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LeGarde Mystery #11
Voodoo Summer
Every family has its secrets… Summer, 1966: For thirteen-year-old Gus LeGarde, summertime always means Loon Harbor, his grandparents’ idyllic fishing resort on Great Pond. The season is a grand tradition of swimming, boating, and new adventures with his best friends, twins Siegfried and Elsbeth. But this summer, everything changes when a new lodge down the shore threatens the resort—and triggers a chain of events that will transform Gus and his friends forever. Customers are leaving Loon Harbor in droves for The Seven Whistles, owned by the wealthy LaFontaines. The Baton Rouge family arrives with better amenities and a much larger staff—among them Wilhelmina “Willy” DuPont, a young black girl whose family works for the LaFontaines. Gus and the twins immediately bring Willy into their circle…but their friendship is soon challenged when events at The Seven Whistles take a terrifying turn. A mysterious figure haunts the windows of women and young ladies at both camps, escalating from peeper to dangerous stalker. Then the LaFontaines’ spoiled and demanding daughter goes missing—and Willy’s innocent older brother is arrested. Gus soon discovers that dark secrets lurk beneath the surface of the LaFontaine family, and the stakes are higher than ever imagined as they race to exonerate Willy’s brother and find the real perpetrator—before he finds them. *** LeGarde 1. DOUBLE FORTÉ 2. UPSTAGED 3. MAZURKA 4. FIRESONG 5. CRY OF THE LOON 6. DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU 7. THE LIAR’S GALLERY 8. SPIRIT ME AWAY 9. UNDER THE ICE 10. LADY BLUES 11. VOODOO SUMMER THE LEGARDE MYSTERIES OMNIBUS www.lazarbooks.com Other books by Aaron GREEN MARBLE MYSTERIES THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE (formerly Healey’s Cave) TERROR COMES KNOCKING FOR KEEPS TALL PINES MYSTERIES FOR THE BIRDS ESSENTIALLY YOURS SANCTUARY BETRAYAL TALL PINES BOOK SET PAINES CREEK BEACH, love stories THE SEACREST THE SEACROFT THE SEADOG BITTERSWEET HOLLOW, romantic suspense DEVIL’S LAKE DEVIL’S CREEK DEVIL’S SPRING WRITING GUIDES WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volume 1 WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volume 2 WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volume 3
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2016
About the author
Aaron Paul Lazar
42 books188 followersUSA Today Bestselling Author Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. Author of 28 books, including three addictive mystery series, writing books, a romantic suspense series, and a new love story series, Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at http://www.lazarbooks.com. Aaron has won 21 book awards for his novels and finds writing to be his form of "cheap therapy." Feel free to network with him on Facebook or his website; he loves to connect with readers!
Visit his website at www.lazarbooks.com.
more about the author:
Aaron Paul Lazar wasn’t always a mystery writer. It wasn’t until eight members of his family and friends died within five years that the urge to write became overwhelming. “When my father died, I lost it. I needed an outlet, and writing provided the kind of solace I couldn’t find elsewhere.”
Lazar created the Gus LeGarde mystery series, with the founding novel, DOUBLE FORTÉ (2004), a chilling winter mystery set in the Genesee Valley of upstate New York. Like Lazar’s father, protagonist Gus LeGarde is a classical music professor. Gus, a grandfather, gardener, chef, and nature lover, plays Chopin etudes to feed his soul and thinks of himself as a “Renaissance man caught in the 21st century.”
The creation of the series lent Lazar the comfort he sought, yet in the process, a new passion was unleashed. Obsessed with his parallel universe, he now lives, breathes, and dreams about his characters, and has written eleven LeGarde mysteries.
One day while rototilling his gardens, Lazar unearthed a green cat’s eye marble, which prompted the new paranormal mystery series featuring Sam Moore, retired country doctor and zealous gardener. The green marble, a powerful talisman, connects all three of the books in the series, whisking Sam back in time to uncover his brother’s dreadful fate fifty years earlier. (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE; TERROR COMES KNOCKING, and FOR KEEPS) Lazar intends to continue both series, in addition to three contemporary new series including Tall Pines Mysteries, set in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, Paines Creek love stories series, set on Cape Cod, and Bittersweet Hollow romantic suspense series, set in Vermont.
