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Secrets in Dark Waters
The swamp holds the darkest secrets
Only they dare to uncover.
Intent on solving her mother’s murder, Monique Santori travels deep into the bayou in search of clues. Encountering Jacque LeBlanc is a surprise as he casts off his self-imposed seclusion to help Monique find the killer. When Monique is attacked in a bid to stop her sleuthing, she finds herself safe in Jacque’s home. Though Monique is unwaveringly drawn to the mysterious loner, she understands Jacque’s past is off-limits. He’ll help her find answers, even protect her with his life, but she fears he’ll never give her what she truly desires.
From Harlequin Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.
Discover more action-packed stories in the Bayou Investigation series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following
Book 1: Murder in Dark Waters
Book 2: Kidnapped in Dark Waters
Book 3: Secrets in Dark Waters
Only they dare to uncover.
Intent on solving her mother’s murder, Monique Santori travels deep into the bayou in search of clues. Encountering Jacque LeBlanc is a surprise as he casts off his self-imposed seclusion to help Monique find the killer. When Monique is attacked in a bid to stop her sleuthing, she finds herself safe in Jacque’s home. Though Monique is unwaveringly drawn to the mysterious loner, she understands Jacque’s past is off-limits. He’ll help her find answers, even protect her with his life, but she fears he’ll never give her what she truly desires.
From Harlequin Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.
Discover more action-packed stories in the Bayou Investigation series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following
Book 1: Murder in Dark Waters
Book 2: Kidnapped in Dark Waters
Book 3: Secrets in Dark Waters
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published June 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a Romantic Suspense, and this is the third book in A Bayou Investigation series. I have read the first book in this series before picking up this book. I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I loved the audiobook. I really enjoyed this book, and I loved being back with these characters and in the Bayou. This was a fast paced book full of suspense and a little bit of romance. I did not see the ending happening how it did, but it was really good. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
July 27, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆ | Series Rating: 3 Stars
I’m reviewing all three books together because, by the time I finished the trilogy, they blended into one overall reading experience.
Each book follows a different Santori sister—Angelique, Dominique, and Monique—as they investigate their mother Mystique’s murder. While each story has its own mystery and love interest, they all follow nearly the exact same formula. Every sister receives a mysterious note taped to her door, decides to investigate the murder despite repeated warnings, inevitably lands herself in mortal danger, and is rescued by a big, protective lawman. Of course, despite insisting they have no interest in romance, they all quickly fall for their respective heroes.
That predictability was disappointing, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying some aspects of the series.
The biggest strength is, without question, the setting. The Louisiana bayou, the swamps, the isolated shanties, the atmosphere—it was all chef’s kiss. Carla Cassidy did a wonderful job creating a setting that felt mysterious, dangerous, and perfect for a romantic suspense series. I also genuinely liked the Santori sisters and found myself invested in uncovering what really happened to their mother.
One detail that made me laugh throughout the series was the family names. A mother named Mystique with daughters named Angelique, Dominique, and Monique? In real life that would be…a choice. But somehow it worked here and became one of those little quirks that made me smile every time.
My biggest complaint is that these books simply weren’t long enough. They’re barely longer than novellas, and it constantly felt like the author was racing toward the finish line. The mysteries, romances, and character development all had potential, but none of them were given enough room to fully develop. With another 75 to 100 pages each, I think these could have been much stronger stories.
The editing also left something to be desired. I noticed several small errors throughout the trilogy—incorrect words (“was” instead of “were”), duplicated letters (“aa” instead of “a”), repeated information from one page to the next, and even one instance where the wrong Santori sister’s name was used before switching back to the correct one. None of these mistakes completely ruined the books, but they were frequent enough to pull me out of the story.
The romance was another weak point for me. Each book contains one intimate scene, and all three played out almost identically. The scenes felt awkward, overly staged, and lacked the natural chemistry that had been building between the characters. Instead of feeling romantic, they came across as formulaic.
Despite all of those criticisms, I still enjoyed this trilogy. The mysteries kept me turning the pages, I liked the characters, and I absolutely loved the Louisiana bayou setting. While I think the books would have benefited from more originality, stronger editing, and more time to let the stories breathe, they were still entertaining reads.
Overall, I gave the series 3 stars. It’s a solid, fast-paced romantic suspense trilogy with an unforgettable setting, even if it never quite reached the potential I think it had.
I’m reviewing all three books together because, by the time I finished the trilogy, they blended into one overall reading experience.
