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Charlie Cates #1
The Gates of Evangeline
For fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn, THE GATES OF EVANGELINE is the addictive first book in a fantastic new crime series, that will have you guessing until the very end.
When grieving mother and New York journalist Charlie Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children after her only son passes away, she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet she soon realizes these are not the hallucinations of a bereaved mother. They are messages and warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees—if she can make sense of them.
The disturbing images lead her from her home in suburban New York City to small-town Louisiana, where she takes a commission to write a true-crime book based on the case of Gabriel Deveau, the young heir to a wealthy and infamous Southern family, whose kidnapping thirty years ago has never been solved. There she meets the Deveau family, none of whom are telling the full truth about the night Gabriel disappeared. And as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust—and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could have imagined.
When grieving mother and New York journalist Charlie Cates begins to experience vivid dreams about children after her only son passes away, she’s sure that she’s lost her mind. Yet she soon realizes these are not the hallucinations of a bereaved mother. They are messages and warnings that will help Charlie and the children she sees—if she can make sense of them.
The disturbing images lead her from her home in suburban New York City to small-town Louisiana, where she takes a commission to write a true-crime book based on the case of Gabriel Deveau, the young heir to a wealthy and infamous Southern family, whose kidnapping thirty years ago has never been solved. There she meets the Deveau family, none of whom are telling the full truth about the night Gabriel disappeared. And as she uncovers long-buried secrets of love, money, betrayal, and murder, the facts begin to implicate those she most wants to trust—and her visions reveal an evil closer than she could have imagined.
416 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2015
142 people are currently reading
6322 people want to read
About the author
Hester Young
7 books333 followersHester Young has lived in Boston, London, Tucson, Honolulu, and central New Jersey. A mother of two, she was a teacher for ten years before becoming a full-time writer. Her first novel, THE GATES OF EVANGELINE, was inspired by a family tragedy and a mysterious dream. Its sequel, THE SHIMMERING ROAD, will be released in February 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 774 reviews
October 1, 2018
first in a trilogy: a romance-heavy southern gothic psychic detective ghost story in which a mother goes through the grieving process, solves a cold case and is swept up in a family mystery. oh, and there's a man.
so, yeah - a bit cluttery, but not unenjoyable. it's pretty standard gothic romance fare - there's a spooky antebellum estate, home to the secretive and unpleasant deveau family whose matriarch is dying of cancer and making some last-minute adjustments to her will, there's a dreamy landscaper whose sudden arrival and suspiciously close relationship with said matriarch causes some kerfuffle among the family, there's secret lovers and a spooky swamp, and of course the help - who are in a position to see much but say little. until charlotte cates arrives on the scene, having left her high-powered devil wears prada job in manhattan after her four-year-old son dies and she begins having powerful dreams of other children in peril. one of these dreams is about gabriel deveau, who was just a toddler when he disappeared from his bed 30 years ago, and whose disappearance was never solved. when she is suddenly offered the opportunity to write a true crime piece about the deveau family, she takes it and goes to louisiana to live in the guest cottage on the estate, ostensibly to write an architectural history of the place. once there, her dreams of gabriel intensify, and she begins having dreams about other children, one of whom is the terminally ill daughter of a local detective. during the course of her investigation, she uncovers many secrets about the family, and begins a relationship with the hunky new landscaper; who is the grandson of gabriel's former nanny, and who lived on the estate and knew gabriel when they were little boys.
it's a little bit frothy, and there's some suspension of disbelief necessary in her (working) relationship with the detective, in which she is allowed a great deal of access a civilian probably wouldn't have - prophetic dreams or no. and there's this very obvious and facepalmy rom-com misunderstanding that's a little hard to take as it recurs and recurs and builds to an ending that is pretty jejune and harelquiny.
so the romance was a thumbs-down for me. but i liked the descriptive and humid atmosphere, and there were enough mini-mysteries that even though some of the major reveals were predictable, there were still some surprising twists. there are also some strong secondary characters, and charlotte herself is a well-rounded character whose history is revealed throughout the novel along with the history of the deveau family.
it's a perfect medium-book for me - it held my interest, but i didn't see stars or anything. i have no idea what the rest of the trilogy will involve. more dreams? more missing kids? more jealousies? guess we'll all find out together!
come to my blog!
so, yeah - a bit cluttery, but not unenjoyable. it's pretty standard gothic romance fare - there's a spooky antebellum estate, home to the secretive and unpleasant deveau family whose matriarch is dying of cancer and making some last-minute adjustments to her will, there's a dreamy landscaper whose sudden arrival and suspiciously close relationship with said matriarch causes some kerfuffle among the family, there's secret lovers and a spooky swamp, and of course the help - who are in a position to see much but say little. until charlotte cates arrives on the scene, having left her high-powered devil wears prada job in manhattan after her four-year-old son dies and she begins having powerful dreams of other children in peril. one of these dreams is about gabriel deveau, who was just a toddler when he disappeared from his bed 30 years ago, and whose disappearance was never solved. when she is suddenly offered the opportunity to write a true crime piece about the deveau family, she takes it and goes to louisiana to live in the guest cottage on the estate, ostensibly to write an architectural history of the place. once there, her dreams of gabriel intensify, and she begins having dreams about other children, one of whom is the terminally ill daughter of a local detective. during the course of her investigation, she uncovers many secrets about the family, and begins a relationship with the hunky new landscaper; who is the grandson of gabriel's former nanny, and who lived on the estate and knew gabriel when they were little boys.
it's a little bit frothy, and there's some suspension of disbelief necessary in her (working) relationship with the detective, in which she is allowed a great deal of access a civilian probably wouldn't have - prophetic dreams or no. and there's this very obvious and facepalmy rom-com misunderstanding that's a little hard to take as it recurs and recurs and builds to an ending that is pretty jejune and harelquiny.
so the romance was a thumbs-down for me. but i liked the descriptive and humid atmosphere, and there were enough mini-mysteries that even though some of the major reveals were predictable, there were still some surprising twists. there are also some strong secondary characters, and charlotte herself is a well-rounded character whose history is revealed throughout the novel along with the history of the deveau family.
it's a perfect medium-book for me - it held my interest, but i didn't see stars or anything. i have no idea what the rest of the trilogy will involve. more dreams? more missing kids? more jealousies? guess we'll all find out together!
come to my blog!
July 24, 2015
This is the very first Southern Gothic Mistry book I have ever read.