Lazar’s books feature breathless chase scenes, nasty villains, and taut suspense, but are also intensely human stories, replete with kids, dogs, horses, food, romance, and humor. The author calls them, “country mysteries,” although reviewers have dubbed them “literary mysteries.”
“It seems as though every image ever impressed upon my brain finds its way into my work. Whether it’s the light dancing through stained-glass windows in a Parisian chapel, curly slate-green lichen covering a boulder at the edge of a pond in Maine, or hoarfrost dangling from a cherry tree branch in mid-winter, these images burrow into my memory cells. In time they bubble back, persistently itching, until they are poured out on the page.”
Lazar lives on a ridge overlooking the Genesee Valley in upstate New York with his wife, mother-in-law, beloved Cavi-poo, Balto, Cavi-bichon, Amber, and four cats. He and his wife, Dale, now have seven grandchildren to spoil and they enjoy every second of it!
Visit his website at www.lazarbooks.com.
more about the author:
Aaron Paul Lazar wasn’t always a mystery writer. It wasn’t until eight members of his family and friends died within five years that the urge to write became overwhelming. “When my father died, I lost it. I needed an outlet, and writing provided the kind of solace I couldn’t find elsewhere.”
Lazar created the Gus LeGarde mystery series, with the founding novel, DOUBLE FORTÉ (2004), a chilling winter mystery set in the Genesee Valley of upstate New York. Like Lazar’s father, protagonist Gus LeGarde is a classical music professor. Gus, a grandfather, gardener, chef, and nature lover, plays Chopin etudes to feed his soul and thinks of himself as a “Renaissance man caught in the 21st century.”
The creation of the series lent Lazar the comfort he sought, yet in the process, a new passion was unleashed. Obsessed with his parallel universe, he now lives, breathes, and dreams about his characters, and has written eleven LeGarde mysteries.
One day while rototilling his gardens, Lazar unearthed a green cat’s eye marble, which prompted the new paranormal mystery series featuring Sam Moore, retired country doctor and zealous gardener. The green marble, a powerful talisman, connects all three of the books in the series, whisking Sam back in time to uncover his brother’s dreadful fate fifty years earlier. (THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE; TERROR COMES KNOCKING, and FOR KEEPS) Lazar intends to continue both series, in addition to three contemporary new series including Tall Pines Mysteries, set in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, Paines Creek love stories series, set on Cape Cod, and Bittersweet Hollow romantic suspense series, set in Vermont.
Lazar’s books feature breathless chase scenes, nasty villains, and taut suspense, but are also intensely human stories, replete with kids, dogs, horses, food, romance, and humor. The author calls them, “country mysteries,” although reviewers have dubbed them “literary mysteries.”
“It seems as though every image ever impressed upon my brain finds its way into my work. Whether it’s the light dancing through stained-glass windows in a Parisian chapel, curly slate-green lichen covering a boulder at the edge of a pond in Maine, or hoarfrost dangling from a cherry tree branch in mid-winter, these images burrow into my memory cells. In time they bubble back, persistently itching, until they are poured out on the page.”
Lazar lives on a ridge overlooking the Genesee Valley in upstate New York with his wife, mother-in-law, beloved Cavi-poo, Balto, Cavi-bichon, Amber, and four cats. He and his wife, Dale, now have seven grandchildren to spoil and they enjoy every second of it!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 26, 2020
Aaron Paul Lazar brings a whole new menace to Loon Harbor when a fancy resort opens across the lake from the homier resort run by Gus Legarde's grandparents. Gus (as a young teen in this book), his friends Siegfried & Elsbeth, and their new acquaintances get embroiled in pretty heavy stuff here. This is not just a Scooby-Doo mystery that a few intrepid kids set out to solve. Murder, rape (including attempted incestuous rape), arson, oppression, and bigotry are major elements here, and Gus finds himself right in the thick of it.