Each book follows a different Santori sister—Angelique, Dominique, and Monique—as they investigate their mother Mystique’s murder. While each story has its own mystery and love interest, they all follow nearly the exact same formula. Every sister receives a mysterious note taped to her door, decides to investigate the murder despite repeated warnings, inevitably lands herself in mortal danger, and is rescued by a big, protective lawman. Of course, despite insisting they have no interest in romance, they all quickly fall for their respective heroes.
That predictability was disappointing, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying some aspects of the series.
The biggest strength is, without question, the setting. The Louisiana bayou, the swamps, the isolated shanties, the atmosphere—it was all chef’s kiss. Carla Cassidy did a wonderful job creating a setting that felt mysterious, dangerous, and perfect for a romantic suspense series. I also genuinely liked the Santori sisters and found myself invested in uncovering what really happened to their mother.
One detail that made me laugh throughout the series was the family names. A mother named Mystique with daughters named Angelique, Dominique, and Monique? In real life that would be…a choice. But somehow it worked here and became one of those little quirks that made me smile every time.
My biggest complaint is that these books simply weren’t long enough. They’re barely longer than novellas, and it constantly felt like the author was racing toward the finish line. The mysteries, romances, and character development all had potential, but none of them were given enough room to fully develop. With another 75 to 100 pages each, I think these could have been much stronger stories.
The editing also left something to be desired. I noticed several small errors throughout the trilogy—incorrect words (“was” instead of “were”), duplicated letters (“aa” instead of “a”), repeated information from one page to the next, and even one instance where the wrong Santori sister’s name was used before switching back to the correct one. None of these mistakes completely ruined the books, but they were frequent enough to pull me out of the story.
The romance was another weak point for me. Each book contains one intimate scene, and all three played out almost identically. The scenes felt awkward, overly staged, and lacked the natural chemistry that had been building between the characters. Instead of feeling romantic, they came across as formulaic.
Despite all of those criticisms, I still enjoyed this trilogy. The mysteries kept me turning the pages, I liked the characters, and I absolutely loved the Louisiana bayou setting. While I think the books would have benefited from more originality, stronger editing, and more time to let the stories breathe, they were still entertaining reads.
Overall, I gave the series 3 stars. It’s a solid, fast-paced romantic suspense trilogy with an unforgettable setting, even if it never quite reached the potential I think it had.
August 14, 2026
Monique Santori is searching for her mother's killer. She decides to talk to Jacque LeBlanc in the bayou. She wants his help to find the killer, she feels like he can help. There is a reason Jacque moved to the bayou, and he really doesn't want to help her. When Monique is attacked, he decides she needs his help.
July 7, 2026
I did not like the first book in the series. I do not like it when a mystery runs through the entire series. Therefore, I did not read the second book. I only read this one in order to find out who murdered Mystique. Frankly, I should have just forgotten about it as this book was not good either.
The author wanted to make sure that the reader knew what Jacques and Monique were wearing. There was a description every time they changed clothes. One time Monique's outfit was described. Then she went to see Jacques and he described her outfit to the reader. These people lived in the swamps of Louisiana. There are mosquitoes. Yet, you would not know it by their mode of dress. Jacques liked short sleeve shirts and Monique like sundresses. They obviously did not use mosquito repellent as Jacques and Monique liked the scent of the other. As with the clothing, the scent was mentioned many times.
The author's definition of shanty and mine are very different. My definition is a ramshackle shack of 1 room that is basically temporary. Hers is like an apartment on stilts. Her shanty has separate rooms. Jacques shanty even has 2 bedrooms. Yes, there is an outdoor shower and a generator for electricity. But the author's shanty is not a rundown shelter.
To me, Monique's idea to find the killer was stupid. Jacques' willingness to go along with the idea was not smart either. A boring book.
The author wanted to make sure that the reader knew what Jacques and Monique were wearing. There was a description every time they changed clothes. One time Monique's outfit was described. Then she went to see Jacques and he described her outfit to the reader. These people lived in the swamps of Louisiana. There are mosquitoes. Yet, you would not know it by their mode of dress. Jacques liked short sleeve shirts and Monique like sundresses. They obviously did not use mosquito repellent as Jacques and Monique liked the scent of the other. As with the clothing, the scent was mentioned many times.
The author's definition of shanty and mine are very different. My definition is a ramshackle shack of 1 room that is basically temporary. Hers is like an apartment on stilts. Her shanty has separate rooms. Jacques shanty even has 2 bedrooms. Yes, there is an outdoor shower and a generator for electricity. But the author's shanty is not a rundown shelter.
To me, Monique's idea to find the killer was stupid. Jacques' willingness to go along with the idea was not smart either. A boring book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Book: Secrets in Dark Water
Series: Bayou Investigation #3
Author: Carla Cassidy
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Annalee Scott
Publisher: Harlequin Audio/ Intrigue
My Rating: 4
Pages: 224
Final Dark Water #3.
In this story our third sister Monique Santori who is the youngest of the sisters. She knows she must get involved in solving their mother’s murder and is sure her mother’s client book has the answer.
Both of her sisters tried to find their mother’s book and thus her killer but only ended up getting themselves in danger. Fortunately, they found true love.
Monique travels deep into the bayou in search of clues and finds that Jacque LeBlanc is willing to help. He becomes even more involved with Monique is beaten at her shanti. Jacque takes her to his place, and he knows he needs to protect her.
This is the last in this series so was sure Monique would find her mother’s killer also knew based on the other two stories and she too would find HEA.
I did enjoy this series, and the audiobook narrator Annalee Scott did a great job in performing the characters and making the story interesting.
Series: Bayou Investigation #3
Author: Carla Cassidy
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Annalee Scott
Publisher: Harlequin Audio/ Intrigue
My Rating: 4
Pages: 224
Final Dark Water #3.
In this story our third sister Monique Santori who is the youngest of the sisters. She knows she must get involved in solving their mother’s murder and is sure her mother’s client book has the answer.
Both of her sisters tried to find their mother’s book and thus her killer but only ended up getting themselves in danger. Fortunately, they found true love.
Monique travels deep into the bayou in search of clues and finds that Jacque LeBlanc is willing to help. He becomes even more involved with Monique is beaten at her shanti. Jacque takes her to his place, and he knows he needs to protect her.
This is the last in this series so was sure Monique would find her mother’s killer also knew based on the other two stories and she too would find HEA.
I did enjoy this series, and the audiobook narrator Annalee Scott did a great job in performing the characters and making the story interesting.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one was a quick and easy listen! This was single narration and the narrator did a great job bringing the story and characters to life. The premise of this one is what pulled me in.
The mystery surrounding Monique's mother's murder is what kept me interested and I honestly didn't guess who the killer was until the reveal. I did feel like the romance between Monique and Jacque was a little cheesy at times. Some of the interactions were just a bit odd.
Overall, this was a quick and easy read that moved at a decent pace that kept me listening, but this one didn't fully stand out for me. It wasn't bad, just okay for me.
Huge thanks to Harlequin for the early copy to listen to!
The mystery surrounding Monique's mother's murder is what kept me interested and I honestly didn't guess who the killer was until the reveal. I did feel like the romance between Monique and Jacque was a little cheesy at times. Some of the interactions were just a bit odd.
Overall, this was a quick and easy read that moved at a decent pace that kept me listening, but this one didn't fully stand out for me. It wasn't bad, just okay for me.
Huge thanks to Harlequin for the early copy to listen to!
July 30, 2026
The third and final book in the Bayou Investigation series was a quick read that kept me engaged and wrapped up the trilogy nicely. I had a feeling I knew who the killer was and I was right. Carla Cassidy did a great job of laying out the story and making me question this person as the killer. Overall, an entertaining series.
Annalee Scott did a wonderful job narrating the series and bringing the sisters and their stories to life.
Annalee Scott did a wonderful job narrating the series and bringing the sisters and their stories to life.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Secrets in the Dark by Carla Cassidy is the 3rd book in the A Bayau investigations, narrated by Annalee Scott. Narrator did a great job immersing you into the story. Trying to find her mother’s murder has Monique reaching out to Jacque to help her solve the mystery. Romantic mystery with a twist. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Harlequin Audio for this arc. This is my honest review. Releases June 30, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A reluctant hero and a determined heroine with a mystery that will keep you guessing! The narrator did a fantastic job bringing this story to life!
*note - while this story can be read as a stand alone it makes more sense when the series is read in order.
I received an audio ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.
*note - while this story can be read as a stand alone it makes more sense when the series is read in order.
I received an audio ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.
July 2, 2026
Fabulous read! I love these characters and am glad Monique got her own story. The reveal of the culprit was quite shocking and I'm sad the mystery has been solved because I'll miss the characters and the townsfolk.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Great ending for this series of 3 sisters looking for the killer of their mom.
July 29, 2026
I thought this was a great read. I didn't want to put it down until the killer was found. I was drawn into Monique's adventure. Good job!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews