BODIES IN THE BAYOU

by Summer Prescott

Sinister Secrets and Southern Justice…
Can be deadly.
When sassy Southerner and retired amateur sleuth Missy Beckett returns to her charming hometown of LaChance, Louisiana, she’s ready to kick up her feet, sip some sweet tea, and enjoy a quiet retirement with her husband, Chas. But small-town life has other plans…

Just as they’re settling into a Victorian fixer-upper, with plenty of coziness and a few creaks, their daughter Kaylee graduates from the police academy, only to find herself at the center of a chilling investigation when her tough-as-nails instructor turns up dead.

With Kaylee suddenly a suspect, and her safety hanging in the balance, Missy slips right back into sleuth mode, uncovering buried secrets and old grudges in a place that she’d deliberately selected because of its safe, serene community.

Will Missy unveil the killer before Kaylee becomes the next target?
See what she’s cooking up in this exciting Culinary Cozy Mystery that’s perfect for fans of sweet tea, Southern charm, and twisty whodunits!

Genres: Cozy Mystery

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2025

About the author

Summer Prescott is well-known in the Cozy Mystery realm, having written and published several Best-Sellers in the genre. An avid reader of Thrillers, Horror and Suspense, the author has decided to follow her passion with the debut of her Thriller, The Quiet Type, which launched in the top 50 of the Serial Killer category on Amazon. The novel has received high praise in its reviews, and Summer is considering a possible trilogy or series to continue the story.

Reviews

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A New Missy and Chas Novel! 5 Giant Glittering Stars!!

I am absolutely over the moon! One of my very favorite authors has brought back characters from my favorite series. I have read every book by Ms. Prescott in every one of her many series of wonderful stories, some of them more than once. But Missy and Chas Beckett are my favorite characters, and I am so excited to see what I hope will be many more stories about their lives.

This book has fast-forwarded from when we last spent time with them. Their children are grown, and Chas has retired from the police force. Missy is feeling nostalgic and wants to return home to Louisiana and her Southern roots. Also, their daughter Kayle is graduating from the police academy there, and their son is nearby in college. Purchasing a house that Missy always admired when living there, they proceed to restore and refurbish it inside and out. Soon there are two mysteries to delve into. A secret passage hidden within the walls has them deciding to contact my other favorite character from this series to investigate. But before that can take place, Kayle becomes a person of interest in the murder of one of her academic instructors. Naturally, Missy, being the true Southern mama that she is, gets involved in clearing her daughter's name.

Fast-paced, intriguing, entertaining, and enjoyable, I read it in one sitting. And the very best part is there are more stories to come. The ending sets up the next book, which may tackle the mystery of the secret passage as well as news of other characters from the previous series. I simply can't wait!

Thank you so much, Summer, for bringing back what seems like very real friends and family! I am over the moon! 🎉🎉👏👏❤❤

[Shannon Binegar-Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot express how incredibly excited I am for this new series. I fell in love with Missy and Chas right from the start many years ago. Now Chas has retired and their kids are grown. Time has come for them to return to Last Chance. Not only are they dealing with secret rooms in their Victorian home, their daughter Kaylee has just graduated the police academy and becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her instructor. Can Missy and Chas solve this and clear their daughter’s name? I absolutely love everything about this new series. I am beyond excited for what lies ahead. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher.

[Valorie Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!!!!!!

I am soooooooo happy that Missy and Chas are back!!!!!!!
Missy and Chas are at their daughter Kaylee's graduation, they are very proud parents!!!!
Right after the ceremony Kaylee's instructor passes out and taken out to the hospital. After the police detective Cahill wants a conversation with Kaylee, that gets Missy riled up, Chas with the calm quiet reasoning knows it is a fishing bunch of questioning.
Until it's not!!!!! Now it's a different set of circumstances, who? Why? How?
But points to Kaylee, Missy is on a mission, watch out!!!!!
Get this book to find out!!!!!!

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun story about a southern momma, her newly graduated police officer daughter, her retired police chief husband, and a house the mother longed for and fell in love with the moment she went inside it. The characters are believable, endearing, and whip smart. The plot is easily followed, and the premise is finding out who really killed the police instructor and why. Her daughter was the prime suspect and that didn't fly with Momma at all. I highly recommend this story and look forward to more works by this author.

[Tari · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was like going home to old friends even though I haven’t even read that many Missy and Chas books and am hopelessly behind in all their series. Maybe there’s hope for staying caught up in this new series though. I loved meeting their daughter and that she was following in her dad’s footsteps as a police officer. You could sure tell Chas and Missy were super proud.

And Missy got to go full-on Southern momma bear when their Kaylee was a murder suspect. Watch out, La Chance, Missy’s back and she means business!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Summer Prescott, but this one didn't really do it for me. I felt like I was stepping into the middle of a conversation. Obviously, the characters were featured in another series, but it doesn't say that anywhere. I had to do a Google search for the character's name to figure it out myself.

The plot is okay, but the protagonist comes off more annoying than sympathetic. I'll skip the rest of Sweet Home Louisiana and try another of her series that I haven't read yet.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written, entertaining new series debut! Characters are great and the storyline is engaging! I did feel a bit like I’d walked into the middle of an already established series though. Not surprisingly I kind of did! Missy and Chas are introduced in the Frosted Love Cozy Mysteries. Since Bodies In The Bayou is the start of a new chapter in Missy and Chas’s lives, it really isn’t necessary to have read the other series.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was supposed to be a relaxing time as she returning home to Louisiana to retire. But before she can kick back her feet and enjoy her southern ce tea, she will be n the middle of a deadly situation. Seems there s just more than sweet tea on the menu as secrets will be spelled.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

missy is back!

I am so happy that the author brought back one of my favorite characters in this new series!! Fantastic story as usual. I highly recommend.

[Nana Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!!!

[Glenn C. McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the characters.

[Ben Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

Great book read it in 1 1/2 days because I like it so much. Definitely recommend super interesting and overall fun to read