Actually, my one nitpick of the book was that the social themes were handled with less subtlety than is usual for Lazar. Victims, villains, and heroes were a bit too stereotypical. The grossly racist resort owner and his son, especially, could have been more powerful characters if their dialogue hadn't taken the "evil plantation owner" trope so far over the top.
Speaking of power, however... Anyone who's read the adult-Gus books in the LeGarde series knows that Siegfried suffered a life-altering injury as a teen. This book finally relates that incident. I didn't see it coming. I felt almost as shocked and grieved as Sig's fictional family and friends, mostly because they represent so many real-life young lives lost or damaged forever when trivial mistakes have tragic consequences.
Lazar often weaves a paranormal element into his stories. In Voodoo Summer, that element is (surprise!) voodoo. It was kind of weird, but believable, that Sig's friends resorted to a sort of prayer/voodoo hybrid to try to heal him. I didn't buy the supernatural twist to their rescue from the murderer/rapist, but hey, this is fiction, so it's all good.
Bottom line: 5-star entertainment.
I'm a big fan of Aaron Paul Lazar's books, so I sometimes receive one as a gift. I received this book as a gift, with no obligation to post a review.
Actually, my one nitpick of the book was that the social themes were handled with less subtlety than is usual for Lazar. Victims, villains, and heroes were a bit too stereotypical. The grossly racist resort owner and his son, especially, could have been more powerful characters if their dialogue hadn't taken the "evil plantation owner" trope so far over the top.
Speaking of power, however... Anyone who's read the adult-Gus books in the LeGarde series knows that Siegfried suffered a life-altering injury as a teen. This book finally relates that incident. I didn't see it coming. I felt almost as shocked and grieved as Sig's fictional family and friends, mostly because they represent so many real-life young lives lost or damaged forever when trivial mistakes have tragic consequences.
Lazar often weaves a paranormal element into his stories. In Voodoo Summer, that element is (surprise!) voodoo. It was kind of weird, but believable, that Sig's friends resorted to a sort of prayer/voodoo hybrid to try to heal him. I didn't buy the supernatural twist to their rescue from the murderer/rapist, but hey, this is fiction, so it's all good.
Bottom line: 5-star entertainment.
I'm a big fan of Aaron Paul Lazar's books, so I sometimes receive one as a gift. I received this book as a gift, with no obligation to post a review.
January 30, 2020
An Exciting YA Mystery
In this engaging young adult novel, 13-year-old Gus LeGarde is spending his summer at Loon Harbor, a fishing resort owned by his grandparents. Every summer, he is reunited with his friends, Elsbeth and Siegfried, and they all do chores at the resort. Shortly after he arrives this summer, he meets Willy, a 13-year-old black girl, when her canoe capsizes in the Great Lake. Diving in, Gus helps her right it. As she rows away, he discovers a soaked doll with pins stuck in it that he figures fell out of her canoe. Gus and his friends suspect it’s a voodoo doll.
Willy, her aunt, and brother work at the Seven Whistles, a new resort at the lake owned by the LaFontaines. Willy takes Gus and his friends on a tour of the resort. In the lobby she gives them candy from a bowl for customers and then is accused by the owner’s teenage daughter of stealing. Willy cowers, fearing she could lose her job if she stands up for herself.
Willy invites her guests to a campfire at the cove near Seven Whistles. There, they witness a ritual where Willy is holding the doll and chanting strange words. That marks the beginning of a series of mysterious events that occur at both resorts, including the disappearance of the owner’s daughter. While everyone searches for the missing girl, Gus discovers the LaFontaines’ treat their employees like slaves and they have dark, well-hidden, family secrets.
This is the first book I’ve read in the LeGarde Mysteries series, and it can easily be read as a standalone. The author, Aaron Lazar, did an exceptional job in describing the scenes and creating a well-plotted, exciting story. A good read!
In this engaging young adult novel, 13-year-old Gus LeGarde is spending his summer at Loon Harbor, a fishing resort owned by his grandparents. Every summer, he is reunited with his friends, Elsbeth and Siegfried, and they all do chores at the resort. Shortly after he arrives this summer, he meets Willy, a 13-year-old black girl, when her canoe capsizes in the Great Lake. Diving in, Gus helps her right it. As she rows away, he discovers a soaked doll with pins stuck in it that he figures fell out of her canoe. Gus and his friends suspect it’s a voodoo doll.
Willy, her aunt, and brother work at the Seven Whistles, a new resort at the lake owned by the LaFontaines. Willy takes Gus and his friends on a tour of the resort. In the lobby she gives them candy from a bowl for customers and then is accused by the owner’s teenage daughter of stealing. Willy cowers, fearing she could lose her job if she stands up for herself.
Willy invites her guests to a campfire at the cove near Seven Whistles. There, they witness a ritual where Willy is holding the doll and chanting strange words. That marks the beginning of a series of mysterious events that occur at both resorts, including the disappearance of the owner’s daughter. While everyone searches for the missing girl, Gus discovers the LaFontaines’ treat their employees like slaves and they have dark, well-hidden, family secrets.
This is the first book I’ve read in the LeGarde Mysteries series, and it can easily be read as a standalone. The author, Aaron Lazar, did an exceptional job in describing the scenes and creating a well-plotted, exciting story. A good read!
April 4, 2018
I can't believe it, but this series just keeps getting better with each new book I read! Voodoo Summer is awesome!
Thirteen year old Gus LeGarde and his best friends, fraternal twins, Elsbeth and Sigfried, are helping out and having fun at their grandparents' lakeside camp as they have many summers during the early to mid 1960s.
This particular summer, however, a new, ritzy camp has opened just down the lake.
After meeting and befriending Wilhelmina (Willy), a young African American girl about their age who, along with her brother and aunt, are working for the owners of the camp, they realize there is something very wrong going on over there.
Though they've been sheltered by their parents from much of the evil in the world, Gus, Sig and Elsbeth all have a strong sense of right and wrong and fairness.
For the three lifelong friends, as well as their new friend, Willy, this will be a summer of huge life-altering events and all four will be forever changed by their experiences.
I loved this book so much, along with the previous ones, and I sincerely hope the author will write more books detailing the youthful adventures of the "Three Musketeers of Genesee Valley".
I very highly recommend this book and the two previous young Gus LeGarde books to teens and adults. I'd be a little hesitant to recommend this one to children, as it touches on some sensitive subject matter that might be troubling for some children.
Thirteen year old Gus LeGarde and his best friends, fraternal twins, Elsbeth and Sigfried, are helping out and having fun at their grandparents' lakeside camp as they have many summers during the early to mid 1960s.
This particular summer, however, a new, ritzy camp has opened just down the lake.
After meeting and befriending Wilhelmina (Willy), a young African American girl about their age who, along with her brother and aunt, are working for the owners of the camp, they realize there is something very wrong going on over there.
Though they've been sheltered by their parents from much of the evil in the world, Gus, Sig and Elsbeth all have a strong sense of right and wrong and fairness.
For the three lifelong friends, as well as their new friend, Willy, this will be a summer of huge life-altering events and all four will be forever changed by their experiences.
I loved this book so much, along with the previous ones, and I sincerely hope the author will write more books detailing the youthful adventures of the "Three Musketeers of Genesee Valley".
I very highly recommend this book and the two previous young Gus LeGarde books to teens and adults. I'd be a little hesitant to recommend this one to children, as it touches on some sensitive subject matter that might be troubling for some children.
August 23, 2017
I enjoyed this book.I really wish I'd have read them in order.This one goes back to when Gus and the twins were 12.They are at a summer place with neighbors who are gentile southern on the outside.Many dark things happen.A young girl disappears and a we find out why Siegfried is a bit slow.Erik Synnestvedt was the perfect narrator.I was provided this book for review by the author, narrator or publisher.
July 6, 2020
Intriguing plot when Gus was young. Spending the summer with Elsbeth and Siegfried at his grandfather. and the lake. Willy was in a canoe that overturns and Gus dives in,to right it. Finding a voodoo dolls with pins in it after she rows away. A plot that touches on racial, a new resort coming in and the changes that happen that summer for these three.
