, the beginning starts right in with atmospheric spooky world building. I loved the eerie feeling of the black bayou, teamed with spookiness of the moss trees and all the living and nonliving creatures. It has you hooked from the beginning. The story is about the La Beau family and their sugarcane plantation which has been in the family for generations deep in the heart of the bayou. Rhiannon and Rhett are the last children to inhabit the huge mansion. This book has twists and turns and an unexpected and sad ending. But it takes 15 years to get there after their mother, Miranda is found dead in her rocking chair surrounded by crushed red brick that is used to ward off evil spirits. There is a lot to this novel as it seamlessly goes between the tragic year of 1999 to the present. It is filled with townspeople that will have nothing to do with the remaining, less the dad, LaBeau clan stating that Miranda is a witch that practices voodoo magic, and her coven of two children. Bump screech Bumps in the night, monsters, voodoo and spirits stuck in the “in between”. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author and adding them to my list. His prose and use of figurative language are spot on.
October 15, 2023
My thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing.
Rhiannon and Rhett LeBeau are haunted. This being a horror book, the haunting is of course literal, but figurative as well. Having grown up on a sugarcane plantation in Louisiana, they return home after the death of their estranged mother to see to the disposal of their mother’s remains as well as the house they lived in as children, the house in which their father committed suicide, and the house they’ve now inherited. As they tend to the grim duties of surviving children, it becomes apparent that a forgotten mystery from their childhood, a forgotten bargain, has come back to claim what it is owed. Will the siblings be able to escape what’s haunting and hunting them? Or will a final price be paid to satisfy a transaction come due?
This is my first encounter with Blaine Daigle’s work, and I am impressed; he’s certainly gained a reader here. The story is engaging and draws your interest. His language is economical, but in no way sparse – he conveys what he means to convey in just as many words as it takes to convey it, no more and no less. He builds his moods well, setting the scene and crafting his spooks and creeps with care. This is by no means a barn-burner of a book, at least not at first, and I don’t think any ghost story worth its salt should be. A good ghost story builds, takes its time, adding ingredients one at a time like you would build a stew (or more appropriately here, a gumbo), and only after the previous ingredients have had a chance to cook a bit and flavor the sauce. This book requires your patience; this is the South, after all – things move slower here.
The setting is appropriately mysterious and unsettling, as the bayou tends to be for people such as myself who have never lived there (I wonder if the same holds true for the people who do). Bringing Louisiana to life, the predominant atmosphere in this book is HUMID. Every page drips in the oppressive heat and dank humidity of the swamps; at no moment are we allowed to forget we are in the Deep South. There are constant references in the book to moss hanging from trees, the heat and humidity (people sweat A LOT in this story), and oceans of sweet tea are consumed by various characters. There is a pervasive sense of never being able to get quite clean, a humidity that coats you in fresh sweat the second you step out of the shower (anyone who’s endured a hot and humid Southern summer with no a/c will know exactly what I mean).
Personally, the bayou seems to me a place almost forgotten by time; a place full of mystery and darkness, a shifting place where the surroundings can literally swallow you whole, never leaving a trace. To my mind, the bayou is one of the last remaining places of true mystery and magic in this country, as close as we get here in the US to the faerie rings and enchanted glens of Ye Olde England: beautiful and alluring but not without its dangers and secrets better left undisturbed; bargains better left undiscussed and unsealed. There’s a reason Robert Johnson got famous singing about Hellhounds on his trail. In other words, a perfect setting for a tale of spooks and monsters and creatures made of nightmares.
As I read through the story, I kept feeling parallels to Shirley Jackson’s classic The Haunting of Hill House, in that the family home seemed to be just as much a character in the story as Rhiannon, Rhett, and the rest of the characters we encounter. Something indeed walks in the LeBeau House, but it doesn’t necessarily walk alone.
And speaking of characters, they are certainly one of the strengths of the book. They’re well written, believable, and seem to fully inhabit the setting they find themselves in. As new characters are introduced, we take our time getting to know our players as they are added into the mix rather than a rushed intro and a quick bit of action to illustrate their role in the story. Rhiannon is strong, strong-willed, and conflicted about her anger and resentment toward the mother she views as abandoning her children. Rhett is the softer of the pair, more introverted and quiet, seemingly weak but hiding a strength and determination just under the surface. The supporting cast is present and there to help bring the story to life, but they are not intrusive. There’s no wacky, one-liner slinging BFF here for comic relief (thankfully). Kindra in particular provides a bright spot in a dark story, but at no point do the characters seem “stock” or out of place. The characters may be typical, but I wouldn’t say cliched. About the biggest cliché I can quibble about is the family name LeBeau – it seems every book set in Louisiana has a LeBeau in it, as well as a Beauchamp.
Blending Cajun folklore and cryptozoology, voodoo, and traditional haunted house tropes into an entertaining, immersive, and just plain enjoyable spook yarn, Blaine Daigle has gotten my attention. The book is not without its flaws (the Ferryman scene seemed like a bit of an expository info dump, out of place in his otherwise well-crafted tale), it nonetheless overcomes its minor missteps to come out strong, delivering some genuinely creepy and unnerving moments, as well as a twist or two. I recommend it for fans of Jackson’s aforementioned Hill House, ghost stories, haunted houses, creepy creatures, and Southern Gothic. Thumbs up.
Rhiannon and Rhett LeBeau are haunted. This being a horror book, the haunting is of course literal, but figurative as well. Having grown up on a sugarcane plantation in Louisiana, they return home after the death of their estranged mother to see to the disposal of their mother’s remains as well as the house they lived in as children, the house in which their father committed suicide, and the house they’ve now inherited. As they tend to the grim duties of surviving children, it becomes apparent that a forgotten mystery from their childhood, a forgotten bargain, has come back to claim what it is owed. Will the siblings be able to escape what’s haunting and hunting them? Or will a final price be paid to satisfy a transaction come due?
This is my first encounter with Blaine Daigle’s work, and I am impressed; he’s certainly gained a reader here. The story is engaging and draws your interest. His language is economical, but in no way sparse – he conveys what he means to convey in just as many words as it takes to convey it, no more and no less. He builds his moods well, setting the scene and crafting his spooks and creeps with care. This is by no means a barn-burner of a book, at least not at first, and I don’t think any ghost story worth its salt should be. A good ghost story builds, takes its time, adding ingredients one at a time like you would build a stew (or more appropriately here, a gumbo), and only after the previous ingredients have had a chance to cook a bit and flavor the sauce. This book requires your patience; this is the South, after all – things move slower here.
The setting is appropriately mysterious and unsettling, as the bayou tends to be for people such as myself who have never lived there (I wonder if the same holds true for the people who do). Bringing Louisiana to life, the predominant atmosphere in this book is HUMID. Every page drips in the oppressive heat and dank humidity of the swamps; at no moment are we allowed to forget we are in the Deep South. There are constant references in the book to moss hanging from trees, the heat and humidity (people sweat A LOT in this story), and oceans of sweet tea are consumed by various characters. There is a pervasive sense of never being able to get quite clean, a humidity that coats you in fresh sweat the second you step out of the shower (anyone who’s endured a hot and humid Southern summer with no a/c will know exactly what I mean).
Personally, the bayou seems to me a place almost forgotten by time; a place full of mystery and darkness, a shifting place where the surroundings can literally swallow you whole, never leaving a trace. To my mind, the bayou is one of the last remaining places of true mystery and magic in this country, as close as we get here in the US to the faerie rings and enchanted glens of Ye Olde England: beautiful and alluring but not without its dangers and secrets better left undisturbed; bargains better left undiscussed and unsealed. There’s a reason Robert Johnson got famous singing about Hellhounds on his trail. In other words, a perfect setting for a tale of spooks and monsters and creatures made of nightmares.
As I read through the story, I kept feeling parallels to Shirley Jackson’s classic The Haunting of Hill House, in that the family home seemed to be just as much a character in the story as Rhiannon, Rhett, and the rest of the characters we encounter. Something indeed walks in the LeBeau House, but it doesn’t necessarily walk alone.
And speaking of characters, they are certainly one of the strengths of the book. They’re well written, believable, and seem to fully inhabit the setting they find themselves in. As new characters are introduced, we take our time getting to know our players as they are added into the mix rather than a rushed intro and a quick bit of action to illustrate their role in the story. Rhiannon is strong, strong-willed, and conflicted about her anger and resentment toward the mother she views as abandoning her children. Rhett is the softer of the pair, more introverted and quiet, seemingly weak but hiding a strength and determination just under the surface. The supporting cast is present and there to help bring the story to life, but they are not intrusive. There’s no wacky, one-liner slinging BFF here for comic relief (thankfully). Kindra in particular provides a bright spot in a dark story, but at no point do the characters seem “stock” or out of place. The characters may be typical, but I wouldn’t say cliched. About the biggest cliché I can quibble about is the family name LeBeau – it seems every book set in Louisiana has a LeBeau in it, as well as a Beauchamp.
Blending Cajun folklore and cryptozoology, voodoo, and traditional haunted house tropes into an entertaining, immersive, and just plain enjoyable spook yarn, Blaine Daigle has gotten my attention. The book is not without its flaws (the Ferryman scene seemed like a bit of an expository info dump, out of place in his otherwise well-crafted tale), it nonetheless overcomes its minor missteps to come out strong, delivering some genuinely creepy and unnerving moments, as well as a twist or two. I recommend it for fans of Jackson’s aforementioned Hill House, ghost stories, haunted houses, creepy creatures, and Southern Gothic. Thumbs up.
November 28, 2023
Moody, atmospheric, steeped in folklore, Daigle’s elegant prose infuses the brooding bayou and Louisiana manor in which A Dark Roux is set with a dark and lyrical dread that pulls the reader forward page by page. From beginning to end, the book is well-paced and deftly balances two narratives set fifteen years apart, rendering the rich world of Rhett and Rhiannon LeBeau in lush detail that leaves the reader heavily invested in their survival among the looming horrors within and without.
November 13, 2023
A Dark Roux is a creepy, atmospheric ghost story with a slow simmer. The action builds slowly but steadily as Rhiannon LeBeau and her brother Rhett revisit their family home in the Louisana bayou after the death of their mother. Plagued by chillingly realistic nightmares, Rhiannon can feel that things just aren't right back in the bayou, and as her memories of past horrors resurface and the ghosts and monsters come out to play, she realizes the sacrifices she must make to save her brother.
Setting a macabre tone that permeates throughout the story, the prose is dripping with ominous and eerie emotion. The author's language and word choice is perfect for setting the mood and scene of the bayou, and really triggers the imagination, allowing the reader to fully place themselves in the story. A slow burn but a real creeper... I loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Wicked House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#ADarkRouxANovel #NetGalley
Setting a macabre tone that permeates throughout the story, the prose is dripping with ominous and eerie emotion. The author's language and word choice is perfect for setting the mood and scene of the bayou, and really triggers the imagination, allowing the reader to fully place themselves in the story. A slow burn but a real creeper... I loved it!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Wicked House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#ADarkRouxANovel #NetGalley
November 2, 2023
Daigle really sets the stage with A Dark Roux; there’s the Louisiana bayou, the LeBeau secret legacy and their dilapidated home. Each one seems to be its own character.
The LeBeaus are a broken family and when Rhiannon and Rhett’s mother dies, they are forced back to their ancestral home and the buried memories it contains. At the core, this is a haunted house story but to say that feels like you’re just skimming the surface. It’s a sad story of a family history and tragedy; a legacy that follows and haunts them constantly.
This is my second read from Blaine Daigle and both have been so diametrically different but both horrifying in their own way. He consistently completely encapsulates the atmosphere and feel of what he writes. You are Rhiannon LeBeau, in the bayou surrounded by floating bones. In this instance, Daigle writes what he knows and in doing so, creates a rich southern gothic setting.
I devoured this book. It’s frightening, thrilling, eerie, and bittersweet. There’s a lot of heart in this book and it is so well written. I think it’s easy to say that Blaine Daigle is at the top of my list of horror authors to watch!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Available November 10, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The LeBeaus are a broken family and when Rhiannon and Rhett’s mother dies, they are forced back to their ancestral home and the buried memories it contains. At the core, this is a haunted house story but to say that feels like you’re just skimming the surface. It’s a sad story of a family history and tragedy; a legacy that follows and haunts them constantly.
This is my second read from Blaine Daigle and both have been so diametrically different but both horrifying in their own way. He consistently completely encapsulates the atmosphere and feel of what he writes. You are Rhiannon LeBeau, in the bayou surrounded by floating bones. In this instance, Daigle writes what he knows and in doing so, creates a rich southern gothic setting.
I devoured this book. It’s frightening, thrilling, eerie, and bittersweet. There’s a lot of heart in this book and it is so well written. I think it’s easy to say that Blaine Daigle is at the top of my list of horror authors to watch!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Available November 10, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
November 27, 2023
What an extraordinary book! I got hooked from the first word. The writing style was so vivid, it was like you were there. I love finding new authors. Blaine Daigle is definitely going to the top of my favorite authors list!
December 8, 2023
A Dark Roux is a book about a family and how they deal with their family curse. The main characters of the book are Rhiannon and Rhett LeBeau, a brother and sister who grew up on the bayou in Southern Louisiana in a house that may have once been happy but had long since turned suffering and seemingly inescapable.
The book opens with a flashback of Rhiannon when she was about twelve years old. The book never openly says how old she and Rhett are, but from their actions, I pictured them around the ages of 8-12. Rhiannon is about that age where she becomes conscious of the adult activity going on around her but still too young to fully understand the situation. In the flashback, we get a view of the night that changed the LeBeau family’s lives for good. We see Rhiannon interact with Rhett by telling him to stay up late and wait for her to come back while she goes on a secret mission to an old abandoned church on the other side of bayou next to their home. Rhett does as his sister asks and as a result he is the first to see his father hanging from the homes balcony after he committed suicide. He shows Rhiannon when she returns from her nighttime bayou ride. This one act is the ultimate action that destroys the LeBeau family completely. Their mother ends up sending them away. For this action, and many others, Rhiannon grows to resent her mother. Rhett does as well, but, unlike Rhiannon, he is able to forgive their mother as he grows and becomes an adult himself.
Fast forward to the present day, Rhiannon and Rhett’s mother dies, and they each make the trek back to their family home in Cypress Landing to have a wake for and bury their mother. While they are in the house, they each start seeing and hearing things in both the house and out into the sugarcane fields that nearly surround the house. They even see things driving up to the house. The land their house is built on is cursed. They know it, but they stick around because Rhett needs to bury his mom, and Rhiannon needs to be there for Rhett. They are only supposed to be in the home for three days, then they could each leave the house for good and never come back. But, the evil that be won’t let them leave, and three days is enough time to hook them in and make sure they never leave the property again. This is where the spookiness ensues.
Through the first thirty to forty percent of the book, we spend time getting to know the characters of Rhett, Rhiannon, and a little bit about their mother Miranda. We are also introduced to the town of Cypress Landings and the LeBeau property including the swamp near the property. As a person born and raised in Louisiana, the author did an amazing job of transporting the reader to the bowels of hell that is the Louisiana heat. I had my own flashbacks of nearly sweating to death by walking outside for five minutes no matter what time of day it is. Sweltering is the word that comes to mind.
With all of this world-building and character introduction, it could sometimes feel like spooky parts of the book were being overshadowed and pushed to the side for the structure of the book. So much so, that towards the climax and about seventy-five percent into the book, the horror and paranormal elements were ramped up to make up for the first third of the book. This kind of throws the pacing off to where the first third of the book is slow, the middle of the book is medium paced, and the last third of the book blows through all the stop signs. With that said, the ending of the story was an amazing decision by the author and the only one that made sense with the plot points. It was depressing but also very satisfying.
Throughout reading this book, I also found it hard to fully empathize with Rhett and Rhiannon. In all intents and purposes, their story should have drawn me in completely. But, I was never completely emotionally invested in them or their story. It just felt like there was something missing that would hook me into rooting for them wholeheartedly. I want to say that if the author had included a flashback of their father abusing them that it would have increased my connection through them. At the same time, that feels like abuse on display, so I am not really sure.
The paranormal elements mixed in with Louisiana culture is one of this book's greatest features.
3.75/5 stars
The book opens with a flashback of Rhiannon when she was about twelve years old. The book never openly says how old she and Rhett are, but from their actions, I pictured them around the ages of 8-12. Rhiannon is about that age where she becomes conscious of the adult activity going on around her but still too young to fully understand the situation. In the flashback, we get a view of the night that changed the LeBeau family’s lives for good. We see Rhiannon interact with Rhett by telling him to stay up late and wait for her to come back while she goes on a secret mission to an old abandoned church on the other side of bayou next to their home. Rhett does as his sister asks and as a result he is the first to see his father hanging from the homes balcony after he committed suicide. He shows Rhiannon when she returns from her nighttime bayou ride. This one act is the ultimate action that destroys the LeBeau family completely. Their mother ends up sending them away. For this action, and many others, Rhiannon grows to resent her mother. Rhett does as well, but, unlike Rhiannon, he is able to forgive their mother as he grows and becomes an adult himself.
Fast forward to the present day, Rhiannon and Rhett’s mother dies, and they each make the trek back to their family home in Cypress Landing to have a wake for and bury their mother. While they are in the house, they each start seeing and hearing things in both the house and out into the sugarcane fields that nearly surround the house. They even see things driving up to the house. The land their house is built on is cursed. They know it, but they stick around because Rhett needs to bury his mom, and Rhiannon needs to be there for Rhett. They are only supposed to be in the home for three days, then they could each leave the house for good and never come back. But, the evil that be won’t let them leave, and three days is enough time to hook them in and make sure they never leave the property again. This is where the spookiness ensues.
Through the first thirty to forty percent of the book, we spend time getting to know the characters of Rhett, Rhiannon, and a little bit about their mother Miranda. We are also introduced to the town of Cypress Landings and the LeBeau property including the swamp near the property. As a person born and raised in Louisiana, the author did an amazing job of transporting the reader to the bowels of hell that is the Louisiana heat. I had my own flashbacks of nearly sweating to death by walking outside for five minutes no matter what time of day it is. Sweltering is the word that comes to mind.
With all of this world-building and character introduction, it could sometimes feel like spooky parts of the book were being overshadowed and pushed to the side for the structure of the book. So much so, that towards the climax and about seventy-five percent into the book, the horror and paranormal elements were ramped up to make up for the first third of the book. This kind of throws the pacing off to where the first third of the book is slow, the middle of the book is medium paced, and the last third of the book blows through all the stop signs. With that said, the ending of the story was an amazing decision by the author and the only one that made sense with the plot points. It was depressing but also very satisfying.
Throughout reading this book, I also found it hard to fully empathize with Rhett and Rhiannon. In all intents and purposes, their story should have drawn me in completely. But, I was never completely emotionally invested in them or their story. It just felt like there was something missing that would hook me into rooting for them wholeheartedly. I want to say that if the author had included a flashback of their father abusing them that it would have increased my connection through them. At the same time, that feels like abuse on display, so I am not really sure.
The paranormal elements mixed in with Louisiana culture is one of this book's greatest features.
3.75/5 stars
January 1, 2024
4.5 stars rounded down :)
A Dark Roux by Blaine Daigle will be available on November 10th, 2023.
Thank you to Netgalley.com, Wicked House Publishing and the author of course for providing me with an eARC of this awesome book!
A Dark Roux was a scrumptiously dark and delicious southern gothic novel by Blaine Daigle, that asks the question, How far are you willing to go to save the ones you love? And boy did it take me on a journey! (much like a well crafted gumbo 😉)
The story follows older sister and social worker Rhiannon and younger brother, and environmental conservationist Rhett, two siblings who are forced to return to the house they grew up in because their mother has died. Rhiannon would do anything for her younger brother, including returning to the place that has haunted her with the memories of their suffering since leaving 15 years ago. They arrive to find that some things are just the same as they left them; the townspeople still revile them, the house is decrepit and falling apart, and old ghosts and memories still haunt them. But now there's new trouble on the property and our heroes need to get to the bottom of their past to figure out what's going on! Who keeps breaking into the house at night (even though it's chained and locked!) Where did that coyote roaming the grounds come from? (though when did coyotes start walking on two legs?!) Do the siblings know more than they think? I'll leave that, dear reader, for you to find out!
Oh man, what can I say about this book? Daigle certainly has a way with words and the beautiful writing really lends itself to the gothic, historic and slightly mystical scene. I loved the characters in this book! Each one has their own personalities, motivations and drives that really made their choices make sense and feel natural to them. Also kudos to the author for writing a fully fleshed female MC with just the barest of details (we get that she has dark hair and green eyes). Also, I'm a sucker for learning about folklore and mythoses, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about bayou supernatural folklore. A final note, the reference to the title in the book was sweet and heartwarming and gave me good feels ☺️
When it comes to the negatives, I would say that this is more horror-lite, andmaybe a good introduction to horror for a newbie. I also found a few spelling/missing words, but won't hold that against the book since it's a pre-released copy. Other than those, I have no complaints!
If you are looking for a good introduction to horror, with a dark southern gothic feel, compelling characters, and just a bit of the supernatural, then A Dark Roux is the book for you!
A Dark Roux by Blaine Daigle will be available on November 10th, 2023.
Thank you to Netgalley.com, Wicked House Publishing and the author of course for providing me with an eARC of this awesome book!
A Dark Roux was a scrumptiously dark and delicious southern gothic novel by Blaine Daigle, that asks the question, How far are you willing to go to save the ones you love? And boy did it take me on a journey! (much like a well crafted gumbo 😉)
The story follows older sister and social worker Rhiannon and younger brother, and environmental conservationist Rhett, two siblings who are forced to return to the house they grew up in because their mother has died. Rhiannon would do anything for her younger brother, including returning to the place that has haunted her with the memories of their suffering since leaving 15 years ago. They arrive to find that some things are just the same as they left them; the townspeople still revile them, the house is decrepit and falling apart, and old ghosts and memories still haunt them. But now there's new trouble on the property and our heroes need to get to the bottom of their past to figure out what's going on! Who keeps breaking into the house at night (even though it's chained and locked!) Where did that coyote roaming the grounds come from? (though when did coyotes start walking on two legs?!) Do the siblings know more than they think? I'll leave that, dear reader, for you to find out!
Oh man, what can I say about this book? Daigle certainly has a way with words and the beautiful writing really lends itself to the gothic, historic and slightly mystical scene. I loved the characters in this book! Each one has their own personalities, motivations and drives that really made their choices make sense and feel natural to them. Also kudos to the author for writing a fully fleshed female MC with just the barest of details (we get that she has dark hair and green eyes). Also, I'm a sucker for learning about folklore and mythoses, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about bayou supernatural folklore. A final note, the reference to the title in the book was sweet and heartwarming and gave me good feels ☺️
When it comes to the negatives, I would say that this is more horror-lite, andmaybe a good introduction to horror for a newbie. I also found a few spelling/missing words, but won't hold that against the book since it's a pre-released copy. Other than those, I have no complaints!
If you are looking for a good introduction to horror, with a dark southern gothic feel, compelling characters, and just a bit of the supernatural, then A Dark Roux is the book for you!
December 3, 2023
“Now, first thing you gotta understand about cooking is that flavor runs through everything in life. And gumbo is like telling a story.”
Blaine brings readers an epic story of a brother & sister; the love and sorrow that bind them, the dark, wet mud beneath their feet, the mysticism that haunts and curses them.
Their lives and their family name are entangled with the dark swampy water of the bayou, and within it, The Place of Bones.
“The bayou watches as it sings. It is a place that hides its dead deep within the soil before the dead become living again, a part of this world enslaved to a fading memory of original creation.”
The descriptions and narratives were fantastic, spinning a strong tale that entrances the reader. There are two time frames: the present and summer of 1999. Each section teases a little bit more as the mystery around these characters thickens while simultaneously giving the reader some hints here and there of what could really be going on.
Voodoo, history, horror, & the setting that “echoes with songs of alligators and bullfrogs” will make this a thrilling tale to pick up.
My only quip was the ending. I definitely didn’t see that coming.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy.
Blaine brings readers an epic story of a brother & sister; the love and sorrow that bind them, the dark, wet mud beneath their feet, the mysticism that haunts and curses them.
Their lives and their family name are entangled with the dark swampy water of the bayou, and within it, The Place of Bones.
“The bayou watches as it sings. It is a place that hides its dead deep within the soil before the dead become living again, a part of this world enslaved to a fading memory of original creation.”
The descriptions and narratives were fantastic, spinning a strong tale that entrances the reader. There are two time frames: the present and summer of 1999. Each section teases a little bit more as the mystery around these characters thickens while simultaneously giving the reader some hints here and there of what could really be going on.
Voodoo, history, horror, & the setting that “echoes with songs of alligators and bullfrogs” will make this a thrilling tale to pick up.
My only quip was the ending. I definitely didn’t see that coming.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy.
September 25, 2023
This book is a fantastically creepy horror novel and I ate it up. When I saw this was available on NetGalley, I knew I had to grab it. I read Mr. Daigle's other book ,The Broken Places, and absolutely loved it. I loved this book even more.
Rhiannon LeBeau left the Louisiana bayou 15 years ago when her mother abandoned her and her brother Rhett shortly after their father's suicide. She swore to never return but upon her mother's death, she finds herself at the crumbling steps of the LeBeau house full of its secrets and ghosts. Something haunts the LeBeau house and the surrounding sugarcane. Memories begin to surface from her childhood, the creature she has seen in the sugarcane, the evil that haunts the house at night, and the time she spent traveling through the Place of Bones to get to the Old River Church. As children they heard rumors of witchcraft and voodoo and now must face their family's past if they are to escape the house that doesn't want them to leave.
This author has a great talent in setting the atmosphere in his novels. I have never been to the Louisiana bayou but I could feel the humidity, smell the decay and see the deep black water crawling with the unknown. Like his previous novel, the author also incorporates local folklore which was perfect. This was a really quick read for me as the book was full of action and there were surprises throughout.
I highly recommend this novel as well as this author's previous work. I have officially added this author to my auto read list.
Thanks NetGalley, Wicked House Publishing and Blaine Daigle for the copy of this book.
Rhiannon LeBeau left the Louisiana bayou 15 years ago when her mother abandoned her and her brother Rhett shortly after their father's suicide. She swore to never return but upon her mother's death, she finds herself at the crumbling steps of the LeBeau house full of its secrets and ghosts. Something haunts the LeBeau house and the surrounding sugarcane. Memories begin to surface from her childhood, the creature she has seen in the sugarcane, the evil that haunts the house at night, and the time she spent traveling through the Place of Bones to get to the Old River Church. As children they heard rumors of witchcraft and voodoo and now must face their family's past if they are to escape the house that doesn't want them to leave.
This author has a great talent in setting the atmosphere in his novels. I have never been to the Louisiana bayou but I could feel the humidity, smell the decay and see the deep black water crawling with the unknown. Like his previous novel, the author also incorporates local folklore which was perfect. This was a really quick read for me as the book was full of action and there were surprises throughout.
I highly recommend this novel as well as this author's previous work. I have officially added this author to my auto read list.
Thanks NetGalley, Wicked House Publishing and Blaine Daigle for the copy of this book.
September 3, 2023
A spooky, Southern ghost story that will have you shivering with goosebumps and scared to turn out the lights! Daigle's atmospheric scenes and hauntingly lyrical prose made every sentence seem so real and absolutely terrifying. The author has an immense talent for utilizing isolated locations to instill the utmost depth of fear. I'm obsessed with stories that take place in the bayou, revolving around Cajun folklore, voodoo, and black magic. A Dark Roux perfectly incorporated all of these elements. This book was fun and the perfect read for the upcoming spooky season. I highly recommend to all the horror fans out there and to anyone who loves a good ghost story! And if you haven't yet read his other book The Broken Places, I highly recommend that you read it as well. Looking forward to what he comes up with next!
Thank you to the author, Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!
Thank you to the author, Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!
December 7, 2024
I honestly just love this author. He writes some amazing atmospheric creepy and twisted horror/mysteries.
Being a current LA resident it was nice to read about some of the local legends all without being too creeped out.
Being a current LA resident it was nice to read about some of the local legends all without being too creeped out.
December 30, 2023
4.5 stars rounded down :)
A Dark Roux by Blaine Daigle will be available on November 10th, 2023.
Thank you to Netgalley.com, Wicked House Publishing and the author of course for providing me with an eARC of this awesome book!
A Dark Roux was a scrumptiously dark and delicious southern gothic novel by Blaine Daigle, that asks the question, How far are you willing to go to save the ones you love? And boy did it take me on a journey! (much like a well crafted gumbo 😉)
The story follows older sister and social worker Rhiannon and younger brother, environmental conservationist Rhett, two siblings who are forced to return to the house they grew up in because their mother has died. Rhiannon would do anything for her younger brother, including returning to the place that has haunted her with the memories of their suffering since leaving 15 years ago. They arrive to find that some things are just the same as they left them; the townspeople still revile them, the house is decrepit and falling apart, and old ghosts and memories still haunt them. But now there's new trouble on the property and our heroes need to get to the bottom of their past to figure out what's going on! Who keeps breaking into the house at night (even though it's chained and locked!) Where did that coyote roaming the grounds come from? (though when did coyotes start walking on two legs?!) Do the siblings know more than they think? I'll leave that, dear reader, for you to find out!
Oh man, what can I say about this book? Daigle certainly has a way with words and the beautiful writing really lends itself to the gothic, historic and slightly mystical scene. I loved the characters in this book! Each one has their own personalities, motivations and drives that really made their choices make sense and feel natural to them. Also kudos to the author for writing a fully fleshed female MC with just the barest of details (we get that she has dark hair and green eyes). Also, I'm a sucker for learning about folklore and mythoses, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about bayou supernatural folklore. A final note, the reference to the title in the book was sweet and heartwarming and gave me good feels ☺️
When it comes to the negatives, I would say that this is more horror-lite, and maybe a good introduction to horror for a newbie. I also found a few spelling/missing words, but won't hold that against the book since it's a pre-released copy. Other than those, I have no complaints!
If you are looking for a good introduction to horror, with a dark southern gothic feel, compelling characters, and just a bit of the supernatural, then A Dark Roux is the book for you!
A Dark Roux by Blaine Daigle will be available on November 10th, 2023.
Thank you to Netgalley.com, Wicked House Publishing and the author of course for providing me with an eARC of this awesome book!
A Dark Roux was a scrumptiously dark and delicious southern gothic novel by Blaine Daigle, that asks the question, How far are you willing to go to save the ones you love? And boy did it take me on a journey! (much like a well crafted gumbo 😉)
The story follows older sister and social worker Rhiannon and younger brother, environmental conservationist Rhett, two siblings who are forced to return to the house they grew up in because their mother has died. Rhiannon would do anything for her younger brother, including returning to the place that has haunted her with the memories of their suffering since leaving 15 years ago. They arrive to find that some things are just the same as they left them; the townspeople still revile them, the house is decrepit and falling apart, and old ghosts and memories still haunt them. But now there's new trouble on the property and our heroes need to get to the bottom of their past to figure out what's going on! Who keeps breaking into the house at night (even though it's chained and locked!) Where did that coyote roaming the grounds come from? (though when did coyotes start walking on two legs?!) Do the siblings know more than they think? I'll leave that, dear reader, for you to find out!
Oh man, what can I say about this book? Daigle certainly has a way with words and the beautiful writing really lends itself to the gothic, historic and slightly mystical scene. I loved the characters in this book! Each one has their own personalities, motivations and drives that really made their choices make sense and feel natural to them. Also kudos to the author for writing a fully fleshed female MC with just the barest of details (we get that she has dark hair and green eyes). Also, I'm a sucker for learning about folklore and mythoses, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about bayou supernatural folklore. A final note, the reference to the title in the book was sweet and heartwarming and gave me good feels ☺️
When it comes to the negatives, I would say that this is more horror-lite, and maybe a good introduction to horror for a newbie. I also found a few spelling/missing words, but won't hold that against the book since it's a pre-released copy. Other than those, I have no complaints!
If you are looking for a good introduction to horror, with a dark southern gothic feel, compelling characters, and just a bit of the supernatural, then A Dark Roux is the book for you!
November 12, 2023
Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I also was able to receive an ARC of Blaine’s last book so I was really excited to read this one.
A large home stands at the edge of the bayou full of secrets and witchcraft. Rhiannon and Rhett suffer at the hands of an abusive father. He commits suicide, years pass by and their mother, Miranda, has passed and they are tasked with coordinating her funeral and selling the house and land.
Full of mystery, voodoo, and lots of icky gothic goodness.
I also was able to receive an ARC of Blaine’s last book so I was really excited to read this one.
A large home stands at the edge of the bayou full of secrets and witchcraft. Rhiannon and Rhett suffer at the hands of an abusive father. He commits suicide, years pass by and their mother, Miranda, has passed and they are tasked with coordinating her funeral and selling the house and land.
Full of mystery, voodoo, and lots of icky gothic goodness.
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