Wonderful storytelling! I was never bored!
Charlie Cates's child died of a brain aneurysm- while at preschool. He was only 3 years old.
While still grieving - it made perfect sense to me that Charlie was having
disturbing nightmares of children. --- but her nightmares were not only from after affects of the
pain- unbearable loss.
Something else is going on in those dreams. Seems she has inherited abilities - like the
grandmother.... ( secrets of having visions).
She keeps seeing a little boy in her dreams ... asking for help.
Around that same time- Charlie is asked to write a true-crime book about the never solved
disappearance of a two-year-old boy, named Gabriel Deveau. The child had gone missing
in 1982 from the family's estate in Evangeline, Louisiana.
The story takes off... you're on a ride until the end... Lost into the world of fiction- -on a fairyland
reading high!
Delicious flavors throughout this story.
It's a mystery...'whodunit' crime-thriller- gothic-haunting & daunting beauty!
Wonderful eerie atmospheric feelings...
Characters very well developed ....interesting and colorful.
Friendship at its best...
A little Romance ....( which usually I shy away from),... but a little romantic connection works with this novel) --- in the same way the romantic connections in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", did.
In fact: people who like "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", may very much love this book.
There are some similarities and feeling. Love it - love it- love it!
Nothing about reading this novel was a chore!
Thank You to Penguin Putnam Publishing, Netgalley, and newcomer, *Hester Young*.
I will definitely read the next two books, and will look forward to it.
Wonderful storytelling! I was never bored!
Charlie Cates's child died of a brain aneurysm- while at preschool. He was only 3 years old.
While still grieving - it made perfect sense to me that Charlie was having
disturbing nightmares of children. --- but her nightmares were not only from after affects of the
pain- unbearable loss.
Something else is going on in those dreams. Seems she has inherited abilities - like the
grandmother.... ( secrets of having visions).
She keeps seeing a little boy in her dreams ... asking for help.
Around that same time- Charlie is asked to write a true-crime book about the never solved
disappearance of a two-year-old boy, named Gabriel Deveau. The child had gone missing
in 1982 from the family's estate in Evangeline, Louisiana.
The story takes off... you're on a ride until the end... Lost into the world of fiction- -on a fairyland
reading high!
Delicious flavors throughout this story.
It's a mystery...'whodunit' crime-thriller- gothic-haunting & daunting beauty!
Wonderful eerie atmospheric feelings...
Characters very well developed ....interesting and colorful.
Friendship at its best...
A little Romance ....( which usually I shy away from),... but a little romantic connection works with this novel) --- in the same way the romantic connections in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", did.
In fact: people who like "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", may very much love this book.
There are some similarities and feeling. Love it - love it- love it!
Nothing about reading this novel was a chore!
Thank You to Penguin Putnam Publishing, Netgalley, and newcomer, *Hester Young*.
I will definitely read the next two books, and will look forward to it.
September 7, 2015
3.5 An intriguing title, gorgeous cover, paranormal visions of children asking for help, the Louisianans swamps and the genre Southern Gothic and I was all over this one.
Interesting story with Charlotte, recovering from overwhelming grief taking an assignment from an old boss to try to find out the secrets that those at Evangeline may be hiding. The kidnapping of their young son many years ago, the mother now elderly and losing her memory more day by day make this assignment very difficult. Of course Charlie finds out many things, some dating from the past, some not but many aided by the visions she seems to receive after the death of her own son.
A good, fast read, family secrets of a very dysfunctional family exposed, some interesting characters and a killer in the most unlikely place as well a new love interest for Charlie. Though I have to, admit I had pretty much guessed where this was going it was fun getting there. Loved the police detective and his wife.
ARC from publisher.
Interesting story with Charlotte, recovering from overwhelming grief taking an assignment from an old boss to try to find out the secrets that those at Evangeline may be hiding. The kidnapping of their young son many years ago, the mother now elderly and losing her memory more day by day make this assignment very difficult. Of course Charlie finds out many things, some dating from the past, some not but many aided by the visions she seems to receive after the death of her own son.
A good, fast read, family secrets of a very dysfunctional family exposed, some interesting characters and a killer in the most unlikely place as well a new love interest for Charlie. Though I have to, admit I had pretty much guessed where this was going it was fun getting there. Loved the police detective and his wife.
ARC from publisher.
August 19, 2015
With sincere appreciation to G.P. Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss for providing the e-galley of The Gates of Evangeline to be puclished September 1, 2015.
With a nod to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Evangeline and Gabriel, Hester Young delivers a solid debut. Charlotte “Charlie” Cates is grieving the death of her young son when she is offered a book deal about a missing child cold case on the Louisiana Deveau Estate, Evangeline. When another child enters Charlie’s life in what seems a prophetic vision and asks her for help, she must decide whether his message is real or if her own loss has made her see things that are not there.
Though dubbed a mystery, The Gates of Evangeline cannot be pigeon-holed into one genre. Though there's is something to be solved here, there is quite a bit more to ponder.
With a nod to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Evangeline and Gabriel, Hester Young delivers a solid debut. Charlotte “Charlie” Cates is grieving the death of her young son when she is offered a book deal about a missing child cold case on the Louisiana Deveau Estate, Evangeline. When another child enters Charlie’s life in what seems a prophetic vision and asks her for help, she must decide whether his message is real or if her own loss has made her see things that are not there.
Though dubbed a mystery, The Gates of Evangeline cannot be pigeon-holed into one genre. Though there's is something to be solved here, there is quite a bit more to ponder.
September 3, 2015
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.
I liked this book well enough. I didn't feel like gushing about it when I finished but I did enjoy the story. This was one of those books that I found that I really liked some aspects a whole lot and other things in the book would lose me a little. In the end, the good outweighed the bad for me.
Charlie is mourning the sudden loss of her young son. As you can imagine, she is going through the motions of daily living but is rather lost. When she is offered a job writing a book about the famous Deveau family, she decides to do it. Oh, did I mention the fact that Charlie has dreams about dead children that are frighteningly accurate? When she dreams of a little boy that lived in the big house, she wants to find out what happened to him.
Charlie finds herself in the middle of several mysteries often working along with the local police. Will she be able to find out what happened the the little Deveau boy that was kidnapped over 30 years earlier? She is also spending a lot of time with the local landscaper, Noah, whose grandparents worked for the family at the time of the disappearance and she doesn't seem quite sure if she should trust him or not.
I loved the parts of the book where Charlie dreamed about the ghosts. Hands down, that was my favorite thing about this book. I think that the way the ghosts were used in this book was perfect. It didn't overpower the story and just gave Charlie a little push in the right direction. The fact that should could only dream of children and had no control of her visions seemed right. I really liked the family dynamics of the Deveau family. They were as perfectly imperfect as I would have expected. I found that I was doubting just about everything about them which really made me question what really had happened. I also think that Charlie's grief over her son was well done. The guilt, the inability to move on, and the desperation she felt seemed authentic.
I didn't really like the romance between Charlie and Noah in this story. It really seemed forced to me. Charlie didn't seem to know whether she trusted him from one moment to the next. I don't think that anything about building a relationship felt real between these two characters even though it was kind of sweet at the end.
I would recommend this book to others. It was a very easy to read, well paced novel. There was enough of a mystery to keep things interesting with a few twists along the way that should keep most readers guessing. I liked the fact that the author included just the right balance of paranormal in the story. I plan to read future works by Hester Young including the remainder of this trilogy.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this story but I didn't love it. I found it to be quite engaging with a lot of different mysteries to solve all tied together.
I liked this book well enough. I didn't feel like gushing about it when I finished but I did enjoy the story. This was one of those books that I found that I really liked some aspects a whole lot and other things in the book would lose me a little. In the end, the good outweighed the bad for me.
Charlie is mourning the sudden loss of her young son. As you can imagine, she is going through the motions of daily living but is rather lost. When she is offered a job writing a book about the famous Deveau family, she decides to do it. Oh, did I mention the fact that Charlie has dreams about dead children that are frighteningly accurate? When she dreams of a little boy that lived in the big house, she wants to find out what happened to him.
Charlie finds herself in the middle of several mysteries often working along with the local police. Will she be able to find out what happened the the little Deveau boy that was kidnapped over 30 years earlier? She is also spending a lot of time with the local landscaper, Noah, whose grandparents worked for the family at the time of the disappearance and she doesn't seem quite sure if she should trust him or not.
I loved the parts of the book where Charlie dreamed about the ghosts. Hands down, that was my favorite thing about this book. I think that the way the ghosts were used in this book was perfect. It didn't overpower the story and just gave Charlie a little push in the right direction. The fact that should could only dream of children and had no control of her visions seemed right. I really liked the family dynamics of the Deveau family. They were as perfectly imperfect as I would have expected. I found that I was doubting just about everything about them which really made me question what really had happened. I also think that Charlie's grief over her son was well done. The guilt, the inability to move on, and the desperation she felt seemed authentic.
I didn't really like the romance between Charlie and Noah in this story. It really seemed forced to me. Charlie didn't seem to know whether she trusted him from one moment to the next. I don't think that anything about building a relationship felt real between these two characters even though it was kind of sweet at the end.
I would recommend this book to others. It was a very easy to read, well paced novel. There was enough of a mystery to keep things interesting with a few twists along the way that should keep most readers guessing. I liked the fact that the author included just the right balance of paranormal in the story. I plan to read future works by Hester Young including the remainder of this trilogy.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Penguin First to Read for the purpose of providing an honest review.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this story but I didn't love it. I found it to be quite engaging with a lot of different mysteries to solve all tied together.
Read
January 29, 2020this is a Lifetime movie in print.
February 19, 2019
I read The Burning Island, the third book in this series, and absolutely loved it so I thought I should back track and read the first two to catch up. It was good to get the backstory on Charlie Cates, how she got to the point where she is in the third book, which works well as a stand alone if you're wondering. Hester Young is a talented writer who weaves together a suspenseful, atmospheric tale set on an old southern plantation with too many secrets, both past and present. If you haven't read any of her books and you like suspenseful tales with a touch of romance, this one is terrific!
June 26, 2019
The Gates of Evangeline is an absolutely wonderful book. I love reading books with a setting in the American South, especially with a mystery in the heart of the story, like this one. Charlotte “Charlie” Cates has, after losing her son, started to have vivid dreams about children in danger. And, they seem to come true. So, when a little boy shows up in her dream begging for help as she at the same time is approached about writing a book about a little boy that disappeared around thirty years ago can't she help but feel that the dreams are connected with the mystery. But, when she arrives at the Evangeline estate is she faced with not only people that seem to have things to hide but also real danger...
The Gates of Evangeline is a book that was truly engaging and intriguing. I loved that the story of the book took place in Louisiana. It was one thing that really appealed to me since Southern Gotic stories are "my thing". I was intrigued right from the start, and I especially enjoyed the fact that Charlie has psychic visions. Southern Gotic + paranormal vibes. Yeah, I love this book. Unfortunately, there is just one problem with the story, it's a bit predictable. Sure, the ending is good, but the BIG mystery, about the missing boy. It was easy to figure that one out. And, that was a bummer. Otherwise, I quite liked the book. I mean even liked the romantic side story. Now I need to get my hands on the next book in this series.
The Gates of Evangeline is a book that was truly engaging and intriguing. I loved that the story of the book took place in Louisiana. It was one thing that really appealed to me since Southern Gotic stories are "my thing". I was intrigued right from the start, and I especially enjoyed the fact that Charlie has psychic visions. Southern Gotic + paranormal vibes. Yeah, I love this book. Unfortunately, there is just one problem with the story, it's a bit predictable. Sure, the ending is good, but the BIG mystery, about the missing boy. It was easy to figure that one out. And, that was a bummer. Otherwise, I quite liked the book. I mean even liked the romantic side story. Now I need to get my hands on the next book in this series.
September 29, 2015
This is a solid suspense/mystery novel that is easily read and engrossing. I wanted a “book candy” sort of mystery, and this fit the bill. The best part of the novel is that I did not guess the end, which is very important to me.
As the Book jacket states, Charlotte (Charlie) Cates is a bereaved young mom who starts to have vivid dreams of endangered children. She learns her grandmother had “the gift” which validates her dreams. A young boy asks for her help in her dreams, and Charlie embarks on a new career as a true crime writer to unravel the mystery of a 30-year-old missing child case in Louisiana. Thus, to enjoy the novel, one must be open to the idea of the protagonist’s ability to “see dead people”. There’s a dash of romance included. The author, Hester Young’s writing skill is making all her characters appear guilty. Charlie, for me, was a bit annoying in her guilelessness. That said, I read the novel in two day…it was engrossing.
It’s the beginning of a trilogy. Will I read the other two? I’m not sure. It depends upon what’s in my novel line-up. I can’t say I recommend the novel outright. I do recommend it as an “in-between” book or a fast read.
As the Book jacket states, Charlotte (Charlie) Cates is a bereaved young mom who starts to have vivid dreams of endangered children. She learns her grandmother had “the gift” which validates her dreams. A young boy asks for her help in her dreams, and Charlie embarks on a new career as a true crime writer to unravel the mystery of a 30-year-old missing child case in Louisiana. Thus, to enjoy the novel, one must be open to the idea of the protagonist’s ability to “see dead people”. There’s a dash of romance included. The author, Hester Young’s writing skill is making all her characters appear guilty. Charlie, for me, was a bit annoying in her guilelessness. That said, I read the novel in two day…it was engrossing.
It’s the beginning of a trilogy. Will I read the other two? I’m not sure. It depends upon what’s in my novel line-up. I can’t say I recommend the novel outright. I do recommend it as an “in-between” book or a fast read.
September 27, 2015
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was pretty spooky at times. There was actually a couple of times that I actually got chills. That's a great thing!
The main character in this story had dreams leading her to different situations. She was a little slow at times, figuring out their meanings. I actually figured out one situation way before she did. The main mystery. I'm wondering if I was suppose to. I NEVER figure things out before hand like some do so that's the one time I'm proud of being dumb. I feel I can enjoy a book more than the average person.
Read this book! It'll be well worth your time!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was pretty spooky at times. There was actually a couple of times that I actually got chills. That's a great thing!
The main character in this story had dreams leading her to different situations. She was a little slow at times, figuring out their meanings. I actually figured out one situation way before she did. The main mystery. I'm wondering if I was suppose to. I NEVER figure things out before hand like some do so that's the one time I'm proud of being dumb. I feel I can enjoy a book more than the average person.
Read this book! It'll be well worth your time!
September 20, 2015
This is nearly a 4 star, but then it isn't. If it had had a tighter edit, it would have been. The first half was more than a 4 star of interest and enjoyment. This is going to be the first of a trilogy and the main character, Charlie by nickname, is deserving. She is bias "eyes" (New York city magazine writer biased) and equally as strong and opinionated. We find her in a period of mourning that will absolutely not be long or contained into a further isolation because her core does not partake or enjoy pity party reaction. Just the opposite.
The locale feel in Louisiana (Chicory) was adequate but not over-whelming as in a mood piece. This book tries to be a lot of things. But I would not nail it down as Gothic, mystery, occult or any particular slant. What is its best feature is a nuance that this debut author gives to the present culture. It reminded me in more than a passing glance to that of Stephen King. We NEVER forget that this East Coast elite and politico sure woman has grating issue with the Texan, for instance. Or differing ideas of and for food or spare ammunition. Always she seems far more comfortable being at home with a $8.00 half of an avocado rather than the $6.99 diner style dinner. There's life here in the differences. They pop.
I wanted to give it 4 stars for enjoyment, but the middle had entire sections that became redundant and needed cuts or more of those incisive quips of related NYC condescension or competitive address, especially with the local cop before she knew of his similar tragedy.
The next two? I'm game. Will look forward to more Hester Young, and I hope her fugue experiences get more detailed, not less. Some posters have balked at her (Charlie's, our narrator)risky behaviors in taking on the new guy so fast. After horrendous and shocking tragedy that is actually quite common- don't hold it against her.
The locale feel in Louisiana (Chicory) was adequate but not over-whelming as in a mood piece. This book tries to be a lot of things. But I would not nail it down as Gothic, mystery, occult or any particular slant. What is its best feature is a nuance that this debut author gives to the present culture. It reminded me in more than a passing glance to that of Stephen King. We NEVER forget that this East Coast elite and politico sure woman has grating issue with the Texan, for instance. Or differing ideas of and for food or spare ammunition. Always she seems far more comfortable being at home with a $8.00 half of an avocado rather than the $6.99 diner style dinner. There's life here in the differences. They pop.
I wanted to give it 4 stars for enjoyment, but the middle had entire sections that became redundant and needed cuts or more of those incisive quips of related NYC condescension or competitive address, especially with the local cop before she knew of his similar tragedy.
The next two? I'm game. Will look forward to more Hester Young, and I hope her fugue experiences get more detailed, not less. Some posters have balked at her (Charlie's, our narrator)risky behaviors in taking on the new guy so fast. After horrendous and shocking tragedy that is actually quite common- don't hold it against her.
September 19, 2015
This was such a great book. I mean, I could not put it down. This was the fastest I have ever read 400 pages. There is so much drama and the tension level is so high through most of this book. And the suspects for this 30 year old murder case, the number is crazy. Shoot, any of the family members alone are so cray cray that they could have done it.
There are some pretty strange characters in this book and that's not counting the ones who could be suspects. However, Charlie's dreams do help one couple be with their child during her last breaths, she saves another child from death by a sex offender and she helps to find the bones of a 30 year old mystery. She does find out what happened to Gabriel as well and the answer will shock you.
I was totally into this book. It had everything going for it. Mystery, suspense, drama, a little romance, tabloid headlines, deathbed confessions, Mardi Gras parades, suicides, spoiled twins who can't go out in the rain for fear of drowning, a plantation, 30 year old cold case murder, 30 year old missing person, a little afternoon delight, secrets, locked doors, and guarded gates with cameras. What does that all add up to? A heck of a good book which I highly and thoroughly recommend!
Huge thanks to Lesa's Book Critiques and Putnam Books for providing me a free hardback copy in exchange for an honest review!
There are some pretty strange characters in this book and that's not counting the ones who could be suspects. However, Charlie's dreams do help one couple be with their child during her last breaths, she saves another child from death by a sex offender and she helps to find the bones of a 30 year old mystery. She does find out what happened to Gabriel as well and the answer will shock you.
I was totally into this book. It had everything going for it. Mystery, suspense, drama, a little romance, tabloid headlines, deathbed confessions, Mardi Gras parades, suicides, spoiled twins who can't go out in the rain for fear of drowning, a plantation, 30 year old cold case murder, 30 year old missing person, a little afternoon delight, secrets, locked doors, and guarded gates with cameras. What does that all add up to? A heck of a good book which I highly and thoroughly recommend!
Huge thanks to Lesa's Book Critiques and Putnam Books for providing me a free hardback copy in exchange for an honest review!
September 19, 2015
3.5 stars.
I liked this book,didn't love it. I had a few issues with the protagonists/authors view of the south and southerners. Her interpretation of speech,intelligence and customs seemed rather elitist. The protagonist also had an irritating habit of judging folks by their appearance. I didn't find her that likeable but the story had a few good twists.
I liked this book,didn't love it. I had a few issues with the protagonists/authors view of the south and southerners. Her interpretation of speech,intelligence and customs seemed rather elitist. The protagonist also had an irritating habit of judging folks by their appearance. I didn't find her that likeable but the story had a few good twists.
November 9, 2018
3.5
I really enjoyed this story. The plot was well written and I didn't see the things coming which is always a plus. But dear God, that love story was like a thorn in my eye. It was completely uncalled for and it ruined the book for me.
I really enjoyed this story. The plot was well written and I didn't see the things coming which is always a plus. But dear God, that love story was like a thorn in my eye. It was completely uncalled for and it ruined the book for me.
June 17, 2019
1.5 ★
Možda bi mi se knjiga više dopala da Čarli nije toliko iritantna, A i ljubavna priča je toliko bila bljutava da mi je bilo muka. Majka ne preboljeva smrt deteta ako upozna dobrog frajera.
Možda bi mi se knjiga više dopala da Čarli nije toliko iritantna, A i ljubavna priča je toliko bila bljutava da mi je bilo muka. Majka ne preboljeva smrt deteta ako upozna dobrog frajera.
May 24, 2020
Okay, this was a total *chef's kiss* but times a BILLION.
I had this on my shelf for years after getting it on sale at my local book store. Today I decided it was about time to crack down on my physically-owned TBR books, and I'm so upset I didn't do it sooner! This was an absolute gem that I became obsessed with after the very first page. If I had to get up to exercise or eat, my mind stayed with The Gates of Evangeline and I hurried back to it as soon as possible.
It's just wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I guessed some twists correctly but couldn't figure out the exact details for the life of me, so the reveals were extra satisfying, watching everything I missed fall into place. The twists that I didn't guess made me put the book down for a second to just embrace the shock and wrap my head around it all.
And that ending... oof. Made me cry big baby tears. It was beautiful and everything I wanted.
As I came here to write my review, I noticed this was part of a series. I just added the second book into my Amazon basket and life is very, very good at the moment.
(Note: if you're sensitive to religion or dislike talking about it, there's a lot of mention of God/Christianity in this book. The MC isn't necessarily religious (unlike plenty of supporting characters) but she's not not religious, either. Just a head's up!)
I had this on my shelf for years after getting it on sale at my local book store. Today I decided it was about time to crack down on my physically-owned TBR books, and I'm so upset I didn't do it sooner! This was an absolute gem that I became obsessed with after the very first page. If I had to get up to exercise or eat, my mind stayed with The Gates of Evangeline and I hurried back to it as soon as possible.
It's just wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I guessed some twists correctly but couldn't figure out the exact details for the life of me, so the reveals were extra satisfying, watching everything I missed fall into place. The twists that I didn't guess made me put the book down for a second to just embrace the shock and wrap my head around it all.
And that ending... oof. Made me cry big baby tears. It was beautiful and everything I wanted.
As I came here to write my review, I noticed this was part of a series. I just added the second book into my Amazon basket and life is very, very good at the moment.
(Note: if you're sensitive to religion or dislike talking about it, there's a lot of mention of God/Christianity in this book. The MC isn't necessarily religious (unlike plenty of supporting characters) but she's not not religious, either. Just a head's up!)
November 29, 2018
3.5 stars
This was a slow pace kind of mystery with a little romance and paranormal thrown in.
The paranormal aspects were woven into the story well and I enjoyed that aspect. It wasn't too OTT and felt believable within the context of the plot.
The mystery was slowly revealed with little suspense. The pace of the mystery was a little slower than my preference. It also was a little predictable as I guessed Gabriel correctly. There were a couple of times where Charlie was a little too TSTL.
I will read the next book.
This was a slow pace kind of mystery with a little romance and paranormal thrown in.
The paranormal aspects were woven into the story well and I enjoyed that aspect. It wasn't too OTT and felt believable within the context of the plot.
The mystery was slowly revealed with little suspense. The pace of the mystery was a little slower than my preference. It also was a little predictable as I guessed Gabriel correctly. There were a couple of times where Charlie was a little too TSTL.
I will read the next book.
September 29, 2015
Thirty years earlier Gabriel Devau’s nanny put him to bed and locked the bedroom door. The next morning the door was still locked but Gabriel was gone. Where is he? How did he get out of a locked room with only one door and locked windows? What happened to him? That is one mystery – the mystery Charlotte Cates (Charlie) believes she is meant to solve after the vision of a young child urging her to let everyone know the truth about the one who has hurt him.
Charlotte is still trying to deal with her grief over the death of her young son Keegan from a brain aneurism while he was at pre-school. With the prospect of writing a book about Gabriel’s disappearance while trying to uncover the truth, Charlie sets out for Evangeline Louisiana.
The novel is eerily atmospheric. The cover depicts this atmosphere beautifully. The characters and the setting are well portrayed. I liked the relationship Charlie ended up having with the detective and his wife. Sometimes Charlie is a bit clueless and the reader guesses things before she does. While I picked some of the plot there is an interesting twist I didn’t see coming. It is a story of mystery, secrets, family, loss and romance and leaves the reader with a bit to think about. This is an easy read and enjoyable. It will be interesting to see where the next two books in the trilogy take the reader.
Charlotte is still trying to deal with her grief over the death of her young son Keegan from a brain aneurism while he was at pre-school. With the prospect of writing a book about Gabriel’s disappearance while trying to uncover the truth, Charlie sets out for Evangeline Louisiana.
The novel is eerily atmospheric. The cover depicts this atmosphere beautifully. The characters and the setting are well portrayed. I liked the relationship Charlie ended up having with the detective and his wife. Sometimes Charlie is a bit clueless and the reader guesses things before she does. While I picked some of the plot there is an interesting twist I didn’t see coming. It is a story of mystery, secrets, family, loss and romance and leaves the reader with a bit to think about. This is an easy read and enjoyable. It will be interesting to see where the next two books in the trilogy take the reader.
January 10, 2017
I went into this thinking (and hoping!) I was going to love this book, and there were many parts of it I did love - the Louisiana plantation setting, the narrator's voice - "an outsider," the well-developed characters, and the mystery of it it all; but there were things missing that would have made it a better read for me. I ended up "liking" the book well enough, and I am pretty certain I'll pick up the next book to find out what happens next for Charlie. Thanks to the publisher and the author, I won a copy of this book, and this was my unsolited and honest review.
November 27, 2015
Hard for me to believe that this is a debut novel. It’s actually the first real gothic mystery that I’ve ever read and I thought it was very, very well done. I wasn’t sure initially if it would be too sad because the subject includes the death of children, but it is woven into the story in such a way that I was committed to finding out what happened to a little boy who has been missing for 30 years.
Charlie Gates is mourning the death of her 3 year old son who died unexpectedly of an aneurysm. In the beginning Charlie is having dreams of children who seem to be reaching out to her. At first she attributes it to the death of her child but then she begins to feel that she is being told these clues to help solve a mystery.
As she begins to rebuild her life Charlie, an accomplished journalist, takes a job for “Cold Crimes Magazine” in Louisiana where she meets the wealthy and eccentric Deveau family. It is the youngest son that had gone missing and his twin sisters have never given up wanting answers. The plot has a very distinct atmospheric feeling, it even has an old mansion, a family dynasty and lots of twists and secrets.
For Charlie there is also a romantic element. She begins to see the handsome landscaper who is the grandson of Gabriel (the missing boy’s) nanny. I’m not sure if I thought this romantic aside was needed in the plot, but there it is.
She gets a lot of help from the local policeman and his wife. She continues to have prophetic dreams and doesn’t know who she can trust. I did begin to guess where the plot was going but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the rest of the book.
What I enjoyed the most was just getting to know Charlie herself who was an interesting and well rounded character. I could feel her grief and also her strong will to carry on and maybe help someone else solve the mystery of the missing little boy and bring closure to the family.
My feeling is that this is a solid gothic mystery although I’m not a huge reader of the genre. It kept me interested and I kept coming back to it quickly to get to the big reveal.
Thanks you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this classic gothic mystery in exchange for an honest review.
Charlie Gates is mourning the death of her 3 year old son who died unexpectedly of an aneurysm. In the beginning Charlie is having dreams of children who seem to be reaching out to her. At first she attributes it to the death of her child but then she begins to feel that she is being told these clues to help solve a mystery.
As she begins to rebuild her life Charlie, an accomplished journalist, takes a job for “Cold Crimes Magazine” in Louisiana where she meets the wealthy and eccentric Deveau family. It is the youngest son that had gone missing and his twin sisters have never given up wanting answers. The plot has a very distinct atmospheric feeling, it even has an old mansion, a family dynasty and lots of twists and secrets.
For Charlie there is also a romantic element. She begins to see the handsome landscaper who is the grandson of Gabriel (the missing boy’s) nanny. I’m not sure if I thought this romantic aside was needed in the plot, but there it is.
She gets a lot of help from the local policeman and his wife. She continues to have prophetic dreams and doesn’t know who she can trust. I did begin to guess where the plot was going but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the rest of the book.
What I enjoyed the most was just getting to know Charlie herself who was an interesting and well rounded character. I could feel her grief and also her strong will to carry on and maybe help someone else solve the mystery of the missing little boy and bring closure to the family.
My feeling is that this is a solid gothic mystery although I’m not a huge reader of the genre. It kept me interested and I kept coming back to it quickly to get to the big reveal.
Thanks you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this classic gothic mystery in exchange for an honest review.
April 3, 2016
THE GATES OF EVANGELINE is a dark Southern Gothic/mystery that I enjoyed very much, even though I got tears in my eyes several times while reading it. Soon after the death of her young son, main character Charlie Cates starts having dreams of children coming to her for help. One such dream leads her to the swamps of Louisiana, where she gets entangled in a decades-old cold case of a missing child from a wealthy and powerful family.
This book is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and romance, with a touch of the paranormal. Charlie is a sympathetic character as a grieving mother determined to do right by her son and help others. My heart broke for her. The mystery was so intriguing – hard to put down, for sure. I will say that I was able to figure out some parts of this multi-layered mystery, but others were quite a surprise. Lots of dark & twisty goodness here. Maybe not everything that happened was plausible, but overall this book was a darn good read.
I’ve heard that this book is the start of a trilogy, which makes me a little nervous considering THE GATES OF EVANGELINE is perfect as a stand-alone novel. On the other hand, I’d love to revisit Charlie Cates and see what the future holds for her.
This book is the perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and romance, with a touch of the paranormal. Charlie is a sympathetic character as a grieving mother determined to do right by her son and help others. My heart broke for her. The mystery was so intriguing – hard to put down, for sure. I will say that I was able to figure out some parts of this multi-layered mystery, but others were quite a surprise. Lots of dark & twisty goodness here. Maybe not everything that happened was plausible, but overall this book was a darn good read.
I’ve heard that this book is the start of a trilogy, which makes me a little nervous considering THE GATES OF EVANGELINE is perfect as a stand-alone novel. On the other hand, I’d love to revisit Charlie Cates and see what the future holds for her.
August 12, 2020
This was okay. Southern Gothics are a favorite of mine, so I loved the setting, atmosphere and mystery, but then it turned into a cheesy romance.
The main character irritated the hell out of me. She was self-absorbed and child-crazy. She gets with a guy one night and it turns into true love. *vom*
And then there was something about the writing that I HATED. I kept thinking it was badly written, but then I realized maybe it just wasn’t my style. Or both. It kind of had a romance-type feel to it.
Definitely no masterpiece, but I didn’t see the ending coming, even though there were tons of clues, so that was fun.
Entertaining but not enthralling.
The main character irritated the hell out of me. She was self-absorbed and child-crazy. She gets with a guy one night and it turns into true love. *vom*
And then there was something about the writing that I HATED. I kept thinking it was badly written, but then I realized maybe it just wasn’t my style. Or both. It kind of had a romance-type feel to it.
Definitely no masterpiece, but I didn’t see the ending coming, even though there were tons of clues, so that was fun.
Entertaining but not enthralling.
July 3, 2017
I was very impressed with this debut southern gothic/paranormal mystery. It's set in Louisiana, which is the very best place in the whole of the USA for gothic aura. Those bayous can be darned spooky! There is a great cast of characters, rich detail, excellent pacing, and a twist that caught me completely off guard.
The rich Deveau family owns a big ol' mansion in the bayous, called Evangeline. The Deveaus suffered a tragedy 30 years ago when their small son, Gabriel, disappeared without a trace. Charlotte "Charlie" Cates is a young, recently bereaved mother from Connecticut; after her son died she began having strange "dreams" or visions of children in trouble. She comes to Evangeline to write about Gabriel's disappearance, and she has it in her mind that maybe her dreams can help her figure out what happened to him. Mama Deveau is on her deathbed and the remaining Deveau children are all rather unpleasant, greedy, and have lots of other "issues," and Charlie immediately falls right in the middle of all the nasty family secrets and squabbles. Oh, and there's a hunky Texan working at Evangeline...I won't say any more about him. ;-) There you have it, all the ingredients for a delicious gothic mystery!
I enjoyed the book so much that I went to the author's Goodreads page, something I don't usually do. I learned this is the first of a planned "Charlie Cates" trilogy. Book 2, The Shimmering Road, was released in February of this year. Since Ms. Young's first book was so wonderful, the second went immediately on my to-read shelf.
Read it and enjoy!
The rich Deveau family owns a big ol' mansion in the bayous, called Evangeline. The Deveaus suffered a tragedy 30 years ago when their small son, Gabriel, disappeared without a trace. Charlotte "Charlie" Cates is a young, recently bereaved mother from Connecticut; after her son died she began having strange "dreams" or visions of children in trouble. She comes to Evangeline to write about Gabriel's disappearance, and she has it in her mind that maybe her dreams can help her figure out what happened to him. Mama Deveau is on her deathbed and the remaining Deveau children are all rather unpleasant, greedy, and have lots of other "issues," and Charlie immediately falls right in the middle of all the nasty family secrets and squabbles. Oh, and there's a hunky Texan working at Evangeline...I won't say any more about him. ;-) There you have it, all the ingredients for a delicious gothic mystery!
I enjoyed the book so much that I went to the author's Goodreads page, something I don't usually do. I learned this is the first of a planned "Charlie Cates" trilogy. Book 2, The Shimmering Road, was released in February of this year. Since Ms. Young's first book was so wonderful, the second went immediately on my to-read shelf.
Read it and enjoy!
September 27, 2015
Suffused with the hot, steamy atmosphere of Louisiana The Gates of Evangeline immediately immerses the reader into the leisurely pace of life in the deep South, and the chasm between the have and have-nots. Inveigling her protagonist, Charlie Cates in the lives of the singularly dislikeable Deveau family, with all their deep and dirty secrets, Young spins a tale flavoured with a good dose of Southern Gothic, and a family saga tinged by an otherworldly supernatural twist. Young also captures perfectly the feel of this atmosphere of privilege and superiority that oozes through every pore of this family, and their innate sense of entitlement. With her vivid use of the Louisiana setting, and the depiction of the Deveau mansion and grounds, this aspect of the book is particularly potent. Equally, I loved the use of the steamy, festering, alligator-infested swamps, backing onto the Deveau property which added a real air of threat and menace to the whole affair. The description of these was absolutely enthralling, and sent a proper chill down this reader’s spine.
Labouring intermittently under the grief of having lost her own child, and some strange deviations into mystical dreams and visions, on the whole, Charlie Cates embodies a good mix of dogged journalist and vulnerable woman. She is an engaging protagonist, if a little too ruled by other parts of her anatomy rather than her head, as she embarks on a rather dodgy romantic liaison in the course of her investigation into this really rather unpleasant family. I did find the whole ‘vision’ thing a little wearing as the book progressed, as I was much more impressed with her when she was in journalistic mode, trying to tease out confessions and soliciting information from each family member as to the events thirty years previously. With her natural amiability and persistence, she does indeed uncover some grim truths, some obvious, some not, and these more than anything give a credibility and solidity to her character, outside of her more mystic Meg moments, and the slightly cheesy romance with the admittedly buff landscape gardener, Noah, who has more than one secret of his own.
What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the way that Young had obviously strived so hard to make this a comfortable, fairly linear and entertaining read for the reader. There were no real surprises, and a few hackneyed plot devices, but it was really refreshing to read a book that just smoothly carried me along, without making any real demands along the way. It was almost as if Young had sat down and thought what sort of book would entertain her as a reader, and then endeavoured to write that book, and so the book carries a certain kind of charm to it, that lifts it above the slight clunkiness of some of the narrative. I also liked the knowing reference that Young incorporates into her story where one character remarks that, “Not a lot of writers can pull off the whole Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil thing” as The Gates of Evangeline does navigate similar waters, if less successfully. Yes, the denouement and reveals were not particularly well -disguised, and some of the character’s actions did feel a little out of step at times, but I quickly started ignoring the more obvious missteps, and instead found myself avidly reading to the end, thoroughly enjoying Young’s uncomplicated and engaging style.
Labouring intermittently under the grief of having lost her own child, and some strange deviations into mystical dreams and visions, on the whole, Charlie Cates embodies a good mix of dogged journalist and vulnerable woman. She is an engaging protagonist, if a little too ruled by other parts of her anatomy rather than her head, as she embarks on a rather dodgy romantic liaison in the course of her investigation into this really rather unpleasant family. I did find the whole ‘vision’ thing a little wearing as the book progressed, as I was much more impressed with her when she was in journalistic mode, trying to tease out confessions and soliciting information from each family member as to the events thirty years previously. With her natural amiability and persistence, she does indeed uncover some grim truths, some obvious, some not, and these more than anything give a credibility and solidity to her character, outside of her more mystic Meg moments, and the slightly cheesy romance with the admittedly buff landscape gardener, Noah, who has more than one secret of his own.
What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the way that Young had obviously strived so hard to make this a comfortable, fairly linear and entertaining read for the reader. There were no real surprises, and a few hackneyed plot devices, but it was really refreshing to read a book that just smoothly carried me along, without making any real demands along the way. It was almost as if Young had sat down and thought what sort of book would entertain her as a reader, and then endeavoured to write that book, and so the book carries a certain kind of charm to it, that lifts it above the slight clunkiness of some of the narrative. I also liked the knowing reference that Young incorporates into her story where one character remarks that, “Not a lot of writers can pull off the whole Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil thing” as The Gates of Evangeline does navigate similar waters, if less successfully. Yes, the denouement and reveals were not particularly well -disguised, and some of the character’s actions did feel a little out of step at times, but I quickly started ignoring the more obvious missteps, and instead found myself avidly reading to the end, thoroughly enjoying Young’s uncomplicated and engaging style.
August 28, 2015
A journalist from New York, Charlotte “Charlie” Cates, is reeling after the death of her young son. She begins to have dreams that appear to be premonitions of children in danger. She’s not sure what it all means, but when she is offered the opportunity to investigate a thirty-year old unsolved missing child case, she accepts.
Charlie’s assignment takes her to Louisiana where she meets the wealthy, not to mention eccentric, Deveau family. It’s the Deveau’s youngest son who went missing all those years ago and his twin sisters want answers (not to mention publicity).
Along the way, Charlie meets the Deveau’s landscaper. She tries to keep her distance from the mystery man, but she can’t fight her attraction to the handsome man. However, it’s not long before she realizes this is a man with deep secrets.
Charlie’s investigation leads her to the Deveau family’s secrets, betrayals, lies and murder. As her premonitions get stronger, so does the danger and more questions arise. Charlie is no longer sure who she can trust. One thing is for sure, nothing is as it seems and danger lurks the grounds of Evangeline.
There were sympathetic and not so sympathetic characters. I grew to love Charlie and feel for everything she went through. Each character is portrayed realistically. They come to life with each page.
What an amazing gothic novel this is! It’s filled with mystery, romance, drama and a huge mansion filled with a very strange family. There were so many twists, turns and red herrings. I started to guess at some of the mysteries, but there were so many others that kept me guessing until the very end. I was completely taken by surprise at the outcome. I love when that happens.
It has all the ingredients for a captivating gothic mystery. I even thought about this story when I wasn’t reading. For a book to stick with me like that, it would definitely earn a spot on my keeper shelf, if I still had one. This is a book that will touch your heart.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
Charlie’s assignment takes her to Louisiana where she meets the wealthy, not to mention eccentric, Deveau family. It’s the Deveau’s youngest son who went missing all those years ago and his twin sisters want answers (not to mention publicity).
Along the way, Charlie meets the Deveau’s landscaper. She tries to keep her distance from the mystery man, but she can’t fight her attraction to the handsome man. However, it’s not long before she realizes this is a man with deep secrets.
Charlie’s investigation leads her to the Deveau family’s secrets, betrayals, lies and murder. As her premonitions get stronger, so does the danger and more questions arise. Charlie is no longer sure who she can trust. One thing is for sure, nothing is as it seems and danger lurks the grounds of Evangeline.
There were sympathetic and not so sympathetic characters. I grew to love Charlie and feel for everything she went through. Each character is portrayed realistically. They come to life with each page.
What an amazing gothic novel this is! It’s filled with mystery, romance, drama and a huge mansion filled with a very strange family. There were so many twists, turns and red herrings. I started to guess at some of the mysteries, but there were so many others that kept me guessing until the very end. I was completely taken by surprise at the outcome. I love when that happens.
It has all the ingredients for a captivating gothic mystery. I even thought about this story when I wasn’t reading. For a book to stick with me like that, it would definitely earn a spot on my keeper shelf, if I still had one. This is a book that will touch your heart.
FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
August 24, 2015
Another five star read, in my opinion. Loved the gothic southern plantation setting! As a native of Louisiana, and a fan of touring these gorgeous homes, it was easy for me to imagine the scenes Young describes so well. Great story! Flowing storyline with a protagonist that I identified with right away. Charlie and I both lost a young child. I could feel her emotions and I easily understood how Charlie's mind was open to dark, brooding thoughts and dreams. The loss of a child can leave one open to the darker side of the soul. It wasn't totally unbelievable to me that Charlie would begin to suffer from nightmares and visions that have the uncanny ability to coincide with life. Thankfully, my resemblance to Charlie ended when her dreams turned into calls for help from the recently departed or those very near to death. Thinking she's losing her mind, Charlie learns that her grandmother also had similar dreams, dreams that become reality, right down to the exact second. Then, Charlie gets a call to write a book that will blow open a 30-year old cold case in Chicory, Louisiana. Coincidentally, Charlie has been having lifelike, vivid dreams about the missing toddler at the center of this investigation. Charlie will find herself behind The Gates of Evangeline and will soon be standing in the middle of a crime zone. Will she remain standing or fall prey to a murderer who lurks around the mucky swamps and beautiful grounds of Evangeline? I'LL NEVER TELL. (doing my best sing-song Brittany Murphy imitation.)
If you like mystery with southern flavor, I highly recommend this book. The plot is perfect and stumped me until the end. The. Very. End. Hester Young, consider me a fan that will return for second helpings.
*I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. (Still haven't received!) Because I was anxious to read and I lack patience, I also reserved a DRV copy through Penguin's First to Read program. Thanks to both Goodreads & Putnam and Penguin's FTR for the generous ARC (hoping to find in my mailbox!) and the DRC. Opinions are my own.
If you like mystery with southern flavor, I highly recommend this book. The plot is perfect and stumped me until the end. The. Very. End. Hester Young, consider me a fan that will return for second helpings.
*I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. (Still haven't received!) Because I was anxious to read and I lack patience, I also reserved a DRV copy through Penguin's First to Read program. Thanks to both Goodreads & Putnam and Penguin's FTR for the generous ARC (hoping to find in my mailbox!) and the DRC. Opinions are my own.
November 11, 2015
A psychic NY writer plays detective and tries to unravel the 30-yr-old mystery of a toddler's disappearance by visiting a creepy Louisiana mansion. Meanwhile, she mourns the death of her child, has an affair with the mysterious landscaper, has 3 other psychic epiphanies, solves a different crime, and gets an entire family (who never met her before she turned up) to confess their secrets! Enough said. A mess of a book. Plus I figured out the big reveal about a third of the way through.
February 7, 2017
What a great read! This had different elements from paranormal to crime and mystery. I loved the setting in Louisiana and the audiobook had a great narrator who did great southern accents. I really found myself emerged in the story and wanting to know who was who and who did what. Really enjoyed this!
December 11, 2015
eh...seemed rather predictable and some of Charlie's actions did not ring true...Young lost me after the one night stand.
May 19, 2018
I loved the family intrigue of lies and betrayal in the setting of the Louisiana Bayou. That kept me reading and enjoying the story. I didn't buy the romance she tried to include with Charlie and Noah. It seemed more forced and contrived than believable. Also some of the writing felt choppy in places, but overall I enjoyed this book.
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