November 14, 2020
The story is different; the adventure is different; some of the characters are different; the events are different; but the story, excitement, the thrill of the adventure, all of the characters, the mystery throughout the story, the life events, are all the same as always, making the book (audio) as wonderful as all the rest,
April 19, 2016
VOODOO SUMMER brings together mystery, betrayal, and family relationships stepping into Gus LeGard’s youth as he travels with his family on vacation in Maine at his grandparents lodge. Each summer Gus’s friends twins Siegfried, and Elsbeth’s family also vacation at Loon Harbor. They spent all their free time going swimming, boating, fishing, and exploring. VOODOO SUMMER focuses on unfolding events at The Seven Whistles, a new lodge on the Great Pond. Lazar creates a fast moving storyline around Gus and his friends and Willy, a young girl who with her family traveled from Baton Rouge, LA., as servants to the LaFontaine Family, owners of The Seven Whistles. Gus and his friends become fast friends with Willy.
Readers follow Gus as he investigates visits to the young ladies’ cabins by a mysterious man. Gus meets Willy’s family and learns Willy’s family secrets of VOODOO. The author speeds up the plot’s action with the disappearance of the daughter of the LaFontaine family. When they arrest Willy’s brother for the kidnapping, Gus, Siegfield, and Elsbeth join forces with Willy to prove her brother's innocence and uncover clues to find the missing girl. Lazar adds twists and turns changing the storyline’s direction and keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
The author places them close to Gus following him as he uncovers dark, mysterious details of the LaFontaine Family. Lazar builds suspense on every page moving them towards finding answers to all the mysteries happening at the lodges. The author moves readers through terrifying events at The Seven Whistles leading them towards VOODOO’s surprising dramatic ending . Lazar provides a great look into the past of the adventures of the LeGard family.
Readers follow Gus as he investigates visits to the young ladies’ cabins by a mysterious man. Gus meets Willy’s family and learns Willy’s family secrets of VOODOO. The author speeds up the plot’s action with the disappearance of the daughter of the LaFontaine family. When they arrest Willy’s brother for the kidnapping, Gus, Siegfield, and Elsbeth join forces with Willy to prove her brother's innocence and uncover clues to find the missing girl. Lazar adds twists and turns changing the storyline’s direction and keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
The author places them close to Gus following him as he uncovers dark, mysterious details of the LaFontaine Family. Lazar builds suspense on every page moving them towards finding answers to all the mysteries happening at the lodges. The author moves readers through terrifying events at The Seven Whistles leading them towards VOODOO’s surprising dramatic ending . Lazar provides a great look into the past of the adventures of the LeGard family.
September 7, 2021
Exquisitely enthralling entertainment...
This story is the 11th book in the Gus LeGarde series but can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone masterpiece of mystery featuring Gus as a young teen full of innocence and admirable values. The story is set in 1966 with Gus and his two best friends, Siegfried and Elsbeth, all vacationing with their families at his grandparents’ idyllic resort, Loon Harbor. The author paints an enticing picture of a simpler time replete with characters both warm and wicked that captivate the reader and guide us on a journey full of twists and turns, emotional epiphanies, and exciting exploits. There is plenty of suspense and danger; there are heart-warming friendships, estimable loyalties, and detestable deeds which are all deliciously combined to compel the reader/listener to savor each word of this absorbing adventure. As would be expected with a story unfolding from the perspective of a 13-year-old hero, there is no offensive language. There are persons of despicable character, but they are integral to the plot. There are unsavory situations and instances of violence, but none are graphically depicted. The talented narrator in the audiobook version adds even more dimension to the story. Through voice, enunciation, and accents, he deftly imparts a unique individuality to each character. Overall, this is a gripping tale that can be enjoyed by a wide audience from young adult to seniors. Aaron Lazar is a creative and masterful storyteller who has gifted us, once again, with a beguiling and memorable entertainment experience.
I received a free copy of this story from the author and the above is my voluntary and unbiased review.
This story is the 11th book in the Gus LeGarde series but can absolutely be enjoyed as a standalone masterpiece of mystery featuring Gus as a young teen full of innocence and admirable values. The story is set in 1966 with Gus and his two best friends, Siegfried and Elsbeth, all vacationing with their families at his grandparents’ idyllic resort, Loon Harbor. The author paints an enticing picture of a simpler time replete with characters both warm and wicked that captivate the reader and guide us on a journey full of twists and turns, emotional epiphanies, and exciting exploits. There is plenty of suspense and danger; there are heart-warming friendships, estimable loyalties, and detestable deeds which are all deliciously combined to compel the reader/listener to savor each word of this absorbing adventure. As would be expected with a story unfolding from the perspective of a 13-year-old hero, there is no offensive language. There are persons of despicable character, but they are integral to the plot. There are unsavory situations and instances of violence, but none are graphically depicted. The talented narrator in the audiobook version adds even more dimension to the story. Through voice, enunciation, and accents, he deftly imparts a unique individuality to each character. Overall, this is a gripping tale that can be enjoyed by a wide audience from young adult to seniors. Aaron Lazar is a creative and masterful storyteller who has gifted us, once again, with a beguiling and memorable entertainment experience.
I received a free copy of this story from the author and the above is my voluntary and unbiased review.
May 3, 2016
VOODOO SUMMER AARON PAUL LAZAR
It’s 1966 and Gus, Elsbeth and Sigfried are at Gus’s grandparent’s cottage resort, Loon Harbour. The summer is hot as is the plot to this story. The gang meets a young girl named Willie who works at Seven Whistles the fancy resort beside cottages and across the lake from Moose Island where the kids swim. The hotel is drawing regulars from the cottage resort and it is suffering. There is something mysterious afoot across the lake when a family member goes missing and one off the staff is blamed.
Things really heat up when Gus and his friends get caught up in the mystery. There are a lot of funky things going on and that’s what makes the story a real page turner. I give this story 5 golden canoes for excellent story telling by Mr. Lazar. I highly recommend this to middle graders and adults alike for a fun yet mysterious read.
It’s 1966 and Gus, Elsbeth and Sigfried are at Gus’s grandparent’s cottage resort, Loon Harbour. The summer is hot as is the plot to this story. The gang meets a young girl named Willie who works at Seven Whistles the fancy resort beside cottages and across the lake from Moose Island where the kids swim. The hotel is drawing regulars from the cottage resort and it is suffering. There is something mysterious afoot across the lake when a family member goes missing and one off the staff is blamed.
Things really heat up when Gus and his friends get caught up in the mystery. There are a lot of funky things going on and that’s what makes the story a real page turner. I give this story 5 golden canoes for excellent story telling by Mr. Lazar. I highly recommend this to middle graders and adults alike for a fun yet mysterious read.
April 22, 2016
Voodoo Summer by Aaron Paul Lazar is an incredible read. Although it is actually the 11th book in the LeGarde Mysteries, this one flashes back to the summer when Gus is 13. There have been so many references to this summer in the previous books, yet I was strangely unprepared for the impact it would have on me. Lazar is a master of the details and that has always been my favorite aspect of his writings. In Voodoo Summer, I was brought back to childhood emotions and misunderstandings. Wanting so much to grasp the adult world and being too far removed from the facts to reach the realities. Although I already knew the events told in this novel, the emotions are astounding. This is an excellent read, as are all books in this series. Lazar is a master.
April 18, 2016
This book explores Gus LeGarde's childhood, where summers are spent working his grandparents lakeside fishing resort. The new resort nearby is stealing their business. Gus and lifelong friends, the twins learn there is something off about the family that owns the new resort. Mystery and suspense. You may read this as a stand alone or as part of the series. Just read it.
May 10, 2016
More teen Gus and friends
I love the Gus LeGarde series. The books have such a sweet undertone. I love Seigfried so much I named a dog after him too. Winnie was a great addition to the trio. Can't wait for the next one.
I love the Gus LeGarde series. The books have such a sweet undertone. I love Seigfried so much I named a dog after him too. Winnie was a great addition to the trio. Can't wait for the next one.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews